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.

Staying Fit Down Unda!

I know you're all wondering how I workout here in Australia. So, this post is dedicated to staying fit.

I told myself that I would NOT pay for a gym membership while I was here. I told myself that I would run outside everyday instead. Yeah, that failed a week into it. I ended up joining a gym. Gyms here, even the one on campus, are not free. ): The one on campus is super expensive. So, I joined this little gym that takes five mins to walk there from my apt. It's only $10 a week. I figured that wasn't too bad considering I do go everyday. This gym is incredibly small. There's only three elipitcals. There's also not as many lifting equipment, like back at home. Luckily, there's not heaps of people that go here, so I never have to worry about waiting in line to use a machine. The $10 a week doesn't include any classes, it's strictly gym. I'm okay with that though, because I like to do my own thing anyways.

So, my roommates signed up for a pole dancing class. They really wanted me to join. I was hesitant at first, but I gave into them, and signed up for a six week beginner pole dancing class. I figured "why not?" I mean, this is something we don't have in the US. It's also something I NEVER would have done before. Australia has made me become more open to new ideas. It's challenged me alot. I'm doing all kinds of things that I never would have expected to do. Anyways, back to the pole dancing. This class is 6 weeks and I also have a pass for 6 casual classes. The classes range from Belly Dancing (so excited for this one), Pole Fit, Tush N Abs, etc. I think these classes will be super fun. This pole dancing place is also really close to my apt, it's about an 8 min walk.

Also, I also stay fit by walking to uni everyday. I refuse to talk the bus, don't even know how the bus system works anyways. It's about a 35 min walk each ways.

So, yes, I'm still staying in shape even in Australia. Study abroad hasn't affected my normal routines at all!

Australia, you're taking all my money!!

Before I left, I got $200 Australian dollars from AAA. I only ended up paying about $230 American dollars since the exchange rate is so close. It cost me $12 to convert the money. I planned on using my debit card for pretty much everything anyways. It's good because my bank doesn't charge me international fees every time I use it. Thank you, Citizens Bank!! The only thing I pay is the exchange rate. For example, I bought a shirt for $12 here, and it ended up being $12.67 due to the exchange rate. I decided not to open up a bank here, because I'm only here for about five months, and I figured that would be too much hassle.

My first time I went to the store, I was in complete sticker shock. Everything is so expensive here!!

I didn't pack any of the essentials like shampoo or toothpaste, because I figured I could just buy them at here. That was a mistake. The same exact shampoo I have at home is $5 there, here it is $15!!

Where I spend alot of time finding sales.

A week's worth of groceries costs you at least $25, and that's not counting extras like shampoo, toothpaste, snacks, cleaning products, etc. That $25 means you bought things on sale. I personally, only buy things on sale. So, I never know what I'll be making for dinner until buy something on sale. I normally buy bread for toast in the morning, veggies/fruits (whatever kind is on sale), and noodles. I can't make big intensive meals because it'd be way to expensive to do that. My diet here is pretty boring. I normally eat a lot of soup in the US. I figured that's what I'd eat here too. A can of Campbell's soup is about $3.50. I can get the same can in the US for $2 at most.
Also, I thought fruits and veggies would be way cheaper here considering it's warm all the time. I was wrong. Fruits and veggies are actually more expensive here than in the US.

The roomies before a night out

A night out can also be pretty expensive. First is the taxi, which can be cheap or expensive, depending on how many people you have. If you can fill a taxi, it might only be $2 a person each way. Every pub has a cover charge too. It's usually $5 or $10. Drinks at the bar are also expensive. Oh, and drinks are smaller here. A mixed drink can range anywhere from $5 to $15. You can get a pitcher of cheap beer for $10, during happy hour specials. One good thing is that a lot of pubs have ladies night, which means free entry for ladies. I take full advantage of those nights. After a night out, of course you're going to want food. There's a lot of little food places open in the wee hours of the morning to get food. An Australian kebab is $10. An Australian meat pie is around $6. Both are delicious and worth getting after a night out.

 My first Australia kebab- So delicious

At the Bottle-o or liquor store, alcohol is also very expensive. You can get cheap boxed-wine like goon for $15, and you get at least 10 drinks out of it.

I know my bank account is declining each day, but I've been saving up for this experience for a long time now. It's worth every penny!

Birthday Aussie Style!!

So, I realized I've only been posting blogs that I have to do for my Global Ambassador title. I decided I was going to blog a little more about stuff I want to talk about.

My birthday was March 6. This was the first birthday that I wouldn't see my friends from home or my parents.

I didn't really do anything on the 6th considering it was a Tuesday, and I had class at 9 am the next day. I just had a drink and made dinner. So, I waited until the weekend to really celebrate. I also turned 20, so I wasn't even planning on doing much. It's 20, I can still drink here, so I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Oh, my roommate also gave me a piece of cake!

So, Friday night comes Yamil called me and told me to come upstairs and celebrate with everyone. So, I headed up there and everyone from the apt. complex screamed "happy birthday." All night people kept saying "birthday girl birthday girl." It was great. I met a lot of people who I've never met before that lived in the complex. We had a dance party, and celebrated until 5 am. It was awesome. Aussies do it hard!! I'm so glad I met such amazing people here to celebrate my birthday and make me feel happy. It doesn't matter where you celebrate your birthday, just as long as you have people you care about with you.

Great Birthday thanks to Yamil!

The same class three times in one day!? Are you kidding?

I figured I should tell you all how classes work here. I've had three weeks of classes, so I'm finally getting used to it here now. You call university “uni.” You'd say “I have uni today.”

Class are very different here! Some classes, I even have more than once a day. It's very confusing. I'll go into my daily schedule into more detail.

The grading scale is so different. You start off with 0% and have to earn your way up. In the US, you start off with 100% and get marked down for our mistakes. I like starting off with 100% better.

Professors are called Lecturers here. Also, you call your lecturers by the first name. That's really weird to me. I always thought that it was disrespectful to call anyone older than me by their first name, but not here.

Also, each class has tutorials. Most classes only meet once a week, so if you have homework due, you have a week to do it. Every class even if it's the same class the same day have a different room. Confusing right? The tutorials are all small, so you get small group instruction on the lecture material. Here, there is only one class of each class. An example, is Nutrition has one class with about 100 students and if you want to take Nutrition, you have to take it at the only time it is offered. At home, Nutrition would have about five options at different times, and sometimes with even different professors.

Another thing here is that most of my classes only have a few grades. You won't get any pop quizzes or anything. That means, everything you have to do well in, because if you mess up on one thing, you mess up the entire semester. Also, there's no "busy" work. The syllabus is set in stone for the entire semester. I like that, because at home, the syllabus always gets changed!

All of my classes count back at my home university, so that's always good. Most of them are electives, but I'd rather be taking fun electives in another country than at home

The last thing different here is that there's something called Lecture Capture. Every lecturer records with video and sound, their lecture. Then, it goes online. So, if you miss class, it's not a big deal, because you can just watch it online a day or two later. I wish my school at home at something like this! Hey YSU, take notes!

The international student office is located in there.

Monday: Reconstructing the Aboriginal Australian 11-12:50 Tutorial 1-1:50. I really love this class!! I took this class, because I can't come to Australia and not take some type of Australian history class. That's why I'm here, to learn about Australia! My lecturer is an Aboriginal, so it's really cool to hear what it was like back in the day, to be an Aboriginal. During the lecture, we learn about the history of the Aboriginals. Every hour, we get a ten minute break. In the US, I never get a break for even my two hour classes. Then, we start tutorial for this class in the same room. Tutorial is really fun. Every week, we're given a list of about ten different readings to read for this class. We have to read two of them, and write a critique on one of them. During, tutorial we go over the readings as a group. I really enjoy that. The only gradesin this class are weekly critiques, tutorial participation, and a final paper.

Tuesday: Lifespan Development Lecture 10-10:50, Physics Lecture 11-11:50, Lifespan Development Tutorial 12-12:50, Physics Lecture 1-1:50, Lifespan Development Tutorial 3-3:50. Yes, you read that right I have Lifespan Development three times in one day. I really like Lifespan Development.This class is also an elective. My lecturer is also pretty cool. She seems real easy going. They only grades in this class are a group project, a paper, and the final.Tutorial number one is also really great. Every week, we do group work. The group work to me, is always fun. It gets you thinking with everyone. The tutorial helps us to understand the lecture alittle better. The lecturer puts us in different groups each week. I now know everyone in my lecture. It's awesome meeting people! Tutorial number two also isn't bad. The tutorial only lasts about 30 mins, and all we do is go over our projects.

I hate Physics already!! When I signed up for this class I forgot that Australia uses the metric system for everything. So, I won't be using miles or pounds in this class. I had Physics in high school, but this is already getting intense after three weeks. This is the one class that I actually need for my major, pre-pharmacy with Chemistry. This is part one of the class I have to take at home. It's going to be so hard next semester too, because I'll be taking part 2, and I'll be so used to the metric system by then. I really don't like my lecturer either. The grades in here are lab grades, 4 online assignments, and the final.

The Library

Wednesday: Physics Lecture 9-9:50, Physics Tutorial 1-1:50, Physics Lecture 3-3:50. Did I mention I hate Physics? I hate having Physics three times in one day. Though, the tutorial actually helps me. He goes over problems from class.

Thursday: Every other week I have Physics Lab 9-10:50. In the US, I have labs every week that are three hours long. So, it's weird to have it only two hours, every other week. So far, the lab has been boring. Hopefully, they get more interesting later.

Friday: Nutrition Tutorial 10-10:50, Nutrition Lecture 1-2:50. I really like Nutrition. In the tutorial, we go over last weeks lecture. This class has two lecturers. One is teaching weeks 1-8, and the other is teaching the rest of the weeks. It's weird because, instead of counting calories, they count kilojoules. I'm not used to that at all. I'm really excited about this class, because I'm really into being fit and healthy! The only grades in this class are weekly online quizzes, a group project, and the final.

Griffith University

Overall, I really enjoy classes here. I'm not sure if I should be enjoying them this much, because it still is school after all. This is the first time I can actually say, I can't wait for the week because I get to go to classes!

My New Home!

Paradise style? I can get used to this!

I live in an apartment complex, called Nexus Place. It's a student accommodation. Can I just say that I made that absolute perfect choice on where to stay?



First off, these apartments hold 114 students. It's too not big or not too small. It's small enough so everyone can get to know each other, which I love. There are students here from all over the world including Finland, Norway, Canada, America, Australia, China, Chile, and Mexico.

Each apartment has three bedrooms with their own bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. I love the whole own bathroom thing. The rooms are also a pretty good size. I have a closet with shelves, a full body length mirror, and single-king sized bed. (Australian size bed) At home, I live in a dorm where I share a bathroom with the entire floor. This is much better! I love my own room. I also have a great view outside of my window.

I live in room 1, which has a downside to it. I'm right by the laundry room, which makes alot of noise. Also, the ping-pong table is right next door, so I get to hear loud people at three am. I can't complain much though. It's better than listening to girls fighting in the middle of night, causing drama. Gotta love college, dorms right? Yeah, not really. This is much better!

Each kitchen has its own dishwasher. There is also free laundry here!! You have to pay three dollars to dry, but apparently no one really uses them here anyways. So, I have to hang them up, which I'm okay with anyways. There's also a pool and a pool table. There's a few BBQ areas outside too. I must say, Australians do love their BBQ!

In Australia, you also have limited internet. I get 10 GB a month. It's so different, because in the US, I have unlimited and can do anything I want on it all day. I don't want to go over my limit, so I completely shut myself off from the American world. Meaning, I don't talk to anyone at home much. Sorry guys! I'm actually kind of glad that I have limited internet though, because I get to experience Australia without being distracted by internet. Also, there's always so much to do! I want this opportunity to be the best! I don't need drama!

I live with an American and an Australian. They're really nice. They got here a month before me, so I was worried that I wouldn't fit in or that they'd be close, and I'd be an outcast. I was wrong. They were very excited for me to arrive. They welcomed me in right away!

At these apartments, there's always something to do too. Whether it's drinking outside on the weekends with everyone or just hanging out and having a good time. There's never a dull moment.

So far, I really like this place. I was worried that I wouldn't. I met so many people here! This was the right decision for me to stay. I don't know how I am supposed to go back home in less than four months. It's going to be hard going from living in paradise everyday to boring dorm life.