Today marks the fourth month of my being in Melbourne! It’s amazing how time has flown! It’s wierd to think that just four months ago I was nervously walking off of the plane wondering if I had made the right decision to come to Australia.
Well, it is now four months later, I am in the midst of final exams, stressed beyond belief, PRAYING for it to end so I can get away from ALL that is Melbourne University!!! BUT, despite all of the stress of exams I am soooo happy that I came to Australia! 
Even though I have spent my four month anniversary with lovely Melbourne studying for my Biology final, my day has been pretty great!
I told myself I would be better at blogging. I know, it’s November. Unfortunately, my boring life paired with a very, very busy work and Uni schedule tends to prevent me to do so. But, it is Nov and I am going to make a better effort…
I have been here for almost four months and all I have done is work, attend university ( & do uni work), and socialize. The time has flown by, and now it’s time for final exams! I never thought I could be so stressed in the world’s most laid back country, but here there are fewer exams and they are larger percentages of the total grade in the class. As of now, I have two 50 percent exams, and two 70 percent essays to write. No pressure! I just can’t wait until the summer. I can’t wait to travel.
I have yet to really travel. But that is all about to change…I have booked my first REAL trip. On Nov 27th after final exams this girl is going to SYDNEY! I cannot wait! My first REAL traveling since I have been in Australia. I am also planning to go to Tasmania for New Years and to travel to New Zealand. So that’s what I am looking forward to at the moment.
I am so excited for all of the new and exciting things that await! But, as of now, my papers are calling…
I have been here a little over 11 weeks now, and after numerous occasions of being confused with the new Australian terminology and sayings, I finally think I may have it down…hopefully. So, I have listed below some of the many new words/phrases I have learned (& have been attempting to incorporate into my vocabulary).
Arvo- Afternoon
Aussie- (pronounced Ozzie) Australian
Bloke- Man
Brekkie- Breakfast
Blind- Very intoxicated
Bush- Outside the city
Cabbie- Taxi Driver
Chewy- Chewing gum
“Couldn’t be bothered”- Had no time, energy, or interest to do something/ complete a task.
Ex. I was going to clean my room, but I just couldn’t be bothered.
Doona- Quilt, Duvet
Drop Bear- Mythical aggressive bears that jump down from trees and attack people. This myth is told by Aussie’s playing jokes on unknowing foreigners to scare them. **If you are gullible like myself, you will discover this to be a joke only after weeks of being hesitant to walk by trees late at night.
Fanny- CAUTION when using, NOT to mistaken for one’s backside, it is actually quite the contrary.
Footy- Australian Rules Football
Fortnight- Two week period
Full On- Intense, relentless
“G’Day”- Hello
“Good Onya”- Good for you
Heaps- Lots, Many (One of my favorite)
“How you going?”- How are you doing today?
Jocks- Men’s underpants
Kiwi- Someone from New Zealand, or an endemic Australian bird
Loo- Toilet, Bathroom
Lolly- Candy
Maccas- McDonalds
Mate- Friend, or associate
Note- Currency that is not in coin form
“No Worries”- (Another favorite of mine) Your Welcome, No Problem, It’s okay, etc. A phrase with endless possibilities.
Oz- Australia
Prawn(s)- Shrimp
Pudding- Cake
“Reckon”- I think that
Ex. I reckon it will rain today.
Rock up- To turn up, to arrive
Seppo- American
Slab- Carton of 24 beers
Sticky Date Pudding- One of the best desserts ever created, consisting of cake, caramel sauce, and dates.
“Ta”- Thanks
Tim Tams- Delicious cookies explaining why there are no Girl Scouts in Australia.
Toilet- Bathroom
Uni- Short for University
Ute- Small utility truck, looks like a pick up truck that has been lowered
Vegemite- A dark brown Australian spread made from yeast extract. **Also, another opportunity for Australians to mess with foreigners, usually by having them smear a thick layer of vegemite on toast and “try” it, which is NEVER recommended.
Victoria Bitter- Beer
Wanker- An insult, directed toward rude or egotistical people
XXXX- Queensland’s Favorite Beer
Yank- American
“Yer”- Yeah
Z- Pronounced “Zed” not “Zee”
Surf
When my friends asked me to go to the prom-I couldn’t refuse. It wasn’t what I had expected, and was absolutely NOTHING like prom back home. No, there were no dresses or corsages, this was Wilsons Promontory, known by locals as ” the prom”. Wilsons Promontory is located in Gippsland, and is the most southern point on the Australian main land. The prom is beautiful, boasting several amazing beaches, and a lush green landscape. Not only is the scenery breath-taking, but Wilsons Prom is also home to a diverse range of Australian wildlife. It was truly an amazing time, and nothing like the proms I’ve been to before- it was better!
Heed my warning, or else you will never want to leave!! Yes, I’m blogging only a few hours before my 20+ hour flight back to America and I’m starting to panic a little. I cannot believe I am actually leaving. It seems like just yesterday I anxiously arrived in Melbourne, not knowing whether to be excited or terrified. It’s funny to think that I was worried about being abroad for a year, and yet now, eleven months later, all I want is more time.
I can confidently say that my decision to study abroad in Australia has been the best decision I have ever made. I have had the most incredible experiences at college meeting new people and acclimating myself to a foreign environment. I have made lifelong friendships with the most wonderful people, something for which I am truly grateful. I have traveled to some of the most beautiful places in the world, exploring regions that I once thought were intangible. I have fallen in love. And now I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to leave this country or the amazing people in it. I can only find comfort in the possibility of my return. That being said, while there is ‘no place like home’, I know in my heart that this will not be my last time in the magnificent land of Oz.
It’s SWOT VAC, aka the time when Melbourne Uni kids begin to panic about their approaching final exams, wishing that they had just gone to more lectures during the semester, whose notes they will now be forced to learn on top of the revision that will be taking place during their inevitable cram session over the next week.
Me? I have 9,000+ words to complete by June 6th… 4 Essays worth a whopping 60% of my grade in each class… No pressure, right? Although, YAY for no exams, and finishing earlier than my peers, NAY for the essays being worth so much, and all being due on the same day!
After exhausting all other procrastination methods, checking email, facebook, regular mail, cleaning my room, organizing my closet, eating, and making lists of things I still need to do for my essays- has resulted in my blogging. I do enjoy blogging, I am not the most consistent (clearly), but it’s a great way to relax, reminisce, and currently, a means of preventing my revision of one of my many assignments. I have to keep reminding myself of how close I am to being complete with my year abroad, which also has the ability to create some anxiety. But, I am going strong, 3 essays drafted and another awaits tomorrow…
That being said, I really must get back to writing essays…
So after realizing that I haven’t blogged in almost a month (terrible- I know!), I was not only only shocked, but couldn’t help but notice that time appears to have accelerated in the last few weeks! How is it May already?? Where has the time gone?? As I am now determined not to waste anymore of my precious, and now apparently fleeting time in Australia, I will give you a brief synopsis of all that has transpired in the last month….
As I mentioned in my last post, the company I have been interning with, Villawood Properties, had joined forces with contractors of the Henley group and the Good Friday Appeal to auction a house whose proceeds would benefit the Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital. The event was a success raising $610,000 (AUD) for the Children’s Hospital and exceeding $10 million (AUD) in total donations over the last 18 years!
SOLD! For $610,000!
In the past month, I have also assisted with the organization of Villawood’s family fun day at their Estuary community in Leopold, Geelong. The event included a complimentary bbq for the community, face painters, balloon artists, a bounce house, a clown playing a ukulele on stilts, and featured a dry boat regatta. The dry boat regatta was a 250 meter race in which participants must construct and run with their boat in teams of six. Leopold Primary School took the 1st place prize of $1000(AUD) and were also awarded an additional $250 (AUD) for having the “best presented boat”. In all, the day was a success, and I was glad to have been able to give back to the community of Leopold.
Leopold Primary School and their boat, "The Spirit of Leopold"
As for Uni, as I’ve said before, time is flying by! It is now the last week of University and I have four major assignments due in 2 weeks!! Yes, 9,000 words stands between me and my completion of my year studying abroad…the very thought makes my stomach churn. :/ BUT, I have gotten off to a pretty good start, and am feeling confident!
College is still awesome, and we have had several events in the past month worthy of mention. Rowing Day was on 5/14 and Newman College placed 3rd in the regatta! It was a glorious day for Newman rowing, who openly admit that rowing isn’t their stongest sport, as all of our teams did very well. I rowed for the Women’s Firsts team which came first in the B final (wooo!!!) beating both Trinity College and St. Hilda’s College. Also, recently we had our annual college boat cruise down the Yarra river. It was great fun, and everyone came dressed in the nines in this year’s theme of “jungle fever”. Lastly, the event of the semester, the Newman College Ball, was spanish themed, featuring flamenco dancers, churros with chocolate fountains, and hundreds of Newman’s finest dancing the night away!
Women's Firsts Boat
Jungle Fever Cruise!
All dolled-up at Newman Ball
Lastly, I have not been able to travel as much as I would like, but I was fortunate enough to get the chance to explore the Great Ocean Road during Easter Break. The Great Ocean Road is an iconic drive along the coast beginning in Torquay and finishing in Allansford, which takes approximately 4 hours to drive without stopping. I, on the other hand, began in Torquay and ended at the 12 Apostles in Port Campbell, cutting my GORA ( or Great Ocean Road Adventure) a little short. None-the-less, it was a fabulous journey along the coast with stunning views of the ocean and the majestic rocks that form the 12 Apostles.
Rules of the Road!
12 Apostles at Dusk
