Global Crossroads Study Abroad Blog

Well, it has been a busy couple of days since I have arrived in Australia. As predicted, there was a lot of drooling on the plane and I am still getting over the jet lag, but it gets better a bit everyday.

Hostel living has proved interesting. I definitely am looking forward to being able to stop living out of my suitcase and move into my apartment, but the girls I am rooming with have been great. Cairns is a beautiful little city along the ocean, and the weather has been absolutely perfect. Today our group went into the mountains and into the rainforest. Yes people, I got to hang out with the kangaroos. And hold a koala bear that stunk really bad. And watch the Aborigines dance. And was taught how to properly throw a boomerang. And tomorrow?

Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. It is about a two hour boat ride from Cairns into the reef, so we are leaving at about six o’clock in the morning to get there. A few friends and I are going in together to rent a camera so we can take photos while we are diving and I am really, really pumped about that. I am a little worried about getting totally and completely fried being in the water, but hopefully I will just get really sexy scuba gear tan lines. Wish me luck.

It still hasn’t really sunk in that I am halfway across the world. Honestly, it doesn’t really feel like I have left the states. Everything here so far has been a lot like at home, sans the sexy accents. There are a lot of Japanese shops in town which I find interesting, and it takes me about five minutes to cross the road because I can never remember which way to look for traffic, but that’s about it. Oh, and the toilets? The whole flushing and the water going in reverse is a big fat lie. Such a disappointment!

The orientation has been a great time so far but I am really anxious to get settled in at the Gold Coast. It will be nice to have some free time, sleep in my own room, have a chance to meet some locals, see the uni, and I still have’t had time to run on the beach yet! Just a few more days… Until then, let’s keep our fingers crossed that I don’t fry tomorrow/get eaten by a shark/pull a Steve Irwin/etc…

Mom, I’m just kidding!

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