Our first week of classes was pretty standard, although foreign summer classes are thankfully much less adversarial than your standard law school fare. The highlights of the week were found in the extra-curriculars. Wednesday night was Liam’s birthday, and he happened to be in Sydney for Google developer day. Bryan and I took him out for a birthday hurrah at the Blackbird Café on Cockle Bay Wharf, a great place for some eating and catching up.
The next morning required a ridiculously early start, as a day-trip to Canberra was included in our study abroad program. The motley crew met at the bus at 7 am, and began our 3-hour bus ride to the Australian Capital. Having spent a weekend in Canberra last summer, I knew that a day trip there was ridiculous, as we spent just as much time traveling as we did sightseeing around the city with our new comrades. Our Aussie professors were very informative tour guides, and one highlight was actually going up in the Telstra Tower. Last year I developed a conspiracy theory that Canberra was actually built by aliens, whose impending return would take the city away to their home planet. While an actual visit to this city is necessary to really grasp all the similarities between the city of Canberra and an alien colony, I can say that the Telstra Tower is a main hub of alien activity. Towering over all else, this missile-shaped command centre (conveniently covered in satellite dishes) will be a crucial instrument in the alien takeover.
We also visited “The Mothership” (aka Parliament House), and witnessed the infamous Question Time. In Parliament, Question Time is an hour every day when the opposition party (the Liberal Party) can ask the majority party (the Labour Party) any questions about how they’re running the government. Most of the questions were directed at the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, but in reality any MP can ask anyone else anything. Question Time is both an important instrument of government accountability and a bawdy sideshow - accusations, chants, jokes, and hollers fly. The day we went was particularly rowdy, as the K-Rudd had misquoted the 2009 interest rates the previous day. The Liberals were really taking jabs at him, and he countered with hilariously vague answers. While Question Time seemed more like an impending pub brawl than government protocol, I believe there are infinite benefits of the procedure in keeping the executive and his party accountable for their actions and (if nothing else) would make CSPAN much more enjoyable.
Here is a clip of a Question Time, (though not the one on the day I was there), and an accompanying news story offering an explanation:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bl-GzqTCxZY&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PBvryavwV0w&feature=related
Although the PM was not there that day, it is particularly entertaining, and a good example of the level of insanity the day I was there.
After our Canberra trip, we returned to Sydney late, and then had classes on Friday. Friday night most of our study abroad group went to a Hibachi-type Japanese Steakhouse for dinner in Newtown.
Saturday, Bryan worked on his corporate journal paper, and I returned to Newtown to meet up with Liam and Monica! After a delicious Thai lunch, we wandered around the shops, visiting this crazy used bookstore, and also a funky teashop. As my world grows larger, it simultaneously shrinks. I met a fellow wannabe-expat named Megan working in the teashop, who just happened to hail from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania! She is also in Sydney doing graduate work, but gets to stay for 2 years! We had a nice chat, I bought lots of tea (though not as much as I would have liked), and I will hopefully go back and see her again before I leave. After shopping, we returned to Surry Hills, tore Bryan away from his writing, and went to the local Turkish Kebab joint for dinner.
Sunday got a slow start before the big football game that night! Held at the Olympic Stadium, the game was the final qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup finals. We met up again with Liam and Monica, and Liam’s brother Jesse and his girlfriend Sunny (who I had met back in 2006). The Aussie Socceroos were playing the People’s Republic of China (technically, Australia was already qualified, and PRC couldn’t qualify even if they won). As the Socceroos are sponsored by Qantas, free swag was plentiful, and the creepy cultish Qantas children’s choir sang at the opening. The game was fun, and wild fans another entertaining sideshow. Despite the huge showing of Aussie fans, the PRC won the game with one goal. Considering my many trips down under, this was my first sporting event, and it was definitely amazing!
I wrote most of the previous ramblings several days ago, but was delayed from posting over some recent news from Travelblogger that they would be shutting down in a year, and have been debating over whether I should switch domains now or continue to invest in the same spot. I have decided to stay with Travelblogger for this trip, under assurances from Travelblogger's FAQ section that I will be able to download my blog once they close, however, every time over the past week that I’ve tried to update, the site doesn’t work! So I’ve gone to World Nomads (who also sells great travel insurance!).
More updates soon my friends, more updates soon!
