Up date from downunder
This weekend marked one month since I left the states. It really doesn’t seem like it’s been that long. In the short time that I’ve been here I feel like I’ve made some really good friends, and I’m starting to find my way around pretty well. Classes started 2 weeks ago, and they’re going quite nicely. I’ve also gotten really involved in the hall where I’m living. I played hockey last week, and tennis next (I don’t really know what I’m doing, but they really just need participation, which is good for me.) I’ve also been kayaking with the Mountaineering club, (I’m also signed up for rock climbing with them).
This weekend I went to Namadgi National Park, with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA). Three days and 30 mosquito bites later I have to admit that it was an amazing weekend. There were 6 volunteers, all from AustraLearn (i.e. Americans on exchange). We left Friday morning, and reached the park around noon. We spent the arvo (slang for afternoon) cutting back plants that had grown over one of the paths. After an evening of eating and getting to know everyone, a few of us headed outside to look at the stars. We were far away from lights of any city and there was a new moon, which made the night sky black and absolutely amazing to see. There were a few familiar constellations (of course they all seemed upside down to me, so it took some time to get my stars flipped in my head), and there was a lot of stuff I didn’t know. Although I was able to pick out the southern cross, the pointers, and even the small and large Magellanic clouds. After that amazing evening I felt like I really need to find some astronomy people while I’m here!
On Saturday we did more trail clean-up during the morning, and in the arvo we went on a hike to an aboriginal rock art painting site. It has been dated back at least 800 years, but it could be as old as 3,700 years. We were all pretty tired after such a long day of work and hiking, but we still enjoyed the evening with a camp fire while treating our CVA guide with the American classic dessert s’mores. It wasn’t quite the same b/c the marshmallows came in vanilla and raspberry flavors, and they didn’t have real gram crackers but we made it work. On Sunday morning we marked rabbit holes for eradication (b/c they are an introduced species they really wreaking havoc on the natural system). All in all, the weekend involved a lot of work, but it was really rewarding to see the park and realize what an amazing place it truly is. Heading back to Canberra in the arvo was a little sad, but all in all I had a great time.
There is so much more to tell about my experiences here, but I won’t subject you all to a novel of my experiences. I just have to say that I am so glad that I’m here.
This weekend I went to Namadgi National Park, with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA). Three days and 30 mosquito bites later I have to admit that it was an amazing weekend. There were 6 volunteers, all from AustraLearn (i.e. Americans on exchange). We left Friday morning, and reached the park around noon. We spent the arvo (slang for afternoon) cutting back plants that had grown over one of the paths. After an evening of eating and getting to know everyone, a few of us headed outside to look at the stars. We were far away from lights of any city and there was a new moon, which made the night sky black and absolutely amazing to see. There were a few familiar constellations (of course they all seemed upside down to me, so it took some time to get my stars flipped in my head), and there was a lot of stuff I didn’t know. Although I was able to pick out the southern cross, the pointers, and even the small and large Magellanic clouds. After that amazing evening I felt like I really need to find some astronomy people while I’m here!
On Saturday we did more trail clean-up during the morning, and in the arvo we went on a hike to an aboriginal rock art painting site. It has been dated back at least 800 years, but it could be as old as 3,700 years. We were all pretty tired after such a long day of work and hiking, but we still enjoyed the evening with a camp fire while treating our CVA guide with the American classic dessert s’mores. It wasn’t quite the same b/c the marshmallows came in vanilla and raspberry flavors, and they didn’t have real gram crackers but we made it work. On Sunday morning we marked rabbit holes for eradication (b/c they are an introduced species they really wreaking havoc on the natural system). All in all, the weekend involved a lot of work, but it was really rewarding to see the park and realize what an amazing place it truly is. Heading back to Canberra in the arvo was a little sad, but all in all I had a great time.
There is so much more to tell about my experiences here, but I won’t subject you all to a novel of my experiences. I just have to say that I am so glad that I’m here.