Adventurous Weekend

This will soon be published in the Leader at Fredonia.

A class at CQUniversity solely for non-award students (i.e. international exchange students) teaches us how to scuba dive, sail, canoe, and kayak. It encourages us to get involved physically with the different environment by providing us with opportunities to explore with the class and supporting us on our own adventures. After a few sessions of pool dives and theory, I was finally cleared for open water dives. The guys from Chicago and I took a bus over to the nearest harbor last Saturday. We started on the slowest boat in the harbor which took over 2 hours to make it to Outer Rock. This beautiful rock is near the end of the Great Barrier reef and was home to many wonderful creatures. As my dive log states: we got the chance to touch the backs of wabbygong sharks while watching them feed and hold a feathered starfish during the first dive. The second dive we saw a tawny shark swim nearby. The corals and fish that surrounded us were beautiful to watch when I wasn’t concentrating on staying at the correct level to not run into the coral on the bottom. Despite trying to not get injured during the dives, I left both dives with scratches and cuts below the knee and bloody noses. Even though we only went 12 meters underwater, a bloody nose still turns the water in your mask green. This is a very interesting thing to notice and confused me a bit. (Red light is the first to be absorbed by the water.) A few hours later we arrived back at the harbor after seeing a dolphin and turtle on the ride. After returning to college we raced to dinner then for me off to church youth group.

At the end of youth group my friend and I decided instead of returning to College to study or do something productive, we would ride his motorcycle up Mount Archer. This took about 5 minutes. The look out was a beautiful place to see Rockhampton at night time and to attempt to see a word written out of the street lights. A hour or so later it got cold enough to return to College but not for long. Since I left my cell phone on the mountain we convinced another friend to drive us up then explored the residential areas on the mountain.

Sunday afternoon: While doing some of the required work for the week I was offered the chance to go rock climbing. It’s been awhile since I went for a climb and I’ve never gone outdoor climbing so I jumped at the chance. We grabbed the ropes, harnesses, and gear the headed over to Mount Archer. The area was on the other side of the mountain as the look-out and provided an amazing view. After two awesome climbs each on trails set-up by our “guide’s” friends we returned. I loved the opportunities to explore the area both above and below sea level this past weekend and look forward to additional dives. My leg scratches and bruises as still a reminder of the wonderful times. Well more adventures await: This weekend I will try caving.
G’day,
Kathryn

Last few weeks in brief format

The last month has been very busy with weekend trips, Easter break, and many fun adventures. I hope to write more about each of these things in more detail later but don't have time right now.
After the camping trip I traveled with friends to Mt Tamborine for Connexions, a weekend conference with Student Life (part of Campus Crusade for Christ). It was similar to Expedition but for the whole state of Queensland. This blog is handwritten just needs typed... but that was Friday-Sunday in March 27th-29th.
The next week I turned in my first assignment. It was for my Science Education class and I received it back today...I got an HD (High Distinction...A).
That weekend I flew down to Brisbane to stay with Pauline, who I met at Connexions. After arriving we shopped around in downtown Brisbane and went out for Korean (she's from Singapore). On the way home I got a night time tour of UQ (University of Queeensland where Pauline and friends go to Uni).

Sunday: Owen's brother, Dave, (who stays in the same apartment as Pauline) drove us to church then Pauline and I went to Cleveland (2 hours train from the city). Owen's grandmother picked us up to take us out to a nearby island in Moreton Bay. After returning "home" Pauline, Dave, Dave's girlfriend Anna, Pauline's friend's brother who was visiting from Singapore, and I went up to the mountain overlooking Brisbane. Great view and awesome time.
Monday: Pauline had class so her friend Janelle took me to the free art gallery and museum on the South Bank of Brisbane. Then we met up with Pauline and another friend for lunch at the Pancake Manor. Afterward, Pauline and I met Owen to go to the artificial beach in Brisbane and hung out in the city. We left Owen at the bus then got kangaroo meat for dinner. It was very yummy. That night we watched a movie then Owen spent the night with his brother.
Tuesday: Pauline and I took the train down to the Gold Coast where we were supposed to go Sea World but went to a Wildlife Sanctuary for the day cause it rained. Very cool place. Once returning home Dave, Anna, Pauline, and I did a bible study then Dave and I watched a movie while my laundry washed for over two hours.

Wednesday: I took the bus up to the Australia Zoo (I survived hours of public transportation on my own). On the way back I stopped for two hours to view the Glass House Mountains. I couldn't get to any of the mountains but got good pictures of them in the distance. That night I joined Pauline and a few of her friends/housemates for Nandos. The movie of the night was Robin Hood Men in Tights (a great movie to watch which neither Dave nor I had seen for a long time).
Thursday: After an Easter service with the Christian group at UQ, Pauline gave me a day time tour including counting all 12ish colleges around the Uni. We then grabbed my stuff so I could catch the bus over to Toowoomba to continue my trip at Easterfest. Two hours after arriving in Toowoomba I got picked up to be driven to the campsite to start the nationwide Christian music festival.
Friday-Sunday: Camping in a tent surrounded by lots of people, good Christian music, and lots of friends from Rocky, Brisbane (Griffith people not UQ), Toowoomba, etc. Rain and mud added to the mix for the weekend.
Monday: After packing up the tents, we started the 8 hour trip home. Nothing productive happened once I got home but it was great to catch up with my college friends.
Tuesday-Friday: Typical college days filled with little study but lots of fun. For Tuesday night randomness ask me for pictures.
This past Saturday: I had the first two of my scuba dives for class. Despite getting bloody noses, scrapes, and sea sickness I was able to see and touch sharks, see turtles and dolphins, and explore the Great Barrier Reef. I have two more dives left before I'm fully certified. I returned home just in time to grab dinner and be late to Youth Group. Thankfully Owen waited for me: we biked over then went up to Mount Archer afterward. Since I left my phone there Josh drove the three of us back up about an hour.
Sunday: Church with Vanessa, schoolwork, then Milko asked if I wanted to go Rock Climbing. Of course I did so he, Josh, Kyle and I went back up to Mount Archer to climb. Great fun but added even more scars/bruises to below my knees. I returned in time to bicycle over to church with Owen. That was enough biking for me.
Monday: Shopping for groceries for my field placement. Milko dropped me off to get a 1 hour back massage while Sarah got her hair dyed and cut. Then we returned to campus so I could veg out for the next few hours (dr.'s orders). Then homework for the night.
Tuesday: Woke up really early to go to my first day of practicum at Parkhurst State School. I'm working with a Year 1/2 classroom. I get plenty of exercise biking the one and a half miles there and another back. The practicum is going really well and my teacher is wonderful. After prac, Sarah and Owen distracted me from doing my work which ended up being a huge mess in my room (bike helmet pieces some of which still remain after the cleaners came today), my sheets in the hallway, towels all over, and pillows in wrong rooms. O well the bruise from the pillow/towel fight looks wonderful in addition to my legs (I'm wearing pants not shorts anymore even if it is hot). Then we watched Around the Twist: an Australian tv show from the 90's with ghosts in every episode.
Today I had half a day of prac in the morning then class in the afternoon and Student Life at night. On Friday, I am going sailing for class, then Saturday is ANZAC day (labor day mostly) and a Great Aussie BBQ/Volleyball tournament between houses on college. Sunday I'm going with other international students (probably with a few other people added) to the Caves to go caving. That's all for now folks!