First HUA meeting

We had our first Harding University in Australia (HUA) meeting this past Tuesday on what was ironically National Australia Day. During the meeting we discussed getting our tickets settled, but we couldn't even do that because we still don't have a departure date! The estimated time is sometimes early September. I believe the teachers going said we're going first to New Zealand, then to Australia, and finally Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam last. We looked at the temperatures for what thte counties we will be visiting for that time of year are: in Thailand, it will be an average temperature of around 64 degrees. Weirdly enough, Australia was not on the list of temperatures, but Charlotte Amalie in Virgin Islands was. It seems like it will be beautiful weather for when we get to live on the other side of the world for a few months.

We also got our book lists for the classes we will be taking. This was a little bit of a slap of reality because honestly, sometimes I forget that we're going to have to take classes while we're overseas. The classes I will be taking overseas are the three required ones: world civilization and humanities, international studies and Paul. I will also be taking physical science and hopefully an independent study in photography to make a total of 16 hours. Luckily, the humanities class counts for art appreciation and world lit- two classes I'd rather not take. However, I've heard classes overseas are way easier than back on the campus, and I'll get to study on the beach! What more could someone want?

Speaking of the beach, we will live right across the street from the Gold Coast while we're staying in Australia. The instructors gave us a list of clothes to pack to accommodate ourselves for the climate change: jeans, shorts, t-shirts, sandlas and bathing suits made the list. Of course, they said to pack light.. and I'm planning on it so I can bring back a ton of souvenirs for family and friends.

In order to pay for all the souvenirs I'm planning on buying, I'm going to need some spending moolah. That's why I'm applying to be an RA while overseas. It's a pretty strenuous process; I need seven people to give me recommendations- from RAs to faculty members to ministers. Fortunately for me, I started filling them out right away and wanted to get all the forms done as soon as possible. If I don't get this job, I need to start searching for something else to raise all of my money to do things overseas. We'll have to see where that goes. Until then, I'm doing everything I can to learn about what there is to do in these countries, how much it will cost and what I need in order to prepare.

Australian Lingo

I investigated the different lingo and slang used in Australia that would differ than our culture. Here is a list of the interesting or completely wacked-out ones that I found. Of course, a compilation and list on the internet is going to have an eclectic mix; I’m sure not all of these words are used! For frame of reference, I also looked up American slang to see what words were listed that normal U.S. citizens would never even dream of using. Case in point: I found the word “armpit,” as in “this town is an armpit.” So in defense of Australians, I’m sure they don’t use all these words, but they were rather fun to look up and discuss with my roomie, Nicole.

Try to figure out what each of these slang words are in Australia. Answers are below.

Easy
1. Joey 2. Barbie 3. Loo 4. Aussie 5. Beaut 6. Sunnies 7. G'Day! 8. Bloke

Medium
1. Ankle biter 2. Rack off 3. Chuck a Uey 4. Pash 5. Cook 6. Blow in 7. Kiwi 8. Freshie

Hard
1. Fossicking 2. Bush telly 3. Maccas 4. Cactus 5. Dill 6. Bikkie

Impossible!
1. Skite 2. Throw a wobbly 3. Boomer 4. Give a gobful 5. Flat out like a lizard drinking 6. Blue 7. Stickybeak 8. Figjam 9. Zack 10. Shankys’s pony

Answers
Easy
1. baby kangaroo 2. barbecue 3. toilet 4. Australian 5. great, fantastic 6. sunglasses 7. hello! 8. man

Medium
1. small child 2. get lost! 3. do a u turn 4. passionate kiss 5. one's wife 6. stranger 7. person from New Zealand 8. freshwater crocodile

Hard
1. search/rummage 2. campfire 3. McDonald's 4. dead, broken 5. an idiot 6. biscuit

Impossible!
1. boast, brag 2. go mad 3. large male kangaroo 4. abuse verbally 5. very busy 6. argument/mistake 7. nosy person 8. someone who has a high opinion of themselves 9. sixpence (5 cents) 10. to travel on foot

Holy dooley! That roo's a beaut! Fire up the barbie.

College is full of wonderful experiences. Everything from weekend trips to intramural sports to dorm life, college is a once-in-a-lifetime event, with many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. One opportunity I've been blessed to be a part of is the study abroad programs at Harding University. Within this calendar year of 2010 I will be on four different continents. I will be traveling to New Zealand, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and finally, Australia.

Before I get to adapting into a world-traveler, however, there are a lot of different steps. I have to learn the culture, the lingo, Australian taboos and how the people on the eastern hemisphere feel about Americans. I have to decide how and what to pack and about the politics.

I will be keeping an updated blog about everything I learn about Australia and the other countries, including random facts about each. Keep coming back to check for updated posts about the progress of the process of the trip and new information I learn along the way. Until then, G'day mate!