Day by the pool

Today I had my day off from school, so I had the whole day to write my essay!

Well, actually I spent most of it by the pool, in the sun. It was warm again, and I made a new plan: It would be better to be outside, it was too hot to write anyways. I considered taking my notes outside, but I ended up laying on a chair, and practising swimming in the pool.





Yeah, there is a pool here :) Its nice, but the water is a bit cold still (but I guess is nothing compared to dear finland!). Its been so warm here it has caused some troubles too, like bushfires.. I remember reading about these huge fires before I came here, but they are not happening close to where I live.



I ended up spending few hours by the pool, some time washing laudry, and visiting a grocery. I did write my essay, its not finished yet though but Im pretty confident it will be ready on friday.




Today I saw a gecko! It was outside, on the window. I got excited but then I heard they can come inside too, and I got a bit scared. They are harmless but somehow I don't like the idea I would wake up that next to me.

This gecko thing started a whole conversation with my roommate about little animals, and I heard there are these huge spiders called huntsmans, and they can be anywhere and they are scarylooking and big and yucky. I can't wait to see one walking on me, I will probably faint. Luckily those are harmless too, but I don't like spiders. I heard these horror stories before I came..about poisonous spiders size of a car. I hope I won't see any.

+35

It was so hot today! It was the hottest day since I came, and I heard it's been the hottest day for years at this time of the year. But this is nothing compared to the summer!

In the morning I felt like going to the beach and sitting in the ocean for the whole day. But I had that damn lecture to go to. Luckily it was a bit cooler in the bus, and at the lecture hall. I think about 80% of the students did what I was dreaming about doing, and went to the beach instead of going to school, the lecture wasn't that popular today. I enjoyed the air conditioning, and wrote some notes (two lines) and tried to look active. Then I left, came home, cooked and stared my computer screen, trying to motivate myself to write an essay. Sometimes I really freak out about all the stuff I need to do for school, its nothing like finland here. I'm actually afraid not to do things. That worries me. I just wanna go to the beach :)

On saturday we went to the beach







I was wearing this (except i didn't keep that scarf)


Top:hm, scarf:vero moda, shorts: used denim

Good night!

Outfit of the day

I like clothes a lot, and wish I could put some pictures of them here. But at this moment (as my luggage is still missing) I don't have that many outfit possibilities. It takes quite a lot of imagination trying to combine outfits from the pieces I have; two pairs of jeans, two tops, one t-shirt, three cardigans, a skirt, pair of shorts and a dress. I have bought some of them here, and I'm quite happy, but every now and then I notice I miss my clothes. I wish I will get them back soon, because my imagination is starting to reach its limits. I mean, how many outifts can you put together from those?

Well, maybe in the future :)

Today

I went shopping




waited for a bus




And now trying to sleep for a while!

Today

Pics from uni

Wednesday is always a long day. I have lectures until 6pm, and my bus leaves from uni at 6.45, which means I'm at home at around 7.30. The buses go in strange times, but I don't really mind, I like staring at the houses and signs and people. It's like a sightseeing tour, it's no nice to think here I wanna come later!

pic from kawana shopping world

Wednesdays I have a tutorial (tute, how they call it here), which is usually extremely boring (and today also embarassing, because the tutor decided to take me as his target). I have also a lecture, which is usually quite interesting.

pic taken from the street close to mine (today)

The rest of the time I usually spend at the library 'studying' (sometimes I actually do study!) and checking my email. There is this weird quota-thing here at the uni, I can only use a certain amount of kb's or what are they called. I checked my status one day, and I have used about 80 % of my amount during these 4 weeks. That's heaps of fun (heaps = australian, means lotss).

pic from parklands

After I got home I watched simpsons (I watch it nearly every day) and ate some yoghurt. I haven't been really cooking here, but I need to change that.

sugar cane mountain, on the way to brisbane

I'm planning to prepare for my forum next week. I need to write 1000 words about the differences between human security and state security. Perfect.

Matkalaukut hukassa...

Kuten otsikostakin jo saattaa päätellä, ensimmäiset kaksi viikkoa asustelin täällä kokonaan ilman matkatavaroitani. Lähtiessäni suomesta helsinki-vantaa oli täysin jumissa jonkun laitevian vuoksi, ja tämän takia seisoskelin check in -jonossa vielä silloin, kun koneen olisi pitänyt lähteä. Ehdin kumminkin koneeseen (se vaati kyllä hieman juoksemista!) sillä kaikki lennot taisi sinä päivänä lähteä myöhässä. Noh, tämän sähellyksen seurauksena laukkuni eivät koskaan saapuneet seuraavalle etapilleni, eli manchesteriin. En ollut liiemalti huolissani, ajattelin että kyllähän ne sieltä perästä sitten tulee.

Kaksi viikkoa siinä meni, ennen kuin sain toisen (siis vain toisen) laukuistani takaisin... ja kun tämä pinkki laukku lopulta löysi tiensä tänne , se ei sisältänyt juurikaan vaatteita, vaan kaikenlaista muuta tärkeää kuten lemppari-harlequin pokkarini, australia-oppaan sekä käsilaukun. Oli siellä tosiaan pari vaatekappalettakin, kuten syystakki (joka yllättävää kyllä on tullut tarpeeseen iltaisin), pari hametta ja urheilutoppi (joka muuten on ihan hyvä ihan arkikäytössäkin tästä eteenpäin). Toisessa laukussani on sitten melkeinpä koko vaatevarastoni, kenkiä ja aivan elintärkeä hiustenkuivain! Minua kehoitettiin jo tekemään vaatimus rahallisesta korvauksesta, ja sitä en olisi halunnut kuulla. Mutta juuri eilen mukava täti Quantasilta soitteli ja vakuutti että kyllä he tämän toisenkin laukun vielä paikallistavat!

Tällä välillä olen pitänyt lainavaatteita, sekä ostanut pari uutta neuletakkia, topin ja hameen. Yllättävää kuinka vähällä sitä pärjääkään jos on pakko. Mutta vaikka näillä pärjääkin, niin kyllä tässä on vähän ikävä niitä mun muitakin vaatteita!

Sunnuntaina pääsin muuten rannalle ensimmäistä kertaa! Kävimme vuokraemäntäni kanssa siellä ottamassa aurikoa, ja voi kuinka upeat maisemat siellä olikaan! Hiekka oli aivan uskomattoman pehmeää, ja meri näytti niin suurelta ja mahtavalta! Vielä ei ole se suosituin rantakausi, talveahan täällä eletään. Mutta säätiedotteiden mukaan kevättä lähestytään. Sain vähän kärvennettyä ihoakin, ja minulla oli rusketusrajatkin semmoisen parin tuntia! Mutta pitää vaan vähän ahkerammin ottaa aurinkoa, eipä tarvitsisi mennä yliopistolle joka päivä!

So, the first two weeks of my life here i had to live without my luggage. When i left from helsinki-vantaa, the whole airport was in a chaos because of some computer malfunction. I was still standing in the check in line when my plane was supposed to leave! I made it to the plane (it required some serious running though), I think all the planes left late that day. After all this fuss, my luggage never arrived to manchester. I wasn't too worried, i thought they will follow me soon.

Well, it took two weeks to get one (!!) of my bags back..and when I finally got it back... instead of clothes, it had some other important stuff, like my favourite harlequin paperbacks, an australia-quide and a purse. It had some clothes too, like my autumn jacket (which has actually been handy in the nights), couple skirts and a sports top (which is okay as a every-day summer top too). My other luggage has practically all the clothes i own, shoes and the vitally important hair dryer! I was couraged to do a claim to the airline, but thinking about maybe not getting my stuff back made me a bit depressed. But yesterday a nice lady from Quantas called me and said she is sure they can track my other luggage too!

Now I have been wearing borrowed clothes, and i bought a couple shirts, a top and a skirt. It's actually quite surprising you don't really need that much to cope. But even though, i miss my clothes!



top:gina tricot, skirt from Greece

On sunday i went to the beach the first time! We went to sunbathing with Kat, and it was so nice! The view was amazing! Sand was so soft, and the sea looked so big and mighty. The most popular beach season has not started yet, its still winter. But spring is closing, I heard it from the weather report! I almost burned myself, and i had tanlines for a couple of hours! I need to be out in the sun more, i wish i didn't have to come to uni this often!

Naapurustoa

Asustelen siis täällä Sunshine Coastilla, kaupungissa nimeltä Caloundra. Kehtaakohan edes myöntää, että alussa ajattelin että Sunshine Coast on tuleva kotikaupunkini…Oma kotitaloni sijaitsee hieman syrjässä kaikesta, tosin onhan tuossa parin minuutin kävelymatkan päässä ostoskeskus, jossa on kauppa ja apteekki. Apteekissa kyllä myydään myös matkamuistoja, ja hattuja. Joten kaipa sitä voi ostoskeskukseksi kutsua. Alueella on taloja vieri vieressä, 99 prosenttisesti yksikerroksisia, ja autotallilla varustettuja. Naapurusto vaikuttaa ihan mukavalta, tosin ihmisiä ei täällä paljon liiku.






En kuitenkaan usein shoppaile viereisessä shopping centerissä, sillä bussimatkani varrella on suuri Kawana Shopping World. Siellä riittää kauppaa laidasta laitaan, esim. pari isoa ruokakauppaa, Woolworths ja Bi-Lo. Bi-Losta on muotoutunut suosikkini, sillä siellä myydään hyvää Coles-tonnikalaa kasvisöljyssä :) Kun kävin ruokakaupassa ensimmäisen kerran, oli se suuri seikkailu, olin niin innoissaan kaikesta, maidotkin myydään niin hassuissa muovipulloissa! Shopping Worldissa on myös vaatekauppoja, pankkeja, posti, kampaamoja ja mäkkäri! En ole muuten kertaakaan käynyt vielä ulkona syömässä…opiskelijan perusruokavalio saa jatkoa täälläkin (pastaa, riisiä, muroja, ranskiksia..)

Caloundran keskustaankaan en ole vielä ehtinyt tutustua, muuten kuin bussista tapittaen. Siellä on merta vähän joka puolella, ja rannat näyttää niin ihanilta! Ollaan suunniteltu parin vaihtarin kanssa reissua biitsille, toivottavasti toteutuu pian! Ranta-alueilla riittää surffikauppaa toisensa perään, kahviloita ja pikaruokaloita. Kaupungissa on myös lukemattomia loma-asuntoja, ilmeisesti paikka on suosittu surffareiden keskuudessa! Minun täytyy vain ensin opetella uimaan, ja sitten seuraa surffauksen opettelu :)

Täytyy vielä mainita että bussikuskit on täällä ihan super-mukavia. Ne jaksaa aina kysellä kuulumisia ja toivottaa hyvää päivän jatkoa. Ja vitsaileekin ne joskus: Minä ojennan rahaa ja ilmoitan että haluaisin mennä Kawanaan, ja bussikuski siihen ’Are you sure?’ Ei puhettakaan että bussikuskit kotikaupungissa Suomessa käyttäytyisi näin leppoisasti. Ehkä se johtuu osittain ihmisistäkin, täällä todellakin asennoidutaan elämään enemmän sillä kuuluisalla laid back-asenteella. Ihmiset on yleensäkin todella mukavia ja ystävällisiä, ja avuliaita tämmöistä turistia kohtaan!

Tänään käväisin takapihalla ottamassa koirien kanssa aurinkoa ja lueskelin Devil Wears Pradaa. Myöhemmin seuraa siivousta, kokkailua (ranskikset uuniin) ja telkkaria. Olen yksin kotona, kämppikseni lähti omille teilleen. Suunnittelin kaupassa käyntiä, mutta en saanut tuota pikkupentua ulos. Se tapitti minua sohvalta eikä suostunut menemään pihalle vaikka oikein nostin sen ovelle :)

So, I live in Sunshine Coast, in a city called Caloundra. I’m quite embarrassed to admit I thought Sunshine Coast was a city….My home is a bit far from everything, but there is a ctually a small shopping centre next to us. I mean, I think I can call it a shopping centre, it has a small grocery, and a pharmacy. But the pharmacy sells also souvenirs, and hats. There are lot of houses around, but its quite calm and quiet here.

When I go shopping, I usually don’t go to this small place next us. There’s a big shopping centre on my bus route called Kawana Shopping World. It has so many shops, including two big groceries called Woolworths and Bi-Lo. I usually go to Bi-Lo, because it has my favourite tuna J When I went to the grocery the first time, it was such and adventure, milk is sold in these funny plastic bottles and all…

I haven’t had a chance to get to know to the centre of Caloundra city, besides staring out of the bus window. The sea is all around, and the beach looks so nice! I wish I can go there soon! We have been planning to go soon with few exchange students! There are lot of surf shops, and no wonder the place is popular among surfers. I just need to learn how to swim, and then I will learn to surf!

I have to mention that the bus drivers here are so nice! They are always asking how are you, and saying have a good day! Sometimes they even tell jokes J I can’t imagine bus drivers in Finland could be this relaxed. Maybe its partly because of the people, the laid back-attitude is very clear here! Everybody has been so friendly towards a tourist like me J

Today I was sitting in the sun, reading Devil Wears Prada! Later on I will be cleaning, cooking (=putting French fries in the oven) and watching TV! I’m home alone, my roommates went to meet their friends! I was planning to go to the store, but I couldn’t get this puppy out. It just stared at me from the couch, and even though I lift her to the door, she wouldn’t go!