Royal National Park

Today I decided to go on a day hike to Sydney's Royal National Park. I took the train from Central to Cronulla, about an hour ride. Then the ferry takes you from Cronulla to Bundeena, the gateway town to RNP. When I arrived around lunchtime, I found the tiny little "visitor's center" which was actually a little cafe with a few brochures on the area. I grabbed one with a map and started walking. I went to Jibbon Beach, which is an aboriginal site. I took off my sneakers to walk along the water, and the views were very beautiful. I then came to the rock areas, which were absolutely breathtaking. I then began the hike into the actual park. Several years ago 95% of the park was ruined in fires, and it was evident walking through, since many of the trees were clearly still burnt. About two miles in, I turned a corner, and all of a sudden right in front of me on the trail was a man who looked to be about 45, completely naked. I did as any young female, walking alone in the middle of the woods would do-turned around and booked it back in the direction I came from. I made it back to the beach, but it was a very creepy encounter. I then went into the "town" and decided which cafe I was going to eat lunch at. I had three options. A nice man asked me if I needed help or advice on traveling around the area, since I looked deep in thought, but I just explained that I was deciding if I wanted to eat in shack #1, 2 or 3. I chose one and ordered a plain burger with cheese and tomato sauce. My burger came back, and it had "the lot" on it, including beets, tomatos, and an egg, along with all the other veggies. I took the egg off, and ate it, and it turned out to be quite delicious! I continued my hike, and ran into a girl who I had met on the ferry over, so we sat and talked for a while. She was from Austria, and had been traveling around the world for many years, and was now staying in the park for a week. After I left her, the skies turned black, so I went to catch the next ferry. All in all, it was a very interesting, but fun adventure. I will likely go back when I can do the two day 28 km coast to coast walk. Check out the pictures!

Schedule Modification

Monday evening, as I sat down to do my reading for Conservation Biology and Applied Ecology, I realized I must get out of this class as soon as possible. I then proceeded to study my degree audit a little more thoroughly, and realized that I can actually count Biochemistry, which I'll take next year, as the same Bio credit! To make a long story short, after finally being approved, I was able to get into Developmental Psychology. Although it is a senior course, I'm sure I'll be able to do fine, and it should be quite interesting. What is even more exciting, is I now have NO class on Friday, and ONE class on Thursday from 10-11! This makes my weekend traveling much easier to do, so I'm very excited! Well, I'm off to begin catching up on this class!

Pi-ed? Pi-day?

So my first official obsession since I've been in Sydney-Turkish Pide. I just came back from eating one for approximately the 4th day in a row. I can't get enough! But I have now officially become a regular. As I walked up to the man, he said "Hi! How is your day today? The usual?" I replied with an excited yes! This was something that really made me feel at home in Sydney, since there is not even a spot in Boston where I am a regular. Of course, I still have no idea what the correct pronunciation of pide is--I will try to ask tomorrow, if I get a chance before he throws a hot, delicious, chicken and mushroom pide my way.

Pictures

Hi all! I have finally uploaded most of my pictures thus far onto Picasa. The links are on the right hand side of this screen, so check them out! I apologize for the ones that are of the same thing 20 seperate times, but while seeing them it was very exciting, and with them on here I can delete them off my computer so they don't make my computer slow! Enjoy!

Thoughts from Down Under-Part 3

Hi all! Well, here is my third edition of my weekly thoughts. I cannot believe I am now going into my fourth week here in Sydney. I can honestly say, that these have been some of the most exciting weeks of my life...Never a dull moment. In addition to classes this week, I have been trying to set up my extracurricular life as well. I have looked into many of the clubs on campus, and have already joined a few. My favorite is the Bushwalkers Club. I went to the first meeting/slide night on Wednesday, where they provide food and drinks (boxed wine of course) and look at slides from previous trips. The slides of course contain a drinking game, so it was a lot of fun. I was supposed to go on my first trip today, to the Royal National Park, but I am not feeling very well, likely getting sick. But next weekend is a trip that I am deciding if I will go on, an overnight beginners Canyoning trip! For those of you who don't know what canyoning is exactly, it basically includes, but is not limited to, the following; hiking, scrambling (rock climbing with (usually) no rope), climbing, jumping (off ledges/cliffs), swimming, and drifting down rivers on Lilos (a sort of raft). I really want to go, just am thinking of the possible risks on my knees. So I will decide a little later in the week, and if so, I need to go get some equipment. The next big trip will be from the 28th to the 29th, another overnighter. This is the "Freshers Trip" and goes to Shoalhaven Gorge. This will include hiking, jumping, swimming and fishing, among other things. I am really excited for this! They also post several hikes a week, usually on short term notice, so I'm sure there will be many more I'll go to in the coming weeks.
I've also joined the Equestrian Club, Buddy Club, and Red Cross Society. As you all know, I love to be busy and active, so all these things are going to be really great. I'm also working on applying to volunteer at the Sydney Children's Hospital, which would be great so I can learn about the Aussie health care system, and continue doing what I love.
I have of course, continued to do some touristy things. Friday afternoon I went on a walk down to Darling Harbour, then down King Street to Hyde Park. On the way I saw a Bollywood Star going into her wedding, which was showcased by TONS of photographers and news crews. I then went to the Hyde Park Barracks, and walked around the museum for a couple hours. It was not what I expected, but was very interesting and informative about the beginnings of Sydney's Prisons and Asylums. I then went to St. Mary's Cathedral, but unfortunately the crypts were closed, but the church was beautiful. I then walked to Wooloomoolooo (best suburb name EVER), Darlinghurst, and Kings Cross, and then back to Unilodge. It was a great afternoon, finished by a fun night out with friends.
Saturday evening was Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It was one of the most fanastic things I've ever experienced! I got there early, and was going to meet up with some friends, but there was no way to get from one place to another, so I stayed where I was, and eventually got to the front row. I made friends with some definite characters around me, and got some great videos. There were over 125 floats/performances, 400,000 in attendance, and innumerable amounts of barely (if at all) dressed people.
I've continued to work on the broad goals I have, and have still not been homesick! I've been able to talk a lot this week with friends and family, which has been amazing. I'll give a shout out to MESHER because she is amazing and always comments on these, and I am talking to her right now...I LOVE YOU!
The most important and exciting part of my week though, is that I have booked a flight to Bali, Indonesia. This is a place I have wanted to go to for as long as I remember, and has always been a dream of mine. I'm not planning too many of the logistics yet, such as hotel and activites, but I will be there from June 7-June 14th. It is also starting to get close to my New Zealand trip, so I need to start planning that more thoroughly...About 5 weeks away, which is crazy, since it is about the halfway point of my trip.
Alright, time for the weekly lesson portion of this blog. Here goes!

#8: If studying abroad, don't skip the majority of orientation, where you would learn things that would actually benefit you when classes started, and you wouldn't be so lost.

#9: Do get to Mardi Gras at least 3 hours early. If not, you will get knocked to the ground by some very drunk people trying to get in front of you.

#10: Do not stay up until 6 am...Twice in one week. It's just a bad idea in general.

#11: Do join as many clubs as you can. They will provide you with alcohol at all the meetings.


Alright, that's it for the week. Also, I found out this week I have been selected to be a Resident Assistant (RA) in a freshman dorm next year! That means I can spend my seven weeks of summer relaxing, studying for the MCATs, and hanging out with SMAK!!!!!!!!!

Until next time!

Classes

My first week of classes is finally complete. It was one of the craziest first weeks I've ever experienced, and Monday thru Friday went by in some sort of blur. On Monday I went to my first class, Cell Biology, taught by a very funny frenchman named Jan Marc. The class itself seems pretty basic, and as I have taken more advanced classes it should not be too hard in general, although a lot of stuff I haven't done in a few years. I then had most of the afternoon off, so I went to get my student ID card, and to change some classes around. I sucessfully got into Brain and Behaviour and Global Transformations. That evening I had Brain and Behaviour, which has so far been taught by two lecturers, who both seem really good. The first half of the class is based on the 'behaviour' aspect, and we will be doing our own Skinner Box, and learning about conditioning, extinction, etc...Stuff I haven't done since AP Psych. The second half focuses more on Neuroscience, but again, I think I've studied at a more advanced level than they will be teaching, so that should be fairly easy too. Tuesday came along, and I had the tutorial for Global Transformations. A tutorial is a part of most classes, and is small, usually around 20 people, and involves more of a seminar type learning. After about 10 minutes into the hour, I knew I would be switching out of it immediately. I was under the impression that it would be more about human rights and nations workin together, but instead if focuses on economics, something I have little background knowledge of. I instead took up Bioethics, which is, as it sounds, a course on the ethics of biology and medicine. I really like debating ethical issues, especially since I have strong opinions on many things, so it should be great. Then there is my last class, Conservation Biology and Applied Ecology. This is by far, going to be my most challenging class. First of all, basically everyone in it is Environmental Science majors, and I have not so much as taken one class in the subject. And, as the name suggests, it is an applied class, where you use knowledge you already have, so I will be doing a lot of background studying. We go on several field trips, including an overnight weekend in just a few weeks, so that should be interesting, and definitely challenging.
My schedule overall looks pretty decent, except for Wednesdays, that are very filled up, but it is not unlike a typical day at Northeastern for me...I think I have just gotten used to the very laid back Aussie life style here! Since all my classes are basically science, I also have to do labs and practicals, which take up more time than most peoples classes normally would. It is as follows:
Monday
10-11: Bioethics Lecture
11-12: Cell Bio Lecture
6-7: Brain and Behaviour Lecture
Tuesday
10-11: Bioethics Lecture
1-2: Enviro Lecture
4-5 Brain Lecture
Wednesday
9-10: Brain Tutorial
10-11: Bioethics Lecture
12-1: Cell Bio Lecture
1-2: Bioethics Tutorial
2-6: Cell Bio Practical Lab
6-7: Brain Lecture
Thursday
1-2: Enviro Lecture
2-5: Enviro Practical Lab
Friday
11-12: Cell Bio Lecture

So that is my week! There are now only 12 more weeks of classes though, which is crazy. I already have some homework to catch up on, and books to buy, so this week will also likely pass by in a blur!

Thoughts from Down Under-Part 2

Hi all! I have now been in Sydney for an astonishing two weeks. I can't believe it! It feels like I've been here forever, but at the same time, it's going by very fast. I have completed another major goal: Goal #11-Dive the Great Barrier Reef. It was one of the best things I have done, and I will cherish the memory for my whole life. Once again, I am not homesick yet, which amazes me. I think that it is because it is going so fast, and I know that as soon as I know it, I'll be back in the States, so I want to make every moment count. I haven't spent too much time in Sydney this week, since I was in Cairns, but on Saturday I did buy a pass for admission to the Sydney Aquarium, Wildlife World, and the Sydney Tower and Oztrek. I went to the aquarium and wildlife world yesterday. The aquarium was fun, especially going through glass tubes surrounded by sharks, but I must say, I don't think that any aquarium can ever be nearly as good anymore, after diving the reef. The wildlife world was also good, and I came face to face with some big spiders-but they were not as big as the ones I saw in the rainforest. I also saw more Koalas and Kangaroos! I still get very excited everytime I see them, and I hope that feeling lasts. Today was comprised of greasy chinese food, planning, and figuring out classes. That's right! I actually start class tomorrow. I can't believe that while Northeasterners are headed off on their Spring Breaks, I am headed off to the classroom for the first time since December.
It looks like I will be taking the following: Conservation Biology and Applied Ecology, Cell Biology, Brain and Behaviour, and Global Transformation. It should be a good course load, but hopefully a bit easier than what I'm used to. I'll write more about the classes once I've actually been to them. I really feel like once the classes begin, this trip is going to really fly. I am now only 6 weeks away from my New Zealand trip, which I can't believe! I am trying to decide if I want to go in for the long hall, and take a day and a half train ride from Auckland to Christchurch. It is said to be very scenic, but it is, clearly, VERY long. So hopefully I'll decide by the end of the week, and can make all necessary travel arrangements. I have also just booked a weekend to the Blue Mountains! I will be staying in Katoomba, from March 20th to 22nd, and be hiking all day Saturday and Sunday. This is the site of the famous Three Sisters, and some great bushwalking trails, so it should be a great time. I'm also working on booking trips to Melbourne, Tasmania, and either Thailand or Bali. So much excitment ahead! Well, I'm off to do more travel research, but of course I must first talk about my lessons learned this week!

#7: Before hiking an unknown mountain, be sure to get a map, or you might go in a very large loop, landing yourself straight up at the top.
#8: Bring sheets to any hostel, even if they are said to be clean. You will likely have brown stains on your bed, and need to use a towel as your cover.

I think that is all I've learned for the week--hopefully I'll learn much more in the coming week.

Until next time...