Bonus Entry: Events Cinema

I usually don't blog more than once a week, but the cinema here is totally blog-worthy! Evie did warn me this would be an adventure. With only 20-minutes between the time I got home and the time I had to meet Evie, we were just happy to arrive at Events Cinema before the 6:40PM showtime. Oh, and without getting lost might I add! The time has finally come for me to see...

As our luck would have it, the 6:40PM showing sold out right before it was my turn to approach the till. And get this, the "Gold Class" members are allowed to cut in front of anyone. Their queue even had a red carpet! For a higher charge, "Gold Class" members view the film in a separate theatre, sit in comfortable reclining chairs, and receive a free meal. Evie and I eventually reached the till after being skipped by four "gold members" and had to settle for the 8:50PM show instead. The 3D tickets were $20 and the seating was assigned. Yes, assigned. The attendant asks whether you'd like to sit in the lower, middle, or upper section. Whichever you answer, your ticket states the seat number in the respective section. I was lucky number L-9.

What better way to pass time than to grub!? Evie and I dined at Toscani's Restaurant. That Classic Chicken Caesar Salad wasn't half bad but it could've done without the sardine-like topping. Yuck! Here comes the best part. After our meal, we went back to the cinema area and had (drumroll please) a cocktail. Our choice of poison? Malibu =). I also had the honor of explaining what a Gerber baby is, priceless!

"Is that some kind of...special baby?"

OK, are you keeping up? Let's recap: red-carpeted queues, $20 tickets, assigned seating, and bar. Before we took our seats, we got some popcorn from what looked like Candyland. The associates were even dressed in red & white stripped get-ups. Oh, and the popcorn was in a huge dispenser and self-serve. Fast forward, seats taken. The previews were basic television commericals with a couple of previews about about upcoming films (some of which have already debuted in the States).

Finally, the Movie Classifications:

	Suitable for all viewers. It is noted by the board that a "G" movie rating in Australia doesn't indicate the movie is intended for children, simply that nothing in the movie will be disturbing or harmful to children.
	Parental Guidance recommended for children under 15 years of age.
	15 + Mature, recommended for audiences 15 years and over. Note: this is not a legally restricted Australian movie rating, but movies in this category cannot be recommended for those under 15 years.
	15+ Mature Accompanied. This category is legally restricted in that children under 15 cannot see "MA" films or rent them on video unless accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
	18+ Restricted. This category is legally restricted to adults. No one under 18 may view these movies in a cinema or rent them on videocassette.
	18+ Restricted. This rating.applies to sexually explicit material which is restricted to viewers 18 years of age and over.

The Closest Answer to Life

Many people think of New York City as this melting pot of cultures. Truth is, the city is more like an overloaded plate at an all-you-can-eat-buffet; the cultures are just there, not necessarily meshing together. No one has yet to see this ideal in action until they have left the country. Perhaps it is just the campus life here at Bond Uni, but I have met so many people from so many places. Norway, Germany, London, Sweden, Fiji, Singapore, New Zealand, Denmark, Peru, Sudan, and Tanzania to name a few. Sure, their accents and inquiries are cool but what is more remarkable is their outlook on life. So carefree, so humble, so inspiring. I have finally realized how uptight people from the States are!


This week's activity: Kayaking/Snorkeling/Tracking Wildlife. Well, apparently the Gold Coast has gotten more rain in one day than it has in an entire month so the water wasn't too snorkeling-friendly. We still fed the fish and watched them jump to grab the bread pieces! We soon paddled to Wavebreak and South Stradbroke Islands. Best part, no sharks! It was enlightening, and that is to say the very least. We were led by Mark, quite the cheeky tourguide, and another young man who was actually of the Aboriginal Culture. We will call him "Sea Eagle" (this is what his Aboriginal name meant). After our Billie-Tea Breakfast and a bit more kayaking, we walked about South Stradboke Island, which is the world's fourth largest sand island. Anywho, during Sea Eagle's traditional welcome dance, he smeared clay (which he got from a rock himself) on our foreheads, hands, and feet.

"Your mind, Your touch, and Your journey."

Imagine the power you have with just those three things. Your mind: Your imagination, your thoughts, and what have you. Your touch: you can touch lives, you can change people/things for the better (or for the worse), and be good to your land. Your journey: the tracks you lay before you...enough said. Later on in our journey, we spotted a wallaby, threw some Aboriginal weapons, and heard tales how connected the Aboriginies are to the land. Cotton trees, warriors, dolphins and their sacredness, wallaby holes, emus, messenger birds, and everlasting memories =).

The answer? There is just so much more to life and the best part is learning from others.

An Australian Tale

I've heard a couple of times that "there is no way to happiness, happiness is the way". Well, yes and no. I certainly agree that happiness is a state of being and there is no absolute way to achieve this feeling, but I am certain my way to happiness is here in Australia. Granted, there is no running away from those issues that pain me... I still find myself venting to my journal, or singing along obnoxiously to Maxwell's "Pretty Wings", but every day I learn to smile a little more. I am finally allowing myself to deal - or not deal - with certain things and am better recognizing those situations (and people) that are worth my attention. How ironic, huh? The way to let go of my past was to let go of everything I know.

Speaking of letting go of things I knew, I suppose this now the best time to give you a glimpse of the Aussie lifestyle. Bear with me.

i. Not even on campus for more than 5 minutes, I was asking about food! Of course, some of you aren't surprised but this time I have a valid excuse. I had been flying for the past 2 days (3 days after crossing the international date line). The guy who showed me to my room walked me down to Cafe Bond. I ordered the first thing that crossed my tired eyes - Tuscan Fish Fillet. "Hi, May I have the Tus-can fish fil-lay?" Here was my first lesson. The word is pronounced "fil-lit" here. I couldn't tell if this was some sick joke. Welp, I've ordered all sorts of "fil-lits" now, and it is no joke!

ii. You can actually purchase your trip on the bus here! Imagine that on an MTA bus in midtown manhattan, ha! If you pay with cash, you get a little paper transfer. My second lesson - always losing the paper transfer and having to pay again! It was only $1.70 back to campus, but so what!? The Go-Card is their equivalent to our MetroCard. You can put as little as $20 on the card and get serious rides because it operates much like the D.C. system; It takes money off according to destination. Here, you tap the card once you get on, and again when you get off. If you forget to tap when you get off, you're running up your tab! I forgot the first time but damnit if I ever forget again. Waste not, want not =)

iii. My third lesson showed me how laid back the people are here. Waiting at the bus stop after my first trip to the mall, two men popped the caps off of their beer and sipped away! Right there, on the street! Let's not even mention the young man smoking his joint a couple of paces away. This is all while we're waiting for the bus, mind you. I have heard from a couple of people up to a certain amount of mary-jane is perfectly legal. Well, then.

iv. Enough lessons, bring on the fun facts. The dollar bills here are waterproof and the $1 and $2 are found as coins. My first thought, "what do they toss at the strippers?" Hmm. There are $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills too. As for the smaller coins, there are .05, .10, .20, and .50 cent coins...actually cannot remember if I have seen a penny. When you are checking out, the price includes the tax and is often rounded up to the nearest dollar because of how their coins work. If something is $9, it may be $8.15 with .75 tax which will be reflected on the receipt. I have shopped quite a bit since I have been here. There is a science behind it and I have figured it out. *giggles*

v. It was a sunny day on Burleigh Heads beach when I found out there is no Thanksgiving here. I mean, I guess I should have known. After all, I am in another country. But oh, what I wouldn't do for some macaroni & cheese, ham, roasted chicken, sauteed string beans, biscuits and fried ice cream. I don't quite know where fried ice cream comes into play there, but it sounded pretty good. So the fun fact? No Thanksgiving day, or any equivalent. And for Christmas here? They have barbeques because it is the midst of their summer season.

vi. Many of my friends and family were concerned with the accent. Funny thing, I have only met about 3 or 4 Australians. And, when I do encounter an Australian, it is not the accent that is the issue but the lingo. Some of their favorite words:

- Goodonya: Used like "Good for you" or "OK, good"
- Keen: I cringe when I hear this. Used like "I'm down/interested"..."I'm keen to go with you"
- Toilet: Ask for the bathroom here and watch the stares you receive
- Heaps: Oh this one, I no longer cringe. I try to block it out like a terrible life experience. You know the meaning but it is used here in everyday convo. "There are heaps of shops there" or "It is heaps cold in the morning"...please, don't let me type it again.
- Dodey/Stodgey: Sketchy
- Footy: Football. I don't believe they play the same way, though.
- Sunnies: Sunglasses
- Swimmers: Bathing suit
- Lollies: Candy

Just my observations over the past month...

11 more to go.