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Hey,

Haven't checked in properly for a while now, spare time doesn't seem to come around often anymore! I worked every day last week as well as going to uni and everything else. But it feels good to be working and earning money, it'll make travelling feel well deserved.

It's week 10 at uni now, which means I have been in Oz for 11 weeks. Mum was definitely right when she said that time would start off slow and then suddenly speed up. This is the last week of uni before mid semester break. Siobhan, Amy and myself fly to Cairns on Friday morning! I can't wait. I can't believe I'll be diving in the Great Barrier Reef and cruising round the Whitsunday Islands in a boat; way too dreamy to be real life.

Everyone is beginning to book flights for when they travel after uni finishes and it's FREAKING ME OUT! First of all, my flight home is way too early. When I booked it I was told it would be cheap to change my flight, now they're telling me it'll be 250/350 quid! It is peak season though so I understand. Currently my flight is booked for 30th November, arriving in England on 1st December to kick start another month. I am starting to think I need more time though, so might be changing it to the 16th instead. I guess with a job now and my student loan coming through I can afford to do it.

At the moment all I have planned, in my head only, is to visit Fraser Island at the start of November, move onto Sydney and then Melbourne. By the time I'm back it'll be 30th November and time to go home. However if I stay longer, I would love to see Bali! Thailand and New Zealand popped into my head as well but I can't do everything.

I just can't quite keep up with life. I don't understand how it goes so fast. It's ridiculous! I just got here and I am filling out forms to terminate my residency in my college halls. I really do feel settled here now and have made a good group of friends, got myself a job and the latest news is... I've gone and got myself an Aussie boyfriend. It's a bit silly really, seeing as we both know I'm leaving soon, but you can't plan everything. He's the guy I mentioned in previous posts by the way; Mackenzie.

This weekend he took me on a surprise adventure to a beautiful National Park near Springbrooke. There's a spot called Natural Bridge which has amazing waterfalls like this:

I sort of felt like I was in Batman's cave. There really were Bats though.

Anyway it was such a nice surprise. Theres also a point called 'world's best look out', and it goes a little something like this:

    The view is unreal! So peaceful too. 

Macca also showed me a place called Sovereign Island. It is insane. I have NEVER seen houses so big and so over the top. Clive Palmer lives there and instead of a car parked next to his home, he has a bloody big boat. Every single property is worth over 1 million and every single car parked outside looks it too. I literally can't imagine how much money the people who live there have. I would love to know what they do for a living. 

So although I might not be able to live there, we could afford to have lunch on the water. Australian's are so lucky they can do simple things like that whenever they want! It was so luxurious to look at a view of water and boats whilst eating rather than a motorway or whatever else you might see. I really did eat too much this weekend. How will I live without Tim Tams in the UK? They are these yummy Australian chocolate biscuits which come in about 5 flavours. I haven't met a single person who doesn't like them. 

The ice cream places here are amazing too. There is a new place in Southbank called Nitrogenee which we went to and you watch them make the ice cream from scratch. Just picture blow torches, steam and white dungarees. Then theres Cold Rock which I still need to try. Baskin and Robins is another place which is insane. See why I'm concerned about the amount of food i've consumed? Thank god I'm a gym and chicken freak during the week. I don't know how I'm going to work around that when I leave campus though.

This post was a bit of a long one which I apologise for, but now you are all up to date with my Australian Adventure.

G'day!

Taking chilled out to a new level

Alrighty, it's time to address the difference between education in England and education in Australia. I'm not really talking about the curricula, more the attitude.

The thing that confuses me the most are tutorials. As I do drama, my tutorials are actually called workshops, minus one. Understandably, workshops are more relaxed and focused on interaction with the lecturer. They involve a lot of talking and sometimes moving about. However, this to me does not mean make yourself at home, lye on the floor, pop in your headphones if you feel like it and perhaps even have a doze.

I'm serious. I had a tutorial earlier today on Australian Theatre and actually began to laugh because all around me were people lying on the floor as our lecturer was trying to teach. Its more than just getting comfortable, they actually look like they are sleeping. I just don't get it. This is happens every week in every tutorial and is clearly something which has always happened here.

Every time I notice these kind of things, I try and imagine what would happen if I did the same in Exeter. To be honest, I can't imagine anyone doing it. Our lecturers want us to look alive and as if we are participating. Sure you get the odd day where your lacking energy and feel a bit sluggish, but you cover it up!

Attendance at Exeter is monitored like a hawk. Turning up half an hour late is not an option. Walking in and out whenever you want to does not exist. Guess what? All of this is acceptable at Griffith. Students have honestly walked in 45 minutes late to a lecture or 'tute' and no one has flickered an eye lid. It's a free for all.

I'm trying my best not to sound like a snob or teacher's pet because I know that to many it will read that way. It's really just me analysing and trying to comprehend student life over here compared to back home. I can't say that I'm not judging though. I don't think its good how all of this is allowed to happen so casually. It just makes university feel a bit immature and sometimes pointless. I guess it's a positive that the students here feel as if they can 100% relax around their lecturers, and will perhaps then allow them to be more honest and open. It definitely breaks the barrier between teacher and student.


I'm not going to let myself fully adapt to such a relaxed environment at uni because otherwise I'll get a shock when I head back to Exeter.

I hope I don't sound like too much of a twat during this post, sorry if you feel that I do. (Sorry not sorry).

A weekend on the water

Another great weekend has been and gone. This time I was lucky enough to visit the beauty that is Stradbrooke Island, our transport being a jet ski.

So my friend Tom lives on the water. Literally, his house is basically on the water. Of course that means you have to own a jet ski as well as boat, or like some of the residents there, five boats. A few of us went out on the jet ski and travelled across to South Stradbrooke. Words can't describe how amazing it is! It is un touched, un polluted, perfect stretches of sand.

The picture doesn't even do it justice because it was taken on a blackberry (shitberry).

I've never seen sand so white in my life, it almost looked fake. The sea wrapped around the island and greenery filled up the edges of the land. In the distance you could see the built up Gold Coast, but apart from that I felt as if I was part of the film Castaway or The Island. I didn't think the locations you see in films could ever compare to real life but this topped it. I found this little guy wondering around in the sand too:

After that I ventured out to Surfer's Paradise and experienced my first night out there. I've been warned many times about this place and so was fully prepared for the seediness of the club strip. It didn't bother me at all though. Anywhere where there is a strip of cheap clubs you're going to find cheap things and people. But, to be honest, I thought there were a good crowd of people and didn't find any trouble. It was a good night out which ended with me being piggy backed home and having a domestic with a man from Bali who got too big for his boots. Standard.

I'm back at Griffith now and of course I walked into a flat which hasn't been cleaned one tiny bit since I left. It's gross. No one wants to take responsibility and empty the bins or do their washing up. I'm certainly not doing it again that's for sure.

I'm into the second week of my job now and already I'm feeling the 'I don't want a job attitude'. It's stupid because it's so convenient and the hours are perfect but it's always a drag to work. But it'll be worth it when I'm diving in Cairns in 3 weeks! So I've got to suck it up and get on with it. 

Got to go treat this bugger of a mozzie bite, it's killing!

Lara Croft

That's my name. Sort of. Not really. But I felt like it could have been for a brief moment this weekend because...

WE WENT ABSEILING!

Lulu, Siobhan and I felt like doing something adventurous this weekend and so, with Lulu working for an events company, we bagged an abseiling lesson for half price. I've got to admit it, it was one of the scariest things I've done and for a moment I thought I wouldn't make it down. Mainly because all coordination between you hands and feet is forgotten and for some reason your bouncing around on the side of a cliff. I also was severely hungover from a wonderfully messy night on Thursday.

However, it was also one of the coolest things I've done so far. I took a moment to look down/behind me and this was my view:

That's when I forgot about being scared. This was at Kangaroo Point, just next to Southbank. It really is beautiful and I can't believe it's taken me seven weeks to see it! Yep, seven weeks I've been here now. That's two months next week. The time is flying! In keeping with Lara Croft theme, I've spent my day  on a dirt bike track. I went to visit a friend down near the Gold Coast and found myself surrounded my people who love to go crazy and ride motor cross bikes. I spent half the time closing my eyes to save myself from witnessing a crash or some sort of tragedy. Turns out, there was a bit of a tragedy. I don't know what happened but there were 4 'ambos' (ambulances) and a helicopter.

Anyway I had a very spontaneous and adventurous weekend which was just what I wanted. It's good to get away from Griffith on the weekends, clears your head a bit. Next week I start my job on campus, perfect timing as we are booking Mid Semester break soon. We've decided on the Whitsunday Islands (paradise). It'll break the bank but it'll be worth it.

Seeeeee ya

P.S.

I forgot to mention...

I GOT A JOB! On campus, doing work. Got my high fashion (terrible) work uniform sorted the other day and I'll start training on Monday. 

With every down there is an up right?

The land of Coolangatta

I have just come back from a night and day in paradise on the Gold Coast.

Siobhan and I took a trip to Coolangatta last night after being invited down to visit some friends. It's only a quick train journey so we felt like being spontaneous and after much deliberation, decided to go. Thank heavens we did!

We turn up at the train station and get a ride back to the hotel. Yes thats right, HOTEL rather than a grubby hostel. Even better, we didn't pay a penny. The guys snuck us in and gave us their room. It was right on the beach front and was rather impressive. After spending a bit of time there, we discover that we have actually intruded a stranger's birthday weekend. Our friend's inform us that they have booked us a seat at the restaurant where they are all going for a birthday dinner. As you can imagine, that's slightly awkward, given we don't know who the birthday boy is.

Anyway, we turn up to Hog's Breath drunk and giggly. By now we have a feel for the group and how the night is going to go. One of the guys has already bought us alchohol and made it clear that he himself is drunk and therefore does not care paying for anything. So, we order a nice big meaty stake each, topped with calamari and curly fries. Followed by two fabulous cocktails. Not forgetting to mention we polished off the birthday boy's cake. We go to pay, fully knowing that it's already been paid for, and yep, we were right. We hear the words 'Oh, use are covered'. Meaning, we've got this. BRILLIANT. I know I'm sounding like a sponger right now, but it was all self inflicted, we didn't ask for any of this.

The night continues at a bar where again, we don't spend a penny apart from entry fee. It wasn't a great bar but, when you've been fed red meat for free and drank other people's money, you feel on top of the world. I was in one of the best moods I've been in since arriving in Oz. It just so happens that whilst being at this bar, I meet a guy who loves pommies (that's us English people). We talk a bit, swop numbers etc etc.

Shiv and I wake up the next morning to the most beautiful view. Take a look at this:

FOR FREE.

Being a student makes you very aware of the money your spending, hence the emphasis on money 24/7. It is stunning though! After being woken up at 6am by the boys wanting to down more vodka and generally cause chaos, we sleep through till 9am and take ourselves to the beach. This is where I discover a second paradise. Here you go...

The place literally took my breath away. When I got in the sea I had the moment I had been waiting for. I said the words 'I love Australia'. I looked around me and all I could see was a stunning coast line and an empty ocean, with me in the middle of it. How could I not be happy? My tummy was full of this

(Avocado and Tomato on toast) and my heart was content. The only thing I wished for was for my mum to be able to see such a wonderful place. Anyway, enough of the soppy long ass speech.

Later on, the guy who we met last night came down to see us. I was pretty impressed by the fact that his sister's name is Pia, which is my middle name. Never have I ever met/known any one else of that name, normally people are like 'that's not a name that sounds like the piano man song'. IT IS A REAL NAME. I love it. Mackenzie gave us a lift to the station, we were cutting it short so we bombed it down the motorway. We caught the train in time and the trip ended as smoothly as it possibly could have.

I feel extremely lucky to be here. I've had the best weekend away in the most beautiful place with the most wonderful people. Tonight it continues in Brissy at some course friend's house warming party.

The new kids are getting cool ay.

EKKA EVE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?

I found myself dreaming about downing pints of water, followed by milk and finally shoving a doughnut in my mouth. I then woke up and realised; 1) I was severely dehydrated 2) I was craving milk 3) I shoved a doughnut or 3 in my mouth last night.

Then the happenings of Ekka Eve dawned on me....

So Ekka is Queensland's famous annual event and today is the official public holiday, which means a day of uni to recover from the night before, hooray! Last night we went to 'The Met', managed not to throw any mcflurrys at anyone and actually had a bloody good time.

It was one of those nights that goes super smooth but super quick. I felt like I was only there for about an hour. But as my memory is starting to recall, it was much longer. Don't you just love it when the puzzle starts coming together? So far I have recollected;

• Someone thought I was on drugs because my pupils are too darn big
• I put a light in my hair because I thought it looked cute (it looked shit)
• I paid 8 dollars for a drink right before getting a free one, typical.
• A guy bothered talking to me for half an hour THEN decided to say 'oh hey, I have a girlfriend'
• I ate a disgusting amount of peanuts and doughnuts when I got home
• I told an Australian man to explain his views on women, then lectured him on how they were wrong

Got a good listing going so far I think, seeing as it's only 9.30 am. Why do I always wake up early after a night out?! I don't know if I can handle walking around Ekka festival today. I don't feel like it's a walking day at all.

I still feel like someone has poured a bucket of sand in my throat whilst I was asleep, so I think it's a sign that I should stop writing and drink some water. Perhaps even a BOOST JUICE at some point today (an overly priced smoothie that everyone loves because it makes them feel healthy and better about eating doughnuts). 

See ya when I feel human again.