Brunetti - enough said.

A Day at the Races

Springtime in Melbourne signals the start of the Spring Carnival which is a series of racing events at Flemington Racing Grounds. We went to the biggest one hosted by Emirates airline, Melbourne Cup, its supposedly estimated to cost over a million dollars for the one day. I got a dress from this really cute store Bardot a few months ago and it was light pink and I wanted to get nude shoes. I found these beautiful shoes for super cheap at Novo shoes and then I needed to go get a hat or a fascinator. My friend Jess and I went to this big department store here called 'Myers' and they had an ENTIRE floor of just hats.

It was absolute chaos in the hat department, but it was a beautiful sight. The department was split up into colour coordinated sections and I fell in love with a bunch of the hats. I tried on a massive light pink hat with lace coming down over the face and then checked the price tag, 999$!!! The hats can be VERY expensive, I opted for a little cream fascinator with feathers coming off the top. I got a great deal for it because it was so close to the races. I was nervous when I got home that everything wouldn't match but I was really pleasantly surprised when it all came together!

The next day Ash drove me to my girlfriends house before the races. I made it 4 steps outside the front door and fell on the ground. It was so funny but made me SO wary of the next 5 hours at the races. Anyway we took a tram to the racecourse and when we got there it was POURING rain. I got off the tram and realized it was a massive walk to the front entrance, in the rain, in my 7 inch heels - DOWNHILL hahaha. I don't know how I made it but I did and the rain stopped right as we entered!

Once we were inside the grounds there was an array of outstanding outfits and hats. I was in fashion heaven! Two boys taught us how to bet and I bet on two horses. The favourite 'so you think' and just a random other one 'maluckyday'. And my two horses placed!!! But I bet on the win for 'so you think' and he came in third. But I won $11.50 for betting on 'maluckyday'! Not bad for a 20$ bet! The rain picked up again for the race but we had an umbrella luckily! We headed home after a successful races and I wish I was going to more! It's honestly something everyone should experience in a lifetime. The whole city shuts down for the Melbourne cup. Shops are closed and everything, it's crazy! An estimated 100,000 + people were at the races! Next time I'm wearing a MASSIVE hat.

I wish you were here to come Mom, and you too Monique. I could SO see the Harvison women out for a day at the races. We need to go colour coordinated! It's happening. I miss you all immensely you don't even know. I miss my family so much!!!

Love you all!
xo

Food, Fun & Frivolity in Fitzroy

I had such a great day today! It's so interesting in Melbourne the suburbs have such different vibes and people even though they are so close. We went to the next suburb over today, Fitzroy for lunch because we got a brochure in the mail for cheap fish and chips. We headed over and I just fell in love. It's where the Bikram Yoga studio is and it's just such a trendy area. There are some boutiquey shops and expensive stuff but it's all intermingled with thrift shops, coffee shops and open air restaurants. It's very artsy and all the buildings are old and there is graffiti everywhere.

We went to 'Hooked' for lunch and ate in their outside courtyard. It was so cute with little coloured lightbulbs hanging from the fence. It was really hot today, the sun was beating down so we sat in the shade. We both got fish and chips with James Squire beers, the first Australian beer! Tasted a lot like a Molson Canadian but Ash said 'please don't say that' so I revoked my statement haha. We then walked through the streets and window shopped. It was so nice. When we got back to Carlton everyone was out on the patio of these chic Italian bistros dressed to the nines and we were like 'shoot, we belong in Fitzroy in our jeans and t-shirts and student status'. Then our tuna steaks weren't defrosted for dinner yet so we went back to Bimbos an artsy bar in Fitzroy for 4$ pizzas! They were delicious homemade baked pizzas. The interior had a bunch of different tables and chairs and a bar in the centre with different jar and glass bottles hanging from the roof. It was so cute and we decided we have to make this more of a frequent occurrence. Not only is Fitzroy adorable and so interesting - but it's food is SO much cheaper than in ritzy Carlton!

The reality that is probably bad for my belt but better for my (ash's) wallet is that eating out is often so much cheaper than buying groceries here. We never buy fast food but when fresh fish and chips are cheaper than buying fruit it's hard to say no! We hit the grocery store after our dinner to buy fruit to make a salad and Ash spent 19$ while I spent 15$ on fruit and yogurt and milk. Painful. The market is our best friend here. We spent 100$ on fresh meat and fruit and veggies last week and we have a good 10 meals in our freezer now which is great! Ash's parents are coming to town to take us out for lunch this weekend so I'm looking forward to that.

Latest news, 3 essays and 1 exam to go until I am DONE my first semester! THEN we are going for a week to BALI!!! I am so excited.

I hope you're all well & i miss you terribly!

xo

Sarah

In the Land of OZ

I decided since I've been here three months now I'd tell you all the little differences and interesting things I've noticed while in Australia.

- they don't have orange cheese here, they have white cheddar but no orange cheddar cheese, I can't find it anywhere and I'm in desperation for a piece of old cheddar.

- they don't have 'ketchup' they call in tomato sauce and it tastes very similar

- their milk comes as whole, lite or skinny (2%, 1% or skim!)

- at coffee shops you can order lattes, short blacks, long blacks, cappucinos, baby cinos etc. no just plain old coffees

- at meals if you ask for water they give you a massive bottle of cold water and glasses for free, it's great!

- no free refills, anywhere.

- Melbourne has the most cafes and restaurants per square metre than anywhere else in the world!

- Their appetizers are called entrees, entrees are called mains & then of course dessert!

- You can absolutely not find a meal for under 10$, 20$ is average, even for a burger and fries.

- Their tram system is amazing, so fast and takes you anywhere in the city, nobody pays but if you're caught the fine is 170$ +

- They call McDonalds, Mac'rs even on commercials!

- The boys wear short shorts, really short shorts.

- People say 'reckon' a lot, including profs, they'll ask your opinion by "what do you reckon?"

- Their large is = to our small size in North America

- Sushi stands, they have so many sushi places where you just walk up and pay 2$ for a pre-made roll and eat it uncut in your hand

- Everything surrounds footy, it's a huge culture for aussies. The players you'll see at the gym or yoga class and they are just respected like none other. Australia has the second largest membership and fan base for their teams in the entire world just behind Manchester United.

- They love army boots, even girls, like little lace up boots, cute - but not my style

- Birkenstocks are like Grandma shoes here

- You can never be too dressed up and heels are always an option

- Prostitution is legal here! I don't like that, but anyway - they have legal brothels all over the place and you can just see them like stores they say like "Ladies for Gentlemen" and such, so weird!

- They have this drink called lemon-lime bitters and it can be alcoholic or not and it is DELICIOUS

- THEY ARE OBSSESSED WITH PIES. What I mean by pies is little baked pastries with meat in them, sometimes veggies but those are called pasties. So like meat pies. They have them at sporting games, bakeries, grocery stores, everywhere - and now I AM OBSESSED. They are not the best thing for you but they are actually absolutely addictive. I love plain beef pastries (sorry skinny bitch!) and Ash took me to the #1 pie shop in ALL OF AUSTRALIA, Parkers Pies. They had alligator and kangaroo and other crazy pies! But I stuck to my plain beef and it was SO GOOD. You get sauce to go on top (ketchup) and it's just heaven. Ash won't let me get them anymore but now I'm craving one so bad so I may sneak one in tomorrow afternoon while he's at school haha. But our vacation is coming up so I have to run like 10k to work that off! Anyway, PIES. It's reason alone to visit/live in Australia. ALSO another point on pies, they have a cute little shop downtown called Pie Face that sells pies and I think that's my next pie venture. Anyway, I digress...

- Australians love their cargo pants. Males mostly. Ash loves his and at first I thought it was weird but now I'm digging it, all army combat ish haha.

- They use the terms bogan and feral a lot which mean like hick, slacker, lazy, gross

- they love little bathers also, the boys, like tiny ass bathing suit bottoms, but i like it!

Thats all I can think of for now! But I'll keep you updated with all the idiosyncrasies that come up!

Much Love,

Sarah

Favourite 5 in Carlton

1. Cinema Nova – distance approx. 3 mins

The movie theatre near our house is amazing. It is in the middle of a busy street on top of a little shopping centre with a brand new fancy little bar overlooking Lygon Street. You can have a cocktail or appetizers before the movie and/or bring them in with you. They are always showing documentaries and movies that wouldn’t be at the big box cinemas as well as a few popular films such as Eat, Pray, Love – which Ash and I just saw. The smaller films are in theatres that can accommodate around 10-15 people max. The theatres have two seater couches and you can snuggle in just like you were watching a movie at home. The bigger cinemas don’t have couches but they have big comfy lounge chairs. It’s also not too expensive, cheap for students. We saw a particularly disturbing film the first time we went. The Killer inside Me, my suggestion – absolutely unnecessarily violent and disgusting. I thought it’d be okay because it had Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson, but they are both just bludgeoned to death by this cruel protagonist. Don’t see it. But the theatre was lovely!

2. Carlton Gardens – distance approx. 30 seconds

Across from our house is an enormous park with running trails and fountains and massive trees. It’s the perfect place for a run because you don’t have to worry about cars mowing you down or directions. It’s a little more than 2km around and is quite hilly so you get an amazing work out as well. The grounds are just perfect for a walk or a picnic or for photographs. The other day Ash and I went for a walk and there were 4 wedding parties having pictures taken. The Exhibition centre is also on the grounds and it looks like a massive mansion/castle, it’s absolutely stunning and often has wedding shows or garden shows or food exhibitions! It’s full of beautiful trees and ponds, it’s so nice to find in the middle of a big city. Walking through the gardens is never boring and there’s always something to catch your eye. I feel so lucky to have it literally on my doorstep.

3. Carlton Chinese Noodle Cafe – distance approx. 4 minutes

Ash and I are in love with this adorable old Chinese couple who own the Chinese Noodle Cafe. They make the best noodles and stir fry’s for super cheap with such fresh ingredients. We probably go for dinner once a week. We can both get dinner for under 20$ which is a steal in Melbourne. I get Asian noodles with veggies and chicken topped with satay sauce and Ash varies it every time. I don’t like pork and this lady made me this specialty dish the first time and now she knows every time I come in what it’s going to be. It’s usually busy and I have to sit on these tall stools where my feet don’t even touch the bar it’s really humorous. We are always disappointed because she is closed on Sundays and for some reason always forget and crave noodles on Sunday nights. Anyway, we are already regulars at this delicious gem of a cafe.

4. Carlton Baths outdoor swimming pool – distance approx. 6 minutes

The YMCA gym we belong to just opened their outdoor pool. It’s beautiful to just sit in the sun or go for a swim with the sun beaming down on you. It’s a Carlton hot spot and is usually packed with people but it’s a beautiful place to swim when it’s not busy. Ash is trying to get me into more swimming but I’m not very good. I went and watched him do laps the other day after my race and just sat on a bench outside reading the paper. The pool is pristine and only a few minutes’ walk from our house – perfect for cooling off and working out!

5. Brunetti – distance approx. 2 minutes

Brunetti is the most perfect little (and by little I mean ENORMOUS) cafe about a block from our house. It is so cute but massive. It has two entrances. One side of the cafe you can get gelato and you pick up your coffees and the other is a massive and I mean MASSIVE bakery with little delicate pastries, cookies and a vast array of specialty chocolates. Ash and I usually get a tiny chocolate each when we go to treat ourselves as well as lattes, because they are ridiculously good. It is so busy you have to fight for someone to take your order. The front windows are also chock full of the most beautiful decorative cakes you’ve ever imagined. Beautiful sharp pieces of chocolate topped with candied oranges and limes and swirling pieces of marbled chocolate toppling over the top. Just crazy artistic and impressive. You pay for your treat and get a number then you go to the coffee section and wait for them to call out your number to pick up your coffees. We went after our movie at 11:30 the other night and it was booming. All of the 50+ tables outside were taken and the entire inside was filled, we had to sit at the front bench on these tiny stools, they were the only spots left at almost midnight!!! I can’t imagine the profit this place rakes in, especially with their 55$+ cakes. Tiny cakes are 50$. We need to bring Brunetti to Canada; it’d be an enormous hit. The staff all dress in maroon and white and it has just such a fancy air about it. I love it.

Run, Harvison, RUN!

It has been so long since I've written a blog! I am seriously slacking. I guess I'll address what's happened to me in recent days before back tracking. Today was one of the best days I've had yet in Melbourne. Ash and I got up at 5:30 AM to get ready for my race! We left the house at 6 and headed to the iconic MCG which is a stadium where the AFL play and cricket as well, massive! I was originally registered to do the half marathon but I haven't put in enough time to do it justice so I downgraded to the 10K. I would rather train properly and do well in a particular distance than enter a race I didn't feel confident in. It's been hard to train in Melbourne because it's a legit city and traffic goes the other way and you have to stop every two seconds and I have no idea where I'm going! So I've pretty much stuck to the gardens beside my house to run laps, it's about 2.3 km around so thats where I've trained. Ash and I spent a few weeks at his parents place in the country and I did a few runs up there. It is actually the most beautiful place to run but also really difficult. It's mostly dirt roads and crazy elevation changes. But running out there the air is just so clean and you see actual parrots and brightly colored birds just chilling in the wild. So about a week ago I did a 9.5 km run in 1:05 and my goal was to do a 10km run in under an hour, however based on this run I thought this was pretty unachievable for my race. I would have to run 500 meters more and cut some serious time. All of my K's have to be under 6 minutes to make my run under an hour.

So today at the race, I had no iPod and I chose to try to focus intently on my pace with my Garmin and run the hell out of it. My watch said I ran 10.17 and I did it in 59:46!!! Hahaha, as if - I had 15 seconds to spare. The run went through the streets of Melbourne and then ended at the MCG and you got to go in and run a lap of the ground as your big finish and everyone was taking it leisurely and just waving and appreciating the finish but I was focused so much on crossing that finish line before it struck 1hr so I just booked it around the track. Ash was able to go inside and watch the finish and he said they zoomed on my face and put me up on the big screen at the stadium as I was finishing - good, I was probably the sweatiest I have ever been. After I got my medal I went to meet Ash at our designated meeting spot and when I saw him I just had tears because I had busted my ass so hard during that race to get it under an hr and I was just exhausted - it was like pure happiness and exhaustion combined. We went home and got some sleep and then it turned into a beautiful day so Ash went to the pool for a swim at the gym we belong to. The pool is outside and it was so lovely, but I took this one out and just watched from the sidelines.

This evening as a celebration for breaking the hour Ash took me out for dinner. The street right behind our house is ridiculously amazing for food. It is pure restaurants, like over 100. Nothing but restaurants and people standing out front offering you free drinks and appetizers and whatever else. It's a huge Italian area so there's a lot of Italian restaurants but we decided to try this little Indian place. I have never had Indian before and let me tell you - it was AMAZING. We chose this banquet style where it was a pre-set menu of items for 25$ each and it was INSANE. We got fresh Naan bread and a ton of bowls of dishes like curry chicken, butter cream chicken, beef vindaloo and so much more. Ash and I both couldn't move and at this point we were the only customers and we were sitting outside and I think because it made their business look good they kept bringing us more food and it suddenly became - unlimited. BAD but so good news haha. They said we could get more of whatever we wanted, it was honestly too good to be true. We spent quite a while there and then headed home where one of my housemates had made a PAVLOVA because I had finished my race, and she is the BEST cook ever and it was beautiful with kiwi and strawberries on top and I couldn't help myself but eat a piece. I am now in a food coma. I need to run like 10, 10K's to make up for this gorge fest.

Walking home tonight I was just so happy. I love our location, I love that feeling when you finally feel like you are starting to adapt to the city you're in and that it's yours. I am just having such a good time, really loving every second I get to spend with Ash, which is pretty much 24 hours a day and I just love Melbourne. Oh, also we went to St.Kilda, this boutiquey cute beach front suburb of Melbourne on Saturday and looked around and had sushi by the beach, it was lovely! Ugh I just can't get enough of my life right now, I feel like someone has to pull me back to reality.

Miss you all,

xo

Sarah

you can take the kid out of London...

I admit it, I miss London. I didn't think this day would come, I haven't been close to homesick until I saw everyone hitting up JBRs this Wednesday and partying it up for frosh week. I miss that SO much. But it's cool. Just chilling like a villain in Australia so I shouldn't be such a whiner.

On a happier note, I went to Melbourne Fashion Week last Friday and it was phenomenal. I was severely under dressed because I thought people were all casual chic going to these shows I don't know why, but apparently they dress to the nines in Melbourne!!! Whatever, I wasn't that under dressed I major high heeled it up. And just wait until you see the two dresses I got since I've been here - mind blowingly beautiful. Melbourne fashion is to die for, it's terrible but oh so good. The fashion show was amazing they featured about 10-12 outfits per designer and they were phenomenal. I really enjoyed myself - it really made me wish I had gone into fashion. From the music to the light show to the models and outfits, I was just in love. We got gift bags when we came in on our seat with vitamin water, magazines, ads and so much more it was amazing. The show was a little under an hour. Afterwards we went for this amazing Greek dinner at a restaurant called Stalactites. It was in a cave with little sand drips off the ceiling it was really impressive. Afterwards I went back to RMIT with Hannah and Jess and prepared to go out. It started actually POURING and about 12 girls wanted to go to eurotrash this bar in the CBD of melbourne and the cabbie took us to the wrong part of town. When we got out we were in the complete wrong section of the city. So the rest of the girls decided to trek the 30 MINUTE WALK to the bar and I was soaking wet and just about ready to throw in the towel. I called Ash and he came and picked me up on the curb in the rain. I felt so fortunate to have a boyfriend in the city who could just come drive and pick me up it was great. So my wild night ended up being carried to the front door of our house shoeless, having a cup of green tea and some muesli and heading to bed - WILD! hahaha, it's been great though. I got a job at the bakery around the corner and I work the next three days so I will make some money to cover my depleting bank balance.

Miss you all much much much!!!

xo

Sarah

Weekend of Wine Tasting

Last weekend Ash and I planned a mini vacation to the Yarra Valley, the wine region of Victoria. Ash is doing a 5 week teaching placement right now so we left early Saturday morning and drove to the Yarra Valley. On the way we passed a dozen or so wineries all dotted along the highway. We went into Healesville one of the main towns in the Yarra Valley and had lunch at the Grand Hotel. We had enormous lunches, I had fish and chips and he had chicken parma- they were both unreal! We also had some really good wine to start our weekend off! Then we walked through the town, it was really cute - we looked at some shops and bakeries. We stopped at a cute little cafe for lattes and hot chocolate before heading up even further into wine country towards our Bed and Breakfast.

We drove through the woods up towards this mountain until we found the turn off for our B&B, Brentwood Guest Accommodations. When we turned in I was shocked at how beautiful it was. Up a steep driveway was a massive building. The B&B used to be a hotel that slept 64 which has now been turned into 4 beautiful self contained suites and the owners live on top. We were led to our suite and the view was magnificent. It overlooked the mountains and there were brightly coloured parrots at a bird feeder right outside our window. The inside of our suite was beautiful with a kitchen and beautiful wood table and leather couch, there was a partition and a large king size bed behind it and an attached beautiful bathroom. We had a nap and then decided to go into town. We went to a massive winery called Innocent Bystander/Giant Steps and we tasted a bunch of wines. I had a big list and I rated each wine individually. We loved the pink moscato it was SO good. Then we sat down for a glass of wine and a cheese platter. After this snack we went to this posh restaurant at The Healesville Hotel for dinner. We both had steak with truffles and oysters for an appy! On the way back to our B&B we stopped at the winery again and bought more wine and moscato!!! We finally made it back to our B&B and had our own wine party!

The next day we went to the visitor information center to find out some things to do. We went to a beautiful national park and trekked through the wildlife. Then we decided to head back to Carlton. The weekend was so much fun and I look forward to our next wine tasting adventure!! We're heading up to his parents place in 2 weekends and we're going wine tasting there, this time Ash can actually drink since he won't be driving!

Meanwhile, I got a job at the bakery next door to my house! Downside is I have to wake up at 6am tomorrow morning and work until 3:30!!! But oh well, I want to do too many things and need to make some money.

Anyway, the SAINTS made the finals and they just beat the number 1 ranked team so we have a shot at the GRAND FINAL!!! Which we placed 2nd last year so that's good news. Bad news, Reuben the big ass ram died at Ash's parents place - but I mean he did push me into the electric fence, what goes around comes around... haha no that's terrible.

Miss you all!!

xo

Sarah

Little Aussie Things

Not much exciting has been occurring in my life lately. Last week on Friday Ash and I went to RMIT (the residence all of my friends from Cairns are staying in) to celebrate one month in Australia! We had a potluck, I made a really good greek pasta salad - it was a hit!

So Ash has put me on a serious fitness regime for the half marathon I'm running in October. I ran 10.32 km this morning around Carlton Gardens. Literally right across the street from me is this massive garden with the museum in the centre and tons of paths and fountains and trees. It's a little over 2 km around and so beautiful to run through. I've been finding the first few k's of my runs really difficult but once I'm past the 5/6 k mark I feel so much better. My time hasn't been very good. I'm working on putting the k's in my legs first and then improving on time. I get scared to increase my pace too much if I'm doing a long run because I don't want to lose stamina. Ash and I watched the movie Run Fatboy Run the other night and it has served as my motivation for the race. Ash has challenged me to 30 k's by Friday and I am determined to make it. My garmin has been a lifesaver and I'm really starting to figure it out. Yesterday I uploaded all my runs to this online program and you can see your pace, distance, time, day, heartrate and everything, it's such a great training tool.

BIG problem here with running is that the cars go the other way! When I'm crossing the road I'm always looking down the wrong way, I've had a couple close calls so now I just run around the gardens to save myself any street crossing. It's funny, I've noticed it's not just the traffic on the roads that goes on the left. People walk on the left side going up the stairs, the escalators in shopping malls and department stores are on the left going down and up, it's interesting!

I'm loving our house here more and more. It's so close to little shops and restaurants and cafes. I just heard on the news that Melbourne has more cafes and restaurants per square meter than anywhere else in the world. It is also the worlds 3rd most liveable city and used to be the first. It may have dropped because of the shootings!!! News: on the street behind my house literally 30 seconds from my doorstep two men were shot to death in an arcade! Ash and I went out and saw the ambulance and the search lights but then we had coffee out on the street at a little cafe, I figured there's such a police presence it cant happen twice. So that was a little madness! I've taken a few pictures of our house/our room that I will post so you can check it out. It's cozy!

Lots of love,

Sarah

Campfire, Kangaroos & quite the shock!

This past weekend was so much fun I don't even know where to start. We went to Andy and Janina's (Ash's parents) place in Chiltern. It's three hours inland from Melbourne in the country. We arrived Thursday night after dark and I had no idea what to expect. We pulled up to this long gate and a sign that said "Jandroo's" I got out of the car to open the gate but couldn't figure it out, a good start to un-farmilar Sarah. When we went through the gate there was a beautiful long bungalow style house with pillars at the front. We parked in the car and got out to meet Janina and Andy inside. It was late but Janina still had the most amazing homemade pumpkin soup waiting for us. I'm not talking like bought the ingredients and made it herself. I'm talking like, grew the vegetables and made it herself. It was so good. The house is made entirely of exposed brick and it's beautiful with tall ceilings in the kitchen and den and a wooden stove that heats the entire house.

When we woke up the next day Ash and I had the day to explore because his parents had to go into work. I asked if his yard ended where the gate was and he laughed. No, his property is more than 3km around and ENORMOUS. They have tons of 'paddocks' and sheep and a ram and goats and chickens and doves and PEACOCKS!!! First we went out front to see the ram Reuben who is by himself or he'll have sex with all the sheep and get them pregnant too soon. Reuben was excited and was jumping up on the gate, it freaked me out, so Ash encouraged me it was fine and told me to go in the paddock with Reuben. He opened the gate and his two dogs a little guy Cranky and a big dog Boofy rushed in and surprised me and I got scared and backed up into the fence... but it was an ELECTRIC FENCE! I felt a huge shock and was so surprised. Ash felt bad but thought it was SO funny and I was laughing and crying at the same time. It was so funny but so shocking. Then we went for a walk through the bush and looked at the entire property which was beautiful.

The next day Andy and Janina took us into Beechworth, a town near their house for this special event weekend called "Ned Kelly Weekend". Ned Kelly was an Australian hero kind of like Robinson Crusoe or something. He fought against the police for Australia ect. In Beechworth they have a re-enaction with people dressed as old police officers on horses and law officials and they simulate the trial of Ned Kelly and we saw him captured in a horse drawn carriage being brought by horses to trial and he was yelling things and dressed old fashioned and it was really entertaining! Then Ash and I had sandwiches at this famous Beechworth Bakery which was amazing. We walked through the old town which is preserved just like an old mining town it's beautiful. We went to the Beechworth Honey store and they had over 25 different kinds of honey you could try. We watched a presentation on how the make the honey and then Janina bought us these amazing bubbly honey/lemon drinks, SO GOOD. Then we headed home. That evening was particular fun! We went out into the middle of the woods where there was a clearing and Ash's dad had constructed a little house out of old aluminum and wood. It had an old working stove inside and a table and little shelving unit. Outside he had built a picnic table and a swing and fire pits. We had two fires going and in the coals Ash's mom had cooked wrapped in tin foil pumpkin, squash, potatoes and mushrooms and on the other fire Ash's dad was cooking chicken, steak and sausages. Surrounding the property where these enormous rocks and it was just beautiful.

Then Ash's dad said is someone on our property can you hear that? Ash started getting annoyed because someone was riding some sort of vehicle on the property in the distance, it got closer and closer and it was his mom on a brand new four wheeler!!! Ash obviously was beyond excited and took me for the ride of my life around the property. One of the most beautiful moments was riding along the edge of his property and there are these beautiful sloping mountains, one is Mt.Pilot where Ash's brother Adam proposed to his wife Laurie. And looking as the sun was setting we saw these wild kangaroos just jumping along the horizon. It was breathtaking and something I'm sure I'll remember for the rest of my life. When we got back to the camp we ate the delicious food inside the shelter and when we came out we saw possums eating the food Andy had left out for them. The next day we had a campfire during the day at another part of the property and slow-cooked dinner which was again DELICIOUS before bringing it back and eating it at the house. Janina took care of us big time giving us homecooked meals to bring back and making us lunch for the ride home and dozens of eggs. Oh also I got to bottle feed a baby goat!!!

I had such a good weekend and it's weird to be back - but good! I was telling Ash at his parents place we are 100% kids and so spoiled and back in Melbourne we have to be adults again haha. I am just so happy, I don't think I've ever felt so just content with my life. Everything is working out so well and I'm having an amazing time. Don't worry mom, not such a good time that I don't want to come back just a genuinely great time and I'm so appreciative of the experience I'm able to have.

Miss you all but really loving Australia,

xo

Sarah

ps. The photos added are the before and after of the Reuben/Electric Fence incident!!

Footy Round 2

We went to our second Saints game the other night. Since St.Kilda is ranked 3rd right now and their opponents the Bombers were ranked 14th we thought it'd be easy. Ash got me a little beanie and he got a scarf and we were mad excited after the beautiful performance they pulled out last week. We got the first goal...AND that was pretty much it. WE GOT CRUSHED.

It was so disappointing. Not to mention we were the ONLY Saints fans in the section. BUT I tried my first pie. They sell these little meat pies at football games here, similar to getting a hot dog at a game in Canada. You put ketchup on top and they're so delicious. I think it's rather impractical for a sports game though. This little pie stuffed with meat and gravy that is piping hot and goes squirting everywhere, not exactly finger food but nonetheless delicious. On the way home from our embarrassing defeat Ash got pasta on Lygon and following this I got probably the best piece of cheesecake I have ever tasted at this little cafe beside our house - DANGEROUS. Anyway it was Baileys cheesecake and I have saved it for 3 nights now because it was a) so expensive b) its so delicious c) its so rich. Anyway the cheesecake was ALMOST enough to deal with the brutal defeat we witnessed earlier.

Last night Ash tried to make dinner. First he asks me what to do and I say boil the water. So he comes back and asks what is next, I say cut up the green pepper. All seems to be going well when he runs in and says "I need help I need help it's all gone to shit!" I go in the kitchen and the glass lid for the pot had exploded everywhere, shattered into our pasta, our veggies and everything. It was so funny! So Ash said that was it and we went to this really good burger place around the corner Grill'd. Then we went to IMAX and saw Inception. It is the biggest screen in Melbourne and I found it really trippy. It made me feel a bit nauseas but it was a pretty good movie. Ash was disappointed with Leo's performance but I thought it was pretty good. The IMAX and museum is directly beside our house it's unbelievable.

Miss you all!

xo

Sarah

Sushi & Meeting the Parents!

First I just have to talk about sushi. Melbourne actually has sushi on every single corner. Every shop is either a boutique or sushi I'm not even joking. There's a place dangerously close to our house that sells rolls for 2$. They don't cut up the roll they just hand you a massive roll and it's so cheap and so delicious. I am going to go into sushi overload. Ash has been trying to cut me back and then the other day on my way home from school I got a roll and scarfed it down. How could I not? I pass the place on my walk home it's torture. And most of the restaurants don't even have doors it's like an open walk through to the street, it's too enticing. Anyway, Ash kissed me when I got in the door and was like "you had sushi" and I protested and said I didn't he was mistaken, but he knew! I'm a sushi addict! If anyone loves sushi I'm telling you Melbourne is the place to be.

Moving on. On Sunday Ash's parent's drove down from Chiltern (3 hours inland from Melbourne) to take Ash and I out for lunch and meet me. I was really nervous but they were SO LOVELY. Ash's mom got me an adorable koala china mug and a kookaburra (special aussie bird) bookmark! Then we drove together to South Melbourne and had this unbelievable fish right by the water. You order the type of fish you want and then they make you beautiful fish and chips! We also got tons of calamari and scallops. I was so full but it was one of the freshest and most delicious meals I've ever had. Then we walked along the beach and looked at the Spirit of Tasmania boat that takes you on trips to Tasmania. We took some pictures on the pier and continued to walk along the beach. We stopped at this delicious ice cream place and I had mocha ice cream. I always get small or childrens size and it's still too much. They PILE on the ice cream here. Nonetheless so good. Then we drove back into Carlton and they went home. We're going up to their place next weekend and I'm really looking forward to it. Ash's parent's are so nice and I'm so glad I had the chance to meet them. It's so weird when you've heard so much about someone and seen pictures and such but never met them. It was surreal but really nice.

I don't have class today and neither does Ash so we went to the gym this morning where he killed me. Then we ran back and made lunch. It's such a beautiful afternoon. We were going to go to the botanical gardens but Ash says it's not quite warm enough. We're going to another footy game tonight which I'm excited for. We met another couple upstairs who just moved in. She's from Missouri and he's from France and I think they're coming with us to the football game tonight. I've been so pleasantly surprised with my roommates, everyone is awesome. School seems pretty intense and I'm a little nervous for it. Everything is worth 50% or 60%. There aren't small assignments or participation it's all like two essays or an essay and an exam. But I've paid enough to be here so I'm determined to rock these classes. Going to do some reading before footy tonight.

Miss & love you all,

- Sarah

First Day of Class

Today I had my first day of class at the University of Melbourne. I had two lectures today in International Gender Politics and Global Movements: Protest and the Planet.

Well, campus is enormous and despite Ash and I finding my class the day before I was lost. I finally found the Architecture building and I was missing Huron at this point. A) I am not used to massive lecture halls and I've never had a TA before either B) I'm not used to having classes all over a massive campus of 44,000! Anyway I found my first class and it was really good. Something that's sweet here is that the profs put all of your readings into a massive and I mean MASSIVE coursepack which cost between 25-50 bucks but they don't make you buy textbooks! Well atleast none of my classes have yet! It's phenomenal! BUT heavy. Anyway my entire grade is compiled of two 2000 word essays worth 50% and 50%. So it's definitely fewer marks into your final grade but it means you have to rock them. My other class has a presentation, a test and final paper worth 50%. So seems like they love the papers here at UMel.

Also people dress so nicely here. The typical dress code for girls is tights, flats or leather boots, baggy sweaters and massive scarves. Or nice jeans, I have yet to see sweatpants on a boy or a girl. Plus the guys here love the skinny jeans. Everyone, like jocks, artsy guys everyone rocks the skinny's. I was so frustrated today, it's so weird to think of myself as the exchange student but I am and people look at me like I am retarded when I ask questions. The bookstore was so efficient but crazy today. They had guards at the door and you had to leave your purse in a cubby and just take your wallet and find your books/coursepacks and line up to pay. It was nuts. I was really flustered today and thoroughly missed Huron though when people were seeing each other on campus and reuniting and such and I was like there is no way I will know someone on campus today haha. I am a first year all over again.

There's a bakery like 5 minutes from my house and it had a sign that said it wanted applicants. I was so brave and gave my resume today - never done that before. They said they wanted food industry experience but I told them although I was lacking in that sphere that I had lots of customer service experience! haha, so doubt I'll get that, but since I have Mondays and Fridays off I thought it'd be cool to work somewhere once a week to make some extra cash since I'm spending mine so quickly!!! Ash is taking me out to this Thai place we found on our street tonight to celebrate my first day of class. Gotta run!

xo

Sar

Friday Night Footy!

On Friday night Ash took me to an Australian Football game. His favourite team St.Kilda was playing Hawthorne. I tried to guess how many people were there and I said around 10,000 and at the end the final count was 49,000!!! I was WAY off.

We took the tram through the city to the docklands right on the water to the stadium. It was a beautiful but cool night so we bundled up. I was mad because Ash made me wear leggings under my jeans and I felt like I could barely walk like the Michelin man but I was thanking him later because it got SO cold in the stadium.

We sat in the third tier and you can sit anywhere up there. We got beers and went up into the stands an hour early to get a good seat. The game is played in a big round oval shaped field with two goals at either side. There are two tall goal posts and then two smaller ones on either side of those. If you get the ball through the middle goal posts it's a goal and it's worth 6 points. If you get it through either side post it's 1 point. You can only kick it through the goals. Players pass the ball by a hand pass sort of like punching the rugby like ball or by kicking it. If someone catches your kick it's called a "mark" and nobody can touch you until they kick or pass the ball. They don't wear any padding and tackling is fully encouraged unless you have marked a kick.

I got so into the game it was phenomenal. The teams were so evenly matched the whole time and from where we were sitting we could see everything that was going on. People were getting so rowdy and screaming and standing up and cursing it was amazing! I don't know what was more entertaining for me, watching the game or watching Ash's reaction to the game! St.Kilda was down in the final quarter and then they kicked a goal making the entire game a DRAW! So we might go again this Friday to see them play at the best footy stadium in the world the MCG. We took a packed tram back towards home but we were so hungry we stopped on Lygon street for pizza and pasta and then we walked down and got gelato as well. It's crazy here, even past midnight tons of places are open! I LOVE IT.

Anyway, I LOVE footy now and will forever be a St.Kilda's fan.

Love Australia & miss you all!

xo

sar

Arrival in Melbourne

Arriving in Melbourne was ridiculous. I was so ecstatic to see Ash but so nervous as well - it'd been so long! I wasn't wearing my contacts so I didn't even recognize him at first, he saw me staring at him but not reacting for a significant amount of time and then I ran towards him and jumped on him. It was the weirdest feeling I can't even say. So much anticipation, 6 months worth! I was like sobbing without tears and so shaky, like nervous jittery shakes.

We drove into Melbourne together and it was just so exciting being together again. When we got to our new place it wasn't exactly what I imagined. Our room is the first one inside and we share an enormous kitchen with 7 other apartments - but now there's only people in 3 of the other apartments so its a pretty big place to ourselves. Nobody uses the kitchen so it's pretty much just Ash and I cooking up a storm every night. The bathroom is a little scary to get to. It's through a semi-outside courtyard, but the shower room is really nice. I was slightly skeptical until I discovered our UNBELIEVABLE location. I am legitimately 5 mins from my school and our house is on the corner of two streets one big main one and a tiny alley. Well, the alley leads to Lygon St. - a really busy city street with hundreds of restaurants, bakeries and shops. Actually a 15 second walk from my doorstep it's insane. Then on Rathdowne the big street my house is on, there is the Melbourne Museum which is a massive rubix cube type building as well as an enormous IMAX theatre and beautiful park. Ash and I went for a long run through the park today and it was lovely. We also live minutes from a gym, grocery store and anything else you could possibly ever want. I've never loved my location more. Before dinner we will just walk to the grocers like 2 mins away and grab stuff. Walking home or to school is amazing, I get to pick up dessert on the way home or grab a bagel on my way, it's such a bustling area and so nice. You can also walk to the legitimate DOWNTOWN part of Melbourne too. We've just been doing a lot of walking and it's so nice, everything is so close and centralized I LOVE it.

On my first night in Melbourne, Ash surprised me by taking me to this beautiful hotel in the city. We walked there and stayed in this really nice room and ordered room service. It was such a introduction to Melbourne! On the way home the next day we walked by the state library and through this park in the city core of Melbourne. A race was just ending and we watched it. It was a beautiful cool but sunny day and I was SO happy to be where I was. We moved into our new place and I LOVE it. The first day in the kitchen I walk to grab some water and there is a girl, standing in my new place, in the kitchen, in AUSTRALIA wearing a University of Western Ontario hoodie. I was like actually what are the chances. Turns out her brother goes to Western and she goes to Carlton and is from Sarnia and we have mutual friends!!! What a small world. She moved out today which was too bad because she and her room mate seemed amazing, but I look forward to meeting the new tenants - looks like after only a week, Ash and I will be the vets of this place!

Miss you all but LOVE Australia,

xo

Sarah

Cairns Culture & Adventure Week

Our second day in Cairns we went up to Kuranda and learned all about the rainforest. There were these amazing plants that were light sensitive and curled up when you touched them. We kept saying Avatar was real and Northern Australia was definitely where James Cameron got his ideas. There were these green ants that you could pop in your mouth and they gave an explosion of taste like sour green apple. We saw a massive tarantula just chilling in the woods and wild turkey nests. We also saw a worm farm they had to make soil. Then we had afternoon tea and went out to a school to plant trees. Dallas, Jess and I were tree planter experts and planted a ton. It was a really fun day. I like learning about the rain forest and seeing so many birds, butterflies and animals I'd never known existed.

On our third day we went to Reforestation. It was an amazing outside rain forest. First we went on an army duck tour through the rainforest. The army duck is this old WWII metal vehicle that can go from land right into the water and become a boat. We had a really funny guide who took us all through the rainforest and into the river, we weren't able to peer out or put our arms out over the boat though because crocodiles can jump up and grab you! Later we were taught by the aboriginees how to throw a boomerang and then we watched them play didgeridoos and perform several traditional dances. We loved one of the aboriginees "SeaHawk" haha, we were all in awe of his dancing. Then we got to hold a koala and walk around the rain forest park. It's crazy in Australia all of the zoos I've been to the animals aren't caged in and you can go up and pet them. It's so surreal, you can feed them and pet them and hold them. The animals seem so happy and really people friendly. I pet several wallabies and kangaroos but I was too afraid to hold the massive snake. The rainforestation day was chock full of amazing experiences and I'm so glad we went.

That night we went on this bar hopping night out called "The Ultimate Party" - and wow was it a party. We got picked up at our resort by a double decker open roofed party bus. At each bar there were challenges (mostly dirty ones). They played horses/knights/cavaliers - my FAV drama game, where you're paired up with someone of the opposite sex and when they yell horses you sit on their back like a horse, knights they pretend to knight you and cavaliers they put one knee on the ground and one up and you sit on their knee. HOWEVER this version was a bit different as they started to call out sexual positions like missionary, spoons, etc. etc. and the couples had to do them. Entertaining but I'm glad I wasn't the one rolling around on the bar floor. Anyway, we got to go to 5 bars around Cairns and Hannah, Jess, Dallas and I danced up a STORM and I had probably my best night in Cairns.

The last day was our free day. I had signed up earlier for a Jungle Tour. It was a long bus ride but we got to go to another rain forest park, to Mossman Gorge where we went swimming in the rapids and went on a rain forest walk then we got to go to Cape Tribulation a gorgeous beach area before heading home. On the way home we stopped for this really weird ice cream. They gave us a little dish with 5 flavours but the best was the coconut icecream with coconut flecks in it - SO GOOD. Then we got home and packed for our arrival in MELBOURNE! It was such a great experience, I met so many people and I'm so glad I went so I could meet some people in my classes before school started.

Loving Australia, but missing you all

xo

Sar

Cairns Culture & Adventure Week - Great Barrier Reef Day

I meant to post much earlier but I haven't found the time until now! I'll start right at the beginning with our Australearn trip to Cairns. Cairns is in the NorthEast part of Australia and is home to the Great Barrier Reef and Cape Tribulation. The Northern part of Australia is actually hotter than the south. It was a bit rainy but really nice when we arrived. 160 study abroad students going all over Australia took part in the Cairns week. We stayed in Bohemia "Resort" - a backpackers hostel/residence. It was actually a blast. I was in a room with 5 other University of Melbourne girls and met so many new people. I was the only Canadian in the bunch and in turn was subject to more than a few "eh" and "out and about" jokes haha.

Our first day in Cairns we went to the Great Barrier Reef. Despite taking 2 motion sickness pills I felt so sick, I could barely move during the end of the 2 hour boat ride to the reef. The boat was amazing with an inside cabin and bar and outside these suspended nets you could lie on over the water as it drove out to the reef. When we arrived we put on wetsuits and snorkeled. It was absolutely amazing, there were these massive oyster shells that snapped shut as you swam over them and we saw a nemo fish as well! Then we had to decide whether or not to scuba dive. I wanted to and they suited me up. First you jump in and hold a rope suspended at the top of the water and put your face in and practice breathing. Then when you feel okay you are pulled to a rope another meter down and practice there. Well, I had weights strapped to my waist to help me sink and I looked up to see the water so far up and had a panic attack. Thumbs up is the sign you want to go up so I was frantically doing thumbs up. The instructor came up and I had a little teary panic attack saying I wanted out. He was like "if it's about the money you can get out, if you're just scared you have to do it" because if you just do the practice you don't have to pay. I said I literally couldn't breathe and felt like I was going to drown. So he said he would hold my hand the whole way. So loser Harvison held the guides hand for half of the dive well other people were doing flips and taking pictures. I am so glad I did it though, I let go of his hand and did it all on my own for the second half. I just found it terrifying to be so far below the ocean surface, I was like skimming the ground. It was so beautiful that I soon forgot though. I was really sad when it was over. I would never do it again because I felt that every breath was my last, but I'm SO glad I did it. I mean if there's anywhere in the world to scuba dive it's the Great Barrier Reef. When I got out of the water, the head guide wrote in this neon sunscreen on my forehead "I Love Craig" the instructor who had to hold my hand the whole time.

We also went across to this beach called Michaelmas Bird Sanctuary. There are thousands of birds just going nuts the whole time. Apparently so many of them flock there because they are the only species so they can live in abundance without threat from other animals. We only stayed there for a few minutes because the sound of the birds was so deafening. On the way back we all napped on the boat and watched the sunset. It was such a great introduction to Australia and I really enjoyed myself!

PS. Right now I'm sitting in my room listening to Ash play guitar - but we'll get to that part later!

Loving Australia but missing you all
xo

Sar