I'm from TEXAS!

Random funny story!

So, Lauren told y’all about us going out in Melbourne for her birthday! The night at the crown and dancing and stuff! It was a great night but it had sort of a rough start! She told y’all about the complimentary birthday champaign this is a disclaimer to the story; between five of us we had one bottle of champaign.

Lauren and I at the hotel on her birthday

The place we went dancing was a popular nightclub in Melbourne we read about it online and knew it would guarantee a good time. Australia is very strict on their drinking laws despite the legal age being 18. They have enforced dress codes and all kind of rules that determine if a person will be allowed in or not. An obvious rule is that they cannot allow “noticeably intoxicated” people in the door.

We took a taxi from the hotel to the venue, because of the distance, we got out of the taxi like we own the world, we are all dressed to a T and are excited to celebrate Miss Lauren’s 20^th birthday! One by one we give the bouncer our IDs and then pay the small cover fee to get in. I am in about the middle of our group and am let in with no problem. We all gather inside this place and are talking about what we want to do. A large bouncer taps me on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry you can’t stay here”  and the man walks me out the back door to the street where a lot of bouncers are sitting.

“What is going on?” –me

“You are intoxicated and we can not allow you in here.” –large man

Mind you, we split one bottle of champaign between five of us. At this point the rest of the group has joined me. (Voluntarily)

“I’m sure not drunk, sir.” –me. The rest of the group starts bargaining on my behalf at this point.

“Why do you think I’m drunk, sir?” –me

“You are talking really slow!” – the large man, getting annoyed.

“OF COURSE I’M TALKING SLOW I’M FROM TEXAS!” -me

This bouncer legitimately thought my friends and I were FAKING BEING FORIGNERS to get away with being drunk! What the heck? ! I think he might have been drunk! After talking to him for several minutes one of the higher arched bouncers let us all in and apologized for the mishap.

The funny thing is that this isn’t the first time we have trouble with our accents! Those of you that know both Lauren and me probably will say my southern accent is a little thicker! (Thanks West Texas) So I have had a harder time. Our friend Jesse from California has a very urban American accent! He talks fast, he is from California and is the friendliest person in the world. Between him and I we have four different places tell us we were drunk! All but one time we were able to explain that we are just American and were let in! The bottle of champaign was the only time we had even been drinking prior to trying to get in!

The Australian use about half the syllables that normal English does and about a third of the syllables that we use in Texas and in about a quarter of the time to say them! We have got to where we understand them fine but I think there might be a reversed problem!

All of us on our way to dinner!

Zoey, Lauren, Keith, Jesse, Adri

Union Lane, Melbourne

Jesse, Adri, Zoey, Lauren

Easter break!

So, after this week of classes we have a week break from school! I only have class Monday through Wednesday so my break is starting Wednesday! This is the first time that Lauren and I will be apart since arriving! She is going to Sydney with Jesse, Zoey and Keith! I am going on an adventure tour with a group of students, none of which that I have met!

This is my itinerary for the week!

Thursday 28th March Day One Brisbane - Rainbow Beach	Accommodation: Rainbow beach Meals: BBQ Dinner 8.30am - The adventure begins! Time to head north out of town. Australia Zoo is our morning stop as we visit the final home of the Croc Hunter. View all manner of Aussie creepy crawlies, as well as koalas, roos, crocs and other Aussie natives. Grab a bite for lunch before we take off for the gateway to Fraser Island, Rainbow Beach, and check-in to our accommodations.We will take a walk up to the carlos sandblow as this is a must for sunset in rainbow beach. Tonight is our welcome party (including 2 hours of san gria) which allows everybody some time to get to know each other and then after dinner, party time and the extreme traditional 'Naming Of the Roo'.
Friday 29th March Day Two Fraser Island	Accommodation: Extreme Bus overnight Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 7.30am - After breakfast we're off to Fraser Island to check out some awesome fresh water lakes inc lake mckenzie, drive on the sand dunes and check out the ship wreck. After a day of exploring, sun baking and beach football we head back to meet our ferry to the mainland as we head off to Airlie Beach. This is where you'll need to pack a small bag for 3 days of beach bumming! Our boats to the island paradise can't fit all you're big bags!! This is also where a travel pillow will come in handy, as it's an ALL night trip. time to catch up on some sleep!
Saturday 30th March Day Three Whitsunday Islands / Whitehaven Beach	Accommodation: Tropical Island Resort Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 8.00am - This is the start of the sailing and island adventure. Pack the suitcases away, its just swimmers and sun screen in this island paradise! While we have breakfast we'll give you a run down on what to expect and what you'll need to know about the sailing and our island home for the next three days. A bit of paper work to sign, then off we trot to meet your skipper and check safety procedures. Our vessel today is not a sailing yacht, but a couple of high powered lean mean cruising machines! They'll have you jumping wakes, making whirlpools and generally trying to scare the life out of you! If the ride doesn't wake you up, the beautiful locations we see will! Take a dip in the crystal clear water on Whitehaven Beach, go searching for the elusive turtles and take in the beauty of the area - at 60kph! Whitehaven is a Whitsunday icon, seen in television commercials the world over, with sand like sugar... After a wet and wonderful day we'll cruise into our Island home for dinner and a great party night.
Sunday 31st March Day Four Tropical Island Free Day	Accommodation: Tropical Island Resort Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Sleep In - Today is your day to get to know this island paradise, or just lie on the beach. Undertake one of the included activities like a small catamaran, paddle ski, tennis, or take one of the awesome hikes on the island and check out the local wildlife. Jet skis, water-skiing, mini golf and tubing are also available at great value prices. It’s your day to play however you choose but make sure you save some energy for tonight!
Monday 1st April Day Five Sailing	Accommodation: Mission Beach Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 7.30am - Today we board our Maxi yacht to complete the must do's of the whitsundays! We'll put this baby through it's paces AS we glide around some more of the area, then make a stop to get in the water and do some exploring with a mask on. Here you'll also have the oportunity to strap on a mask and snorkel and spend some quality time with the locals. We will spend some of the afternoon here just soaking up the atmosphere and the sun on our multi million dollar vessel, before our final leg of sailing back in to the marina. We will head into Airlie Beach to quickly grab our bags and get refreshed before we head out north into the tropics. After a long day on the boat, then the 6 hour drive our hostel at Mission beach and more importantly it's beds will be a welcome sight!
Tuesday 2nd April Day Six Tully River Rafting-Cairns	Accommodation: Cairns Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner River tax $30 (guide will collect from you) 7.30am - Pick up time for an action packed day of white water rafting. The rapids are up to grade 4 depending on the season. The Tully is an awesome river with plenty of boulders and great drops plus running through a tropical rainforest means warm water (yeah right we hear you say). You'll appreciate this AS you are thrown from the raft for the fifth time. Riverside lunch is included. Wet and exhausted you'll drag yourself from the river to head into Cairns via an afternoon tea stop. Our centrally located accommodation in Cairns is an upmarket backpacker’s that has to be experienced to be believed. With an open-air beer hall, lagoon pool with waterfall, beach volleyball court… you won’t want to leave.Tonight we head out for a beautiful group dinner then its your night to look around or join your guides out on the town.
Wednesday 3rd April Day Seven Optional Adrenaline Day - Bungy Party	Accommodation: Cairns Meals: Breakfast , dinner 8.00am Your Day – Cairns definitely has a lot to offer, so we give you the chance to either do your own thing or if you're up to it, take the chance to do an optional skydive. See your guides to book this! 3.00pm-Today is our Extreme Adventures exclusive: Bungy Party! We meet at the reception desk and head deep into the rainforest, where you'll hurl yourself off the AJ Hackett tower overlooking the bar below. You splash down into the tropical pond hanging only by the bungy cord. Of course it's safe.. Try the AJ Swing as well or just sit back with a few cold beverages and watch your mates take the plunge.
Thursday 4th April Day Eight Great Barrier Reef	Accommodation: Cairns Meals: Breakfast and Lunch Reef tax $20 (guide will collect from you) 7.30am – We know it’s another early morning, but the Great Barrier Reef awaits! A luxury Boat will whisk you to the outer reef for a day of snorkelling and a scuba dive. Make sure you have your underwater camera available for a snap with Nemo.When your done snorkelling why not see the reef from the glass bottom boat while staying dry. Lunch is provided on the boat and make sure you don't swim straight after eating (our mothers told us this).
Friday 5th April Day Nine Rainforest - Waterfalls - Woolshed Party	Accommodation: Cairns Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Morning– Free time to sleep in, shop and recover! 1.00pm – Enough of the saltwater, time to head inland to the Crystal Cascades. We'll take a walk through some rainforest, to get to our swimming hole -complete with a small rock jump if the water is high enough! then on to another spot for a bit of a relax in a natural spa. The fresh water will recharge hung-over heads before rocking back into Cairns for our final night party. 8.00pm – It’s on to our exclusive Final party and trip presentation at the Woolshed Nightclub. Our farewell balcony party eventually overflows into the regular crowds at this infamous Cairns Party Venue. A final chance to farewell your One Fish Two Fish friends and maybe make some new ones
Saturday 6th April Day Ten Check out this morning!	Check out is by 10am. Getting from our accommodation to Cairns Airport is roughly $7 pp by shuttle bus or roughly $15 per cab.

I promise to post pictures!  

Love Y'all!

The American Presence

We have had class for two weeks now and one thing is becoming apparent, America is very watched and talked about both good and bad. In two different classes we have discussed Sandy Hook. In one class we talked about everything from the capture of Bin Laden to California mud slides. I am not completely surprised but I did not expect the presence of America to be this thick. It is not in a bad way usually, the discussions are very intelligent and factual if they are criticizing our country it is usually a valid argument, and much more intelligent than the made up stuff you see on Facebook. I am not sure that I have ever heard anything about Australian events in class at Tech; it almost makes me feel guilty. The current Prime Minister of Australia is Julia Gillard, heard of her? I had not till I came here. She seems to be very unpopular at least in Victoria. The issues that surround her are much like those that follow American presidents, money and government power, but we do not hear about the Australian government in the States do we? See where the guilt comes from, most Australians can talk about Obama care, gun control laws, and the housing market. Not just the professors, my peers in the dorms even.

They are shocked to hear that my family owns guns and that we target practice in the pasture behind the house! Only one guy here shoots guns and he had to go through a very intense process to be able to do that and even then him shooting or getting ahold of a handgun is out of the question. Australia has very intense gun control laws, it is near impossible to own one. I have only been here a month and I have learned to appreciate and respect my home country so much. In one of the Sandy Hook discussions the professor referred to the assault rifle that Adam Lanza used as a machine gun. I am not sure if he was confused or enhancing the story I found it difficult not to correct him.

After an Australian citizen turns 18 they can vote, no they HAVE to vote. The county fines its citizens if they do not vote. Take that one in for a minute…

We have had a few experiences with our professors on being American. Lauren and I both wanted to make a point to introduce ourselves to our professors, we had been advised to many times and thought it a good idea. If they knew we were international students we thought it would be easier to ask them for help if we needed it and we are nervous that our writing style will be different. Lauren got to experience this first. We just had our first strategic communication lecture and I was rushing to another class so Lauren was alone to introduce herself. The professor just looked at her and did not seem to really care that she was American the only real response that she got was when she called him “Sir” he told her to call him by his first name and never sir. Lauren is especially keen to saying “Sir” and “Ma’am” it is a habit and an act of respect but it is not welcomed in Australia at all. In another class she said “yes Sir” to a professor and girls across from her sort of snickered and the professor immediately said “no, John please.” John, he is our making the news professor. He is a very tall, big man. He has long, shaggy white hair and dresses in jeans and tee shirts. He is the stero-typical college professor. The way he talks, the way he walks, and the way he teaches. He is both of our favorites so far. He makes a genuine effort to remember names. His teaching style is very liberal. Not politician liberal, think more Oprah not Al Gore. He was our last professor to meet and we were not at all keen to introduce ourselves at first. After our first lecture he asked the people living on campus to stay after class to talk about switching to a later tutorial time. Lauren had to leave a few minutes early to go to a meeting so I was alone. I was afraid him realizing that I was American would be a bad thing after my animal science lectures, so I tried really hard to hide in the back. I was almost home free but then he looked at me and asked if all of this was good with me.

My eyes got big and trying to say as little as possible I let out a very cheerful and short, “Ya!”

“Ya, where are you from?”

“The States.”

“Oh really where at in the states?”

“Texas”

“Where in Texas?”

“The Panhandle.” (Explaining where I am from in Texas is proving to be very difficult)

“Oh ya, San Antonio I have been there!”

“Oh ya that’s really cool!”

As I said early this professor has ended up being our favorite but this was a very interesting first encounter.

Ok, My animal science professor. This is a big one.. Simply put he hates America. Eight minutes into our first lecture he was already bashing how much America spends on our pets! This was my first sign. Also, really ironic because my brother and his fiancé are making dog food targeted at people that are willing to spend more than average for their dogs per feeding. With most every discussion he compares something to America, negatively.

This is the picture he choose to show us what a turkey looks like..

I introduced myself him after class. I thought this would be really important because he uses a ton of slang and I had a lot of trouble following him. He gave me the same blank stare that Lauren got. I had to do all of the talking and got zero response. He only nodded his head when I said thank you and left. 

A random note about Aussie English, Lauren and I sat through half of a class talking about “State Inquires” before we realized an inquire is an investigation. Another thing about my animal science professor, he is a vegetarian those of you that have taken animal science at Tech or WT have to be dying right now.

I hope I did not leave anything out and I hope that y’all could follow what I was saying! This was a hard blog to write but I hope y’all found it to be interesting! Sorry we have been short on blogs lately! We are working on it!

One week down, many more to go!

Here we are, already in love with our friends, obsessed the food (and drinks), hypnotized by the locals accents, and attending Uni… you know, just doing as the Aussies do. This week has flown by so fast that all we can do is look at pictures to be reminded of all the memories we made. Our first week of Uni (college) is officially under our belt. So far, classes are actually not that bad, besides the no air conditioning… but hey, who gets to say they’ve gone to school in a different country and had Aussie professors? We can! Adri and I both have pretty easy schedules, which is very nice compared to the some our other friends. I’ll break it down for you… just think of going to one class each day, except for Thursday and sometimes Friday. That’s how easy it is! Those days we don’t have classes are designated as  “family day”, where we spend the day at the beach or in the city with our group of friends. This past week we spent the day in St. Kilda soaking up the sun and enjoying a few pitchers of sangria with our friends Zoey, Jesse, and Keith. Lets just say, it was well worth the sunburn that we all came back with!

Moving on to the weekend, I must say, was the best time we’ve had in so long! Not just because it was my (Lauren) 20^th birthday, but also because we got to spend the weekend with some of our new best friends at the Crown Hotel (fun fact: the most visited place in the southern hemisphere)! We started our Friday morning off with a little shopping, and then it was time to make our way to the city for an eventful evening. Those extra curricular activities may have included stuffing our faces with delicious food, popping a bottle of Champaign (compliments of the hotel), and without a doubt, dancing the night away! But for real though, it could not have been a better way to spend my birthday weekend :) 

Well folks, it’s another week to go through the classes at the great place we call home. Stay tuned for our awesome adventures that we have planned this coming week!