Lize in Australia: August 2006

Today...

Today was a day with some up and some downs. (Thanks T and Sam :) ). However let me just put this piece of advice into blogsphere. No matter how many times Ed tries to dive into your shirt, no matter how much of your stuff goes missing (cell phone, iPod, bus pass, credit card, train pass ,medibank card, plus all the Australian money your wallet), never reliquish S'toons wallet. It's highly entertaining to watch because he won't go there! (Sure it's harrassment, but come on, I had his wallet)... and it's not like he didn't get anything out of it. A driver's license, a modern history question, and a loonie! I mean seriously...
Oh and I'm totally aware to how weird this probably sounds to anyone from Weyburn home. Trust me, understanding would just be too hard.

Pictures from the Weekend...

This is the bomb squad for our drama video.

These are the markets at the Rocks on the left (but not the big part) with the harbour bridge in the background.

Normal exit sign. It tends to say "Way out" I dunno, I find it interesting.

Harbour Bridge.

View of the Opera house from the Harbour Bridge.

This weekends highlights included a stealth mission into Hornsby, a night in with some exchange students, and wandering around the Rocks (instead of doing my legal assignment)

Carlingford High School...

Carlingford high School

School canteen (there's no caf!!!)

E Block, notice the outdoorsy-ness of it all.

Sports oval (the ovals aren't too attractive right now, hence the large tree)

Quadrangle (aka the Quad, but I like the word Quadrangle)

A Good Day...

I just had an excellent day. Why might you ask? Well aside from just the sheer joy of being in Australia I talked to Sode today.First mom called me during my lunch hour and then I don't know what happened but the next second I was talking to Sode. And she also got to talk to Ed, S'toon, Ellie, and I'm pretty sure Firthy mumbled something to her. Anyways, love you Sode.
Yesterday at Rotary I got the Rotaspoke (that's like a program). It declared that I was quite shy!?! Who comes up with this stuff. I am most definitely not shy and I have not done anything at Rotary for them to think otherwise. I mean seriously, I made conversation with S'toon's parents when I totally didn't have to. I resent the shy comment. Mom, I'm sending you this Rotaspoke because it talks about my presentation. It even has the roaming gnome in it 4 times.
I feel like I should go to sleep now what with my first extension tomorrow. Up before dawn, how's that for commitment?
Wish me luck
E(Liz)abeth

The pictures I promised...

First of all, when I published the last post I did say I would post pictures tomorrow. Now let me explain. When I posted that it was the 20th in Australia. Now it is VERY early in the morning in Weyburn on the 22nd. So really, when you think about it, I'm only a couple hours late on my promise.

This is my first kangaroo encounter (obviously in the wild)

These are my counsellors Helen and Chris. Chris is Canadian. (And although you can't see it, his tie had mounties on it)
(I'm in the middle in my awesome Canada bunnyhug)

This is my first koala encounter, again obviously in the wild (please ignore the fencing, the hand holding the koala, and the kid in the red hat)

This is president Trish. Dad, that necklace dealy is what our Rotary club needs. It has all of the president's names on the sash and at the bottom in the Rotary wheel. It's really cool.

This is a koala in quite possibly the most uncomfortable position ever. He is sitting on a tiny twig. Yeah, uncomfortable.

Other new stuff. I finally got my bus pass. It only took a month. So now I get to take the train and bus for free. (Because I got my train pass a while ago you see) Luckily this bus pass gets to last me a while because my next host family I think I take a bus from NorthRyde to Epping and then from Epping to school. The Epping to school leg I already do so I get to keep the pass for that.
Also I've picked up extension English. God help me, it's at 745 in the morning twice a week which means catching a 655 train which means leaving the house at 635. Mondays and Thursdays are gonna be real happy days for me.
I would now like to quote my cousin John. He gave me the best advice about school "Beware of boys with highly polished shoes" I really hope people from King family find that funny since he's in the army and people from Carlingford home find it funny because... well if you don't get that I must wonder about you people.
Well, gotta go watch CSI.
Later
E(Liz)abeth

An ordinary weekend...

Hey everybody. I should have pictures up tomorrow from my excellent Saturday. I shall explain it all with the pictures. However today I learned my new favourite phrase "Gosford skirt" If you know what that is, good on ya, if you don't oh well, maybe someday you'll learn.
I'm pretty happy at school. Why might you ask? Because I have imparted the football dance onto several people and have taught them the wonders of 12 of a kind go fish. It's intense, it's extreme, it's not your ordinary kids game.
Also tonight I would like to thank Ed. Again you might ask why? Because she lets me use her locker and just has undeniable coolness. Seriously, I am willing to beat up anyone who doesn't love Ed, and she knows how hard I poke.
Well there'll be a new post tomorrow.
E(Liz)abeth

For the Rotarians in the crowd...

I did my presentation yesterday for Rotary. It went very well and I learned some things myself, like Australia doesn't have five pin bowling. I got to sit at the head table for my meal and everything. I did teach these Aussies a few things too, like Canada is bigger than Australia. The Rotarians really appreciated the William Tell Overture, which I played for them to demonstrate the awesome-ness of our choir. I'm glad that it's over, but now I have to do the presentation for my legal studies class on Friday.
A special thanks goes out to S'toon, he knows why.
E(Liz)abeth

Just a Normal Thursday Night...

I shall now tell you my harrowing tale of last night.
So 6 of us exchange students were going to the movies in Chatswood, which is a 20 minute train ride from Hornsby (and from my house to Hornsby station is a 10 minute drive) Keep in mind that Hornsby theatre would've been closer for 4 out of 6 of us exchange students.
After the movie (You, Me, and Dupree in case you were wondering) we went to Chatswood station to catch the train back to Hornsby where my host mom was picking me up. We walked down the stairs and the sign next to a train that was sitting there said Hornsby so Gabriel (brazil) said that was our train, that he was catching a different one and he'd see us later and me, Leo (brazil), Connie (Chile), and Jade (Thailand) all got in the train. Five minutes later we realized we were going to wrong way and got off the train. Turns out we were on the last train of the night, but didn't realize it until we had waited for 40 minutes at Wollstonecraft ( little station by the way, with no signs announcing where we were going or when another train would be coming. Not to mention we could see the harbour bridge which is EXTREMELY far from Normanhurst) Leo found a sign that said from August 7th to 10th there would be no trains running from Hornsby to Central from 9pm to 1 am. Well that included us so we found a bus (which was very crowded by the way) that took us to Chatswood and then found another even more crowded bus to take us to Hornsby. Long story short we were at the Chatswood station at 930 and I didn't get home until midnight.
Oh and did I mention that Gabriel was in fact catching the same train that we were supposed to.
Yeah, one fun night with the exchange students!

Not For the Faint of Heart...

This my dear friends is a huntsman spider. Now why do I have a picture of this you may ask? Well yesterday I was going to pull a lounger into the sun because it was +20 and I wanted to sit outside. Image my shock when I pulled the lounger into the sun and grabbed the cover off. Sitting on the lounger was one of these babies. I think I'm afraid to go back outside, and I will probably never try to sit on the lounger again. (The spider is huge in case you can't tell, about 6 inches long)
E(Liz)abeth

School Stuff...

Hey everyone,
So I found out that I'm starting year 12 at the end of this term. It's some strange Australian thing wherest Year 11 is only 3 terms because the last term of year 12 is for the HSC and you need a whole year for 12 and... yeah anyways I get to take final exams at the end of September...
Yep I even have to take the exams even though I'll only have the term 3 material. I guess I better go and play some catch-up...
Talk to everyone later,
E(Liz)abeth