Many people probably don’t take the time to think about it, but walking etiquette imitates road laws – we drive on the right, so we also walk on the right. But of course, in Australia they drive on the left side of the road, so they also walk on the left! I discovered this one of my first days here, when I had an awkward encounter on the stairs: I was walking up on my right, he was walking down on his left, and obviously, we collided. It hasn’t been a problem since, but it is interesting to note. Need proof? Check out the escalators in the Geelong mall:

PICTURE TO COME 🙂

Perhaps completely unrelated, but another interesting Australian quirk: the light switches go the other way!

UP = OFF                   DOWN = ON

Obviously, everyone who lives in Australia knows to drive on the left side of the road (as our bus driver from our Great Ocean Road tour said, Australia’s one of the only places where left is right). However, apparently tourists sometimes forget:

And a snapshot from our Great Ocean Road tour:

I switched the arms around, but besides that, I think it’s a good likeness!

While I try to keep my blog pretty upbeat, one thing that is a downer for a college student on a budget studying abroad is money! The exchange rate of Australian to US dollars is close to 1:1, but that’s actually a significant devaluing of the US dollar, as a few years ago it was closer to 2:1. Not only is the exchange rate currently to my disadvantage, but everything is Australia is more expensive! Instead of the 99 cents store, Geelong has a “Mainly $2” store:

(Though I did spot a dollar store in Melbourne:

)

The footlongs at Subway are AUS$10 instead of US$5. And, McDonalds has gourmet desserts!

While not everything here is twice the price, the cost of living is certainly higher than in New York City. Word to the wise: plan to spend a lot when you’re away, whether it’s to study or on holiday, and hopefully the prices won’t cripple your wallet! That’s what I did, thankfully 🙂

Finally, the sun came out yesterday afternoon! This was actually GREAT news, since it meant I could do my laundry (no dryer here, just a clothes line).

Yesterday was my presentation, which went very well. I also handed in my first paper.

I had come home with the goal of starting work on my second paper, but I was simply too wiped. Sunburn takes alot out of you. Luckily we have tomorrow off, which gives me plenty of time to get it done (Sunday through Wednesday I have to work on my final research paper, since I have to hand that in before I leave for Sydney on Thursday morning).

After today, there’s only one more day of class left! (Monday)

I heard you guys in NYC got a lot of snow…I’ll be enjoying Geelong’s sunny 70 degree weather!

Cheers!

Here in Australia, we’ve had two wet, rainy days. Though nothing compared to the flooding going on in Queensland, this kind of precipitation is apparently very unusual for this area at this time of year. The rain is a good thing for me, since it means the sun isn’t out to further destroy my skin. I’m happy to report my sunburn is improving, though my chest and my back are still in more pain than I’d like them to be.

Yesterday we had an excursion to Melbourne to visit three museums: the Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum, and the National Sport Museum at the famed MCG (Melbourne Cricket Grounds). Because the day was so jam-packed, we didn’t really get to look around the city, but what little I did see has gotten me excited for my planned trip to Melbourne this Saturday.

Though we have to write a paper on one of three topics concerning our museum visits, the day wasn’t all work. I actually really enjoyed the Melbourne Museum, and wish that I could’ve spent more time there. Also, since I hadn’t picket the Sports topic, at the sports museum, I headed straight to the game room, which was kind of like a free arcade. You could kick a ‘footy’ (the ball they use in Australian rules football; it’s also the colloquial name for the game itself), a soccer ball, ride a bike, practice your archery, play a full sized version of whack-a-mole with lights instead of moles, etc. I was joined in the game room by most of my classmates, so I guess very few people are writing this particular paper on sport.

Today we had class as usual, learning about Australian landscape and then Australian politics, and then we went on yet another academic excursion, to the Narana Aboriginal Cultural Center. Because the essay topic I chose doesn’t concern this particular institution, I got to sit back, relax, and enjoy the visit. It was a cool place, with a lot of aboriginal artwork and artifacts. An Aboriginal man who works at the center sat with us for about an hour, answering any and all of our questions about Aboriginal life. He demonstrated how to throw a boomerang in theory (he couldn’t throw it because we were inside, and unfortunately he couldn’t take us outside to show us because of the pouring rain). He also performed for the class, playing the didgeridoo. He was amazing! I didn’t take a video myself, but my classmates did and I’ll see if I can get a copy or link to post here. In terms of my academic workload, I polished up my first paper and accompanying power point presentation tonight. I present tomorrow, though it’s only five minutes long. After that I’ll being work on my field report that I mentioned above.

Despite the rain, the weather has been in the high 70s. I can’t believe NYC may be about to get more snow. I’m getting much too used to wearing shorts…

Cheers!

This weekend Deakin University sponsored a fun trip for us study abroad students. First we got to go take a surfing lesson. Though the weather was gorgeous, the water was unfortunately flat. We did however get to paddle around on our surfboards and play some games, which was fun. And I now know how to surf, at least in theory.

We couldn’t take cameras onto the beach with us (because there was no one to watch then while we were in the water) but here’s a picture of me afterward:

After lunch, we headed to another beach, where we hung out for a few hours. It was gorgeous. Though the day cooled down a bit, I went in the water, and walked up a path that had a nice birds eye view of the beach:

I also discovered this:

Unfortunately, despite the fact that the day got cool and cloudy, and that I put on sunscreen a few times, I managed to get burned basically everywhere, including some lovely 2^nd degree sunburns on my chest and back (and possibly arms?). It’s pretty painful, but I’m trying to suck it up and enjoy my time anyway. I’m guessing I’ll need about a week to heal, but since this coming week is filled with class, academic excursions to museums, and paper writing, staying inside and resting up should be no problem.

As if to boost my mood after I realized how bad my sunburn was, my group and I stumbled across this beautiful rainbow at sunset on Saturday night:

Today we spent most of the day in the bus traveling along the Great Ocean Road. It’s pretty much what it sounds like: a road that runs along the ocean. It was built by WWI vets from 1919 until it was finished about 30 years later. There are many beautiful scenic stops along the road, where we got out to take pictures:

We also got to see some Kangaroos at a distance on a golf course before we hit the Great Ocean Road.

(Yes those small things are Kangaroos).

Even cooler than the Kangaroos however, was the Koala we got to see up close and personal at the Kennett River Koala Walk! (on the Great Ocean Road). It was on one of the lowest branches of the tree, and seemed to put on a show for the group so we could get lots of great pictures. Here’s one:

I’m looking forward to our museum excursion in Melbourne tomorrow. I’m also looking forward to this awful sunburn being healed!

Cheers!

It has finally warmed up here in Geelong, with the temperature going above 80 degrees yesterday and nearing 90 degrees today. To celebrate the warm weather, we hit the beach yesterday. It was wonderful feeling to be lying in the sand in early January.

On the way, we took lots of pictures with some strange artwork that is scattered everywhere along the waterfront here in Geelong. They are called bollards, and they supposedly tell the history of Geelong. (Check out this website and scroll down to “Bollards Trail” for more information).

Then my housemates and I went over to another house with some other students from New York, and we enjoyed some tacos, burritos, and Australian beer (James Boag’s – “Tasmania’s Finest”).

Tonight I’m going to hit the town with the girls, but we’re not going to party too hard since tomorrow we’re leaving on our Learn to Surf/Great Ocean Road weekend! Pictures and stories to come on Monday!

Cheers ☺

The first two days in Geelong were a bit of a culture shock for me, since everything closed at 5 – on the first day because it was a Sunday, and on the second day because it was a public holiday. Coming from the city that never sleeps, this was a bit hard to swallow.

The atmosphere is also very different. This is partly because Geelong consists of only about 300,000 people (though it is the fastest growing area in Australia at the moment). Whereas New York City streets are almost always crowded and bustling, sometimes I don’t see anyone else out. The lack of significant foot traffic (despite the fact that everyone walks everywhere) is evident by the way crosswalks work. Rather than automatically giving pedestrians a walk signal, the lights only allow for pedestrians when you press a button. Being from New York, I’m used to jay walking and crossing against the light, but I’ve been warned that laws against jay walking are actually enforced here (through a AUS$150! fine) and cars are not required to yield to pedestrians (while in the city, pedestrians always have the right of way) so I better wait for the little green man to tell me it’s okay to cross.

However, the lack of the hustle and bustle is also nice. I’ve discovered that Australian’s have a reputation for being laid back for a reason – they are! No one ever seems to be in a rush, and all interactions seem to be very casual. We don’t call our teachers in class professor or doctor, we simply call them by their first name. Though I’m not saying it’s better than the busy and soemtimes cold city (which I love) it certainly is a big cultural difference.

It’s been three days since I landed in Melbourne, Australia, and I apologize that my first post is so late! I’ve had a bit of trouble getting internet up and going, but, I think I can successfully remember and recount all that’s happened…

My flight from JFK left at 6:30 PM on New Years Eve (yes, I missed partying and bringing in 2011 in style, but I also saved a lot of money by flying out a day early). After a 6 hour flight to LAX, I got ready to board my 14 hour flight to Sydney. At 12 AM LA time, while sitting on the plane waiting for takeoff, the captain announced the time and everyone clapped. That and champagne with my dinner a little later on was all the celebrating I got to do. Once I arrived in Sydney I had to collect my bags, rush through customs, recheck my bags and go through security, and then board my 1.5 hour flight to Melbourne. The other students on this flight and I were picked up in Melbourne by the Study Abroad coordinator at Deakin University, where we are studying while we are here. An hours drive, and we were in Geelong. We were dropped off at the house we will be staying at (in the picture below). All in all, it was an exhausting almost 2 day trip.

It’s pretty nice: three single rooms, for Jenny, Shanni (my housemates) and I, a kitchen, bathroom, and living room (all pictured below). It’s only about a 20 minute walk to school, and since the weather is gorgeous, that’s no big deal.

Coming from the blizzard in New York, the minute I stepped outside (first at the Sydney airport) and felt the 70 degrees F + weather I couldn’t help but smile. I have no idea how I’m going to readjust when I go back home, but it’s nice that I’m walking around in shorts and a tank top in January. Since Monday was a public holiday, and therefore, school didn’t start until Tuesday, my house mates and I explored Geelong, found some of our fellow students from New York at their various residences, and just generally did alot of walking. Even though it was relatively cool, only in the 70s, I got a bit sunburnt because the sun is so much stronger here (something to do with the angle…ask a scientist).

Yesterday was the first day of class. We got our Deakin University Ids, toured the campus, sat through orientation (long and boring, the way orientations usually are) and then got a 1 hour overview of Australian history. My housemates and I then bought wifi (still not up and running quite right, though thankfully the University has free wifi) and phones (which are up and running, thankfully, so we can call tech support about the wifi). At 6 Deakin university hosted a nice welcome dinner for us at a restaurant at the water’s edge called Edge (appropriately named) which was nice but lasted until 9! We headed home and went to bed almost straightaway (at least I did, I was exhausted).

This morning was a lesson on Multicultural Australia, introductions and then thankfully we have the afternoon off. I’ll be catching up on my readings, as will many other people I gather. (Since we only got the materials yesterday, we haven’t really had time to do much reading).

And that’s that! I’ll make some shorter posts about more interesting tidbits I’ve discovered, and then try to keep you all updated on my daily activities for the next 18 days or so. Cheers!

Original post: http://macaulayhunterblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/snow.html