Emily: Exploring my new home

Waking up to the sun streaming through my windows and different variations of birdsong reminded me that I was definitely in Australia! Orientation sessions, touring campus and getting to know the dorm was a great first day. We met new friends – Nora, from Michigan, and Kiley, from Maryland – at dinner the night before, and traveled into town with them! Because the JCU Townsville campus is actually located in Douglas, we needed some guidance throughout the suburbs! Luckily, it is a quick bus ride from campus to Stockland Centre, one of the major shopping centers in the Townsville area. Being 7 pm at night, naturally the only thing open is the grocery store. Wait…what? In Australia, most stores close by 4:30-5:30 at night, except for Thursday’s, in which they are open until 9. This will be difficult to get used to! 

After collecting some supplies, Keely, Steph, Cody and I departed for the McDonald’s across the street while Amy, Kiley and Nora got groceries for their apartment-like complex. At last, our first “taste” of home! While we were fairly overwhelmed/shocked by the differences in prices compared to the US (McChicken=$5?! It is on the Dollar Menu!), we happily settled in and ate our meals. The children in the play area next to us provided ceaseless entertainment; we even figured out their game!

We also spent the next day exploring further into the city. Mastering the bus system…almost…Steph, Keely, and I were joined by our new European friends! Hayley is from London, and Randi is from Norway. We couldn’t wait to start exploring!!

The bus driver dropped us off in town, near the Reef HQ Aquarium – one of my new favorite places! Also near the Reef HQ was the seemingly empty clubbing area, including the Consortium, Mad Cow, Flynn’s and many more! The crew then walked the few blocks to the Strand, the name of the Townsville beach area. It was so incredible to have a beach this close to our campus – within bus/walking distance! Being girls, we all screamed with excitement and rushed to dip our feet in the water. Taking a relaxing stroll down the beach was the perfect way to allow this wonder to sink in.

Downtown Townsville

Palm trees = beach!

One of the prettiest sights Townsville has to offer…

Keely’s fries, $5 medium! Who says Australian portion sizes are smaller than American?!

It was then time to head over to the Drum Circle! One Saturday a month, Alex Salvador (an Ausaid liaison for our school!) and the Townsville City Council coordinate a drum circle on the Strand for the citizens and visitors of Townsville. As we approached, a large orchestra of drums caught our attention. Noticing that not all of them were filled, we were enthusiastically waved over to join in! I sat down at a djembe drum and saw an assortment of drums including bongos, congas, and timpani. Alex began conducting the 50+ people seated around the circle, leading us all in a fun, simple beat and incorporating freestyle. Seeing all of these different people – children, working adults, retired Aussies, university kids – making music together brought on such a wave of joy! It was really inspiring, and I felt a real sense of community in this large city. We had a great time playing around and enjoying the dancing in the middle of the circle! 

Walking back to the bus, we stopped at Gelatissimo for gelato – yum! As we got back to campus, Townsville had started to finally feel like home. 

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