Sydney and the Gold Coast!

SO I know I have been meaning to write have update of what I have been up to. The last few posts I have put up have been from my phone so I couldn't write too much.

But there is so much NEW stuff going on that it is hard to keep track and experience it all at once. Part of me wants to document everything I do and part of me just wants to live/experience it and enjoy that moment. It's a struggle to balance.

All these pictures are from my friend Katie who is an amazing photographer and singer!

Prior to class starting, we had less than a week to get adjusted to our new home. I will put up pictures soon of the apartment because it is beautiful. We are staying in a 5 star accommodation in Broadbeach where we have access to the beach, tons of shopping, the bus stop and hotel amenities such as a great pool, garden and workout facility within a block. I live with 3 other people and all of us are attending Bond University and part of the TEAN program. We are living in luxury that is for sure. Every day here we tell ourselves how lucky we are and that each day is a gift.

Of the four, two of us (including myself) have really only lived in dorms whereas the other two have been living on their own in an apartment before. We all have gotten a long really well and keep up with the housework on a regular basis. This is really imperative because the whole apartment is WHITE and if it gets dirty, it is really obvious and drives us all crazy. I think this is a good habit to get into though, especially as we all are getting older and ready to live on our own.

Most of the days leading up to school have been filled with time at the beach, rubbing in aloe for our sunburns, going grocery shopping (seriously too many times in one week) and checking out the local area.

Some of the things we have done since our arrival:

• During Orientation Week in Sydney
• Tour of Sydney
• Had my first legal drink in Australia (gin & tonic!)
• Went to the zoo
• Climbed the Harbor Bridge of Sydney
• This was a really special experience. We actually climbed up on top of the bridge (yes, the top part) and you could see the entire city for miles and miles. It was so fun and a little scary but my friends Alex and Champ kept me laughing and it was such a fun time! (pictures to come!)
• Amazing Race in Sydney!
• This is exactly what is sounds like. My team: Parth, Jay, Liz and I ran throughout the city of Syndey gathering clues and completing different tasks. I t was an actual race, we ran almost the entire time, fighting for our chance to win a really great prize to have the chance to have a dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in Australia. It was really exciting and something I probably won't ever do again but WE WON! I don't think we were ever more excited because it was really hard and stressful but together we got through it. We ultimately became a little family and they have been some of my greatest friends since I have been here.

More soon about my first week at Bond!