"O WEEK"

This week is orientation week at JCU.  So you go to all the different welcome sessions and theres activities planned throughout the week. Since I am living in the self-catered type of dorms, were a lot different then the normal, huge dorm halls. And have to do a lot less stuff, which I am very happy about. Becauseeeee, us international kids are still being considered a “fresher” since we are new to this school. A lot of the college dorms make the fresher’s were things so everyone knows such as: a crazy hat, baby bibs, bandanas with their names across them, and so on. My hall luckily, does not do anything like that. Or force you to drink or run through halls naked. So I guess I got lucky with that J There’s been barbecues, pool parties, and free pizza at pretty much every meeting you go to. Yesterday, I want on the discovery ride, where the bus drove us all around to the different places around Townsville, which was pretty cool to see. My favorite was going to the top of castle hill. You look one way and you see the whole city and then you look the other way and its just blue ocean. I am looking forward to tomorrow because we are going to the Billabong Sanctuary where I will be able to feed a kangaroo and hold a koala! I will be sure to take a lot of pictures. Then Monday, I start classes! I am curious to see how different they are from back home. So far it seems much more laid back, but their finals are a huge part of the grade. For example, one of my education classes, the final is half my grade. So I have picked up a few new things:

• Dryer sheets do not exist here.
• They only have spray or roll on deodorant.
• I cannot find folders to save my life.
• Finding contact solution here was a mission.
• The most common phrase I hear here is, “No Worries”
• The bus times seem to be different everyday. Don’t depend on them to get home…
• Australians are very nice and helpful, and I am pretty sure they all hate Americans haha
• Bar time goes till 5am here, it’s rough J

This was walking down Flinders Street. That is where a ton of shops are, this area is also known as the city mall. Flinders is also downtown, aka where all the clubs are.

Why the giant spider along the sidewalk is necessary, I am not sure..

Biggest reef aquarium in the world right here!! Have not been to it yet, but i will sometime for sure!

$20 for mascara??!? Spare me.

Love the little gecks everywhere :) They can startle you though haha

Heres our bookstore and the start to our little "student mall" with little cafes and such.

Inside the Rotary International House office/ hangout/ laundry area.

Our kitchen/dining area.

Our lounge.

Kitchen again.

I have not heard the story to why people all throw their shoes onto this tree?? Maybe just to leave something behind here? ha thought i would take a picture though!

I was told by a waitress at Melting Pot to drink Passion Pop, it is pretty good. I prefer the strawberry kind though :)

Julie(Canada), Stacey(Canada), Missy(New York), and Me.

The strand :) My favorite place in town.

You either have to swim in the netted areas, theres two. Or in the rock pool, that the water is filtered into. Because, its stinger season. They will sting you, and you will die. Comforting?

Big rope climbing area on the strand.

I like these trees :)

This sign is right next to the turn off for my housing.

James Cook University Campus.

Being on this campus is muchhh different then being on campus in Platteville like I am used to. It is a lot more spread out then I am used to. I still have to take some time finding my away around, it will get easier once I figure out where all my classes are and such. Of course though, my housing building is the furthest possible one away!! Oh well, good excercise

 right??

Okay. funny story: Yesterday I was making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the kitchen, my RA was in there talking to me for a bit, and once I finished making it he says, " Okay, I have to leave the room now, how can you eat that!? why are you eating that!?" I was just shocked how something so simple such as pb&j could be so repulsive to someone of another culture. I told him this is what we eat haha :) It made me laugh, especially considering that I will probobly be living on them for a while.

Today the busses were running again so I got the chance to take the bus into the city. I told the bus driver I was going to the city mall. But when I got there, I found out it wasnt really a mall like I am used to, but a street of tiny shops. But I was able to get some of the things i need. But, I completely forgot to look for the thing I wanted to get most: hangers.

I took the trash out tonight, we each have our own night of the week where we are in charge of taking the trash out. Mine is on monday. Scratch that, it is not called trash here, it is called "Rubbage". A rubbage bin. haha. When I went outside to empty it, I saw probably the biggest toad I have everrrr seen. Looked the right, and there were two more. So I guess there are alot of toads around!

Here are some pictures I took while walking around campus and of my room!



The blue sign on the right is the turnoff for my housing building. I love the green mountains in the back. The one on the left is apparently used for Army purposes, but the one on the right I heard has some trails and such you can go up.






Heres my lovely housing!!




My huge bed :)








My desk and shelving area. It is a pretty big desk compared to what I had in my dorm before haha.





Here is my sink area, on the right is a bunch of cupboards with a dresser in it and an area to hang up my clothes.

 







This is a stream that runs behind the housing office.

 


My Savior :)

 

 



This is one of the many fallen trees you will see as you walk around campus.



And more... :(







                                                      

The lovely palm trees!!





Me in front of the campus sign.



Finally Made It To Townsville!!!

Sorry for the delay! Its been a crazy passed couple days trying to get everything figured out and settled in. But I have finally arrived at my destination! I was supposed to fly in on Wednesday, February 2nd, but there was a category 5 cyclone due to hit around 10pm so my flight got canceled. I was told I would not be able to fly out for a couple days, and so the airlines put me in a hotel in Brisbane for three night. It worked out in my favor, I got a free hotel and food for 3 days and got the chance to explore Brisbane :) It was a beautiful city, unfortunately I could not see some parts of it I wanted to, due to the flooding. But I really enjoyed it overall! Here are some pictures of my highlights in Brisbane!

This was the view of Brisbane from the very top of the hotel, where the pool was :)

This was the Roma Street Parkland which was actually right next to my hotel! It was gorgeous, trails and trees, flowers, and a lake. You could definitely get lost in there!

I went over to South Bank and South Brisbane area, and this was the view from one of the bridges!

This was also when I was in South Bank, this walkway went for quite a ways!

This is a juice and smoothie place that you see all around and I have fallen in love with :)

This is what they call a "Brush Turkey", which looks familiar to me and makes me feel a little bit of home haha

This was Queen St Plaza, the main shopping area around Brisbane. It is always very busy and there are all different kinds of stores in there, buttt many are very expensive stores. And theres a starbucks there :) And let me tell you, they seem to like their starbucks as much as we do.

This was the Customs House. I love old buildings like this and actually was able to go inside and look around, and the view from the back patio was gorgeous.

In back of the Customs House, you can get to the riverwalk, which most of it was closed of due to the flooding. But I really like this bridge!

So there are little geckos and lizzards all over the place in Australia, and I would really like to catch one, but theyre too speedy. This was an Iguana I saw over in the Brisbane City Botanical Gardens.

This was also in the Brisbane City Botanical Gardens, as you can see, the trees here are pretty flooded :(

This is the bridge leaving South Brisbane and going back into the city.

EWWWW!!! This is a big spider I saw in a web when I was walking down the sidewalk. Not okay.

This is my first time seeing a hibiscus flower somewhere besides a floral shop. Just along the sidewalk, I love them :)

There is a Chinatown in Brisbane! I did not expect to see that. It was mainly places to eat and small shops of random things.

I TRIED KANGAROO!! At the fancy hotel I was staying at, it was actually on their menu. So I went for it, and it was actually pretty good. Tasted like steak, maybe a tad chewier.

This was the City Hall, all lit up at night! I liked walking through this area in town a lot, especially at night.

This was in the same area as City Hall, there are kangaroo sculptures, figured I should get a picture with them! You can probably also see that I am a little burnt... Need to get in the practice of putting on sunscreen multiple times a day.