Keep Calm and Hobbit On!

Sunday, July 7

I’m home now and it has been wonderful, but in this post I’m going to summarize my New Zealand trip (sorry it’s been so long, but I’ve been so busy)!

Friday, June 21

I had to get up at 4:30am, because my flight to Auckland was at 6:30am.  The flight was 2.5 hours, but Auckland is 2 hours ahead of Sydney, so I didn’t get into Auckland until 11:30am.  I flew with Qantas, and the service and in-flight entertainment were fantastic! I then had to take a bus into Rotorua, the town that I was staying in for the majority of my time in New Zealand.  In the airport, I was struck by how pleasant and helpful everyone was, as there was an “i-site” (information site) that had all sorts of information for tours, transportation, and planning help.  New Zealand certainly knows that they have a beautiful country that people like to visit!  Because of the help at the i-site, I was able to get a bus to Rotorua 3 hours earlier than I had planned.  It was a really great bus ride, particularly as it enabled me to see a lot of the gorgeous country!  Although the country was beautiful (vibrant green and hilly), I did nap on the bus.  Though the temperature in Auckland was nice, I was taken aback when I got to Rotorua, as it was only in the high 40’s because the sun had set.  I had looked at the weather report when I was back in Australia, and I knew it was going to be cold, but it still felt very suprising!
After I got into Rotorua (bus stopped at the Rotorua i-site), I walked to my hotel.  I had found a great deal online, and am so glad I went with the hotel that I did!  I had a living area, mini kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom!  The concierge was very friendly and helpful when I checked in.  As the bus drove in, I had seen a bunch of fast food restaurants, and I wanted something quick for dinner, so I decided to go to KFC for dinner.  Rotorua had even more American restaurants than Australia, but KFC quality was not that great.  The specific town that KFC was in was called Fairy Springs.  It sounds so cute and happy, but was cold and I was not impressed.
Another really great feature of the hotel was the fact that I had as much free wifi as I needed!  It was great to go back to my hotel and be all warm and cozy while doing research for the rest of my trip!  Another bonus (and maybe my favorite) of my hotel was the fact that my bed had an electric blanket; I slept really well!

Saturday:

I slept in for a bit (maybe jet lag) then was able to Skype Amanda and made plans for when I got back.  Always a wonderful way to start the day!

I then walked into the main part of town to explore.  I really enjoyed looking at all of the souvenirs and had fun planning what I was going to buy for people!  I bought and mailed some postcards, then went to Starbucks (yes even in New Zealand) to warm up!

I then headed back to my hotel to be picked up for my Tamaki Maori Village experience. 

It was an amazing experience, as I learned (and experienced) a lot of Maori culture, played a traditional villager game, watched several hakas, traditional dance, songs, and even ate hangi, a feast cooked  in an underground pit.  It was a really wonderful night and experience!

Sunday:

 

I took a walk around a thermal and nature park that was only a 10 minute walk from my hotel.  It was very exciting, as that is part of what Rotorua is known for!  The thermal activity was really neat, but the giant pits filled with boiling mud were a bit scary to stand next to!  I had been warned that the entire town of Rotorua was going to smell like sulphur, but I didn’t have any issues, perhaps because of the colder weather.

I headed back to my hotel to be picked up for my tour of Hobbiton.  I am not a hardcore Lord of the Rings fan, but I wanted to tour something Lord of the Rings because I knew that the movies were filmed in New Zealand.  It was a  nice area and tour, but I thought it was expensive.

Once I got back to Rotorua, I decided to participate in our Lounsbury tradition of Sunday night pizza, and went to Pizza Hut for dinner.  It was just like home!
Once I got back to my hotel I made more plans for the rest of my trip, and my time in Auckland.

Monday:

I woke up to catch a shuttle to Hells Gate (named by George Bernard Shaw) Geothermal Park and Spa for the geothermal park walk and then mud pools and sulphur pool.  The walk was really neat and reminded me of  “when dinosaurs roamed the earth.”  This was the only time that I really noticed a strong smell of sulphur.  In addition to hot springs, mud pools, and streams, there was a bit of a walk through a forest, and it was really pretty.  After the geothermal park walk, I headed to the Spa for my time in a mud spa and sulphur pool.  I loved the mud bath, but the sulphur irritated my eyes and ended up tarnishing some of my jewelery (even though I waited over 24 hours to put it back on).   After leftover pizza for lunch I went shopping in town.

Tuesday:

 

I got up and had breakfast at my hotel, then packed up.  It was very difficult to fit everything in, as I had no checked bag, but I did make it work! (I would like to point out that throughout this trip I had 4 different people comment on my lack of luggage, certainly a first!)  I caught my bus to Auckland and then walked to my hotel.  This hotel was not good and probably the worst thing about my trip. 

Wednesday:

I woke up and packed everything so that I could walk to a park, One Tree Hill. This park was the inspiration for a song and television show.  I then headed back to my hotel for a shuttle to the airport.  I once again had excellent service on Qantas!

Overall, I fell in love with New Zealand, and cannot wait to go back again! Many people have told me that the South Island is prettier than the North Island, but that would be very difficult to beat!   The google pictures of New Zealand do not do justice to the country!  I had an unbelievable time, and really am so glad that my final exam schedule worked out so that I could go experience New Zealand.

Until Later,

Kaitlyn

This One's for You!

Thursday, June 20

One thing that I have learned from being away from home is how important friends and family are! I really am so blessed to have such a wonderful (most of you are wonderful; some of you are just weird ;) group of people that love and care about me.  I can't wait to get back and see you all in person!

Thank you so much to all of you that have not stopped praying since you first heard that I was planning to study abroad.  I truly am so thankful for all of your prayers, throughout my preparations, travels, studies, and now as I am finished with final exams, and preparing to travel once again (New Zealand and then home).

I became aware of these verses a few weeks ago and it seemed particularly applicable to those of you at home that are praying for me:

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, ¹⁰ so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.  Colossians 1:9-12

Thank you so much!

Until Later,
Kaitlyn

Fingers and Toes!

Sunday, June 16

Yes, my friends, it is official that I will be home in only 16 days! This means that as long as you have not lost more than 4 fingers or toes due to frostbite or shark bite, you can use your digits for the countdown from today :)  It seems like time has flown by, but I am so happy to be going home! I have had an amazing experience, but am excited to see everyone and get back into my home routine.

These past few weeks have been fantastic for so many reasons!

First, I had my official last class last Thursday! All of my projects and papers and assignments were done! To celebrate, on Friday I went shopping and got lots of cute, cool things!

Second, last Friday (Saturday for me) was my little sister’s first formal.  Before I left we went shopping for her dress, so it was great to have been a part of that! Because I love her so much (and can’t stand to be left out of anything) I woke up at 5am on Saturday so that I could Skype her as she was getting ready and getting pictures taken.  She looked so gorgeous and so grown up.  I am so glad that I got to be a part of her day (yay for modern technology)!

Third, although the weather has been getting colder (50’s and 60’s) the sun has still been shining.  Last Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day, so I took advantage of it by going to a National Park (Botany Bay) and Museum (La Perouse) in the afternoon. I learned a lot, enjoyed the weather, and had a fun time wandering around and taking pictures.

Fourth, on Monday (the Queen’s celebrated birthday as a holiday) some of the family and I went to Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay for “Vivid Sydney,” a sort of light display and show that involves the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and many of the businesses around the harbor.  It was really cool to see what people had created, and I took lots of pictures.

Fifth, on Wednesday night I went to a fundraiser night of one of the daughter’s boyfriends.  He is a lifeguard and is on a TV show called “Bondi Rescue.”  He and another lifeguard are raising money to fund a jet ski trip around Australia to raise awareness for mental health issues.  Anyway, the reason that it was so amazing is because other people from the show were there, so I got to meet and talk with them.  Also there were several other celebrities: the winner of the first season of Australia’s “The Apprentice,” and a famous rapper.  My favorite part of the night was learning that the other lifeguard that is going on the trip had been named Australian Bachelor of the Year!  So yes, I do know the Australian Bachelor of the Year, and I hung out with him! He is super nice. I couldn’t have planned a better and more fun and exciting night!

Sixth, on Friday I had my first final exam, and after much stress and studying, I think I did well.  I have 2 more finals, one tomorrow morning (Monday) and one on Thursday morning.  The two finals that I have this week are my more challenging subjects, so I would really appreciate your prayers!

Seventh, I have been attending the same church for several weeks now, and have been blessed in so many ways. The first was meeting up with one of the girls that attends the church and also goes to UNSW for coffee and just to talk.  It is so nice to be in another country, but find someone with the same beliefs and just talk about life!  The last was that on Friday night I went to go help out at their Youth Group.  Everyone was very nice. Also, it made me feel very at home to be playing ping pong and dodgeball with the kids, just like Sunday nights at home! (My skills in both sporting areas have not improved since I have been away).

Eighth, I decided that I did have time to squeeze in a trip to New Zealand, so I have been researching and booking various flights, hotels, and tours! I leave for Auckland this Friday, and will be getting back to Sydney on the 26^th.  It should be a really fun time! I am especially looking forward to exploring another country before I come home!

Lastly, (see I told you I had so many things to be thankful for over the past few weeks) I had a really great day yesterday (Saturday). I started my morning by Skypeing my parents, and it is always great to see and catch up with them!  I then went to the Paddington Markets (different from Paddy’s Market where I have been previously).  Paddington Markets is more “arts and crafts” and has boutique like stalls.  It was wonderful, as I found several really nice things to bring back with me! I may have to go back, just to get some last minute souvenirs.  After I was done shopping I went to Max Brenner, an amazing and dangerous place for a chocoholic like myself :) I sated my chocolate craving with a dark chocolate hot chocolate.  While I finished that I called Sarah, and we talked for over an hour!  It was so good to talk to her, and I cannot wait to be back so that we can talk in person! I am so very proud of her (and happy for her), as in the relatively short time that I have been gone she has gotten a job, had her first formal, taken her 5 hour course for her permit, finished her courses for 11^th grade (including her last ever Regents), and so many more things! Congratulations on being a Senior :) I then had a cozy evening watching movies! Overall, it was a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious day!

Although my time here in Australia is rapidly coming to an end, there are still several things that I want to do, or want to do again! Some of the things are: the Sydney Tower Eye Revolving Restaurant, museums, the Coastal Walk and Bondi Beach, Paddy’s Market, Newtown, and maybe Paddington Market again!  I’m hopeful that I can fit in everything!

Thanks again to those of you that have sent me cards or letters!

Until Later,

Kaitlyn

I'm Off to See the...

Friday, May 24

Well everybody, once again I find myself apologetic for not writing more.  However, this time my excuse is a little more exciting than uni work.  I have been exploring a number of places around Sydney, just for fun!
The first place that I visited was a restaurant called The Pie Tin. (I warn you, do not look at their menu if you are hungry; you may start drooling.)  I found out about The Pie Tin from an online article that recommended reasonable priced but yummy foods.  The reason that I picked The Pie Tin is because I have a huge sweet tooth, and their menu certainly had enough sweet treats to tempt me! While savory meat pies are extremely popular here, sweet dessert pies are much rarer here.  So, on my first visit I had a Slow-Roasted Shredded Pork with Apple and Barbeque pie for lunch, and a slice of the Gooey Caramel with Chocolate Ganache pie for dessert.  They were both super delicious! The atmosphere of The Pie Tin was really nice too; very homey and welcoming.  They had a large table in the middle, with stools on all sides.  The few tables that they had were booth style on one side, with chairs on the other.  Overall, the atmosphere encourages you to stay and read a while (which of course I did)!
I had such a great time there that I went back just this past week to sample more of their many pie flavors!  This time I had a Tender Steak with Bacon and Cheddar Cheese pie.  I then ordered 3 slices of dessert pies to share after dinner.  We sampled: the Apple Pie that Ate Newtown (Newtown is the town that The Pie Tin is in), Belgian Chocolate with Coffee Cream, and Chocolate Caramel with Hazelnut.  The Apple Pie was good, but not as good as Mom's.  The Belgian Chocolate with Coffee Cream was my favorite!
My main reason for going back to The Pie Tin was not for the pie (sure, lets go with that) but because of the area that it is in.  Newtown has a main street with tons of little cafés, art galleries, vintage clothes shops, and boutiques.  When I was there the first time, I had only planned time for The Pie Tin, and not for wandering through shops.  So, when I went back this time, I spent the whole afternoon meandering down the main drag, wandering in and out of shops.  I, as usual, spent more than I intended, but all for a good cause! I found some really cute earrings, both for myself and friends at home.  It was a really fun day!
The next thing that I did was visit Manly Beach.  That was a nice day because to get to Manly I took the ferry across the Sydney Harbor.  This meant that I went right by the Opera House!  Manly was not busy because the tourist season is pretty much over, so it was a very quiet experience.  There was a nice "boardwalk" area with a lot of stores to walk through.  I went in Oakley (for Cooper) and Roxy (for Sarah), but didn't get anything.  Something that is interesting to me is how it seems that frozen yogurt franchises seem to be taking over the world! East Greenbush and Colonie at home, but Newtown, Kingsford, Kensington, Randwick, and Manly here! Every time that I have froyo I think about Cooper and Sarah working hard at home.  I can't wait until I get back and can bother them at work!
Just last week I went to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Pylon Lookout.  Not only did I walk across the bridge, but I also did walk up inside the Pylon.  I really liked the mini-museum inside.  Heaps of fun and interesting facts about the bridge and its construction.  Also, many famous people visited the bridge, so I am only the latest of many : )
Now don't go thinking that all I am doing is having fun, because I have a ton of school projects and papers all due in the next 2 weeks. 
I have officially ordered my ticket home, and am both excited and sad.  I can't wait to get home and see everyone, but I am having a wonderful time here, and it will be hard to leave.
Thanks again to everyone that has sent me a card or letter; it's so good to hear news from home : )
I think that is pretty much everything for now! 

Until Later,
Kaitlyn

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Sunday, April 28

So I haven’t written in quite a while, but it is sadly not because I have been off adventuring about.  I have really gotten into a routine, which only is made up of school, homework, group projects, and hanging around. I am now in my tenth week here, and cannot believe it!  I am halfway through my time in Australia, and it still feels so surreal to me.   

My school work has picked up a bit, and as weird as it seems, I am now working on several projects that are not due until the end of the semester.  That, my friends, is because my semester is more than halfway over!  I have several papers, essays, and even a video project that have rapidly approaching deadlines.  As has lately been the trend with my coursework, group projects are becoming the norm.  As I do not care for group projects, dealing with them in another country is just as challenging as at home.  I particularly hate it when the reason for giving group projects, per the professor, is “In the workplace, you won’t be able to choose who you work with, when you get an actual job.”  That may be true, but in the workplace, I won’t be receiving a grade for others’ performances, and am pretty sure that my reputation will speak for itself.    So, I have finished one group project and am waiting for feedback and my grade.  Currently in the works are two other group projects, and I cannot wait to be done with the work!

Aside from schoolwork, I have only done a few things.  I went to a show at the Opera House last weekend (Cirque de la Symphonie), and thought it was a great way to check that off my bucket list.  On Friday of this week I went to a place called Paddy’s Market, which is sort of like a flea market, but with tons of vendors and souvenir booths.  It was really fun to wander around, and I did get a few things for people at home.  Above Paddy’s Market is a mall, and I found some really great things there in a fun shop.  I haven’t been anywhere else exciting, but am continuing to cross off things from the list of “Must See in Sydney” that I have created.  

I still have not found a church, but will continue searching.

I would like to say thank you to everyone that has sent me a note or a card! I have really appreciated your encouragement! And please keep them coming ; )

Until Later,

Kaitlyn

 

Since I've Been Gone...

Friday, April 5

Today is my 6 weekiversay of being in Australia! 

Well I know it's been forever since I last posted, and I'm so sorry about that. 

The highlights since then have been: Cooper and Sarah had birthdays, Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday at Hillsong, Redback Racing Newsletter release, my first footy game and meat pie, Sydney Royal Easter Show, first movie and first solo mall shopping trip, getting registered for my Fall 2013 classes at RPI, and finally, my Australian library card! Wow, I have been busy : )

So Cooper and Sarah are now each a year older than when I left. It wasn't so hard missing their actual birthdays, but it is hard to not regularly catch up, or just hear what Sarah learned at school each day.  As Cooper and Sarah have both started working at 16 Handles, they each are having to juggle work, school, and their 2nd jobs. (Sounds like child labor, but it's not; they both love their jobs).  Feeling like I'm missing out on the daily stuff has been hard, but they are both having to make decisions that show me how responsible they are.  It is good to hear that Sarah still likes to talk to me when she makes certain decisions. (Love you Sarah).

Celebrating Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday (definitely Easter and not Resurrection) at Hillsong really made me miss Clearview CMA.  Not only the sermon and hymns, but also the people.  I was reading a book, saw this quote, and thought it expressed pretty well the way I feel: "church dismissal, that time immediately following worship service when folks milled around the foyer visiting, too full of love and peace to leave." That common bond isn't so common and easy to find.  So, needless to say, I am hoping to visit more churches soon.

One of the things that I have really enjoyed here is working with the Redback Racing team.  The first task I completed was editing the newsletter.  Most of you know I love reading, so I had an amazing time reworking sentences and punctuation.  It was also a really great way to spend time getting to know other team members, so it was good in many ways.  It is also exciting for me to hear that the Rensselaer Motorsport team is preparing for Rollout on April 8th.  This is the night that they present the finished car, and thank all of our sponsors.  This year it takes place in EMPAC, and for those of you that know Troy, it is the big, funny shaped building on the hill that overlooks the river.  It is a really big success and honor that RPI is letting us use EMPAC to present what we have worked so hard on!

I have had this whole week off, but had to work a little on a group project.

I attended my first footy game (National Rugby League) on Monday, and also had my first meat pie! Their meat pie is the equivalent of our nachos or hot dog at a sporting event.  The game was fantastic, and the team we were rooting for (Sydney Roosters) won, 50 to 0! It was a great game with great company. The meat pie was pretty good, but very messy to eat.  

Wednesday I went to the Sydney Royal Easter Show, which reminded me of the New York State Fair.  It started years ago when farmers would bring their livestock and produce to show off.  It has since morphed into a "regular fair" with carnival rides and shows.  I did see and admire the livestock, produce, and various foods (free samples are always a win).  One of the things that set the Show apart was one of the traditions of buying show bags.  A show bag is basically a themed bag, with samples of various products.  They had over 300 different show bag themes, with the majority being candy bags.  I got a show bag for a magazine company, but its supposed retail value was over $400, and I paid $15.  I love participating in things that make me feel like an Australian ; )  The Easter Show takes place at the Sydney Olympic Park, so it was very cool to get to walk around that.  I also attended the "psycho sideshow" which had several different acts perform things chainsaw juggling, and contortionists.  I also saw the rodeo which had 2 teams, New South Wales and Queensland, going against each other in various events.  New South Wales started the night out 3 points behind because the rodeo was a continuation of all the other nights.  As I went on the last day of the show, it was their last chance at winning.  They won the night by 3 points, which meant Queensland and New South Wales tied overall.  The other show that I saw was the fireworks finale, which included fire dancers and fire breathers!

Yesterday I went to the local mall to shop (because I can't go for to long without shopping) and I also saw the new movie The Host.  I was really excited to see the movie, because I absolutely loved the book, but I was very disappointed in the movie.  I'm usually ok with the books to movie conversions, but I was really not happy with this one.  I then went to the food court, and our KFC is way better than KFC here. (Not a big surprise, but still different).  After shopping in Target, Kmart, and a few boutique stores I headed home.  It still surprises me how expensive things are here.  Kmart's prices are just like home, but Target is a lot more pricey.  

At 2am (11am at home) I had to register for my Fall classes at RPI.  Because I didn't have Internet at 2am, my amazing mother was able to register me! I got all but one necessary class, and am now waiting to hear back from my advisor to see if she can help me get in. Although I am loving having more free time here (shockingly, not working 3 part time jobs does give you more free time) planning for the fall, and in turn, spring semester, has really had me thinking about what I am going to do after I graduate.  I have been doing a lot of thinking and praying, but all of my options are still out there. When I get back I will have some serious decisions to make.

So, today I have headed to the local library where I got a library card, and am simply enjoying the free wifi, and being surrounded by books! I'm going to go look around and enjoy myself ; )

Until Later,

Kaitlyn

Hits and Misses!

Thursday, March 21

Hits:

•  Family Placement
• Mom Got Facebook
• Letters From Daddy
• Skyping Amanda
• Facebooking Cooper, Sarah, Chelsea, and Josh
• Weather
• Beach
• Class Schedule
• Hillsong
• Redback Racing
• Naps/Sleeping In
• Independence Out of Comfort Zone
• Blog
• Cafe/Food
• Witnessing
• Not Doing Dishes
• My Kitchen Rules/TV shows
• Ipad and Kindle Books
• Opportunities

Misses:

• Hugs from Daddy
• Cooking with Mom
• Singing and Shopping with Sarah
• Dissing Dance Moms and Gold Miners with Cooper
• Not Being Able to Hear How Everyone's Day Was
• Movies with Amanda
• Josh's Bad Jokes
• Church
• Rensselaer Motorsport
• Working/Being Involved
• Familiarity in Comfort Zone
• Mystery and Indy
• Reliable WiFi
• Current TV Series'
• Books/Library

Off the Face of the Earth?

Sunday, March 17

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, but I have had my first full week of classes, first 2 meetings of Redback Racing, and first Hillsong young adult event.  

On Sunday I went to Hillsong for church, and the sermon this time was much better!  I was challenged, but also was able to take something practical away! After the service I met one of the leaders of the young adult group, and was invited to an afternoon barbecue. I went to that, and it was nice to meet more people.  

On Monday I had my first full day of classes, which meant that I had both lectures and tutorials.  My actual International Relations professor was back from traveling the Middle East, and while I was hesitant about the class last week, I now am really dreading it.  The professor does not regularly teach, but is a lawyer, and that was quite evident from the first day of her teaching (if you can really call it that). She did not know how to operate the computer, even to pull up the PowerPoint, and a student had to walk her through that.  As she was quick to assure us, she did not have any part in creating the class structure; it was another professor that created the curriculum, and she would just be following that.  That was quite evident when she read, word for word, off the lecture notes that had been given to her, and did not raise her head for anything, including changing slides or answering questions. So that was disappointing.  Apparently it is common at UNSW to have different professors for different sections of the course (for example, one professor will lecture for weeks 1-8, and another for weeks 9-12) and that can either hurt you, if you lose a good professor, or help you, if the professor is bad.  Unfortunately, I think I am stuck with this bad professor : (

Tuesday was my long day, with classes from 9-2, and 5-6, and a meeting from 6-6:45.  A few of my classes involve group projects, and I am really not a fan of group work, so we will see how that goes. The first official meeting of Redback Racing went well, and from that I was invited to their workshop on Saturday for an official Business Team meeting.  However, on Tuesday I had one more thing to do after my Redback team meeting.  The Lord Mayor of Sydney had invited international students to the Sydney Town Hall for a reception celebrating the diversity that they bring to the city.  I went to that, but it was not as I expected, so I left after only a few minutes, but the Town Hall is a gorgeous old building!

Wednesday was my day off, and I spent the afternoon sleeping and reading on the beach! 

Thursday I had classes from 5-8, and they went well.  

Friday was another day off, and I again spent the afternoon on the beach! It was also my 3 week anniversary of being in Australia! 

On Saturday I went to the workshop for the Redback Racing Team, for my first official business meeting.  The business team here is very informal, and kind of scattered, but they are looking to improve that.  So I now have a few tasks to do for the team : )  The team leader also asked to see what Rensselaer Motorsport was doing and using for some of our materials, so I shared those, and answered some questions he had about our team.  Everyone that I met was very nice, so I'm really looking forward to working with the team.  

Today I went to Hillsong once again, but I will eventually visit some other churches around me.  

I have had several discussions with various family members about how we do things in America, and it has been really great to get their perspective on us, and what we do.  I think one of the most interesting things is that the daughter that is my age thinks that the US should have a public health system.  She insists that none of she or her friends have ever had a bad experience with the system, and she can't imagine not being able to walk in anywhere, and having to pay.  As that is all she has ever known, I can understand that, but she acknowledges that should the US switch systems, it will likely take 20 or 30 years to get a good functioning system, and I am sure those years would be awful.  

My favorite thing that I have eaten/drank this week would be a delicious chocolate milkshake that I had this afternoon.  It was phenomenal! 

The weather today is cooler than it has been, about 70, and it is really windy, which makes it feel cooler.  

As I was coming home on the bus, I saw the ocean, and couldn't help but smile.  I am so blessed, not only here, but also at home.  Not only where I live, but all of my family and friends, and the new people that I am able to meet, and the opportunities that have been given to me, and the experiences that I am having.  I am so thankful for everything that I have, and never want to forget how blessed I am! 

Thanks for taking the time to catch up!

Until Later,

Kaitlyn 

Education Over Vacation?

Saturday, March 9

I haven't written since Wednesday, but not a lot has happened since then.  I had a 2 hour lecture on Thursday night, but spent the day doing laundry and reading on the beach.  My lecture was Business Finance, and it seems to ba an ok class, largely because the professor seems good.  The professor is from New Jersey, but has been here in Australia for 2 and a half years.  He has a great personality,  and made fun of America quite a bit during the lecture, so I think what could be a boring class will be manageable.  That was my last class for the week. Having 2, almost 3 days off during the week makes me super happy : ) Because this was the first week, I did not have a full schedule, as tutorials begin in week 2.  So this upcoming week will be my first full schedule week.  Overall, I think my classes will be ok, and I see many similarities to classes that I have taken in the US.  One thing that is the same is the cost of textbooks.  I need one book each for 2 of my classes, and just those 2 books is over $250!  The books are published by the same publisher as many of my previous textbooks, so clearly their strategy is worldwide domination by overpriced textbooks : )

Sports are extremely popular in this part of Australia.  Some of the popular ones are National Rugby League (NRL) , Aussie Rules Rugby, cricket, and netball.  The NRL had their first game on Thursday night, which was 2 teams from this area playing against each other.  Because the teams were from this area, many of the players are friends of, or are known to the daughters and their boyfriends, so the game was very exciting.  Dinner on Thursday was fish and chips, just further evidence that food here has been influenced from all over.  (Wednesday we had bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes)).

On Friday I did more laundry, then once again hung out at the cafe and surf shop.  Another NRL game was on after dinner (ribs and pizza) and I believe I can say that I understand rugby better than I understand our football : ) 

Today I Skyped my BFF, and will be heading to the beach in a bit! 

I'm looking forward to Hillsong Church tomorrow, where I'll be meeting a leader who can potentially connect me with a Bible study type group.  

Weather is glorious and in the 80's once again!  So sorry for those of you stuck in the snow in NY!

Until Later,

Kaitlyn

My Time at Uni Begins!

Wednesday, March 6

I had my first class on Monday, International Relations, and it seems as though it's going to be very intellectual.  A lot of theory, especially for the first day, but it should be ok.  I also had my first meeting for Redback Racing, the UNSW Formula SAE team.  I'm really looking forward to getting involved with another team!

On Tuesday I had 2 more classes, Consumer Behavior and Information Systems for Business.  Both seem like they will be all right.  I also decided to switch my schedule, so that I now have Wednesdays and Fridays off!  It means that my Monday and Tuesday  will be longer, and I now will have class for 3 hours on Thursday night, but I can sleep in on Friday!

Today I slept in, then Skyped my family : ). I spent the next few hours on the beach, reading.  The sun is so much stronger here that even with sunscreen, I got lightly pink.  I then hung out at the cafe and surf shop! I'm really going to enjoy my days off! I'm hoping to take a few surf lessons, but have to find a good teacher.  

I know this was brief, but nothing exciting has happened : (

Thanks for reading!

Until Later,

Kaitlyn 

A Platywhat?

Sunday, March 3

So it's been a few days since I updated, but nothing too exciting has happened.

I went to the  Taronga Zoo on Friday, but the weather was really bad, so it wasn't much fun. However, I was talking with a girl that attends UNSW, but just got back from an exchange, and she told me that she had a pass to get 4 people in the zoo, and would I like to get in for free? Of course I never say no to a deal, so I took her up on her offer! I'm really glad that I did, because as soon as we got into the zoo, it started to pour, and if I had had to pay $30 for the privilege of walking around a rainy zoo, where most of the animals were hiding from the rain, I would have been very upset.  The weather was supposed to clear up, but didn't, and there was supposed to be an indoor alternative to the zoo, but that didn't happen either.  So overall, the zoo would have been much nicer if the weather was nicer, but at least I didn't have to pay! Probably my favorite thing that I saw was the platypus. (FYI there is no agreed upon plural of platypus).  I had seen kangaroos and wallabies before, but was really excited to see a platypus.  Apparently platypus are nocturnal and have sensitive eyes, because they were in a completely dark enclosure, and you were not allowed to take pictures with a flash.  Because of that, I didn't get any great pictures.  However, seeing them in person was really neat, and the one in the tank was very active (swimming in circles, digging with his beak, and somersaulting).  I will say that they are much smaller than I thought.  From beak to back legs, it was no longer than 18 inches.  

On Saturday I didn't do anything other than Skype my family : )

Today I went to the Hillsong church campus located in Sydney.  Their big church is on the other side of the city, so I technically went to one of their satellite locations.  The service was interesting in a few ways. For the sermon, the pastor of the main church is broadcast onto large screens at the front of the church.  The sermon topic itself was not as challenging as I would have liked.  Also, most Australian people that I have mentioned Hillsong to, only know it as asking for money or donations, and after today, I can understand why they feel that way.  Hillsong also has a number of small groups for people to join, including one for young adults on the UNSW campus, so I am looking forward to getting more information on that.   Overall, the church did a nice job making people feel welcome, and I'll probably go back, but I really am looking forward to visiting other churches too!  

I don't really have anything else planned for today, other than a family dinner to celebrate the birthday (yesterday) of the father of the family that I'm staying with.  

I do have that doomed feeling of the last day of summer, or when a really good weekend is coming to an end, as I start classes tomorrow : ( I know that you all back home have been back for several weeks, and I've been lucky to have been off for so long, but there is still something about going back that feels awful!  

Miss you all lots!

Until later,

Kaitlyn

Recent Happenings!

Thursday, February 28

So I tried Vegemite yesterday morning, and apparently I'm not yet an Aussie, because I thought it was gross! I've been told it's an acquired taste, so I'll try it again, but I have a feeling the results will be the same! 

So I went to uni on Tuesday and got a tour of the huge campus! It is very nice, but there are so many stairs that they actually consider one part upper, and the other part lower.

Yesterday I was able to Skype my friend from home, and that was super nice!  After I Skyped with her I headed off for the coastal walk.  The beach that I live on is Maroubra, but the best part of the walk is from Coogee Beach up to Bondi Beach, so I took he bus to Coogee and walked from there! The walk was absolutely gorgeous, and I took a ton of pictures! (See Facebook album) As I was walking and enjoying the water views, I was reminded of the song, "My Redeemer Lives" by Nicole C. Mullins.  (Youtube it) Particularly the part "who told the ocean you can only come this far."  All in all, it was an amazing and refreshing walk!  I took the bus back from Bondi Beach, where I found a Ben and Jerry's on the boardwalk. Unfortunately, the prices here are even more ridiculous than they are at home, so no ice cream for me : ( 

The family here has already gotten me addicted to a new show, "My Kitchen Rules."  The show follows home cooks from each state of Australia, and they must each cook for all of the others in the competition as well as 2 judges. They then rate each other's dinner, and the couple with the lowest score is sent home. The show is really funny and very good to watch together, as everyone has their own favorite team. 

So today I had a mandatory orientation for all international students, but all of the information was pretty much common sense.  After the information session here was. "Sausage Sizzle" where they were giving away trips for spring break.  Unfortunate, I did not win anything : (

The trip to Taronga Zoo is still on for tomorrow, and I can't wait to see some Australian wildlife in it's actual habitat! 

The weather today was actually not perfect : (. It is in the mid 60's, windy, and has been sprinkling off and on.

Until Later, 

Kaitlyn

I'm Sure You've Been Waiting!

Tuesday, February 26

So I'm sure that you all have been dying to hear how things are going!

I moved in with my more permanent host family on Sunday afternoon.  While this family isn't the original one that I was going to, and was a last minute change, I couldn't be happier with the way things worked out!  The family that I live with has 3 daughters, ranging in age from 22-19.  The family owns 4 apartments all in 1 building, and I share one with their oldest daughter.  Across the hall is the parents apartment with the kitchen that we use.  About a 5 minute walk from the house is the cafe and surf shop that the parents own and run.  Literally across the road from them is the beach! The family has been extremely welcoming and helpful!  They are a very close family, but joke with each other, just as mine does, so I feel very comfortable.  I eat breakfast at the cafe, and they pack me a lunch if I need it, but we eat dinner at the house with everyone.  After dinner we watch tv together.

I went to UNSW (University of New South Wales, or my uni) yesterday for an exchange student information session.  This entire week is called O week, which stands for Orientation week.  It was pretty crazy, as UNSW has 49,000 students, and it seemed like all of them were on campus for all of the free stuff that was being given away!  Also, all over campus there were booths set up for each club that the uni had to offer; I signed up to receive more information from a few clubs, so I'll see what looks interesting once I receive more information.  I was also able to set up my student account, and get wifi access to the campus (both things that I knew I needed to do)!  

I also got my schedule (they call it a timetable) and I'm super happy with it! I have class from 10-12 on Mondays, 9-2 on Tuesdays, off on Wednesdays, 5-6 on Thursdays, and 10-2 on Fridays.  Classes start on Monday, so I don't have long to relax!

The weather today is supposed to be in the low 80's but now that I'm so close to the beach, there is always a nice breeze. 

My plans for the rest of this week are: head to uni later today for a campus tour, beach tomorrow, back to uni on Thursday for a mandatory orientation session for exchangers, and to the Taronga Zoo on Friday with other exchangers!

I may sample Vegemite tomorrow for breakfast  : )

Until Later,
Kaitlyn

Hello Again!

Saturday, February 23

I can't say that I'll update everyday, but I realized there were a few things that I left out of yesterday's post, and a few interesting things that happened today. 

First, the weather here is much more tropical than I expected.  It has been in the mid 70's yesterday and today, but extremely muggy and humid.  Part of the reason that it has been humid is because it has been raining since last night, off and on. While summer is their wet season, they are receiving more rain than normal.  Summer officially ends on February 28, with autumn beginning on March 1.  Temperatures will still be in the 70's and 60's.

Second, the town that I'm in right now is called Epping, and I visited Chatswood today (very Australian sounding, don't you think?).  I will be moving to my permanent home in Maroubra tomorrow.  I'm told that the house where I'll be staying isn't more than a 1km walk from the house, so perhaps I'll be there frequently!

Third, the steering wheel being on the opposite side of the road is hard adjusting to, but not as hard as the driving on the opposite side of the road.  Left turn on red is common here, but it still feels odd. Lots of rotaries all over the place too.

An interesting practice that perhaps the US should employ is what happens when one is becoming a driver.  At 16, one takes a written test, and if passed, the student must drive with a square with a "L" attached near the license plate, with an already licensed driver.  Once they have enough hours, they take a test in the car, and if passed, receive a square with a red "P" which they must still attach to their car.  They are then able to drive solo, but have restrictions such as not past 11 o'clock at night, or they are only allowed a certain number of people in their car.  After approximately a year, they pass to another level, still a "P" but a different color, and it must still be attached to their car.  They again have restrictions, but after a year they are finally considered an unrestricted, licensed driver.  While things are similar in the US, I think that it would be beneficial to know which cars to avoid ; )

So we headed out today to another shopping center, a "posh" (per the mother) one located in Chatswood.  There are 2 shopping centers in Chatswood, the main one we went to was 4 floors, but the other one had 6.  Each mall has it's own attached parking garage. The first 2 or 3 hours are free parking, but then they charge you (sometimes $10 an hour!).  Inside the shopping center were butcher shops, fish markets, bakeries, supermarkets, and normal shops.  I saw 4 shops here that we have at home: Target, Kmart, EB Games, and Pandora.  Also "normal" was a KFC in the dining court.  So now I know where I can be reminded of home! 

I was again struck by how expensive it is here, as a small coffee was considered cheap at $3.50, and a sandwich and drink were at least $10!

So I saw an amusing sign today, similar to our US "slow children at play" but this Australian one said "go slow children don't bounce"  : )

Until Later,

Kaitlyn 

And So It Begins!

Friday, February 22

Well hello everyone! 

Thought it was about time I let everyone know what I've done so far.  The final leg of my journey was a 14 hour flight from San Francisco. My plane left at 10:35pm, which was 1:35am, home time, so I slept for the majority of the flight. I had an aisle seat, but the seat next to me was empty. Because of the empty seat next to me, I was a lot more comfortable than many people, but still slept pretty fitfully. So when I had left San Francisco, I had emailed the Homestay Agency my flight information, and had heard that they had called my house to find out what time the driver needed to pick me up from the airport, so I was pretty sure that there would be someone to pick me up at the airport, but I didn't know who I would be staying with.  My flight got in right on time, and I didn't have to wait long for my luggage to come on the carousel. (By the way, 100lbs, a carry on, and a purse are not nearly enough space to bring stuff for 5, almost 6 months! But $470 is too much for an extra few pounds) I got through customs with no problem, but got into a discussion with the customs agent about the wifi in Sydney, because I couldn't connect to the airport wifi, so I still had no idea where I'd be staying.  He was not very encouraging about the wifi in general in Sydney, but I've not had any issues at the house I'm currently at.  So after I got through customs I was able to find the driver waiting for me with no problem.  The driver gave me information about my hosts. I found out that I'd have a temporary host family until Sunday, when i'd switch to the family that I'll be with for the rest of the time.   The driver told me that we would be waiting for another student who was coming in 40 minutes later than my flight had arrived, but he was going to be staying with my temporary hosts for all of his stay. He came in on his flight from China, and we headed to the host home.

The  trip took about 30 minutes, and we only drove along the outskirts of Sydney, but it reminded me of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Very closely built, with buildings being taller rather than wider.  Also, advertisements were everywhere, in many languages. 

I arrived at my interim host( for tonight and tomorrow) around 10:45am. My interim hosts are a nice couple with an adorable 2 year old named Liam.

I was able to get Internet access from them, so I was able to update Facebook (highly important, obviously) and send a few emails. We then had lunch, a ham and cheese sandwich- no Vegemite or kangaroo yet! I then took a nap, and the the mother, myself and the other student went out. The student had to go to his university, about a 7 minute drive from their home, and I went to a shopping center across the road from the university, with the mother.  I was able to get a converter, so I can now charge my phone, iPad and laptop.  We also went into one of the two more popular supermarkets, Woolsworth's.  Most things  seem to be a bit more expensive ( a dozen eggs for $2.99) but a few items seem comparable in price (a bag of bakery rolls for $2.00).  Before coming home we stopped at the other popular supermarket, Cole's,  so that the other student could purchase a SIM card for his phone.  Our last stop was a Dr's office where the mother had to pick up a prescription. I was again reminded of Dominican Republic and El Salvador, as the Dr's office was in a sort of multi-story outdoor mall, with other shops, businesses, and offices.  We came home, and I wrote this! 

A fun fact: Gold Rush season 3 just began here, and the father is a fan. It's on in the background as I write! 

Plans for later are dinner (spaghetti), a shower, and bed! I'm not necessarily looking forward to them in that order!  ; ) 

Until Later, 

Kaitlyn