God's gift to the world: Earplugs.
Now, I have always been a heavy sleeper. It takes a lot to keep me from sleeping just about anywhere at anytime. This was all true until we came to where we live, Sector 10 of Dhaka. Now this area used to be a huge village of tin roof shacks and lots of farm land. This was until the city put all of the land up for auction and now there is a ton of construction occuring to build new apartment buildings. Usually between the hours of midnight-2am. Along with the constant sounds of construction (smashing bricks, throwing bricks, hammering things, trucks coming in and out, and yelling) there have also been many sounds of security guards with whistles, mosques blaring music calling people to prayer (2 throughout the night last night), and the general bustle of a city. However, Tenylle was definitely smart enough to bring with her a ton of earplugs. We all have a pair now, and they are our most prized possessions.
Yesterday we got up early, had breakfast, and crawled into some vans that were to bring us across the city to "Old Dhaka." Old Dhaka is a much more crowded area of the city, not that we thought that was possible. There were tons of street vendors, lots of shops, and it was also a bit dirtier than the areas we had seen so far. Now, our plan was to visit this big museum and also a popular fort, but both were closed due to a government holiday we didn't know about. Because our main plans were scrapped, our friend and guide Musa had to quickly come up with new things for us to do.
We drove down around the edge of the river and walked around a bit. It's so funny when we get out and walk here. We feel like celebrities. There are very few white people that come here so when we all get out and walk around in a big group we get a huge following. For instance, later in the day yesterday we went to a gated garden in the middle of the city and we had at least 30 Bangladeshi men following us taking pictures. Because there is such a separation in the level of importance between men and women, men being of a higher cast, they all want to talk to me. While some of them were brave enough to try and talk to some of the girls, I was the targetof interest. I, of course, LOVED the attention. My instructor Rycki came over and told me that this one guy wanted to talk to me and shooed him my way. He was so nervous to speak in English to me that he was shaking. I felt so bad for him. We did have a lovely conversation and I think I made his day. Another interesting thing about this garden is that it is one of the only public places where men and women can touch eachother. Bangladesh is a very Muslim country and because of that, men and women aren't allowed to have physical contact in public. However, in the shelter and shade of the trees of this garden you'll spot many couples sitting close to one another. If you're lucky you may spot a guy with an arm around his girl or even a quick kiss on the cheek. It was very cute.
Throughout the day we saw 2 mosques, and even though it wasn't prayer time, we were allowed in and able to see the mosques. The first one we saw had the most intricate mosaic tiling all over the outside/inside of the building. The second one was on a raised platform about 25 feet in the air and was built almost 350 years ago. It was so wonderful to be allowed in to these sacred spots and to feel the importance and history of these buildings. During the drive we also saw many important buildings like the Prime Minister's office and residence, both were MASSIVE. Lunch was had at a wonderful little restaurant complete with a traditional meal of rice, chicken, and vegetables. It was delicious. At the end of the day we had the vans drop us off in the center of the city and we shopped around some markets for a bit before taking rickshaws home. Now, here is where the riot comes in. Now we knew roughly how to get home, and I was doing pretty well with navigating, until we got pretty close to home. Now as you get further away from the center of the city they roads turn to dirt, they get narrow, and chances are they are incredibly muddy. So after taking our three drivers down a road which we thought was our road, we turned them around back to the next biggest road we had last turned off of. After getting some directions from some of the locals, we went BACK down that road (I was right!) towards our house. We had just passed the road that leads to our house. After about 30 minutes on the rickshaw and watching the patch of sweat on our drivers back grow exponentially, we realized that we should probably pay our driver a bit more. When we finally made it, Kristin and I paid our driver 400taka (about $5.50) for the ride home, when the usual far would be about 50taka. This was all well and good, but the other two sets of girls only paid their drivers 150taka... which created a mini uproar between the drivers. Kristin and I basically paid our driver and then sprinted away. I'm sure though that the drivers figured everything out and that all was well.
We walked the rest of the way home (about a block), had some dinner, and then crahsed into bed. Earplugs in, of course. Today we got up and came to the university, IUBAT, to get some internet time in. We have nothing planned for today, so I'm sure we may go into the center of the city and do some exploring. I am having a great time and loving every minute. I'm not sure when, or if, I'll be able to upload photos. But I will definitely have some up when I get home. All is well here.
Hope all is well at home!
Love and Miss you all!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
On the Road Again!
Wow... when I was missing Australia very much (I just passed my one year anniversary of arrival) jetting off to another country couldn't have come at a better time. I have made it all the way around the world to Dhaka, Bangladesh. We had a 12 hour flight to Dubai and just a short enough layover to keep us from leaving the airport and exploring a city I've always wanted to go to. After that we had a 4 hour flight to Dhaka where we were greeted by many mosquitoes and a small bus to carry us and our many bags to our apartment. Had I not been completely delirious from exhaustion that short ride through the city might have seemed quite perilous. However, after thinking we were going to plow down countless pedestrians, a few rickshaws, and even a small car or two... we made it to our apartment without incident.
The city itself is so crowded. There are people, rickshaws, and a few cars everywhere! All of which have one rule for the road: don't get hit. There are a few ways to try and prevent this; the first of which is to honk or ring your rickshaw bell. The second is to flash your headlights or turn on your four-ways. The third way is to yell as the person you are about to smash into. And the fourth is to run. Fast. I've learned that any ringing bell of any honking horn, depending on it's proximity, alerts you to impending death and you need to do a quick sidestep towards the curb.
We had a wonderful day exploring the city today with some students from the university here. It was nice to go out and see the people, the city, do some shopping, and eat some of the local food. Our meal today was absolutely fabulous! For three people the bill came to 750Taka, which came to $10usd. Insane. Everything here is so cheap. While the day has been wonderful, the impact of the poverty is already taking its toll on me. You can't walk outside without seeing some gut-wrenching sight that is so painful. The beggars in the city center grabbing on to your arm and asking for cash is just to depressing and unbelievably hard to stomach. You feel like you can help them and give them some money, but if we helped one person we'd have to help them all. It's so painful.
However, today was a great day! I believe we're going to an orphanage tomorrow and then having a class in the evening. I am loving it so far, and am excited to get the blog up and running again. I hope everyone enjoys it. The Internet is very slow here, so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update this, but I'll try my best to do it often. Hope everyone is well at home and not buried in snow.
Love and Miss you all!
Daniel
The city itself is so crowded. There are people, rickshaws, and a few cars everywhere! All of which have one rule for the road: don't get hit. There are a few ways to try and prevent this; the first of which is to honk or ring your rickshaw bell. The second is to flash your headlights or turn on your four-ways. The third way is to yell as the person you are about to smash into. And the fourth is to run. Fast. I've learned that any ringing bell of any honking horn, depending on it's proximity, alerts you to impending death and you need to do a quick sidestep towards the curb.
We had a wonderful day exploring the city today with some students from the university here. It was nice to go out and see the people, the city, do some shopping, and eat some of the local food. Our meal today was absolutely fabulous! For three people the bill came to 750Taka, which came to $10usd. Insane. Everything here is so cheap. While the day has been wonderful, the impact of the poverty is already taking its toll on me. You can't walk outside without seeing some gut-wrenching sight that is so painful. The beggars in the city center grabbing on to your arm and asking for cash is just to depressing and unbelievably hard to stomach. You feel like you can help them and give them some money, but if we helped one person we'd have to help them all. It's so painful.
However, today was a great day! I believe we're going to an orphanage tomorrow and then having a class in the evening. I am loving it so far, and am excited to get the blog up and running again. I hope everyone enjoys it. The Internet is very slow here, so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update this, but I'll try my best to do it often. Hope everyone is well at home and not buried in snow.
Love and Miss you all!
Daniel
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The End
Well the cab has been called, and we have about 30 minutes left in The Village. All of our friends that are left over have stayed up to see us off at 4am. :)
It is so bittersweet to be leaving here. I have made so many close friends and can't imagine not being with them every day starting tomorrow. Though it will be so nice to get home, and get into a summer groove, it will be incredibly weird leaving what has become so normal over the last four and a half months.
I have a long travel period ahead of me... something like 38 hours door to door. Everything is packed and it's just so weird! Now that it's happening though... I'm ready to be going home. Hopefully I can enjoy my flights and not have any problems.
I suppose this may be the last, or second to last post on the blog. I hope you all have enjoyed reading through my adventures and I also hope that I have managed to entertain you all. It has been such an amazing semester and I cannot wait to tell everyone about it.
Hope all is well at home!
Love and miss you all!
It is so bittersweet to be leaving here. I have made so many close friends and can't imagine not being with them every day starting tomorrow. Though it will be so nice to get home, and get into a summer groove, it will be incredibly weird leaving what has become so normal over the last four and a half months.
I have a long travel period ahead of me... something like 38 hours door to door. Everything is packed and it's just so weird! Now that it's happening though... I'm ready to be going home. Hopefully I can enjoy my flights and not have any problems.
I suppose this may be the last, or second to last post on the blog. I hope you all have enjoyed reading through my adventures and I also hope that I have managed to entertain you all. It has been such an amazing semester and I cannot wait to tell everyone about it.
Hope all is well at home!
Love and miss you all!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Nearing The End
As I write this, we have already lost 4 people from our group. The next three to leave will be Trina, Steffen, and myself. We stayed up until 4am last night to watch Emma, Lauren, and Stephanie get in their taxi to start their treks home. It was so sad to see them go, knowing that I won't see some of them for quite a long time. We were so exhausted after they left, that we immediately went to bed and crashed. I woke up rather early this morning, walked down the hall to Lauren's room, and was so depressed to see it completely empty.
Being in Toowoomba without all of these people is so hard. Lauren isn't just down the hall, Alex's loud voice isn't booming through the house, and I can't text Stephanie with some witty comment or funny story. Being one of the last to leave is definitely hard. Tonight is my last full night in Toowoomba, as Trina and I are also taking a 4am cab tomorrow night. Tomorrow should consist of packing, having a few cocktails, and finishing off as much of our food that we still have as possible. Luckily we still have a rather large group of people to keep company with. Casey and Michelle will be in Toowoomba for two more weeks, and Tyler is here for the next semester. Though our group is smaller, we still are having a good time, making each other laugh, and trying not to get too sad about those that are missing.
This semester has been one of the most inspiring times in my life. I have met so many different and amazing people who have all given me a boost to become a better person. All of my friends here are so caring, loving, hilarious, intelligent, and beautiful people. Leaving them is going to be so incredibly hard. Knowing that we all may never be in the same place at the same time again, and especially not in Toowoomba, is so painful. I anticipate needing an entire box of tissues for my flights home. This semester has also sparked my love for traveling. I cannot wait to explore as much of this world as possible. Before coming to Australia I told myself I was going to take any opportunity that was given to me throughout the semester. I believe I did just that. Though there were still so many other things I would have liked to do or see, I believe that I did so much considering the time and money constraints. All of those I didn't get to, will just head my to-do list for the next time I'm down under.
This must be one of the most bittersweet times in my life. While I am so sad to leave my friends and the wonderful dynamic we've created, I am also ready to bid Toowoomba adieu and get back to beautiful Vermont! Summer in Vermont could quite possibly be my most favorite thing. The mountains are so beautiful, it's sunny and warm, and everyone is so carefree. I cannot wait to see you all and tell of the details of my semester! Even though I will be exhausted from 40 hours of traveling, incredibly jet-lagged, and maybe as greasy as a frialator, I will instantly be rejuvenated by the sight of family, friends, and beautiful Bethel and Burlington. I am so fortunate to have been able to experience this semester and all that it has entailed. But I am even more fortunate to be able to return to a place like Vermont.
I will do my best to post again tomorrow night before I leave. My flight schedule is something like this: Fly from Brisbane to Sydney at/around 11am (9pmEST Sunday) , Sydney to San Francisco, and then from SanFran to Boston getting in around 10:30pmEST Monday night. Should be in Bethel by 2am... which will of course feel like 4pm that same day. Super. :)
Can't wait to see you all!
Hope all is well!
Miss you all!
Being in Toowoomba without all of these people is so hard. Lauren isn't just down the hall, Alex's loud voice isn't booming through the house, and I can't text Stephanie with some witty comment or funny story. Being one of the last to leave is definitely hard. Tonight is my last full night in Toowoomba, as Trina and I are also taking a 4am cab tomorrow night. Tomorrow should consist of packing, having a few cocktails, and finishing off as much of our food that we still have as possible. Luckily we still have a rather large group of people to keep company with. Casey and Michelle will be in Toowoomba for two more weeks, and Tyler is here for the next semester. Though our group is smaller, we still are having a good time, making each other laugh, and trying not to get too sad about those that are missing.
This semester has been one of the most inspiring times in my life. I have met so many different and amazing people who have all given me a boost to become a better person. All of my friends here are so caring, loving, hilarious, intelligent, and beautiful people. Leaving them is going to be so incredibly hard. Knowing that we all may never be in the same place at the same time again, and especially not in Toowoomba, is so painful. I anticipate needing an entire box of tissues for my flights home. This semester has also sparked my love for traveling. I cannot wait to explore as much of this world as possible. Before coming to Australia I told myself I was going to take any opportunity that was given to me throughout the semester. I believe I did just that. Though there were still so many other things I would have liked to do or see, I believe that I did so much considering the time and money constraints. All of those I didn't get to, will just head my to-do list for the next time I'm down under.
This must be one of the most bittersweet times in my life. While I am so sad to leave my friends and the wonderful dynamic we've created, I am also ready to bid Toowoomba adieu and get back to beautiful Vermont! Summer in Vermont could quite possibly be my most favorite thing. The mountains are so beautiful, it's sunny and warm, and everyone is so carefree. I cannot wait to see you all and tell of the details of my semester! Even though I will be exhausted from 40 hours of traveling, incredibly jet-lagged, and maybe as greasy as a frialator, I will instantly be rejuvenated by the sight of family, friends, and beautiful Bethel and Burlington. I am so fortunate to have been able to experience this semester and all that it has entailed. But I am even more fortunate to be able to return to a place like Vermont.
I will do my best to post again tomorrow night before I leave. My flight schedule is something like this: Fly from Brisbane to Sydney at/around 11am (9pmEST Sunday) , Sydney to San Francisco, and then from SanFran to Boston getting in around 10:30pmEST Monday night. Should be in Bethel by 2am... which will of course feel like 4pm that same day. Super. :)
Can't wait to see you all!
Hope all is well!
Miss you all!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Byron Bay and some Severe Realization
Let me start off by telling you all that I finished my three finals, they went very well, and I'm on easy street until we head back stateside. :)
Anyway, back to my adventures. When talking to anyone in Australia about where I should go and what I should see I don't think a single person didn't say Byron Bay. So with one weekend left to travel, I decided that I was going to Byron Bay. I rented my first car as a 21yo, and told all of my friends that they were welcome to come and the car was on me. Sadly, because of finals and cashflow, almost no one could come. Thankfully, Lauren was able to come... so per usual, I had my travel buddy! After I went downtown and rented the car, Lauren and I had a leisurely morning in Toowoomba, got in the car, and headed south towards Byron Bay. Having a car to go places in Australia is such a simple luxury and it made me realize how much I miss my car.
The drive down to Byron was beautiful! Bright blue skies and an abundance of sun... until we got to Byron. Clearly. As we were heading south we saw this WALL of black clouds... which basically started about 1km north of Byron. However, even though it poured rain for most of the weekend, it was sunny in the times that we needed it, so all was well. Byron is basically a huge hippie/surf town. Everyone there has dreadlocks and is so laid back. It was perfect.
Our friend from UVM, Melissa - who studied in Perth this semester, had just been in Cairns for the last few days before this and was flying down to meet us in Byron, hang out there, and then come back to spend her last few days in Australia with us in Toowoomba... poor soul. It was so nice to see Melissa, as we hadn't seen her since we went to Sydney in March. I had forgotten how long ago it was when we went to Sydney, and that's when it first hit me that this semester was nearly over and I couldn't believe it.
In Byron we walked around through all of the shops, ate almost every meal out, went out, visited the lighthouse and the easterly most point in the Australian mainland, and also remembered our skills learned in Surfer's Paradise, rented a board, and did some surfing. It was just a few days in Byron, but it really was fun. Because it rains there almost all the time, it was so incredibly green. The lighthouse was very neat, and being on a hill, it provided for some beautiful views of the coast and the whales migrating. It was so nice. We also tried our hand at surfing again, which was pretty good actually. I was pleased that I remembered how and was still slightly able. Even with the rain, Byron was a great town and we had a good few days there.
Melissa came back home with us and spent her last weekend in Toowoomba, before flying to Sydney for a day to go home. She was lucky enough to ride on the TT Coaches on her way to Brisbane. Clearly we couldn't send her home without a ride in one of their death traps. Sorry if this bit about Byron was flighty... I just really want to blog about this next bit and can't think of much else right now.
Last night at 8pm we had a severe realization that things can go wrong, and do, and one minute you're having fun in Toowoomba, and the next you are on a flight back to Germany. Our roommate Alex got a call from home last night telling him that his dad's cancer was back and it had spread. The doctor said he might have two weeks, maybe two months, they didn't know. Watching Alex get this news really hit home. It brought us so close to pain and the realization that this could have been any of our family members. What seems like such an amazing semester, could have been ripped out from under any of us at any point. Alex was meant to meet his friend from Germany in a week and spend two weeks driving around Australia. However, he decided that he needed to be home. We all seemed to know what needed to be done. Casey and Michelle packed Alex's entire room, Lauren packed snacks, Steffen did so many logistical things that we never would have thought about, Stephanie started baking, Trina took care of Alex, and I booked him a new flight for Germany at 2am. This was our first test as a group of friends with something as serious and sad as this. I was so proud of us and how everyone did what needed to be done.
The worst part of all of this, is that Alex (and us), weren't intending for this to happen. His exit was unanticipated and we never had time to process it. He got the call at 8 and we were in the car to Brisbane by 10. It was a whirlwind of emotion and I was just not prepared for it. As he was walking through security, those of us that took him to the airport realized that we wouldn't be seeing him in quite a while, and never again in unit 73 of The Village. This is when it hit me that this semester is ending almost immediately. Sure, I knew that it was only a few days until I went home, but I guess I didn't realize that I am not going to see all of these new friends I've made... in quite a while. I'm probably going to be a wreck when it's time for the others to start going. Everyone here has become my family and some of my closest friends. Not seeing them everyday is going to be harder to get used to than coming to Australia in the first point.
This whole Alex thing instilled in me that even though you may have all of these plans, you can't control what actually happens in life. This wasn't how he was supposed to leave Toowoomba, and our weekend will be weird without him. However, we'll make it work, because we have to. My thoughts are with Alex and his family, and I am so incredibly thankful for my family's health.
Hope all is well at home!
Miss you all!
(4 days)
Anyway, back to my adventures. When talking to anyone in Australia about where I should go and what I should see I don't think a single person didn't say Byron Bay. So with one weekend left to travel, I decided that I was going to Byron Bay. I rented my first car as a 21yo, and told all of my friends that they were welcome to come and the car was on me. Sadly, because of finals and cashflow, almost no one could come. Thankfully, Lauren was able to come... so per usual, I had my travel buddy! After I went downtown and rented the car, Lauren and I had a leisurely morning in Toowoomba, got in the car, and headed south towards Byron Bay. Having a car to go places in Australia is such a simple luxury and it made me realize how much I miss my car.
The drive down to Byron was beautiful! Bright blue skies and an abundance of sun... until we got to Byron. Clearly. As we were heading south we saw this WALL of black clouds... which basically started about 1km north of Byron. However, even though it poured rain for most of the weekend, it was sunny in the times that we needed it, so all was well. Byron is basically a huge hippie/surf town. Everyone there has dreadlocks and is so laid back. It was perfect.
Our friend from UVM, Melissa - who studied in Perth this semester, had just been in Cairns for the last few days before this and was flying down to meet us in Byron, hang out there, and then come back to spend her last few days in Australia with us in Toowoomba... poor soul. It was so nice to see Melissa, as we hadn't seen her since we went to Sydney in March. I had forgotten how long ago it was when we went to Sydney, and that's when it first hit me that this semester was nearly over and I couldn't believe it.
In Byron we walked around through all of the shops, ate almost every meal out, went out, visited the lighthouse and the easterly most point in the Australian mainland, and also remembered our skills learned in Surfer's Paradise, rented a board, and did some surfing. It was just a few days in Byron, but it really was fun. Because it rains there almost all the time, it was so incredibly green. The lighthouse was very neat, and being on a hill, it provided for some beautiful views of the coast and the whales migrating. It was so nice. We also tried our hand at surfing again, which was pretty good actually. I was pleased that I remembered how and was still slightly able. Even with the rain, Byron was a great town and we had a good few days there.
Melissa came back home with us and spent her last weekend in Toowoomba, before flying to Sydney for a day to go home. She was lucky enough to ride on the TT Coaches on her way to Brisbane. Clearly we couldn't send her home without a ride in one of their death traps. Sorry if this bit about Byron was flighty... I just really want to blog about this next bit and can't think of much else right now.
Last night at 8pm we had a severe realization that things can go wrong, and do, and one minute you're having fun in Toowoomba, and the next you are on a flight back to Germany. Our roommate Alex got a call from home last night telling him that his dad's cancer was back and it had spread. The doctor said he might have two weeks, maybe two months, they didn't know. Watching Alex get this news really hit home. It brought us so close to pain and the realization that this could have been any of our family members. What seems like such an amazing semester, could have been ripped out from under any of us at any point. Alex was meant to meet his friend from Germany in a week and spend two weeks driving around Australia. However, he decided that he needed to be home. We all seemed to know what needed to be done. Casey and Michelle packed Alex's entire room, Lauren packed snacks, Steffen did so many logistical things that we never would have thought about, Stephanie started baking, Trina took care of Alex, and I booked him a new flight for Germany at 2am. This was our first test as a group of friends with something as serious and sad as this. I was so proud of us and how everyone did what needed to be done.
The worst part of all of this, is that Alex (and us), weren't intending for this to happen. His exit was unanticipated and we never had time to process it. He got the call at 8 and we were in the car to Brisbane by 10. It was a whirlwind of emotion and I was just not prepared for it. As he was walking through security, those of us that took him to the airport realized that we wouldn't be seeing him in quite a while, and never again in unit 73 of The Village. This is when it hit me that this semester is ending almost immediately. Sure, I knew that it was only a few days until I went home, but I guess I didn't realize that I am not going to see all of these new friends I've made... in quite a while. I'm probably going to be a wreck when it's time for the others to start going. Everyone here has become my family and some of my closest friends. Not seeing them everyday is going to be harder to get used to than coming to Australia in the first point.
This whole Alex thing instilled in me that even though you may have all of these plans, you can't control what actually happens in life. This wasn't how he was supposed to leave Toowoomba, and our weekend will be weird without him. However, we'll make it work, because we have to. My thoughts are with Alex and his family, and I am so incredibly thankful for my family's health.
Hope all is well at home!
Miss you all!
(4 days)
Friday, June 12, 2009
Home "sweet" Home
Back in Toowoomba after a 6 hour drive from Mitchell! The trip back was a lot better than the trip there because it was rainy on the way there, and today was one of the nicest days! The Outback looks so much more incredible in the sunlight!
It was weird driving in to Toowoomba today... a town that has seemed so small to me in the past seemed so large when entering today and coming from a town of 1,000. I walked to campus to mail a card today, and it seemed like forever since I had been here. The smell of curry that fills The Village filled my nostrils when returning from my walk... something that wasn't very missed.
I do miss Mitchell, and the people, heaps already! Everyone was so incredibly nice and accommodating towards us and I really felt like we were part of their family. I was wicked sad to leave everyone this morning. Mostly because I have a feeling I won't see most of those people ever again, but also because leaving Mitchell signified that it's time to start saying goodbye to people and places that have become so familiar and normal to me. I only have 18 days left in Australia and I already know they are going to go by too fast. I still have so many places I want to see and things to do, and I just don't have the time to do them. I've already made a list of things to do the next time I come.
However, it's time to start studying for finals as I have one Monday and another Wednesday. I'm hoping to go away for a bit next weekend, but we shall see.
It was weird driving in to Toowoomba today... a town that has seemed so small to me in the past seemed so large when entering today and coming from a town of 1,000. I walked to campus to mail a card today, and it seemed like forever since I had been here. The smell of curry that fills The Village filled my nostrils when returning from my walk... something that wasn't very missed.
I do miss Mitchell, and the people, heaps already! Everyone was so incredibly nice and accommodating towards us and I really felt like we were part of their family. I was wicked sad to leave everyone this morning. Mostly because I have a feeling I won't see most of those people ever again, but also because leaving Mitchell signified that it's time to start saying goodbye to people and places that have become so familiar and normal to me. I only have 18 days left in Australia and I already know they are going to go by too fast. I still have so many places I want to see and things to do, and I just don't have the time to do them. I've already made a list of things to do the next time I come.
However, it's time to start studying for finals as I have one Monday and another Wednesday. I'm hoping to go away for a bit next weekend, but we shall see.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Another small town
Mitchell, Queensland! Love it!
When I first found out that I would be going to Mitchell, and even more so after I saw the population on Wikipedia (1,000), I was a little apprehensive about spending two weeks in a town half the size of Bethel. That was, of course, before I met all of the wonderful people from Mitchell. Today marks the week mark of our arrival here.
The nursing quarters that we are staying in are really nice. We have a nice kitchen, nice bathrooms, heaters in our rooms, and a big TV in the living room. The best part may be that it is a 30sec walk to the hospital. The hospital is a small community hospital, but it is rarely quiet. We have four permanent residents which keep us on our toes, as well as various other outpatients that come to the hospital presenting with loads of different problems. Clearly I cannot divulge any of these problems, but I have been getting a proper nursing training. Which I was skeptical of before arriving. The nurses and other staff at the hospital have been so accommodating and incredibly nice since we have arrived. I feel like I've been here for such a long time. It's funny to get back into that small town feel and remember that everyone IS related and everyone DOES know everyone's business.
Mitchell itself is a quaint little town. Being the "Gateway to the Outback" it is very flat and looks a lot like grasslands. There is one main street with two grocery stores, a hardware store, two clothing stores, a butcher, a bakery, and a pharmacy. Most of the corners in town have hotels on them, with bars beneath. The side streets are mainly filled with homes, and a few restaurants or bottle shops. There is also one gas station. :)
Lauren and I had our one day off yesterday (Saturday) and we crammed it full of popular Mitchell activities. We woke up early-ish and went to the Spa. It's called a Spa, but it isn't a spa as we would think of in the US. It is essentially a natural hot-spring pool. The water was right around 100 degrees and it felt so good. There was another pool right next to the hot one that was kept at 70 degrees. Needless to say, I only went in there for the amount of time it took me to jump in and climb out as fast as possible. We felt a little out of place as we slipped into the massive hot tub with twenty other people from Mitchell... who probably all said to themselves: "Who are these people?" Regardless, we hung out for about an hour and a half before going back to the nursing quarters to get ready for the "Pink Bowls!" Now Bowls, or Lawn Bowling, is a popular sport here in Australia and is very similar to Bocce Ball. You stand on a rectangular court with 4 people per team, two bowls (NOT balls - even though they are spherical) per person, and a small white ball called a "Jack" which you are trying to come close to with your balls. Now, this particular game was called "Pink-Bowls" because it was raising money for Breast Cancer Research. Lauren and I were put on a team with two unfortunate, but very friendly and helpful bowls-veterans. I say unfortunate because, had they not had us on their team, the score may not have been 25-2 at the end. I would like to point out that Lauren and I each scored one of those two points that our team had. No big deal. The main difference between Bowls and Bocce is that there are 16 bowls all in all, and that they are unequally weighted: one size is heavier than the other, so the ball turns while rolling. Clearly this would be the case... make it harder than it already is. There was a raffle at the end of the day and one of my two tickets was picked to win a... Barbecue Kit. Complete with spatula, tongs, a machete-like knife, skewers and corn-on-the-cob handles. Now, what was I going to do with a BBQ Set?! I ended up giving it to one of the younger nurses who works at the hospital who said she needed one. In the end, we had a very fun day learning bowls, having a few beers, and meeting some great Mitchell people.
After the Bowls we went to an opening for the new historical society museum in town. There they had a traditional outback dinner where large holes are dug into the ground where heaps of hot coals are poured in, the food put in, then covered and cooked underground. Everything was delicious! There were two types of soups as the first course: Pumpkin and Pea and Ham. After that it was the main course which was a beef stew and also a curried sausage dish. These were sided with a traditional bread called Damper, which tasted much like shortcake. Desert was apple pie with custard and cream poured over it... SO RICH! It was a delicious meal and it was also very nice company. Afterward, Lauren and I were so tired that we walked back to the nurses quarters and called it an early night.
I have the morning off, but will be working a late shift tonight (2:30-11pm). Doing shift work has been interesting, and it's getting me excited for actually having a job at this time next year!
So Mitchell is great... and I'll be sad to leave on Friday. But I do plan to go to Byron Bay for a few days this weekend, or maybe next weekend. We'll see.
Hope all is well at home!
Miss you all!
When I first found out that I would be going to Mitchell, and even more so after I saw the population on Wikipedia (1,000), I was a little apprehensive about spending two weeks in a town half the size of Bethel. That was, of course, before I met all of the wonderful people from Mitchell. Today marks the week mark of our arrival here.
The nursing quarters that we are staying in are really nice. We have a nice kitchen, nice bathrooms, heaters in our rooms, and a big TV in the living room. The best part may be that it is a 30sec walk to the hospital. The hospital is a small community hospital, but it is rarely quiet. We have four permanent residents which keep us on our toes, as well as various other outpatients that come to the hospital presenting with loads of different problems. Clearly I cannot divulge any of these problems, but I have been getting a proper nursing training. Which I was skeptical of before arriving. The nurses and other staff at the hospital have been so accommodating and incredibly nice since we have arrived. I feel like I've been here for such a long time. It's funny to get back into that small town feel and remember that everyone IS related and everyone DOES know everyone's business.
Mitchell itself is a quaint little town. Being the "Gateway to the Outback" it is very flat and looks a lot like grasslands. There is one main street with two grocery stores, a hardware store, two clothing stores, a butcher, a bakery, and a pharmacy. Most of the corners in town have hotels on them, with bars beneath. The side streets are mainly filled with homes, and a few restaurants or bottle shops. There is also one gas station. :)
Lauren and I had our one day off yesterday (Saturday) and we crammed it full of popular Mitchell activities. We woke up early-ish and went to the Spa. It's called a Spa, but it isn't a spa as we would think of in the US. It is essentially a natural hot-spring pool. The water was right around 100 degrees and it felt so good. There was another pool right next to the hot one that was kept at 70 degrees. Needless to say, I only went in there for the amount of time it took me to jump in and climb out as fast as possible. We felt a little out of place as we slipped into the massive hot tub with twenty other people from Mitchell... who probably all said to themselves: "Who are these people?" Regardless, we hung out for about an hour and a half before going back to the nursing quarters to get ready for the "Pink Bowls!" Now Bowls, or Lawn Bowling, is a popular sport here in Australia and is very similar to Bocce Ball. You stand on a rectangular court with 4 people per team, two bowls (NOT balls - even though they are spherical) per person, and a small white ball called a "Jack" which you are trying to come close to with your balls. Now, this particular game was called "Pink-Bowls" because it was raising money for Breast Cancer Research. Lauren and I were put on a team with two unfortunate, but very friendly and helpful bowls-veterans. I say unfortunate because, had they not had us on their team, the score may not have been 25-2 at the end. I would like to point out that Lauren and I each scored one of those two points that our team had. No big deal. The main difference between Bowls and Bocce is that there are 16 bowls all in all, and that they are unequally weighted: one size is heavier than the other, so the ball turns while rolling. Clearly this would be the case... make it harder than it already is. There was a raffle at the end of the day and one of my two tickets was picked to win a... Barbecue Kit. Complete with spatula, tongs, a machete-like knife, skewers and corn-on-the-cob handles. Now, what was I going to do with a BBQ Set?! I ended up giving it to one of the younger nurses who works at the hospital who said she needed one. In the end, we had a very fun day learning bowls, having a few beers, and meeting some great Mitchell people.
After the Bowls we went to an opening for the new historical society museum in town. There they had a traditional outback dinner where large holes are dug into the ground where heaps of hot coals are poured in, the food put in, then covered and cooked underground. Everything was delicious! There were two types of soups as the first course: Pumpkin and Pea and Ham. After that it was the main course which was a beef stew and also a curried sausage dish. These were sided with a traditional bread called Damper, which tasted much like shortcake. Desert was apple pie with custard and cream poured over it... SO RICH! It was a delicious meal and it was also very nice company. Afterward, Lauren and I were so tired that we walked back to the nurses quarters and called it an early night.
I have the morning off, but will be working a late shift tonight (2:30-11pm). Doing shift work has been interesting, and it's getting me excited for actually having a job at this time next year!
So Mitchell is great... and I'll be sad to leave on Friday. But I do plan to go to Byron Bay for a few days this weekend, or maybe next weekend. We'll see.
Hope all is well at home!
Miss you all!
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