Orientation Week!

Hi everyone! Thanks for following my blog and I hope you like all the pics! Since I've last talked to you I went sand-boarding and learned to surf at a beach called Lancelin. Surfing was so much fun! I wasn't very good at it but I did stand up a lot but just not for very long haha. That same afternoon we went sand-boarding at the sand dunes that were near the beach. That was also really fun but soooo hot! I bet it was at least 90. I was surprised that it wasn't more like snowboarding.

We also learned about the Northwest trip that we are going to take on our first study break. It sounds really exciting. It will be all of the international students traveling by bus up the north coast to Coral Bay and then heading inland and back down to Perth.

Maybe I should explain where I am actually staying. The University of Murdoch is located between Perth and Fremantle (closer to the beach and much smaller). So I can take the train to Perth and that takes about 20 mins to get to the city center. To get to Freo (thats what all the locals call Fremantle) it takes about 15 minutes by bus. I am getting used to public transportation and not having a car; but I am excited for that when I get back to HR.

There is a market in Freo on the weekends. I explored that over the weekend and it kind of reminded me of a larger Pearl Street which is in Boulder. I usually head back to my room during the afternoon because it is so hot. Everyday that I have been here has been hot and clear. I'm not complaining since I've heard most of the States is cold and snowy haha. For example its 5:00 pm right now and 99 degrees. I think this is the hottest day that we have had thus far.

On Saturday we went to the Caversham Wildlife Park which was so much fun!!! I got to pet a koala, kangaroo, and wombat!! There were a lot of other animals and birds that are native to Australia that we saw such as: emu, dingo, crow (they wake me up every morning at 5 with the most annoying call ever!), and some really huge spiders.

I hope that all of you are doing well! Here is my address if you want to send me any mail or whatever:
Flat 143 Room 1
Murdoch University Village
PO Box 1055
Canning Vale DC WA 6970

If I think of anything else I have done I will update here :)  Enjoy!

Emily :)