I must begin by apologizing for my failure to relate this sooner. I am currently without my computer, so any kind of prolonged internet use involves begging, borrowing, or stealing.
Last weekend, I went to the south coast with half of my exchange group. We drove about four hours to get to the small town of Denmark. On the way, we got to pass through lots of small-town Australia. Having driven through many a small American town, I can confidently report that small-town America and small-town Australia are very similar. There are truck stops with old proprietors, restaurants, and quirky rules on handwritten signs.
In Denmark, we stayed at a small resort called The Cove. The Cove is a 60 acre spread that comes right up to Wilson Inlet. It is largely forested, as it is owned and operated to be just that. the accommodations are all hand-built with wood milled by the owners. It gives the entire place a kind of hippie log cabin feel. The owners make renovations and maintain the property almost entirely by themselves, which is the kind of life style I can admire and pretend I would be cut out for. However, I'm far too lazy to be that self-reliant. Hell, yesterday I drank milk from a bowl so I wouldn't have to clean any glasses.
Our time was spent exploring the region, which I get the feeling few people do.
We saw a museum with aboriginal and early 20th century farm artifacts. Our tour guide was the real highlight, though. He would simply point to something and say what it was, then point to the next item and say what it was. Between pointing out items, he would tell stories about the crazy questions some guests to the museum had asked and the complete lies he would tell them in response. The man should never have become a tour guide - he should have been a story teller.
We swam in Green's Pool. It's a scenic little spot with enough rocks around it to make the water very calm. In the summer, the pool is used for children's swimming lessons. Alas, it is winter here, so the water was not just calm, it was downright cold. I found out today that Thomas, my younger brother (I say "younger" instead of "little" because he could rock my world in a fight.) will be shipping out for the Navy in September. Swimming in the cold water gave me a taste of what he's about to begin, and I can say without reservation that I don't envy the swimming he'll be doing.
We went on a hike in the bush. The Aussies call the wilderness the "bush." I don't know why.
Perhaps the most touristy moment of the trip was our visit to the petting zoo. We were all given a bag of feed and unleashed onto crowds of animals that had little interest in being petted, but loved being fed. There were kangaroos, a koala, a camel, alpacas, goats (total jerks, by the way), a donkey that made noises fit for only the most horrible and twisted bowels of hell, and a couple emu. The roos were fairly happy to be fed and were fairly well-mannered. The emu shared their appetite, but not their sophistication. The ridiculous big birds would peck the feed out of our hands in such a way as to make it very clear that they had little interest in how we felt so long as we kept the food coming.
Another highlight (yes, the touristy parts have been highlights) was eating kangaroo. That's right, eating kangaroo. We went to the butcher, bought some kangaroo steaks, grilled them, and ate them. The meat is fairly tasty, but must be kept on the rare side to avoid it becoming too tough, which reminds me of trying to cook buffalo. I had the good fortune to be on the duty roster to cook dinner that evening, so I was in charge of the kangaroo grilling. It was a double blessing because not only did I get to say I cooked kangaroo, but everyone wanted to say they helped cook kangaroo, so I had all the willing help I could ever want.
Sadly, the weekend had to end, and we had to return to Murdoch and go to school the next day. School, I should mention, has been strange for me. I've easily overcome the accents of the teachers, as they speak fairly clearly. However, my classmates often leave me dumbfounded when they ask questions.
I've already had to give a presentation in my class on the Australian economy. In what has become a rarity for me, my heart rate rose and I began to sweat bullets. It wasn't that I was nervous about public speaking, per se, but my particular situation was so absurd that I couldn't help but be nervous. My assignment was to provide a brief overview of the Australian economy. So there I am in front of a room full of Aussie students and my Aussie professor. I've only been in the country for two weeks. By all accounts, my American accent is thick. And I have to tell these guys about their own economy? Anyone who could make it through that without at least a moment of pause is damaged goods.
Last night, we went to Newport, a bar in Freo. Half the time they played strange house music, and the other half of the time a local band covered pop-rock hits. It was fun to hear American songs sung badly with a funny accent. The place was crowded ($2 beers have that effect), but there was still enough room that one could dance or mingle. The age to drink here is 18, so sometimes kids would walk past me and I would wonder "How the hell did he get in here?"
The bar scene here seems to be lively, but Perth is rather sprawled out, so getting back home means taking a cab since the buses stop running at 9 p.m. Beer, I'm sad to report, is not as good as back home. The Coors Light types are of about equal quality (These include Carlton, VB, and Toohey's) to those back home. As those are cheapest, they're what we drink the most. However, finding good microbrews is tough. Even when you do find good beer, drinking it is cost prohibitive. There is hope, though, as there's a brew pub in Freo called Little Creatures. Their Pale Ale is top-shelf, their food is a perfect match, and one need not drop his life savings to buy a pint. I predict many an hour will be spent there.
This place makes me wish I were a poet. The place and the people can't be done justice in prose. To illustrate, the fireplace at the Cove was made with the casing of a decommissioned sea mine. Instead of floating in cold water waiting to end lives, it warms an entire building, both in temperature and spirit. Now, I'm no Ginsberg, but I'd love to give that one a whirl.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Sunday, August 5, 2007
The Cast
Going by standard convention, I have established the setting and must now introduce you to the cast.
First is me. You know me. That's why you're reading this.
Next is the flatmates, of whom there are three: Andrew, Lindsey and Sinead. We have a good group dynamic going. Whether it's walking home from the grocery store with two carts full of food, cooking hamburgers on charcoal that doesn't want to light, or inviting over Germans to hang out in our living room, we've split up tasks, cleaned, and kept each other company in the process. Within 20 minutes of my arrival (I was the last of the flatmates to move in), we had gotten out a bottle of wine and the guitar.
Outside our house, most of the American students are living on campus. We have spent many an evening trying to convince them to drop by. Many of the international students also live in the Student Village. Their flats seem nicer than the shoe box CU sardined me into my freshman year, but still possess the cold and institutional feel that dormitories are apt to. Other international students have been looking for places to live. Watching them struggle makes me ever more grateful for the way CIEE handles lodging.
All of the international students speak English to varying degrees. Most can carry on full conversations (I read somewhere that a vocabulary need have only 500-1,000 words to be functional, and I imagine many are in this range.) about the days events or rock 'n roll or where to find an inexpensive six pack. Their courses of study range from microbiology to computer science to English.
For this group of people, it can truly be said that the world is their playground. There is a vibrancy and energy to the group that I've never seen back home. The circumstances that brought us here dictate that common interests are the rule rather than the exception. I imagine a similar atmosphere at base camp on K2 or Everest. To bring together so many people with similar interests, tastes, goals, and experiences in a place far from home makes for one hell of a group.
Where, I think you must be wondering, do the Aussies fit in all of this? I myself have asked and am certain that we will find similarly minded Australians. As of yet, the only Australians I have met have been either teaching me or bringing me my dinner. The start of classes affords a great opportunity to start meeting some who are out for a good time. The Australians I've seen around town have been friendly enough that I'm certain I will soon be able to report all manner of awesome Australians.
I'm guessing I'll have to write about people again, but this is at least a good primer on the company I keep. What I'm about to say is a total aside, but I have to get it off my chest and I'm scraping for the kind of open-ended, optimistic, and (most importantly) corny ending of which I'm fond, so this will have to suffice:
The wildlife here is bizarre. I am in a place where birds sound like billy goats.
Outside our house, most of the American students are living on campus. We have spent many an evening trying to convince them to drop by. Many of the international students also live in the Student Village. Their flats seem nicer than the shoe box CU sardined me into my freshman year, but still possess the cold and institutional feel that dormitories are apt to. Other international students have been looking for places to live. Watching them struggle makes me ever more grateful for the way CIEE handles lodging.
All of the international students speak English to varying degrees. Most can carry on full conversations (I read somewhere that a vocabulary need have only 500-1,000 words to be functional, and I imagine many are in this range.) about the days events or rock 'n roll or where to find an inexpensive six pack. Their courses of study range from microbiology to computer science to English.
For this group of people, it can truly be said that the world is their playground. There is a vibrancy and energy to the group that I've never seen back home. The circumstances that brought us here dictate that common interests are the rule rather than the exception. I imagine a similar atmosphere at base camp on K2 or Everest. To bring together so many people with similar interests, tastes, goals, and experiences in a place far from home makes for one hell of a group.
Where, I think you must be wondering, do the Aussies fit in all of this? I myself have asked and am certain that we will find similarly minded Australians. As of yet, the only Australians I have met have been either teaching me or bringing me my dinner. The start of classes affords a great opportunity to start meeting some who are out for a good time. The Australians I've seen around town have been friendly enough that I'm certain I will soon be able to report all manner of awesome Australians.
I'm guessing I'll have to write about people again, but this is at least a good primer on the company I keep. What I'm about to say is a total aside, but I have to get it off my chest and I'm scraping for the kind of open-ended, optimistic, and (most importantly) corny ending of which I'm fond, so this will have to suffice:
The wildlife here is bizarre. I am in a place where birds sound like billy goats.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
A Week is Worth a Thousand Words
It would be impossible for me to sum up the week in one sitting, so what I'll do over the next few days is try to write out some of what I've done and couple it with descriptions of those I'm with. For today, though, I want to start with the setting.
Perth is a hell of a place. I've been here a week and I can already tell that it's the kind of town I enjoy. The house I'm in (46 Gratwick Tce Murdoch, WA 5160) is similar to some I remember from Walnut Creek. It's a ranch house built to stay cool in the summer. The front door has a major overhang to avoid direct sunlight heating the house's walls. It's made of yellow brick that has just enough iron in it to cause stains that look a little like burn marks.
Inside is spacious - each of the four housemates has his or her own bedroom. We have three living rooms, a kitchen, and a covered back patio. It's more space than we need or deserve, but I'm not complaining. We have gone grocery shopping so the pantry and fridge are not empty. It's a particularly guilty pleasure for me to sit on the patio and play my guitar since it's warm during the day.
The problem with our house is that it's built to stay cool, and right now, it's downright cold at night. Even at 10 a.m., the house is a good ten degrees colder than it is outside. This means that even at noon time, I can be found wearing my fleece vest if I'm sitting inside, but must shed it immediately if I am to go outside.
Aside from temperature though, the house creates no complaints. It is as close to campus as many houses on The Hill are in Boulder. We are about a two minute walk from a bus stop that can take us 20 minutes to the cool part of town (Fremantle, or simply 'Freo') or 30 minutes up to Perth itself.
The campus of Murdoch Uni (as Aussies are prone to abbreviating 'University') is much smaller than that of CU Boulder, from whence I came. The school only has about half the enrollment, so that makes sense. Bush Court is the center of campus. It's surrounded by concrete buildings housing various student services like banks, the bookshop, and a food court with a restaurant named "Absolutely Kebabulous." No, I didn't make that up.
Wandering campus right now is a strange experience, as only international students, who make up 2000 or Murdoch's 17000 strong student body, are here. Germans, Swedes, Japanese, Chinese... You name it, we've met 'em. Except Australians. Since classes haven't started yet, there are very few Australians around. What's more, since they aren't directly involved in the international student activities, we've had little chance to interact with them. The irony of traveling however many thousand miles I flew to Australia to meet largely Germans is not lost on me.
Our weather has been, to this point, somewhat of a mixed bag. Our first five days were constantly rainy, gray, and generally crummy. But in the last few days, it has become sunny, and the days are very nice. Nights are still cold, and I wake up with cold toes each morning. I know the obvious solution is to wear socks, but I would much rather have cold toes than deal with that odor.
There is Perth (Well, mainly the suburb of Murdoch) in a nutshell. Soon I'll crack it...
Perth is a hell of a place. I've been here a week and I can already tell that it's the kind of town I enjoy. The house I'm in (46 Gratwick Tce Murdoch, WA 5160) is similar to some I remember from Walnut Creek. It's a ranch house built to stay cool in the summer. The front door has a major overhang to avoid direct sunlight heating the house's walls. It's made of yellow brick that has just enough iron in it to cause stains that look a little like burn marks.
Inside is spacious - each of the four housemates has his or her own bedroom. We have three living rooms, a kitchen, and a covered back patio. It's more space than we need or deserve, but I'm not complaining. We have gone grocery shopping so the pantry and fridge are not empty. It's a particularly guilty pleasure for me to sit on the patio and play my guitar since it's warm during the day.
The problem with our house is that it's built to stay cool, and right now, it's downright cold at night. Even at 10 a.m., the house is a good ten degrees colder than it is outside. This means that even at noon time, I can be found wearing my fleece vest if I'm sitting inside, but must shed it immediately if I am to go outside.
Aside from temperature though, the house creates no complaints. It is as close to campus as many houses on The Hill are in Boulder. We are about a two minute walk from a bus stop that can take us 20 minutes to the cool part of town (Fremantle, or simply 'Freo') or 30 minutes up to Perth itself.
The campus of Murdoch Uni (as Aussies are prone to abbreviating 'University') is much smaller than that of CU Boulder, from whence I came. The school only has about half the enrollment, so that makes sense. Bush Court is the center of campus. It's surrounded by concrete buildings housing various student services like banks, the bookshop, and a food court with a restaurant named "Absolutely Kebabulous." No, I didn't make that up.
Wandering campus right now is a strange experience, as only international students, who make up 2000 or Murdoch's 17000 strong student body, are here. Germans, Swedes, Japanese, Chinese... You name it, we've met 'em. Except Australians. Since classes haven't started yet, there are very few Australians around. What's more, since they aren't directly involved in the international student activities, we've had little chance to interact with them. The irony of traveling however many thousand miles I flew to Australia to meet largely Germans is not lost on me.
Our weather has been, to this point, somewhat of a mixed bag. Our first five days were constantly rainy, gray, and generally crummy. But in the last few days, it has become sunny, and the days are very nice. Nights are still cold, and I wake up with cold toes each morning. I know the obvious solution is to wear socks, but I would much rather have cold toes than deal with that odor.
There is Perth (Well, mainly the suburb of Murdoch) in a nutshell. Soon I'll crack it...
Monday, July 30, 2007
Here at last!
I'm in Australia. Internet is a pain to use at present, so I'll be brief:
1. I hate long flights, but it was sooooooooooo worth it.
2. I'm alive and well. Much better than working.
3. The house rules, as do its occupants. Come visit and you'll see.
1. I hate long flights, but it was sooooooooooo worth it.
2. I'm alive and well. Much better than working.
3. The house rules, as do its occupants. Come visit and you'll see.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Holy Internet Outbursts, Batman!
Thank God that's over. Some time around July 4, 2017 will be the next time I have to deal with the State Department, and thank God for that. I finally received my passport, a scant 16 weeks after I applied for it. But now the crippling rage (and corresponding increase in blood pressure) have subsided. What was to be a brilliant letter to the right honorable Tom Tancredo will remain forever as an unfinished draft on my desktop. Whatever. I have the document and that's all that counts.
My student visa arrived within 36 hours of when I applied. I guess the Aussies have their process worked out a little better than our State Department.
Finally receiving my two reticent documents was a welcome relief, much as taking a piano off of one's shoulders tends to be. This relief did have one startling side-effect: it completely de-motivated me at work. Since I realized that my departure is imminent and no longer imperiled by the State Department, it's been very, very hard to focus on bread and bagels.
My motivation has shifted to preparing for the trip. Now, paperwork and projects (like packing) that I should have taken care of prior to now are coming to the forefront of my attention. At times, it feels like there are too many items to handle. I'm not worried. This is how I work best. This is how I live. I am a dealine creature, whether by nature or nurture, and it brings out my A-Game. So, in the immortal words of Wayne Campbell, let me say just this:
Game on.
My student visa arrived within 36 hours of when I applied. I guess the Aussies have their process worked out a little better than our State Department.
Finally receiving my two reticent documents was a welcome relief, much as taking a piano off of one's shoulders tends to be. This relief did have one startling side-effect: it completely de-motivated me at work. Since I realized that my departure is imminent and no longer imperiled by the State Department, it's been very, very hard to focus on bread and bagels.
My motivation has shifted to preparing for the trip. Now, paperwork and projects (like packing) that I should have taken care of prior to now are coming to the forefront of my attention. At times, it feels like there are too many items to handle. I'm not worried. This is how I work best. This is how I live. I am a dealine creature, whether by nature or nurture, and it brings out my A-Game. So, in the immortal words of Wayne Campbell, let me say just this:
Game on.
Friday, June 29, 2007
"Customers" Beware
I have been struggling with the State Department for the last week, trying to get them to expedite my passport. I have been told to hurry up and wait.
I have been told that an e-mail will be sent. I have been told that, at best, some people get lucky. I have been told that, despite having applied more than 15 weeks ago and still needing my passport to apply for a visa, that it is my choice to apply for an appointment at the local passport processing center and pay all my fees again so that I will have a paltry 13 days to apply for my visa.
What's worse, I've been told all of this by State Department "Customer Service Representatives." I want to make something very clear right now:
I am not a "customer" of the State Department. Far from it, I am a tax-paying citizen of the United States of America.
Customers have choices about where their money goes. That's why customers get good service from businesses. There is only one agency from which to get a United States passport. It feels no obligation to be quick or even competent becuase it will not lose a single tax dollar if it fails to accomplish its stated goal.
Customers know that they will be assisted because the wellfare of a business relies upon earning money through good service. The State Department will likely be requesting increased funding as a result of its failure, and tax-payers will likely agree to provide it.
Customers may request refunds if they receive products or services that are not up to par. I'm going to pay for this twice, and that's before taxes are increased to try (and fail) to fix this problem.
I am not a customer - I am a citizen held hostage by tax dollars and incompetence.
I have been told that an e-mail will be sent. I have been told that, at best, some people get lucky. I have been told that, despite having applied more than 15 weeks ago and still needing my passport to apply for a visa, that it is my choice to apply for an appointment at the local passport processing center and pay all my fees again so that I will have a paltry 13 days to apply for my visa.
What's worse, I've been told all of this by State Department "Customer Service Representatives." I want to make something very clear right now:
I am not a "customer" of the State Department. Far from it, I am a tax-paying citizen of the United States of America.
Customers have choices about where their money goes. That's why customers get good service from businesses. There is only one agency from which to get a United States passport. It feels no obligation to be quick or even competent becuase it will not lose a single tax dollar if it fails to accomplish its stated goal.
Customers know that they will be assisted because the wellfare of a business relies upon earning money through good service. The State Department will likely be requesting increased funding as a result of its failure, and tax-payers will likely agree to provide it.
Customers may request refunds if they receive products or services that are not up to par. I'm going to pay for this twice, and that's before taxes are increased to try (and fail) to fix this problem.
I am not a customer - I am a citizen held hostage by tax dollars and incompetence.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Reality Check
As the dates listed on my posts will likely betray, writing here has been a low priority lately. In the meanwhile, this post's brevity will likely betray how little has occurred that has been worth posting about in regards to my trip abroad.
I am still waiting for my passport to arrive. I've waited the 10 weeks suggested by the State Department, checked their website, and even called. Each time, the message seems clear: Wait Loooooooonger. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised - it is the government. Surprise notwithstanding, I am still frustrated that I need to have my passport to complete my CIEE application, my CU application, and, most importantly, the application for my student visa. So, I guess my point here is to say, "Thanks, State Department. You beautifully illustrate the strong correlation between inefficiency and government."
On the opposite side of the coin, of course, is business. I've spent a lot of time at work since school got out. Every minute has translated into some accoutrement or another. For the first couple weeks, each time the clock ticked, I was working on paying for another meal in Australia. After that, it was drinks and whatnot. With luck, I'm working on a wetsuit and surfboard now.
That aside, my departure is approaching very quickly and in a manner that I can only describe as unreal. In two months (eight weeks!) I will be in Perth. But who's counting? I am yet to do any packing. I certainly haven't begun moving out of my house in Boulder. All I know is that my departure is coming up much, much sooner than I can really fathom. Holy cow...
I am still waiting for my passport to arrive. I've waited the 10 weeks suggested by the State Department, checked their website, and even called. Each time, the message seems clear: Wait Loooooooonger. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised - it is the government. Surprise notwithstanding, I am still frustrated that I need to have my passport to complete my CIEE application, my CU application, and, most importantly, the application for my student visa. So, I guess my point here is to say, "Thanks, State Department. You beautifully illustrate the strong correlation between inefficiency and government."
On the opposite side of the coin, of course, is business. I've spent a lot of time at work since school got out. Every minute has translated into some accoutrement or another. For the first couple weeks, each time the clock ticked, I was working on paying for another meal in Australia. After that, it was drinks and whatnot. With luck, I'm working on a wetsuit and surfboard now.
That aside, my departure is approaching very quickly and in a manner that I can only describe as unreal. In two months (eight weeks!) I will be in Perth. But who's counting? I am yet to do any packing. I certainly haven't begun moving out of my house in Boulder. All I know is that my departure is coming up much, much sooner than I can really fathom. Holy cow...
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