Category: Australia

G’Day Everyone!

This last weekend some friends and I took a day trip to the Mornington Peninsula. We started our morning at 5am in order to make the commute and be on time to board the boat for our dolphin and seal swim. We arrived to catch the sunrise over the ocean, put our wetsuits on, and hop on board as we headed out into the ocean.

Our first stop was at a location where a shelter had been built in the water for the seals. We put our snorkel gear on and jumped in the water! The seals would swim really close to you, and they were quite the show-offs. They would spin around and put on a little show while barking the whole time. The water was fairly shallow in the area so we had to be careful to keep our feet up, as rays would swim under you. It was a little scary at first.  You would be focused on the seals and all of a sudden you look down and a huge ray is right underneath you.

After the seals, we boarded the boat and headed toward a little bay where we could snorkel and see cuttle fish and sea dragons. They both use camouflage really well.  I was only able to spot one cuttle fish without the help of a guide.

We then boarded the boat and headed back to the dock. Over the course of the trip, we were supposed to be ready to dive in the water if any dolphins were spotted. Unfortunately, no dolphins were spotted in the area all morning, so we were unable to swim with the dolphins. It was still an amazing trip and the crew made it that much better.

After the dolphin and seal swim, we walked through the town of Sorrento to a beach spot called the “Back Beach”. This area had tons of rock pools and a couple short hiking trails that overlooked the beach. After wandering through the rock pools and trails for a bit, we went to a little café on the beach and had some lunch. The view from the deck was amazing.

We then went to our final destination for the day – Point Nepean National Park. Point Nepean was formerly an army base as well as a quarantine center. With about 30km of trails, Point Nepean spans toward the tip of the Mornington Peninsula. We took a tour bus out to the end of the peninsula and then hiked our way back. The hike was full of astonishing views, as well as remnants and tunnels from the army base. It was amazing and the weather was absolutely perfect!

Cheers!
Taryn Dance

G’day Everyone!

I’m coming up on the end of my second week of classes here at Deakin University. It’s been a crazy couple of weeks adjusting to my new schedule and figuring out the flow of classes. I’m taking four classes this trimester, all of which meet once a week for 2-3 hours at a time. Outside of the in-person seminars, every class has online modules that you must work through on your own to learn the content that is discussed in class and on exams. It’s a lot more independent study than I expected, but once I get the hang of it, I think I might enjoy it.

Last weekend we had three days in a row of temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I spent one of these days going to Altona Beach with some friends. The beach had a long pier that you could walk out on, and people were jumping off the far end of it into the water. The water was very cold but felt amazing with the sun beaming down on us. The water was anywhere from ankle to hip deep for about the first 500 feet, which made for perfect spots to just chill and cool off.

On Wednesday night I went to the final night of the Queen Victoria Market Summer Nights Festival. The Queen Victoria Market is in downtown Melbourne and runs through the day with streets vendors, food trucks, and produce stands. They do festivals over the summer where they reopen at night with live music and plenty of different vendors and food options. I had been to the market during the day before, but this was my first time going to the night festival. This was also one of the first times I’ve been in the city at night, and it was amazing. They put on a new night festival during the winter season, so I can’t wait to go to that one.

Queen Victoria Market Summer Nights Festival

Cheers!

Taryn Dance

G’day everyone!

The 26^th marks my first week here in Australia. Monday night I moved into my residence at Deakin University’s Burwood campus, and things have been in full swing since! I spent a day or so getting moved in and situated, figuring out how to get around and use public transport, and adjusting to this new lifestyle. Since moving in, I’ve met some great friends from all over the world and embarked on a few adventures.

I spent a day with some friends heading down to Torquay Beach, home of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach surf competition. After a few hours of travel through trams, buses, and trains, we arrived at the beach where we rented surf boards and wet suits. Then we went out into the water and taught ourselves how to surf! It was so much fun, but also so hard. We spent a couple hours out in the water, and I was able to stand up on the board only twice. Definitely will be going back and doing this again.

On Saturday we had our international student orientation event hosted by a company called Real Australia. We loaded up two buses full of international students and headed towards the historic Phillip Island. Our first stop along the way was at Maru Koala and Animal Park in Grantville, Victoria. Here we were given a lecture from experts on koalas, dingoes, and snakes (all animals of which were present during the lecture). After, we were given time to walk the park and see all the animals in their enclosures. However, throughout the park there were multiple kangaroos roaming unenclosed. We were allowed to walk up and feed and pet the kangaroos all throughout the park.

Our next stop was a hike at Cape Woolamai on Phillip Island. We took a walk down the beach and up along a trail to a lookout point. It was beautiful. Along the way we encountered some various wildlife such as wallabies and an echidna.

We then headed into town for dinner at a local pub. I felt the need to order an Australian classic meal, the chicken parma. The chicken parma is a typical Australian meal that consists of a breaded chicken breast topped with a sliced of ham, tomato sauce, and parmesan. It was really good.

Our final stop of the day was on the coast of Philip Island to a reserve known as the Nobbies. The Nobbies is a rock formation off the coast that is home to Philip Island’s little penguins. We walked the pier to the Nobbies as we waited for the little penguin parade to begin at sunset. Every night when the sun sets, thousands of the little penguins come to shore and make the trek across the beach and back to their homes. Philip Island’s little penguin parade allows for people to come each night and watch the penguins return home after feeding, while maintaining a safe environment to protect the penguins. It was a really cool experience and the penguins were so tiny and adorable.

from Taryn Dance

G’day everyone!

The 12th of March marks one month since I first arrived in Australia, and it has been a wild ride! Since my last update, I have attended more classes, visited a coastal town, and participated in a group hike to a waterfall! 

Classes are in full swing here at James Cook University. Monday of this week marked the beginning of week three, and I have already learned so much! In my Myth, Ritual, and Religion class, we are learning about flood myths from areas such as Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. We are also expected to discuss the topics and participate in group activities that will supplement our learning. My Indigenous Australians class discussed Indigenous astronomy this week, which was an incredibly fascinating topic. Yesterday, we learned about an Indigenous rock formation which was designed to calculate the placement of the sun during the equinox and solstices. In fact, this creation was formed before Stonehenge, which makes it a fascinating anthropological and scientific discovery. Finally, my Forensic Archaeology class is discussing bones and burials this week, and next week we are talking about assessing trauma on bones!

In the last week of February, my apartment complex (Cairns Student Lodge) hosted a trip to Port Douglas, a coastal town north of Cairns. Port Douglas is known for its fantastic markets, which we had the privilege of visiting! At the markets, tourists and locals can purchase food, Indigenous artwork, jewelry, animal products, and much more. I purchased some beautiful Indigenous boomerangs and platters for my family back home, and I also found some stunning Aussie jewelry. After the markets, we were planning on going to the beach, but the stingers (deadly jellyfish) were at a high, so we went to a swimming hole instead! We had an amazing swim in the cool river water, and then we drove back to our apartments.

Last weekend, Cairns Student Lodge went to the Kuranda markets, and on a hike to a waterfall. It was slightly rainy, but what else can you expect when you live in a rainforest! Once we arrived at the markets, we had some time to walk around and purchase goods. The markets were comparable to the Port Douglas markets, but the Kuranda ones are open every day. I had some yummy lemon gelato, and we went on our way to the Emerald Creek waterfall. Access to the waterfall requires some (slippery) hiking, but it was entirely worth it for the stunning view and experience. The water was cool, and we could see an incredible view of the rainforest while sunbathing on the rocks.

While the weather in February was bright and sunny, March has been the exact opposite. Back at home, people say the Oregon weather is unpredictable–but it is nothing compared to the weather here! I can count on both hands the amount of times that I have left in the morning to sunny, hot weather, and when I walk back it is uncontrollably pouring rain. Word of advice to travelers–bring your raincoat/umbrella because these tropical cyclones are no joke!

Cheers!

Christina

G’day from Australia!

To preface my story, I left chilly winter weather in Eastern Oregon for the hot, humid summer weather here in Far North Queensland. While I was prepared for it to be warm, I was shocked by the wave of heat when I stepped off the plane a week and a half ago in Cairns. When I first arrived, I took a shuttle from the Cairns airport to my apartment for the semester at Cairns Student Lodge. I arrived several days before the beginning of Orientation Week (O Week), so I had some time to explore the city and make friends. On my first day, I spent some time unpacking and adjusting to my new living situation. I was surprised to find out that the animals here make noise throughout the night, but I suppose that’s just a perk of living in the rainforest! The following day, I decided to bus 45 minutes to Cairns city with a friend. Prior to arriving here, I knew Cairns was a tourist city, but I didn’t expect the business to be booming so much! When I exited the bus, I walked under a tree full of flying foxes (fruit bats), which was amazing! Then, my friend and I walked along the Esplanade, which could be described as a sort of central hub for the city. The Esplanade has a beachfront walkway, a free public pool, and a picnic area open for anyone to use! It is an amazing place to spend a relaxing day with friends. We then ate Australian style pizza (which is surprisingly different than American pizza), and climbed back on the bus to go back to campus! 

On Monday, O Week activities began! I had mandatory International Orientation in the morning, which served as an introduction to living in Australia. We were given information about safety, classes, communication, transportation, and where to seek help. Overall, the event was enjoyable because I was able to meet other international students, make new friends, and get familiar with the campus. 

Market Day, an event where local businesses and clubs promote student involvement, was on Wednesday. All of the James Cook University students enjoy Market Day because there are giveaways, free products, and fun activities. I entered competitions for free Great Barrier Reef trips, rafting trips, and excursions while I was at Market Day. Following Market Day, I went to a pool party hosted by my apartment complex!

On Thursday, I went to a speed friending event and a tour of Cairns city. For the tour, we hopped on a party bus, went to the beach, and drove around the city. This was the first time I had been to the beach, and suffice to say, I never wanted to leave! However, it was not recommended that we swim at the beach because there are deadly jellyfish (stingers) and crocodiles in the water at the moment. Oh well, maybe in a few months!

The biggest event of O Week, the annual Toga Party, was on Friday! Everyone hopped on a bus to a club for an entertaining night on the town. The night was filled with fun, dancing, and free pizza.

Monday was the first day of class, which was both nerve-wracking and exciting! I had Myth Ritual and Religion (an anthropology class) in the morning and Indigenous Australians in the afternoon. The class structure is slightly different here, as students have lecture classes and workshop classes. My first class has podcast lectures and notes online, which students are expected to access prior to the workshop (discussion activity) class. However, my Indigenous Australians class has face-to-face lectures on Mondays, and workshop classes on Wednesdays. It was strange to get used to initially, but I am adjusting! The homework in Australia is also different than in America. Instead of having multiple assignments in a week, we only have 3-5 large assignments that are a significant portion of the final grade. For example, it is typical to have 3 quizzes (30% of your grade), one final exam or paper (40% of your grade), and workshop participation (30% of your grade). One other difference from America–I only have class two days per week!

Overall, I am incredibly impressed with this beautiful country, state and city. If you are considering studying abroad in Australia, do it! Just don’t forget your sunscreen, bug spray, and the desire for adventure!

Cheers!

Christina

It has been a hot minute since I have written a blog post, but for good reason. To be honest not much has happened in the last three weeks. At least nothing too interesting to write about!

First of all, I am composing this blog post on Thursday October 25th, which means it is week thirteen. In translation, this is my last week of classes before exams. Tomorrow is my last class at JCU, ever…. It is absolutely crazy to think how time has past me with a blink of an eye. Over the past three weeks the only two significant things worth talking about are Val Ball and Castle Hill. The rest of my time I have been studying and writing papers. After everyone returned from lecture recess classes got more intense and required less time  relaxing on the beach and more time in the library studying.

Val Ball, which stands for Valedictorian Ball was October 6th. This is where our dorm, Uni Hall, celebrated all of the people (valedictorians) that are moving off Uni Hall next year. It is also used to recognize and award all of the RA’s and our Senior RA for their amazing work over the past year. This was a time for all of us to dress fancy and wear heels and celebrate. It was almost like prom. We picked our table group of ten people and we were served a two course meal, in addition to an open bar of champagne, wine and beer. Val Ball was such a fun experience because it reminded me of my high school prom experiences and it was fun to get dressed up and see everyone so well put together. After Val was over, all of us changed into regular going out outfits and went to town all together.

This past Tuesday Dena and I took a bus into town to climb Castle Hill. Castle Hill is a massive rock in the middle of Townsville. You can either climb or drive up it but it leads to a beautiful view of the city. Hundreds of people visit Castle Hill every day. It is a very popular place to get a great workout it considering it is a massive steep hill. Dena and I met up with Will, one of our friends we met in our hostel in Byron Bay. He stayed in Townsville for two days and we were glad we could meet up with him. Castle Hill is one of the main things to do in Townsville, so it was a “right of passage” to take Will up to the top (even though Dena and I hadn’t done it yet). Always, we went up around sunset and even though it was a bit of a difficult climb it was absolutely worth it. Unfortunately we didn’t get the best view of the sunset because of some clouds and the sun was almost already set but below is a photo from Google so you can get the idea of how beautiful it is.

Overall, even though these past few weeks have been pretty slow with school work, this upcoming week is SWOTVAC. SWOTVAC is the study week before exams. Most of us Americans tend to travel around this time. Dena and I are headed north up to Cairns and that’s what my next blog post will be about, until then…

Cheers!

Makenna