Byeee!

Well, this is sad, but it's time to conclude my study abroad blog. I hope you all enjoyed reading about my adventures. Thank you so much for reading!! I loved writing about my journey. I can't put all of my adventures into a blog because then I'd write about 92638 pages. So, my blog is just an overview of the past 5 months. It's hard to put the best time of my time into words.
Once again, thanks to everyone who has been there for me. I can't describe how grateful I am to have you in my life.
If I ever study abroad again, which I plan to, I will continue my blog for you to read. But for now.... Peace out!!

No one understands

I can't talk about reverse-culture shock to anyone. No one understands!! It's a study abroad kind of thing only. I'm sorry if I annoy you talking about Australia constantly. It's just no one understands. No one understands my adventures. No one understands what it's like. Now, it's apart of me, but no one understands. :/

Reverse culture shock

I miss the beach.
I miss my friends.
I miss being away.
I miss being carefree.
I miss the accents.
I miss being on the opposite side of the road.
I miss the weather.
I miss the uni.
I miss my appartment complex.
I miss the fashion.
I miss everything.
I just miss everything about Australia.....

Favorites?

People have asked me what my favorite part of my trip was. Honestly, I can never answer that question. Maybe it was meeting people from all over the world. Maybe it was traveling. Maybe it was being carefree for a five months. I really just can't even put into words what my favorite part was.

People have also asked me how my trip was. I also just can't describe it. It's hard to describe 5 months in one word or even a few sentences. I need about 4 months to describe my journey.

Tips!

So you want to study abroad too?


Here are some tips:

1. Do NOT come with a friend. If you come with someone else, you have to do everything he or she wants to do. I met so many people hwo came with a friend. They'd end up leaving the club earlier than they wanted to because their friend wanted to leave. Studying abroad is a time for yourself. It's about you making friends and figuring it who you are. You don't need to bring someone with you. You'll have a much better time without them! Also, if you come with someone, you don't get to meet as many people.

2. Triple the amount of money you want to bring. You don't want to be worried about money your entire time abroad. You'll need money for traveling. Afterall, it is a once in a lifetime experience.

3. Make sacrifices. When you're abroad, you'll need to make sacrifices. Do you really need that new shirt or would you rather travel? Do you really need expensive food or would you rather go out with friends? I personally sacrficed food. I ate rolled oats for breakfast, granola bars for lunch, and lettuce with frozen mixed veggies for dinner everyday. I had just enough food to survive.

4. Travel. Luckily for me, I had the amazing opportunity to travel. Traveling was the best thing I got to do abroad. I was in Australia, so I was close to many other countries. When else am I going to go to Bali? It'd be dumb to fly from America there, but since I was in Australia, it was so easy to travel.

5. Relax sometimes. It is okay to just sit in your room all day every once in awhile. You're already busy enough, so it's okay to just sit in your room and relax. Everyone needs those days where they can be by themself.

6. Take easy classes. I would recommend taking easy classes like electives abroad. I took a Physics class, and that was the worse thing I could have done. Every other country uses the metric system, so I had to keep converting eveything so I could understand it. I know I missed out on some stuff because I had to study. When you're abroad, who wants to spend time studying when you could be seeing the world.

Milestone

I've been home for exactly two weeks now. It still blows my mind that I'm actually in America. I can actually afford to eat more than oats and lettuce here.

Now, this is where I begin a new chapter in my life. Living in Australia, I learned that you need to take one day at a time. I used to worry about what would happen when I got home, or what people think. In Australia, I just felt like a new person. At home, I would never go to an event by myself. In Australia, I didn't care. I always thought people would judge me if I'd show up alone. In Australia, I went to so many events by myself. I also rarely wore makeup. I didn't spend hours to get ready. I also didn't care that I only had a suitcase of clothes to pick from. I always had something to wear. It's a waste of time to worry about where you will be in 2 weeks. If you worry about where you will be then, you'll be missing out on what's in front of you at this very moment. It's the little things in life that matters most.

I also learned that I don't need to plan that far ahead. I am perfectly okay with getting on a plane and doing my own thing. I am okay with not booking anything including a place to stay or things to do when I arrive. I'm so much more adventurous now.

I also matured. I went to a foriegn county without knowing a soul. I learned how to survive on my own without parents or friends. I learned how to manage my money too. I had to live off of my own bank account with having a job. So, I learned how to budget for food, traveling, etc. I alo learned how to survive on very limited amount of clothes. I realized I don't need heaps of clothes. No one cares. I stopped thinking everyone was judging me with what I was wearing. I now know it was just me.

I left Australia better than what I came into Australia with. In the begininng of my journey, I kind of lost myself. I surrounded myself with negative people. These negative people, I'm sad to say were my closest friends back at home. These people made me feel bad about leaving. Luckily, within a few weeks, I realised that I am much better without them.My true friends supported me throughout this entire experience. At first I was sad to lose some people in my life, but this journey has made me realise who my friends really are. Friends are there for you no matter what, even in the hardest times.

Overall, Australia is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I would not change February 15th 2012 to June 24th 2012. Those were the best days of my life, and I will never forget them.

Thank you Australia.

Passed!

In case you didn't hear, I passed all my classes down under! I'm extremely proud of myself because many people doubted me. Never doubt me, because I will prove you wrong. I passed all my classes at a university that's ranked in the top 5% of the world. Cheers to a successful semester abroad! (:

Jet lag!

Well, I've been in 'Merica for almost two weeks! I can't wait to get over jet lag! Hopefully soon! I hate jet lag! It's the worse thing ever. I can't sleep at night! I'm only tired during the day when it's night in Australia.

Last one!

This is my last post down under.

I would just like to thank the people at home who supported me here since day one. Those who didn't, oh well. I'm very grateful that I have such awesome people at home who encourage me to live my dreams. I can't describe how glad I am that I have supportive people at home. They never gave up on me, and they never doubted me. Thanks loves, you know who you are. I hope you know how much you mean to me!



Good Bye Australia! See ya later!

I'll post another one when I get back and tell you all about how reverse culture-shock is going. I'm sure it's going to be oh so pleasant.

Goals?

Remember when I posted these goals back in February? Well, let's see if I accomplished them all.

Goals:
1. See a kangaroo. Check
2. Meet as many people as possible. Check
3. Get used to the cars on the opposite side of the road. Check
4. See dolphins. Check
5. Walk everywhere since the weather is so gorgeous. Check
6. Travel as much as possible. Check
7. Pick up an accent (: Check, atleast I like to think so
8. Learn all the slang. Check
9. Learn to cook, since I'll be cooking my own food for the first time ever. Check
10. Have no regrets! Check

Yes, I accomplished all of my goals and then some!!

Regrets?

One common question people have asked me is if I have any regrets.


Honestly? I have NONE! I'd do everything the same way I did over and over.

Good bye

In the past 130 days,
I've been to 3 contients, 4 countries, on 11 planes (soon to be 15), 2 different oceans, heaps of beaches, hundreds of beautiful views/scenery, numerous adventures, lots of airports, 4 major cities in Australia, several hotels/hostels, and an endless supply of memories. Maybe it really is time to finally go home.

I've been dreading this day since I got here. I never wanted this day to come. I just had the past 4 months of my life. I'm so grateful for all of the people I've met here, and all the amazing adventures
I got to experience. Nothing will ever top this semester. Words can't describe how blessed I am to have this amazing opportunity. This isn't a goodbye to Australia, it's a "see ya later." I will be back. I hope America is ready for my arrival.

Fashion!

There are some things I'll just never understand in life. One of them is the Australian fashion. Think of a hippie with half the amount of clothes, and you got an Australian.
The motto here is pretty much "less is best."
Here, you won't see sweat pants, yoga pants, pjs or hoodies in class. You will also never see layers. In America, people were so many layers to style shirts. Here, no one does it at all. Australians get dressed up for uni.

A crochet shirt. From Chicabooti.

Girls: Casual: In the summer, sundresses are the most popular. Sundresses are commonly paired with boots. Yes, boots. Floral print is very big here. High-waisted shorts are also very common. Another very popular thing here are shirts with holes in them. Not real holes, but crocheted clothes. I personally love the crocheted style and bought a few shirts for myself. Under these shirts, you wouldn't wear a cami. You'd wear a bright colored bandeau or bikini, no matter how cold it is. It's acceptable to wear a bikini anytime of the day. Cropped shirts are huge here. In fact, most shirts are cropped. It's hard to find a shirt that isn't.  Different colored tights are also big.

Going Out: Dresses are very different here. They are very short and tight, but have high necks. It's very uncommon to see a short dress with a lot of cleavage. Bar tenders are normally topless or in lingerie.

A dress you'd see at the night club. This is from Chicabooti.

Guys: Casual: Guys wear such short shorts. They are about half the length of guy’s shorts at home. Guys wear singlets and shorts pretty much everyday. They don't wear jean shorts though. They have shorts that are cotton, I guess, and come in multiple colors. Guys wear skinny jeans and flip-flops too. It's perfectly acceptable to wear swim trunks to class.

At the Gym:  Guys will wear swim trunks or short shorts with a slinget. It's the same as casual wear.

Going out: Guys wear their skinny jeans and a button up shirt.

Yeah, fashion is heaps different than in the U.S.

Lady GAGA

LADY GAGA!!

So, if you didn’t know I am obsessed with Lady Gaga! When she came to Pittsburgh, I tried so hard to get tickets. Tickets went on sale at 10:00 and I called at 10:03, and they were SOLD-OUT!! I was so depressed.

Love herr!

Before I left for Australia, I knew Lady Gaga was going to start her “Born This Way” tour in Asia and knew she’d be in Australia around the time I was getting ready to leave. Her tour dates weren’t announced yet when I first got here. So, she announced her concert dates for Australia, and one was Brisbane. She would be in Brisbane while I was still here! When I found that out, I just HAD to get tickets!!

My friend, Trevor, and I decided we would go together! Yay! I bought my ticket in March, so all I could think about for 3 months was the Lady Gaga concert.

It was finally the day of the concert! I put on my most fierce outfit and was ready to go! The crowd was intense. She sold-out all three shows in Brisbane! The only disappointment was the costumes of the fans at the concert. I know at home, they’re way more creative and crazy.

The concert started off with a bang. Lady Gaga came in riding a horse! I knew from that moment, the concert was going to be amazing. I was right, the concert was incredible!! Her outfits were also fabulous, of course!  The audience was on their feet all night!

Of course she had a meat dress.

My favorite part was when she sang “Hair.” She really related to the fans during this song. I look very emotional at the part. First, fans threw stuff on the stage to her. One guy through a jacket he made her, and she even wore it on stage. She then talked about suicide and has a say a pray to “what god we believe or don’t believe in” to all the people out there who don’t feel like they matter. That part really got me. She’s such a strong activist for bullying and suicide prevention.  It’s so amazing how she really wants everyone to relate to her. Lady told us to make a promise to her, and that was to follow our dreams, just like she did.. I seriously cried during those 15 or so minutes.

At one point she even had the Australian flag and was dancing around with that. Then, she concluded her concert but not without an encore. I really thought was done, because she said “last song,” but then came out and did two more songs!! That’s why I love Lady Gaga, she never ceases to amaze me. Then, it was over. It was really cool to see a concert in a different country. I hope she comes to Pittsburgh during this tour, so I can compare the two. That was seriously the best concert I’ve ever been to.  Nothing will ever top that. Her concert was worth every penny and more. Now, it's time for a few finals then I have to get ready to leave. Atleast that concert topped off my entire stay here.

What I'll miss about Aussie

I can't believe that I leave here so soon!

Here are some things that I'm going to miss about Australia!

1-100. EVERYTHING!!

Other than everything here's some more in detail in no specific order.

1. The weather
2. The beach being super close.
3. The minimal amount of rain.
4. The people.
5. The laid-back attitude.
6. The drinking age. Oops!
7. Tim-tams
8. My own bathroom and bedroom.
9. Not caring what people think.
10. Using the excuse of "I'm American." to get out of doing stuff.
11. The fashion.
12. Being care-free
13. Going out without drama.
14. The no drama EVER thing! (my favorite)
15. Traveling
16. Pie Face
17. Not studying.
18. Kebabs!
19. Ladies Nights with free drinks all night
20. The amount of nightclubs here.
21. Rugby
22. Aussie accents
23. Celebrating for no reason at all.
24. My friends
25. The "heaps" of slang.
26. On-campus Bar
27. Pass/Fail Classes
28. Diversity
29. Hot Surfer Bodies.
30. Concession bus prices
31. Meat pies
32. FREE Laundry
33. Colorful money
34. $1 and $2 coins
35. Everything

Dream Come True

Dream Come True!

Ever since I watched Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s movie "Our Lips Are Sealed," I've always wanted to go to Sydney, Australia!! I've dreamed of seeing the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. My dream finally came true!

This past week we didn't have classes, because it's "study week," meaning more time for me to travel! What a perfect time to travel

My friend Elizabeth came with me and we met my friend, Sarah, there. Sarah flew from America to see me!

Light show!

Day 1: We left the Gold Coast at 9 and got to Sydney at 10:30. It was such a short plane ride! I got there and met Sarah. We took a bus to our hostel. This hostel wasn't bad. It was much better than my first hostel experience. There was 8 beds, but it was just us 3 in the room. That was perfect! Our hostel was right on the famous, Bondi Beach! After we got to our hostel, we explored the surrounding area. We didn't stay out too long, because it was pouring down rain. Later on, we went to Circular Quay, which is where the Opera House is, to see the light show. The light show was so pretty! We got to see The Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and downtown Sydney light up.

In front of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge!

Day 2: We got up early to start our day. We had free breakfast at the hostel. (It sucked.) Then, we went back to Circular Quay, to see the Botanic Gardens. The Botanic Gardens are beautiful. We didn't get to see all of it, because it's so big! Next, we walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. After that, we did some shopping and called it an early night after doing so much walking during the day. The weather the entire day was perfect!!

Soaked.

Day 3: We woke up and decided to do the famous coastal walk between Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach. We got about half way through, but had to turn back because Elizabeth had to catch her flight back to the Gold Coast. What we did see though was so pretty. Sarah and I headed back to Circular Quay and caught a ferry to Darling Harbour. At first we were a little lost, because we got off the wrong stop. Luckily, we found a mall and shopped for a little. Then, we found Chinatown. Chinatown is great. You can get really cheap souvenirs there. Then, the rain started. We didn't bring our umbrellas today, because we didn't think it'd rain. We were wrong, we got drenched. So, we headed back to the hostel and stayed in for the rest of the night because we were freezing by this point.

Day 4: We headed to Circular Quay again to take a ferry back to Darling Harbour. It was so windy. We experienced an Australian winter storm. The winds were so strong! Today we were on a mission to find Ugg boots. Ugg boots in Chinatown are so cheap! They're like the purses in New York City's Chinatown. As we were in Chinatown, little did we know there were other markets called Paddy’s Markets also going on. We got some really cheap souvenirs at the markets. After finding Ugg boots, we headed back to our hostel. Since it was still really windy, we stayed in. We had to get up at 4 the next day anyway to catch our flights.

Overall, this trip was amazing. I finally got to visit a place where I've been dreaming of going. I never even imagined it coming true.

Deprived

Here is a list of things that I've been deprived of because Australia just doesn't have it.



My American friends and put a list together of stuff that America has that Australia doesn't.
The selection here is terrible. I will never take variety for granted ever again.



1. All of my favorite stores.
2. Swedish Fish
3. Disney Channel
4. ABC Family
5. Twizzlers
6. Lemonade
7. The letter "z."
8. Variety/ Selection of everything
9. Stores that have shopping and food such as Wal*Mart
10. Egg Beaters
11. Boxed Pancake Mix
12. MTV
13. Ban Deodrant
14. Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste (my favorite)
15. Saltines
16. Dannon Light and Fit Yoghurt
17. Gold Fish
18. 100 Calorie Packs
19. Movie Nights... (Can you believe no one here has movie nights?!?!)
20. Berry Berry Kix
21. Graham Crackers
22. Biscuits
23. Smarties
24. Nacho Cheese
25. Hot Dogs
26. Turkey
27. Cranberry Sauce
28. Hot Apple Cider
29. American Cheese
30. Stick Deodorant (they only use roll-ons)
31. Applicator Tampons
32. Soft Pretzels
33. Provolone Cheese
34. American Cheese
35. Pop tarts
36. Toaster Strudels.
37. Frozen waffles
38. Reeses (or anything that combines peanut butter and chocolate)
39. Peanut butter crackers (they don't use peanut butter nearly as much as Americans do)
40. Participation points for grades!

Finals

I actually have to study now? What?!

I'm pretty nervous for finals coming up. I haven't had to take any exams yet here, so I don't know what to expect. Also, since I haven't had any exams that means that these finals are worth heaps amounts of marks. They are all worth atleast 40% of my grade! So, if one fails finals here, they fail the class. Ahh!!

Finals are so different here. We have one week off to study for them, and then they are all within two weeks after that. We have off  June 2nd-June 8th to study They can be any time or day, including Saturday. In the US, you don't have a week off to study and they are all in a week.

Also, here your lecturer decides how long you get to take the final. In the US, you normally have two hours. Here, some of mine take 2.5 hours.

I have a final on Saturday, June 9th. Then, I have one on June 19th and June 20th. My finals schedule sucks because I leave soon after the 20th. I just want to get them over with!

Well, wish me luck with these finals! I hope they all go well.

Out in the Gold Coast

Goin Out in the Gold Coast!

The Gold Coast is always popping no matter what day of the week it is.

I'm going to tell you the hot spots for everyday of the week.

A night out at Sincity!

Surfers Paradise is where the majority of the clubs/pubs/bars are. There's one to fit everyones needs. If you never know where to go, just go to Surfers Paradise and walk around and you'll find atleast one place that is jamming that night.

Sunday: Waxy's Irish Pub in Surfers Paradise. Every Sunday there's $2.50 steaks and $2.00 beers. You can't beat those prices!

Monday: SinCity in Surfers Paradise. Every Monday night is Industry night. SinCity is my favorite night club by far. The music is really good. They play alot of mixed stuff, which I love. Drinks are also pretty cheap. They always have specials too. The dancing is alot like what you'll find in the states.

Best nightclub on the Gold Coast

Tuesday: Shooters Night Club in Surfers Paradise. Tuesday is Uni Night. All of the Uni students go here and get drink specials. Also, anytime you have no idea where to go, go to Shooters. It's free entry all the time for Griffith Uni students as long as you show your id. The drinks might be a little more, but since you get in free, it evens itself out. The dancing and music are great too.

Night out at Shooters

Wednesday: Escape Night Club in Surfers Paradise. There's a $15.00 Cover Charge which includes your 1/2 shot basic spirits until midnight.

Thursday: Parkwood Tavern in Southport. This is within walking distance of Uni. Every Thursday is uni night. It's free entry and it's always busy then. It's always crowded, when it's one of the bigger places. It's always a good time because it's all uni students that go.

Friday: Melbas on the Park in Surfers Paradise. Every Friday night is Sweet Sensations Night. There's topless men that walk around with sweet treats, like cupcakes and cookies. Ladies get in free all night. Everyone gets in free until ten.

Girls Night with some Aussie.

Saturday: Anywhere you go is good. All of the night clubs are busy.

The Gold Coast is the place to be. It never gets boring, no matter what day it is!

Wine and food festival

Wine and Food Festival

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to see a little more of Australia.
My roommate, drove us 2 and a half hours to a wine and food festival.

The girls at the festival.

The way there is all country-side. I've never seen Australia like that, so it was really nice to see. We went to a little town called Hampton. It was very small, but it felt homey.

When we got there, we got lunch. For lunch, I got the famous Australian beef sausage with a piece of bread. I never get sick of it. It is so good.The wine and food festival was really fun. We got to try all sorts of wines from diffrent wineries. They were delicious. Also, we got to sample all kinds of organic foods from nuts to jam. The food was also very good. There was also a little art section filled with paintings. The paintings and art works were beautiful. For dessert, I got strawberry Dutch pancakes. Hands down, the best food I ate all day.

Dutch pancakes!

After the festival, Bettina, drove us to a town called Toowoomba. This town was adorable. We went to the highest point of Toowoomba in a park and could see over the entire town and then some. It was beautiful. Then, we took a walk in the park and enjoyed the views.



At the top of Toowoomba.

Overall, it was a good day!

Things I miss

15 Things I miss from the States:

1. Cheaper everything
2. Free WiFi and Unlimited Internet
3. Free printing at YSU
4. Free gym at YSU
5. Driving
6. $5 foot longs
7. My Full wardrobe with shoes
8. More than 6 TV channels
9. Yoghurt that actually tastes good
10. My cell phone constantly going off
11. Swedish Fish
12. The letter "z" is words like "organize" Here, it's "organise."
13. Squirrels
14. Biotin pills
15. Oh, and my friends and family, I guess...

What is going on??

This weekend I had the opportunity  to go to the Gold Coast Titans game vs the Wests Tigers. The Gold Coast Titans are a professional rugby team. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. There are two rugby leagues in Australia. One is NRL and one is the AFL, Australian Rules Football. Then, there's the Rugby Union.

Gold Coast Titans mascot!

The main differences are that in Rubgy you use your hands, and in football you use your feet to control the ball. The AFL, is just like our soccer.
Rugby Union and Rugy League are very different also.
The main difference between Rugby League and Rugby Union lies in what happens in the tackle situation. In Union when a player is tackled (Their progress is physically halted by the opposition) the ball is recycled by a ruck (if the ball is on the ground) or by a maul (if the ball is held up off the ground). One recycling of the ball is called a phase and there is no limit to the number of phases as long as a team keeps possesssion of the ball. In League when a player with the ball is tackled the referee will halt play and it is restarted when the tackled player stands, places the ball on the ground and rakes it back with his foot to the player (dummy-half) behind them. The opposition must retreat 10 metres from the play-of the-ball except for two markers who line up in front of the player of the ball. The team in possession can recycle the ball 5 times in this manner but if they are tackled with the ball a 6th time then the ball is handed over to the opposition. 

Just enjoying the game

Confusing right?
That's what I said. I went to the Rugby game, and had no clue what was going on the entire time. What I got from the game: Someone kicks the ball to the other side. The team that recieves it must try to score. The players can pass the ball, and if they get tackled they must pass the ball behind them. That's the game then. There are two 40 minute rounds.
Lucky for me, I got to see what it was like to go into overtime. Overtime is 5 minutes and the first one to score, wins. Unfortuantly, the Tigers won.

Elizabeth and I at the game.

Even though I had no idea what was going on, I really enjoyed the game. It was fun to see what other kinds of sports are out there. Also, the fans were great. They aren't as rowdy or as crazy as in the states. They cheered for their favorite team, but were not obnoxious about it. It was a fun day!

So hot..

            So far, I've been pretty blessed with amazing weather here. When I first arrived here, it was about 90-95 degrees F  (32-35 C). I arrived towards the end of their summer. I love hot weather! The first month here it was super hot. Also, remember that Australia does not have a ozone layer and that it's below the equator, which makes it much hotter. So, whenever I say it's 80 degrees here add about five degrees to that. It feels a lot hotter than it really is. I've never experienced such hot weather before. I love it though!! A downside to the hot weather is that I get burned so easily. Even with sunscreen, I still get burned.): Despite it being rainy season, I haven't experienced all that much, luckily! Autumn season came about my second month here. My second month here it's been around 75-85 F degrees (23-29 C). I also have been able to wear shorts and tank tops everyday!! I refuse to wear long sleeves and/or long pants until I absolutely half to. That's why I came to Australia, for the weather! I love this weather! Now, it's starting to cool off a little. I know it won't get that cold considering they don't get snow here, but I still don't like it. Overall, the weather hasn't held me back, and I've been blessed! Just another reason why I love Australia!

Ballin' in Bali!

I recently came back from a week in Bali. I wasn't sure about going at first about going since Bali after all is a third world country. Two American girls in a third world country? That just made me nervous. My American roommate, Allie, convinced me to go. I figured when else can I go to Bali this cheap? I know I'd never fly there from the US. Now, it just made sense that I HAD to go.

We first flew to Perth because it was cheaper to fly to Bali from there than it was to fly from the Gold Coast.

Day 1: Our flight left Saturday at 6 to Perth from the Gold Coast. We were about three hours into the flight when the pilot announces “We need to fly back to Brisbane because we are having problems.” That was a scary moment of my life. So, we landed in Brisbane and had to wait about an hour or two before we could get a different plane to continue our journey. Brisbane is about an hour North of Gold Coast, so now our journey was going to take even longer! Finally, we got to take off to Perth. It was the worst flight of my life. The flight attendants were very rude and unfriendly. We arrived at Perth at about 3:30 am! I'm glad we didn't have a hotel booked. We just decided to camp out in the airport for the night since our flight for Bali was later that day.

In front of the Ulun Danu Temple

Day 2: We waited around the airport until 3 pm. Then, our flight left at 3 for Bali, Indonesia. I already knew I was in love with this place. The flight attendants were so welcoming already. The flight was only about 3 and a half hours. It wasn't bad at all. Then, I got off the plane and couldn't believe I was in Bali! I was so scared at first. First, I had to pay $25 American dollars for the visa. Then, we got outside and I was looking for someone holding a sign with my name on it to be picked up. I was glad I signed up online for an airport transfer for the hotel. I saw the sign and the driver took us to our first hotel. The first hotel was called The Legian Guest Hotel. It was a nice little hotel. It was in Legian. I felt so welcomed as soon as I arrived. This hotel was pretty cheap for two nights. I was glad we stayed here, because it was nice and clean. Also, I felt very safe. The first thing I noticed was motorbikes. Motorbikes are everywhere in Bali! Also, there are no rules on the road in Bali. People drive crazy! I was nervous all week being on the road. There are no speed limits or road signs anywhere! I could never drive here! We called it an early night since we've been traveling all day.

Day 3: Today was the North Bali Tour. We booked this tour before we left. Our driver picked us up at 8 am. First stop was to visit a place where they showed us how Bali's coffees and teas were made. This place was adorable. We got to sample several kinds of coffees and teas. The teas were delicious! Next stop we went to gardens. We saw a cactus exhibit, and a flower one. Next, we went to the markets. Markets in Bali are EVERYWHERE! I do mean, everywhere. Every corner, there's a market. You have to learn how to bargain. Bargaining is the key to getting a good deal there. They only take Rupiah, so I had to convert my money. 10,000 Rupiah is equal to about one American dollar. The markets are very cheap. At these markets, I got a t-shirt for 50,000 Rupiah, $5. Our driver recommended this restaurant for lunch. It was an all you can eat buffet for 80,000 Rupiah. Not bad. The food was good. Next stop: We went to the Ulun Danu Temple. That was very pretty. Then, we went to the hot springs. I was expecting the hot springs to be natural. Instead, it was man made. I was a little disappointed. I didn't really enjoy the hot springs that much, because people were naked in them, and I just felt grossed out the entire time. Next stop: We went to the black sand beach. I was also disappointed in this beach. The beach was disgusting. There was garbage everywhere. It was so sad to see. Last stop: Bali's biggest waterfall, Gitgit. Gitgit was beautiful! It was huge. It was amazing. We stopped for dinner on the way back, then called it a night. We didn't get back until almost ten pm! Our driver was so friendly. The only thing is I wish he spoke better English. There was huge language barriers the entire day. Anytime, we stopped somewhere we got our doors opened for us. The Balinese people were so gracious to us.

In front of the Cocoa Trees.

Riding Elephants!

Day 4: We decided we wanted to ride elephants today! We called a tour group and booked elephant riding. We checked out of our hotel, and were ready to ride elephants. The driver picked us up in the morning. We had a 30 minute ride on the elephants through the jungle. The tour guy rode the elephant in the front and we were on the elephants back in a little crate. It was so much fun! After we rode elephants we got lunch from the same place. After that, we were on our way to our second hotel, The Hard Rock Hotel. The Hard Rock Hotel was amazing!! It was a little pricey, but worth it. We checked in here, and then decided to explore a little. Kuta is a very touristy area, Everything is Americanized. There's Starbucks, McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut and KFC. Bali is even more American than Australia! Kuta is nothing like Legian. It's all tourists here. Also, stuff is high-class. There's not as many markets. There's more high end stores here. The prices are the same American prices, just in Rupiah. So, we went to a restaurant for dinner. The food was all 30% off. I'm not sure if that was a good idea to go there or not. Ever since I ate here, I felt sick. We got some Bintang, Bali's number one beer, and explored a little more before we got back to the hotel. Anytime you walk into a store the people working there thank you for coming in and then thank you again for leaving. They are so friendly!

Day 5: Today Allie and I decided we wanted to have a relaxing day. We got up and had breakfast at the hotel. Breakfast was an unlimited buffet, so of course we stocked up for later. Then, we went to the spa. I got an aromatherapy massage and a pedicure, both for 150,000 rupiah ($15). It was so great. It was the best massage I've ever had. It felt amazing! After getting refreshed, we laid at the pool for the rest of the day. The pool was the biggest pool I've ever seen at a hotel. It also had a swim up bar. Later that evening, we got ready to go out for a night in Bali! The first night club we went to was called Bounty. This was my favorite club. They had buy one get one free specials. Also, their drinks are way bigger here. Also, they're so cheap. We went to about 5 or 6 different clubs. They are were all so much fun! The music was great.

Day 6: We went to Kuta beach. The beach was right across from our hotel. The weather has been perfect all week. It was almost 90 degrees F each day. I love hot weather! We stayed at the beach for a couple hours, the water was great and felt nice. Then, we realized we were getting burned so, we headed back to the pool to finish relaxing all day. We ate McDonalds for dinner. McDonalds is so cheap. For 9,000 Rupiah, $.09, you can get a McFlurry! After we laid out all day, we were exhausted and went to bed early. In Bali, there's also a 21% tax on everything! It's outrageous!

Hard Rock cafe

Day 7: We were leaving today. :( We checked out of our hotel and went shopping one last time in Bali. We went to some markets to find cheap deals. Then, we went to a high-class mall. Then, a driver from a spa, picked us up so we could go to the spa one last time. We got hair cream baths. Hair cream baths is just a hair treatment with natural ingredients. My hair has never felt so shiny and smooth before. Every time you check into a place you get a free welcome drink. So, every spa, hotel, or place we went to we either got tea or some other kind of drink. It's so nice that they do that. My favorite was of course the Balinese tea. Now, it was time to get on the plane and say bye to Bali. Our plane left Bali at 6:30 pm and we arrived in Perth at 11 pm. Luckily, we booked a hotel for the night since we had a 23 hour delay .

Day 8: We stayed the night in some hotel in Perth. We needed something else to do for the day since our plane didn't leave until 11pm. We called Swan Valley Wine tours to see if they had any room for tours today, and they did! So, we went on a wine tour. I've always thought Perth was a desert area and nothing to do. I was so wrong. This tour was awesome! The people I met on this tour were so nice. We all had such a good time. We visited four wineries, a brewery, and a chocolate factory. I never knew Perth has so many wineries. I enjoyed this tour so much. I'm so glad we decided to do this tour. Then it was time to leave and head back to the Gold Coast.

I learned so much this week. Balinese people are the friendliest people, you'll ever meet. Despite how poor they are, they are so grateful for everything they have. They just enjoy life so much. It really makes me feel so grateful for what I have. Americans and Australians have way more than Balinese people have, yet they aren't nearly as friendly. This was the best week of my life. I'm going to be talking about this trip forever. I'm so glad I went. Now, I love traveling even more and can't wait to see what else the world has to offer!

Kuta Beach

New Language

You said....Hey??

Australian English is almost the same as American English. It took me awhile to get used to though. They talk really fast. Australians always tell me that Americans talk so slow. I'm finally getting used to it though. I used to always feel bad for saying “what?” every time an Australian spoke to me.

The spelling is a little different between Australian English and American English. For example, the er ending like the er in center, liter, etc ends with re like centre, litre here. Yogurt is spelled yoghurt here. Also, the z is words like organization is spelled with an s here to get organisation.

Another thing is they pronounce words that end with an ea like an r sound. Example, they say idea like idear.

Australians also like to shorten everything especially cities. Brisbane is called Brissie. Melbourne is pronounced Melbin. Cairns is pronounded Cannes.

Here are some good words/ phrases to know:

You mean, Burger King?

heaps = a lot Example: There were heaps of cars on the road today.

biscuit= cookie

chemist= drug store

keen= excited

Bug= small crab (this freaked me out a few times when I read on a menu something like, "Fettuccine with Bugs")

Didgeridoo= Aboriginal wind musical instrument

lolly= candy

jelly=jello

brekkie= breakfast

Uni= university

trolley= cart

potato crisps= potato chips Don't call these chips, people will think you will be talking about fries.

chips= fries

fairy floss= cotton candy

boogan= a low-class person

reckon= to think Example: I reckon the answer to the test was A.

jumper= hoodie

nappy= diaper

singlet= tank top

yarn= to talk Example: Come to my office hours and yarn with me.

G'Day= Hi

Good on ya= Good job!

Avos= Avacados

How ya going?= How are you?

Hey?= What? Example: If you missed what someone said last, just reply with “hey?”

chemist's= drug store/ pharmacy

Boot= trunk of the car

petrol= gas Example: The petrol station was crowded yesterday.

toilet= bathroom No one here ever says bathroom.

rubbish= trash Example: Please put this wrapper in the rubbish bin.

barrack=to root Example: Barrack for your favorite team!

footy= football

Budgie smuggler= speedo

lift= elevator

mates= friends

"Crikey!"= an expression of astonishment

queue=line Example: I had to wait in the queue at the movies.

shop=store

Swimmers= swimsuit

Tim Tam= a brand of chocolate biscuit

Oz= Australia

Ozzie= Australian

Spewin'= 2 meanings.. throwing up/vomiting, or angry/mad/upset/disappointed

bottle-o= liquor store

Pokies= gambling slot machines

Prawn= shrimp

"Ra, ra, ra"=  equivalent to how we say, "blah, blah, blah"

"No worries!"= expression of reassurance or forgiveness; "no problem/that's ok"

"Oy!"= a way to call out to someone

takeaway= to take out, to go Example: Let's go get takeaway for dinner.

The states= America

Maccas (pronounced "Mackers")= McDonald's

kiwi= a New Zealander

fortnight= bi-weekly Example: Rent gets taken out every fortnight.

sunglasses= sunnies

thongs= flip-flops

footpath= sidewalk

rockmelon= cantaloupe

keen= excited

"Too easy!"= a phrase in response to anything that needs doing or has been done

Lamington= sponge cake covered in chocolate and coconut

tomato sauce= ketchup
parcel= package
wholemeal= wheat

Dodgy:= sketchy

Doona= comforter

Fair dinkum= true, genuine

Cross Trainer= eliptical

Flatmate= roommate
chewie= gum

Vegemite= brown yeast sandwich spread

Wanker= a male person that is really stupid, but they think they are the greatest

Waffl= talking nonsense ("waffle, waffle, waffle")

Hungry Jacks= Burger King

holiday= vacation Example: I went to the beach while I was on holiday.

For emergencies here, you dial 000 instead of 911.

Those are some useful phrases and words to know!

This sign means there's a crosswalk.