Days 50-53

A big apology to my devoted readers (which I assume there are a few) for taking so long to update. I suppose a schedule, no matter where performed, becomes just that, a routine. It seems repetitive and unworthy of documentation, but alas, we know that isn't so ;)

Life is pleasant, I'm still taking classes serious enough to attend them, and I am consistently meeting new people along the way.



Dina and I

Last week, I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but I was able to catch up with Dina, a friend from the Week of Welcome. Shayna, Dina and I all went out to an Italian restaurant on Lygon St. We all shared two pasta dishes that wren't bad. But I don't think this particular place can really hold the claim of "authentic" Italian food. Oh well. The company was awesome regardless.

This weekend, I decided to take a chill pill and catch up on my work and do something that has been a long time coming... I FINALLY PLANNED SPRING BREAK. Only, they don't call it spring break here. They call it midsemester something or another. I probably should've paid closer attention, but I zoned out when I realized I was wrong.

Regardless, after this weekend I managed to book flights (just this morning actually) to Sydney for four days, Brisbane for three days, and Cairns for three days. (The break is two weeks in September heh heh.) It takes a lot of planning to figure out what you want to do, how to get there and how it all works within your time and financial constraints, but I think I'm getting used to travel planning. In fact, I may even enjoy it. I will spare you the details of telling you everything I have planned, as I'm sure I'll have a 20 page update when I return, but I will share that it involves the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Oh, and for those of you who keep asking me if I've seen a crocodile... well, they pretty much inhabit all of Cairns. Ha.

Monday night I got a free ticket to the movies, so of course I said yes. It ended up being for the movie "Total Recall." It was terrible. Not only was it a little over 2 hours, but the animation was faulty, the characters cliche, and the plot overdone. (Geez, I'm beginning to think these writing classes are turning me into a movie snob.) But the great thing about movies is that they are wonderful stress relievers. Not that I was stressed, just in need of a change of scenery after researching tours on a laptop all weekend.

I also met someone new from Unilodge by going to the movie. Not only do we have creative writing in common (though she's in a master's program in Cairns) but she also has a passion for travel and a love for God. Anyway, the movie was an awesome opportunity to get to know her more and an excuse to chat over pancakes afterwards.



Because everyone needs more pictures like these...

I've also become addicted to playing pool in the Unilodge lounge downstairs. Even though the pool sticks look like they've been chewed on by dogs, it's still an awesome way to challenge yourself, destress, feel yourself getting better at something and chill with your mates. Oddly enough, I think I may even be getting better at it...

My theatre class is making me more and more nervous as the due date for my script approaches. We keep going over scripts in class and looking at style and genre. I just feel like the material I produce is so character centric. Because of that, I'm not sure if the other elements of my script will be strong enough. That, and I don't really watch that much theatre. Oh well, only time will tell.

I was fortunate enough to get to go back to Planet Shakers this Sunday. It was awesome. A lady by the name of Caroline Leaf spoke. She is a neurologist who spent an hour telling us with breathless excitement just how much the scientific community was backing up the Bible. Honestly, she looked at scripture in a way I've never thought of before.

For example, the Bible gives a simple instruction to Christians in the form of transformation through the "renewing of your minds." Did you know that you grow thousands of new brain cells every morning? And that the connections made by those cells are totally dependent on your thought processes? Basically, it was all a very long way to say that it has been scientifically proven that positive thinking will lead you to be healthier overall. Negative thoughts such as fear, doubt and jealousy can cause conditions in the body (like a release of chemicals) that make the body more prone to sickness. And in a Christian perspective, that total health can only be achieved through the spirit, soul and body all being healthy in turn.

Anyway, it was super interesting, and if you're interested, you can check out her website here: http://drleaf.com/index.php.

I just think it's cool that Planet Shakers has enough resources and guidance to bring in speakers like Dr. Leaf who share the Word in unexpected ways. Let's face it, discoveries made in the scientific community that back up scripture aren't exactly expected in your traditional church service. That's why it was so cool.

But, back to my week. Basically, we're in Week 6 now. It's so hard to believe the semester is half way over already. Humbling even. (The deadlines sure are...) But looking back on the time I've spent here, I have no regrets. Everything and everyone has been amazing.

Today, I had a Biology tute and met a table of Aussie girls. They were all awesome in their own respects. It's funny how Australians always get intrigued when they find out you're an exchange student. Excitement flickers in their eyes. "Really? Whereabouts?" That's another key reminder for me that I'm in Australia, if looking around wasn't enough.

No Aussie will ever use the phrase "where are you from."

After explaining I wasn't European, I went to Christian Union, made pasta back at Unilodge, spilled orange juice all over the kitchen floor, Facebooked instead of doing my homework and met Nat around 7. Nat (Natalie) is basically one of the sweetest people in the world and invited me to another small group tonight. It was awesome and I didn't leave until 10.

I think the most humbling thing for me on this trip is that I've flown half way around the world and ran into, time and time again, people who love and live for the same person who's been my best friend for the past eleven years. People who worship God and love people the same as I do. It's like God's showing me just how BIG He really is. That even if His people are small in number, they are spread all over the globe.

Yea. I think that's about it for now. Tentative plans for this week? Well, I told someone I might play rugby on Friday. But I'm a little weary because I've turned into a fatty without the access of a free gym, so we'll see. I'll probably wimp out.


As the aussies would say, "That's all right."



See, you can already see my stomach getting bigger. I'm turning bogan. (Yes, there was a bottle in my jumper pouch.)