Melbourne

After saying goodbye to my parents, running into Ludacris in the city, and taking a midterm, it was off to Melbourne!

I had heard so many great things about the city just south of us, so my roommate and I decided to check it out. We booked a pretty last minute trip, but it ended up working out great. We got super cheap flights (mine was about $120 round trip!), but the real kicker is luggage when flying domestically Australia. Your carry on luggage can be no more than 10 kilos (and yes, they weigh it). And if it is more, you have to check it, which costs a mere $70... So I attempted to be a real backpacker and literally only bring my backpack (okay, and a large purse). 10 kilos, EXACTLY. I would have thrown every piece of clothing on my body though in order for them to not make me check that bag.

Jaclyn and I stayed at the Base Backpackers hostel in St. Kilda. Getting there was some journey. We took 2 buses to get from our apartment to the airport in Sydney, then a plane, then a bus to the Central Cross Station, then a tram to our hostel. We arrived at midnight, just in time for the "biggest backpackers party night in Melbourne" to be in full-throttle mode. Not quite what I was expecting when I went to check in at the front desk. Guess I should have been though after staying at Gilligan's in Cairns. Our tired selves somehow evaded the crazy partyers and found our room. Ahhhh... the Sanctuary. For $30 a night, we stayed in a 6 girl room in a separate part of the hostel called The Sanctuary. It was a girl's only floor, and we were provided with free towels, free shampoo and conditioner, hair dryers, and wait for it, free champagne every night. Yes please. They Sanctuary even had a separate door to get to it and once you opened it, it was like a breath of fresh air, decorated with flowers and pretty paintings and such. A nice escape from the crazy hostel. Not that the room was anything nice... But I'll take it. Our roommates turned out to be awesome. All 4 other girls were actual backpackers, just traveling through Australia. Some were taking a year off school, others were just traveling for fun, and some were working. Great meeting people from all walks of life.

The Sanctuary!

After our exhausting day, we crashed that night right away in our bunk beds. We slept in the next morning and decided to go get lost in the city. After being idiots and struggling to figure out how to purchase a tram pass, we discovered that no one ever checks you when you get on. So we rode it for free all day long every day. The tram was awesome compared to the buses in Sydney. Really, they should take notes from Melbourne. We got off at a random stop and decided to go check out the shops. The city has a very European vibe. There were strips of tons of cute shops and restaurants and gorgeous buildings. Melbourne is known for its alley-way graffiti art, so we checked that out as well. It was weird seeing a sign that said, "graffiti encouraged," but it was pretty spectacular. We walked around Federation Square, found a random playdough cave that we played in for some time, and ate our packed pb&j lunches in the sun. We headed back to St. Kilda and went into Luna Park to see what it was like. There is one in Sydney that I have yet to go to, so I figured I had to at least go see what it looked like, since it was across the street from our hostel. Pretty dinky, not going to lie. But I can officially check it off the bucket list now. We walked over to the beach afterwards and sat at a beautiful cafe on the water. Our pathetic selves split an order of bread and water, to which the waiter responded, "On a budget...?" Our catch phrase became "Help me, I'm poooor!" (the line from Bridesmaids). I'm actually quite impressed with our bargain hunting during our trip. We got dinner with our new hostel roomies that night and enjoyed our free champagne before heading to bed.

Cool graffiti art in the alley ways

St. Kilda beach

Saturday morning we got up and headed to the famous Queen Victoria Market. Unfortunately, we slept in and got there about 2 hours before it closed, but it was still amazing. I could have spent all day there. It was absolutely enormous. We enjoyed a wine tasting consisting of Watermelon Wine and Sparkling Peach Wine and deliciousness. I bought 3 pieces of scrumptious fruit for $2. I almost bought an adorable dress, but I decided it wasn't quite worth the money. The clothing there was gorgeous though. There were souvenirs galore-literally anything you could possibly imagine. Definitely worth going to, but make sure to go early! We went to the Old Melbourne Gaol (jail) afterwards for a tour. They handed us cards and we read the info of our new criminal selves and we were taken through the jail as if we had just been arrested. A very entertaining afternoon. At the end you get to take a mugshot. We had too much fun with that. We had dinner in the city with two of our other friends that night and checked out a local pub before heading home early-6:30am wake up time the next morning for the Great Ocean Road!

Sunday we got on the bus at 7:00 am for the Great Ocean Road tour-a 13 hour long day... Exhausting, but man was it gorgeous. We stopped at several places along the way. A few beaches, some really cute small beach towns, a rainforest, a wildlife spot, and of course the famous 12 Apostles. The drive was really, really long, but the views were truly spectacular. I wish the weather had been a bit better, but the rainbows we got to see were worth the rain! In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words, so the rest of the journey I will leave to pictures.

the start of the journey!

one of the many beautiful rainbows

absolutely gorgeous scenery

the 12 Apostles

just in time for the sunset at the last stop

Monday morning I got up to go for a quick jog before we had to check out of our hostel room at 10 am. I unfortunately got a text telling me my dad was in a bicycle accident and had been hit by a car, so I was a bit nervous all day. My roommate's flight was much earlier than mine, so I spent the day relaxing by myself. I went shopping in St. Kilda, saw a movie, and enjoyed tea at a cafe (with free wi-fi to call my mom) and read the last Hunger Games book for a bit. I met my other two friends at Southern Cross Station to catch a bus to the airport. We eventually made it back to Sydney late that night. I was so wiped out and ready for bed, but I had an amazing trip! It was super relaxing. I wasn't used to being on my own schedule, since I had just come back from a trip to Cairns with my study abroad program where everything was on a strict time schedule. We slept in, decided that day what we were going to do, and enjoyed exploring on our own time. We had nowhere to be, so we just started to walk and ended up where we ended up. It was great. Refreshing to get out of Sydney and see another city. My friends actually said they liked Melbourne better than Sydney. I pick Sydney, to be honest, but I definitely had a great weekend and loved Melbourne. I feel like I have become an expert traveler! I am a bit stressed out, as school is really starting to pick up, but I can't wait to see what adventures Uluru has in store for me in a few days!! Outback, here I come.


Other strange lingo I've picked up:
-Queue=line
-Distributor=freeway
-"How are you going?"="How are you doing?"  -I don't like this one... I always just think it sounds like they have terrible grammar.

Side note: I have started to spell words with "our" instead of "or," such as "behaviour," and think it's normal. And it is now normal for me to walk on the left side of the sidewalk and look left when crossing the street. And I now own real, authentic Australian UGG slippers. So guess I'm pretty much a local now? Yeah, I think I could stay here for a long, long time... 

A little taste of home

Spring Break Part II:

I woke up early on Friday to get a work out in before meeting up with my parents. That workout was more than needed after the indulging week in Cairns. Time to get my body back on some sort of a schedule. My parents came to Coogee and we did the infamous walk to Bondi Beach. They absolutely loved it and stopped several times to take pictures. Your parents are only here for so long... so you have to just grin and bear it and be patient and smile for all those pictures they want to take. The weather was spectacular, and the walk did not fail to disappoint. We got smoothies and pear/raspberry bread (my favorite treat) in Bondi and looked out at the gorgeous beach. We took a cab to campus to show my parents uni! They were surprised at how enormous it is and how urban it is. I also showed them my friend's apartment, who lives in the village, so they could see my old stomping grounds. I liked showing them my life so they can envision things when we talk. We ended the night with an AMAZING dinner at Wolfie's Grill in the Rocks with one of my friends. The restaurant was outdoors, with a beautiful view of the harbor and Opera House, and the canopy over it looked like a pirate ship. Best meal of the weekend for sure. Unfortunately, one of my professors scheduled a midterm for the day classes start back up after the break (who does that?!), so I capped the night off with a little study sesh and then fell into bed.

We hit up the Paddington Saturday Market the next morning. We were surprised at how small it was, but the quality was amazing-everything from vintage clothing to spices and breads to paintings. I bought an i-phone case of a view of Coogee Beach so I can always remember my home-away-from-home when I am back in the States. We headed back to Circular Quay for a tour of the Opera House after that. The inside of the Opera House was incredible. We learned the history of the architecture and what all the theaters are used for, etc. The top of the house is actually not all white, but several different shades of million of tiles in a wave-like pattern. It was very surreal being in the inside of such an iconic place. We saw a cute little train in the botanical gardens next door when we exited the opera house, so we decided to hop in for one last tour. The gardens were absolutely beautiful-you easily could have spent a full day there. This was probably my favorite day. I got to cross off several things on my bucket list and enjoyed touring the city with my parents. We had dinner with two of my roommates in Coogee at the Beach Palace, and I studied a little bit more for my midterm. Another excellent day in paradise.

pretty tea stand at the Paddington Markets

up-close view of the top of the opera house

the botanical gardens train ride

I worked out again early Sunday morning before meeting my parents in the city. We hopped on the ferry and headed to Manly Beach! It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon so it was CROWDED. I have never seen so many people before. Nevertheless, Manly was still a ton of fun. We walked around the shops, had ice cream, and watched the surfers and volleyball players on the beach. We had dinner in Darling Harbor (at a less than delicious place, unfortunately). I can't believe all the places we packed in this weekend! Mom and dad sure got their money's worth in Sydney!

I met them for one last day in the city Monday for an adventure to the Taronga Zoo! Since it was a week day, the ferry was much less crowded. We got to sit outside and enjoy the ride. We got to ride in a really cool sky tram up to the top of the zoo once we got off the ferry. The zoo is kind of on a little island and at the top of a hill-truly gorgeous views. My parents got their first taste of kangaroos and koalas, and I got to see a few things myself I hadn't seen before. The animals were so up-close and personal; it was one of the cooler zoo's I had been to. We had a blast walking around-it was the perfect day. We hit up Starbucks (one of only TWO in all of Sydney) afterwards and then got me a REAL pair of true Australian UGG slippers at the Ugg Store. Apparently the American version is complete crap and they stole the idea from Australia and trademarked it and are selling them for a really expensive price when they really aren't even true UGG's at all... Yet another reason why Australian's think Americans are stupid. Finished the night off with dinner at my favorite Thai restaurant in Coogee, Samui. My dad thought it was fitting to start the trip and end the trip with dinner at the same restaurant. It was very sad to say goodbye, but this should hopefully last me for the remaining two months in Australia! I am so glad they came to visit and hope they have a blast (and not too much rain) up in Cairns for their vacation part 2. Thanks for coming Mom and Dad-love you guys tons!! See you in June back in America! Now let's hope I don't fail that midterm tomorrow....

the lion was SOCLOSE

amazing view from the zoo

11 of the top 15 deadliest snakes in the world are in Australia... slightly terrifying

Beauty all around

Day 5:

Somehow woke up at 6:00 am to go watch the sunrise on the beach. Although I was disgusting and exhausted, I am SO glad my friend rattled me awake. I was shocked at how many of us managed to get up at the ungodly hour to see the magnificent event. It was truly spectacular and so worth it.

the end of the sunrise-absolutely breathtaking.

I went back to bed for a few hours, then rented kayaks with a friend and headed out to the warmest water in the world. It was pretty windy, so we didn't get very far in our kayaks. But we had more fun just sitting in it anyways and soaking up the rays and talking. This was followed by the MOST NEEDED SHOWER OF MY LIFE. Unfortunately, I got locked out of my room post-shower, but I thankfully still had my swim suit. That could have been awkward... I played the card game spoons with some friends on the beach until my room was unlocked, and then got all ready for jungle surfing! Also known as, zip lining. Something I have always wanted to do. It surpassed my expectations for sure. We were given a hat with a funny name on it (I got to be Indiana Jones for the day-not too shabby) and jumped into a smelly harness.

We embarked on a long hike in the jungle, and it was as if I had never showered. Whatever. I obviously gave up on being attractive/hygienic/not smelly-or-sweaty at the beginning of the trip. We went zip lining through the gorgeous rainforest via 5 different spots, each with a bit of a different twist. One was with a partner, one was super fast, one you rode upside down. All incredibly fantastic. My favorite was the super fast one-it literally felt like I was flying through the trees , like Tarzan or something.

all ready to go!

yes that's me, flying through the trees

oh heyyyy 

The second we finished our last zip line, we had to head back to our rooms and pack up to leave. I ordered a sandwich at the restaurant for take away to stuff in my mouth on the bus ride, threw my clothes in a suitcase, and jumped on the bus. That amazing shower I had earlier in the day? You would never have known. I reeked like that smelly harness and was incredibly sweaty from being in the humid rainforest all day. Perfect conditions for a three hour bus ride... It started to pour (who knew-rain in the rainforest?), which was actually really pretty to watch out the window. Until the bus behind us had a bit of an incident... the trailer carrying all the luggage unhitched and all the bags were rolling all over the road. Put us a bit behind schedule, as the driver didn't notice for about a half hour. And then an emu was crossing the road and we everyone had to stop and wait for it to cross (slash everyone wanted to take pictures and look at it) #onlyinAustralia. We eventually made it back to Gilligan's for one final night. Thais informed us that since we were so behind schedule we wouldn't have time to shower before the night activities. We had to meet in the lobby in a half hour for dinner. Challenge accepted, Thais. I showered and changed and made myself presentable before heading down to meet the group. One of the girls in my room was an angel and saved me a bottom bunk because she remembered form last time how much I hate the top bunks. I love nice people. We went on a celebratory cruise for a bit and everyone got all choked up when Thais started thanking us for being such a great group and how much she would miss us all and how the semester is already half over and yada yada... Let's not go there yet, okay? Live in the moment. We got off the boat and thankfully got to dinner just in time before it started to pour again. We each got a three course $50 meal for free (well, I guess it was probably included somehow in all the money we've shelled out). Started out with kangaroo and crocodile skewers, followed by ravioli, and marshmallow pavlova for dessert. Oh, and don't forget that pina colada drink. Necessary celebratory drink to end my island vacation. Made it back without getting too wet and enjoyed one last night out with the crew. A truly amazing trip-could not have asked for anything better.

YUM!

Day 6:

Woke up, packed up, checked out, enjoyed a delicious french toast breakfast, and then headed to the airport. We all almost missed our flight (I was the actual LAST person on the plane), but I settled in next to Catherine and Alexa and goodbye Cairns it was :( I somehow managed to study for an upcoming midterm for the first hour of the flight, but then we all got antsy and loud and talkative, and sorry Thais and Beata for being annoying across from you. When else do you get to fly with 60 of your closet friends? Grabbed a cab once we got back to Sydney and went home. Dumped my smelly clothes in the washer (learned how to hand wash clothes too), showered, and then met my PARENTS!!

Mom and Dad came to Sydney to visit me! We hadn't spoken in a week since I didn't have internet/cell reception during my trip, so it was fun when they just randomly appeared outside my apartment. Too much to say, overwhelming emotions, lots of love. Fun fact: Chris Brown was on their flight to Sydney, and he asked my dad to take his picture with him and his entourage in the LAX international terminal. Apparently Dad looked pretty unassuming in his travel sweat suit and a good candidate to take the photo haha. Rihanna is here on tour, so rumors are they are having a secret rendezvous. You heard it here first... Anyways, we had a great Thai dinner, looked at pictures, talked about my trip and everything going on back home. It was strange seeing them here, but I must say I loved it. Even though they were so incredibly jet-lagged, they met some of my friends, checked out my apartment, and gave me some much needed hugs from home. Cheers to a wonderful Spring Break Part II!

How much can you fit in one day? Challenge accepted.

Day 4:

We packed up our belongings and got on a bus to head to Cape Tribulation Beach House, our second stay. Stop number one: Wildlife Park. Our bus driver had several issues, so we ended up being an hour behind schedule, but we made it just in time for the koala-holding exhibit. The diva koalas only work a half-hour a day, so you really can't be late for that. It is illegal to hold a koala in New South Wales, but it is legal in Queensland, so YES we took advantage of that! They were so adorable, until one pooped on my friend while she was holding it... Gross... We had ANOTHER buffet lunch (see why I gained so much weight?!) and headed another hour to the Daintree River Cruise.

precious koala... right before he pooped on my friend

We got on a jungle boat to cruise the river in the rainforest. We saw crocodiles and tree frogs and other crazy wildlife just casually roaming around. It was awesome, but we were all slowly starting to fade... It was about 3 pm and we had been up for so many hours and living life at 5000 mph since we arrived, and I think it finally hit everyone at the same time. Crash. I felt bad for the boat driver because I think we all started nodding off on him. 

gorgeous view

crikey-it's a croc!

After the cruise, we headed to Alexander Point-where the rainforest meets the reef-AKA the prettiest view in the entire world. We took about a hundred pictures too many of the breathtaking scene. The picture truly does not do it justice. Then we all hopped back in the bus, for the last freaking time, and began the ride from hell into the rainforest to our hostel for the night. The driver decided to go double the speed since we were running behind schedule. Terrifying when you are ripping through the gravel winding roads through the middle of a rainforest. "Does anybody get motion sickness? Because it's going to be a bumpy ride." Well, thanks to you sir, now we ALL do. We eventually made it to Cape Tribulation, about an hour later.

Alexander Point Lookout

Cape Tribulation Beach House literally was camp. It was unreal! Actual log cabins with communal bathrooms a short hike away. At the bottom of the hill, after passing all the cabins, you exit the rainforest and stumble upon the most beautiful secluded beach. Although we were all exhausted, not a single one of us missed out on stopping to enjoy a moment looking out at the ocean. We enjoyed dinner at the incredibly over-priced restaurant (I mean, I guess it probably isn't that easy to get food to the center of the rainforest...) and then divided into teams for Australian trivia! My team lost, but it was a great time for sure. Do you think my long day is over yet? False. After that, we each group went on a night walk through the jungle. All I wanted to do was shower and sleep, but Thais insisted we do the walk. I admit, it was pretty awesome. Group 'F'= Group FUN. Our guide handed us "torches" (I was disappointed to learn that a torch is actually just a flashlight. How awesome would that have been to go through the jungle in a line each holding actual torches? How very Survivor of us.), and off we went. The hike started off with a gigantic poisonous snake in the tree, followed by an enormous poisonous spider... You get the picture. But it was incredible walking in the dark through the middle of the oldest rainforest in the world, hearing nothing but the noise of the animals or the leaves rustling. I sweated through my shirt, chose not to watch the spider eat the caterpillar, and actually learned some really cool facts about the rainforest. Por ejemplo, there are 1800 species of plants alone in the rainforest. Such an amazing escape from the real world. I kind of loved having no internet or cell reception the entire trip. It forced you to truly live in the moment. The night concluded with sitting on the beach, under the blanket of the MOST stars I have ever seen in my life, telling ghost stories. It made me really miss the good 'ol days of Camp Big Lake. It was the longest. day. ever. Was so tired, I didn't even shower. And Lord knows how badly I needed one. But I had the most incredible day, and I was so, so happy. And I sure slept like a baby that night. 

my cabin

the beach

the edge of the world

The Great Barrier Reef

Day 2 of Spring Break. Did it again... I mean Fall Break. Whatever.

Didn't sleep a wink the first night. The club essentially never shuts down, so I heard Rihanna bumpin below me and the girl above me snoring. So we were all pretty tired in the morning. We grabbed a bagel at a cafe for breakfast and headed to the harbor. We got on a boat and began the 2 hour journey out to the Great Barrier Reef! That water was CHOPPY. The manliest of men were stuck in the bathrooms throwing up. Everyone got sea sick, even myself, and I have been on a boat several times before (unlike some of the other kids). The boat ride was miserable. No one was talking to each other. Everyone looked pale in the face and was either laying down or throwing up. Gross. We were all pretty worried we wouldn't be able explore the reef, but thankfully as soon as the boat stopped moving everyone's stomachs calmed down. You could scuba dive if you were certified (yeah, no way in hell I would ever do that), or snorkel (the obviously safer option-taken). We were given a lengthy tutorial on reef safety. You could purchase a wetsuit to wear that went all the way over your head to protect you from jellyfish. Just hearing that that was even an option kind of freaked me out, as if deep water doesn't freak me out enough already. Anyways, I decided to go for it. And it was SO worth it! Man, was that reef gorgeous. We had a blast exploring it. We made 3 stops at different parts of the reef. It was very surreal to be swimming in such a famous place. I went on a snorkel tour at one of the stops with a guide and literally felt like Nemo when he goes on the school tour aboard the sting ray. I didn't see any sharks or jellies, so it was a success. We got to enjoy the rest of the afternoon laying out on the sun deck (where I managed to get yet another nasty sun burn) and eating another buffet lunch. Played the movie game the rest of the ride home (which thankfully was a much smoother ride-no one got sick this time) and watched the sun set over the water.

A group of us found the first Mexican restaurant I have seen in Australia for dinner. Ordered queso, only to discover that it was cream cheese? No thanks, I do not want to dip my chips in that. My meal was excellent though. We wandered around town and found a fun jazz bar, so we stopped in and listened to the music for a while. An all around excellent day.



Day 3: Free Day

Slept in, had a delicious pancake breakfast, and then decided to rent bikes to explore town a bit more. The bike man liked my friend's smile... AKA free bikes #thanksCatherine. It is a law in Australia that you have to wear a helmet, so we looked pretty cute on our beach cruisers. We went on the Cairns esplanade and rode along the beach-it was so gorgeous! Cairns doesn't really have beaches, since the water isn't very safe to swim in, so they created a man-made pool, called the Lagoon, for people to hang out at. We rode around for about 2 hours, reveling in the serenity and finally feeling like we were on vacation (a vacation from a vacation, if you think about it). This was definitely one of my favorite moments of the trip. Such a relaxing, happy afternoon. One of those memories that will make you depressed when you are back home and you realize you aren't in the most amazing place in the world anymore... Biking was followed by gelato overlooking the esplanade and a MUCH needed shower. Have I mentioned how much I sweated in Cairns? We had a group dinner at Cafe Mondo and another fun night out at Gilligan's.

Spring Break! Erm, I mean, Fall Break!!

I forgot that technically it's Fall here, not Spring... So the Australians laughed at us when we called it Spring Break. It is actually called mid-semester break, or I guess you could call it Fall Break. Which means I will be getting two Fall Break 2012's. Strange. Also, can we talk about the fact that the school year is already HALF WAY OVER? Time-please stop moving so fast!!

I got into "Fall Break" mode a few days too early and really struggled to finish up my school work last week. I had my first major paper due (in U.S. History). I somehow managed to make it to the library for a few days and crank it out. I was actually pretty pleased with it, and I realized that I am so confused by their grading scale here that I can't possibly be disappointed by whatever mark I receive. I discovered Uni Bar and went after I finished class on Wednesday with some friends. I forget how cool my campus is sometimes. There was a flea market outside of Uni Bar that I browsed around before enjoying a beer and music with some of the guys. A group of us went to CBH to celebrate the beginning of the mid-semester break Thursday night. Friday was packing day. Oh man, I forgot how much I hate packing/how much of an over-packer I am. Took several hours longer than I anticipated... Several phone calls to my girl friends: "Should I bring a dress?" "Can we share a hair dryer?" "How many shoes do I need?" etc... But we were all SUPER excited for our adventure to Cairns!

Took a cab to the airport with my two girl friends Friday morning. Met at the Virgin Australia counter, got our tickets and itineraries, checked our bags, and off we went! Traveling domestically through Australia is so much easier than in the U.S. Didn't have to take off belts, watches, shoes, etc. in security, people brought water bottles through security, people could go to the gate with you to say goodbye... I forgot what the world was like pre-9/11. There was about 60 IES students that went on the trip. We essentially took over the flight (so sorry to the other people on the plane...). An Easter bunny was hopping around the airport and handing out chocolate, and I have never seen so many 21 year olds get so excited. You would have thought we were all no older than 6. Chocolate=happy kids. We were seated alphabetically on the plane, but with a shift backwards and over, Alexa, Catherine, and myself ended up together in a row. Our fabulous study abroad advisors Thais and Beata sat across from us. We connected via Brisbane-just enough time to grab some disgusting fast food for lunch and some trashy Australian magazines. Just FYI, the Australian version of Cosmo is ten notches down from the U.S. version. And about ten times the price. Read and slept during the next 3 hour flight and FINALLY arrived in Cairns at about 4:30. We got our luggage and boarded a bus to head to the infamous Gilligan's Hostel.

We were given room assignments and keys and went to go check out a hostel for the first time. Gilligan's was INSANE. A huge night club, pool, fake beach... obviously a huge tourist attraction. But so incredibly awesome. The rooms were not so cool. 8 beds, bunk-bed style, per room. My room was 7 girls plus Eric (love it). I literally thought I was back at camp-arguing over who's turn it was to shower, listening to people snore at night, hearing alarm clocks go off at different times in the morning.. Great times. Actually it made me miss camp and I secretly loved it. All 60 of us were on the same floor in the hostel in rooms next door to each other. Once again, we TOOK OVER Gilligan's. And it was fantastic. We showered and changed and got on another bus to head to our first event-Aboriginal culture dinner. The bus ride was insane-60 wound up kids singing songs and being obnoxious. It literally was like camp. The joke of the trip quickly became, "RUSH IES!" because it literally felt like one giant frat. Iota Epsilon Sigma. Don't hate.

We watched an Aboriginal performance, and we got to join in learning chants and dance moves. We gathered in a circle for a fire making ceremony outside, and they painted our faces and handed us clap sticks to create a beat for them. Under the full moon, it was pretty incredible. Our friend Chris got pulled up to attempt to create fire and join them in a dance. Amusing, to say the least. The performance was followed by a much needed all-you-can-eat buffet. So very American. I do not need another buffet as long as I live. Every day consisted of multiple buffets, and needless to say, my pants have become quite tight. Whoops... In the gift shop afterwards, people learned how to play the digeridoo, bought boomerangs, and enjoyed looking at the gorgeous Aboriginal art. We went back to Gilligan's for a night out with the crew. Definitely a night for the books. It was in people's top 3 favorite moments of the entire trip, so you know it must have been good. Almost every single IES kid went to the Gilligan's dance club-I have never seen so many happy people in my life. Everyone was just so excited to be on break and with all their friends. It was a giant sweaty blast (99% humidity in Cairns, I swear to God). I should have brought more clothes because I sweated through ALL of them within hours. Gotta love the sun though. Day 1=exhausting success.