After days upon days of hot, arid heat, the sky finally released a shower of water and wind in a powerful thunderstorm. Unfortunately, not all of the tension for the moment was released. My anxieties still lingered that I was to encounter the following day. A part time job at Sizzler Restaurant didn’t seem so fierce, should the interview that preceded it; however, there was still a small detail in this chance for work that caused the knot in my stomach: I didn’t know the location of the interview meeting!
I received a phonecall Friday afternoon, in regards to the application that I had submitted a little more than a week before. The conversation was short and sweet, but too brief. As the gentleman on the other side of the line arranged the date and time for my interview session, there wasn’t any time for any other thoughts. So, after quickly agreeing to a 3pm appointment for the following Tuesday, the conversation was almost immediately haulted and brought to an end. With a spinning mind, I was overjoyed that I had gotten a bite.
It quickly occurred to me at that point that I had no idea where I was to go for the interview. It seemed that for some reason, that small detail was left out of the conversation. And as the number of the incoming call had not posted on my caller ID, I had to wait to find out that vital information until I was able to find a contact number. And this I did. When I finally had access to a computer, I found a 1800 number on the Sizzler website. Unfortunately, after countless unsuccessful phonecalls to Sizzler human resources, which is based on the other side of Australia in Brisbane, I had no other choice, but wait for human resources to return my call. Of course, if I didn’t plan ahead and make alternative arrangements, that waiting around would have rendered me helpless. So, I had to take my chances and google directions to the various Sizzler Restaurants around Perth and plan my trip so that I arrived early at one of them. In this way, at least if I arrived early enough, having face to face contact with an actual person, i could have been pointed in the right direction.
After having mapped out all of my potential destinations, I finally received a phone call from one of the Sizzler representatives, who finally gave me the information that I needed. Unfortunately, that shortly before I needed to leave, and not to mention, it also happened to be one of the furthest restaurant branches to get to.
Hopeful enough, and with no time to spare, I ran to the bus station…where I thought I was boarding the right bus. Unfortunately, the bus system can be quite confusing here in Perth. After having mastered the train system, I still find myself intangles when it comes to which bus line to choose. However, the bus I boarded had the correct number and location posted on its forescreen, as according to my googled directions. Unfortunately, things are never as they seem. Regardless of the fact that the bus posting matched my directions, it was an alternate route, and took me in the opposite direction of where I needed to be. This set me about forty five minutes behind schedule, but after contacting the manager of the particular restaurant that I was headed, with his understanding and generosity of time, it bought me some more time. Finally making it to a familiar place, the train station in the center of downtown Perth, I hopped on the Armadale line and headed Southwest of the city.
After roughly half hour ride, I finally reached Kelmscott, the final public transport destination. Now only having to depend of my eyes and feet to get me to my true final destination, this was much easier. And so, after a five minute walk, I reached the cool airconditioned Sizzler premise. Fortunatley, at mid-afternoon, the place was half empty. After a brief and fairly easy-going interview, I was back on the train, headed back towards the city. As the return journey proved to be much simpler, I had time to ponder over my potential to once again be employed. Trying to be optimistic, I looked over the other sets of directions that I had brought with, for much simpler and seemingly more successful alternative routes, and hoped that I would have a chance to use them on a return trip to the restaurant. The virtue of patience calls for my attention, and now must wait for that potential phone call…

Sometimes when I’m here, in Australia, I feel as though I am still at home. That is…although it has its differences, Perth seems very much familiar to home. I’ve been here for a month now, and I’ve seen a range of similarities consisting of the conduct of instructors in classrooms, students attitudes toward education, people in the local community, similar automotive vehicles, grocery stores and largely, humor. It’s just the sense that the way people live their lives here seems generally familiar to that of home.
Occasionally, I even forget that I am so far away from home, or that I’m even in Au of all places. Of course, being so close to the airport there is the constant drum of aircrafts flying overhead (something I rarely have a chance to hear at home). This causes me to ponder my return flight home. In some ways, although I really do enjoy this lovely place, I do look forward to that day…but only in time, not now. I’ve always enjoyed flying, so it gives me a stimulating rush to think of my next flight. When I snap from that dreamy and ponderous state, I quickly remind myself of where I am and what I am here to do…which sometimes is difficult to pinpoint, considering that my opportunities here are endless.
Regardless of the arid landscape and climate that surrounds me, I am witness to an abundance of tropical vegetation, which sprouts and towers above me in almost every angle of view. This, combined with the birds that I see and hear everyday, and some fauna that I had the opportunity to visit while at a wildlife park (such as kangaroos and koalas), really makes for a spectacular combined experience.
Regardless of whether I feel only a couple hundred miles away from home, or actually conceptualize that I am half way across the planet, I am still in Australia, and am extremely grately to have had the opportunity and ability to travel as far as I did.

After spending most of my weekend tackling assigned reading and exercise problems for my math course, I feel as though I have transitioned back into a scholarly flow. The stress of the first week was the result of the overwhelming responsibility of Uni life that I felt suffocated by, at first. However, after breaking through the barrier that seperates the fun times from the hard-working and tedious, I feel compelled to take on all of these challenges. From balancing my academics, to finding and having a job, being a member of the geology club, donating my services to the Kurrajong Village (where I live) garden, training with the recreational soccer team and fitting everything else in between…I’d say I have…a lot to look forward to! As I become increasingly acclimated, things are seemingly looking up.
….And since I really do not have anything nagging at me right now, I should also note that, although living with 7 other people in one flat, I have great flatmates. We have yet to encounter a significant conflict, or any conflicts for that matter. As long as I take this experience one step at a time and keep my head held high, I hope that it will prove to be smooth sailing!

As the first week of the semester has blasted off with me grasping for the edge of my seat, I have had a difficult time trying to find some way to sum it all up. With overwhelming emotions, as a result of uni life and the extremely high costs of everything, here in Perth, it is difficult to be completely positive. I have fully enjoyed my first two weeks, from the orientations to the people and great friends that I have made; however, I knew there was more to come: not just great and exciting moments, but also the stressful and very aggrevating moments. By having a full plate, with classes Monday through Friday, I am struggling to find time for job; something I am required to do in order to cover my living expenses. The seemingly “low cost of living” in Perth has now presented itself to me as deceiving, and according to many people that live here, it is in fact one of the most expensive places to live in Australia. Cheaper than Melbourne or Sydney? Not so true.
I’m sure this will all be worth it, but for right now I have to pay for additional class activity fees and purchase geology equipment that I am expected to already have for labs and field trips. Seriously in search of a job…
On the other hand, I have been working on my tan a bit, even with a ton of sunblock, and was able to attend a day at the beach with some friends, Sunday, before the commencement of the semester, with which comes the drastic decrease in my freedom.

Sorting out messy timetables when registering for courses has never been easy. In fact, when the tedious task of rearranging and fenagling the list of classes into a practical schedule of weekly classes is complete, and if everything has somehow fit together smoothly, then it is quite the job well done. At the moment I am enrolled in four classes that I plan to study while I am here at CU. Of the four classes, two of them are conflicting…this is a fairly normal and almost expected circumstance that many college students face, especially if they are nearing the end of their undergraduate career, like myself. This situation only lengthens the process of registering for classes, and I am now forced to meet with advisors and coordinators once more, to see if there is some way to squeeze myself into the unobtainable Mineralogy and Geochemistry class (or unit as it is referred to at CU), which conflicts with my Calculus class (unit), or find an alternative. This is all fine and dandy, for I’m sure something will work out, but it’s safe to say that it is a cause for a bit of a aggrevation.
How do I reflect on this with a positive note? Just by simply reminding myself that this small hurdle is only for my benefit. Meeting once again with my mentors/advisors, establishing the reason for the conflict of interest between myself and the schedule, and by creating a solution to the problem, I will not only feel better, but it will also help to strengthen bonds with advisors/mentors/professors. By successfully hurdling the registration obstacle course, I will leave myself with one more reason to feel the pure bliss of one more accomplishment.

I arrived in Perth five days ago, already, and I am enjoying every minute of it. The people are great and the weather is fantastic! I have found so much to do, and have been involved in so many activities with my flat mates, so far, that I have not had much time to post some blogs…not to mention that I did not have access to a computer until yesterday. However, when classes begin, roughly a week and a half from today, I will be in Curtin’s library more regularly (my main access to computers and the internet), and will be postings blogs much more frequently as well. Hopefully by that time, I will have transitioned from the unknowing newcomer to Perth and CU, into the more familiarized and savvy inhabitant and student of my temporary home and life. With much more to say and only moments before the library closes, I am forced to end this blog with much less than I planned to include; however, one way or another my blogs will tell the story of my adventure abroad here in sunny Perth!

     The first of the many blogs to come, this one was the trickiest to start. My name is Ashley Peters, and I am an Environmental Geoscience major at SUNY New Paltz, trying to get over a bit of writer’s block. However, once this blog is posted, I’m sure the others will come more easily.
    Amid working full time over the break at a local grocery store in my town, finishing up tedious projects around the house (such as completing the task of painting the upstairs), and cooking/baking the promised treats and dishes for everyone, my winter break has been quite busy.  Fortunately, I have still found some time to research and explore the much anticipated Curtin University, near Perth, Australia, where I will be staying for the next five months.  Through books, movies and the internet I have tried to familarize myself with some history, politics, geology and culture/lifestyles of Australia, Perth and Curtin University, so that I am not completely ignorant when I arrive overseas.  I realize; however, that a great majority of what I will learn will not be encountered until I am actually there and interacting with everything around me.

     The last few weeks have been especially busy, as I have begun to really prepare for my trip.  Both physically and mentally strenuous, this is only the prep, and therefore only the beginning of what is to come.  At this time, I am free to say that I am prepared for almost anything, and am more than willing to take this new step in life, so that I may embrace all of the new experiences to come, both the fun and exciting, and the difficult and scary.   

     For the meantime, I still have a great deal of tasks to finish and loose ends to tie up at home before I begin my estimated 33hour journey.  Tonight some friends are coming over for dinner, so I have a lot of cooking and preparing to do before then!  Until next time…~Ashley