study abroad: australia

The place that became home& the friends that became family.

Our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

-Oliver Wendell Holmes-

Lennox Head, NSW, Australia

Our little stretch of paradise.Broken Head (left), Lennox Head (right)

The cure for anything is salt water:

sweat, tears, or the sea.

-Isak Dinesen-

Seven Mile BeachLennox Head, NSW, Australia

We might as well have signed up for ourskydiving adventure the moment we setfoot on Australian soil. It was itemnumber one on our "to-experience-abroad" list and we couldn't have beenmore excited. So on the fifth of February,Kaitlin Vaughn, Kyle Rader, KendraPrather, and I woke up ready to fly. Wewaved goodbye to everyone at camp,hopped into a jank limo, drove to a tikithemed shack, and apprehensivelyproceeded to sign our lives away. Wegeared up, attempted to take in all thirtyseconds of given instruction, climbed intothe tiniest plane ever, and got cozy realquick with our oh-so-awesome tandemjumpers. Before we knew it, the planedoor opened and we were flipping,falling, then floating through gorgeousblue skies until we eventually landedback on solid ground. The entireexperience exceeded my highestexpectations and I was instantly ready todo it all again.

loved. every. second.

If you can stand in an open doorway,eight thousand feet above the ground,and will yourself to step into emptyspace...

then you can do anything.-Dave Stein-

Go SkydiveBallina, NSW, AustraliaFriday, February 05, 2010

Maybe he's right. Maybe there issomething the matter with me.I just don't see how a world that makessuch wonderful things could be bad.Look at this stuffIsn't it neat?...Ariel | "Part of Your World"

winter has officially been wiped from thisyear's calander. :)

Chasing SummerBroken Headland | Lennox Head,NSW, Australia

Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaFebruary 09-10, 2010

Nimbin, NSW, Australia | The Rainbow Region | The Alternative Captial of the WorldTuesday, February 16, 2010

A town talked about by many, criticised by most, and truly known by few. A time capsule located in northerntropical New South Wales, Australia. It’s stuck in a moment in time when smoking marijuana wasn’t seen as a

crime, and hippies were young hopefuls changing the world.australia-travel.suite101.com

WILDLIFE BIOLOGYRight: Professor David NewellLeft: Fiona, Kaitlin, Andrea, Lindley,Kendra, Nicole

Wollumbin (Mount Warning)& the Border RangesTuesday, February 16, 2010

Becoming An AussieSurfing at Byron Bay (left)

Roo Burgers on the Barbie (right)

Travel is more than the seeing of sights;

it is a change that goes on, deep and

permanent, in the ideas of living.

-Miriam Beard-

Bald RockTenterfield, NSW, AustraliaFebruary 13, 2010

Tenterfield Trip (Bald Rock, Thunderbolt's Cave, Tank Traps, Deetswood Winery, Talent Show, SapphiteFossicking, Pioneer Village, Boomerang Throwing, Historic Tenterfield)February 13-15, 2010

Incredible Concert Performer's Award: Kookabura RapPresented to Kendra, Kaitlin, Lindley, Andrea, & Gardner (band pic shown above)

for amazing preperation, costume, performance, and harmony contained in their act.

"People along Australia's east coast are beingwarned to stay away from beaches thismorning as a tsunami heads our way.

The alert follows a massive 8.8-magnitudeearthquake which hit off the coast of Chile inthe middle of the night toppling buildings,cutting power and killing at least 150 people.

The tsunami was racing across the PacificOcean at around 720km per hour, a quakeexpert said. The NSW Government haswarned of possible dangerous waves, strongocean currents and foreshore flooding forseveral hours from 8.30am."

www.news.com.au

One hour after the wave.Tsunami Survival PictureSeven Mile BeachLennox Head, NSW, AustraliaFebruary 28, 2010

Pretending like its the weekend now.

& we can pretent it all the time."Banana Pancakes" -Jack Johnson-

A Surf & Life Saving Club BreakfastLennox Head, NSW, Australia

Twenty years from now you will bemore disappointed by the things youdidn't do, than the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbour.

Catch the trade wind in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

-Mark Twain-

Sydney, NSW, AustraliaFar left & top right: Bondi Beach

March, 04-08, 2010

Taronga ZooSydney, NSW, AustraliaSaturday, March 06, 2010

Sydney Olympic ParkSydney, NSW, AustraliaSaturday, March 06, 2010

Our Tasmanian Road TripTesselated Pavement, BlowHole, Tasman Arch,Devil's Kitchen, Port Arthur, Mount WellingtonMarch 10, 2010

Not all those who wander are lost.-J.R.R. Tolkien-

Hobart, TAS, AustraliaHobart Boat Harbour (left)Hobart Botanical Gardens (above)View from Mount Wellington (top right)

Port Arthur, TAS, Australia (right)

March 09-11, 2010

Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australiaan island of an island of an islandThursday, March 11, 2010

Neck Beach | Tasmania, AustraliaThursday, March 11, 2010

Top Right: Andrea, Kyle, Kaitlin, Nicole,Kendra, Lindley, Kim, Butters

Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaMarch 12-13, 2010

clockwise from above: Webb Bridge,the Arts Centre, Federation Square,Interactive Art Exhibit

Don't worry about the world ending today...It's already tomorrow in Australia. :)

Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaMarch 12-13, 2010

Great Barrier Reef | Fairfax IslandsThe Town of 1770, Queensland,Australia | March 25-28, 2010

An Australian EasterSunday, April 4, 2010

the most easternly point on the

Australian mainland

Byron Bay LighthouseByron Bay, NSW Australia

Adventure is a path.Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to havefirsthand encounters with the world. The worldthe way it is, not the way you imagine it. Yourbody will collide with the earth and you willbear witness. In this way you will becompelled to grapple with the limitlesskindness and bottomless cruelty ofhumankind – and perhaps realize that youyourself are capable of both.This will change you.Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.

-Mark Jenkins-

Spring 2010 Australia Centre ParticipantsA journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles. -Tim Cahill-