back in action.

people who know me oh so well.

Well, the days of Australian love and merriment are behind us, and we had a fabulous time with our family when they visited. They were here for one week and some of the highlights included:

- Meeting our God-daughter (that's right, we're parents kind of!) 

Quinn for the first time and falling totally in love with her.

- Watching home movies from when the boys were silly little tikes.

- Eating our body weight in seafood; you know, to get the full experience of New England.

- Going to Fire & Ice, an awesome restaurant in the city with my in-laws.

- Having an incredible dinner at Alchemy in Gloucester as a double date.

- Taking two vacation days from work, heck yes.

- Having plenty of relaxing time to reconnect as friends.

- The boys getting tattoos together; don't worry, they aren't matching ones.

But one of the dearest memories of the week for me was a very early surprise birthday party!

If you are a deep, deep addict like myself, you're aware of a certain plot line in FRIENDS from "The One Where Rachel Smokes". 

Phoebe and Monica decide to throw a surprise party for Rachel over a month before her birthday so that she's really surprised. And the planning evolves as follows:

Monica: All right, that's a little sketch of the cake, umm some sample menus, umm y'know what I thought we would start out with Tuscan style finger food, and for music, here's an alphabetized list of all my CDs! I've highlighted the ones that would go really good with the food.

Phoebe: What happened to the intimate dinner party?

Monica: Oh, we're not doing that. Okay…

Phoebe: So wow, it looks like you took care of everything. Thanks a lot, co-host.

Monica: What?! I didn't take care of everything, there's-there's plenty of things for you to do!

Phoebe: Like what?

Monica: (Thinks) Cups.

Phoebe: Cups? You're giving me cups?

Monica: And ice!

Phoebe: Cups and ice? Ooh, I get to be in charge of cups and ice? (Thinks of something) All right. Fine, okay, I will be in charge of cups and ice!

Monica: Wait a minute, I can get ice at the restaurant…

Phoebe: I got it! Mine!

(later)

Phoebe: (entering, carrying two garbage bags) Hey!

Ross and Chandler: Hi!

Phoebe: Is it okay if I leave this stuff here 'til Rachel's birthday party?

Chandler: Ah sure. What's in 'em?

Phoebe: Umm, cups.

Chandler: Oh good, because uh we got Rachel 800 gallons of water.

Ross: Seriously that's a lot of cups.

Phoebe: Yeah well, that's 'cause Monica put me in charge of cups and ice, and Monica is gonna rue the day that she put me in charge of cups and ice.

I love Pheebs. So that's when the party looked like this:

{via}

Phoebe: (To Chandler) Check it out! Cup hat! (Points to her hat.) Cup banner! Cup chandelier! And the thing that started it all, the cup! (Holds up one.)

Chandler: Great job with the cups, Pheebs!

Monica: (overhearing that) Why don't you just go out with her!

(Chandler starts to follow her into the kitchen.)

Phoebe: (following him) And did you notice the ice? (Gestures to 3 huge buckets of ice on the table.) Look! We have it all! We have crushed! Cubed! And dry! Watch! (Pours some water onto the dry ice, causing it to evaporate/smoke.) Ahhh! Mystical!

Chandler: Awesome!

Monica: Chandler! Everyone--no one's eating my Tuscan finger food 'cause they're all filling up on Phoebe's snow cones!

Aaaah, I just love it. That's classic Phoebe. So when I left work early on Friday to go home sick, I was really looking forward to just crawling into bed for a nap. Will, trying to coerce me into staying awake asks, "Would you sit with us out in the living room if we were watching FRIENDS?" Why yes, yes I would, always.

When I walk into the house, with my sweatpants and FRIENDS in mind, I walk into this:

A birthday banner, cup decorations, "The One Where Rachel Smokes" playing in the living room, a Funfetti cake in the oven, and everyone yelling "surprise"! About a week and a half before my birthday.

This wonderful, extremely surprising event was all the doing of my cousin's wife/more-like-a-sister-in-law, Dayna, who knows me oh so well.

And that's the most special feeling.

:)

Hope you all had a good week!

FRIENDS screenplay found here.

points of positivity

I rag on my job a lot, and for that, I'm sorry. Time for some positivity 'round these parts. While my actual job isn't the greatest, my place of employment is the absolute best. Here's why:

1. When my office has a sign at our front desk saying that we're in a meeting, the truth is that about 98% of the time, it's actually a birthday party. My office parties hard :) When my brother used to work in the campus safety office, he was bitter saying, "We can't just stop and party, our work never stops! If we stop working, people might die! Your office is a bunch of slackers." Well, I don't hate it. 

If it's your birthday, you should still act surprised when a meeting is called and you walk into a fully decorated conference room - even when it happens for every person, every year. The decorations are always person-specific, but this week's party was over the top.

Our assistant direction loves the Myers-Briggs personality test. When our director will say certain things, she'll mutter, "You're such a T. You can't even control it." She will analyze things I do (lucky for me, I'm the same exact type as one of her daughters... feel on display much?) and say, "Why am I not surprised?" with a big knowing grin. Sometimes it's weird, but sometimes it feels nice to feel known so intimately.

So for her party, we all wore crowns displaying our Myers-Briggs types on our foreheads. And someone made  Myers-Briggs cookies using alphabet cookie cutters just for the letters E, I, S, N, F, T, J, and P. And we watched the You Tube videos of the motivational posters that were created for each of our types. Hilarious, thoroughly planned, and an hour well spent during the work day. 

What am I, you ask? I'm an

ESFJ

which Myers-Briggs refers to as "The Caregiver".

Read below to learn more about each letter! Except I lean more 

and more towards a P as my days go on, so don't be deceived.

And I'm really on the line between F and T.

Want to know what type you are? Take the test here!

via

2. The next reason why my workplace is actually really awesome, is a little game called Secret Heart. Initiated by our President's wife, this is a game of Valentine's Day themed Secret Santa (get it?) to beat the winter blues. Everyone who wanted to participate signed up online, and HR paired us all with faculty or staff members in different departments as a way to get to know one another better. Isn't that so fun? What an awesome way to make new friends! So from today until Valentine's Day, we'll be sending little gifts, notes or doing random acts of kindness for a colleague. On Valentine's Day, there will be a reception where everyone who participated can go and enjoy some snacks and the mysteries will be revealed.

They had us fill out a short questionnaire when we signed up so that if you were assigned to a complete stranger, you would at least have some clues on how to love on them. And then last week, a stealthy envelope was placed on our desk of who our Secret Heart is! And Gordon friends, if you're reading, I got the best assignment!! Except I can't tell you, because there's a miniscule chance that she might read my blog. But ask and I'd gladly brag! And no, it's not my mom. Human Resources knows we're related and she most def reads the blog :)

But whoever has me for this game is a freaking champ! For starters, they sent me a gift yesterday on January 31st. Over achiever. Secondly, did my mom get assigned to me?! Because my gifts have been spot on. Like, strangely so. Maybe it's someone in my mom's department, or maybe they emailed my husband for advice. How accurate? Well:

- I got a pear-scented antibacterial hand gel from Bath & Body. Pretty obscure scent, right? Well I adore pear flavored and scented things. I don't even think my mom knew that. Right on, Secret Heart.

- She also got me a Ghirardelli caramel-filled chocolate bar. I don't even really have a sweet tooth, except when it's chocolate + caramel. I used to get Caramello bars in my stocking. Mom would know that.

- Today, she sent me a Patriots car decal in an envelope that said "Go Pats!" Genius woman, for two reasons: I'm the major sports fan of the household, so Will is a little less pleased with the massive Patriots and Red Sox car decals on our Subaru. He said he would be more content if they were a little smaller. Secondly, I don't like the newer logos - I always go for the old school. So what did I get? A small, old school logo Patriots decal. My husband would totally know that.

What an incredibly awesome game this will be.

Happy two weeks from Valentine's Day everyone!

A Tale with a Tip.

Here we are, alone at our table but inundated by the people and noise swirling around our sparse two-by-four island. Brett is pushing words against the stopwatch he has set to keep him on track. I think his paper is due today. The woman to my right is ten inches away, a mother I think, facing away from me but toward two of her friends. I'm sitting here with my eyes locked on one screen and then the other, and then diverting to the diverse string of people at the counter in front of me. Should I buy a drink? I should get working like Brett. 

The women next to us. Some or all three of them are mothers and I know this because their little ones are impossible to miss. Two of them are as of now in the back hallway, running from side to side and then flopping onto the floor. Now they're scooting around in the highchairs. Now all three of them are back there, as noisy and as wild as they've been all morning.

Earlier they were running the length of this Starbucks, front door to back door and back again. And after some time, one of the mothers finally got up to retrieve the purse that had been dragged out to the middle of the track in order to serve as a hurdle of sorts for the runners. Then another of the mothers stood up and headed towards the back door to retrieve the rambunctious offspring. With one held in her arms and the others by the hand, she began the arduous journey back to her seat at the table that was at this point on the far side of us. As she passed, she taught us a simple lesson in the form of a quiet question:


"Is this good birth control guys?"

From William's experience at Starbucks this morning. A funny and vivid scene. Thanks for sharing this moment so well, Will.

Waking Up

For Easter, Nat and I spent time in Sydney with some friends of mine and had the most delightful time. I think the only way to really convey how I feel about Sydney would be to type out one of my journal entries from our stay.

“April 2, 2010

I feel as though for the past month or so, I’ve been asleep. Things on the Gold Coast have run their course, and I’m no longer enraptured with it’s beauty or with the guaranteed daily warmth of the sun. I’ve been sleeping, just trudging along through my days with nothing unexpected happening or change to look forward to. It’s just blasé now.

It’s engaging, it’s bewitching, and I can’t describe it - but something about Sydney has woken me up. Maybe it’s just the fact that it’s a new place so the prospect of adventure hangs in the air, but this city is amazing. Nat and I both can’t believe the way Sydney has breathed life back into us. We feel transformed and it’s like we’re home. We’ve been here for just barely 24 hours and this place feels like home FAR more than the Gold Coast ever did in 3 months of being there.

I’m not sure what to attribute it to either - the weather down here is beautiful - so much cooler with a breeze that feels like New England Fall. The sun is also so warm still, but it’s not muggy. And the leaves are actually turning, falling, and blowing all around! It’s glorious. Australia, I didn’t think you had it in ya :)

But it could also be the houses. On the Gold Coast, everything is so modern, trying so hard to look cool so they’re not tasteful at all. One might look at a house or a building and say, “My, that’s unique,” but you would never be moved deep in your soul to say, “I must live here.” Down in the Sydney area, we’ve seen it all. We’ve seen the more modern styles, but we’ve also seen ranches, mansions, apartments and my favorite, the terrace house. We’re staying in a terrace house which is so fabulously home-y. There are sunflowers on the table, stone and hardwood flooring, stone backdrops in the kitchen, and big couches where I sit listening to the world’s best selection on the stereo next to me.

I initially wandered in with my green tea (in a darling Grandma-like mug with poppies on it) because I was drawn to the quiet sounds of Frank Sinatra (or something that sounded jazzy/big band-ish). So I sit here journalling with my tea and that CD just ended. I was a bit nervous as to what the 6 CD changer would grace my ears with next, but no worries. If possible, it’s actually better than its predecessor. I’m now being serenaded by the sweet sounds of the Michael Buble CD that I don’t own. It’s literally a dream. Did I mention that we went sight-seeing this morning after Good Friday service and then I napped for an hour and a half? Yeah, I’m a happy girl.

And THEN, just now, I looked up and to my left on the wall, I was greeted by a very familiar shape that warms my heart. There’s a large, black and white, very old, framed map of where? New England! Massachusetts was staring me in the face, meeting my longing gaze! So beaming and overjoyed, I leapt from my sunken-in dent on the couch to greet Haverhill and Wenham. Then I raced to get Natalie from the back patio to show her my new treasure. She was pleased with my find.

I also think that a huge reason why we’re loving it here is the company. It’s such a pleasure to be staying with Patti and Wolfgang. They are so loving and so helpful, we’re just adoring being here with them. It’s so great to be with adults, with Christians, and with a family unit. Those are all things that we’ve greatly been missing on the Gold Coast. It’s an environment of drunken, crazy college students and this is the type of connection we’ve been craving. The Fischers have been like medicine to our souls. I’m sure visiting Tyson, Dayna and the Jorgensens will prove to be the same. We’re just so grateful to be here, and I don’t even want to think about going back up to Queensland.

But let’s not go there. For now, I’ll just enjoy my new second favorite city in the world. Only second to home sweet Boston, of course. Where we’re staying in Paddington (a 20 minute bus ride from the city) is definitely an area I could get used to. It’s so artsy and adorable. The terrace houses are narrow and tall, and they all look so European with their balconies, iron lacing and vines. They’re so beautiful. We’ve also been to Rose Bay, Double Bay, Vauclose, Edgecliff, the North and South Heads and Bondi. They say if it isn’t happening at Huntington Beach or Bondi Beach, then it isn’t happening. Well now I’ve been there and I’m not sure what all of the fuss is about. It’s no Singing, that’s for sure…

Tonight we’ll spend at home with Patti and Wolfgang, having dinner and watching Jerry Maguire. Tomorrow, we’ll explore the Botanical Gardens in Sydney, then head to Newport! I can’t wait. I love it here.”

As you can see, Sydney captured my heart and held it tightly. It’s like Boston in the sense that it has that older feel. To me, it’s far superior to other cities we’ve been to over here because it’s not trying to be modern and hip. Obviously it’s no where near as old as Boston, but that’s the aura it gives off. Although it’s the busiest city in this country, it seemed so slow to us. Maybe that’s because I can compare it to the oppressive nature of New York or the hustle and bustle of a summer in Boston. But to Nat and I, it just seemed so peaceful, clean and vibrant. We also went to Manly, surfing in Palm Beach, climbed to the Barrenjoey lighthouse, and a few other places that Tyson and Dayna took us.

It was a fantastic Easter and we’re so thankful to the Jorgensen/Fischer clan for welcoming the weary travellers in. We loved it so much, we’re going back :) Our finals are done on April 21st, so we’re flying out that night to join them again for a week. We were supposed to be flying to US from Brisbane, but switched it to Sydney, because that will be a much better way to end our time here.

Something I didn’t mention was the joy that oozed out of every pore as we walked through Circular Quay. With the Harbour Bridge on our left, we knew that at any moment, we’d round a bend to reveal the Sydney Opera House. I was on the phone with Mom at the time (partially to let her know that we arrived safely and partially to rub it in) and I squealed with delight as that sparkly white beacon of all that is Australia came into view. To call it gorgeous would be an understatement. We gave it hugs because we were so happy to see it.

See all of the merriment - Sydney, we love you. See you in again in a week.

Bond Royale: All in for Tanzania

Later that night, Saturday, March 27th, my Event Management class had our big event - the culmination of all we had learned and been working toward!

Some of you may remember from blogs past, but the evening was a poker tournament to raise money for Bond University’s Tanzanian Physiotherapy Project. This initiative was started with the hopes of enriching their students’ educational experiences, while also reaching out to those living in the destitute Moshi region of Tanzania. The goal of the program is to raise $10,000 by the beginning of April to fund two Tanzanian student’s trips to Australia. These funds would cover the costs of their travels, visas, paperwork, living arrangements, and studies in the university’s medical program and clinics on the Gold Coast for four weeks.

Two Bond Physiotherapy students already made the trip to Tanzania last fall, and Bond hopes to keep this exchange with Tumaini University a reoccurring program every year. There are only fourteen physiotherapists in the Moshi region, and they are expected to serve nearly three million people. The money that we were hoping to raise (aiming for over $1,000) will most certainly be going to a good cause.

To participate in the tournaments, player would pay a flat fee of $30, which would cover the buy-in for the game and provide them with three drink vouchers for the bar. This way, the money would all go straight to the charity and people wouldn’t be gambling with money at all. The chips were representative of dollar amounts, but the contestants were playing for prizes. And the prizes were so sweet! First place prize was a poker table, combined with other prizes such as fitness vouchers, restaurant vouchers, bottles of alcohol, and tons more. The prizes were worth over $1,000 themselves! The event was held at Robina Tavern, just a short walk from campus, and we were able to secure a private room which included access to the outdoor balcony with a pool table.

My job for the evening was the group the prizes into categories, arrange them in an aesthetically pleasing way, and I was also the photographer for the evening (special thanks to Lyndsay and her camera)!

For my Broadcast Journalism class, I had to create a news story and I chose to preview my event. It sounds like cheating, but it made things a hundred times easier for me because I knew every contact person and didn’t have to travel for my interviews. It was just strategic, that’s all :) I finished my story a week early so that I could send it into a Gold Coast community site for additional advertising. I would post it, but I actually don't have a copy of it. The computers were wiped in the labs. Bummer.

Overall, the night was a huge success. People were dressed to the nines, they had a blast and I think we made our fundraising goal! Below is a photo of the majority of our group and our poster, but you can see the best photos from the evening here.

The way it is.

It’s been brought to my attention that I haven’t blogged in a while. It think it’s actually been two weeks, which is crazy! The thing is, I’m not even sure what to write about. We’ve entered a new phase of life over here. It’s something I haven’t had for a few months, but it’s a familiar old friend. We call him routine. Sundays, we attend Christ Church Presbyterian in Currumbin and sometimes have lunch with our new church friends. We usually go to our favorite spot for drinks on Tuesday nights called CBD (I think it stands for Central Business District, not to be confused with Christian Book Distributors). We go grocery shopping Thursdays at 3PM. And every night, we work out together, make family dinner, clean up, and do homework/watch a movie. Fridays is typically “family night” where Nat, Lyndsay, Kat and I do something just the four of us, and Saturdays we open our home to friends. Nothing is really a surprise anymore, and this is just the way it is.

I think that’s why Lyndsay was craving an adventure this week. On Tuesday, she was itching to get out and go somewhere. She wanted to make a plan for today to go to Brisbane or to Mt. Tambourine, but both of those ideas fell through due to a lack of initiative in planning on our parts and poor weather. We just finished week six of our academic calendar, and all of us were feeling the hit of schoolwork for the first time since being here. Since things have become routine, it’s almost like the novelty has worn off. We’re not off gallivanting in a foreign country anymore. We go to school here. We live here. This is life.

But strangely enough, this is only life for about eight more weeks. We’re almost halfway through.

With that being said, here are some random tidbits I have to share from my not-as-exciting life lately…

-  My friend Paige and I are working together on our broadcasting projects, and for hers, we needed to conduct an interview in Brizzy (Brisbane) on Wednesday afternoon. It was such an adventure -- taking the train for an hour and a half to a strange major city in a foreign land, lugging around camera equipment in our high heels! We left Robina at 9 and didn’t get home until after 5, so it was a long full day, but we had a blast. And the interview was a huge success. Maybe I can post our final story so you can see our broadcasting skills. It’s due this Thursday. Her story is the one we’re working on first, and it’s about the hot political issue of shark nets. Are they useful? Are they humane? I have opinions, but I’ll keep them to myself for now.

-  We rented 500 Days of Summer for family movie night. It was fantastic. While we were watching it, I said, “I’m loving this movie” maybe four to five times. I recommend it.

-  In between our apartment and Lyndsay’s is the home to those who we affectionately call “The Swiss.” These boys aren’t here for uni, but they’re golfers here escaping the Switzerland winter to do some training. They’re up and heading to the green every morning before 8AM. Flavio (20), Laslo (19) and Edouard (19) are bundles of fun and we had them over for dinner last week. They were sick of going out to eat or making pasta, so the ladies cooked them a nice meal. They brought us wine and beer, and we fed them a big hearty meal consisting of marinated chicken, salad, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and an apple pie with ice cream. Then we played cards for hours and it was a grand ol’ time. Oh, the Swiss. They are too funny. Their English is good, but you have to fight through these ridiculous accents and decipher; it just makes everything so much funnier. They are total goofballs, but they’re fun to have around. And they don’t have friends from uni like we do, so they definitely appreciate our company. Today, Nat, Lynds, Flavio, Ed and I went to the beach. It wasn’t quite the Saturday adventure Lyndsay was hoping for, but it was nice to get out of the house. We also have great nicknames for them: Flavio can be Flava Flav, Flapjack, Flappy or Pancake. Laslo is almost always Laserbeam, sometimes just Laser. And Edouard is either Ed, Queen, or Pretty Pretty Princess. He’s a sick golfer, sponsored by Titlist, but he can be such a girl, haha. So those are the Swiss.

- After a cloudy morning at the beach, it started raining when we got home. Nat and I showered, cleaned the apartment for a bit, then I ate grilled cheese and tomato soup as it poured on our metal roof. I was a happy girl :) And now I’m curled up with some tea, listening to Amos Lee with Lyndsay. I’ve been aching for a day like this. Everyday, you need to leave the house with two key items: sunglasses and an umbrella. You need both almost everyday, usually in very close succession. It’ll downpour at the drop of a hat, but only last ten minutes or so. Then you get a sunburn. Such is life in the tropics. Can’t complain. Grandma and Grandpa, thanks for the zebra-striped umbrella. I love it and it travels with me daily.

-  I think you can tell that you’ve been somewhere a long time when enough time has passed to get a haircut. I got a trim yesterday. It made this whole experience feel more like home, because it had been weeks and weeks since my last cut. So now I’m fresh and clean.

-  My Mom makes the most epic macaroni salad, and I’m going to attempt to make it tonight. It’s a big day! I’m a first-timer. I’ll try not to let you down, Momma.

-  Australia is a big fan of the double-letter combo, and the letter G. Here are the names of some towns I’ve been to, or some around in this area: Coolangatta, Nerang, Currumbin, Mudgeeraba, Arrawarra, Tweed Heads, Burleigh, Toowoomba, Woogoolga, Bundaberg… I think you see what I’m getting at here. It’s comical. I feel like I live in a Dr. Seuss book sometimes.

-  In honor of the John Mayer concert that many of my dear friends attended the other night, here’s a quote from the man himself that I heard on the plane to from Cairns to Brisbane. He’s a funny dude…

“I really feel like you should use the spelling of the country you’re in. So ‘behavior.’ Okay, I’ll throw a ‘u’ in there for ya. But it’ll be at the beginning, and it’ll be silent.”

-- John Mayer, Qantas Air Radio

-  For those who have asked, “Life in Technicolor” is a song by the best band ever - Coldplay. It’s just instrumental and doesn’t have any words, but it’s an amazing way to kick off their newest album Viva la Vida. Loving Coldplay isn’t the only reason I chose to title my blog after this song. “Technicolor” is a term used in cinematography. It occurs when you string together different slices of film, each of a different solid color, and the end result is a movie in full color. It’s vivid, it’s bright, it’s bold, it’s new. I like to think that this time here in Australia is just one more color in my movie. I’m not sure what color it would be yet… maybe orange or purple, the typical colors of the Australian sky. But Coldplay was clever to coin the phrase “Life in Technicolor.” It’s really what our lives are like-- different colorful experiences strung together to make one full-length feature. I hope you feel as though your life has color.

I’d say that’s all I have for now, just some obscure ramblings as life here goes on. Over and out.

PS: I can’t believe the mayhem that the weather is causing back home! Please continue to send me stories of the storm! I hope you all are safe and warm. Love.

Workin' Girl.

After much delay, I will finally tell you all about my new job! Are you exploding with anticipation about what it is? Am I working at Bond University’s “CET”? Have I been signed as a pro surfer, practicing for the Quicksilver Pro next month? Am I serving fries at Macca’s? (What is Macca’s you ask? See my mate Natalie's blog to find out.)

No. While I’m still working toward the Quicksilver Pro, my job is of a slightly different variety. 

                                                     

Welcome to Skilled Park, home of the Gold Coast Titans rugby team and the Gold Coast United soccer team. Brand new and beautiful, it opened in March 2008 and can hold almost 28,000 screaming fans. I work for Michael O’Brien Catering as a steward up in the corporate suites. Pretty sweet, huh? No pun intended. Well, maybe.

But my first shift was last night, February 13th for the most anticipated season opener! It commenced with an All Star game, which was interesting because our All Star games are usually in the middle of a season. And also because the teams were divided by… race? Yes. Very strange. 

It was the Indigenous All Stars vs. The NRL (National Rugby League) All Stars and this confused the heck out of me. I was like, “So Kat, you’re trying to tell me that the aboriginals can’t even play in the same league as the rest of Australian rugby players? And she said, “No they do play in the same league, they just segregate for this All Star game.” My mouth was gaping. She’s like, “It’s not a big deal. It’s just like if the rest of a league played a game against an all Native American team.” Nat responded with, “Yeah, except that would never happen. That’s pretty racist.” I guess Australians seem to think it celebrates diversity. We just couldn’t wrap our heads around it.

Regardless, the turn out was HUGE and everyone had an awesome time - including me! I was in charge of my own suite that can hold up to twenty people. I was pretty nervous, but I knew that I’d be fine as long as I was polite and charming. I was just hoping that my clients were nice. And for the past two seasons, Suite 10 has been inhabited by ABC Brick Sales, a corporate sponsor of the Gold Coast Titans. So donned in black pants, black flats, white button-down, skinny black neck tie, black vest and black apron, I served and befriended a suite of fifteen to twenty men over the age of 35 for about five hours. Hate to brag, but they loved me. I was a big hit.

At first, I felt like my job was pretty awkward. As long as everyone had their drinks and was content, I kind of just stood there. I felt as though my job was to be invisible. However, I came to discover throughout the evening that that is not the case. 

My number one responsibility is to be the refrigerator warden. No one is to open that door except for me. They aren’t allowed to even open a bottle of water on their own. So I stood my post by the fridge, bottle opener in hand, ready and eager to serve. I would list off the beers, wines, spirits and sodas we had available for them, and I was to serve it to them on a fancy tray. Now there’s a trick I need to get used to. I did fine, I didn’t spill red wine on anyone, but it’ll definitely take practice! Someone who isn’t even allowed to drink in the states yet was in charge of all alcohol in the room. Not all of the married men with children. How’s that for a power trip? That’s right gentlemen. I run this show, thank you very much. 

As the night went on, I served them their burgers, their fries, and their halftime snacks, and they all loosened up a bit. Then it was, “Cassandra, love, can you bring me another Bourbon and Coke please darlin’? You’re the best. Isn’t she the best? Where would we be without her?” I don’t know, Darby. A lot more sober, I suppose? But in all seriousness, no one was out of control. I have my RSA license for the state of Queensland (Responsible Service of Alcohol) so I was trained not to serve to anyone who is “unduly intoxicated, disorderly or under 18” and also trained how to cut them off if they’ve crossed the line. And in all honesty, they were a sports crowd. I’m not at all threatened or uncomfortable around gruff men like that (have you met Paul Soucy?) so I know that when they start goofing off, you need to just toss it right back. We had a ball.

They asked all about Boston, about Uni, about surfing, about school back home, about my friends, my family, if I abandoned a boyfriend back in the states, what I’d do if I fell in love in Australia… you know. The usual. I informed them that I’m on strict orders by my parents not to fall in love in Australia, so that wouldn’t be happening. Then one of them (late twenties) said he would convince me otherwise. Then I took his drink away and he begged for forgiveness. Problem solved. I’ve got this under control. 


Also, something funny about working up in the corporate suites is that there are tons of famous people around evidently. So they tell me. Because I don't know who any of them are, which is quite funny. After a gentleman left our suite, one of the guys turned to me and asked, "Do you know who that was?" And I said, "Nope, not a clue. Is he a big deal?" And they said, "Uhh, yeah, that was Bernard Fanning, the lead singer of the band Powerfinger." Ooooh good. Good to know. I had heard Powderfinger on the inflight radio on my way to this fair nation, and the band has gone platinum a few times over. I Wiki'd them when I got home. But I'm sure that he appreciated me treating him just like everyone else, right? I'm sure it will be interesting being oblivious to rock stars in my midst.

All in all, I was initially nervous but by the end of the night, I considered those guys to be good mates. I hope that I am permanently assigned to Suite 10 for the whole season and they hope so too :) They were singing my praises all night and said they “appreciated their Bostonian who mixes them a good strong Scotch.” Well, I am to please. Responsibly, that is.

Shift number one was a big success, and I take in a whopping $18.31 an hour to befriend these wealthy blokes. Not too shabby, hey? Minimum wage over here is $17/hr so I’m doing quite well for myself. Massachusetts, make note.

Here’s a little taste of the action.

To see more (which you definitely want to, these pictures are great) click here.

Adopt a pet!

Two afternoons in the past week, I found myself relaxing on the couch in our living room, either reading or trying to catch a late afternoon snooze.

Both times, I was awoken or interrupted by a faint scratching at our back door. I heard a small tap on the sliding glass, and noticed that there was a little friend outside trying to make his presence known. The first day, I stood up and addressed him, telling him that he couldn't come inside no matter how cozy our home looked. I shut the door, drew the blinds, and angrily resumed my nap.

But he's a persistent little bugger. I heard him also yesterday and he once again wished to come in and snuggle up with me on the couch. I said, "Listen, you. I said no. It's not gonna happen. It's not in the cards for you." I tapped the glass to try and shoo him away. He was stubborn though, and sat perched outside the door staring in.

Since he was posing ever so delicately, I took some photos. Would you like to meet him?

I now refer to him as our puppy.

What I do when I'm not at the beach...

Here it is. The moment you’ve all been waiting for and the blog I’ve been avoiding writing - the entry about my classes. Honestly, classes are fine and I have no idea why it’s taken me so long to get around to writing this. But they’re a pretty crucial reason as to why I’m here and everyone keeps asking about them, so here goes…

For starters, the setup of classes is much different than in the states. Each class has a lecture of 30+ people, and a tutorial which has 10-15 people. The lectures are more flexible (but obviously, you should go), but the tutorials are compulsory. Compulsory - that’s a word used frequently over here. Things aren’t mandatory or required, they’re compulsory.

Film Analysis - Style & Genre: I have this lecture from 8-10AM on Monday mornings, so I definitely wasn’t able to ease into classes at Bond. I hate to say it, but I think this may be my least favorite class. Even though it’s the class where I have a good amount of Aussie friends, it’s very elementary. It’s annoying because if you read the chapter, you show up to class and the lecture is based off of a very strict Powerpoint that I could have written - it’s a play-by-play of the chapter you read the night before. It pretty much gives me no reason to want to read. I definitely enjoy the material, but it’s frustrating because it’s not really challenging… does that make sense? And we were given three weeks to write a 400 word essay (2 pages double spaced) and everyone was stressing over it… really? So many people were like, “What are you writing your essay on?” Dudes! It’s 2 pages! I wrote it on the lighting in Lost in Translation, but come on folks! Not too tough. Pick and element of film style from the movie and say what you want about it. Not quantum physics.

And also, the class consists of film people. You know. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. The film people who always tend to come across a bit pretentious and want to flaunt their knowledge about directors and producers and techniques. Blah. Gag me please. I also felt a bit weird in the beginning because they know so much more about American film then I do. They are rambling off the names of directors and have very strong opinions about their works and I’m like, “Uhhh, yeah I like Jim Carrey. He’s my favorite. Funny guy.” I don’t know much about the movie industry. However, I do redeem myself because I can analyze lighting, camera angles and editing with the big dogs. But I’m sorry that I didn’t know who Michael Bay was until the first class was over.

This lecture is also nothing like Gordon, because there are 53 people and maybe 14 of them are females. Wow! Yeah, caught me off guard. And these boys love to hear themselves talk. The girls just kind of sit back and chill. I participate when I can, but the tutorial is where I’m able to shine. Mine meets Mondays from 2-3PM and there’s about nine people in mine I think. One other American and four other girls, so I feel a lot more comfortable participating. I had plenty to say about the film from the 80’s we watched where a woman had an affair on her husband with an octopus. And I was one of the only people who knew who Zidane was when we watched that documentary. But I’m sorry, Lost in Translation is so not my type of movie. I liken it to Garden State - the “plotless wanderings” category. Ben Morrow, I think you’d enjoy it if you haven't already seen it.

Finally, on Monday evenings from 7-9PM, we meet in the theatre (like Barrington) to watch our next film. The first week was Lost in Translation and week two was Raging Bull, which kicked LiT’s butt. A Scorsese film featuring boxing and Robert DeNiro - I’m sold. And it was a tragedy of sorts, which made it more engaging to me. And week three was Citizen Kane. Professor Cobbey, if you’re reading, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t do it. A friend of mine from class and I decided to hire it out from the library (you don’t borrow/rent things here, you hire them) instead of watching it in the theatre, and we put it on three times and couldn’t get through it. Maybe I’ll be able to do it before the semester ends, but it took a lot to get through about forty minutes. It’s supposed to be one of the greatest films of all time so I genuinely want to invest in it, but it was somewhat painful. Now he and I just faintly whisper “rosebud” to each other from time to time and have a good laugh. That’s pretty much all we gathered from it.

Love, Sex & Relationships: Yes, can you believe it? I am enrolled in this course. This is not a joke. It’s actually quite enjoyable. It’s the only class that I have on Tuesdays - the lecture is from 12-2PM and there’s about 250 of us. Maybe the size of an Old Testament class except the content is far racier. We’re starting with the anatomical details of sex, learning about scientific research in the field, famous sexologists, discussing gender studies, and then moving on the the topics of love and relationships after the midterm. Honestly, it’s extremely eye-opening. It’s so interesting to be learning about sex from a scientific stand point. We’ve watched so many fascinating documentaries, although they can be a little awkward at times. You know, with the nakedness and the sex. But hey, it’s all in the name of science, right? And it’s tasteful… mostly. Also, my professor is the Australian Cameron Diaz. It’s ironic and the similarities are uncanny - body type, facial structure, smile, hair. Sure Cameron, you would teach Love, Sex and Relationships. Of course.

My tutorial for this class is on Wednesday mornings 9-10 and it’s 15 females - thank heavens! I can’t even imagine if I was in one of the mixed-gender tutorials. God was really looking out for me, because this class is also when that’s like 90% Americans, and those guys are so immature so I’d wring my neck if they were in my tutorial. Two girls from my high school are in this lecture with me also - My Tran and Stephanie Pratti! Do these names ring any bells to my readers? Maybe. I didn’t know My very well in high school, but Steph and I were close because we had tons of classes together and were both in band. It’s so cool to sit with them and have someone to make jokes with and keep the mood light while we watch weird documentaries. And My is in my tutorial and we’ll be leading an activity on love together during week seven. Good times. It’s nice to have a little bit of Haverhill down under. And there are about six girls in my tutorial from Northeastern University, and one girl who wore a T-shirt that said Billerica. Makes me feel a little closer to Boston. I’ll keep you posted on this class - there are always interesting stories… maybe not all blog appropriate though. Just be comforted that it is academic in nature and I’m learning :)

Foundations of Broadcast Journalism: I have this lecture on Wednesdays 10-12PM, right after my LSR tutorial and I enjoy it. However, it’s different than I thought it would be. I was expecting it to be focused on what it’s like to be the broadcaster, with specific speech techniques and stuff, which it is, but I kind of overlooked the “journalism” part. With that incorporated, it actually becomes a lot like a course I’ve already taken - Writing for the Media. A huge part of it is going out and finding your stories, gathering the info, collecting the shots you want, and writing your scripts. We did a bit of this in Writing for the Media, so that’s a bit repetitive for me.

Then the tutorial is a combination of other skills I have as well - the class Digital Video Production and working at CET. The tutorial meets Thursdays 8-10AM only for the first seven weeks, and our lecture of 24 people is split into two sections, so it’s nice and small. But on day one, we spent a good long time learning all about the different camera shots (wide, close-up, long, medium, cut-ins etc..) learning about some lighting techniques (three point, the key light, what tungsten is), and everyone voraciously took notes on the rules of thirds and the 180 degree rule. I was bored during this hour, because I already knew these skills from my sophomore year at Gordon, but it got worse.

We spent the second hour learning how to set up and use video cameras and mics. I didn’t want to seem snobby at all, but when my group of three was working on setting up our camera, I told them that I have a ton of experience with equipment like this, so they could set it up to become more familiar. They were like, “Oh my gosh, you know how to do this already?” Um, yes. I don’t want to be rude, but I help people fix problems with cameras 10x as complicated over the phone, without even seeing the problem. I didn’t say that, but I certainly thought it. So as they spent five minutes trying to open and level out the tripod, I just hung back. Then they asked me for help with the wired lapel mic after struggling for a bit. I think the most that I’ll get out of the tutorial is learning more in-depth about Final Cut Pro. I’ve always wanted to be good with it, but I haven’t had a ton of exposure and as of right now, it’s over my head. I think the toughest part of this class will be finding a relevant story to capture in an environment that I’m so unfamiliar with. That’ll stretch me and push me outside of my comfort zone, so we’ll see!

Event Management: And finally, the class that robs me of the long weekend my roommates get to enjoy - Event Management, Fridays 11-2PM, always compulsory. Figures. The lecture is 11-12:30ish, then our adorable Greek professor gives us a half hour break for lunch and, we need to be back for tutorial 1-2PM. This class is actually not too bad, I really enjoy the subject matter. I feel like I’m learning a lot about Australian history and culture in this course. No joke, the 2000 Sydney Olympics literally breathed life back into this country and took them out of somewhat of a depression. It’s so cool to study how events and festivals can shape a society. I made a good friend in this class. Her name is Julia and she’s a very sweet German girl who kisses me on the cheek with she sees me. It makes me feel loved, even though she’s European and I shouldn’t be surprised. But everyone loves a hug from a new friend, right?

Anyway, for tutorial, we split into two groups - one who strictly wanted to host a sports-related event and one who was more flexible. I chose the sports group, but I’m so impressed and excited about the event that we chose! We narrowed it down to either a backyard cricket match/cookout/social, a mock summer olympics tournament (since our university or “uni” is so diverse, teams would represent their respective countries) or a fancy James Bond/Casino Royale-like poker tournament. And the winner is…. Poker! I bet you didn’t think that’d be the one that I voted for, but it actually makes the most sense to me. Here’s my logic: Instead of watching the NFL playoffs a few weeks back, I spent my Sunday afternoon eating lunch and watching cricket. I was studying this sport and asking Kat tons of questions, because heads up - it’s nothing like baseball. But I like it! Mostly because it’s still a pretty slow-paced sport to watch like baseball and that doesn’t bore me. But the truth it, a lot of people are bored by cricket. While I didn’t think the backyard cricket game was a bad idea, I also didn’t think that it’d get the largest demographic group involved. Some people might want to play, some people would just grab some food and peace out, and others might hang and watch. But overall, not a huge crowd would stay for hours on end. Cricket is a terribly long game.

Secondly, the summer olympics idea was great, but I think you couldn’t really have many more than 8-10 people on a team, so that’s really limiting. Would that mean only 8-10 Americans, Aussies, Japanese etc... can participate? That’s not what we want. And would people come and gather to be spectators? I wasn’t entirely convinced. However, poker’s got it all. Not only would we get the jock/athlete people to play, but smart, nerdy, less athletic people play cards as well. I feel like it’s a universal tongue of sorts, especially at our diverse uni. And then, make it a dress up event that serves alcohol and finger snacks kind of like cocktail party? BOOM - females. Done. Women will come out to an event where boys are dressed up playing cards, if they get to dress up, be their dates and work the room. Widest demographic reached, tickets are only like $10, prizes are donated from local sponsors, it’s held at the classy bar behind uni that everyone goes to already anyway, money raised goes to charity, and the 15 of us planning the event become hugely popular celebs on campus because everyone loves it and thinks we’re awesome. Perfect.

So it’s a lengthy entry and it’s long overdue, but there’s the much anticipated update on my classes! Hope you enjoyed! More to come later this week. Like, at least four more entries… buckle up, folks.

PS: I’m skipping my film lecture in the morning to watch the Superbowl at Varsity Lakes Tavern at 9:30AM with a bunch of friends. Awesome. Something’s gotta give, right? My mom said, “Is she skipping class to watch football?” and my dad’s response was, “Of course she is. I’d be disappointed if she didn’t.” Father’s orders :) I’m introducing some Aussies so their first Superbowl event. Boy, do I wish the Pats were playing. That’d be legendary. Oh well. Go Saints!

Gnarly, sick, tubular, wicked.

Any and all of these words can be used to describe my first surf experience last Saturday morning.

Nat, Kat, Lyndsay and I left the house at 8:30 and headed for Burleigh Heads Beach to attend our scheduled surf lesson. A very wise investment, we only paid $20 for a two hour lesson that included a board and a rash guard (those tight fitting short-sleeved numbers to protect your upper bod). And our lesson was just the four of us and one other woman, Amanda, who was about 25 or so and on her second lesson. So it was very small and individualized which made it so much easier and more comfortable. Our instructor’s name was Giles (or Jiles? I don’t know. It made me think of the butler. “Giles, please take their coats…") and he was so cool and helpful. Very encouraging and great at giving you specific feedback. And he looked like Handsome Rob from the Italian Job.

So everyone has favorite sports to watch and favorite sports to participate in. My favorite sports to watch are football and baseball. My favorite sports to participate in were cycling and volleyball, but I think surfing is now number two. Sorry volleyball, but you’re getting the boot. Guys – it was absolutely incredible. I seriously had such a fantastic time. One weakness of mine is that if I’m not naturally good at something (usually athletically or musically) right away, I tend to get really frustrated. It’s dumb, I know, because these things take time and practice. I don’t know why I expect to instantly be good at something, but I always want that and if I struggle, I get really down on myself. As we were driving to the beach, I was praying that God would break me of that attitude and that I’d stick it out no matter how I was doing with it. But guys, I really think I can do this surfing thing! It took a little bit to get used to, obviously, like with any new skill, but I wasn’t bad! It was only a two hour long lesson and I was really pleased with my progress!

First, we practiced in the sand. Giles explained how to tides work, how to spot a rip, stay away from it, or use it to your advantage. He taught us how to paddle and how to position ourselves, and then we gave it a go. We walked out to waist deep with our boards, laid on our bellies, and caught a wave paddling in. Easy as pie.

Then we returned to the sand and practiced standing up. The plot thickens. As sand found its way into every pore on my body, I practiced paddling and hopping up gracefully maintaining my balance. No problem while you’re on the beach practicing on the outline of a board that you drew in the sand. But after ten minutes or so of this drill, Giles dragged us out to sea to give it a go. Different story.

When I was out there, the first few attempts were abysmal. Actually, to be honest, I think my first attempt was actually a small success – but it was a fluke. The struggle was keeping the balance while placing the front foot where it needed to be. The back foot was easy placement, but I snowboard. Both feet have clearly designated homes that they can’t deviate from even if they wanted to escape. So navigating both feet to their proper places from the belly position was no easy task. I seriously consumed so much salt water. And I loathe salt water. Oh, it was just awful. But for some reason, it’s all worth it once you finally get up successfully and ride the wave all the way to the beach. I was blowing salt out of my nose and spitting it out for hours, but it was so worth it. I love surfing.

After struggling for a bit, I had a good string of successful rides and I was on cloud nine. That feeling is unlike any other. When you’re walking out, you see the wave that you want, so you turn around and paddle. You then feel the wave breathing done your neck, so you paddle harder, then hop up (hopefully with ease) and ride it in with spectators watching. The onlookers are impressed with your newly developed skills, because your lovely blue rash guard says “Surf School” in bright yellow. There’s no hiding that you’re a newbie. But whatever, it’s so worth it. And Amanda said that her last lesson was with a girl who had six previous lessons, and Nat and I were even better than she was! We must have a gift :)

The entire experience was fantastic except for one minor detail. I had a run in with my new friend, the blue bottle jellyfish. Unlike last time, I’m absolutely certain that I was stung. I’m trying to find a pain to liken it to… maybe electrocution meets tattooing? It definitely wasn’t a bee sting. The idiot that coined that phrase needs to be stung by both again and reconsider that description. It wasn’t the worst pain I’ve ever felt, but it was definitely worse than a bee. Maybe a herd of bees on steroids.

I was only in about up to my hips when I starting to feel the piercing jabs on my thighs. I looked down and I saw him – the perpetrator. Clear with blue spotting, his body wasn’t much bigger than a few inches, but those long tentacles wrapped themselves so lovingly around both of my thighs, then trickled down near my knees and ankles. Thank you, new friend, I’d love to snuggle. No, I wish that I could say my response was that peaceable. I’m not one for the swearing and I usually chastise my friends when they do, but I must admit that “a steady torrent of obscenities and swearing of all kinds was pouring out of me” in that moment (quote from A Christmas Story, for my brothers). I honestly was at a loss as to how I should handle the situation, so I was slightly panicked. I couldn’t pick him up and throw him, because then he’d sting my hand and that’d be so much worse. I was trying to back away from him, or walk to the side, but he was wrapped around. So alas, the two of us danced in the water together for at least 10-15 seconds, until the waves came to my rescue and freed me of his venomous grasp.

And I throbbed. For about 4 hours, I throbbed. The cold water did help quite a bit though, but it all came back when we were in the car heading home. Lord, why? Why creatures like jellyfish? What is their purpose? I was thinking of Monica Gellar on FRIENDS: “Damn you jellyfish! Damn all the jellyfish!!!” They really are awful things. Natalie was stung four times (just little pricks here and there really quickly) and Kat was stung more intensely like I was. Except in a fit of rage, she grabbed his body and threw him, therefore resulting in a hand sting as well. When I told Giles that I was stung he goes, “Oh no way, mate! You okay? Quick, catch that wave.” So I laughed and said that I was okay, and smacked my throbbing red thighs against the board and paddled to catch the wave. Giles beamed and gave me the thumbs up. Oh Giles. I just might throw a jellyfish at you.

Overall, it was a fantastic day and I am now in a love affair with this new sport. No jellies can steal my joy. This weekend, Nat, Lyndsay and I are heading to Byron Bay for a surf getaway! We leave tonight at 8:15 with a bunch of other Americans (our lovely friends from the orientation in Cairns) and return Sunday around the same time. We’ll get two more lessons, have BBQ’s and we hope to sleep out on the beach one night. I’m just concerned as to what the nighttime beach critters may be. I want to keep a safe distance – there are many strange and scary creatures in this foreign land. So be praying for us as we tear it up! We’re all pumped and feeling prepared after our preliminary lesson.

And if you would like to see my battle scars, click here.

I’ll write about classes and new surf stories when I return!

Life in the Goldie.

We’ve been living here on the Gold Coast for about 12 days now. I’m sorry that I’m just getting to this part my the journey now, but I have a strong aversion to moving out of chronological order. Please bear with me.

We arrived to Brisbane International Airport, and after an hour long coach bus ride to Robina (with all of my luggage safely in tow!) we made it to our new home. Nat and I couldn’t be happier. We live in a complex of condo-like homes called University Place, right on University Drive, and at the end of the street? You guessed it - Bond University. It’s quite a handy location. We found our house easily, maybe the fifth unit on your right when you enter the complex, conveniently located right next to the pool. We let ourselves in and it was so great! We were wondering who our roommate would be, because we didn’t hear any of our peers on the bus say they were living at 25 University Drive. Well, we sighed, she’s bound to arrive soon enough.

Brief interjection - Here’s my address since many have asked:

Cassandra Papia
25/1 University Drive
Robina, QLD, 4226
Australia

Ps: Mail might take over a week… Moving on...

So we poked around a bit and noticed that some of her belongings were already in place. Had she been here before us? There was even food in the fridge. A half-eaten box of Tim Tam’s and Vegemite… some subtle clues as to what we were in for. Then shortly there after waltzed our roommate and our lives would never be the same. The feisty and enterprising Katherine Law. Or as we now call her - Australian Diva Sungoddess, Swag, or simply Kat.

Kat is… a character. But we’ve learned that there is definitely more than meets the eye. Standing at about 5’10”, she’s the tannest Dutch/English/Aussie I’ve ever seen, and her presence is thunderous. She has absolutely no filter. If something is on her mind, it’s out there for the world to hear. She had her friend Kirsten with her the first time we met, which was such a helpful dynamic for a first impression of Kat. Kirsten is from the Sydney area and was on holiday with us for a few days and she is so sugary sweet. Extremely polite, friendly and lady-like. Kat and Kirsten… night and day.

Sample quotes:
Kirsten: “I don’t really drink.”
Kat: “HA. I do.”
Kirsten: “Oh, I’m totally not a racist.”
Kat: “BAH! I am. F***ing Asians.”

So there you have it. Kat is very rough around the edges and seems not to change that for anyone. It’s really funny and safe if you’re on her good side, but cross her and you’ll be sorry. I said to Nat, “I’m so happy that we live with her, because in any other context, she’d scare the hell out of me.” Very true. She’s a force to be reckoned with. But since she’s so straight-forward, we have some of the funniest quotes ever written down. I’ll have to post some soon. She’s a riot.

Her majors are Sports Science and Business and Commerce. I can tell that at the heart of it, Kat is a really bright girl who hides behind this tough party facade. We had a serious conversation at the beach the other day and she told me her grades and some really personal family stuff. Honestly, I think you just need to get Kat alone and in the right context and she softens right up. I’m happy to report that Nat and I have already done such a work on this girl. We do everything together. Beach, pool, grocery shopping, working out, cooking, cleaning… everything. We went out to a club one night to pacify her begging (and because it was Kirsten’s last night with us), and she was so great. Since she was driving, she didn’t drink at all and had the car pulled around out front at 11:45 because we said we wanted to be home at midnight. It’s obvious that even though she’s wild, she’s very respectful of those who are different than she is, and values her friendships (made obvious by her close relationship with the sweet and lovable Kirsten).

On our fridge we have a chart. It’s affectionately titled the “Ass-kicking Olympian Workout Regimen” and it has all of our daily activities listed with their times, and all three of our names in columns for all of the 14 weeks this semester. We’re to initial in the cell everyday we stick to the schedule - a little reinforcement and accountability.

Monday - Circuit Boxing
Tuesday - Yoga
Wednesday - On your own
Thursday - Spinning
Friday - On your own

When it’s our free days, we can try another group class (like Pilates of water aerobics) or go running or strength training on our own. The deal is, if we miss a day during the week, we are to make it up over the weekend. And we are to participate in every group exercise class at least once during the semester. If we miss one, then we have to take all the ones we missed in one day. We try to go together as frequently as we can on our free days too for the extra support and company. And Kat absolutely loves it. Nat and I have morphed her into a scheduled athlete with a balanced diet and an early bedtime, who only goes out partying one day a week! We are champions! This is such an incredible feat, especially for under two weeks. And tonight we crossed a new bridge, we prayed at dinner ;) She absolutely was not ready for that one, haha. Maybe it’s too soon…

But the routine is: classes all day, work out, swim in our pool (to combat the lactic acids) quick showers, make dinner, eat dinner, clean up after dinner, collapse from exhaustion. It’s so great because the sun mixed with the exercise, it means we’re wiped out at like 9:30. We go to bed so early. It’s awesome. I’m so glad that we cook and eat together though. If we didn’t, I would be so sad and mourning the loss of my Dexter community even more. But we have a quasi replacement thing goin’ on over here (obviously not as awesome, but it’ll suffice).

I just finished the first week of classes, but before they started, we had a pretty solid six day vacation. It was literally as follows: “I’m bored of the pool, let’s go to the beach now… the sun’s going down at the beach… want to go to the pool again? Okay. Let’s watch Princess Diaries. Let’s watch Cars, again. Pass the chips. Can you put sunscreen on my back? This is the saltiest ocean I’ve ever been in… Put Rihanna on. Put Third Eye Blind on. Put Usher on, again. I hate wearing normal clothes. I haven’t worn a bra or underwear for three days, just my bathing suit. Did you brew more iced coffee? Don’t worry, I’ll make some now.”

We were living the life.

Then classes started and life… didn’t really change that much, haha. I really should start doing homework soon. This weekend, I promise. So that’s what it’s like here on the Gold Coast! About an hour from Brisbane, fifteen minutes from the high-life of Surfer’s Paradise and 10 minutes from about four beaches, the livin’ is easy and the skies are blue. I liken it to any coastal city in Florida like Miami, Tampa, or Sarasota - except cars are coming from every direction and crossing the street is a near death experience almost every time. I believe that drivers here are worse than in Boston. They drive so unbelievably fast, hate pedestrians and never “give way” (yield) like the signs tell them to. And there are very few traffic lights, but roundabouts/rotaries every twenty feet. It only adds to my fear and confusion.

There you have it! I’ll update soon with some classic Kat stories, our trip to Byron Bay, and a run down of my classes. Gotta get to bed - surfing lesson at Burleigh Beach in the AM! I anticipate that some stories should come of that as well.

Much love.

Here For a Purpose.

Although we were having an absolute blast doing all sorts of crazy things on our orientation in Cairns, it certainly was a time of spiritual growth and testing. I could tell right off the bat that I was being tested, and my decisions from very early on would pave the way the remainder of my trip. In those first few days, God revealed Himself to me in such a real way, and showed me his plan for me for the next four months.

I love Gordon College. I feel so safe, so loved, so cared for, and truly at home in most groups of people. However, is this good? Is this always healthy? I realized by going to Gordon just how spoiled I am. Especially since I work at Gordon as well. All of my classmates, my professors, my bosses, my coworkers, those who serve me in any capacity, most people who call, most people who I call, and almost all who walk through the door… are Christians. 

What a comforting feeling - to know that I will be accepted for who I am by most everyone. But this is so not reality. I went to a public high school that was larger than Gordon, and those were some interesting four years. Definitely not the best four years of my life, but my faith was so strong - because it had to be. I felt as though I had no choice. There was no such thing to me as being lukewarm at Haverhill High School. If you weren’t 100% solid and sure of yourself, you wouldn’t make it. You couldn't be a half-Christian. 

Even though Gordon is such a comfortable place to me now, it’s so easy to slip into complacency in a world full of Christians. You make excuses for yourself, think of how much worse off you could be, and pat yourself on the back. But the truth is, Nat and I both benefitted so much from seeing first hand just how much worse our lives could really be. Now we know that we need to fight for what we have. I’ve never been so thankful for the environment I’ve been given in Gordon College.

My heart aches for the American college student. Their lives are so empty. So meaningless. My brother once said that if you aren’t living for the Lord, it’s like you’re walking around dead. I honestly feel as though that’s what I witnessed that week in Cairns. A bunch of dead bodies wandering around with no souls. The talk starting at 2PM or earlier was always, “What are you doing tonight?” Aka: “Please validate me and tell me that you’re going to the same place I am. Or else I need to change my plans and go where you’re going, because I must seen where the people are and where the party is.” No one actually does what they want to. It’s so 7th grade, but it’s really all about peer pressure. I personally have never had such a hard time saying no to someone.

Nat and I weren’t in the same room that week, and one of my six roommates was so incredibly sweet. I loved chatting with her and we actually had some pretty deep and meaningful conversations. But then she’d ask me to go out with her. I knew that I didn’t want to. I wanted to put on my yoga pants and read The Time Traveler’s Wife. I did not want to get dressed up, I did not want to spend money on alcohol, I did not want to be up until after 2AM, and I especially didn’t want to be hanging out with drunk Americans. The thing is, Australians drink, and they drink frequently. But Americans binge drink, and that’s one hundred times worse.

So when I’m asked to join her out that night (and most nights to follow), why do I feel as though I need an excuse? I just don’t want to. Period. It’s not my scene. I don’t drink the way you all do. I’m tired. I’m not feeling to great. Why won’t you just leave me alone? And so then they beg. “We’ll come back early. You don’t have to drink. I’ll pay for you.” No. No No No. No thank you. 

Since Nat and I weren’t in the same room, I didn’t even have strength in numbers in saying declining these outings. And honestly, because of the weird jet lag, I wasn’t tired at normal times most nights, I was usually awake enough to go out. But I made the choice and stood my ground and never went out with them. And the following mornings, the stories would pour in. So-and-so got in a bar fight, the cops had to bring them to the hostel, she threw up, he punched a glass sliding door, those three all have black eyes… and I was so happy that I was safe and cozy in my bed.

A few days into this mayhem, people began to notice. And here’s where God shows up and blesses Natalie and I for our strength and obedience. We meet Lyndsay, who’s a Christian, and begin to hang with her at night. And I learn my roommate Molly is a Christian too, and she’s here with three other Christians from Azusa Pacific. Then one girl approaches Natalie on the verge of a breakdown: “You’re a Christian aren’t you?” Nat responds, “Yes, I am, what’s up?” And the girl begins to sob. “I can’t do this. I feel so alone and I just had my first drink of alcohol ever. Why did I do that? I can’t handle this pressure.” God then used Nat to minister to her, reassure her that she’s not alone, alcohol does not send you to hell, and invites her to spend time with us whenever she likes, also extending an invite to attend church with us.

My encounters were of different sorts. That very persistent girl from my room noticed something different and brought it up while we were lounging at the beach together. “So why don’t you party? Do you just not like being around drunk people? Are you religious?” Now we all cringe at that dreaded word “religious” but if that’s how it resonates to people of the world, then yes, I’m “religious.” So then I shared with her where I’m coming from, why I believe what I do and why I  avoid the party scene. I told her about how I see more to life then not remembering the supposed great night at the bar or club. And God totally met us there in that conversation. She opened up with me and shared how she didn’t even really like that scene, and how so frequently, she only goes because her friends do and she’d prefer to stay home and read Jodi Picoult. So then I said, “Amen to that,” and we talked about Jodi Picoult :) But her heart was real and genuine. She sees more to life and wants more than the lifestyle her friends lead. I can tell that beneath the giggly blond with the bronzer and sunless tan, there’s such a deep girl who’s yearning for more, and she trusted me enough to let me see that side of her.

Next was my encounter with a girl who Nat referred to as an animal. She was one of Nat’s roommates and her bunk was an atrocious mess. Clothes and papers everywhere and I think she may have even slept in a pile of clothes after coming back extremely drunk one night. Even her speech in everyday conversation seems slurred with the remnants of a good buzz. Anyway, I asked to sit next to her on the ride home from Community Day and we began to chat casually. She (true to form) asked what I was doing that night, and I told her that I’d just be chillin’ at the hostel. She said, “Oh, because you don’t want to be hung over for your day at the reef tomorrow?” I said, “Well yes, but I wouldn’t like to be hung over ever.” I told her it wasn’t my scene and I don’t see the appeal of binge drinking. I only made those two statements and then she took the floor, spilling out her guts about how much she dislikes getting drunk and she only likes dancing out with her friends. She wishes that people didn’t pressure her to drink, but she usually ends up pretty wasted, hooking up with a random guy. She said that the lifestyle is so empty and she really sees no way out.

Whoa. What on earth am I supposed to do with that? The animal is actually human, and chose to confide all of that in me, someone she just met! I did my best, but I don’t think I said as much as I could have. I think I was honestly just in shock. I affirmed her and said, “You’re right, there really is so much more to life.” But besides that, I really just listened to her and let her vent to me. 

After all of these God-sightings, Nat and I reconvened and discussed how crazy it all was. We really couldn’t believe it. We had made it our mission in the beginning of the week to “find the good.” We were so frustrated and turned off by our immature peers, that we decided to find the good in as many people as we could. And I’d say that God definitely showed up. We were forced to admit that our first impressions of some of these people were wrong, and that they’re really just hurting. They saw Nat and I as safe spaces to let down their guards and be vulnerable. 

With this, Nat and I learned what our job is: we are to be safe havens. With Christians and with non-Christians alike. We are two strong Christians who made this journey together. Automatically, this makes us stronger. But there are strong Christians here in our midst who came alone, and they need us for support. And there are non-Christians who feel stuck in their lifestyle, so we need to be bold enough so they notice that we’re different, and feel comfortable to go out on a limb with us and be real. God really showed us what our life could be like if we weren’t following Him, and I can speak for both of us and say that our eyes were opened and we’re extremely grateful. For those of you who were offering up prayers for us, thank you - God heard and blessed us through them.

So to the office of Global Education: we get it. We now understand why you are so hesitant to send people to Australia. Because yes, it’s pretty easy and can appear to be a four month vacation, but more importantly, because it’s a battleground. I would never approve of one Gordon College student being sent over here alone. It’s too risky, and too hard to stand your ground without support. And if two are sent, then it should be two who are good friends and very grounded. Nat and I are solid individuals, but it’s even a struggle for us to be here sometimes in such a worldly environment. I really can’t imagine what it’d be like without her. I would probably be looking for flights home. 

Please continue praying for us. We’re incredibly blessed to have each other, and have a new friend like Lyndsay, but it’s not always easy to be a small light in such a huge darkness. God is doing big things in us and through us, so continue praying for opportunities and boldness. Love and appreciate you all.