Just an Ordinary Clumsy Rainy Day

There was a spell of dreadful rainy weather here in Sydney that lasted about a week. One day when I was walking through Newtown to get lunch, I was weaving my way through the crowds and trying to walk quickly through the rain. However, the sidewalks in Newtown are not concrete, instead they are tiled.

Tile + Rain = Super Slippery.

As I was walking past a café that was full of people, both sitting inside and outside, I slipped and fell to the ground. I was relieved that nobody laughed, instead three people came up to me and asked if I was okay. I was super embarrassed, but I was also pleased that people were willing to help and make sure I was okay. I think this is just one example of Australia’s culture; people are so genuine and willing to help without being asked. When I told everyone I was alright and said thank you, they replied with a simple “No worries!” Through my clumsiness, I have learned about Australia’s people and laid back culture, nobody laughed at me, instead they rushed to help. I wonder what would have happened in the exact same situation in the US?

Field Trip to Long Reef

There are some classes at the University of Sydney that have field trips. Yay field trips! The thought makes me reminisce about elementary school. For my Earth, Environment, and Society class, we took a field trip to Long Reef to examine rock formations; Long Reef is an Aquatic Reserve that has unique flora, fauna, and rocks. Unfortunately, on the day of the field trip there was pouring rain and blustering winds, but the professor sent an email saying that the trip would still take place!

Everybody was responsible for their own transportation to Long Reef and the directions on how to get there were quite vague, all I knew was that I had to take the L90 bus from Central station. This bus has limited stops and leaves about every 30 minutes, I had to make it to the bus stop at the right time, otherwise I would be late to meet with the group. At Central station, however, there are lots of bus stands and I didn’t know what side of the street I needed to be on, my worst fear was seeing the bus come and stop on the other side of the road, and then miss it! The worry must have been apparent on my face because an elderly woman came up to me and asked where I was trying to go because I looked lost. She was going to catch the L90 bus as well, so she assured me that I was in the right place. I was so thankful that she came up to me and helped me! One thing I have noticed about Australians in general is that they are always willing to help! This is very relieving if you are in a foreign country and you don’t always exactly know where you are going. The bus ride was about an hour to Long Reef, however, I was excited that the bus ride crossed over the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

I finally made it to Long Reef, and unfortunately it was still pouring rain. My professor was very enthusiastic and insisted that the weather is an important aspect of our environment and that it would be a learning experience. To my dismay, I did not bring any tennis shoes with me to Australia, only two pairs of TOMS, flip flops, and sandals. On the trip to Long Reef, I wore my black sparkly TOMS. They had to endure mud, sand, puddles, walking through bushes, and getting soaked all the way through from the high tides. I was just thankful that I didn’t slip and fall!

Overall, Long Reef was an interesting experience. I wish I had pictures, but I was afraid to get my camera wet. I think it would have been more enjoyable if the weather was clear, but my professor’s enthusiasm helped me through the day.

Surfing Lesson at Manly!

As a member of the Unimates Club, there are trips and activities that are planned every weekend, especially for international and study abroad students. One weekend event was a surf lesson at Manly Surf School. The Unimates Club organizes these trips so there are usually group discounts. For a two hour surf lesson it cost $31; the regular cost for this lesson would have been $99! So a $68 savings is awesome!

On the day of the surfing event we met at Circular Quay Wharf to catch the ferry to Manly. The return ferry ticket cost $6.60 with concession. When you ride the ferry I highly recommend sitting out on the deck because the views of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are amazing!

Manly is a beautiful beach that is a special surfing reserve. The beach is long and wide and there are a lot of surfers (naturally). We walked to the Manly Surf School and got rash guards and soft foam boards. We were given a welcome and then we separated into smaller groups where we learned about the waves, the winds, and the rips. Then the instructors had us all run into the water and said we could not come back until our hair was wet! The water was so nice and refreshing!

When we went back to the shore we learned how to lay on the boards so we could catch a wave and how to stand up. I loved the Australian accents of the instructors! After our quick information session, we were taken to the water where we had to put our new skills to the test. I had help from the instructors and was able to catch a few waves and ride them in to shore boogie-board style. There was one point where I stood up for about 2 seconds, but I was still super proud of myself!

I am so happy I had the opportunity to experience the Australian surf! It was so much fun and I would definitely like to try and perfect my standing up skills in the water. If you have the chance, I definitely suggest giving surfing in Australia a go!

A Chocolate Love Story

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar is a wonderful place to visit for its fun and comforting chocolate atmosphere. Inside, there are big vats of chocolate being mixed as well as colorful wall murals and quotes about how “chocolate exists in people’s minds and hearts.” If you are a fan of chocolate, Max Brenner is definitely a place worth visiting. When I was looking at the menu I was overwhelmed by all of the options. They have pretty much anything you can think of with chocolate!

I opted to try the Coconut Hot Chocolate, which came in the famous, “Hug Mug” perfectly form fitting to your hands when you cup a hot drink. Max Brenner is a little bit pricey, but it is definitely worthy of a splurge now and then. Some of the menu items I want to try are the Tutti-Frutti Belgian Waffles with warm chocolate drizzle, strawberries, bananas, and ice cream, the Choc-Banana Pizza, or a “Chocolate Shot” that comes complete with gummy bears. So many delectable options for yourself or to share! Max Brenner also has coffee if you would like to enjoy a nice cup of joe, instead of indulging in the chocolate madness. I definitely recommend a visit to Max Brenner to “watch, smell, taste and feel Max’s chocolate love story.”