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