Blue Mountains

                Today was another very full and very exhausting day.  I’m really not used to having so many full days in a row, so I get tired out pretty fast!  Today was awesome, though.  I went hiking with a group of 8 people (each one from a different country!) to the Blue Mountains, which is a 2 hour train ride outside of Sydney.  Getting there was kind of a struggle, since it involved catching the bus to the train then walking to the trail we would hike on, but it was well worth it.

                We were led by our trusty guide Jacob, who lives in the area.  He led us to a trail that was totally free of tourists, which was really nice, considering it’s a weekend and this area is very popular for hiking.  The trail involved us walking out to a cliff that looked out over the valley, then walking straight down the mountain to a stream at the bottom. 

                We hung out at the stream for awhile, where it was cool and shady.  Some of the guys even went for a swim in their underwear, which they regretted later. 

                The whole hike was beautiful, but definitely exhausting.  All the mental energy it took to navigate the steep slope downwards was then turned into physical energy to get back up. Both ways left me totally exhausted and very thirsty!  I drank three full water bottles during the hike.  However, I never had to pee once.  I think I sweated out about a gallon of water during this trip, and that kind of scares me.  I was really happy to get in the shower when we got home.

                Anyway, once we made it back up the mountain to where we started, Jacob phoned his family nearby to come pick us up so we wouldn’t have to walk anymore.  We piled into 2 cars and were driven back to his house for dinner and some cold drinks.  Of course, our dinner was just Dominoes pizza, but after that long hike, I’ll be damned if that wasn’t the best pizza I’d ever had.  Jacob also had 2 dogs, a cat, and a pet lorikeet, so I finally got my animal fix after 2 long weeks without seeing a furry face other than kangaroos.

                We sat outside on the deck in his backyard for dinner, which was a wild experience in itself.  Cockatoos seem to be the primary bird life around there, which is simultaneously really cool and really annoying.  It was fascinating to see these birds usually kept as pets just flying around in the wild, and so many of them, too!  However, their cries are basically just an obnoxious scream, so they’re awful to listen to.  While the forest (I’m sorry, the bush) itself was actually very quiet aside from cicadas, the areas surrounding it rang with bird screams almost constantly.  It’s kind of a chaotic place to live, it seems.

                After another long train ride and bus ride, we finally got back around 10:30, meaning we were out for a good 12 hours!  I know I’m going to be very sore tomorrow, but that’s the sign of a good day, in my opinion.

                I haven’t posted in a few days, so I’ll also update you guys on the formal dinner!  Two nights ago was our Start of Session Dinner at International House, where everyone dresses up all fancy, we take a group photo, and then eat and listen to performances and speeches.  It was a really nice time, and made me grateful all over again for the fact that I somehow got into this beautiful house.  This experience has been just amazing so far, and I know it would not be nearly as good if it weren’t for the people in International House.

                Like I said earlier, everyone in my hiking group today was from a different country.  Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Netherlands, South Africa, France, and Norway were all represented.  Around here, introducing yourself along with the country you’re from is kind of the norm.  How crazy is that?  It’s so incredible to be here in such an international environment, not to mention the fact that it’s in Australia.  I honestly ask myself every day, “how the hell am I actually here?”    

                Just 6 months ago, if you had asked me what I’d be doing this semester, I’d probably say “living in the dorms, studying and probably dying.”  I had no idea I would end up here.  It took a lot of organization, conferences with advisors, scholarship applications, and paperwork to get here, but somehow it actually worked.  I’ve never done something this big in my life (and definitely not in this short of time!) but I’m so so so happy I did.  I’ve hardly started the semester, but just the process of getting here has given me a confidence in myself I’ve never had before. 

                Special thanks tonight for everyone who helped me get here, most notably my whole family for moral and monetary support, and my MSU academic advisor, Anne, for throwing all this crap together on such short notice.  You guys have made my world.  Goodnight to all!