Week 3 Already!

I can't believe it is already March 17! I have realized I suck at writing in this blog as it has been 12 days since my last post. I also told myself I was going to write in a journal every night, so I remember all the awesome stuff I do here. I have also failed at that! School has gotten in the way of all of it, but I am having some awesome fun as well, I'm also finding school really fun. I know that is super nerdy of me to say, but I'm really enjoying my four law classes, well three of them anyways. I really dislike contracts, and I think i'm going to end up being self-taught in that class, because well, my prof is really good at talking to himself. But Torts, Legal Systems, and Criminal Law are all pretty awesome. But anyways, I know you're not reading this to hear about my interestingly boring classes, but to hear how awesome Australia is.

So I honestly can't remember what has happened since March 5, which was my last post, so I have brought up my calendar to see which events I have gone to since then. So besides going to class, I have reading, and reading, and reading. I swear you have to put in a minimum 20 hours of reading a week on top of your classes. Which is why on the 9th, Meena, Renee, and I had a girls night. We needed a break, so we ordered pizza, and drank some wine, in my tiny dorm room, my room is always the get together room cause its got Air Conditioning. Also on that night, we tried Tim Tams for the very first time, Tim Tams are the greatest cookie I have ever had. They are so hard to describe, but it's sort of like two chocolate wafers with chocolate mousse in the middle then coated in chocolate. One would think that they would be way to chocolatey, but it is just the perfect amount of yummy, delicious chocolate. I will be bringing some home when I come. Just so everybody can experience the amazingness of a Tim Tam. 

On the 11th, I attended a graduate careers expo, and was very disappointed that you have to be an Australian citizen to get any type of job here, it wasn't really that informative for me, so I got up early for no reason. That afternoon, Meena and I caught a train into the city, we are fortunate that there is a train stope on campus, although it is very much a swamp land. 

(Perfect place to hide a body)

Once in the city, we went for lunch and a drink along honeysuckle which is right along the harbour, it is such a beautiful area, full of exotic flowers and big ships, very peaceful, I think I'm going to find a place around there next year to live. 

After lunch we made our way to the legal center, to listen to Hon. Michael Kirby, Chair of the UN Commision of Inquiry on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, speak. He was amazing! He discussed North Korea and Human Rights, and what the UN is doing in regards to the issue of North Korea. The speech was over an hour, but I wish he was given more time, because he would have gone into more detail. I could have sat there for hours just listening to him speak, it is something I am so interested in.  After the speech, we went to Darby street and found a Thai restaurant where we had supper, where I had the best pad thai ever! I'll never be able to eat it in Regina agin, because it was just so full of flavour and deliciousness here.

Friday the 14th was a busy day, Criminal Law all day, well for half a day, because I only half class till noon. After class I rushed home and changed, and packed for my trip to Sydney! Amber won AFL tickets and I won via rock, paper, scissors elimination to go with her. We caught the train to Sydney from Newcastle, it's a 2.5 hour train ride, but it's only $8.60 which is a pretty good deal. It was a long ride, but that's because we were so excited to be going to Sydney. Amber's friend was singing at the Opera house, so we got tickets to watch her. Once we got off the train, we dropped our bags off and went to meet them at the Opera Bar. The opera bar, is oh my goodness gorgeous, but OMG expensive! You're paying for the view with your drinks!

That was the view from the supper table where I was sitting, just gorgeous. I was being such a tourist and taking so many pictures. But I was just in awe at the beauty that surrounded me. Including these two gorgeous ladies, Amber and Alya (who was singing at the opera house and was such an amazing host as she let us stay in her house as well).

At 8:00, we made our way to the opera house, and found our seats for the show. The opera house was very underwhelming, I though it would be extravagant on the inside, but it's just plain jane ordinary, except for the pipe organ, which I was just in awe over. But I'll let you decide for yourself. Here are some pictures of what the inside looks like.

As underwhelming as the inside was, the show did not disappoint. It was called Russian Daydreams, and the orchestra played pieces by Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev.  Then there was this guy...

If you're going to pay $140 to sleep, I will let you buy me tickets and I will watch the show for you! After the show we had drinks at the opera bar for a few hours and met some awesome people, the Alya took us home to sleep. Stefan, Alya's husband blew up the air mattress for us, so we didn't have to sleep on the floor. Once again I must reiterate how nice these people are.

On Sunday morning, we got up for breakfast, and I had eggs benedict for the very first time in my life, it was very delicious. then we went shopping before we made our way back to the harbour, to take the ferry to olympic stadium. The ferry ride was amazing, I saw so much of Sydney that I wouldn't have seen if I took the train to the stadium.

The Opera House

A cruise ship and the bridge (which you can climb all the way to the top of)

The amazing Opera House again

A Pirate Ship (For re-enactments)

A really cool propeller of the back of a ferry

A Mansion

It was an hour ferry ride, and that is also when the sun decided to come out, so I got a little red in the face. The AFL game was amazing, the Australian football league is nothing like the Canadian football league. It has no rules, and it is very violent, people were kicking, and punching, and choking each other. All I got from the game was that, if you get the ball between the middle two posts, the team scores 6 points, but if you get it between either of the side posts, it's only 2 points. The Giants ended up beating the Swans, 99-69. It was an intense game and I would definitely go back and see another one. The atmosphere was electrifying, literally and metaphorically. Here are some pics from the game.

The stadium, (looks like its going to storm)

Here comes the lightening

The inside of olympic stadium (downpour ensued)

$5 garbage bag ponchos, so wet, so cold.

What's up with the short shorts? (Anyone got an answer for me?)

The guys in pink are the water boys, because they don't have offensive or defensive lines, the players don't get a break unless they pull themselves out.

The Giants bench (once again short shorts)

The posts I was referring to which the players have to get the ball through for points

Fighting for the football

After the game, we missed the bus, because we had to use the washroom, so we caught the train to central station at 8:23 and missed the early train to Newcastle, so we bought tickets for the 10:45 train. Since we had time to kill in Sydney till our train left, we found a backpackers bar, and had a few beers, met some really creepy guys, bought some Hungry Jacks, which wasn't very good, its supposed to be exactly like Burger King, but its not. They just name there burgers whoppers and have onion rings, but they are different. I was very disappointed in the food. But we managed to get on the train, and make our way back to Newcastle, we arrived back home at 2:00 in the morning. Train stations are scary in the morning, thankfully, Amber's friend Mike picked us up and took us home. Yesterday was a catch up day cause I had to much fun in Sydney and didn't get much studying done.

Now it's week 3 of school, and it is going to be an action packed week, Thursday is my only free night this week, and hopefully it stays that way, because it will be full of readings. If you are lucky enough to be facebook friends with me, you can check out the video of the game, and a video of a piece from the opera house. So that has been my past 10 days, action packed and reading packed.

Have a fun and relaxing week!