Let's go to the Beach...

Bondi Beach, Bondi, NSW

Since my last post, I've been pretty busy with classes starting, Macquarie's O-Week, and finally getting to see the beaches of Sydney!

The first beach I went to was, of course, Bondi Beach. I was a little bit surprised about the size; it was only about 1km (.62 miles) long. The pictures make it look so much bigger! Nevertheless, it lived up to my expectations. I wasn't able to go into the water, but the feeling of the soft white sand and the Pacific Ocean on my feet was all I needed. The neighborhood around Bondi was what really attracted me. Open-air cafés, coffee shops, and ice cream filled the four blocks across the street from the beach. There was a lively boardwalk that stretched the length of the beach, where we watched people ride bikes, walk their dogs, and just enjoy the ocean breeze. They also have an outside cinema during the summer, sponsored by Ben and Jerry's, that plays a different movie every night. Unfortunately, it's over for the year, but it's something to look forward to when I come back!

This past Sunday, I took a ferry out to Manly Beach, which is about 17 km (10 miles) north of Sydney. (It was fairly cheap to get to as well; you never pay more than $2.50 anywhere you travel on Sundays.) Although it took over an hour to get there, it was more than worth it. We had perfect beach weather, so we dropped our towels and ran in the ocean. The water was a bit cooler than I had thought, the average for this time of year is about 73 degrees Fahrenheit.  It was so refreshing, and we spent most of the day in there. The large ocean waves were perfect for surfing, even if it was just bodysurfing like we did! The water was so clear I could see my feet the whole time, and we even got to see a couple of fish swimming between our legs! Manly is definitely one place I will visit again before I leave!

Manly Beach, Manly, NSW

Quick note on sun and water safety. Since the skin cancer rate in Australia is two to three times higher than in the US, sun protection is a MUST. The Sun Safety campaign, by the Cancer Council of Victoria, reminds Australians to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, and Slide. 

     1. Slip on sun protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possible.
     2. Slop on SPF 30 or higher broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen, at least 20 minutes before          sun exposure. Reapply every two hours when outdoors or more often if swimming.
     3. Slap on a broad-brimmed hat that shades your face, neck and ears.
     4. Seek shade.
     5. Slide on sunglasses.

When you're in the ocean, be aware of the red and yellow flags. The lifeguards have put these up because it's determined safe for swimmers, away from the riptides. Rip tides, or rip currents, are dangerous, and account for approximately 21 drownings per year in Australia. For more information about riptides and how to get out of one safely, please visit this website.  

Let's Get Orientated

Orientation at Macquarie University

Well, after two weeks of orientations, I would like to say that I'm done. And I mostly am. I attended Arcadia University's Orientation in Melbourne, and I attended Dunmore Lang's orientation at my college. ("College" is the style of dorms that I'm living in.) I sat through a lot of lectures that all pretty much told me the same thing; what to do in the city, cultural differences, sun and water safety. I did all of the tourist-y events; Amazing Race through Sydney, Sydney Harbor Cruise complete with fireworks over the bridge, walking around as a giant group of "freshers". I've successfully completed two O-Weeks, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

The more important things I've learned though haven't been from the lectures, or the scheduled events, or even all of the paperwork I've gotten. I've learned more than just how to get into the city, or that you need to swim between the yellow and red flags. By interacting with people (mostly native Australians), and figuring stuff out on my own, I've learned a lot more than I thought I ever could in two weeks....

• It's really easy to tell who is an American, and everyone wants to talk to you
• Aboriginal culture is very prevalent here, and it's really interesting to learn about.
• Peanut butter and jelly do not go together on a sandwich here. Also, Vegemite does not go on bread as thick as peanut butter. 
• Feeling hot and sweaty is a thing that will happen every day for at least another month. 
• I really need to learn Celsius.... 
• Theme nights at bars can get very expensive, very quickly. (Think: paint night, bright night, back to school night. Each one requires a different outfit.) 
• You tap on AND tap off when you ride public transportation, or you will be charged for the entire route. 
• Internet is not always available. So I may need a bigger data plan....
• It's okay to ask questions. No one assumes that you know all the right answers. 

In other news, I just bought my Easter break trip package last night! I'll be starting in Brisbane and traveling up the East Coast to Cairns, stopping at the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, some waterfalls, and even bungee jumping! I also bought my ticket for surf camp, which will be coming up soon in May!!

For all my friends back home, I hope the weather starts treating you better soon. I'll be sending some sunshine your way!!

Fireworks display over the Sydney Harbor Bridge