April 19th, 2018
Ninth Week in Perth, Australia:
This week happened to be one of the most jam-packed, eventful weeks I’ve experienced during my time here in Australia. On Sunday, my boyfriend, Dakota, and I went on our first “official” date into the city. We made our initial stop in Northbridge; where he introduced me to Joe’s Juice Bar, Pot Black, and Timezone. Dakota and I then visited the Dome Café in which we both received our own miniature tea pots and precious cups of joy. Unfortunately, our tour around the area was cut short due to the lack of shops being open. After venturing around Northbridge, we backtracked through the train station and onward towards the city malls. The outside settings of both Murray Street and Hay Street malls reminded me of the vibe from the Anthem Outlets or Desert Ridge Marketplace. I was also pleasantly surprised to have seen a few familiar shops, such as Lush Cosmetics, Sketchers, and H&M. Following our perusal through multiple clothing and tea shops, we made our way down a miniature strip mall towards Elizabeth Quay. Dakota and I scored the jackpot as we ran into an unexpected Buddhist festival! Here, he surprised me with pink roses and an extraordinary view of South Perth. Our date concluded with a brief, lazy nap under a tree in Elizabeth Quay.
Alongside receiving a personalized tour by my own partner/tour guide, I also managed to engage in a few social outings with my friends. Amongst these included rock climbing, paddle boarding, and partaking in Trivia night at the Tav.
This weekend, Dakota, Jesse (Dakota’s brother), Emma, and I are going to celebrate Dakota and Jesse’s birthday. We plan on inviting a few of the guys’ mates over to hang out and hopefully play a few card games. I must admit, I’m a little nervous to meet Dakota’s friends because I feel like I won’t live up to their expectations. Socializing with new people is also an enormous struggle for me. Hopefully I’ll be able to pull myself together and manage not to make a fool of myself!
Alongside receiving a personalized tour by my own partner/tour guide, I also managed to engage in a few social outings with my friends. Amongst these included rock climbing, paddle boarding, and partaking in Trivia night at the Tav.
This weekend, Dakota, Jesse (Dakota’s brother), Emma, and I are going to celebrate Dakota and Jesse’s birthday. We plan on inviting a few of the guys’ mates over to hang out and hopefully play a few card games. I must admit, I’m a little nervous to meet Dakota’s friends because I feel like I won’t live up to their expectations. Socializing with new people is also an enormous struggle for me. Hopefully I’ll be able to pull myself together and manage not to make a fool of myself!
How do you spend your free time? Is it different from what you would do in the US?
Since being abroad, I’ve noticed I’ve had a lot more free time than what I’m accustomed to in the states. The curriculum here designates fewer assessments, consequently giving me more time to explore the city and formulate friendships. During free periods, I tend to migrate to our flat’s lounge area and watch the cooking channel. Simple moments of relaxation accompanied by another flat mate remind me exactly of what I would do with my family back at home. That’s also why I prefer the cooking channel; so that I can revisit my mom’s favorite TV shows. Whenever I’m lucky enough to have free time at uni, I participate in new fitness classes and various other campus activities. These never seem to last me long, however, so I later result to gathering information for upcoming assessments. Other moments of freedom are spent connecting with friends or hanging out with my boyfriend. This is generally a newer hobby for me because I had always been so isolated and sheltered at my home university. I would spend almost every moment of my day completing assignments for school without realizing that I haven’t caught up with friends in days. Here, the reduced assignment load has enabled me to participate in group excursions and actually develop a social life.
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