So the day has finally arrived...
Today was my last day at Wesley and tommorrow I will be leaving for New Zealand. Tomorrow I will be saying goodbye to my host family, Sydney and everything I have come to call home and boarding a plane to New Zealand where I will be staying there for a week and then I will be on my long way home. This goodbye is going to be so difficult and I don't want to leave. Everyday it has become harder and harder to be able to say goodbye to this place that I have come to love so deeply. Australia is a part of my heart now and I feel like I am leaving part of me here.
Some of our Australian friends are having a little send off for us tonight so we can officially say goodbye. My host family is going to be having Mexican for the last time as it has come to become a weekly tradition for us. Australian lingo has become a part of my everyday banter and I know that this place will stay with my forever because I feel it in me. I can see it in the way that I act, speak and even react to things. Even though I am so sad to leave I know that by the time I leave New Zealand I will be ready to come home. I am so ready to eat NY Pizza, have my moms stuffed shells, NY Bagels, hear american accents, hug my family, sleep in my own bed, see the NYC skyline, drink a good cup of coffee, and talk all night with my friends.
In about a week I will be home and hopefully seeing most of you really soon. If you want to get together and maybe buy me some good food and all that nice stuff give me a call...
Cannot wait to see you all and thank you for everything you all have done while I have been down under. I have really appreciated all the emails, letters and prayers that you have sent my way. So thank you all!
I hope I will be able to update while I'm in New Zealand...otherwise talk to you all soon.
xoxo
Krystin
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Sydney, you have a place in my heart...
WOW, can we just say that I am leaving Sydney, Australia in 4 days. WHAT THE HECK?!?!??! How did that happen. I remember getting here what seems like 2 hours ago. Where did all the time go. I have SAT, SUN, MON, TUE and then we leave for the airport on WED morn.
I have to pack
I have to see my fav places in the city
I have to study for a final and finish my takehome final
I have to hangout with Gail
I have to hug my roomies
I have to pack 4 months of my life in two suitcases and a backpack
I have to get the recipe for Gails favorite pasta
I have to see the rest of the places that are on my list
I have to watch the sunrise over sydney
I have to pack
I have to say goodbye to Sydney
I have to say goodbye to my aussie friends
I have to say goodbye to my home
These are just some of the things going through my head at the moment and I really have no clue what the heck and how the heck I am going to be able to get through the next couple of days because no matter how excited I am about coming home I am equally upset about having to leave everything here that I have come to hold so dear...[this can be seen in how I have cried 4 times in the past two days whenever someone brings up something about leaving Australia]
What am I going to do? I'm really not ready....
I have to pack
I have to see my fav places in the city
I have to study for a final and finish my takehome final
I have to hangout with Gail
I have to hug my roomies
I have to pack 4 months of my life in two suitcases and a backpack
I have to get the recipe for Gails favorite pasta
I have to see the rest of the places that are on my list
I have to watch the sunrise over sydney
I have to pack
I have to say goodbye to Sydney
I have to say goodbye to my aussie friends
I have to say goodbye to my home
These are just some of the things going through my head at the moment and I really have no clue what the heck and how the heck I am going to be able to get through the next couple of days because no matter how excited I am about coming home I am equally upset about having to leave everything here that I have come to hold so dear...[this can be seen in how I have cried 4 times in the past two days whenever someone brings up something about leaving Australia]
What am I going to do? I'm really not ready....
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Whitsundays, this is how we do...
So let me just start off this post by saying that this was one of the best trips/adventures that I have ever been on...It was so amazing to just be with our group of people and actually love being around each and every one of them. That was so awesome!
On Saturday Derek and I left on a trek from hell to get to the airport [and let's just say that it reaffirmed my hate for Sydney Transportation]. I missed my first bus, then I missed the train to get to Central [by this point I sat down at the train station and broke down and cried because of all of the frustration]. Luckily we caught a break and made the next train we were trying to make to get to the airport, because if we didn't we prob wouldn't have made the flight because you have to be CHECKED in 30 min prior. After that disaster, our flight landed and we all headed to the hostel. The hostel let me just tell you was a little dodgy, we had booked three 5 share cabins that *magically* turned into 6 share cabins, so there were people in our cabins that we didn't know which was fine but we booked them for our group like that on purpose. And let me just tell you that the pics on their brochure, yeah they were photoshopped. But all in all it worked out and we had super fun staying there and all we really did was sleep and eat there anyway. That night we just went into town and got some cheap food which was so good because by that time I was super hungry, and just hung out in town. It was a fun night of bonding over the 2 km walk there and back to the hostel.
On Sunday we tried to sleep in and ended up getting up at 7 AM. So we ate breakfast and headed out to find a beach to lay on/water to swim in. We walked the long way along the board walk into town but there were def some gorgeous views. I loved it. Every beach we walked by had a *hazardous marine life* sign on it so we decided that might not be such a great idea to go in the ocean. We ended up at a man made lagoon in town which was just awesome. We all hung out there all day and just chilled. Got real sunburned too it was AWESOME! *note the sarcasm* Man I am peeling right now as we speak, but I will be tan in November! Haha, YES!
On Monday we had our Great Barrier Reef Tour which was AMAZING! We got a sweet deal and took a boat ride out to a pontoon on the Outer Reef. The food was great and there was even a water slide on the pontoon haha. But that all took second place to snorkelling out on the reef. Derek and I snorkeled like our lives depended on it. We were out there almost the whole time and then came in for lunch and went on the semi-sub and the glass bottom boat rides. Those were sweet to go on because it gave you a break from the snorkelling. Then we headed back out until they made us come back in. That was just be-a-u-ti-ful to see... I cannot even tell you how gorgeous it was. Breathtaking...
On Tuesday we decided to go on another tour that made three stops. You got to go on a hike up to a lookout which overlooked Hill Inlet, then we went to Whitehaven beach and then snorkeled at the Inner Reef. It had been raining a bit in the beginning but it was good because it was mostly when we were taking the ride out to Whitehaven so it worked out really well. Hill Inlet was as Amazing as the pictures show it to be and Whitehaven beach was so white, I can't even tell you how beautiful it looked. Fun fact for you: Whitehaven beaches sand won't get hot like the other sand, it always stays cool. I thought that was pretty cool...We even saw a stingray in the water right off the beach, we couldn't get close but it was cool to see anyway. That night we all went out to the city for our last night in town. We just chilled and had a good time. There was a scissors, paper, rock contest at one of the pubs and a couple of us did the contest. the prize was $500 dollars so it would have been nice if one of us won the money but we didn't, oh well, better luck next time.
On Wednesday we all just packed up and headed out to the lagoon/town for the morning and then we had to be back at the hostel to be picked up at 1:40 to head to the airport. Then we all went our seperate ways and headed home.
It was an AMAZING trip...def topped my list of fav. trips.
Wish I could go back already
I'll put pics up of the trip on my photo site soon...
xoxo
On Saturday Derek and I left on a trek from hell to get to the airport [and let's just say that it reaffirmed my hate for Sydney Transportation]. I missed my first bus, then I missed the train to get to Central [by this point I sat down at the train station and broke down and cried because of all of the frustration]. Luckily we caught a break and made the next train we were trying to make to get to the airport, because if we didn't we prob wouldn't have made the flight because you have to be CHECKED in 30 min prior. After that disaster, our flight landed and we all headed to the hostel. The hostel let me just tell you was a little dodgy, we had booked three 5 share cabins that *magically* turned into 6 share cabins, so there were people in our cabins that we didn't know which was fine but we booked them for our group like that on purpose. And let me just tell you that the pics on their brochure, yeah they were photoshopped. But all in all it worked out and we had super fun staying there and all we really did was sleep and eat there anyway. That night we just went into town and got some cheap food which was so good because by that time I was super hungry, and just hung out in town. It was a fun night of bonding over the 2 km walk there and back to the hostel.
On Sunday we tried to sleep in and ended up getting up at 7 AM. So we ate breakfast and headed out to find a beach to lay on/water to swim in. We walked the long way along the board walk into town but there were def some gorgeous views. I loved it. Every beach we walked by had a *hazardous marine life* sign on it so we decided that might not be such a great idea to go in the ocean. We ended up at a man made lagoon in town which was just awesome. We all hung out there all day and just chilled. Got real sunburned too it was AWESOME! *note the sarcasm* Man I am peeling right now as we speak, but I will be tan in November! Haha, YES!
On Monday we had our Great Barrier Reef Tour which was AMAZING! We got a sweet deal and took a boat ride out to a pontoon on the Outer Reef. The food was great and there was even a water slide on the pontoon haha. But that all took second place to snorkelling out on the reef. Derek and I snorkeled like our lives depended on it. We were out there almost the whole time and then came in for lunch and went on the semi-sub and the glass bottom boat rides. Those were sweet to go on because it gave you a break from the snorkelling. Then we headed back out until they made us come back in. That was just be-a-u-ti-ful to see... I cannot even tell you how gorgeous it was. Breathtaking...
On Tuesday we decided to go on another tour that made three stops. You got to go on a hike up to a lookout which overlooked Hill Inlet, then we went to Whitehaven beach and then snorkeled at the Inner Reef. It had been raining a bit in the beginning but it was good because it was mostly when we were taking the ride out to Whitehaven so it worked out really well. Hill Inlet was as Amazing as the pictures show it to be and Whitehaven beach was so white, I can't even tell you how beautiful it looked. Fun fact for you: Whitehaven beaches sand won't get hot like the other sand, it always stays cool. I thought that was pretty cool...We even saw a stingray in the water right off the beach, we couldn't get close but it was cool to see anyway. That night we all went out to the city for our last night in town. We just chilled and had a good time. There was a scissors, paper, rock contest at one of the pubs and a couple of us did the contest. the prize was $500 dollars so it would have been nice if one of us won the money but we didn't, oh well, better luck next time.
On Wednesday we all just packed up and headed out to the lagoon/town for the morning and then we had to be back at the hostel to be picked up at 1:40 to head to the airport. Then we all went our seperate ways and headed home.
It was an AMAZING trip...def topped my list of fav. trips.
Wish I could go back already
I'll put pics up of the trip on my photo site soon...
xoxo
Thursday, November 1, 2007
We don't need no education, no more teachers dirty looks...
Well classes are officially over [which is crazy to think about, considering that November just started] and I am currently finishing one paper that is due tomorrow. We have all day debrief tomorrow for ASC class and when I say ALL DAY I mean all day...were having debrief from 9am -5pm. Oh dear I am really hoping that it is not going to be a bore...
Then I am off to the WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS which are supposed to be the whitest most beautiful beaches in all of Australia. Where I am going to have fun with friends, snorkel and hopefully sail to some of the other islands. I cannot wait for that...
Tell ya more when I get back!
I am so ready for 5 days of a wonderful work free, stress free vacation!
xoxo
Krystin
Then I am off to the WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS which are supposed to be the whitest most beautiful beaches in all of Australia. Where I am going to have fun with friends, snorkel and hopefully sail to some of the other islands. I cannot wait for that...
Tell ya more when I get back!
I am so ready for 5 days of a wonderful work free, stress free vacation!
xoxo
Krystin
Monday, October 29, 2007
Video Killed the Radio Star...
I keep forgetting to post a couple of the videos that our ASC Director Kimberly has made...so here they are before I forget:
Canberra Video:
Outback Video:
Bush Video:
They might be a bit choppy if you don't let them load first...I hope you like them! =]
xoxo
Krystin
Canberra Video:
Outback Video:
Bush Video:
They might be a bit choppy if you don't let them load first...I hope you like them! =]
xoxo
Krystin
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Australians are artists...
So for the past 3 and a half months, on Sunday and Monday nights, promptly at 7:30 my hostfamily and I sit down in front of the T.V. entranced for an hour. Not because Australian T.V. is all that great, or because we only have 5 channels here [which makes me feel oh so much at home] but because I have come to see Australians, in general, as Artists...
When I tell you what show we watch here you are going to laugh because back home it is not what it is here. I have become entranced with Australian Idol. And I am not just a fan of the show and think that one of the guys on the show are attractive [which many are] but because of the way that they handle the arts here. From the beginning of the show you wouldn't think that much is different from American Idol, because they have the same opening music, and lookalikes to Ryan Seacrest [even though they are way funnier] and they still have those 2 weeks of the crappy auditions and take way to long to get to the good people. But it is apparent when the first true contestant walks into the auditions with their guitar, or they have a piano waiting for them. You would think that they are lying when they say that they write their own songs because they are so amazing you wouldn't believe that a 16 year old could write them. But this is only the begining...
Ever week the contestants and judges ceased to amaze me because they are so serious about this, ok they do have their parts where you wonder why they even said that, but then there are the times that make me hate Paula and Randy and just want them to actually speak the truth and not give the contestants the crap advice that they give them. The contestants on the show have been the most amazing bunch of artists/singers/songwriters that I have ever heard...and I cannot wait until I get to hear their songs.
Then tonight I watched the Arias [which are comparable to our Grammys] and I found so many more amazing australian artists which just adds to my idea that Australia has some of the most amazing unknown artists that I have heard in a long time. [check out Missy Higgins, or the John Buttler Trio...because I have only one word for them AMAZING]
Your probably wondering how this ties in with anything, but I have also come to know these artist on a personal basis. No, I'm not talking about the Australian Idols [even though we have tried unsuccesfully to get on the show] but I am talking about the many muso's that I go to school with at The Wesley Institute. Everytime I see a drama performance or a music performance or just hear them practicing as I am waling out of campus, it just never ceases to amaze me how blessed I have been to be around these wonderful people for this time, and how talented these students are.
I guess I just want to say that I love them....
When I tell you what show we watch here you are going to laugh because back home it is not what it is here. I have become entranced with Australian Idol. And I am not just a fan of the show and think that one of the guys on the show are attractive [which many are] but because of the way that they handle the arts here. From the beginning of the show you wouldn't think that much is different from American Idol, because they have the same opening music, and lookalikes to Ryan Seacrest [even though they are way funnier] and they still have those 2 weeks of the crappy auditions and take way to long to get to the good people. But it is apparent when the first true contestant walks into the auditions with their guitar, or they have a piano waiting for them. You would think that they are lying when they say that they write their own songs because they are so amazing you wouldn't believe that a 16 year old could write them. But this is only the begining...
Ever week the contestants and judges ceased to amaze me because they are so serious about this, ok they do have their parts where you wonder why they even said that, but then there are the times that make me hate Paula and Randy and just want them to actually speak the truth and not give the contestants the crap advice that they give them. The contestants on the show have been the most amazing bunch of artists/singers/songwriters that I have ever heard...and I cannot wait until I get to hear their songs.
Then tonight I watched the Arias [which are comparable to our Grammys] and I found so many more amazing australian artists which just adds to my idea that Australia has some of the most amazing unknown artists that I have heard in a long time. [check out Missy Higgins, or the John Buttler Trio...because I have only one word for them AMAZING]
Your probably wondering how this ties in with anything, but I have also come to know these artist on a personal basis. No, I'm not talking about the Australian Idols [even though we have tried unsuccesfully to get on the show] but I am talking about the many muso's that I go to school with at The Wesley Institute. Everytime I see a drama performance or a music performance or just hear them practicing as I am waling out of campus, it just never ceases to amaze me how blessed I have been to be around these wonderful people for this time, and how talented these students are.
I guess I just want to say that I love them....
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
So little time...So much to do
Ok so here I am just about to get ready to go to school and I cannot believe that I only have a week and a half left of classes. This semester has flown by and I can't even tell you how much has happened here in Australia. I have changed so much and I don't know whether or not I can leave this place in 3 and a half weeks...
These past couple weeks have been crazy trying to get schoolwork done and everything. I had 3 papers due within a 4 day period and then this past Monday I had my photo journal and excursion assignment due. This friday I have an Oral Presentation due and then on Monday I have my Photography Portfolio due. After that I am home free!
For STU-VAC (which is our break before finals) I will be heading out to the Whitsunday Coast to spend 5 days on the beach and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. I cannot wait until I have no worries and can spend time just hanging out with the friends that I have made here and soaking up every second of fun that I can with them.
Last weekend Derek and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary...which was crazy to think about but so AMAZING! He took me to Palm Beach and we had a picnic and just relaxed on the beach....it was so nice =]
Then on Sunday we went to Featherdale wildlife park with some friends and I got to hop around with some roos and I even boxed one...haha. Even though he was kind of nice to me ;) It was super fun!
This weekend I will be heading out to Luna Park on Friday night, Luna Park is kind of a carnival park that is open year round, to have some fun after this crazy week. Saturday night I will be going to community day which is a day where the australians can bring food that is "specifically australian" and then we do the same with food that is "specifically american". Were going to play games and just spend time with eachother which should be amazing! Then I have my flatmate Haylee's Dace Recital that night. I am really excited to see her dance!
Well I thought I would just leave you with a list of some of the things that I am going to miss about Australia:
1. My Hostmum Gail and my flatmates
2. Lisa
3. My other aussie friends
4. seeing the harbour brige every time I go in the city
5. ASC Crew
6. thursday night movies with Melanie and crew
7. angela janes coffee
8. taking a ferry over to Manly
9. being able to hop on a bus/train/ferry and go anywhere in the city I want to for FREE!
10. Boost Juice
11. Beaches, EVERYWHERE!
12. Doy Tao Thai Food (A-MAZ-ING!)
13. the pool outside my apartment building
14. movie nights with my roomies
15. water EVERYWHERE...so beautiful
16. my spot in the park, by the water, down from my apartment
17. aussie accents/phrases/words
18. three muskateers...
19. the amazingness that is Sydney at night
20. everything about this amazing place that I have come to call home =[
I know that in 4 weeks I will be sad but ready to come home. It will be a bittersweet ending to the 4 months that I have been living here in Sydney, Australia...and it will be so hard to say goodbye...
lovexoxo
Krystin
These past couple weeks have been crazy trying to get schoolwork done and everything. I had 3 papers due within a 4 day period and then this past Monday I had my photo journal and excursion assignment due. This friday I have an Oral Presentation due and then on Monday I have my Photography Portfolio due. After that I am home free!
For STU-VAC (which is our break before finals) I will be heading out to the Whitsunday Coast to spend 5 days on the beach and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. I cannot wait until I have no worries and can spend time just hanging out with the friends that I have made here and soaking up every second of fun that I can with them.
Last weekend Derek and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary...which was crazy to think about but so AMAZING! He took me to Palm Beach and we had a picnic and just relaxed on the beach....it was so nice =]
Then on Sunday we went to Featherdale wildlife park with some friends and I got to hop around with some roos and I even boxed one...haha. Even though he was kind of nice to me ;) It was super fun!
This weekend I will be heading out to Luna Park on Friday night, Luna Park is kind of a carnival park that is open year round, to have some fun after this crazy week. Saturday night I will be going to community day which is a day where the australians can bring food that is "specifically australian" and then we do the same with food that is "specifically american". Were going to play games and just spend time with eachother which should be amazing! Then I have my flatmate Haylee's Dace Recital that night. I am really excited to see her dance!
Well I thought I would just leave you with a list of some of the things that I am going to miss about Australia:
1. My Hostmum Gail and my flatmates
2. Lisa
3. My other aussie friends
4. seeing the harbour brige every time I go in the city
5. ASC Crew
6. thursday night movies with Melanie and crew
7. angela janes coffee
8. taking a ferry over to Manly
9. being able to hop on a bus/train/ferry and go anywhere in the city I want to for FREE!
10. Boost Juice
11. Beaches, EVERYWHERE!
12. Doy Tao Thai Food (A-MAZ-ING!)
13. the pool outside my apartment building
14. movie nights with my roomies
15. water EVERYWHERE...so beautiful
16. my spot in the park, by the water, down from my apartment
17. aussie accents/phrases/words
18. three muskateers...
19. the amazingness that is Sydney at night
20. everything about this amazing place that I have come to call home =[
I know that in 4 weeks I will be sad but ready to come home. It will be a bittersweet ending to the 4 months that I have been living here in Sydney, Australia...and it will be so hard to say goodbye...
lovexoxo
Krystin
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