Happy Australia Day!

Saturday, January 26th is the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788. Australia Day is similar to America's Fourth of July - barbecues, fireworks, festivals, and celebrations. The Australian sense of pride and patriotism was actually much stronger than what I’ve felt in America. The streets were filled with people wearing the national colors (yellow and green) or flag colors (red, white, and blue).

We started out at Hyde Park. There were a lot of food trucks and a kid’s show going on. We didn’t stick around for long. Our next stop was Darling Harbour, where we listened to a live band on the green.

We made our way up to The Rocks, where we tried the famous Pancakes on the Rocks for the first time. Nina and I split chocolate chip pancakes with ice cream on top. It was pretty much heaven. We headed home shortly after and relaxed, then ventured back out to the Harbour to see the fireworks. Everyone was pretty beat by nine pm, but still wanted to check out the bars in the area. They were super swanky and wouldn’t let guys in who were wearing shorts. The end of the night was sort of disappointing, but it was worth it to see what Australia Day was all about. 

Manly Beach Lives Up To Its Name

On Friday, we had off from class...meaning we finally had the opportunity to check out the beach. Prior to my arrival in Sydney, I pictured my study abroad experience to be walking a short distance to lay on a beach in between class and work. In reality, the beaches are not as closely located as I thought. Some friends and I took a bus to Circular Quay and caught a ferry from Pier 3. 30 minutes later, we pulled into Manly Wharf and set our eyes on one of Sydney's most beautiful beaches.

We set up camp on the beach, which was sprinkled with perfectly bronzed, in-shape Aussies. It made me feel a bit self-conscious when I realized how pasty my skin was compared to theirs. The ocean was like nothing i've ever seen before. From the shore, it is a bright greenish-cerulean color, but when you're in it, it's practically clear. You can see your toes in the sand, which feels like actual sugar. On either side of the "safe swim" zone were groups of (gorgeous) surfers riding waves. 

We laid out on the beach for a while and then grabbed some lunch in town, which was just a few steps from the beach. We lounged for a while longer and caught the ferry back around 5. It was great to feel the salt on my skin and toes in the sand again! 

 

First Awkward Sunburn of the Summer

...it was bound to happen eventually. Every summer, I make the mistake of staying in the sun for too long without sunscreen (or sometimes with) and end up with either half my face burned or splotches of red in places where I missed sunscreen.

Around 9:30 am this morning, Jeanine and I walked down George Street to meet with our Aboriginal Culture class for a group tour. As we waited to cross at an intersection, we were verbally harassed by a toothless homeless woman with a dog in a baby carriage. She realized we weren't going to give her money, so she took the opportunity to call us names...rather unpleasant for so early in the morning. We eventually escaped the heinous woman and tried to wipe the incident from our minds.

We began our tour at the Hyde Park Barracks, which Jeanine and I had a lot of trouble finding...but took some nice pictures along the way:

View of CBD from Hyde Park

We asked five different groups of Australians and none knew where the barracks were. We turned up to the meeting place out of breath and a little late, but still early enough to join the group tour. We saw where convicts slept (hammocks - actually fairly comfortable) and viewed old artifacts. Next we saw the Museum of Sydney:

...but we didn't get to go inside. Not really sure what the point was, and I quickly lost interest in the tour as it was sweltering and I was thinking of more interesting things i'd like to do. We ended at the Customs House, right by Circular Quay (pronounced "key".) Jeanine hadn't seen the Harbour yet so we meandered over that way. We grabbed lunch at a place right on the water called Arc Cafe - I ordered the "Pesto Vegetarian" which had pesto spread, pumpkin chunks, feta cheese, and spinach on sourdough bread. Really different, and I loved it. The cafe was a nice place to take a breather and escape the sun, which I began to realize was burning my shoulders already. I got my picture taken with the bridge because it was too gorgeous not to document:

We continued on and reached the Opera House. I had only cruised by it on the boat cruise last week, but this was the first time being in front of it (and Jeanine's too.) The sight of it actually took my breath away. 

You can see so much of the city from atop the steps. I hope to come back and see a show here soon. 

Later on, we had Aboriginal Culture class. Me, Cara, and Nina made stir fry vegetables & rice for dinner while watching The Bachelor (guilty pleasure and favorite past time; it's okay to judge). We met some friends afterwards and ventured over to Surrey Hills for the first time. We went with the intention of finding a highly-acclaimed gelato place called Messina, but of course got lost along the way. I've come to accept the fact that we'll be in a state of bewilderment for much of this trip...or at least for a while until we familiarize ourselves with the area. But getting lost in Sydney is just as fun as knowing the way. 

We reached Messina and asked what flavor was most popular - Salted Caramel with White Chocolate Chunks - and ordered a scoop. It was damn good and well worth the trouble to find. 

Afterwards, we tried out a bar that some Aussie's told us was good. The bar was located in a dark alleyway with lizards and cockroaches crawling around outside of it. Apparently that wasn't enough to turn us all off, because we proceeded to walk into the bar. It was dimly lit, aside from a few little lamps and the light from everyone's burning cigarettes. It smelled of urine. Everyone was a hipster. Budweiser was $15. There was a pig's head on the wall and a chicken hanging over the bar. We left immediately.

Got lost on the way home - typical - and ended up at Bar Broadway, an almost always empty bar at the corner by our apartment building. We hung out for a bit there and then left quickly when a drunk brit from Manchester gyrated in our direction. Looking back on the day, I realize that I encountered the most bizarre people and I would be happy if I never saw them again. 

As for my sunburn, I didn't think a picture was necessary. Off to the beach tomorrow to try and fix the awful tan lines. Cheers!

My Australian Accent Sounds Southern

This afternoon, Nina and I decided to be adventurous and explore the area. We were looking for a place to grab a bite to eat. After consulting our Sydney guidebooks, we realized it might be best to just venture out on our own and see what we could find.

We started down Broadway in the direction of the mall (which we have ended up at every day so far, and my wallet feels a lot lighter because of it) and passed a couple cafes. Australia is really big on cafes. We stumbled into a beautiful open courtyard that was lined with little restaurants. We made sure to pick up take-out menus from them. It's funny how you can find such pretty, serene places like this just a few steps away from the busy city streets.

 We decided on a place called Project 8 - a humble hole-in-the-wall that was opened up in the front.

The menu was fantastic. Both poor at decision making - and both poor - we decided to order two items off the menu and then split them.

Sandwich #1: free range eggs with avocado and tomato on toasted sourdough bread.

Sandwich #2: Chicken burger with grilled vegetable relish, garlic mayo, cheese, lettuce, and spanish onion.

Yummm. I was happy that we got to enjoy the beautiful weather (74 degrees again!) and discover a new spot.

Tonight, I had my first class abroad - Film Production. We learned all about how the significance of lighting in film and received our first assignment: pitch two ideas for a film that have to do with Australia. I have until next Tuesday...any ideas?

I'm really excited for the rest of my classes, internship, and great things to come.

Saturday in Sydney

There are few things more delightful than waking up to a 74 degree morning after a suffocating few days of 100+ weather. It's funny how the weather can flip that way here. Our first Saturday in Australia!

The head of the program organized a scavenger hunt around the city called "Drop Bear Cup," which was meant to help us get familiar with the area and transportation system. We chose our teammates and, at 9:30 am, began the race. We started down George Street - a popular, busy street in Sydney much like Commonwealth Avenue is to Boston. One of the first destinations on the sheet was the Queen Victoria Building, a shopping center from the late 19th century located in the Central Business District (CBD). Essentially, it's a mall...but it looks more like a palace.

...I wonder what they'd think of American malls. 

We ventured into an area of Sydney called The Rocks, which was really cute and had some outdoor markets and things. We had to pass by all of it so quickly because of the race's time constraint, unfortunately. When we reached the harbor, I decided I had had enough. I knew the activity was meant for us to learn about the area, but I felt like I was missing out on places I really wanted to see. I decided to back out and headed home alone, but not before snapping a picture of the Harbor Bridge:

I probably should've felt afraid of venturing back alone - the Harbor has to be at least forty minutes away from my apartment, and I was unsure of the route home. But I didn't feel worried at all; something about the city and its kind-hearted people made me feel safe and I was actually thrilled to be able to explore on my own. I made my way back to George Street and wandered through it, stopping into all of the places I had passed and made mental notes to return to. It felt great to not have to rush and stress...I could finally meander aimlessly and observe everything. 

When I got nearer to my apartment, I made a pitstop at Paddy's in Haymarket.  Just outside of the building, there was a celebration for what I assume is Chinese New Year. 

I made it home after hours of walking feeling pleased and exhausted. Every day in Sydney is better than the last.

I'm Beginning To Think In An Australian Accent

...and it's only the fourth day.

BU organized a boat cruise for the program tonight at the Sydney Harbour. At 4:15 pm, everyone gathered outside our apartment building, dressed to the nines. We began our walk to the harbor (what was thought to be about ten minutes) and showed up 20 minutes later sweaty, dripping messes. It's only 113 degrees out, don't forget. A natural sauna.

We boarded the boat and departed. Instead of taking advantage of my drink tickets, I downed water immediately. After taking a minute to collect myself, I looked around at the awe-striking beauty surrounding me. The cityscape was absolutely breathtaking. 

It finally hit me -- i'm in Australia. Any reservations I had and inklings of homesickness were released and I was able to soak it all in. Being here makes me feel extremely fortunate. I celebrated this realization by turning in my drink tickets in exchange for Newton's Cider Beer. 

We cruised around the harbor, over to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and then to the Sydney Opera House. I've only ever seen pictures online of heavily edited views of Sydney that were meant to be used as desktop screen savers. This was real life...and that was hard to wrap my head around. It was even more incredible to see in person. 

It reminded me of a boat cruise my dad took me on of the New York Harbor a couple summers ago. We went because, although we've lived near NYC my whole life (and my dad commutes there for work every day), I've never done anything really touristy there. For me, seeing the Opera House was like seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time. You see pictures of it and recognize it as an important landmark, but don't process it all until you see it in person. 

                                                            New York City Harbor, 2011

Dinner was served on the boat. After we docked, some friends and I walked around the harbor and considered going to a few bars. I have always loved cities in the nighttime more than daytime, and Sydney certainly applies. 

In the end, my friend Nina and I walked home because we weren't feelin the bars (truth: our feet were blistered by poor shoe decisions and we're broke). Finding our way home was a test, but fun and a great way to get to know the city. Nina and I passed by Chinatown, several bars, and restaurants that we took note to return to. 

Several blisters and back pains later, we made our way home. I love the feeling of being exhausted by fun and busy days. Being here makes me want to stay up as long as I can to take advantage of every minute I have here. Sydney is the type of city that makes it difficult to want to go to sleep. 

Learning the Aussie Way of Life

Here are a few things i've noticed since i've arrived in Sydney:

1. The bus doesn't care that you're walking too close to the curb -- it will still brush by you and maybe even take off a limb or two.
2. You shouldn't be offended when Aussies make fun of you. It's part of their sense of humor and shouldn't be taken personally.
3. While 113 degrees feels like the heat from hell to us Americans, the locals are used to it. Avoid panting like a dog to blend in.
4. Eggs are never refrigerated.
5. There is no such thing as iced coffee (one of my least favorite realizations).
6. Even the construction workers are ridiculously good-looking.

It has only been three days since I got here, but I am already falling in love with this city. I'm getting used to walking on the left side of the road (after several harsh glares from the locals who I ran straight into) and am becoming familiar with the area, which is bustling and full of young people.

Tonight our program is going on a fancy boat cruise around the Sydney Harbour and by the Opera House.

So far, this is the only picture I've taken. Victoria Park, a 5 minute walk from my apartment.

NJ --> LA -> SYD

Study Abroad. Two words i've said and heard for the past...forever, it seems. The day has finally come. It's 6:30 am and my dog Lucy is snoring next to me. My dad has just come in to wake me up and say goodbye before he heads to work. "See you in a few months. Love you."

I've been going to school in Boston for two and a half years now. I've been away from home and rarely get homesick. I'm used to it. But these next few months won't be like the others because this semester i'll be on the other side of the globe.

I wonder if it will actually feel that far. I wonder if i'll miss home. I wonder if i'll feel the same love for Sydney that I felt immediately when I saw Boston. The ability to wonder is the part i'm the most thankful for -- that i've been awarded the opportunity to run wild with it. After all, isn't that the most important part of life? Without a sense of wonder...what is left to look forward to?