And another portion of my life comes to an end...
...with the whimper of the Lamb rather than the roar of the Lion. Should I really be surprised at this point? Probably not, but still.
First though, I probably owe one HELL of a 'Quick Recap' bit. I've been in grand old Perth, Australia since mid-February. Staying at Murdoch University with all of 3 classes to keep my intellectual side occupied. Yeah, right. XD Instead, its been mostly a very long and involved vacation type period with flatmates and other social denizens that I have met. Drinking, partying, sitting around a hookah smoking some shisha (bet you didn't see THAT one coming), and generally relaxing in the Australian air, sun, etc. Okay, okay, so it is a tad bit more involved than that, but let me take it one step at a time.
Coming over here was an exercise in jumping through plenty of hoops and hurdles back home. Wofford's Study Abroad office is pretty tight and together when it comes to things, but paperwork is paperwork and there is no way to get around it. Booking flights once I was accepted and assured the trip was solid was an exercise in abusing a good Father-Son relationship and getting my dad to do it. I may be many things as a son, including manipulative to a degree, but at least I am honest enough to admit that I did it. That was back around...oh...late October maybe? Tough to remember it off the top of my head given the hour here (2 AM ish). After that point, it was all about the packing and the looking forward to it all.
I came via the C.I.E.E. program of international study...and they are pretty good at looking after us students. Picked up right from the airport, despite being pushed back a flight thanks to a screw-up in Sydney with luggage. Not quite looking forward to my route back through L.A.X. for the same reasons I dreaded Sydney really...not to mention L.A.X. customs are hella strict compared to Sydney. Orientations occurred, weeks progressed, classes started. Yada, yada, yada. Met with my flatmates as well, one of which being another CIEE student as well...Athena Drosos. Sadly, we never did get along too well during my time here.
Two of her good friends, Kate Willis and Alexis Millet, on the other hand...those two are pretty cool cats. Huzzah jazzy/hippy isms. Kate's a fun one to be around, just a bit on the quiet side if there is any low point. Alexis...well...she's been something of a problem to me lately, and its all within my own mind really. Pretty sexy, no doubt about that, and a great personality. Almost another 'Lotus Blossom' type of gal. Which has caused quite a few problems as the days left here run out on me. Maybe I ought to have tried going for a relationship with her...maybe...but I came over Down Unda with a long distance relationship with Courtney. I really do realize that I made a very, very bad decision in trying to pull that one off. The relationship hadn't developed nearly as far as it needed to in order to survive a 14. (and later only 12) hour time shift, despite already being a long-distance relationship before I even made it to Australian shores.
Well, as it stands, I am very much in a troublesome situation given how sweet I am on Alexis these days. She is the type of girl that I really do wish I had the chance to be intimate with. Not now. Its far too late and even now her relationship back home with Alex has rekindled itself to full strength. That will be one very hard goodbye to make. Very hard indeed. I'm left at a loss at how to even *try* and make that goodbye, since I can at once ruin the good friendship for eternity or make it to the point where it is a friendship that will last lifetimes regardless of what happens to either of us. It doesn't help that I can visit her pretty easily whenever I make the interesting trek to visit family up in NJ on my own when I do get back to the US. Grwar.
That aside...there are a couple of other people here that I will find it quite difficult to say goodbye to as well...and I realize that I am jumping subjects yet again from the initial timeline recap that I had intended to make tonight. Doesn't help that I have moved to smoking more Shisha with some pals. The 'Brown Brotherhood' so to speak. Ashley John, one of my flatmates and the man in question on this sub-rant, as well as Ruban and a couple of other folks. Including the other honoraries like Ed and Andre. More people I'll miss. ;_; Still, Ash is a great guy, one helluva natural musician on both the keyboard and the guitar. I'll be bringing back some great stuff from him, which ironically melds quite well into the same grooves like Rob Dougan's instrumental work and similar artists. Has a talent for mixing music regardless if he has played a part in the initial creation too. AND he's the guy that started the whole hookah craze, myself getting into it as well. Better a social experience than drinking or smoking cigarettes, that's for sure. The latter of which I still will never do, for fear of my lungs as is with asthma.
Sabrina Brient, one of my other flatmates, is also a very cool girl to be around. Even more so since she has started going out with Javaid, another of the Shisha crew. Short, spunky, and one hell of a personality. She doesn't take any kind of shit when it comes to wanting the flat cleaned up...whether it is for a Flat Walkthrough/Inspection or not. Willie is almost a total opposite, girl charmer and a *literal* prince back in Africa. I'd rather not mention his country, since I'd have to go into the politics that revolve around his life as well, which I would rather not go and do right now. Or ever. He's got enough stress as is without me spreading about any kind of gossip and whatnot about his life. The only thing I will say is that he seems to have girls over every night doing lord knows what. Girls. Plural. Man it is insane when there is drama involving him.
Alright, back to the timeline of things as well. Classes were alright, and I did run into drama/issues with Athena, but at the mid-semester break the Northwest Trip came about. Two weeks free of Athena and all the issues between us. Bad blood got buried during it too, apparently, given how the rest of the semester evolved. Let me explain, I suppose since I need to, what the Northwest Trip is. It is a 10-day trip into the Outback itself, and is a HUGE thing for the international students here through the CIEE program as well as one of its sister programs. Karajini National Park was A-Fucking-MAZING! Loved the views and the hikes there...I really doubt there is a parallel to the peaceful and awesome atmosphere there at all. Grand Canyon can't hold a candle to the place. At all. Follow that up with Coral Bay and relaxation on the coast on the way back, well, its an experience that I really think made the entire trip to Australia on its own. Seriously, it is that awesome.
Second half of the semester rolled around afterwards, and I was honestly surprised with how peaceful everything seemed to be between the 'bad blood' relationship between Athena and I. Might have been because of the honest and clear cut conversation I had with Kate and Alexis on the trip when our groups met up. In all honesty, I hope that really was the case, even if lately the sarcastic comments and disparaging remarks have revived with the end of the semester being right around the corner.
Triple Crown was a slight disappointment given that it basically was the Row back home, only at one of the clubs here, and costing money. Instead, I stuck about the flat with the Shisha Revolt that was going on, drinking and smoking the night away in mellow bliss. That was also my birthday weekend, which went on a similarly mellow and enjoyable note actually. No complaints there at all, despite what others might have thought given that it was my 21st. I've had other parties going on this past week that were higher energy anyway to make up for it...not that I needed them to...but that they happened given the week-long study break between end of classes and the two weeks of exams. Still lazy as hell and haven't studied, but my first exam is this coming Friday, so I'm not too concerned at all about it.
Oh! And that reminds me...Tav nights. Haven't covered those yet. In short, I looked forward to those about as aptly as I did the weekends at the Row. One night, true, but it starts the weekend off right. Some of the Tav nights were theme parties to boot, which made for a while load of fun times and lewd innuendo as well. Loved them too. Had quite a few blasts, particularly since I've finally gotten a taste for beer. Real beer, not Bud Light piss, mind. Also been hooked on Strongbow brand hard apple cider too. That won't be a habit that will die off when I get back at all...its killed Vodka as my top drink. Hell I hardly drink Vodka anymore come to think about it. Can't get Grey Goose around here...had to 'settle' for Absolute. Hell, given how expensive ALL kinds of alcohol is over here...I'd shudder to think how expensive the Goose would have been anyway. I've been sticking to Strongbow given how good it tastes to me, and how cheap I can get an entire case of the stuff. Twenty-four stubbies of the stuff...for $45-$48 dollars depending on the variety (Sweet, Original, Dry) and the specials running at the Kardinia bottle shop. I can't complain. Whoo.
What else can I say? I really haven't missed much while I have been here. Maybe certain dishes of home cooking...mostly the Italian stuff that I haven't been able to replicate with adjusted recipes over here...New York Pizza nights with my father...Jeff and Austin with the Halo nights...a few small things too. Given the people here, however...I really, REALLY do not miss the rich Southern attitude that permeates Wofford in the least. Perth has been amazing to me, in short, and I may actually come back here depending on how things develop back home with graduating from Wofford. By coming back, I mean Ph.D work at that. It'll be fantastic if I do, but it just depends on a lot of variables back home, including possible contacts with the ICAR institute that Clemson has been running. We'll see. We shall see.
First though, I probably owe one HELL of a 'Quick Recap' bit. I've been in grand old Perth, Australia since mid-February. Staying at Murdoch University with all of 3 classes to keep my intellectual side occupied. Yeah, right. XD Instead, its been mostly a very long and involved vacation type period with flatmates and other social denizens that I have met. Drinking, partying, sitting around a hookah smoking some shisha (bet you didn't see THAT one coming), and generally relaxing in the Australian air, sun, etc. Okay, okay, so it is a tad bit more involved than that, but let me take it one step at a time.
Coming over here was an exercise in jumping through plenty of hoops and hurdles back home. Wofford's Study Abroad office is pretty tight and together when it comes to things, but paperwork is paperwork and there is no way to get around it. Booking flights once I was accepted and assured the trip was solid was an exercise in abusing a good Father-Son relationship and getting my dad to do it. I may be many things as a son, including manipulative to a degree, but at least I am honest enough to admit that I did it. That was back around...oh...late October maybe? Tough to remember it off the top of my head given the hour here (2 AM ish). After that point, it was all about the packing and the looking forward to it all.
I came via the C.I.E.E. program of international study...and they are pretty good at looking after us students. Picked up right from the airport, despite being pushed back a flight thanks to a screw-up in Sydney with luggage. Not quite looking forward to my route back through L.A.X. for the same reasons I dreaded Sydney really...not to mention L.A.X. customs are hella strict compared to Sydney. Orientations occurred, weeks progressed, classes started. Yada, yada, yada. Met with my flatmates as well, one of which being another CIEE student as well...Athena Drosos. Sadly, we never did get along too well during my time here.
Two of her good friends, Kate Willis and Alexis Millet, on the other hand...those two are pretty cool cats. Huzzah jazzy/hippy isms. Kate's a fun one to be around, just a bit on the quiet side if there is any low point. Alexis...well...she's been something of a problem to me lately, and its all within my own mind really. Pretty sexy, no doubt about that, and a great personality. Almost another 'Lotus Blossom' type of gal. Which has caused quite a few problems as the days left here run out on me. Maybe I ought to have tried going for a relationship with her...maybe...but I came over Down Unda with a long distance relationship with Courtney. I really do realize that I made a very, very bad decision in trying to pull that one off. The relationship hadn't developed nearly as far as it needed to in order to survive a 14. (and later only 12) hour time shift, despite already being a long-distance relationship before I even made it to Australian shores.
Well, as it stands, I am very much in a troublesome situation given how sweet I am on Alexis these days. She is the type of girl that I really do wish I had the chance to be intimate with. Not now. Its far too late and even now her relationship back home with Alex has rekindled itself to full strength. That will be one very hard goodbye to make. Very hard indeed. I'm left at a loss at how to even *try* and make that goodbye, since I can at once ruin the good friendship for eternity or make it to the point where it is a friendship that will last lifetimes regardless of what happens to either of us. It doesn't help that I can visit her pretty easily whenever I make the interesting trek to visit family up in NJ on my own when I do get back to the US. Grwar.
That aside...there are a couple of other people here that I will find it quite difficult to say goodbye to as well...and I realize that I am jumping subjects yet again from the initial timeline recap that I had intended to make tonight. Doesn't help that I have moved to smoking more Shisha with some pals. The 'Brown Brotherhood' so to speak. Ashley John, one of my flatmates and the man in question on this sub-rant, as well as Ruban and a couple of other folks. Including the other honoraries like Ed and Andre. More people I'll miss. ;_; Still, Ash is a great guy, one helluva natural musician on both the keyboard and the guitar. I'll be bringing back some great stuff from him, which ironically melds quite well into the same grooves like Rob Dougan's instrumental work and similar artists. Has a talent for mixing music regardless if he has played a part in the initial creation too. AND he's the guy that started the whole hookah craze, myself getting into it as well. Better a social experience than drinking or smoking cigarettes, that's for sure. The latter of which I still will never do, for fear of my lungs as is with asthma.
Sabrina Brient, one of my other flatmates, is also a very cool girl to be around. Even more so since she has started going out with Javaid, another of the Shisha crew. Short, spunky, and one hell of a personality. She doesn't take any kind of shit when it comes to wanting the flat cleaned up...whether it is for a Flat Walkthrough/Inspection or not. Willie is almost a total opposite, girl charmer and a *literal* prince back in Africa. I'd rather not mention his country, since I'd have to go into the politics that revolve around his life as well, which I would rather not go and do right now. Or ever. He's got enough stress as is without me spreading about any kind of gossip and whatnot about his life. The only thing I will say is that he seems to have girls over every night doing lord knows what. Girls. Plural. Man it is insane when there is drama involving him.
Alright, back to the timeline of things as well. Classes were alright, and I did run into drama/issues with Athena, but at the mid-semester break the Northwest Trip came about. Two weeks free of Athena and all the issues between us. Bad blood got buried during it too, apparently, given how the rest of the semester evolved. Let me explain, I suppose since I need to, what the Northwest Trip is. It is a 10-day trip into the Outback itself, and is a HUGE thing for the international students here through the CIEE program as well as one of its sister programs. Karajini National Park was A-Fucking-MAZING! Loved the views and the hikes there...I really doubt there is a parallel to the peaceful and awesome atmosphere there at all. Grand Canyon can't hold a candle to the place. At all. Follow that up with Coral Bay and relaxation on the coast on the way back, well, its an experience that I really think made the entire trip to Australia on its own. Seriously, it is that awesome.
Second half of the semester rolled around afterwards, and I was honestly surprised with how peaceful everything seemed to be between the 'bad blood' relationship between Athena and I. Might have been because of the honest and clear cut conversation I had with Kate and Alexis on the trip when our groups met up. In all honesty, I hope that really was the case, even if lately the sarcastic comments and disparaging remarks have revived with the end of the semester being right around the corner.
Triple Crown was a slight disappointment given that it basically was the Row back home, only at one of the clubs here, and costing money. Instead, I stuck about the flat with the Shisha Revolt that was going on, drinking and smoking the night away in mellow bliss. That was also my birthday weekend, which went on a similarly mellow and enjoyable note actually. No complaints there at all, despite what others might have thought given that it was my 21st. I've had other parties going on this past week that were higher energy anyway to make up for it...not that I needed them to...but that they happened given the week-long study break between end of classes and the two weeks of exams. Still lazy as hell and haven't studied, but my first exam is this coming Friday, so I'm not too concerned at all about it.
Oh! And that reminds me...Tav nights. Haven't covered those yet. In short, I looked forward to those about as aptly as I did the weekends at the Row. One night, true, but it starts the weekend off right. Some of the Tav nights were theme parties to boot, which made for a while load of fun times and lewd innuendo as well. Loved them too. Had quite a few blasts, particularly since I've finally gotten a taste for beer. Real beer, not Bud Light piss, mind. Also been hooked on Strongbow brand hard apple cider too. That won't be a habit that will die off when I get back at all...its killed Vodka as my top drink. Hell I hardly drink Vodka anymore come to think about it. Can't get Grey Goose around here...had to 'settle' for Absolute. Hell, given how expensive ALL kinds of alcohol is over here...I'd shudder to think how expensive the Goose would have been anyway. I've been sticking to Strongbow given how good it tastes to me, and how cheap I can get an entire case of the stuff. Twenty-four stubbies of the stuff...for $45-$48 dollars depending on the variety (Sweet, Original, Dry) and the specials running at the Kardinia bottle shop. I can't complain. Whoo.
What else can I say? I really haven't missed much while I have been here. Maybe certain dishes of home cooking...mostly the Italian stuff that I haven't been able to replicate with adjusted recipes over here...New York Pizza nights with my father...Jeff and Austin with the Halo nights...a few small things too. Given the people here, however...I really, REALLY do not miss the rich Southern attitude that permeates Wofford in the least. Perth has been amazing to me, in short, and I may actually come back here depending on how things develop back home with graduating from Wofford. By coming back, I mean Ph.D work at that. It'll be fantastic if I do, but it just depends on a lot of variables back home, including possible contacts with the ICAR institute that Clemson has been running. We'll see. We shall see.