Flights + Week One

On Friday 18th January, I left Australia to start my biggest lifetime experience.  I was scared and quite nervous.  I also started to question myself as to whether I really wanted to spend a year away from my friends, family and home.  I put this aside to last minute jitters; sucked it up; said goodbye; and got on that damn plane.  Mum, Forrest, Nanna and Matt accompanied me to the airport.  Typical men, I tell ya what.  The first shop Forrest and Matt see is the grog shop.  Annnnd we lost them.  After a bit they re-emerged and all I got was:

"Tyarna, can you use your credit card to buy me some rum?"

"No, Matt"

"But come on, it's duty free!"

"No, Forrest"

"Tyarnaaaaaaa, I won't talk to you again!"

"You do that Matt"

I was then the bad guy because I wouldn't buy the boys alcohol.  From then on it was just a typical wait at the airport.

 The most important person in my life <3

They wish they were cool

"Matt, can I have a nice picture to take with me?"

Nanna <3

My beautiful mother <3

All too soon, it was time to say our final goodbyes for the coming year.  As I was saying goodbye, Nic turned up at the airport, which was really amazing to say goodbye to her as well.  I struggled through with very minimal tears.

Downstairs we had to go through Customs.  I hate security checkpoints, but guess what!! I didn't have to do any bomb testing this time!  I guess there is a first for everything.  When we got down to the gate, we just had to sit and wait until boarding time.  That was when I got the phone call from my gorgeous sister, Cherine.  It was absolutely amazing to talk to her before I left, even if she did threaten to hang up on me because I was about to start crying.

Our plane awaits

After boarding the plane, I thought that we were sitting there for an abnormally long amount of time.  Which we were.  The plane had engineering problems and was delayed.  Really didn't need to know that.  As we were travelling with a group of Rotary students also starting their exchange, I started talking with the two girls next to me, Alison and Molly.  Turns out Molly is also from Toowoomba and Alison went to boarding school in Toowoomba.  We were closer than we ever thought!  Alison was also going to Austria, and I had the pleasure of sitting next to her or directly behind her on three out of four of our flights.  Molly was spending her year in Hungary!  We finally got to leave Brisbane, and made our way to Singapore.

Singapore airport is very clean.  We had a stopover of a few hours there and then it was time to continue our journey on to London.  As they were having bad weather in London, we were put on speed restrictions which made the fourteen hour flight even longer!!  It really was a horrible flight and I'm glad I'm not doing that again for a while.  I got a window seat on the way to London!  Next to me was Alison and then Jess.  We were so tired that Jess and I slept through the first two meals, so we only ended up getting breakfast on that majorly long flight.

Singapore Airport

Singapore Airport

I was so confused as to whether we ate breakfast at:

2.30pm Brisbane time,

12.30pm Singapore time, or

4.30am London time.

We also ate breakfast while we were flying over the edge of Russia heading towards Denmark.  When we got to London, we saw the first signs of winter that would be awaiting us.  The temperature was resting on freezing in London, and we were very thankful that we didn't have to walk outside.  We broke up into our country groups then, and there were 14 of us flying into Vienna.  As we had something like a five hour stopover, Lauren and I decided to do the tourist thing and do some shopping.  We went to one souvenir shop and the man said, in his British accent!, good morning.  Being typical Aussie tourists, we replied with good afternoon.  Not our finest moment.  He then reminded us that we were now in England, and Australian time wouldn't get us far.  We spent ages in there trying to decide which key rings and post cards we wanted.  Finally decided, and the amount of change I was getting was four pound fifty.  Hear a British person say that and you will fall to your knees listening to the accent!!  We asked the guy to repeat that about seven times!

At last it was time to head down to our gate, through customs again, and wait for our flight to Vienna.

The Austrian gang =)

To get to our plane, we had to walk outside to a bus that took us through the airport where we used stairs to get onto the plane.  We walked outside; and nearly all walked back in.  It was freezing.  Being tourists, again, we were all breathing out from our mouths and watching the 'smoke' come out.  Everyone else looked at us funnily, but we didn't mind because we were amused.  Standing waiting to walk up the stairs onto the plane, we couldn't work out whether it was raining, or snowing lightly.  Curiosity got the better of me, and once we were seated, I asked the couple next to me (who were from England) whether it was rain or snow.  Turns out it was snow.  Alison sat directly in front of me on the flight, so we got to talk again.  As we were taxi-ing down to the runway, we noticed that nearly all the planes had green stuff one them.  We found out that it is a chemical used on the planes to melt all the ice.  It looked really weird.

Flying to Austria

Out the window

Flying into Vienna

Vienna was the first stop that we had to pick up our luggage.  The STS students were given a very welcome and friendly greeting from Katrin.  It was so lovely to meet her for the first time!  There were five of us then flying on to Linz, so we all checked in and hung out together for the five and a bit hours we were there.  By this time, the time difference was starting to catch up with us and some of us, me especially, started to look a little like a zombie.

We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto

Vienna was when it really hit that we were in another country as everything was in German.  I was so tired by the time boarding came around that I'm not even sure how I made it onto the plane.  Now this "plane", as they call it, that took us to Linz, was the smallest plane I have ever been on.  It was so small that my carry-on luggage case had to go underneath with the normal luggage.  I was really quite thankful that I was so tired, as it didn't really hit me that the plane was that small.  After around 40 hours of travelling, we finally landed in Linz.  Again we collected our luggage, and then it was time to meet our host families in person!  I was lucky enough to be given the front seat on the drive home from the airport (even if I don't remember very much), and it felt so weird to be sitting on the right of the car and not be driving.  The roundabouts are the scariest thing to go around here.  If we were in Australia, you would be going around them backwards!!  I don't think I'm ever going to get use to that.  Finally, a real bed and pillow.

View from my bedroom window!

The next afternoon, the grade 7 class left for their five day stay in Vienna.  I honestly do not remember much of the week at all.  I was hit with jet lag pretty badly and it has taken my memory.

Vienna is a big, beautiful city and I wish I remembered more than what I do of it.  There was snow everywhere, and when we were there Friday, it snowed all day.  The thing I dislike the most about Vienna, was the amount of stairs that we took everyday.  My legs have never been so sore in my entire life and I am still trying to get over the pain.  

Reppin' my socks and thongs true Aussie style in our hostel =)

We got to spend some time at the Vienna Zoo and I saw my first panda there.  They aren't as big as I thought they would be, but definitely cute.

The day after we got home from Vienna, I took a walk with my host family around our area.  It was a long and tiring walk, but the views were definitely worth it.

Well, my first week has been so busy and extremely tiring.  I was so glad today when I just got to spend a day indoors and not walk anywhere.  Hoping the pain in my legs goes away very soon.  I start my first actual day of school tomorrow, and I'm very nervous and excited all at the same time to see how different it is from Australia!!

Until Next Post.

Adios Amigos.

Tyarna x

One Week Left!

Packing.  Wow.  How incredibly annoying.  And painful.  There are just so many possibilities and situations that I need to pack for.  I don't have a space issue, my suitcase is huge, I have a weight issue.

It has taken me about 10 days to get things packed.  I have my big suitcase, my little carry-on suitcase, and my STS backpack to work with.  For a whole year, that isn't very much...  Everyone needs to think of their wardrobe of clothes right now and try and imagine what you would pack to move to the other side of the world for a year.  Not that easy is it?

At first, I didn't want to start packing at all, so I opened my suitcase, picked up everything and threw it in.  Nothing was folded.  Nothing was in any way in order.  My bed was absolutely covered and there was no chance of my sleeping in it that night.  The next day, I knew I had to do something to fix the situation, so I grudgingly started sorting through everything and folding it properly.  I was about three quarters of the way through and thought I was doing pretty well, so I decided to check the weight to see how I was going.  Not good.  Already over the weight limit.

Restart.

I took everything out.  Eliminated things.  And started again.

Second time went slightly better.  Until I found clothes in another cupboard that I really needed to pack as well.

Restart.

This time, I was right on track.  I'm close to the weight limit, but I have a couple of kilos to play with, which I'll need when I add in the final things a couple of days before I leave.  For now though, I'm basically living out of my suitcase because all of my good clothes are packed.

With all of the Australia Day lines coming out now, it is really tempting to get lots of things and take them with me, but there's no space left!  I am determined to fit in my vegemite and milo though.  I don't care if I have to ditch clothes; those things are coming with me.

The bakery team at work has declared that they are coming with me, told them that I'm not sure if they'll fit, they didn't listen.  It could be interesting trying to squeeze the six of them in!! =)

Just chuck her in

The shoes.........

Carry on

The big suitcase

Backpack

The collection for a year

Packed

Crushed it

Bear and Duck

Carry on packed

As it is only one week today before I leave, I deem it appropriate to do part of this post on stereotypical Australian pictures.  The ideas that people from other countries have about Australia really amuse me, and I've found some good pictures that relate to some of the bigger stereotypical ideas.

Christmas Day the Aussie Way =D

Cool Runnings!!

Yes, our spiders do get that big =)

So do the snakes -_-

Gotta watch those drop bears....

More New Zealand stereotypical, but made me laugh =)

So true

Legit

My next post will be after my first week in Austria which includes a school trip to Vienna for the week.  Goodbye Australia.  I will miss you while I am gone but will certainly bring back many memories to share with you!

Until Next Post.

Adios Amigos.

Tyarna x

Christmas Day the Aussie Way!

An Aussie Christmas is definitely something that I'll miss next year!  However, I am very eager to find out what a traditional winter christmas will be like.  This year though, was amazing.

In Australia, Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December, not the 24th like most European countries.  Christmas was held at my Aunt's place in Monto this year.  From where I live in Toowoomba, Monto is about four and a half hours away.  We got there on Christmas Eve ready to spend the next few days there.  

At about 5.30 on Christmas morning, I heard my younger cousins getting up, eager to open all of their presents, especially the ones from Santa.  All of us headed to the shed just after 7am where the christmas tree and presents were all set up.  The boys hooked into their Santa sacks and then everything else was given out.  I did fairly well myself, receiving lots of things that will help me on exchange next year =)

After presents, we had a cooked breakfast of ham and eggs.  It's what my family does every year for brekkie.

The water fights begin......

As Christmas is in the middle of Summer, it's always very hot, so water fights are a very common daily activity.  The water fight consisted of Cherine, Forrest, Tyrone, Michael, Jespar, Tully, Balun and myself.  Suffice to say, we were drenched.  The fight started with water pistols, but then escalated to water bombs; my favourite!

Tyrone disappeared at one point and everyone else thought that we were completely out of water bombs, so we were just heading to sit down and try and dry off a bit.  As I was walking to the trampoline to lie down, next thing I know, there is a water bomb that has come flying out the bathroom window from above me, scaring the crap outta me because I scare so easily.  Let's just say I found Tyrone.

I love Christmas because of the food.  There is so much food.  We eat, and then we eat again, and then a little bit more, then some more again.

Our bucket of bombs!

The Big Bombs =D

Christmas Day selfie!!!

War is raging!

The Sister Team

Forrest & Mum <3

We are soaked!!

The Sister

The food!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Walking on thin air!!!

Christmas day was brilliant, and like always, Boxing Day was also brilliant.  For our family, boxing day is a day of relaxing, and eating more food.  We went out to Cania Dam for part of the day, which is just under a half an hour drive from Stacey's place.  The scenery out there is absolutely gorgeous and it was very peaceful to just sit and relax for a while.

As much as it will be the complete opposite of what I've experienced, bring on next christmas!

It is so close until I leave now!  Only three weeks today! 21 days!!!!  Time needs to slow down just a little bit.  I'm not ready to leave everyone just yet!

My next post will surely be on the torture of packing, which will come in the new year.  Happy new year everyone and may 2013 be your best year yet!!

Until next post.

Adios Amigos.

Tyarna x

The Blog Challenge ~ posed by Cherine =)

The Blog Challenge?

Alright, alright ~ I'll answer the questions and kind of embarrass myself.  Thank you (?) Cherine for my questions that you have passed along to me =)

1. If the fire alarm would go off, and you could only save one thing, what would it be?

Fire alarm, what fire alarm?  Honestly, I normally sleep through them these days!  Ok ok, if I did managed to hear it, the one thing that I would save?  Ok, there are two, and in the end, I would choose at the time depending on the situation I was in and how long I had.  One is my Bunny (childish, I know).  But I've had him for as long as I can remember, and as a young child, he went everywhere with me, even to Taiwan and Canada.  So he is definitely one of them.  The other one is my wooden box that has my most treasured items in it.

2. What do you want to definitely do before coming back home after the year?

Originally, I would have said "kiss a hot, foreign guy", now, however, I'm not too sure.  There are a few reasons for that, ones only my close friends will know =)  Umm, I want to try as much food as possible!  And go skiing.  I've never been skiing before, and I'm sure that I will make a total fool of myself, but I want to have fun doing it =D  However, I'm sure my lovely host family will find something new for me to do!

3. Favorite place?

To be fully honest, I don't have a favourite place.  I have so many absolutely wonderful memories from places all over the world, but I cannot pin point one favourite place.  Others would say 'where my family is', but you don't have to be in the same place as your family for it to be your favourite place.  Maybe I never will have a favourite place, but I don't mind, because if I had a favourite place, how would I be able to go out and continually try to find a 'favourite place' from different corners of the world? =)

4. Favorite quote?

Ahh, I have three!! And I can't decide, so you're getting all of them =) I must say, there are so many more I could write here, but I don't want to bore anyone

(a) "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them" - Walt Disney
(b) "It's kind of fun to do the impossible" - Walt Disney
(c) "Yes the past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it" - Rafiki

5. Biggest dream?

Well, umm, I'm going to grab something off my bucket list, because it's really important to me, but, become independent.  It's not really a dream I suppose, more of a goal, although it really is important to me.  I want to have my own family, my own place, and be financially independent and all that grown up stuff =) That's my biggest dream.

6. The apocalypse has started, the nearest object on your left is your weapon and the person nearest to your right is your soldier mate in this war, how screwed are you?

A pillow, and Cherine -_- in other words, I'm really screwed.  However, two of my friends and I were fully prepared to fend off an intruder with a giant stuffed pig, dustpan brush, and a butter knife.  Cheyenne if you read this, remember the memories!

7. Something you've started to do for a long time but never got around to finishing it?

Clean my room? Hahaha, nah, now my nerd side comes out, but probably write a book.  I've started so many, but just lost interest in them or not knowing what I was going to write next.

8. What will be the hardest thing about packing?

Hahahaha, oh god.  My shoes.  The hardest thing about packing, will be my shoes.  I'm also kind of terrified about how many shoes I will buy whilst in Austria, and therefore having to bring them back to Australia!  Maria, if you ever read this, you need to keep me away from shoe shops!!!

9. Favorite book?

Again, so. damn. many.!!! Ok, umm, either Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden, or The Curse of the Spellman's by Liza Lutz.  TWTWB because it is just written so well and shows that no matter what age, if you have enough courage and passion, you really can make a difference to a situation.  Curse of the Spellman's because it's just freaking hilarious.  I literally laughed out loud when I read it.

10. What (not who) will you miss the most?

I love how you worded that question Cherine =D

What will I miss the most?  I really don't think I can answer that until I'm actually in Austria.  But I'll do my best to have a guess.  I think that the thing I will miss most about Australia is Summer, and dare I say it, the beaches.  I'm not really a beach person, but I think the beaches in Australia are absolutely gorgeous, especially the ones up North Queensland, mainly around Airlie Beach.  I will let you know next year though what I miss the most though!

11. Have you ever actually seen a yellow duck?

NO!!!!!!!!! Why must they lie to me????? I have seen a yellow duckling, but they never grow up to be yellow ducks! The picture books lied to me! For so many years, they lied!


Now for the 11 random things about me =D ~ prepare for random guys

1.  I HATE driving.  With a passion.  I don't know why, I just do.  However, Matt's car may be the exception, if he ever let's me drive it, it will be a hell of a lot of fun! =D

2.  The idea of cremation creeps me out to the total max and, in my eyes, is just horribly disgusting and no one on planet earth should ever do it.  Ever.  Just, no.

3.  I love my job.  Most people say that 'I hate going to work' or 'my job gets me money', don't get me wrong, I love the money, but the bakery team at work has such a good friendship with each other, there is never a dull or boring day =)

4.  I had the most amazing, incredible time at my end of year, year 12 formal!  I thank everyone who was involved for such a great time, and especially Matt for being my partner and putting up with freaking out, stress related anger towards him for the lead up to the night.  And the after party, just freaking brilliant.  Could not have asked for a better night =D

5.  I have more than one best friend.  Contrary to people's belief, it is possible to have more than one best friend.   And yes, there is a mixture of guys and girls who I class as best friends.  I won't mention names, because they all know who they are.  I will say though how thankful I am to have them all in my life, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

6.  I cannot stand the feel of moisturiser on my hands.  I can't do it.  Just doesn't work.  I can use my fingers to apply moisturiser to my face, but that is my limit.  I have to get someone else to moisturise my legs for me.

7.  I have a thing with numbers, they can't be odd unless they are 5 or 21 or 13.  I don't know, I can't explain it.

8.  This one is extremely random, but, I don't like people touching my arse.  Enough said.

9.  I can be a complete blonde and ditz 95% of the time, but I'm super coordinated when it comes to netball.

10.  I hate the city.  Hate it.  One exception; Sydney.  I loved Sydney.  Which is super weird cause its one of Australia's biggest cities.  Maybe I just have a messed up head.

11.  I have an obsession with shoes =)


On the other hand, the rest of my exchange is coming together =) all of my flights are booked, and I only have one instalment left.  I've been talking to my host family and I'm really excited and eager to get to Austria!!!

Until next post.

Adios Amigos.

Tyarna xx