Aussie Slang Lesson: Week One: Arvo = afternoon
Wow, the last week and a half has been incredible and chaotic. It took me about 25 hours in the air to reach the Gold Coast. I have never watched more movies consecutively in my life that were not a Harry Potter marathon (though I did watch two Harry Potter movies on my 17 hour flight from Dallas to Sydney- thank you Qantas airlines for having those offered). Before we flew to the Gold Coast, we stopped for an orientation in Cairns, a city on the northern coast of Australia. There, I was able to meet 44 other students who would be studying or interning in Sydney, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast. I was not expecting to find fast friends and connect so quickly to these kids who were coming from all over the United States, but I found myself surrounded by a group of people who were in the same boat as me – thousands of miles away from home and craving connection. It has been an insurmountable blessing to have made friends and to have built a safety net as I take these next steps to starting at a new university. It has felt much less lonely having people to explore the city with.
Throughout the four days we spent in Cairns, we did multiple excursions that gave us a taste of Australia. The Great Barrier Reef was about an hour boat ride off the coast of Cairns, so that was our first stop. I am scuba-certified, and to dive on the Great Barrier Reef has been a dream of mine since I was in elementary school. This was the fourth country that I have gone scuba diving, and each country has brought new sights and findings. Here, I got to see expansive regions of unique coral, touch a sea cucumber (quite soft, actually) and watch clownfish swim in and out of anemone, which I had never seen in the wild. It was serene, hearing nothing but the water in your ears and the bubbling of your breathing, watching the fish swim, unbothered by our presence. I love to dive as it allows me to see these moments of peace, and to discover more about the fascinating planet that we live on. After all, there is more water than land on Earth, and we have barely begun to see all of it.
The next day, we got to take a trip to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventure. There, we were able to see crocodiles as well as other native animals, such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats. Holding a koala was weight-wise, a little lighter than my pug (who is about 19 pounds) and very soft! I was not ready to hand Ms. Kelly the koala back over, haha. Our group played with the kangaroos as well, petting them and trying to get them to eat out of our hands; however, they look irritated in every picture we have.
When we arrived in the Gold Coast, we were exhausted, but the adventure had only just gotten started. Since we have arrived, we had a surf lesson where the current was so strong that the surfing was the easy part! Lake Michigan has a strong current, but I had never seen anything like this before. Swimming out past a few meters off the shore could take over 5 minutes as each wave would knock you half as far back and to the left. I learned to surf several years ago, but I am pumped to have the opportunity to improve over the course of my time here.
Over the weekend, there was a free music festival that we attended. The stages were on the beach, so I was able to watch the sunset while listening to some popular labels. I met a dog named Chia during one of the sets, and she sat in my lap for the rest of the concert. She must have known that I was missing my pets back home (and the sand was cold), so she fell asleep in my lap for the remainder of the show. I believe it was mutually beneficial, hehe.
Overall, I have been having a lot of fun since I have arrived in Australia. Jet lag and culture shock have been an adjustment, though. My stomach is still getting used to eating 14 hours ahead of when it is used to. The urge to nap during the day has been strong, as well as waking up early each morning. Feelings of homesickness have had their moments as well. I may or may not have had a small crying fit in a grocery store my first night in the Gold Coast, but I am slowly starting to settle into my new space. I am getting more comfortable with public transit (I am so directionally challenged at home that this was a major fear), but each time, it gets a little easier. I haven’t gotten lost yet (emphasis on “yet”)!
Orientation for Bond University starts tomorrow and classes start next week, so next week’s blog will contain lots about Bond! The campus is stunning, and I am excited to start making it my home for the coming months.
Many blessings,
Maddy Baughman 🙂