Monday was supposed to be a study day, but let's be honest, who would spend their last week in Sydney indoors studying. Instead, I went to lunch with Kate at the vegetarian place we'd tried and failed to get to on the first day. It turns out they just have a set menu but it was delicious and made us regret not going earlier.
Then I headed with Brianna, Lindsay, and Rachel to St. Mary's Cathedral, which is beautiful, and then on to King's Cross, my first time there in the daytime. We went to buy legitimate boomerangs, but the place ended up being closed and we just decided to give up and go home, which turned into an adventure when it suddenly began to pour! Then while running past a convenience store, Lindsay, who also loves M&Ms, found ORANGE FLAVOURED ones! So obviously we bought them for our rain walk.
Then we had a power outage while attempting to "study". Everyone freaked out, it sounded like the world was ending. Unfortunately for Lindsay, she was in the elevator, which jolted to a stop and with all the screaming she thought there was an explosion. When she finally learned it was just the power she sat down and folded her laundry, I don't think I would've been that productive.
Tuesday morning before our exam Rachel and I went to Olive Green's Cafe, a cute place around the corner that we also had been looking at all semester and never made it too, and yet again I wish I'd gone earlier. The prices were surprisingly reasonable and it was delicious! Also, the Irish woman behind the counter was incredibly friendly and told us to come back if we're ever in Sydney.
After the exam the whole program went barefoot bowling. It's not 10 pin bowling, it's lawn bowling. Similar to bocce, except that the balls are weighted on one side so they curve instead of going straight. Somehow none of us really got that into it, though it was fun to try a bit, and we ended up just hanging out. During dinner, Marc sang with a band consisting of some of the guys on our program and some other people. It was fun and we all danced a bit and shmoozed. Overall it turned out to be a nice night, though starting to drink that early made everyone pretty tired, and I ended up spending the rest of the night in the building. Yet again, on our way back it started raining, so we thought we'd make the most of it and we went up to the roof and played in the rain for a bit, before heading back to our room and playing Cards Against Humanity, the more adult version of Apples to Apples (even though I still refuse to be an adult). I just spent the night going to different people's rooms, a nice way to spend the end of the trip.
Yesterday was a packing day. We all just hung around the building. I know it sounds like a silly way to end the trip, but we did live in this building, so it is home. Alex's dad was nice enough to take us out to lunch, and we went back to Olive Green's Cafe, where the woman was surprised to see me since she though I'd left on Tuesday. Then he took our whole apartment out for a nice dinner in the Rocks, with a beautiful view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. We were told the Opera House was supposed to be lit red for AIDS awareness, but it wasn't, though on our way home we saw that Town Hall was lit up different colors, we have no idea why.
Also, weird close to last encounter with an Australian. On the bus ride back to our apartment this 53 year old woman came and sat next to me and kept apologizing for smelling like wine, even though I kept saying I couldn't smell anything, and told me how awful her hair looks, even though I assured her it didn't. Funny close to last impression, but it did make for an entertaining ride with my roommates.
I'm glad we spent the last night together. Back in our room we played games with Justina, Belinda, and Jessica, and then all of us except for Kate headed out to Darling Harbour to play on the playground and just take pictures. It really didn't feel like the end, though I went down to the room below ours to hang out a bit and had to say bye to Brianna, and that was the start of the end.
Today was all about goodbyes. I spent the morning helping people move their luggage and saying goodbye (all in my pajamas so I looked a bit ridiculous on the street but whatever). None of it seemed real, and it all just felt like a see you later. The building's pretty empty now though. I don't think it's ever been this quiet. Thank goodness the SED kids, Julianna, Sarah, Lindsay, Chris, Amanda, and Jessica are all still here because every time I go into my room it's so empty and lonely, so I've been avoiding it.
We've been trying to get out to stay away from the emptiness, but when we went to see the Christmas tree lighting in Martin Place it was a weird children's performance, like the Wiggles, and then we went to Hyde Park for another thing but it was pretty similar. Alex's dad took me and Jessica out for dinner in Little Italy, which was a nice way to get away, then those of us left here hung out for a while in Juliana's room.
It still just doesn't feel right. My room has nothing in it and doesn't feel much like home anymore, and my couch is lonely without one of my roommates (let's be real, it's usually Kate) sitting next to me. The fridge is depressing with no choices of food, just the few things I left so as not to starve in the morning.
I'm just thankful that most of these people will be back in Boston with me, and those who aren't I'm sure I'll see again. Even the office staff, who are great, I will hopefully be able to come back out and see them all again, maybe even work with them, hopefully in the nearish future.
I'm glad I've done so much out here, but I'm also glad that there's so much more I want to do, just giving me more reason to come back.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll be back here (and I am stopping in twice over the next couple weeks). Now I'm off to the outback with Jessica for the weekend, and then we're on to Thailand for 12 days. I have 8 flights, on 6 different airlines, in 20 days coming up. I have no idea when I might have internet but I'll see. Also, sorry about the lack of pictures but my computer is stored in Sarah's room now and I'm on Lindsay's so I don't have them.
Despite my exhaustion right now I'm ready for more adventures!
Our Thanksgiving slideshow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VhYayjlNHI
Goodbye video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5k3LbC89vs
No comments:
Post a Comment