Sushi Party

Today my French and Japanese friends decided to host a sushi party at my apartment! I don't really like fish, but I was up to learning something new! So for the first time ever I made a sushi roll! I couldn't be taught by a better group because about 8 of the 14 people were Japanese! It was great fun! It was actually really funny too because the seaweed we used for the outside of the roll is the same as the kind we use in a lot of the fish foods at UnderWater World... They should advertise on it that its no just for humans because the clown fish love that stuff!

Inspiration!

My Seal Kiss from Teiko!

Today at UnderWater World I was working in the seal section of the aqaurium. He we do seal shows, kisses, and swims. Today was like any other day...i set up and gathered all the people around to recieve their seal kiss when suddenly I recognized one of the little kids waiting in line...

I was sooo excited, yet unsure if it was really him! The Crocodile Hunter's (Steve Irwin) son Robert. Steve and Terri's son is the cutest 7 year old boy with a very distinguishable face and long blonde hair. Constantly you see Australia Zoo advertising around the Sunshine Coast with the Irwin family's picture and i knew they lived nearby. I was just so sure it was him, but Terri (his mother) nor Bindi (his older sister) were nowhere to be seen, just a blonde women with a child about Robert's age. One of the other UWW staff turned to me and under her breath confirmed my suspicion simply by saying "he's famous."

Instantly I was thrilled that I had the honor to be in the presence of the son of my childhood hero and inspiration for becoming an enviromental student! I used to watch Crocodile Hunter nearly every night with my family and it had become my dream to follow his footsteps. And here I am in the same city working with animal conservation about to assist my hero's son for a big wet sloppy seal kiss! AWESOMEEEE!

We talked to Robert a bit too! He was so confident and comfortable with the seals! No doubt from his exposure to other animals. But when he spoke with us he was soooo polite and socialable! His father would be so proud of him....he's already just like him. Such compassion for animals is wonderful!

Ladies Oaks Day

Ladies Oaks Day is a large event for women at the Sunshine Coast horseraces. Its a day many women take off work and get all dressed up just for fun and go to the horseraces. And when I say dressed up they put on their goofiest outfits and ugliest hats! Such a British thing!

So a couple friends and I got dressed up and hit the races. The first thing I noticed was that the horses were running backwards! Not tail first, running around the track clockwise! Crazy Aussies! Second thing I noticed was that the best part about attending this event was playing candid camera! I secretly was taking pictures of all the ugly hats! I felt like I was at the Royal Wedding or something!

Anyway it was a good bit of fun to do some people watching and see a horserace for the first time in my life

Alwayzzzzz sick!

It seems like since before I arrived in Australia I have been sick. In reality I know it has been on and off, but I can't seem to shake my illnesses for very long. Looking on the upside I have learned a bit about Australian and medicine practices.

The first thing is Aussies don't believe in ibuprofen...they sell it, but discourage the use of it. You have to get it behind a pharmacist counter. Meanwhile, at home you can buy a mini "on-the-go" bottle next to the candy at the checkout line.

Second, just about the only thing you can buy without asking a pharmacist to get it behind the counter at the "chemist" (aka pharmacy) is vitamin c tabs, 30+ sunscreen, and $10 sunnies (aka sunglasses).

Third, regulation of supplements is extremely strict. The basics like fish oil and a couple vitamins are offered, but overall they require prescriptions. I typically take potassium sups because I frequently get muscle spasms especially if I workout at all. In the US of A these are a couple bucks sold at pretty much anywhere you can think of. Here they require a prescription as of 5ish years ago... and bananas are $12.50 per kilo because all the trees got wiped out in the cyclone up north...bummer

Eumundi Markets

 I decided that I was tired of hanging out near the Uni and that I needed a little adventure in my life. So my friend Etienne and I decided to take a trip the Eumundi Markets. It was SUPPOSED to take 2 hours to get there, but it took about 4! Ha the stupid train ticket man told me the wrong platform so we went 5 stations the opposite direction. Ha it was okay though because we got a really nice view of the Glass House Mountains and then we didn't pay and just hopped on the train going back the way we came.

When we arrived the markets were nearly closed, but it was soooo awesome! Just local artists selling the most beautiful paintings, clothes, sculptures, boomerangs, didgeridoos, ect. It was all really cultural and so awesome! :) I actually talked to a lady from Ocean City MD because I notice her son wearing a Ravens jersey (Booooo Ravens). And the best part was the whole town was like hippie free spirited people! :) They all wore like flowy loose clothes, didn't use computers and were all about the environment.

The most unique part about this adventure was we just happened to go the weekend of thier Annual Body Art Competition. It was so cool just nearly entirely naked people were getting painted into a beautiful living canvas. Then once they artists were done a catwalk show and judging competition was held. It was definately cultural experience. The markets were so cool i'm going back next weekend too since we didn't have enough time after the train incident.  

Once the adventure was over we had about a 3 hour wait/ride home so at the bus stop we started doing handstands and stupid stuff like that! Ahhh such a long, but awesome day!

KaNgArOoS!!!

The one thing that just never gets old in Australia is the kangaroos! I loveeeee them. Kangaroos are just so awesome because they just live it up. They just lounge and hop around all day eating grass.We have a mob (name for a group of kangaroos) of a little over 20 on campus so I see them all the time. They will hop right into the middle of campus sometimes so its nice to go have lunch and watch them hang out. On my bus ride to Underwater World i'll see up to 25. It always brings a smile to my face. :)

About 2 weeks ago I was walking to the bus station in the early morning and a mother kangaroo had a tiny joey. The joey was so so so cute because it was trying to stand on it's back legs, but it kept falling back onto all fours. Yesterday I believe I saw the same joey, but he was a little bigger and could stand. He was so cute and fuzzy too!

Patriotism in AU

It's truely amazing that I can live on the otherside of the world and get news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in time to catch the tail end of the Obama's live speech. Facebook is a wonderful thing sometimes.

I really wish I was home today so I could have gone into DC as many of my friends did. Celebrating the death of someone is wrong, but for me it's celebration of justice and closure to the families that lost loved ones.  Kevin (my brother) went and has some great pictures of him in front of the White House with hundreds of people cheering and a few videos to hear the "USA USA" chants!

It's interesting to get this type of news from another country. Questions immediately were brought up like "Is it wrong to celebrate? Flood the streets of DC or NYC? Chant at the Phillies game? Other things like will retaliations be taken on other english speaking countries." And I actually recieved an email telling me to remain in my home because I am an overseas American.

It's been literally 1/2 my life since 9/11 and I've several of my friends lost parents during the attacks. They have all have finally felt some closure. The few American's here in Australia are cheering, but a suprising amount of other international students were delighted to hear the news.

I'm proud and miss our troops. My heart goes out to all the families that lost loved one's.

"Justice has been done." -Barack Obama