Easter Break

Hello all!

I figured that I would write you one last quick post before I head out in a couple days for a 2 week field trip extravaganza with my 2 courses down under. I leave on the 1st of April for Fraser Island for a week, then I'm off to Heron Island (in the Great Barrier Reef!!!) for the second week.

I'll be bringing my camera, as well as the charger to take SO many photos. So keep your eyes peeled once I return after the 14th for some new updates! Although, I will warn you now, I have an anatomy theory and practical exam 2 DAYS after I return. Which means, Danielle will not have time to study like she normally does and will be winging both the exams. Beauty. This is seriously a milestone in and of itself since I'm normally the academic and would pass on trips before major exams. But when in Aussie......

I'll leave you with one thought - what is going to happen next year when I return to Queen's and I have to stress out about school, marks, classes etc etc? I won't be a happy camper, and I may also have lost all my super study skills. Oh dear.

Well, Happy Easter to those who celebrate it and I will be in touch soon!

All my love,
xoxo Danielle

The Monster's Ball

Here it is - the post about the Lady Gaga concert last night. As you can tell from how early I am up writing this.....it was either a shit night and I went to bed early OR I went out after the concert and have pulled my first-ever non-academic all-nighter. I'll leave that for you to decide.

The concert started off at 7:30pm with a band out of New York called the Semi Precious Weapons. No one around has had really heard of them, and to be honest, the best part of their performance was when they left the stage. Kidding. Seriously though, they were quite the heavy rock group and their songs were, um, eccentric. I think one memorable moment was when the bass guitarist played a solo while balancing ENTIRELY on his head ONLY. As in, upside down playing. It was sick.

                                                     Waiting in the queue for entry

At this point - I should tell you about our "seating" arrangements. I say seating in quotations because Dave and my tickets were actually standing seats, in the back section. When we first arrived at the entertainment center, which was about 6:15pm to pick up our tickets and get in line, the queue was SUPER long. Some people had shown up at 1pm to just get that much closer to the stage! Crazy madness. We joined the back of the line, sat down and waited to enter. Apart from a group of 4 drunken students with matching Gaga homemade t-shirts, and the odd 8-year olds in CFM boots (where are their parents when they dress like hookers??) it was an uneventful wait to make our way to the floor. When we actually get there, we realize that our "back" tickets are literally SO close to the stage and we can't believe our luck. When Gaga came onto the stage for her first number (Just Dance), you can imagine everyone pushed closer so we actually ended up in the front standing sections regardless! I've never been in the standing section before at a concert, especially one where you know it will be entertaining like Lady Gaga, and apart from one girl (read on below) it was the best experience at a concert yet!

 Dave and I in the middle of it all!

Lady Gaga herself is short. In person, I wasn't expecting it! Her voice is also really nasally - but that could have been the performance, drugs, alcohol....I wouldn't put those things past her given the nature of her concert. The basis behind it was that last night at midnight was her 24th birthday, so her and her friends were headed off to the "Monster's Ball" - the best party in the world. We, the fans, were all her little monsters following her to set ourselves free. The series of songs linked up to one another along the way, leading up to a giant monster set on stage that we had to kill by taking its photos (song = Paparazzi) and then the final song being a huge dance-off to Bad Romance - letting go of all the "shit" that's been happening in the little monster's lives.

Lady Gaga, as I imagine you would all guess, is a brilliant performer. Weird, crazy and some of her costumes just downright bizarre, but man - can she put on a show! I was dancing from start to finish, even to songs she hasn't released yet (and her new album is going to be good!) and I was blown away by some of her antics. Such as - playing a slow ballad on the piano, then setting fire to it and continuing to play the last chorus! CRAZY. Also, at one point, she dropped to the stage and we all freak out, since it's mid-song, but really, she pauses to tell us she's like Tinkerbell and if we don't clap, she will die so, "clap bitches." Her costumes themselves were another thing entirely. From ones where she is completely covered and looks like she is dancing inside of a mop head, to ones where she is barely covering her assets in a leather body suit, she had it all. Always sporting her sunnies, the costume changes were immaculately masked by either techno-musical interludes, clips from various interviews or actually done right onstage behind screens where all you could see was shadows.

O

One of the many costumes on the screen....

It was hard to capture good photos since my camera is really old, and with everyone in this mosh pit, it was hard to keep my hand still long enough to get one without blurriness. I've attached a couple of the better ones for you to get an example of what it was like....

Now, the girl I mentioned. At one point during the concert, the group of girls I ended up standing beside started to push me sideways to see better. It was the passive, "I'm pretending to dance but really edging you out of the way" kind of move, and naturally, I reciprocated. However, this girl would not let up! She was kind of a midget, so I know it would have been hard for her to see anything, but seriously woman, STOP WITH THE PUSHING. I got so frustrated that Dave stepped behind me and "accidentally" smoked her in the face with his elbow while "turning to take a photo." Classic. Gotta love my gay flatmates who stick up for me! Eventually, we were able to make our way up closer to the stage and away from her, all the while hearing her mutter about this "stupid slut" blocking her view. Take a look in the mirror honey - I'm not the slut.


That's about it - the concert was spectacular, and I'm so glad I made the last minute decision to but tickets with Dave. After a quick stop to Macca's on the way home for some fries and burgers.....the rest of the night continued on. But, like I said earlier, I'll leave that for you to decipher. (Hint: it involved more dancing at a gay bar....)

Today is the day for our first big house party, so I'm going to head to bed now and hopefully get some rest before I need to bake some cookies!

All my love,

xoxo Danielle

MY EYES!!!

This is what happens when you pay $20 for a brow and lash tint with some rando Asian woman who swears she is using BROWN dye and not BLACK.

Um, I think our colors are different? Perhaps a lack of communication?? I'm hoping the Aussie sun will bleach the brows out QUICK!!

AHHHHHHHH.

xoxo Danielle

A slightly rocky update

Hello all!

Well, after my last update, I really didn't think I would have much to report until I got back from my epic Easter Break adventure field trips, but it turns out I'm more than wrong! Much has happened in the last couple days that I feel deserve to be told.

First up - the house. One of the flatmates, Carol, decided to move out and since she and the other boys did not get along, this made the boys VERY happy. So happy, in fact, that the atmosphere has completely changed at home. We all eat dinner in the kitchen together now, instead of in our separate rooms. We converted the lounge area to a better set-up, moved the extra fridge into the kitchen and now we have a communal fridge for us to share leftovers, cookies (on my behalf!) and to chill beer. It's great! We also talked about having a "family" dinner together once a week, and things have become much more social. Personally, I feel it could have been this way when Carol was around, but perhaps it was because the boys refused to get along with her that prevented events from taking place. Regardless, we have a party lined up for Sunday evening, which should be a ball!

Speaking of having a good time, another surprise this week was my last minute impulse to buy tickets to see Lady Gaga in concert tomorrow night. I'm headed out there with my gay flatmate, who loves to dance (especially to Gaga music - it's his ringtone!!) so I am sure we will have SO much fun. Our tickets are standing tickets, at at the back section, but it will be an entertaining show nonetheless and I know that no matter where we are in the stadium, it will be as good as we make it!!

Bad news - in between some unexpected news and bad anniversary dates, I had to deal with a little medical scare of my own. For the past couple weeks, I've been nursing what I thought was a canker sore in my mouth, but lately I have realized it is more of a lump below my lip as opposed to a canker sore. Now, knowing my family history, lumps always equal BAD. Naturally, I freak out, and with everything else that was going on at the time, had a massive breakdown yesterday, cried and felt really sick. Missing family, friends etc etc....not wanting to be here......it was bad. Luckily, I was able to get in to see a Dr. today, and he is about 99% sure that the lump is a result of a blocked sebaceous gland in my mouth. Apparently, this happens from time to time, without any reason why, and I can either cut into it to drain it, or let it be. I chose the latter option, and was told to keep an eye out if it grows or changes as that could indicate that it is something else. At least I can sleep easy tonight knowing that I am not dying.

To end this on a happy/funny note, here is another anecdote from one of my classes. We are learning about terrestrial plants in my Biology class, and my professor really likes to bring in samples. The other day, she brings out the most MASSIVE leaf I have EVER seen. It's as big as me. How do I know this? After lecture, I asked her if I could keep it. The answer? Yes. So for the rest of the day (because naturally, biology was my first of 4 classes that day) I'm trucking around campus with the leaf in tow, getting all these strange looks from others. The weirdest bit was riding the bus home into the city, and sitting next to immaculately dressed business men with this leaf hanging over my head like some rainforest umbrella. You'll see from the photos that all I am missing is a hot guy to fan me with it and feed me grapes.....Danny???

My leaf!!


                                                                                                                 

Anyways, keep your eyes out for some pics (probably bad ones) from the concert and perhaps the Sunday party as well. I love you all, assure you I am now doing much better and will be in touch soon!

xoxo Danielle

My foot next to the leaf to give you an idea of scale.....

Brisbane Forest Park Field Trip!!

Alrighty,

Update number 2 from the field trip front. Friday was an all-day excursion to Brisbane Forest Park - a national park and rainforest just outside the city. It was an academic excursion, so we definitely had work to accomplish on the trip, but we also had the opportunity (an unfortunate one?) to check out some of the native wildlife.

I say unfortunate because, yes, I did encounter a snake. One of the deadliest ones actually, the red-bellied black snake, and it was quite literally a meter from me. While all the keener students hid behind me and snapped shots of this killer snake, I am the first in the line of fire had it attacked. Seriously, I almost shit my pants. I've never been so scared in my life, and the professor was like, "oh, it's deadly. Just relax, if it bites you and you freak out, your blood will move faster and you will succumb to the venom quicker." Props prof. Thanks for that.

What happened you may ask? Nothing. It went away. I got a photo. And an exciting story to tell my grand kids.

The morning was spent at a wildlife sanctuary, where we got to see platypus, wallabies, some other cool/weird animals and some birds. The afternoon was spent exploring the rainforest, and comparing it to the side-by-side Eucalypt forest. We had a nice 10-page worksheet to fill out (I honestly felt like I was back in grade school, drawing bark of trees and describing plants) but it was fun.

One other mentionable story, then I'll leave you with photos:
Our tutor, Chris, tells us at the beginning of the walk that we should avoid broad, wide-leafed plants as they can sting you which results in a burning sensation FOR THREE MONTHS AFTERWARD. So, we are all on the lookout for this plant to avoid it, all the while at the same time touching other plants and tasting some edible berries and such. At one point, I rub up against this quite nice-feeling felt plant and ask Chris what it is. He looks at me, at it, and says, "That's a psychotic plant. People who eat the residue from the leaves go crazy. I would wash your hands." Hahahahahaha. Of all the plants in the forest, Danielle chooses to rub the crazy one. Figures.

The psychotic plant:

Well, that's about it - my next two field trips are back to back over the Easter weekend, so I'll be updating you with things happening in between.....but in the meantime, please keep emailing me! I love hearing about how things are back in Canada and abroad!

Thanks for reading,

xoxo Danielle




On the right: wombat!
Below: Wallaby!
Right and below: Me at point lookout!

MBRS Field Trip

Hello All!

Well, here is my first post updating you on one of 5 field trips that I will be attending this semester. This past weekend, I went to North Stradbroke Island (off the coast of Brisbane, in Moreton Bay) to the Moreton Bay Research Station where I spent a 3-day weekend studying coastal envrionments, swimming in the ocean and designing my own scientific study! I'll break it down into days so you can follow what I got myself into!

DAY 1: Saturday

The poor bus couldn't make it onto the ferry!!!

Up early (6am!) to catch a ride into the Uni for a 7:30am departure. We took a big coach bus to the city of Cleveland, where we caught the 45 minute ferry across to "Straddie" as the island is affectionately called. This was no small feat - our bus driver failed to get our extra-long bus into the ferry, and I felt so bad for the guy who had multiple spectators watch him struggle to back the bus up the ferry ramp! After what seemed like ages, he managed to get the bus off the ferry, leaving us on the boat and all our bags behind!!! Luckily, there was a second ferry coming shortly after, so the bags were unloaded from the bus of hell and put onto the ferry for us to pick up later on in the day.

Upon arrival to the island, it was a quick walk to the research station where we had a quick "morning tea" before hearing some debriefs on rules, safety and other regulations. Then, with no time to waste, it was out to the beach to survey the three types of coastal environments present and to get us thinking about our individual experiments we had to design and complete the next day. We first visited a rocky intertidal shore, then mudflats, then a sandy beach area, all the while comparing species diversity, and other scientific things. One thing I should mention was the fact that our 2 hour walk started out nice and sunny, but all of a sudden (when we were on the sandy beach) the rain came. And by came, I mean torrential down poured like none other. It actually hurt to get hit, the drops were so forceful and large!! We quickly ran back to the station, only after admiring the hundreds of soldier crabs who buried themselves instantaneously once the rain arrived!

Some interesting marine life on the afternoon walk - this was a sea cucumber!

Much to our dismay, the rain was not enough to deter the staff from the afternoon activity of seine netting. For those who don't know - seine netting is when we take a huge net out into the ocean, walk around in a horseshoe pattern and catch any fish/sharks/marine wildlife within it. I was given the task of donning gloves and helping to catch and release the fish we caught. Of course, no one told me that some of the fish were venomous, but it all worked out okay. There are a couple photo I've attached of me with my gloves and some cool species we caught!

Sorting through the catch from the netting activity

Here's a little puffer fish! Super cute until he deflated.....

This evening was laid back - mainly dinner, a movie and going out to the pub for a couple drinks with the TAs. We hit the sack early, since we knew tomorrow would be a long day full of data collection and analysis!

DAY 2:

We woke up this morning and spent a good couple hours planning our experiment with the group of our choice. I ended up working with a girl and a guy from the USA, one guy from the UK, one girl from France and one from BC. All of us are doing science degrees, so we knew the ropes and what to expect. After decided what our topic would be (whether or not there is a relationship between temperature of the water and crab population abundance) we headed out to the ocean/shoreline to catch and count crabs. For those of you who know me, crabs aren't really my thing - especially when they can pinch you! Luckily, I volunteered to be in charge of the data collection, so my role in catching crabs with bare hands was limited. We spent a good couple hours in the afternoon out next to the ocean, with the sun blazing. It was spectacular....despite the work we had to do!

After data collection, we headed inside for afternoon tea and a break before sitting down to organize the presentation we had to give to the group the next morning, as well as analyze the data in Microsoft Excel. Conveniently, the guy from the USA (he's from LA - perhaps that's why!) disappeared with the girl from the States and left the rest of us to do the grunt work. We were all tired and pissed - especially when he showed up a couple hours later only to critique our powerpoint and tell us we did things wrong! He apparently thought he was the Marine Biology God since he volunteers with the professor in his lab, but at that moment I wanted to smack him. Because of the group tension towards the end of the evening, we quickly finished up our presentation, decided who would say what and then went to bed. No practicing, nothing. We thought since we weren't being marked on the presentation itself that it wouldn't matter.....

DAY 3:

The morning was spent listening to all the groups present their experiment and results on powerpoint presentations. We went almost last, hadn't practiced and basically just talked our way through the slides, making things up as we went. Little did we know, all the groups were being judged on the quality of the presentation and the ease of comprehension! AND GUESS WHAT?? Our group WON!!

3 of the winning group members - and the prized water bottles!!!

Yup - despite all the "fantastic" group dynamics, our group's presentation came first and we won free Moreton Bay Research Station water bottles. After winning, the LA guy tells us it's because of all our hard work and I had to bite my tongue to prevent myself from saying, "oh, you mean OUR work. You were gone." Whatever. Just another thing to boost his already too-large ego.

The afternoon was spent on a fantastic Gorge Walk at Lookout Point, then to Cylinder Beach for a couple hours of relaxation. It was a great way to end the weekend of hard work, and I slept most of the ferry ride back to the mainland. Overall, it was an interesting trip - learnt lots about marine crabs, USA's arrogance, and how little preparation but good presentation skills can land you first place!

Such a pretty island!

I head out tomorrow on another one-day field trip with my other biology course - this time to Brisbane Forest Park to look at the local flora and fauna. I've been told that there are high concentrations of brown snakes and black adders - two of the most deadly snakes on the continent. Brilliant. I won't be taking photos of those, since I hope to stay a far ways away at all times! At any rate, keep your eyes peeled for another post soon after I upload photos and get my assignments underway!

At lookout point

Me with the 4 TA's on the ferry back home

Miss you all!!

xoxo Danielle

Lessons in Language

Hello All!

This is another quick post with some more photos from campus that I took today....and since I don't really have any more news to report, other than it's still raining, I thought I would attach the photos along with some of the crazy lingo I've picked up here.

As a side note - I still get teased for having a Canadian accent. And saying "Canadian things" like a-boot. Really? I honestly say a-boot? I'll leave that for the Aussie's to decipher....

AUSSIE TERM ---> CANADIAN:
How're going?   --> How are you doing? (I have a funny story about this to tell afterwards...)
Sunnies --> Sunglasses
Rashies --> Rashguards, you know the shirts you wear while surfing?
Bathers --> Swim suit
Motorway --> Highway
Overtaking --> Passing someone on the "motorway"
Brissy ---> Brisbane
Sweet as ---> Means something along the lines of, "SO cool!" Basically, add the word "as" onto the end of anything
She'll be right, mate ---> Things will be okay
Bogan ---> Poser
Don't be a galah ---> Don't be stupid
Water bubbler ---> Water fountain 

I have this ongoing list, which of course I left at home so if there are any ones that I can't think of now but need to be mentioned, keep an eye out for them in further posts.

So - story then photos, my first day here in Australia, a cashier at the airport asked me, "How're going?" Of course, not knowing what this meant (and I would like to attribute this to possibly a lack of sleep over the past 18 hours) I said, "Noosa." He then replied, "No, how are you going?" Like as if the abbreviation, how're didn't make sense....so then I said, " Oh, by car! You know, driving to Noosa??"

Yup, official foreigner - right here. SO embarrassing. Sad moment.

But, on the upside, I now ask others (on a regular basis I might add) how they are going, and I always know what to say when asked myself!!!

Okay - photos and then I'm off for some dinner and a relaxing evening at home!!

 

The main arches and entrance to campus

 
 

My new home for the next semester....the anatomy lab.

 
 

On the walk to class from the Student Union Center

 
 

One of many LAKES (yes, lakes) on campus. Regularly filled with ducks, cockatoos and other local fauna.

Until next entry!!!

xoxo Danielle

My new-found friends and the start of the scholastic year.....

Well. My March has been off to a fantastic start - classes, textbooks, the all-to familiar uneasy feeling of not having anything organized but still trying to maintain a positive attitude....y'all know the feeling. Not to mention making new friends (especially in lab work where you want GOOD lab partners!)....the first week has been, er, fun.

I woke up Monday morning and met my first "friend" on my floor. A nice, big cockroach. Yipee. I tried to spray it with killing spray as given to me by my roommate...but he was too quick and scurried back under my bed. Excellent. Now, I know he's under there and I'm calling him Mortimer. We will be great pals....until he becomes too slow due to lack of food and meets the bottom of my shoe. Until then Mortimer - enjoy the comforts of Spring Hill room 2.

At school, I did make real friends in all my classes. I've met people from all over the world - including France, UK, USA, Australia and some places in Asia. I'm super stoaked for all my classes, particularly my marine biology and ecology courses since I have 5 field trips to look forward to. 5! And all of them sound so freaking spectacular, it's unreal. I promise to go through all of them in more detail later on!

Tuesday brought my first full day of classes, which to those in uni right now means textbook searching, organization and figuring out who is the best partner to choose for labs. I had my first ANAT practical - no cadavers yet, but I managed to team up with a group of mature students (since it's a first year course and all the others are freshers....not that it's bad, but I'm over the whole, OMG it's a penis! Um. Hello? You are taking anatomy....of course there is a penis on this man. JESUS.) So yeah, I'm in a group with Matt from the UK, Mel from Aussie, and Sabina from France. We all worked our way through 2 amazingly tough labs and have now decided that Anatomy will be the bane of our existence for the rest of the semester. I feel blessed though, because my other course are not that tough, but they all have biology, chemistry and physiology to deal with on top of the anatomy!!!

A quick pic of me on campus...more campus shots to come!!

So - crazy cool thing here which I had to add in. I am not buying textbooks. Yeah, I know. Danielle, the uber-keen studier is NOT buying a SINGLE book. Why? Because UQ has it right - the library lets you take out class resources FOR ONE ENTIRE MONTH. Yup, you read correctly. A WHOLE MONTH. Unlike Queen's, where you get the book for a meager 3 hours, I have the means to textbooks for the entire month. But still, the only textbook I lugged home from the UQ library was the anatomy one. In my other courses, I'm learning about a) how to write a science report (all of first year bio coming back to haunt me!) and b) dinosaurs in Australia. Yuo - dinosaurs. SUPER cool. Oh, and there's french. We're working on a project where we have to apply for a "pretend" job, write a french CV and cover letter. Wanna know another cool thing? I ALREADY DID THAT IN GRADE 10. So basically, I'm done the assignment which is due at the end of April. I love Australia.

Now, onto the field trips. With my two biology classes, I have 5 field trips to attend. They all cost additional fees, but it will be SO worth it. My first field trip is in a week - I'm spending next weekend at the coastal study station on Moreton Island. It's right in Moreton Bay, an area famous for dolphin and whale sightings!!  The next trip is March 19th, a day trip to Brisbane National Park for some bushwalking and observations of natural forests and trees/widllife. Then, in April, are the two big field trips - April 1st to 5th is on Fraser Island, where we get to watch dingoes, play beach volleyball and do some studying in between....then April 6th to 10th is another field trip to Heron Island in the Great Barrier Reef. This trip will include snorkling, diving, sailing and more beaches....with the occasional data collection in between! Keep your eyes peeled on the blog for some photos as the trips pass! The last trip is another day trip to Australia Zoo - the zoo Steve Irwin made famous. Since we are going with our professors, we actually get to go behind the scenes and feed the animals!!!

Side note - it's been super rainy here, and after reading a friend's blog (Becks!) about her sunny week in Scotland, I'm beginning to think that these two countries have traded weather patterns! As part of my one course, I'll be learning about Aussie's weather, so in due time I can probably explain why it's so hot down here, but overcast (typically) over in Och-land....

Lastly, on my way home from a long and tiring week this past Friday (serisouly, I get up at 6am to make it to class for 8am, since it takes 30 minutes on the bus and I need to eat, make coffee...wake up etc) I met the last of my friends for the week. A nice, inviting bird called the Ibis (eye-bus). He's a lovely fellow with a beak that can kill and isn't afraid of ANYTHING. These birds are the equivalent of your killer seagulls Becks - and man, was I ever scared. Worse part is, I have to walk through a park full of these buggers to get to and from my house....EVERY SINGLE DAY. I swear - if it weren't for my umbrella as a weapon to ward them off, I would be writing to you from a hospital bed, mutliated.

The Ibis. Freaky eh?? I mean, look at that beak...

That's it for now - I'm off to an international student welcome in the heart of downtown, and then to review some anatomy like a normal (can I even us normal?) life science student. hahahahahahaha. Oh the thought of studying kills me. Thank god this semester is only pass/fail!!!!

All my love and keep those emails, blog comments, skype convos and facebook messages coming my way!

Miss you all,
xoxo Danielle