By Maura Bogue
Westhampton ‘10

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain — Our Richmond planner and Spidercard might not weigh much, but after half a semester abroad without them, the lightness is unreal.

A few days into our program here, one of my Richmond classmates and I were walking home from school when we turned around and saw the group we had set out with was 50 feet behind. We’d just begun to congratulate ourselves on the efficiency of our gait, when the reality of our condition hit us hard. We were race-walkers. Heads down, New-York-City-style speed-walkers. And that was one sport I’d never wanted to try.

We took a few seconds to absorb our surroundings — the sun was dancing across the turquoise river that was leading us to an afternoon at the beach. There was nothing to be done and nowhere to be. What was the rush?

We struggled for not only the rest of the walk, but for the rest of the month to adapt to the stroll and break our habit of gluing our eyes to the ground the moment we moved forward. To the shaking heads of San Sebastian natives, we’d catch ourselves weaving through pedestrians and trying to cross the street at red lights. I even ran into a shoulder-high roadblock … two days in a row.

Other signals of the extent to which we’d been pre-programmed to always be accomplishing something surfaced when another Richmond classmate confessed he felt guilty not having work to do every day, and another admitted she could actually sleep at night.

Although we are learning from class lectures and the intermittent homework assignments, there has been no equivalent to nightly Boatwright sessions. A couple of exercises and a final exam or paper. When I asked a professor if I could take my pre-semester language course exam early because I was traveling that weekend, his response was, “No me importa. Just do it by February.”

There have certainly been times when I’ve missed the efficiency of the United States, as when I was on an airport shuttle that was content with traveling behind a tractor for a half hour and more concerned with taking stretching breaks than getting us to our flights on time. And we’d never allow a Richmond Airport in D.C., unlike when I flew into a “Frankfurt Airport” that was two hours from Frankfurt. I’d probably never have to spend a night on an airport conveyor belt because of bird trouble either.

I’ll also never take my dryer or dishwasher for granted again, but it feels good to live under a different mindset. And I’m still in a first-world country. I can only imagine what other students are being exposed to in Africa or Latin America.

Although I’m mindful that in two months I’ll be home, the lesson of the possibility of another way to live won’t be irrelevant. In fact, considering what the state of the economy and my own bank account will be when I return, a new mindset will be essential.

So when my instinct was to be alarmed about the economy, a friend both caught me off-guard and reinforced my own new lesson when he said he was excited. The world financial system was not good, fair, nor honest, he said, and if our economy collapsed, a new and radically different system would not only be possible, but better.

Then he sent me a Google video called “Zeitgeist Addendum,” which dissected our monetary system with the assertion that we’ve been living under a system of glorified slavery, oppressed by our obsession with the bottom line.

In enjoying my semester slightly detached from the bottom line mindset, I was intrigued by the film’s solution of the Venus Project. Its goal is to abandon profit and competition for a high-technology, resource-based economy, reasoning that only technology can improve our lives through efficient resource use, not money, religion, nor politics.

Maybe Obama will offer some change, but if it’s not enough, if my semester abroad has taught me one thing it’s that a complete reprogramming needn’t cause dread, but invigoration.

The film presses, “…we must be open to new information at all times, even if it threatens our current belief system… being wrong is erroneously associated with failure, when in fact, to be proven wrong should be celebrated, for it is elevating someone to a new level of understanding, furthering awareness.”

My intention is not to dismiss our whole way of life nor Richmond’s, as it has afforded me this opportunity to be abroad and enabled my understanding of key concepts in the video. But in receiving a college education we are in the top 1 percent of the world, so I hope that upon graduation we’re not chasing money, since we’re seeing it can’t be relied on. Rather, I hope that we’re not merely open to, but the drivers of development, and that we can be leaders in daring to know something different, innovative, better.

LONDON — Intelligent Life magazine published a report on humour this past summer. They began their article with the findings of a recent study, which suggested that there was a “genetic explanation for some [of the] differences between the British and American styles of humour.”

The statement caught my eye as I was searching the internet for information on the technical differences between British and American humour. I had hoped that I could find some facts to use in my column this week, but sadly the article only used the statement as an attention-grabber. The rest of the article focused on the delayed start of scientifically studying humour and the call to further investigate what makes us laugh.

Perhaps there is material out there that I overlooked, but on the whole I agree with the article. The more time I spend in London, the more I encounter instances of cultural miscommunication when it comes to humour, and all my attempts to pinpoint why this is so have been in vain. And although ‘why we laugh’ is certainly not a critical issue, the disconnection between my American understanding and the British approach to comedy infects more areas of my daily interactions than I expected.

My confusion began when I first arrived. I was riding the bus and saw a billboard on the side of the road advertising toothpaste. I read it a few times without understanding it before I finally caved in and asked one of my London friends to explain it to me. Once she clarified the message, I felt a little silly for being so slow, but when another Richmond student here told me it also took her a few moments to understand it, I felt a little more justified.

When some Richmond friends came to visit me a while ago, we went to see a movie. Like most movie theaters, they ran advertisements and previews before the show. After each commercial played we would turn to each other with looks of pure confusion. We completely missed the messages in each advertisement, whether it was the odd computer-animated Virgin Mobile skit or the commercial we could only guess was for Snickers (assuming it was a commercial at all — we weren’t entirely sure).

A few weekends ago I decided to explore some of London’s lesser touristy spots. This included the Cartoon Museum and the Political Cartoon Gallery. They were both rather small places that wouldn’t have taken long to look through, but I’m pretty sure my 10 minute viewing times were a new record.

My biggest problem wasn’t that I didn’t recognize most of the cartoon characters (because I didn’t), but that I didn’t even care. In no way could I relate to the Bash Street Kids or a British Dennis the Menace with jet black hair. Part of me feels as if I should have expected the Political Cartoon Gallery to be way over my head, since I know very limited amounts about the way Margaret Thatcher’s policies were viewed by the general public or the minute highs and lows of the Conservative Party.

At least I can understand why I didn’t get the political cartoons, since they require a great amount cultural awareness and up-to-date knowledge about current events. But I can’t explain every other area. I saw a clip from the UK version of The Office — the scene where the Jim character puts the Dwight character’s stapler in Jell-o (Office fans should know what I’m talking about). I was shocked to find that it mirrored the American version almost word for word. Yet I didn’t find it funny. The words were the same, but something in the voice inflections, facial expressions, the way the characters carried themselves and the comedic timing made me interpret the scene completely different.

Someone somewhere should get a grant to research this kind of stuff, and when you do, please let me know your results. I really want to know how these things make a difference and why. Maybe then I can join in the laughter.

LONDON — For those of you who might have forgotten, Nov. 11, was Veterans Day. In the United States, the day is meant to honor all veterans who have served, both in peacetime and wartime. Unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who have died in service to their country, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service and acknowledge that all those who served have sacrificed and done their duty. Other countries celebrate this day as well, and over the past two weeks, I have been learning a lot about how Britons view the holiday.

Around the end of October, I noticed red paper flowers pinned to the jackets and coats of people I passed on the streets. My curiosity grew, and I finally asked one of my British classmates about it. He told me that they were poppies, worn as a symbol of remembrance for veterans. In slight confusion, I told him that I was under the impression most countries celebrated on November 11 – the day the armistice was passed and World War I unofficially ended. Slightly amused at my naivety, he told me that they do celebrate on that day, but you have to properly start preparing for it in the weeks beforehand.

Our conversation piqued my interest even more, and I started researching where the poppies were coming from and what they meant. My quest became easier when a few days later I saw a flyer on campus that advertised the need for “Poppy Collectors” to stand on streets and help collect money for the Poppy Appeal. I took my new information to Google, and was led to the Royal British Legion Web site.

The Royal British Legion is a charity that provides support to those who have served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces. Every year, they organize the Poppy Appeal to raise money and show support. Throughout the country, volunteers stand on streets with buckets for change and baskets full of poppies. Make a donation and you receive a poppy to wear.

The significance of wearing a poppy dates back to 1918, when WWI ended and people wanted a way to remember those who had died. Moina Michael, the American war secretary, conceived the idea of selling poppies after being inspired by John McCrae’s 1915 poem, “In Flanders’ Field.”

The first stanza of the poem reads: “In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row, / that mark our place: and in the sky / The larks, still bravely singing, fly / Scarce heard amid the guns below.”

In the United States, poppies are traditionally worn on Memorial Day, when we remember those who died, not on Veterans Day. But in Britain, Nov. 11 is the British’s day to remember those who have sacrificed their lives for their country.

On Remembrance Day itself, the nation has a two-minute silence at 11 a.m. In addition to this, they also celebrate Remembrance Sunday on the Sunday before Nov. 11.

I had the amazing opportunity to attend the National Service of Remembrance this past Sunday and participate first-hand in this holiday.

Every year, there is a service in London at the Cenotaph, a large monument located on Parliament Street that was erected to honor those who have died in war. Before the official ceremony starts at 11 a.m., military bands and veterans march toward the monument. Members of the Royal Family attend, and the Queen lays a wreath of poppies at the base of the Cenotaph as a tribute to all of those who have died in war. A few words are spoken by the Archbishop, other officials lay wreaths and a few songs are sung. The ceremony ends with the veterans parading back down the street past the Cenotaph, placing poppies and wreaths on the monument as they pass.

Two days before this ceremony, I visited the Imperial War Museum, which had large exhibits on both World Wars, among other things. Especially in the World War II section, I was struck by the immense sacrifice of all of those involved. Whether it was reading about all the children who were sent out of London into the countryside, seeing a replica of the bomb shelter that would have been in most London homes, learning about the people who lived in the Underground Stations to protect themselves from the bombings, calculating how much food citizens were allowed to buy because of the rationing, or listening to the stories of the men and women who gave their time and lives, I realized how much I owe this country as well.

The protection of freedom and liberty is a cause that many nations have taken up, and in events like World War II the benefits of cooperation is evident. I am proud to be an American and grateful for all American soldiers past and present, but I am also grateful for all the other nations who fought for my freedom as well.

Watching the parade of veterans march by on Sunday was an emotional event. In a city where many buildings still show the damage from WWI bombings, the impact of war, especially World War II, lives much closer to the surface. It has been inspiring to see so much patriotism in the everyday lives of the citizens. I’ll be bringing my poppy back to the United States to wear as a symbol of my gratitude to all of those who have sacrificed for freedom. I realize this article is coming a few days after Veterans Day, but it is never too late to be thankful.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Because of my weekly travels and studious nature, I have been a bit behind reporting my adventurous activities abroad. I have failed to skip (or finish) my action-packed spring break with the Extreme Adventures One Fish, Two Fish trip. I could write pages of my nine-day adventure traveling the western coast of Oz and had every intention of reporting all of my quirky encounters and detailed experiences, but I just realized that my spring-break journal is nearly seven pages single-spaced and could just about be considered a short story. I shall try to keep it to a minimum and will accept questions after.

Typical Spring Break: Drinking in some tropical, beachy-area with a handful of your university friends and a bunch of new ones by the end of the week. If you’re lucky … or even better, if you manage to sign up in time for that MTV Spring Break and can finagle your way in front of the crowd, just for that split-second you could be caught on camera and could brag that you were on TV. Granted, most vacations are this relaxing, but I have never been so adventurous in such a short period.

Day 1: We started our trip off in Brisbane at 8:30 a.m. and headed to the Steve Irwin Zoo. Unfortunately, one person decided to arrive an hour later, which meant we just missed holding the koalas at the only zoo you are allowed to. How disappointing. At this point in my Australian journeys, I have fed more kangaroos then I think humanly possible, and thought I would be able to have a stab at a different animal. Maybe it is just not the right time.

After the zoo, we quickly popped into a pub and headed to our accommodation at Harvey Bay. That night, the agenda called for dinner and a cruise. Let me say, I really enjoy cruises and being on the water in general, but I tend to get motion sickness, whether on a boat, plane or in a car. We didn’t leave the dock because of the wind and rough water until after we had our BBQ, which consisted of the usual sausages on a slice of bread and the driest steaks imaginable. The boat wasn’t very big, and since it was so windy and cold everyone was tightly squeezed near the bar. I spent most of the time with my head between my knees because I felt like I was on a never-ending amusement-park-pirate boat.

Day 2: Our day began bright and early, four-wheeling in a bus around Fraser Island. Not kidding, we went through the forest and hit some extreme pot holes, which caused the people in the backseat to hit their heads on the ceiling they flew up so high. After our intense and painful drive, for some, we hung out by the freshwater Lake McKenzie, and toured the island, hoping to spot some dingoes and Great White Sharks (which we didn’t see any of the above). Our next location was at Airlie Beach — a 12hour bus ride. Yes, 12 hours on a bus, not the most enjoyable thing! And who didn’t sleep … ME! I even took sleeping pills, but I was so uncomfortable, the kid behind me was snoring and my back was killing, so I didn’t sleep. We arrived at Airlie Beach around 6:30 in the morning, but immediately packed a small bag for the next few nights on South Molle Island in the Whitsunday’s. The group then hopped on a boat that took us to White Haven Beach, one of the top three beaches in the world!

Day 3-5: For the next few days, our spring break clan spent the majority of the time kayaking, rafting, hiking the island, bronzing, just the typical beach day activities. When it was time to leave the island and venture to our next location, we jumped on a massive yacht and sailed back to Airlie Beach. We had incredible weather, which led to a pretty relaxing day, although I have never been out in the sun for that long in my life. There was no escaping it, and you just about had to put up a white flag and surrender your body because there was no hiding from the intense sun. At least there were locations to snorkel and to float around the sand bars, which cooled us off a bit.

Cairns was our next destination, and that night we had another extremely long and uncomfortable bus ride. Granted it was only a 6 hour ride, and thought it would be quite manageable after the dreadful one to Airlie Beach, but I think it was worse. Especially after an hour or so into the trip a kid realized he left his book bag, passport et al, hanging on the fence outside of McDonalds. I mean, come on! That, of course, added additional time to the already awful ride, and we didn’t arrive at our hostel until 2 a.m. and had to wake up at 7 a.m. for whitewater rafting.

Day 6: Waking up early was every bit worth it for the whitewater rafting on the Tully River. The Tully is located in the wettest part of Oz and is the best or one of the best whitewater rafting locations in the world! Even though they we rafted at level 4-5 rapids, it was quite relaxing. The water was of good temperature, and if you haven’t been rafting before, it isn’t always intense-go-at-the-rapids every minute. It is a rapid or two, and nice float down the river, and back into the rapids. We did see a cassowary, which are endemic to Australia, very aggressive and also very rare to see in the wild.

Although my biggest concern was that I would cross paths with a freshwater alligator. Oh goodness, I don’t even know what I would have done. The image from the movie Jumanji, when they roll the dice and the house floods and the alligator swims on by, kept passing through my head. Whew, glad that didn’t happen.

For the rest of the trip we stayed at this hostel called Gilligans, which I would consider more of a resort because of the pool, bars and restaurants it included. Not your typical hostel.

Day 7: Next day was a day of adrenaline, heights and audacity! The morning began with nothing more than a little bit of skydiving. Yes, jumping out of a plane at 14,000 and free falling for 60 seconds was probably the most amazing experience I have ever had! After only one jump, I am completely addicted and would love to be a certified sky diver so that I can jump solo! It was worth every penny I spent, and I highly recommend it.

Because it is law that unless you are a certified sky diver, you have to jump tandem, there were six jumpers and six instructors in the tiny plane. Luckily, my instructor, Coops, was on the Australian sky diving team, so I felt fairly safe. It took about 20 minutes to reach our altitude of 14,000 feet, and one by one, with our arms crossed and head back, the instructors pushed us out of the aircraft. I was the last one to be tossed out of the plane, and pretty sure that I screamed for the majority of the 60 second free fall. After our parachutes were opened, it was about a five or six minute float until we touched ground. It was incredible to have such a vast view of Cairns, and as the last one out I got to watch everyone land. I did get a little motion sickness at the end, when Coops decided to do twists and turns. Ugh.

Well, we didn’t have much time after our dive before we had to prepare for Night disco bungee jumping! I was more afraid to bungee jump then sky dive because it is such an individual and mental feat. We were 150 feet up and our view down was a huge pool of water. Once you climb to the top, the guys tie up your feet, push you to the edge, count to 5 and then it’s up to you to jump. Crazzzy! I am glad I did it, but it was nothing compared to sky diving. I thought it would hurt because it looks like you get whipped when you bounce back up, but it doesn’t at all. I did have a bit of a head rush since I was hanging upside down for so long, but that was the extent of my injuries.

Day 8: Yay! Scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Of course it was overcast, and I was so motion sick on the boat, but again, another great adventure! The best part was that I am a certified diver, and I could go the full 60 feet. So amazing and another check-off on my list of things to do. I think it would have been better if it were sunny because then the colors of the reef would have been more brilliant, but it was still magnificent. It was quite nice just to space out underwater and take in the marine environment.

The remainder of my time Cairns was nothing adventurous or comparable to the days before. It was quite an intense, yet memorable spring break which I don’t think I will ever top anytime soon.

MELBOURNE, Australia — It’s 9 a.m., and the sun exposes salt residue on my legs as I peel of my socks, only to reveal two massive blisters on my right foot. Grossly enough, I am pleased; in fact all smiles as I gaze at the finish line in the MCG, the finish line that I crossed one hour and 48 minutes ago.

It all seemed so long ago — turning off my alarm clock at 5 a.m., hurriedly eating my banana and Vegemite toast and frantically pinning on No. 7886 to my shirt while rushing out the door to meet my mate at 6 a.m.

Ten minutes to go, now 45 seconds and BANG! It was the sound reminding me I had 21.1 kilometers, 13 miles if you may, to run. It was the ASICS Half Marathon, my first half marathon and the largest half marathon to ever take place in Australia. Quite a site at 7 a.m. — 7,500 competitors, running to support The Cerebral Palsy Education Centre (CPEC), the official charity partner of the Samsung Melbourne Marathon. In fact, 20,000 people volunteered their time and support for the CPEC by participating in one of the four races sponsored by Samsung, ASICS, The Coffee Club and Active Feet.
I couldn’t believe the morning had come. After three weeks of spring break and a bit of slacking off on the training, I was a bit nervous as to my completion of the race. As I devoured heaps of pasta and gulped down gallons of water the night before, I incessantly reminded myself that I just wanted to finish, not in last place, and under two hours. There was no need to be regretful of the registration decision I had made months ago, but any sort of race brought back memories of high school track and how my nerves tended to get the best of me …

After hearing the start gun, I didn’t have much of a choice but to run, to enjoy myself and to make the best of it. In my head, I repeated over and over again: “Pace yourself, pace yourself, this is not a sprint, but a marathon … well, half.”

It was quite a leisurely run because of perfect temperature and enjoyable scenery. The course circled around St. Kilda, the lakeside of Albert Park and Beaconsfield Parade, which is along Port Phillips Bay.
BUT, my nose would grow if I said I ran the race with no difficulty. The first 10K was a breeze, and I was doing well both physically and mentally. Then I hit a wall around 14/15km, and secretly wished I could jump on the person’s back in front of me in hopes of him carrying me to the finish line. Too obvious that it didn’t happen?

I all but had to lift my legs with each stride and distract myself from the dreadful feeling that each kilometer seemed to be getting longer and longer. Note to self: Next time I decide to run a half-marathon or a marathon, it would be wise not to go on vacation just weeks before!
I did get a boost of energy at the final kilometers of the race when I heard the cheers from my friends and knew the MCG was merely minutes away. Ah! What a sensation of accomplishment: crossing the finish line and completing my first half marathon in Australia.

Even better, I received a finisher’s medal and free stuff galore. How exciting! Though, when I flaunt my medal, I like to pretend I actually placed in the top three; yea, not so much … maybe next time … which there will be, but this time the full thing. Look out Richmond marathon, here I come!

LONDON — Two weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend a guided tour of Parliament. The building is only open to non-UK residents during the Summer Opening, when Parliament is not in session and the Members are away from Westminster. We followed the same route through the building that the Queen takes each year during the State Opening of Parliament.

Not only did our tour guide give us information about the formal opening ceremony, but she mixed in a detailed account of how the government runs on a day-to-day basis as well. On the whole, it gave me an amazing chance to step inside history and gain a clearer understanding of how the UK government operates. The information I learned on the tour also helped to explain a trend that I had been observing in many of my conversations about politics.

I would guess that in the month that I have been here, I’ve had students ask me about who I am voting for in the November election about every week and a half. Each time the conversation runs about the same. They ask me who I’m voting for, and when I tell them I am not discussing it (a wise piece of advice given by the Study Abroad Office) they immediately begin a rant about their perspective on American politics.

On the whole I try to remain a silent and neutral observer. I find it is much more conducive for gaining their unfiltered opinion. Always, I am left marveling at their immense interest in American affairs, especially in comparison to my perception that Americans (as a whole) are highly uninterested in theirs. At times I even feel as if they might know more about American politics than I do … a fact that makes me pause and reevaluate my cultural awareness.

Each time the speakers bring up the election, they begin with the declaration that they would vote for Obama. To them, President Bush has completely messed up the American government, and to vote for another Republican would be like asking for four more years of the exact same thing. Now I realize that many Americans share this viewpoint of linking John McCain to Bush (indeed it is one of Obama’s slogans), but the European perspective goes further then this.

British people do not separate the person from the party. For them, McCain and Bush are both Republicans and therefore exactly the same. Upon visiting Parliament and hearing the tour guide’s explanation, I came to understand the underlying reasons for the different political assumptions held by people here.

In the UK they have three major political parties, as well as many more minor ones. As a result, the parties are more fitting to the political beliefs of the representatives and there are less gray areas within each party.

But with only two major parties in America, moderates often work within the system and run under the party they lean closest to. In turn, this produces more gray areas that Americans understand as part of our two-party system.

I believe that based on their understanding of Parliament, the British form a stricter association between our politicians and parties than the average American does. It is understandable, since I doubt they frequently brush up on the American Declaration of Independence or the Constitution.

Now that I have a better understanding of the British government, I feel that I have a firmer grasp of peoples’ perceptions and the global image of American politics.

MELBOURNE, Australia — With the $2.00 of remaining balance I have on my Global Gossip internet card, all I can say is that my Extreme Adventure spring break has been just that, extreme. The rainforest walk this afternoon is the last of the organized tours on my One Fish, Two Fish trip, but I have made more memories in these past nine days, then I thought I would. In three days alone, I went white water rafting on the Tully River, jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet, bungee jumped at 50 m and scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef. I also bronzed at one of the top three beaches in the world and sailed the Atlantic in a multi-million dollar boat. Oh gosh, I have less than 5 minutes of credit remaining, but more to come when I get home in 2 days, pictures and all!

LONDON — Before I left for my time abroad in London, I had thought that I was fully prepared for all the adjustments I’d have to make. I memorized all the advice from the University of Richmond Study Abroad Office, read every website devoted to “London travel tips” that Google had to offer, and listened to all of the Harry Potter books on CD to get used to British accents. Now that I’ve actually arrived in London the story is a bit different.

What I’ve realized in my first week of living abroad is just that, I am now living in a country 3,725.8 miles from home. Yes, it was useful to know what to pack and recognize places like King’s Cross when I see it on a map, but those things help me very little in my day to day living.

I feel hugely underprepared for life in a British university (“uni” as the Brits call it) compared to the local students. I’m living in a single room with my own bathroom, but I share a kitchen and a hallway with my five flatmates. When I arrived the first day, I was shocked to discover that there was no toilet paper in my bathroom, only to feel like a stupid American when my neighbor told me we had to buy our own.

Already I miss D-hall, where options are endless and meal preparation means getting out your Spidercard. While they have a few places to eat on campus, students are expected to cook for themselves. My flat has a kitchen equipped with a stove, a microwave and a refrigerator. Pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, napkins, spices, towels … students must buy it all. Most of my flatmates have already whipped up full meals, whereas I’m grateful for my can of ravioli.

One of my flatmates explained that over here, they know that going away to school means living on their own, and they come fully prepared. It seems as if we tend to drag that process out more in America. I didn’t expect these kinds of tasks until after graduation.

Orientation here was much different than Richmond’s as well. They told us how to register for classes, and then handed us a packet with information about local stores and told us, “Good luck!” After the first few days we were left to figure out campus, the city and classes for ourselves.

I feel as if I’ve done an admirable job with trying to jump right into the London culture during my first week here. I’ve seen Big Ben, visited St. Paul’s Cathedral, eaten at my first pub and navigated the Tube on my own. But by Sunday night I was pretty exhausted. I’m hoping now that I know what responsibilities to expect, it will get a bit easier.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Apart from my studious nature and countless pub crawls around Melbourne, I do take the time to be your typical American tourist with the fanny pack and huge camera around my neck. Okay, so not quite that extreme, but yes, I have been fortunate enough to tour some of the natural attractions of Australia; although I do have to whine a bit — or, I guess, laugh — because it would be my luck that three out of three tours I have been on, I haven’t been blessed with the best weather. By that I mean, it rained every time, I got stuck in a hail and thunderstorm on a beach and our Great Ocean Road trip turned into the coldest day Australia has seen in 10 years; but I will elaborate more on the not-so-perfect-day-weather-wise trips in just a bit.

Trip 1: Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary and Yarra Valley Wine Region

They don’t lie — those people who tell you that Melbourne has four seasons in one day. From the moment I stepped off Qantas Airways, I guess you can say I had the good fortune of experiencing this seasonal mayhem. First of all, going from uncomfortably-hot-and-humid-95-degree weather to overcast and 40 degree climate is a bit of a shock. I was forewarned of the opposite seasons or told that I chose the wrong semester to go down under, but either way, I was aware of the winter season. Knowing this, I made sure to pack my sweaters, rain jacket and UGGs, but again with my luck (if you haven’t caught on by now, I am not the luckiest clover in the bunch), Qantas lost my luggage. So here I am, halfway across the world, stuck wearing the same clothes for a week. Of course I showered because I am not one to break my habitual hygiene habits, but I tell you it is not the same after-shower-refreshing feeling when you have to don the same clothes and underwear for several days.

Okay, so what is important is not my droning on about past events, but rather the unbelievable adventures I have had so far in Oz …

Upon my arrival, I confirmed my place in the Melbourne Welcome at Queens College. What this was, was basically pre-orientation operated by Australian students who wore fluorescent-colored sweat suits and guided 50 international students to must-see tourist locations or more importantly, the local pubs throughout Victoria.

Our leaders took us to the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary and the Yarra Valley Wine Region for our first excursion outside of Melbourne. At the wildlife reservation, the animals, for the most part, ran wild. Besides the reptiles, Tasmanian devils and dingoes that had legitimate cages, the rest of the Australian fauna roamed the premise of the sanctuary freely. In addition to feeding the kangaroos and massive pelicans, we spent the majority of our time searching for shelter from the rainy weather and warming our hands by the miniature fireplace near the reptile house.

After sprinting through the downpour to our bus, the leaders took us to the Yarra Valley Wine Region for some quality wine-tasting and a brief information session on how to bottle wine. Unfortunately, the group did not a get a tour of the vineyards because of the overcast and drizzly weather, but that was okay because I learned the proper way to taste and smell wine. I can now officially say I am an expert …

Trip 2: The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most scenic roads along the coastline of southwest Victoria, Australia. It is a memorial to those Australians who died fighting in the First World War, and along its route and in the towns, there are a number of statues that honor those who lost their lives.

The journey begins at Torquay, finishes near Warrnambool, takes around four hours to drive its entirety and covers nearly 151 miles. Oh, how could I forget to mention: It’s probably the windiest road I have ever experienced! Fun fact about myself: I get extreme motion sickness. I take ginger pills before every flight, live for Dramamine when boating and always carry a set of Sea Bands, which apply pressure on the acupressure point on each wrist to reduce nausea and vomiting.

What can I say? I have a weak stomach. Although what does not go well with queasiness is rainy, chilly weather; and by chilly I mean the coldest day Oz has seen in ten years! Ten years, and to my good luck, I witnessed it. I all but fought the wind on the last day of our trip as I struggled to keep my balance walking toward the beach against the huge gusts of wind and massive rain drops. Not to mention I could barely see through my mass of hair that just about acted as a balloon trying to carry me off into the clouds!

Despite my continual nausea and chattering teeth, I managed to capture hundreds of pictures of the spectacular beaches of Lorne, the waterfalls and treetops in Otway and the Twelve Apostles which majestically rise from the Southern Ocean.

Phillip Island

This nature island, located in Western Port, is a place of natural beauty, sandy beaches and unique wildlife experiences. It is famous for the Penguin Parade which takes place after sunset when the little Penguins waddle up the beach to the safety of their homes in the sand dunes.

A few weeks ago, I went to Phillip Island, organized by an outdoor program, with 24 other Americans. We woke up early and started our two-hour bus trip in the pouring rain. What a surprise!

After a quick lunch, our group followed our guide Jared for an enjoyable walk along the beach and a three-kilometer trail that overlooks the water. At this point, the weather was fairly sunny, a bit breezy, but very tranquil. Our guide enlightened us about all the venomous insects and animals in Australia, and nonchalantly mentioned that Great White Sharks infested the waters in Phillip Island because of the seal habitation nearby. As I made a mental note to never go surfing here, Jared abruptly stopped the group and advised us to head back to the bus because a storm was approaching; and he wasn’t joking!

Jared immediately took off in a trot and insisted we pick up the pace. Since our guide was now running, we all frantically took off and followed him. As soon as most of us got on the beach, it started to downpour! In fact, downpour is an understatement, because it was not the most favorable thunderstorm to be caught in, since it included hail.

The most amusing part was watching everyone attempt to run along the beach, in the sand, during this monsoon while trying to keep their rain jackets and hoods on. It got to the point where it was so hard to run, that everyone just walked and by the time they arrived at the bus, they were absolutely drenched. It looked like we had just jumped into a pool, but it was so unpleasant that Jared stopped at the next town so we could buy a new wardrobe! As humorous as it was, it was a bit inconvenient because it was the first stop of the day.

After the pit stop of sweatpants and coffee, we went to a wildlife preserve, fed countless animals and headed off to watch the Penguin Parade after sunset.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip, and the erratic weather only betters my memories and adventures. I am taking the optimistic approach to this unpredictable weather and am concluding that it can only get better from here. This means I am expecting to have the best spring break weather! As a matter of fact, it is 5:10 a.m. right now, and I am leaving in 15 minutes to start my journey up the eastern coast of Australia. After a two week break, I guarantee I will have stories or better yet a novel to write when I return. Well, at least I better because if not then I didn’t demonstrate and maintain the proper meaning of spring break, right?!

Contact blogger Sawyer Weirman at sawyer.weirman@richmond.edu

MELBOURNE, Australia — So here I am in the land down under, 9,463 miles away from America and eating vegemite sandwiches. My original assumption was that Oz was similar to the United States, but as the weeks pass, I realize the only thing in common is that both countries speak English! These Aussies lead a completely different lifestyle than a typical Richmonder.

We all have our typical associations of people, places and things: peanut butter and jelly, Jekyl and Hyde, 8:15 at Boatwright and Richmond. Since I have been here, I have added a few more associations to my book:

1. NBA and America. It is the most common topic of conversation when an Aussie establishes my American background.

“I love the NBA,” they often say. Then ask, “do you watch it? What is your favorite team?”

2.Pennsylvania and Transylvania. Yes, that’s correct. I have had quite a few people think that I live with the vampires. When I tell them I am from Pennsylvania, their eyes light up and they say, “Ah! You live with Dracula and the vampires?” It is heartbreaking to see their faces fall when I have to break the news that is Transylvania is not even located in the United States.

3. Surfing and the nuddy. If it is not obvious, to be in the nuddy means to be naked. I had my first adventure surfing a few weekends ago at the beaches in Torquay, and it was good fun! Once you learn the basics of catching a wave and positioning yourself on the board, it is a matter of repetition until you can stand up without thinking about it. After a long day of trying to surf in the 60 degree water and massaging my sore arms, all I wanted to do was bundle up in my purple, fleece blanket and watch the Olympics, but that was all but impossible because of the dozen or more Australian surfers dancing around naked in the corner.

Wide-eyed and in complete disbelief, another surfer reassured me that this was not uncommon, but a regular occurrence and more frequent when the weather warms up because riding the waves in the nuddy was a club favorite. Hm …

It would be foolish of me not to describe the fashion style, not so much of the girls, but more so the blokes. I found that Australians can point out that I am an American even before I speak because of our different fashion, and the fact that they don’t rock the North Face fleece, like us sepos do. (A little note about the term sepos: it is what the Aussies call Americans because we are like septic tanks, a.k.a. we are full of crap.
Oh, and please do not take this to heart because it is just a playful term!) The other day I had numerous Aussies and Europeans tell me I looked fancy because I was wearing a JCrew sweater vest! If only they went to Richmond…

Anyway, back to the dress code. I would have to say that American boys have it worse off in terms of fitting in with style because of two distinctions: skinny jeans and short shorts. Now, I know that skinny jeans are fashionable, but before I came to Melbourne, I associated skinny jeans with girls. Yes, girls here definitely wear skinny jeans, but blimey, so do the fellas. And when I say skinny, I would have to compare their legs to the size of my arms. No lie, I actually think that I have more muscle in my arms than a few of the guys’ legs I have seen, and that is not saying much! It is also interesting to note that Australia has a larger obesity population than America; though living in the city and seeing this skinny-jean style daily, I have yet to see many obese people.

Another clothing item is the short shorts. It is only September, and the temperature is starting to creep up to the high 50s and low 60s, but the short shorts are emerging! These are not the khaki-style shorts, but colorful, bathing-suit-type material, above-the-knees shorts. In fact, they remind me of the shorts my father would have been found wearing in the ‘70s. This style distinction was a bit of a surprise at first, but after seven weeks, it is starting to grow on me. I can’t fathom the day skinny jeans and short shorts reach the United States.

Australian dancing is another topic that must be discussed and kept in mind for those planning to venture Down Under anytime soon. Note to self: It is NOT lodge dancing, but rather no-touch dancing! In fact, if there is contact when you dance, it means that your partner plans to pick up with you, or, as known in the States, hooking up. It is amusing and rather easy to scan a dance floor and distinguish the Americans from Australians. It boggles Australians’ minds when you describe the standard dance moves of Americans. Ah, if only they could witness a lodge party …

Well, it is crazy to think that it is mid-semester already, and spring break is approaching. There is little work to be done throughout the semester, but that is because they throw it all at you during mid-term and finals week. This means there are three to four assignments worth anywhere from 20 to 60 percent of your grade! I am bogged down with work at the moment, and will admit that I am more appreciative of Richmond in terms of the academic structure, registration process and sense of time.

It’s humorous to think back to my first week of courses because I was extremely frazzled and overwhelmed. The staff at University of Melbourne send you from one place to the next, and after about 10 buildings, the receptionist at your current location says to you, “Oh, well it actually won’t work out for you.” Or “Oh, how silly of them to send you here because you need to go to this building off campus and then go back to the first building to stalk a professor and see if you can possibly get into that class, which is doubtful.”

On the first day of classes, I ran around trying to add courses and become accustomed to the building locations on campus. At 2:15 p.m. on Monday, I arrived at my first class, and after five minutes of teaching, the professor realized the course was overfull because of the large amount of students sitting on the floor in the lecture hall. In a matter of seconds, the professor changed the time and location of the course and did not seem concerned if the change would conflict with students’ schedules! About 20 or so kids left because they had class at the time the course was moved to. Of course, I was one of them, which did not help with my already stressful day.

Speaking of stressful, it looks like it is going to be a long week, and I must get back to my studies! More to come …