So I'm hoping that by adding pictures to this post, no one will be angry with me for not having posted in a long time! I've been so wrapped up in meeting people and making friends that I just have completely forgotten about my responsibility to everyone who wants to read this blog!!
Since the last time I posted, I have seen a lot of Perth, made many friends and had a lot of great times around here. At this point, I think my favorite things about this part of the world are the beaches. The water is a clear, teal blue, warm and inviting and I love it. Just as anywhere, the wind picks up a lot on the water, and the sand can sting if the wind is too high (one of the few drawbacks of the beach). I've been to Cottesloe Beach (Perth's most popular) and to Scarborough (more of a surfer/skim boarder beach). Both of the pictures above are of Scarborough beach, with more from Cott coming.
The other thing I love about being brand new in this country is the slang they use. Everything is abbreviated and changed up. A few examples: Cott (Cottesloe beach), Devo (devastated), Rotto (Rottnest Island), Soz (sorry), Arvo (afternoon). They don't really think much of using words like this and half the time I need to stop them mid-sentence to explain the previous one! It's fun, though. They love our accents as much as we love theirs and swapping hometown slang is always a good time.
Contrary to popular belief, I actually do go to class. It's not all drinking and partying (although it is a huge part, seeing as I only really have class two days per week). This semester, I'm taking four modules (classes): Feature Writing, Photojournalism, Photography and Australian Studies. Though the first three are for my majors, Australian Studies is somewhat of a joke class. We go on four excursions throughout the semester and watch a movie every class after lecture. It is quite interesting though, seeing as we learn little to nothing about this country and continent at our home institutions and high school. I'm hoping to learn a lot about their relationship with the Aboriginal people because the majority of them come off as quite racist.
In Australia, I have an amazing, solid group of friends from all different backgrounds. My housemates are all extremely nice and cool to hang out with as well as our neighbors here at Vickery. I love my classes and the weather overall (thank goodness we just got out of a heat wave where temperatures were over 100!). I'm really enjoying this experience and trying to see and do everything I can in the time that I'm here. I will try to update every week and now that school has begun and I have a much more set schedule, this will hopefully be a promise I will keep. Love and miss you all!
