school starts!

It has been a week today and I am now starting to realize this is my home for the semester! It has seemed much like a quick trip or vacation so far. I am starting to catch onto some of the cultural differences, the traditions, and just in general, what it is like to live in Australia and on the Sunshine Coast. Australians really love and treasure their country. I am excited for school to start next week, but it will be hard considering I have had a very long break from it! Structure for my life will be nice however.

All though school is starting I am hoping to start some planning for trips! Just weekend visits to other big cities, hiking trips, or to see some friends. Yesterday the school prepared a trip to Kondililla Falls. It is located about 30 min away and it is beautiful! It is a very long waterfall with hiking paths winding in and out all around it. A few of us stopped to jump off the cliffs into the “rock pool” so we weren’t even able to take the whole trail. I hope to go back sometime! On our way home we stopped at a small local café that is located on the edge of the rainforest and information center. The rainforest!! Almost just as you would imagine; a lot of green, plants, bushes, crazy trees, and hanging vines. Unluckily we didn’t come across many animals.
It was really hot all day today. But once it started getting dark, the rain just started pouring down really hard!

This past weekend some students took a trip to Fraser Island that the school put on. It was full very fast however and i was unable to go. I plan on venturing up that way another day because i hear it is absolutely wonderful!

On Sunday, my German friend Regina and I went to Grace Christian Church, which is just down the road from USC. It was a very warm welcome from the pastor and a refreshing experience. Many people heard we went and would like to go next Sunday with us, so that is awesome! I am sure God will work in a way of his own through me and through that church to reach out to students, local and international!

School started this week...Monday, Feb 23. Not like I can complain, but it is a big change! Of course it is a different country and different school so the systems are a little different. Which will be a good experience, but a little stressful to make sure to do things correctly. I am sure once we get in the groove it will be no sweat, well i hope atleast! It will be nice to be on a schedule again. So far the classes have been well and some even very interesting, which is always a plus!

If i am not on campus i typically spend my time walking around, hanging out on the porch enjoying the weather, in the pool or at the beach, going for a run, grabbing some groceries, and an occasional trip to the shopping plaza.