Hello all from the Springtime of Australia

I hope you are all enjoying the beauty of autumn. I am enjoying the coming of summer here, I think it is going to be a hot summer. I already have some colour in my skin from taking the short walk from my house to the train station and back.

Here is my run-down of the month:

I went to the Blue Mountains (finally) they are only a 2 hour train ride away, for a weekend. And it rained so much that we did not spend much time outside. We did take a 3 hour hike, walked through a rainforest and up the three sisters.Though it was so foggy that I was unable to see the wonderful sites that Jeff has on his web page. Jeff is a co-worker from the US who is here as well.

The next exciting and completely nerve-racking thing I did this month was a speech within Girl Guides on "Choices in a Changing World" this was at a leadership/selection weekend for the Irene Fairburn fund. This is a fund that was provided by the first Federal Chief Commissioner of the Australian Girl Guides. And there is a challenge each year for women ages 18-25 (or 30 depending on the event) where the women have to go through and extremely intense selection process. I was asked to be a keynote speaker during this process for these women. I had the opportunity to see them make presentations on the topic that I was speaking on. It was wonderful to see who each of us approached the topic "Choices in a Changing World" from a completely different angle. I really enjoyed giving my little speech but I feel that any of the women who were applying for the fund could have given it in a different and more innovating way. I was truly impressed. If you are interested in finding out a small bit of information about Girl Guides in Australia and International Travel here is a good place to go: Guides Australia

I have discovered a roller rink in the next neighbourhood! After being saturated by 80s music, covering my knees with bruises, and making myself into a complete fool, I am ready to go back. It is good fun and I think I am going to have to make it into a weekly adventure.

Instead of vocabulary I am just going to mention a few cultural things that are different in Australia this month:

1) People here seem to think that potatoes do not go well with Breakfast (and I have yet to find proper hash browns)
2) Things that are the norm on a breakfast plate: baked beans on toast and grilled tomato
3) Beets (which are called Beetroot) is on almost every sandwich you order
4) Meals are: Breakfast, Morning Tea, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner (sometimes called Tea)
5) The Australian Version of the American VFW is called an RSL (Returned & Services League) and they are very popular with all ages for good food, good bands, and Kar-ee-o-kee. (I live behind the Newtown RSL)
6) Kiss on one cheek is norm for hellos and goodbyes even for people you just met.
7) The first floor is actually the second floor
8) Shows like Sex in the City and South Park are uncensored and on regular TV (I do not have cable)
9) Three-Ring Binders are rare: Two-Ring Binders are the norm

Before I sign off I feel I should mention something about the attacks on America. But I do not know what to say. The simplest way to explain how I feel is that I am sad, I feel helpless and that I am now looking to the unknown future. I have always looked to an unknown future, so in that sense things have not changed that much.

My heart goes out to everyone.

Take Care,
Tia