Up on the rooftop

Oh good grief. I'm gonna keep this short and succinct. With as few complete sentences as possible, you're welcome Brenna Horn.

Sorry folks for the absence! Been out having fun!

Rooftop Movies in Perth - one of the coolest experiences ever.
We left the P&O relatively early to go down to the pub and enjoy a beer as a group. Very nice decision. Went to the train station, where I found out I had no money on my card. Got on the train anyways because it was leaving and I was a bit woozy to care too much. Turns out it didn't matter, just means my card balance goes into the negative, but this is all unnecessary detail.

This is us navigating our way through Perth, because whilst we were enjoying ourselves at the pub, we did not think to bring a map or an address to our destination. Good thing I'm so directionally capable... (if you know me, you'll get the sarcasm in that statement)

We actually made it though. I just followed my heart.

When we got to the top (up many stairs flights), the bouncer told us the first movie was sold out, but after that incredible trek out there, ain't no way we were going back, so we bought tickets and waited for the late show.

With 2 and a half hours to waste, what to do?






Go back to the bar. Feed ourselves with a delicious plate of fries (American fries will never ever be able to compete). Listened to a nice man play guitar and sing, while the rest of the pub was too drunk on Irish beer to give a hoot. I did one of my famous whistles and he felt more appreciated.

 I love both of these girls so much. They make me so happy.

:)

(trying to fill up empty space....)

...Delicious fries! Couldn't handle it.

Then we went to the park...

Lots more fun moments like this..













FINAL DESTINATION: Rooftop movies!

Don't even ask me about the movie that was shown. I don't want to talk about it. Awful. But, the experience as a whole = best night EVAR. Well, really fun. They had drinks, popcorn, palm trees, and free live music before the show! Also, fireworks went off during the movie. I'm thinking, "man...love sharing these romantic moments with myself."

:)

This post actually had more full sentences than I planned. And it didn't include Rottnest Island, but I'm tired of typing.

Manders

Things of no importance

Skinny dipping. Nuff said.

Intentional insomnia. The semester has officially begun.

Pinterest. LETHALLY DANGEROUS TO PRODUCTIVITY.

I'm starting to forget what life is like in the States... the atmosphere is just becoming so engrained into our daily lives here. I don't mean to be the butt who keeps talking about the beach and the sun but...sand has become a part of my every day life.

And a permanent part of my scalp?

And a throw rug on our room floor.

Life in the moment

So.

There are things I love about being here. Namely, everything.

No, but the real story is that I love people here. I've come to adore so many people on my trip.

Today I went to the beach to catch a few rays (and if you ask my face, I should have put some of the rays back). Met up with Courtney who had the same idea as me, and pulled out my reading about managing and brains and all other sorts of fun stuff. And my highlighter. Fun story, my management teacher told me that the people who succeed are the people who use yellow highlighters.

Anyways, right when I'm thinking about taking a dip in the pristine blue water, some strange young man with a tan and some scruffy beach hair (my life is the worst, seriously), came up to us and squatted and asked us what we were studying. Courtney and I exchanged glances that said "OMG go eway, you're just trying to get ladies" and instead, he was like "where are you from, what do you do, do you like Freo, how are you today?" etc, etc. Then his friend came over (equally tan and....beautiful). We talked to them for like an hour, good conversation, lots of laughing and talking about differences between America and Australia and making fun of our accent. Then they left and we had two new friends!

So tonight, after decided that today was one of those days that deserved a little bit of a break, Sydney, Christine and I decided to go out and get a beer and sit and have a chat. On the way, we met one of our beach friends and another one of his friends who said, in exact words, "We like beer! Can we join?" So they did!

I adore great conversation, and great conversation was had!

Then, came back, went straight to the kitchen (let's be real, when is eating ever a bad idea), where we met up with a guy who lives here from Ireland, had another hour of great conversation with him about movies and meat and cartoons. It was the shiz.

These are the parts of the trip (aside from seeing incredible Australian scenery and taking amazing pictures) that I'm going to hold on to for the rest of my life.

I'm so blessed.

<3

The tame version of Australian wildlife

Tired. Can't sleep when I'm sweating out every pore of my body.

Yesterday - Caversham Zoo! It was worth it, but with the intensity of the heat it was a close call. I've never felt my skin frying the minute I walked into the sun. Never had to position my body strategically to prevent body parts from touching other body parts. Never had the front of my shins sweat. Never had to avoid using brain power to prevent creating more sweat. Go ahead, create a mental picture of what 30 of us looked like on a bus on a 100 degree day. Make sure you factor in the strategic body position.

But seriously.
                                                                                                                                                                 

This is a wombat named Bubs. Not exactly the wildlife encounter of a lifetime...in fact I don't think you can use the word "wild" to describe this animal in any way, shape or form. He was soft! As I smiled for the camera, I was mentally apologizing to Bubs because I pictured myself being held in a strangers lap under the armpits while throngs of people rubbed their dirty sweaty hands all over my stomach. 

This was the part where they let the herd of us, like children to recess, into the kangaroo enclosure, each equipped with a handful of kangaroo niblets with which to make friends. The kangaroos are very aware of what you're carrying with you when you walk into that pen and they're friendlier than seagulls because of it. Completely unlike anything you'll find in the wild, but it made the experience so unforgettable. At what other point in my life can I say I was chased down by throngs of kangaroos?

They're very soft. 

Legitimately crossed an item off my bucket list that day!! YYYAAAAYYYYY!!! 

Oh, also, koalas - 

Last night, instead of going with the group to club it up in Subiaco (close to Perth), Sydney and I went to see a friend of mine play with his band in a pub in North Freo. Twas a great night...sat and enjoyed great music, had a glass of delicious beer, and chatted about life, love, and attractive strangers. 

Afterwards, as we sat in the common room, the members of the Subiaco group slowly started filtering in, and from what we could tell, the night was not as successful as many of them hoped it would be. 

...love hearing "last night" stories. Crazy things happen in Australia. 

Manders

Friends in warm places

I like sunsets and long walks on the beach

I <3 Australia

Real security officers would be more concerned with public indecency...

Newport Hotel - a great bar/dancing place in Freo to go get your dance on with yo gurls on the weekends. Except when it closes early on Sunday nights, in which case, it's not that exciting of a place to be. They also take pictures and then put them on Facebook, so you can tag yourself in them and feel really cool and official.

Our kitchen/eating area is right on the street and has windows that allow us to see a lot of weird things that happen on the weekends. Including three naked men walking down the street late on a Friday night. It's not a good thing to lose a drunken bet, or at least that's the advice they gave us (oh, our windows are not soundproof whatsoever).
Ish. Sorry, but it was an event momentous enough to be worth sharing.

So there's a train here that takes you all over the city and anywhere from here to Perth. You put credit on a card and then scan the card at a card-scanner station each time you get on and off the train.
So. We were coming home on the train from the beach and I was the last one in the group to use the scanner, which, for no apparent reason, kept blinking red each time I tried to scan it. And trust me, it's important to scan right because the train security guards WILL hunt you down and find you. Finally got it to blink green! Ran to the train as it was pulling away from the station! Watched sorrowfully as Molly, hand outstretched, moved slowly down the tracks. Without me.
So, alone and upset, I waited for the next train. Got on the train (having already got the scanner to be green), super happy to be headed toward Freo, when the infamous officers came to check my card. Oh, no worries, I did everything right, I'm not gonna get fined today. 
WRONG.
Somehow, something had gone wrong, and I was "not successfully tagged on to the train, resulting in an automatic $100 fine". Rude! And here I am, an American who doesn't know anything, alone and just wanting a fresh mango and a shower at home. So, did I manage to plead myself out of the situation? I'm not sure. I'll find out when I try using my card again.

People here don't like it when you try to walk on the right side of the sidewalk. I didn't know that was something that was dependent on the side of the road you drive on, I thought EVERYONE EVERYWHERE passed each other on the right side of the sidewalk.
...or MAYBE people drive on different sides of the road because of the way they walk on the sidewalk... O.o

This week's forecast - 95 and sunny all week. That's 35 degrees Celsius in case you were wondering.

If you're in Minnesota, please enjoy the snow for me as I cannot, and I won't see it again for another 8 months.

School? Oh umm....school. Today is a Labour Day (no school), tomorrow I have one class at 5 pm, and Wednesday I have off. So, I'll keep you posted!

Can't remember where I left off...

But! Last Tuesday was Marissa's birthday, so a large chunk of us went out to the bars (well, bar singular to be honest, then just ended up walking around town). The Orient is a bar that's right below the P&O (where we stay), so for convenience's sake, we went there. People keep telling me that Australians are the nicest people in the world, but they can be creepy and...married. In other words, young, hip people don't really hang out at the bar on Tuesday nights. But Bennies and Johnnies do! And they dance at said bars!

So the next day I went for an adventure around the city by myself. The sun was out (again), the breeze was cool, and the sidewalks were beckoning. Worst decision of the day? Buy a brand new pillow at the beginning of the walk. It was the best 5 dollars I've ever spent (to please finally wake up without a neckache), but my timing was off. I was probably the most awkward looking tourist Freo has ever seen. Camera around my neck, pillow in my hand, box of kleenex in my other hand, which didn't work like I wanted, because I didn't have a free hand to blow my nose.

I've unearthed an unconscious opinion I have about people - strangers are always safe because, like animals, if you don't hurt them, they won't hurt you. Didn't your mom ever tell you that about bees? Or bears? Yep, and just like when I was talking to myself, it sounds a lot dumber when I say it out loud.

Class! It's pretty good. Hasn't been too hard yet. Classes are in this format - two hours worth of lecture per class (each class meeting once a week) and then an hour of tutorial (more hands-on stuff, not quite sure since I haven't really had one) at some point later in the day. As mentioned, first week of classes doesn't have tutorials because my classes this week have consisted of reading the syllabus aloud. No icebreakers yet though.

Lesson of the day - sit at the front of the room. Lecturers speak softly and I can't hear a thing because of my cold.

I HAD....the BEST donut today I've ever had in my entire life. Not only was it gigantic but it was coated in a delicious layer of natural sugar and fried in natural fat! (Mom and Dad, it's your fault I'm like this)

And now, for the best part of the day, I saw the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. Once I got all the picture-taking out of my system, I put my camera away and took another look...and it took my breath away. The camera was beneficial for this blog's sake, so hopefully my pictures can sort of convey the beauty I saw on the beach tonight.