June 7th, 2018
Sixteenth Week in Perth, Australia:
This week was study week at Curtin University, which had also become known as the week in which the library became my temporary home. Whenever I wasn’t at the library studying, I was over at Curtin University Stadium training with my friend, Shayla, or working on my personal training routine. I didn’t happen to visit many other places because of the unpredictable, rainy weather. It’s extremely difficult to forecast when it will rain here because the clouds persist all day, however, they only seem to pour for about two minutes at a time. Because of this, I was stuck on campus contemplating whether I should stay at the library for another hour and wait for the weather to clear up, or just take my chances and pray Perth doesn’t surprise me with a legendary rainstorm.
Even though this week’s weather conditions were considerably shabby, it didn’t stop me from participating in a few local activities. Last weekend, Elizabeth Quay had hosted an extended event to celebrate Western Australia Day! On Monday, Jay, Vivien, and I had decided to journey over to the event and partake in a few of the featured festivities. The event offered a variety of cuisine and live music, however, a majority of the attractions got rained out due to this week’s rainstorm. The following day, my friend, Sam, and I decided it would be a better idea to partake in an indoor activity. This had sparked Sam’s creative mind into taking me and a few of his colleagues to Bounce! Unlike Adventure World’s pathetic attempt at reproducing Six Flags’s rollercoasters, Bounce had actually outcompeted Jumpstreet’s trampoline park. We spent the entire hour trampoline wall walking, navigating complicated hurdles, and even participating in an amateur Ninja Warrior obstacle course. We all ended up having an enjoyable time together and even agreed to going again before I leave!
This week I had also noticed how increasingly homesick I continue to become. It seems that every time I realized how little time I have left in Australia, the more anticipatory I became for home. However, I suppose it’s not my actual “home” that I’m looking forward to. I’m really just excited to see my family, friends, dogs, car, and even being able to sleep in my own DOUBLE bed (I can no longer deal with this single bed anymore!) Although, I think the worst part of realizing how badly I anticipate being home is how badly I know I’ll want to come back. I had to keep telling myself that I’d be satisfied at home for about a week or so, however, I needed to keep in mind that I’ll miss this place shortly afterward. I mustn’t let my excitement for home blind me from my life here now. This motivated my decision to actively pursue an eventful lifestyle for my final two weeks of being in Australia.
Even though this week’s weather conditions were considerably shabby, it didn’t stop me from participating in a few local activities. Last weekend, Elizabeth Quay had hosted an extended event to celebrate Western Australia Day! On Monday, Jay, Vivien, and I had decided to journey over to the event and partake in a few of the featured festivities. The event offered a variety of cuisine and live music, however, a majority of the attractions got rained out due to this week’s rainstorm. The following day, my friend, Sam, and I decided it would be a better idea to partake in an indoor activity. This had sparked Sam’s creative mind into taking me and a few of his colleagues to Bounce! Unlike Adventure World’s pathetic attempt at reproducing Six Flags’s rollercoasters, Bounce had actually outcompeted Jumpstreet’s trampoline park. We spent the entire hour trampoline wall walking, navigating complicated hurdles, and even participating in an amateur Ninja Warrior obstacle course. We all ended up having an enjoyable time together and even agreed to going again before I leave!
This week I had also noticed how increasingly homesick I continue to become. It seems that every time I realized how little time I have left in Australia, the more anticipatory I became for home. However, I suppose it’s not my actual “home” that I’m looking forward to. I’m really just excited to see my family, friends, dogs, car, and even being able to sleep in my own DOUBLE bed (I can no longer deal with this single bed anymore!) Although, I think the worst part of realizing how badly I anticipate being home is how badly I know I’ll want to come back. I had to keep telling myself that I’d be satisfied at home for about a week or so, however, I needed to keep in mind that I’ll miss this place shortly afterward. I mustn’t let my excitement for home blind me from my life here now. This motivated my decision to actively pursue an eventful lifestyle for my final two weeks of being in Australia.
What tips would you give a student who wants to meet the locals?
For a foreign exchange student aspiring to meet the locals, I would suggest getting out and exploring! Australia is home to a variety of international citizens in which have assimilated their own distinct languages and customs into its evolving society. Curtin University residence halls even encourage international associations by offering an abundance of culture nights, international cuisine nights, and even entertaining field trips. Australians also LOVE American accents, so just introduce yourself and conversation will flourish!
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