Back to the Beginning

When I was abroad, the woman in charge of our house put me in contact with an American girl who’d be coming next semester through the same program I did. Now she’s in Oz, discovering Sydney and meeting all my friends from the house, and I have to say, I’m jealous.


Anyway, I thought I’d post these shots from my first evening in Australia during my study abroad orientation on the Mornington Peninsula of Victoria. I remember being baffled that Melbourne’s summer was colder than the 80-degree winter days I’d just had in LA.

For the Birds

During our orientation on the Mornington Peninsula (the Aussies pronounce it, “peninshula”), we took a small boat ride across the water. We got a glimpse of a few dolphins and saw a colony of seals, but another highlight was the seagulls, which I’m obsessed with because of Finding Nemo.



We thought we’d be going for dinner at a restaurant at the other end of the bay, Instead, our guides wrapped our meals in paper and served us soggy fish and chips right on the boat. Appetizing, right? It wasn’t so bad once the salt and ketchup made it to where I was sitting on the second level. (Aussie Fun Fact #2: they call ketchup, “tomato sauce,” prompting the inevitable question, “Then, what do they call tomato sauce?” So far, I’ve just heard tomato sauce, but my guess would be pasta sauce. I’ll have to go to a grocery store or Italian restaurant to investigate.)



Anyway, my friend Bianca was less than thrilled with her supper so, to the delight of the flock around us, she chucked most of her fries overboard.



This one bird was particularly adept at catching the chips midair.