Hang Loose

Another wonderful weekend, as always. The rain has stopped, and the weather has been unbelievable.

After class got out on Thursday, I went to the opening night of The Hunger Games movie with about 30 other study abroad kids. It was kinda funny how the entire theater was Americans. We all got there super early too, assuming the line would be really long for a premiere. We even bought our tickets online in case it was sold out. Turns out the theater was half empty... whoops. Guess The Hunger Games phenomenon hasn't hit Australia yet. It was cool to see the movie before it came out in America though. The book was so much better, but the movie was still great! Can't wait to read the next two books at some point. Also, bonus-the soundtrack is amazing!

The weather was SO nice on Friday that I couldn't stay inside. I went for a run along the coast and then laid out on the beach for the remainder of the afternoon. I think my body has finally adapted to the intense UV rays because I no longer burn, just tan. Love it. Sunscreen-goodbye! I took a bus to Bondi Junction to meet some friends to go shopping that night. Oh how I have missed the mall... Got some great clothes-can't wait to show off my Aussie style back home. Best purchase-high waisted, distressed denim shorts. I have been looking for a pair for so long. Not sure how well I'll fit in in Dallas... but who cares! We also made up a game on the way home that we are going to play from now until we leave Australia, based on one of my friend's family friend's game. Every time you have a drink in your hand and you touch/twirl/whatever your hair, someone can yell "Tamarama" and you have to chug (skull in Australian lingo) your drink. It could be water (if you're lucky), milk, beer, hot tea, diet coke, anything. We are teaching all our friends, so should turn out to be pretty entertaining. Ended the great day with dinner at a Thai cafe and dancing at the Coogee Bay Hotel. Finally met some Aussies instead of just hanging out with Americans. Fun night for sure. Also, booked a trip to Melbourne mid-April with some friends! I realized I am going to be gone for 16 days in the month of April... Can't wait to keep on exploring Aussie land.

Catchin some rays.

My purchases. 

Greatest sign ever outside of the mall.

Went to Manly Beach on Saturday morning to surf! Manly is pretty far away (a bus and a ferry-over an hours worth of traveling), but it was so worth the trek. The beach town was so cute-tons of shops and restaurants. I purchased an Australian flag to hang up in my room, so I am pretty excited about that. We were given wetsuits and rash guards to wear and handed a surfboard. Surfs up? The surf instructors had us all gather in a circle and lay on our boards to practice the paddle/stand up method. The instructors decided to make me the model-oh god. Two guys picked up either end of my surfboard on the beach with me on it and brought me to the center of the circle and made me practice paddling and perfect my pop up stance in front of everyone. That would happen to me. Hilarious nonetheless. It took some time to pick it up in the water, but I ended up figuring it out somewhat! Proud moment of the day-catching a wave and riding it in all the way to the shore! Shred some gnar, dude. I only had one good one, but hey, that's all you need! My neck, triceps, and back are already SO sore, I can barely move without pain. Guess I don't use those muscles, um, ever. I am also a bit beat up-underarm chafing and a huge bruise on my hip. Bad ass battle wounds, I suppose you could call them. Although I wish I could say I was an actual bad ass. The black bikini-hot bod-Demi Moore-wet hair flip-sexy run out of the ocean while holding a surf board in Charlie's Angels- image in my mind was about the opposite of what I actually looked like. More like unflattering wetsuit, attempting to hold a board that was too large and heavy for me to actually carry, wet ponytail stuck to my face, one contact rolled up in the corner of my eye... so basically I looked like a pro surfer, yeah? See picture below... Easily could have been cast for Rip Girls. I hope you all remember that fabulous Disney movie. At least the outfit I picked to wear on the beach made up for my lack of surfing ability. Roxy flip flops, the distressed denim shorts, crop top, frat shades... I rocked the surfer chick look like it was my job. Just pretend you didn't see me in the water. We walked around Manly for a bit after our lesson and grabbed lunch and ice cream. After a long day, we sat on the deck and enjoyed the gorgeous ferry ride back home in the sun. Watched Harry Potter on TV (on the one channel that we have) that night and crashed early. 

Me looking like an idiot on my board.

Hang loose!

               

           

Discovered it the easiest way to hold the board.

Loving life!

Post-surfing.

Monday: 

After a whole lazy day of doing absolutely nothing, it was time to be productive... Went to campus for the first time since I've been here on a Monday (since I don't have classes on Monday). Apparently no one else does either because man was it quiet. Found a quiet spot in the library and actually got some work done. Couldn't manage to figure out the printing system, so I had to walk to the study abroad office like the American that I am and printed all my papers out there. I thought I deserved a little reward after forcing myself to do work on a gorgeous Monday afternoon, so I met some friends at the White House on lower campus before my walk home. Enjoyed a dip trio of hummus, pesto, and guac. YUM. Fun fact: bell peppers are called capsicum here. Not a clue in hell why, of course. Enjoyed my beautiful walk home and dinner with the roomies. Back to the grind tomorrow...