"Are you from near the Jersey Shore??"

Happy August, friends!

I’ve often heard it said that God works in mysterious/funny/interesting ways, and using my experience here in Australia so far as evidence I have to say I agree. While I am still not sure where this crazy adventure will end up taking me, it seems that God’s been showing me in small ways that I am in the right place. I’ve noticed this most through the people I’ve met. At a school with close to 40,000 students, it could be easy to feel somewhat lost in the crowd. However, I have been fortunate enough to meet some of the most brilliant, beautiful people in the past few weeks, and I am so grateful that I’ve been given that opportunity! This has also been teaching me to relax a lot, which is after all the Aussie way. I’m seeing that I don’t need to stress over meeting people and planning trips and seeing what I want to see, because for the most part those opportunities will present themselves eventually. It’s been quite the wake-up call for my normally control-freak self!

I’m also grateful for the opportunity I’ve had this weekend to get to know Brisbane a little bit better. Friday night some of the other IFSA-Butler girls and I headed into the city to a “BrisStyle Indie Twilight Market” (so named because it was conducted in the evening, not because of the books, relax!). Here we got to meet and browse the work of local artists, most of whom were exceptionally talented at making jewelry, clothing, bags, and all kinds of other accessories. After the market we decided to hang out in the city a little bit. I personally still feel pretty unfamiliar with the layout of Brisbane, so strolling along some of the streets was a good way to try and get my bearings. A couple of us being coffee junkies, it didn’t take long to find a Starbucks, aka the only place I’ve found in Australia that sells regular brewed coffee! They also have the Aussie favorites like “long white” and “short black,” but at least they provide explanations of what they are on the menu! However, I’m told not to drink Starbucks here because Australian coffee is better…I mean, my iced latte was pretty delicious, but I’ll keep an open mind!

Yesterday morning we took the ferry across the river to a weekly farmers market in West End. We spent about two hours perusing stalls full of fresh fruits and veggies, seafood, bread, coffee, jewelry, clothing, and other kinds of gifts. Everything was so fresh and tempting; it’s definitely a place I will have to revisit multiple times this semester! Last night our program took us to the AFL (Australian Football League) game where the Brisbane Lions took on the Melbourne Demons. This game is so ridiculous. It was really fun to watch because it seems like a free-for-all of throwing/kicking/catching the ball while trying not to fall over or get knocked down, but I could not even begin to guess what the rules are. Side story: on the bus ride home we were talking with an Australian whose first question, after asking us where we’re from and what we’re studying, was, “so, are you from near the Jersey Shore??” He then proceeded to show off one of the better fist pumps any of us have ever seen…apparently this is one of the Aussies’ main impressions of American culture?

This morning I ventured into the city yet again to participate in a Y-Walk (Y for Youth), starting at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It was a walk around part of Brisbane in the footsteps of Blessed Mary MacKillop, Patron of the Archdiocese of Brisbane. It was both a great way to continue orienting myself with the city and also an opportunity to spend part of the morning in prayer while meeting other Catholics. We then attended midday Mass at St. Stephen’s, which is huge and also very beautiful. I still can’t get over palm trees being everywhere, including down the side of the cathedral…I feel like everything is prettier with palm trees, no??