Rottnest Island: Paradise off the Coast of Australia.

Instead of doing homework, we took a weekend trip to the beautiful Rottnest Island. After waking up bright and early at 6 am, the lot of us took a rocky 25 minute ferry ride and arrived ready to take on the day.

The 24 of us reserved 3 campsites right by the beach. On the walk there, we found our first quokka. Obviously, we were stoked to see these small happy animals. Over the weekend we would come to realize that these animals are EVERYWHERE. Seriously, all over the place. They aren't afraid of humans either, so they would hang out under the picnic tables, wander into your campsites, and into the busiest parts of town.

how could you not love these things?

We set up our tents, went into town and found a delicious bakery full of sweet baked goods and coffee. It then did not take us long to hit the beautiful beach. The water was so clear, and there was a lighthouse right there as well. It was the perfect spot to camp.  

After hanging out on the beach for a while, a small group of us hired bicycles for three hours, and set out to explore the island. With no plan, and no map, we started riding. We found beaches, beaches and more beaches that got prettier and prettier.

We wandered to the middle of the island and found the Salt Lakes. They are these big lakes that are used for research. You could see piles and piles of pure salt where the water met the sand. The water in the lakes was so stunningly blue and bright.

Bike Gang

We then headed up to Oliver Hill, where there is the original World War II cannon that was used to defend the port city of Fremantle during that time. It was actually never fired. But from this viewpoint, you could see so much of the island, and it was stunning.

the salt lakes in the background

That night was spent at the beach, taking in the sunset and hanging out as a group. It was great fun to get to know everyone better and just relax at the beach on this gorgeous island.

We woke up at 5:45 the next morning to see the sunrise. Myself, sleeping bag wrapped around me, and the majority of the group went up to the lighthouse and watched in awe as the sun rose over the city of Perth 22 kilometers away.

Perth on the left

The rest of the day was spent at a beach we had stumbled upon the day before on our bike ride, Geordie Bay.

Then we caught the 4:30 ferry back to the mainland. Rottnest Island was such a beautiful and fantastic place. We had such an amazing weekend exploring another one of the great experiences that Australia has to offer. An unforgettable weekend of quokkas, beaches, sun, and friends.

From the Bluff to the Beach

Its that time again- time for textbooks, homework, essays and exams. After so much traveling and exploring, our extended winter break is coming to a close. But I'm trading the cold and rainy campus of University of Portland for the warm and sunny campus of University of Notre Dame, Fremantle.

While I'm here I am taking 5 classes- English, Public Health and Promotion, Ethics, Australian History, and Archaeology. Each class is broken down into a two hour lecture period and a one hour tutorial (called tutes for short) only once a week. Its definitely going to be an adjustment to only having a class once a week, when at UP it would be two or three times a week- but this leaves plenty of extra time to study (or go to the beach).

One difference that I will definitely have to work on is calling my professors by their first name. The classroom setting in Australia is definitely more informal than in the states. Also, they don't even call them professors- its lecturer or tutor. But every lecturer and tutor that I have interacted with here has been welcoming and friendly to all of us study abroad students. They are laid back- but not so much where it interferes with our learning, and its been great so far.

The grading system here is probably the most different. Your grade is based on maybe 4 things at most- an essay, a presentation, a group project, and a final exam. This means that there is more riding on each assignment, and less opportunities to raise your grade if for some reason one assignment doesn't go well. Can you say pressure…

I have loved having classes with Australians though. Its nice to have a few familiar faces in my class (I don't think I have one class without at least one other student from UP), but we are trying our best to branch out and meet as many people as we can while we are here, and make the most of this opportunity. The classroom is one of the only places to meet other Australian students anyway, since most other students commute to school.

I am super excited to be at the University of Notre Dame this semester, and to experience university life in a different country.

First day of school :)

Roomie love- and a photo bomb by Bryan

To Wander

My first day in Australia I spent by myself, exploring the city of Perth. The dorms weren't open until the next day, so I had some time to kill. I checked into my hotel, took a much needed shower after spending so much time in an airport and on a plane, and headed out with a map in one hand and a camera in the other.

The first thing I did was head towards the water. Swan River runs right through the middle of the city, and provides opportunities for really awesome riverside parks, boat docks, restaurants, and piers.

Perth is also home to one of the most unique bell towers I've ever witnessed during my travels, surrounded by some crazy art, and a twist on the classic lock bridge that is all over Europe.

I continued to wander, and found my favorite statues to ever exist. As if I needed a reminder about what country I was in.

One of my favorite places I found was St. George's Cathedral. Its right smack in the middle of the city, yet seems untouched by the urban life surrounding it. I was able to go inside and was instantly transported to Europe. It's not the biggest cathedral, yet still feels grand. It had such a nice charm to it, I didn't want to leave.

Perth is also home to some fancy schmancy shops and has a sizable shopping area. All the classics- Gucci, Coach, Louis Vuitton etc etc etc… but there was a tiny little alleyway that was of its own genre. I felt like I was on a movie set, the street was so different from the surrounding streets. It was like old time London. It even had flags flying with Shakespeare's face on them. There were also some really funky souvenir shops along the way, I loved it.

It was weird walking around without Abbey, but traveling by yourself can be really liberating. I could just wander and not have any sort of plan- just sort of go where I wanted and follow what seemed interesting to me. I had time to myself to reflect on my trip. I felt mature and like an actual adult (who knew) navigating the city. It can definitely be intimidating because of the horror stories out there, and honestly, I was sort of nervous. But it was an amazing day, and I was able to experience a different side of traveling.

The next morning I got ready and headed to this cool cafe I had walked by the day before for breakfast. I had my first Australian coffee and delicious pancakes at E Sense Cafe. Everyone around me was off to work- hustling and bustling around the streets in their professional dress.

Then it was time to head down to Fremantle, and start my study abroad adventure at University of Notre Dame Australia. Here's to the next four months!

Our Last Days in New Zealand

One of our last stops in New Zealand was Queenstown. This is a place where anything can, and usually does, happen. This town is full of adventure, excitement, fun, and has something for everyone to enjoy. 

The first thing we did was kayak on the lake. It was such a beautiful morning, and a perfect day to be out on the water. I left the directing to Abbey- the pro kayaker. It was so cool to see the town from a different perspective.

We spent the afternoon hanging around town, relaxing on the beach, feeding the ducks and exploring the various cafes that Queenstown has to offer. 

The most delicious Banana Chocolate Cakes- Vudu Cafe 

Before being attacked by Ducks and Seagulls

Later that day I took a trip up the Gondola. You could see so much more of the lake, the mountains that surround the town, and it was amazing. There was a restaurant up there, various gift shops, candy stores, and you could even go luging down the side of the hill.

The next day was a day full of adventure- bungy jumping. Abbey and I had been talking about this day for months and months, and needless to say I was nervous. It was something I never really saw myself doing. But I am so happy I did. 

I thought this was the funniest thing in the world... 

The before- trying to hide how nervous I was. 

Abbey went first, and then it was my turn. When you are standing on the ledge, the workers distract you and talk to you about random stuff, and then all of the sudden they countdown from 3 and you just go. You jump. It was the craziest thing. I felt out of body- like I was in a dream and I wasn't actually jumping off a bridge. My heart was in my stomach, and then all of the sudden I was just swinging there, dangling off the bridge. It was the most intense thing I have ever done. 

After you jump, you are just sort of hanging there, and some guys come and lower you into a raft and unhook you. I was so amped up I couldn't stop smiling- it was such a strange feeling, but definitely one of the best moments of the trip. 

The after- so proud of us!

Nothing could compare to our experience in Queenstown, and New Zealand in general. We packed so many activities into the small amount of time we were there; we took advantage of every second. Abbey and I are so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to explore this magnificent country and New Zealand will always be in our hearts. Until next time ♥♥♥