Australia - Day 76

So I was about to start working on my 4000 word essay on narco-terrorism in Afghanistan that’s due in 5 days when I realized that I haven’t made any updates recently on what I’ve been up to here in Sydney. This is an unfortunate oversight on my part, and one that cannot wait to be rectified. I definitely have my priorities set right :P

Well, my first semester back to school is halfway through, what have I got to show for it? Well, as I may have mentioned last time, I joined the Global Leadership Program at Macquarie and have since then gone on two Symposiums with them. One to Canberra back in March and one to Singapore over the mid-semester break in April – the latter was also supposed to have a Thailand component but unfortunately it was cancelled due to the anti-government protests. “Que sera sera” as they say, so no need to dwell on missed opportunities any further.

To sum up the trip to Canberra in one word would be: Amazing! Not so much for the fact that we visited Canberra, because lets face it, it’s Canberra (like visiting Ottawa). But amazing because of all the other students that I met on the trip. They made it to be what it was. By day we powered through the political, cultural, agricultural presentations and speeches, but the “real” learning took place at night over drinks at various bars and clubs. I have many memories from that trip including hand feeding a 400kg brown bear, listening to politicians rant about “malcho-pops” during Question Time at parliament, and also 1-litre cocktails at Mooseheads and somehow managing to get myself out on the dance floor (a rarity – I had some help LOL).

Singapore was also a great trip. It’s definitely a different sort of Asian country. It was described to me as being akin to an “‘Asia-land’ at Disneyland: carefully designed to have all the stuff going on, but more or less sanitized.” I think that pretty much sums it up. I really enjoyed my time there – going to the zoo and seeing the animal autopsy room was a trip, and visiting the PSA was interesting as well. Eating off a banana leaf in Little India turned out to be a delicious experience and visiting my first shish bar definitely fell into the “educational” category haha. Although the second half our trip was cancelled (Thailand) it was nice getting to spend an extra couple of days in Singapore, especially since it gave me the opportunity to meet up with an old uni friend from back home in Canada. I think I got see the country from a different perspective than a lot of the other people on the GLP trip and for that I’m grateful to JT and his girlfriend, Ivy. It was cool going to the late night food market and trying stingray and crossing the border in Malaysian for dinner ☺ Oh yeah, and I can’t forget trying an authentic Singapore Sling! Gotta remember that part! 

So now I’m back in Sydney and will probably be here for a while. I’m starting to look for a part-time job though I really didn’t want to have to do that until the winter/summer (depending on which hemisphere you’re reading this from). Guess that won’t happen though, the sooner the better now…

All right, well I guess that brings you all up to date, I’ve got nothing else to report. Oh yeah, except maybe for a recommendation – “The Boat That Rocked” definitely a good movie! I suggest you all go see it. One of the funnier movies I’ve seen recently.

Now time for me to get back to that essay, I think I’ve procrastinated enough for one night…