Shit happens

     Hello everyone! Sorry that I've been a horrible blogger since I've arrived, but I promise i'll get better! Now since so much has happened since my last post I suppose I'll just give you a rundown. After this I hope to blog more religiously on a day to day basis :)
     Since arriving, most days have consisted of going to the beach, a hard life let me tell you. The walk is about 25 minutes, which is wonderful for two reasons. First, the beach is so close you can basically taste it and second, we have to walk everywhere so I better have some great legs after this. Mainly what we have discovered on our daily beach travels is 1. you don't want to mess with the blue jellies, 2. Coogee beach IS topless for all of those wondering, 3. if you befriend the right Aussies you will get free beer and games on the beach, and 4. living at UNSW is heaven on earth. Our crew has also made a point to stop at a vietnamese sandwich place or AMAZING fruit smoothie place at least every two days. The beach life is great.
     So I haven't even addressed why I've been so bad about blogging. Well, yesterday, my shit got stollen. Had to happen to at least one of us americans and it looks like I picked the lucky straw. Hooray! We all decided to go to this club called Ivy downtown, a HUGE complex of 3 stories with a pool, DJ and multiple bars. I had my purse on me the whole time but I guess dancing and going through the crowd got the best of me because a reach into my purse and WHAT DO YOU KNOW my phone is there BUT NOT MY WALLET. Cue the tears. I don't know if anyone has been robbed before, but it is one of the worst feelings there is. A complete violation of self. So even though my wallet was gone, my amazing friend Jess had some bus passes left and was able to take me home. And even before that she, and I quote, "Took selfies while you were crying" in relation to bawling to my sissy about my loss. I laughed a good while after she told me this. What else are friends for? After the mishap I got back home, stayed up till 6 to talk to the credit card/debit card companies, then woke up at 8 in order to try and get a new student card as well as fill out a police report. Not my idea of a first week.
     Thankfully, I go to the greatest school south of UNC and everyone is so amazing and perfect and wonderful and nice. I went to the exchange office in tears and Andrew, an aussiemate who called me out in front of all 1000 exchange students for posting a "first taste of Vegemite video" on facebook, as well as a fan of my Papaw's video about Australia, gave me some tim tams because I was so distraught. He literally is my favorite person here. They told me how to file a police report and everything but before I was able to, wait for it, Ivy called and they found my wallet! I feel so bad for the sweet woman on the other line because I was incoherent crying from tears of joy. They may have stollen all of my money and my new keychain, (really who does that?), but they left the picture of my daddy as well as student ID, credit cards and drivers license. I went back into the exchange office and Andrews colleague, I'M SO SORRY I FORGOT YOUR NAME, gave me her bus pass to get back downtown to retrieve what had been stollen. After I took the arduous journey downtown and back, I came back into their office with tears and oreos as a thankyou. I really am forever in their debt. I also have amazing friends here who have kept my spirits up. I really am so lucky!
     And so we come to today. What is on tap, you may ask? Well, after having a physically/emotionally draining past 24 hours it's time to celebrate MARDI GRAS/GAY PARADE! Although it's raining, you can't rain on the gays parade, physically and metaphorically. I am SO excited and can't wait to de-stress a little bit. Who knows, tomorrow I may post some inappropriate Mardi Gras pics on here just for shits and giggles. But you'll have to check back in to find out!!! xoxoxox

     Greetings from Aussieland! Finally here! Let me tell you though, the going goes tough and this tough went going. (This made sense in my head at the time). 

     To start off this trip of mine we arrived at the Asheville airport an hour before my flight, only to discover it had been delayed by two hours. Awesome. Now with Elizabeth on your side, aka MY MOM, things get done. Somehow ended up on US Airways to LA to make my flight, yet had to check out and check back to United within an hour once there in order to get on my flight to Sydney. LET THE GAMES BEGIN! 

     Flight to Charlotte was a first, sitting backwards looking at everyone during takeoff like on display. Thankfully sat next to a man who, seeing the struggle that is a small white girl carrying luggage twice her weight, helped me carry a baggage to the next terminal until I parted ways. Things were looking up! Not only that, but I got to see my Seeeeessterrrrrr. 

     My Sissy had been waiting on the other side of The DO NOT CROSS OR ELSE YOU GET TAZED red line, one that if I stepped over and gave her a hug I'd have to go back through security. TOTALLY AND AMAZINGLY WORTH IT. Hands were held, tears were exchanged, and I got to give my sissy the biggest hug before I left for four months. It is going down in history as one of the best sister moments. I thought it would get even better than that becasue before I left my gate unexpecdlty to go see my Sissy I saw, wait for it, HILARY DUFF (inner child screams). Containing my excitement of "Omgomgomgomgomg Lizzie McGuire is on my flight" in my head, I made eye contact with her while boarding and gave her a smile in hopes to get an autograph. She was not having it...childhood dreams crushed. She was with her child though, Luca, whose name I really shouldn't know, so i'll give her the benefit of the doubt. But folks, dreams were FARRRRRR from over! 

     Well, I got on the plane and was by an exit seat so I got leg room about twice the size as I was. A dream! The only other person on my row though was this man who I could see was getting frustrated becasue his legs are a twice as mine with about 1/4 the leg room I had. I offered up my seat, like I feel any person would, and BOY was he happy. First, he told the waitress that ANYTHING I wanted he would get for me. This started off with two vodka cranberries and a plate of fruit and cheese, which I didn't ask for, waiting for me when I returned from the bathroom. Yummmmmmmmmm. Also at the bathroom I talked to a man from UNSW who seemed really nice, gave me a handshake, and told me about biblical names.... Anywayyyssss...

     So I got to talking to this man in my row whose name is Artimus, who you know is going to be cool just by the name. He ended up being headed to Sydney too and was giving me tricks of the trade and tips galore. He said anything I needed just call, and that his wife and children would take me out while I"m here. Not only that, but they might to go Fiji one weekend just the two of them so he said he'd let me house sit/ babysit their 2 kids, 7 bedroom house and pool. At this point I was pinching myself multiple times. He also gave me some movies, which I will not name out of legal reasons, for my computer. It was the best flight of my life. He also bought me the "Cafe PLus, Cafe on the Go" box for my next flight, and helped me carry my luggage to baggage claim. I don't know how I got so lucky. We parted ways at baggage claim, saldy, hugs and all, and that's where my luck took a left turn. 

     I was at terminal 1. United was at terminal 7. I didn't know how the hell to get there. After taking two escaltors, and an elevator, a man who worked there saw me, as he put it, "struggling," so he decided to help. He directed me towards a tram, I the only passenger, and I took it to terminal 7 and thought I was home free. Thennn when they checked my passport they said I didn't have a visa. Awesome. After much panicing, and three more scans, my visa was THERE! I then ran through security, ran to my gate, and I was on board to Australia! 

     The plane to Australia was nothing to write home about. I sat next to an Aussie who was busy with her kindle, and an american who really loved history. They tried to play "last vegas" and failed, then "monk" and failed again. After my odd vegetarian in flight meal of strange indian food, I was out for about 10 hours and was good to go once I woke up. Plus, I WAS IN SYDNEY! WHAT?!?!

My first interaction with Sydney was like my whole trip. Complete confusement and being lost. Thankfully I met the UNSW group and Andrew, our driver, who is an American Australian. He was born in Australia, lived in America since he was 8, then moved back two years ago. He's Australian with an american accent. I dig it. Also, he has a wonderful taste in music with Beatles knock offs and Notorious BIG. Got to school and checked in thinking my roomie hadn't gotten in yet, but she did! Her name is Sophie and she is from South Korea and is literally the sweetest person I've ever met. Needless to say, I lucked out!!! I unpacked a bit, we went to go eat lunch with some more exchange students, then we headed to the beach with even more newbies! The crazy connection with one of the exchange students, Jessica, is that she's friends with my grand little Shelby in my Envrionmental Fraternity. They both live up North so it's a crazy connection. 

So Jessica, Meaghan (roomies with Jess), Sophie and our new friend from Holland Evelien made an afternoon at the beach. Evelien and I were so excited that we just stripped to our swimsuits and ran straight for the ocean. The water was AMAZING! It was exactly what I needed after my trecherous journey. Sophie and I went in once more which wasn't as pleasant. Also on our way back we got some bathroom essentials from Cole's, basically a Harris Teeter/Ingles, and found the nearest liqueur store, which is the most important! Cheap wine is the way to go here because let me tell you, alcohol is EXPENSIVE. 

Next on the roughness of our adventure my new keycard didn't work so Sophie and I were locked out. Of course. But, because it's Australia, the security gaurd was the nicest person eve,r even after a 12 hour work day, and he got us up straight away. I'm telling you, I love it here. Sophie and I then had dinner, mine consisting of more things Artimus purchased for me on the plane, and we then went to UNSW Village. We had some more exchange friends waiting for us! 

So the crew that went to the beach is the same one that went to the pregame, or pre as they call it here. The flat belongs to Bianca (American), D (American), John (Australian), and 4 others who we didn't meet. We also met Hayden and Kyle, also from the states, as well as a slew of other exchange students. In one room we represented USA, Spain, Chile, Canada, South Korea, Holland, Mexico and Australia. The UN would be proud. 

After the pre (aka pregame, which is what they call it here) we hit up a nightclub that included expensive drinks, smoke effects, a dance floor and silent disco. The silent disco also included Grease songs galore which was a real treat. I was out until 2. Needless to say it was fun, but I was exhausted. After being up since 7, that will do it to you.