Life is good.

Hi guys!!! It's been hard to get online lately, so I'm sorry I've been slackin on posts! WE SIGNED A LEASE FOR A HOUSE YESTERDAY!! and Tyler and I get to live with friends we met from UW-Madison and a girl from Canada... so all is good in the world! The house is in a great location and less than a five minute walk to campus. We really lucked out, and a huge weight is lifted off of our shoulders. We spent the first few days frantically looking for housing, so now we finally get to explore Sydney! On Valentine's Day, Tyler and I walked down by Sydney Harbor and saw the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House for the first time. The view was just as amazing as the pictures! We wanted to eat there for the night and look out at the view, but the prices are ridiculous because it is such a touristy spot. Instead, we walked down towards Darling Harbour, which is also very pretty. We ate at a seafood restaurant with outside seating looking out at the harbour. Lobster was $95 a plate!! so obviously I didn't get that. Ty got the seafood basket and I got salmon. It was a perfect valentines day as cliche as it sounds...fireworks even went off over the harbour as we were eating (no literally!!)  Ty did good. Yesterday we met up with some other friends and walked around the opera house and the bridge again, had a beer outside ($9!), and went to the Syney Aquarium. We also took a walk by Tamarama Beach and put our feet in the ocean while we were house hunting. We got a glimpse of Bondi Beach, as well, but I am looking forward to the 85 and sunny forecast we have coming up for the weekend to hit the beach. Saturday is the start of the world's largest gay/lesbian MardiGras in Sydney.. it lasts for 3 weeks! It's gonna get cra-zayyy. ;) (We will behave oursleves mom and Jan!) Other than that we are stuck in a hostel for the next 10 days until we can move into our house. Miss you guys!

<3 Megan

Live and Learn

Hi Everyone!!!

I only have a few minutes to post, but I wanted to let everyone know that we made it to Sydney safely, and we are soooo excited to be here! The area we are staying in right now feels a lot like living in New York City or any other big city. Yesterday was very warm and sunny, but today is cloudy and a little cooler, so we didn't get to a beach yet. I'm so excited to see all that Sydney has to offer. With the beaches, big city, diversity, and scenery, I know this is the perfect place for me to be studying abroad. Everything is extremely expensive in Sydney (usually double what we pay at home) and we are learning A LOT by trial and error. For example, one smirnoff ice costs $10.. whoops! And buying cheap towels to shower with will result in blue fuzz all over your body. And caesar salads are $18 here :(. And you should definitely grab a cart at the airport for luggage when you have 2 large suitcases, a rolling carry-on, and a backpack. And if you forget that you have an apple in your backpack from the airplane you WILL get ridiculed for being a stupid American by security at customs. Oh well, this is exactly what studying abroad is about right? I'll keep you guys updated!

Love,
Megan