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To fully understand the concept of education and learning, I believe it is critical to immerse yourself in a completely different culture and country. By doing so, it gives rise to the differences and similarities of the education system and culture, therefore making learning much more interesting. I am one to become really tired of the same schedule and the same scene, so coming to Australia was definitely an exciting culture shock for me. I was sick of the science class and the common curriculum I had been taking/following for the past three years. Despite my Pharmacy major and Classics minor, I enrolled in culture and education class here. I enrolled in an Indigenous Australia class, Outdoor Education, Australian Culture, and this Australian Sports education class. These classes were significantly different from my organic chemistry II and biology II classes I had been taking last semester. Though the classes were not similar in anyway, the transition was easy, because my classes in Australia were so interesting to me. Back at home, my classes entailed lecture and labs. The labs were our professors’ way of getting us to learn hands-on. This correlated with Australian classes, but in a much more entertaining fashion. In my Australian Outdoor Education class and Sports class, we had many field trips. The Outdoor Education class planned two major field trips for us: a day trip to hike in the Royal National Park and then a weekend hiking in the Blue Mountains. The latter was what I blogged about two blogs prior to this reflection. Just to make a point, I have learned about plenty of things academically – whether it be from the French Revolution to Newton’s law, but what I learned during my hiking trip to the Blue Mountains will forever be engrained in my memory. You cannot learn resilience, perseverance, and confidence from a book, and I learned those three from just one field trip. The difficult task of hiking over 9 miles, which entailed hiking up a 3000 ft cliff, could drive a man crazy. The fight between your consciousness, thoughts, and your aching body is a tumultuous one, but then when you finish your hike and realize that you actually accomplished it, that immaculate bliss you feel afterwards is incomparable. This along with my other classes taught me much about Australia. I’m learning more about Australian history than I ever thought I would in my Indigenous Australia class, while at the same time, learning much about modern Australian art and culture via my Australian Culture class. In addition to this, my Sports class has taught me so much about Australian sport culture. Quite influenced by European sport, Australians fancy rugby, soccer, cricket, and so on. I, for one, am a massive fan of European club soccer, so I really enjoyed learning about that here. Back in the States, European club soccer is not so popular, so it is not as fun loving the sport and living in the American culture. Here, I feel Australians understand my love for certain teams, which I adore! Though these sports are popular viewing sports, there are other sports that I knew I would be partaking in coming to Australia. Before I came here I was told that I had to hike, snorkel, scuba dive, and skydive. Even in the States, people understand that with Australia comes a very adventurous connotation as well. “The Land Down Under; the Land of Wild Adventures” is what came to mind every time I thought about how I was going to study here. If I wanted to fully understand the Australian culture and sport, I knew I had to partake in these activities. During Spring Break, my study abroad program, IES, took us to Cairns for the adventure of a lifetime. Our second day there, we took a trip to the Great Barrier Reef to snorkel. I have never snorkeled before, so I had no pre-conceived notions of what to expect from this. Firstly, putting on the wetsuit was almost near impossible. Secondly, snorkeling was so exhausting. Swimming against the current and trying to get a good view of the reef, but at the same time trying not to swallow in water from the snorkel, all of this was a difficult task for me. I am not a swimmer at all by any means already, so by the time I climbed back into the boat, I was exhausted. Contrary to this, scuba diving was one of the best experiences I’ve had in Australia. Almost a week after our snorkeling trip, we went on a diving trip solo from our program. At first, with my claustrophobia and fear of drowning, I was quite skeptical about my scuba diving experience. To be honest, I was very mortified about the idea of being under water for 30 minutes. However, there was no turning back after my wet suit was on, and I jumped into the water not sure what to expect ahead of me. When our instructor was teaching us how to breathe out of the regular and how to find it if we lost it under water, I was getting quite nervous. My claustrophobia made it task for me to breathe just from my regulator; this was tough at first. Your mind keeps telling you to breathe out of your nose, so my scared mind began to race faster and faster from breathing out of this regulator. Contrary to this, by the time I was under water and viewing the Great Barrier Reef, I grew quite calm, mainly from the eerie silence at the bottom of the ocean. At this very point, being at the bottom of the ocean, was the absolute peak of my Australia experience. My experience here in Australia cannot be paralleled. With all the activities and experiences I have partaken in, and with all the amazing games I have watched live, my experience in Australia tops every experience of my life. And just for the sake of tradition, to end my Australia reflection, here is a thumbs up and a photo of us in front of one of the most iconic structures in Australia!   Until next time, Australia, au revoir!
This was my third rugby game here in Australia and boy, was it the closest game. You could feel the competitive spirit while sitting in the arena. The teams kept scoring back and forth, but the Force’s offense was exceptional during this game. The Warratahs defense was not so good, so the Force pushed down the field almost too easily. We were getting very into the game, even though we were not huge fans of either team. As the game furthered in intensity and neared the end, I saw a Warratah fan getting really into the game down at the front row seats. He was banging his hand on the barrier and shouting to the Warratahs in the crowd, “Come on! Get up! Cheer louder, you’re pathetic!” As he screamed this, a Force fan screamed back. Then all of a sudden, I saw the Warratah fan hop over a few rows of seats and choked the Force fan. Security broke the fight up, but I was still in shock! The competitive spirit did not just lie within the team, but within the fans too. I soon realized that there is a reason for why rugby is one of the most popular sports here. The fans are very dedicated to their teams, so much so that they risk getting kicked out of the game for them!
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| Cheering for the Tahs! Note: Free signs are always a plus. |
First of all, I would like to mention before I begin this entry, that I hate walking, but ever since I moved here I have had to walk every where whether it be to work or to class. Back at home, I’m very use to driving, so this transition from driving to walking everywhere was not fun at first. So with that said, hiking in the Blue Mountains was definitely a task for me. We spent the whole weekend there, but on Saturday, April 2nd, I partook in the hike of a lifetime. We hiked around 9 miles that day with a mountain descent and climb of 3000 feet! If I didn’t know what perseverance and resilience was, I knew exactly what those words meant after this hike. What seemed to be a never-ending hike (6 hours!) ended with an epic stair climb. As I was ascending the last set of stairs, I saw a building in the distance. So excited to see a man-made object, I tried to run up the last few stairs, but my weak legs gave out and I had to crawl up the stairs. This was the most demanding weekend (physical-wise) for me here in Australia, and let me tell you, the bliss and accomplishment that I felt after this hike was out of this world.
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| The stars were amazing out in the Blue Mountains! |
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| Sweating BULLETS. |
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| Enjoying a break by the river. |
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| Accomplishment at its finest! Posing for the camera. :) |
On Friday, May 6th, three of my friends and I were off to Manning Bar on campus to drink a few beers before the night began. As we were walking to Manning, we heard loud cries from the rugby field to the left of us. We stopped to see what was a team in black uniforms, as we now know were New Zealanders, doing some sort of monstrous chant. One of my friends, Adam, then informed us that this was a native aboriginal chant that the New Zealand rugby team does before the game commences. This was so interesting to us that instead of going to the bar, we ended up going to this game instead, which was free for students (GREAT surprise). To further our excitement, we found out that this was an all-star rugby game. All-star Australians vs all-star New Zealanders – this was an epic game we had to watch. Although, I do not know all the rules of rugby, I know an intense game when I see one, then again I think all rugby games are intense because the game is so vicious. Rugby seems like such a powerful game— tackling, sprinting, kicking, and pushing. It is definitely an entertaining sport to watch, even if you don’t know all the rules!
When first coming to Australia, I kept hearing about skydiving and how Australia was the place to experience it. I never took it into consideration until my friends here asked me if I would skydive in Cairns during our Spring Break with them. I am madly afraid of heights, but I thought partaking in skydiving was much more likely than bungee jumping. I had never heard one negative comment on skydiving, so I signed up for the activity. I was quite nervous the day of, but the nerves were negated by my excitement, so I my mood kept swinging back and forth--my mind didn't know what to think. On the airplane ride up to 14,000 feet, it was all very surreal. I could not believe I was partaking in such an act. Reality did not hit me until the door swung open, and the first skydiver, Kristine, was gone in a flash. When it was my turn, my tandem master, Bruce, who has dived over 11,000 times, ordered me to “step into his office.” As I took my place at the edge of the airplane, Bruce pushed us off, and it was instant euphoria from then on. I didn’t have a chance to think, let alone a chance to be scared. As we were free falling, all I could scream were profanities (happy profanities). The view was absolutely unbelievable and the silence in the sky was amazing. The whole time I kept thinking that I didn't want this experience to end. When Bruce released the parachute, he let me steer, which was phenomenal. We also got to fly into a large cloud! Skydiving was the best thing I have ever done in my life, hands down.
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| Not scared at all as I was getting geared up. |
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| Bruce teaching me the ways of diving correctly. |
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| Group photo prior to diving! |
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| Group photo outside the plane. |
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| In Bruce's office. |
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| Unreal euphoria at this point. |
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| Thumbs up! |
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| Glorious view from above. |
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| At this point, the eerie silence was perfect. |
On top of snorkeling, we also scuba dived. I have never scuba dived before either, and this was something I was very scared of. I have seen plenty of episodes of “I Shouldn’t Be Alive” on the Discovery Channel with some episodes based on the horrifying event of scuba divers being left stranded in the middle of the ocean from being carried away by a strong current...but this did not stop me! The gear was very heavy, but once in the water it was not a problem. The only problem was that I could not get use to breathing from my regulator. Although it took me awhile, once I overcame my fears, breathing underwater was actually quite easy. The pressure of the water did not affect my ears either, which was quite relieving. As we were swimming underwater, I had to keep telling myself to calm down, because I could feel my fear of being stranded wanting to take over. The only thought that kept me sane was the thought that I was swimming in an entirely different world. The eerie silence, not being able to see far in front of me, the fish and the coral, it was all a part of this ancient world that I have never been able to explore. This thought kept me from giving up and swimming to the surface.
 Living objects like this exist? HOW? Surfacing from my first dive. Euphoria! Beautiful fish. This fish was bigger than I. So happy to be alive. Kristine and I. Me with the ladies!
During Spring break, my study abroad program took us to Cairns. We partook in a wide range of activities, one being snorkeling. I have never snorkeled before, nor have I ever been far into the ocean like we were (coming from a landlocked state, this is understandable). The waters looked peaceful, but that was quite deceiving. Once we put on our gear and jumped into the water, the current was very strong. I am not a strong swimmer, so swimming against the current was very exhausting. This did not deter me from enjoying the beautiful reef. I saw the most breathtaking views ever, and the odd part was that it was all under water. Large fish swimming around the coral right under me, I could not help but feel as though the whole experience was very surreal.
Found Nemo!
Some lady friends and me about to snorkel. Putting on wet suits are a lot more difficult then you would imagine... So happy to be in a wet suit. Just hanging out :) What lies under water. SHARK!
I am not quite fond of working out on a regular basis, and seeing that coming to Australia was a big change for me, I decided to sign up for a weekly kickboxing class with my friend Marisa. From March 16th to May 11th, every Wednesday I would attend an hour kickboxing class. I decided that if I did not like working out on my own, perhaps a class would suit me better. At first, I was very nervous, but our instructor was so outrageous that he made the class very fun. Not only was I working every muscle in my body imaginable, but I was also learning self-defense tactics that I could use in my life if need be. On another note, I do not think I have sweat so much in my life. Beads of sweat would pour down my face, sometimes getting into my eye (not a good feeling). Constantly making us work harder and harder, our instructor pushed us to the edge until every muscle in our body ached. Kicking, punching, elbowing, and kneeing, kickboxing is a great sport to take out any aggression bottled up inside you. I really enjoyed this class, and I plan on taking more lessons when I get back to the states!
This weekend (March 24th-March 27th), a couple of my girl friends and I visited Byron Bay for the weekend. Upon entering the small town, I instantly felt the unique vibe of Byron Bay. Byron Bay is very relaxed and stress-free, and that is easy to understand when walking through the city and on the beach. The day after our arrival, we spent the whole day at the beach. The sand was the softest my little feet had ever felt, and the water was the most clear that I had ever seen.
Swimming in this ocean was much different than swimming at Manly or Bondi beach. Manly and Bondi have very strong currents, and the riptides are very difficult to navigate through, especially for me. Coming from Nebraska, a land-locked state, I have only swam in pools and steady lakes, so swimming in Australia’s beaches are a challenge for me. Luckily, though, Byron Bay’s beach was definitely much easier to swim in than Manly and Bondi Beach. The current was not as strong and the waves did not tower over me. The beach at Byron Bay was perfect for kayaking, swimming and surfing. I witnessed plenty of children being taught how surf, and I also saw many kids boogie boarding. If children can swim, surf, and boogie board in the conditions of Byron Bay’s water, than a Nebraskan girl like me can swim through current, and I definitely had fun doing so!
Byron Beach.
Me enjoying the peaceful waters.
Byron beach at its finest!
Kayakers in the water.
[Photos courtesy of Shayna Dunitz]
On Saturday, March 19 th, my study abroad program hosted surfing lessons for us at Manly Beach. The weather wasn’t great by any means – clouds and rain took over our afternoon. The waves and the current were very strong (perhaps because the moon was closer to the Earth than it ever has been in 18 years!). I went into the lessons wondering “maybe I’m secretly a natural at surfing” – and the answer turned out to be an extreme “no.” I definitely underestimated the difficult task that is surfing.
We began with a little swim in the ocean. Although the weather was cold and windy, the wet suits thankfully kept us very warm. After getting our hair wet and learning a few basics, we were instructed to go back into the water, and when we were able to catch a wave, we were to push our bodies up into a push-up position on our boards. I can barely explain to you the rush I felt when I rode my first wave. My heart skipped a few beats from the mad rush of the water, and it bizarrely felt like I was flying. This instantly sparked my motivation to learn more. When we learned the technique of getting onto the board, we were thrown back into the water. The hardest part was passing the waves and getting to the perfect spot to catch a wave. The current was so strong that it made it particularly strenuous to make your way through the ocean. By the time I found my spot and caught a wave, I was too tired to get up on the board. The furthest I got was kneeling on the board, and judging from the exhausting task, that meant a successful day for me!
This is us learning how to get into a push-up position on our boards.
Me and the girls taking a surf bro pic with our babies (boards).
  Little nippers getting intense and competitive.
On Friday, March 11th, 2011, I attended the first rugby game of my life. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, since I’ve only seen games on TV. We went to the Roosters VS Rabbitohs game at Sydney Football Stadium. When I walked in, I could hear the thunderous cheers of the crowd, and I instantly became very eager to find a seat and to become a part of these cheers. When we finally found our seats, the awe of the atmosphere finally set in. The stadium was enormous, and the lights were blinding. On top of the awe, my confusion set in as well. I couldn’t name one rule of the game if you had asked me to name one at that point in time. Thankfully, I sat by my good friend Danny who plays rugby back at home, so he explained to me step by step what was going on in the game. The Roosters were up by a few points, and when the Rabbitohs scored and tied the game, the crowd clearly became more rowdy. As I was watching the game, Danny pointed out a fight that had broken out to the right of us. It was a small fight at first, but it escalated almost instantaneously and more fans jumped in to support their fellow fans. This fight that broke out reflected exactly what I had known about rugby in Australia – that rugby is very prominent in this society and that the Aussie fans are very prideful of their teams. Nonetheless, the game was very exciting, and the Roosters won!
 The view from my seat. My friends decked out in Rooster gear. Me definitely prepared for the game!
[photos courtesy of Jen Ross]
Ciao! My name is Khanh Mai, but I go by Theresa. I am studying abroad from Omaha, Nebraska in the United States. Most people here have never heard of Nebraska, but it is right smack dab in the middle of the United States. The city I am from only has about 1 million people, so this big city is a drastic change for me (but I definitely approve of the change). Back at home I attend Creighton University’s School of Pharmacy, and I am a pharmacy major (hence the School of Pharmacy) and a classics minor. Despite my major and minor, on top of this sports class, I am also taking Australian culture, indigenous Australia, and outdoor education. In middle school, I was on the track and field team and the soccer team, but in high school I quit sports to concentrate on my academics and student council. I’m really excited for this class, because not only will I be reacquainted with sports again, but I will also become enlightened in Australian sport and culture. I adore watching soccer, namely professional European club soccer (FC Barcelona all the way!) and Fifa World Cup (Italy for the WIN). I’m very interested in watching the soccer games here (socceroos!), but I am also very excited to learn more about rugby and to watch rugby games. I understand that rugby is colossal in Australia, so I plan on going to many games and learning as much as I can about this sport. I also want to learn how to surf, because it’s popular in the United States as well. As you can see, I plan on learning much in this class, and I look forward to these field trips to take my studies to a whole other level.
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