Today was one of the first days where I am beginning to feel actually adjusted. Moving to a foreign country, even one that speaks your language, is no easy task. But a challenge is what I was up for; and I got what I wished for indeed.
The weekend was quite enjoyable. Friday night found me at Sydney Football Stadium, for the opening match of the A-League. It pitted Sydney FC against the Central Coast Mariners. It was good fun. A bunch of folks from SUV came along, and we stood and watched from the supporters section, watching the game and singing along to what we could pick up. It rained on and off during the whole game, and it wasn't until after the fact that I decided to make a four mile walk home... in the pouring rain. It was awesome. Right now I'm surprised to not feel that ill.
Saturday was another good day. I met up with Megan and some of her friends from Hillsong. I enjoyed a three course meal over in Randwick and then headed over to Edgecliff for delicious Thai Food & Max Brenner. We feasted on all kinds of chocolate... better than you can imagine. Trust me on that one. If you're in the Manhattan area, find the Max Brenner on Broadway. It's unreal. After Edgecliff, I made it to a pub and caught some English football. Chelsea v. Pompey in a snoozer. Lampard's strike in the first half proved winner, and I was relieved to see that the Gunners eked one out against City 1-0. It proves quite difficult to watch EPL when the first game starts at around 10:30. No worries though.
The rest of the weekend involved various elements of reading and writing. I watched some of the A-League match (Perth v. Newcastle) and made it to Hillsong for the 7 PM. That always proves an experience, a service at Hillsong. You find yourself inundated with images and colors and sounds that are supposed to help you worship. It has been hard, but last night's service was the best. Plus I know people there now. So here's to having a few more friends, and a few more laughs from these past few days. If anyone's reading this from JMU, enjoy class!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Thrills
Well, week 5 of class is over. Can't believe that almost seven weeks have elapsed since I first left America. That is just crazy talk! I got a chance to catch up with some folks back at JMU. Weird thinking that classes start on Monday and I won't be there to take part. Ho hum. Life goes on, and I know that this is where I'm supposed to be.
Not too many highlights from the past week. I ventured into the unknown depths of microwave-only cooking. I made a beef teriyaki mess that was made delicious by my rice cooker (for those of you left wondering, I had rice included in my meal). Tonight I made Chicken Parm. Not the best, having microwaved chicken patties designed to heat in an oven, but I feel full.
I did a lot of reading over the past few days for classes, and tonight I'm thinking about getting a head start on a number of my assessments that are due in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, I am not scared by the prospect of writing 500 word assignments. Maybe when they approach 10,000 words (doesn't exist), then I'll fell a bit petrified.
But in all seriousness, while I never expected to make it to graduate school, it's been a great experience so far. Today in Network class we discussed the advantages and disadvantages to strong ties versus weak ties. Apparently, having a greater number of weak ties increases the diversity and differences you have in your life, therefore finding a job through contacts easier (not sure what I think about that). But aside from the academia of it, I felt like the formula applied to me. I'm afraid to make ties here because they won't be as strong as they are back in the States. According to theories behind Networks, that's not a good move. Having fear over meeting new people shouldn't hold me back. Just cut loose and enjoy life (note: not really sure what it means for me to cut loose). I'm only going to be here once after all.
PS - My second book is now listed on Amazon.com. Yes, I'm a completely vain person that searches for his name on Amazon (only to laugh at myself, I promise).
Check this out:
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Stress-Girls-Guides-Emotions/dp/0766028577/ref=sr_1_2/104-1264231-4335115?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187849679&sr=8-2
Not too many highlights from the past week. I ventured into the unknown depths of microwave-only cooking. I made a beef teriyaki mess that was made delicious by my rice cooker (for those of you left wondering, I had rice included in my meal). Tonight I made Chicken Parm. Not the best, having microwaved chicken patties designed to heat in an oven, but I feel full.
I did a lot of reading over the past few days for classes, and tonight I'm thinking about getting a head start on a number of my assessments that are due in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, I am not scared by the prospect of writing 500 word assignments. Maybe when they approach 10,000 words (doesn't exist), then I'll fell a bit petrified.
But in all seriousness, while I never expected to make it to graduate school, it's been a great experience so far. Today in Network class we discussed the advantages and disadvantages to strong ties versus weak ties. Apparently, having a greater number of weak ties increases the diversity and differences you have in your life, therefore finding a job through contacts easier (not sure what I think about that). But aside from the academia of it, I felt like the formula applied to me. I'm afraid to make ties here because they won't be as strong as they are back in the States. According to theories behind Networks, that's not a good move. Having fear over meeting new people shouldn't hold me back. Just cut loose and enjoy life (note: not really sure what it means for me to cut loose). I'm only going to be here once after all.
PS - My second book is now listed on Amazon.com. Yes, I'm a completely vain person that searches for his name on Amazon (only to laugh at myself, I promise).
Check this out:
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Stress-Girls-Guides-Emotions/dp/0766028577/ref=sr_1_2/104-1264231-4335115?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187849679&sr=8-2
Monday, August 20, 2007
Deep
The last few days have been up and down. First, saying goodbye to Sarah at the airport was not enjoyable. But I have hope that I'll see her again. It hits harder now that I've returned from class and she wasn't there (like it had been last week).
Enough self-pity. The weekend was an enjoyable experience. Friday I played some basketball and had a few drinks down at the Well (the bar under our apartment). The next day was a trip out to Manly to watch the Curl family. Or, more specifically, Nick, Blake, and Tyler. My job was to make sure they behaved themselves and did their chores. Hardly an insurmountable task. Their house up in Manly is beautiful; a five minute walk to the beach included. I spent the last two nights there, returning here with a full stomach and a sense of excitement.
A deep thought from today: I feel handicapped by a fear of the future. I frustrate myself with a desire for an easy life; to get what I want and for things in my head to play out exactly the way I want them to. Such is not the case. Life for no one is easy. If that was the order of life, where would the fun be? Part of the reason that I went on this excursion was to delay the inevitability of working behind a desk everyday from 9-5. Unfortunately, that prospect offers comfort that I need to seek elsewhere. Because I can't rely on myself to overcome the weight of the world, now can I?
Enough self-pity. The weekend was an enjoyable experience. Friday I played some basketball and had a few drinks down at the Well (the bar under our apartment). The next day was a trip out to Manly to watch the Curl family. Or, more specifically, Nick, Blake, and Tyler. My job was to make sure they behaved themselves and did their chores. Hardly an insurmountable task. Their house up in Manly is beautiful; a five minute walk to the beach included. I spent the last two nights there, returning here with a full stomach and a sense of excitement.
A deep thought from today: I feel handicapped by a fear of the future. I frustrate myself with a desire for an easy life; to get what I want and for things in my head to play out exactly the way I want them to. Such is not the case. Life for no one is easy. If that was the order of life, where would the fun be? Part of the reason that I went on this excursion was to delay the inevitability of working behind a desk everyday from 9-5. Unfortunately, that prospect offers comfort that I need to seek elsewhere. Because I can't rely on myself to overcome the weight of the world, now can I?
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Blinded by the Light
So my mom told me to update my blog. Here I go. After a particular crazy Saturday last week, (involving some of the funnier Australians I've met) my girlfriend arrived Sunday in the early AM. I picked her up at the airport at 7 AM and we came back to the Village, dropped her stuff off, and then took off for the Blue Mountains.
Having already visited the mountains during my prior visit to Australia, I was put in charge of our trip. This didn't bode well, as I had neither the patience for it or the itinerary planned. I had initially thought it was going to be just Sarah and I going, but a few other from my building (Artee, Janelle, Gail, and David) joined us because of the lack of quality provided by Colourful Trips. Dave proposed a stop off at Featherdale Wildlife Reserve to see some Australian animals up close and personal. I had no problem with this, seeing that I had little planned for our trip to the Blue Mountains. We caught a bus to Central Station, hopped on a train towards Doonside, and after an accidental detour (we didn't know we had to get off the train at Blacktown) we made it to the Wildlife reserve.
The reserve was an interesting place. They let some animals (Kangaroos and an Emu) roam around the park at certain points, and had others behind cages. They had a couple of Cassowaries (really large birds that resemble dinosaurs with fur) behind cages as well as Koalas. While the Koala is one of the most underwhelming animals I have ever seen, it was slightly different when they had a station set up to "pet the koala". After spending a solid portion of our day at the Wildlife reserve, we moved on.
The next stop was Katoomba. Unfortunately, we arrived at about 4:30. Lacking knowledge of the town, I didn't know if any bus/trams existed that would take us to Echo Point to see the Three Sisters. We ended up walking and catching the sunset. It was a beautiful sight! After watching the sunset we left and made it back to the city at around 9 PM.
The rest of the time here with Sarah was awesome. On Monday we went into the City, saw the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and the other famous Sydney sites. Tuesday we walked from Maroubra to Bondi Beach, a gorgeous but strenuous walk along the Pacific Coast, Wednesday we went to Manly, home of our teammate Ashley Curl, and then yesterday climbed a part of the Harbour Bridge and had Pancakes on the Rocks. Last night we parted ways (for now) as she takes off for a year in Taiwan. All in all a good trip.
Outside of that not much is going on. I have some reading to take care of and stay on top of and I'm waiting and praying about a job opportunity that I am waiting to hear from. Til next time, Cheers.
Having already visited the mountains during my prior visit to Australia, I was put in charge of our trip. This didn't bode well, as I had neither the patience for it or the itinerary planned. I had initially thought it was going to be just Sarah and I going, but a few other from my building (Artee, Janelle, Gail, and David) joined us because of the lack of quality provided by Colourful Trips. Dave proposed a stop off at Featherdale Wildlife Reserve to see some Australian animals up close and personal. I had no problem with this, seeing that I had little planned for our trip to the Blue Mountains. We caught a bus to Central Station, hopped on a train towards Doonside, and after an accidental detour (we didn't know we had to get off the train at Blacktown) we made it to the Wildlife reserve.
The reserve was an interesting place. They let some animals (Kangaroos and an Emu) roam around the park at certain points, and had others behind cages. They had a couple of Cassowaries (really large birds that resemble dinosaurs with fur) behind cages as well as Koalas. While the Koala is one of the most underwhelming animals I have ever seen, it was slightly different when they had a station set up to "pet the koala". After spending a solid portion of our day at the Wildlife reserve, we moved on.
The next stop was Katoomba. Unfortunately, we arrived at about 4:30. Lacking knowledge of the town, I didn't know if any bus/trams existed that would take us to Echo Point to see the Three Sisters. We ended up walking and catching the sunset. It was a beautiful sight! After watching the sunset we left and made it back to the city at around 9 PM.
The rest of the time here with Sarah was awesome. On Monday we went into the City, saw the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and the other famous Sydney sites. Tuesday we walked from Maroubra to Bondi Beach, a gorgeous but strenuous walk along the Pacific Coast, Wednesday we went to Manly, home of our teammate Ashley Curl, and then yesterday climbed a part of the Harbour Bridge and had Pancakes on the Rocks. Last night we parted ways (for now) as she takes off for a year in Taiwan. All in all a good trip.
Outside of that not much is going on. I have some reading to take care of and stay on top of and I'm waiting and praying about a job opportunity that I am waiting to hear from. Til next time, Cheers.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Come and Go Blues
Greetings. Not a lot going today so I thought I'd take the chance to catch you up on the latest rumblings from Sydney. The past 9 days or so have been interesting; I've learned lots about the people in Australia, the differences of American-Australian culture, and the surprising lack of class time for a Masters Degree.
In terms of my classes I absolutely love them. Every single one of them has my full attention. This past week we wrote a pitch for a potential magazine story; my pitch was voted "best" of my group. I know, I'm so modest. They all seemed to be interested in the 500 word report that I had quickly jotted down in 15 minutes. I have this uncanny ability to vomit words onto a page as quickly I can think of them. What needs to happen next is direction: I need to work on said skill in the proper way that will allow me some semblance of a career. But, as they say down here, no worries.
Yesterday saw me at the first job interview of my life. It's for a part time position as an Editor of Thomson Legal & Regulatory Publishers. That's right, they publish law books. If I get said job, I will not only pick up a variety of skills in regards to working with strict deadlines, but also learn XML and have a nice resume builder to pick up on.
One of the toughest parts about the near month I've spent here has been the stark contrast to JMU. Having left a place teeming with some amazing people who I knew so well, I feel like I'm in a desert. But that is to be expected. I spent the last four years with some of those people, so I come here having left them and it won't be easy to come CLOSE to the kind of relationship I want to pick up. Patience only brings rewards, however, so I'm not going to complain about it; there are some great people here, it will just take time to get to know them well. It is funny though when someone from home asks "how is Australia?" I want to sell it as the best thing in the world and totally amazing. Don't get me wrong, it is awesome; I am having a great time. But I am also learning and growing a lot. I want life to be a cakewalk that has no obstacles for me. This is not true. A lot of work and effort is required if you want things to return to normal, regardless of being in Sydney or Harrisonburg.
In terms of my classes I absolutely love them. Every single one of them has my full attention. This past week we wrote a pitch for a potential magazine story; my pitch was voted "best" of my group. I know, I'm so modest. They all seemed to be interested in the 500 word report that I had quickly jotted down in 15 minutes. I have this uncanny ability to vomit words onto a page as quickly I can think of them. What needs to happen next is direction: I need to work on said skill in the proper way that will allow me some semblance of a career. But, as they say down here, no worries.
Yesterday saw me at the first job interview of my life. It's for a part time position as an Editor of Thomson Legal & Regulatory Publishers. That's right, they publish law books. If I get said job, I will not only pick up a variety of skills in regards to working with strict deadlines, but also learn XML and have a nice resume builder to pick up on.
One of the toughest parts about the near month I've spent here has been the stark contrast to JMU. Having left a place teeming with some amazing people who I knew so well, I feel like I'm in a desert. But that is to be expected. I spent the last four years with some of those people, so I come here having left them and it won't be easy to come CLOSE to the kind of relationship I want to pick up. Patience only brings rewards, however, so I'm not going to complain about it; there are some great people here, it will just take time to get to know them well. It is funny though when someone from home asks "how is Australia?" I want to sell it as the best thing in the world and totally amazing. Don't get me wrong, it is awesome; I am having a great time. But I am also learning and growing a lot. I want life to be a cakewalk that has no obstacles for me. This is not true. A lot of work and effort is required if you want things to return to normal, regardless of being in Sydney or Harrisonburg.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Roll With It
So I'm almost at the three week mark. That will be on Sunday, for those of you keeping score at home. Today marks the end of my second week of class and there is a lot to report.
The first is the style of class. Having been an American student for the last 22 years of my life (ok maybe less than that) I find myself trying to figure out the education system here. Their grading is completely different. Their teaching styles are different. Heck, even the language they use is somewhat different. But I'm just going to roll with it. I've come to two conclusions about the kind of classes I'm taking: they aren't going to be excruciating to pass, but to get the highest marks will prove some effort. And that's what I'm here to do. I'm going to give this year of my life my academic all--I'm going to leave satisfied with my level of effort and the knowledge that I've gained. The second conclusion, after going off on a tangent, is that I'll learn as much as I'm willing to put into it. And that is another reason why I'm going to increase my level of work.
The second conclusion hinges on the kind of people I'm around. It's great here--a complete melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. At JMU, you wouldn't run into someone from the United Arab Emirates in your dorm. That didn't happen. I am looking forward to learning about interacting with people of different backgrounds and who have seen a much different part of the world than I am familiar with.
The third conclusion relates to the difficulty of the task at hand. I've never been in a situation like this before--meeting new people, so far from home, so little around me that I'm familiar with. But challenges are designed to be overcome, and I know that I'm going to leave Australia (one day) a changed man. And that has me excited. In fact, I know that these few weeks have already done quite a bit.
The first is the style of class. Having been an American student for the last 22 years of my life (ok maybe less than that) I find myself trying to figure out the education system here. Their grading is completely different. Their teaching styles are different. Heck, even the language they use is somewhat different. But I'm just going to roll with it. I've come to two conclusions about the kind of classes I'm taking: they aren't going to be excruciating to pass, but to get the highest marks will prove some effort. And that's what I'm here to do. I'm going to give this year of my life my academic all--I'm going to leave satisfied with my level of effort and the knowledge that I've gained. The second conclusion, after going off on a tangent, is that I'll learn as much as I'm willing to put into it. And that is another reason why I'm going to increase my level of work.
The second conclusion hinges on the kind of people I'm around. It's great here--a complete melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. At JMU, you wouldn't run into someone from the United Arab Emirates in your dorm. That didn't happen. I am looking forward to learning about interacting with people of different backgrounds and who have seen a much different part of the world than I am familiar with.
The third conclusion relates to the difficulty of the task at hand. I've never been in a situation like this before--meeting new people, so far from home, so little around me that I'm familiar with. But challenges are designed to be overcome, and I know that I'm going to leave Australia (one day) a changed man. And that has me excited. In fact, I know that these few weeks have already done quite a bit.
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