Last night was our first night on the town....and also our first sighting of the Sydney Opera House!!!! I was completely breathless as we stood on a dock and just stared at it. My friend Benjy put it perfectly: you think it can't possibly be as majestic as you've built it up to be, but it is! I can't wait to go back and see more in the daytime!
Today, we have a harbor cruise as our concluding orientation activity. It was so nice to get out and get to know people last night away from meetings and forced social situations. We went to a few bars in The Rocks, and listened to live music and shared stories and had a fabulous time. During the day yesterday, we heard two presentations- one from a surf camp and one from a backpacking/travel agent group. I am signed up for SURF CAMP and psyched to make a fool of myself on the waves! Don't worry- they said the risk of shark attack is very low at the beach we're going to. Off to another meeting! Love to all!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
I must be over the equator
It is currently 6:39 am on Thursday morning, which means it is 2:39 pm on Wednesday in the States, and I am munching on some fresh, juicy strawberries and banana with yogurt. I’m still not used to the fact that I am a day ahead of everyone back home, and that I skipped January 12th (Funny story: a friend of mine said there was a woman on his flight whose birthday was January 12th. He said the captain wished her a happy birthday over the intercom and the whole plane sang to her!). Mom and Dad asked me what January 13th was like. For me, it consisted of several exciting events. I presume it will be more comfortable for them…
First- I woke up for good at 4:00 am Sydney time on the plane. This was not smart, but it was already sunrise (a beautiful one, I might add), and I was too eager to fall back asleep. Luckily, the last four hours of the flight passed quickly, possibly owing to the fact that I was bouncing up and down in my seat the whole time. My neighbors did not love me.
Second- We landed, and I went through customs with no problems/delays whatsoever! Wahoo! This really was a miracle, because a few BU students who were on my flight took about 45 minutes to get through to the exit. Mark Connellan (not sure about that spelling) was waiting for me with two other early-arrivals. He is a very cool, funny, knowledgeable guy. After eight of us gathered, he treated us zombies to coffee and lemonade while we waited for our shuttle and exchanged stories. I’ve already found my Aussie guilty pleasure snack drink!
Third- We arrived at Unilodge. From the outside, the building looks like a fancy hotel. The lobby maintains this façade with forest green carpets and plush leather furniture. But don’t worry folks, the luxury ends there! My room is FAR from The Ritz. It’s small. It is loft-style. My roommate’s bed is less than five feet away from mine. Luckily, I plan on spending little to no time in here and lots of time traveling!!!!! One plus: air conditioning. Not everyone has it, and it is a LIFE SAVER!!!
Fourth- There was a brief orientation meeting and barbeque for everyone at the BUSC (BU Sydney Centre) and the Unilodge rooftop, respectively. These gave us all a great opportunity to get to know each other, talk about travel plans, and get to know the advisors and staff of the program. Everyone is SO nice! Amanda, my friend and roommate from Florence, reminded me before I left that we became friends about 35 minutes after we arrived. This quelled my already dull nerves, and as she predicted, I’ve already befriended a bunch of people. There are 130 kids in the program, and I haven’t met one I didn’t like.
With all that said, I am going to indulge in some more fresh fruit and start the day. Hopefully my body will adjust quickly to the time change. Today I’ll be attending more meetings, followed by a pizza party with the whole group. I am growing more excited about the days ahead as time passes. Mom, I hate to say it, but I might never come home. Just kidding! I’ll graduate first, and then I’ll come back! ☺ Love to all!
First- I woke up for good at 4:00 am Sydney time on the plane. This was not smart, but it was already sunrise (a beautiful one, I might add), and I was too eager to fall back asleep. Luckily, the last four hours of the flight passed quickly, possibly owing to the fact that I was bouncing up and down in my seat the whole time. My neighbors did not love me.
Second- We landed, and I went through customs with no problems/delays whatsoever! Wahoo! This really was a miracle, because a few BU students who were on my flight took about 45 minutes to get through to the exit. Mark Connellan (not sure about that spelling) was waiting for me with two other early-arrivals. He is a very cool, funny, knowledgeable guy. After eight of us gathered, he treated us zombies to coffee and lemonade while we waited for our shuttle and exchanged stories. I’ve already found my Aussie guilty pleasure snack drink!
Third- We arrived at Unilodge. From the outside, the building looks like a fancy hotel. The lobby maintains this façade with forest green carpets and plush leather furniture. But don’t worry folks, the luxury ends there! My room is FAR from The Ritz. It’s small. It is loft-style. My roommate’s bed is less than five feet away from mine. Luckily, I plan on spending little to no time in here and lots of time traveling!!!!! One plus: air conditioning. Not everyone has it, and it is a LIFE SAVER!!!
Fourth- There was a brief orientation meeting and barbeque for everyone at the BUSC (BU Sydney Centre) and the Unilodge rooftop, respectively. These gave us all a great opportunity to get to know each other, talk about travel plans, and get to know the advisors and staff of the program. Everyone is SO nice! Amanda, my friend and roommate from Florence, reminded me before I left that we became friends about 35 minutes after we arrived. This quelled my already dull nerves, and as she predicted, I’ve already befriended a bunch of people. There are 130 kids in the program, and I haven’t met one I didn’t like.
With all that said, I am going to indulge in some more fresh fruit and start the day. Hopefully my body will adjust quickly to the time change. Today I’ll be attending more meetings, followed by a pizza party with the whole group. I am growing more excited about the days ahead as time passes. Mom, I hate to say it, but I might never come home. Just kidding! I’ll graduate first, and then I’ll come back! ☺ Love to all!
Monday, January 11, 2010
T-24 Hours
I'm leaving New Canaan in exactly 24 hours for Sydney! I am very excited, but have lots to do between now and then. I hope to use this blog as a primary means of keeping in touch with everyone, because I've promised about a thousand people that I will update them frequently with photos and stories. Feel free to send me letters or e-mails with your own stories. Lots of love to my friends and family, and I can't wait to see you all when I return!!
My address is:
Haley Ballentine
Boston University Sydney Centre
PO Box 946
Broadway, NSW 2007
Australia
Also...I will have a phone down there, but it's not going to be my usual number and it will probably cost 50 bucks a minute to call down there. Best way to contact me is by e-mail!
My address is:
Haley Ballentine
Boston University Sydney Centre
PO Box 946
Broadway, NSW 2007
Australia
Also...I will have a phone down there, but it's not going to be my usual number and it will probably cost 50 bucks a minute to call down there. Best way to contact me is by e-mail!
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