BBQ!! Yumm

Hey everyone,

I am so surprised at how the Uni works here compared to the US. They throw the biggest parties! For example, next Friday is Autonomy Day in Newcastle. That is where you wake up at 6 am and start drinking (it’s going to be a long day). Then after you pre-game a little bit you catch the train to the uni and they keep serving you alcohol all day. It’s going to be like the all night grad party except for you drink the entire day. They are going to have the big blow up obstacle courses and games going the whole day. The weird part about this is that there is a campus club that is putting this on and it’s being hosted at the school. Nicole and I already decided that we will be passed out by 11 am because we don’t drink very much. I’ll have to let you know on Saturday how it went. But that’s still an entire week away. Also, the last day of finals (November 29th or something?) they are hosting a beach party. They bring in 15 tons of sand and put it in the basketball court. There will be about 15 famous bands playing the entire day. The uni is also putting this party on for the students. They will be serving alcohol there also. Haha.

So yesterday was awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten that much in my life. We went to Cathrine’s coworkers BBQ. She saw us in Catherine’s office and decided to invite us. That was really neat because most people think Americans are rude. Although, Aussie’s are very forward here. I’ve seen a few of my roommates get hit on at the bars and it’s just awkward because the guys walk right up to them. Anyways, back to the BBQ. Her name is Halena and her husband is Geoff. They have kids and grandkids. Geoff was hilarious and made a ton of food! It was only us 6 (my roommates and I) Geoff, Halena and Halena’s mother. Catherine stopped by for a little bit after we ate lunch. We had grilled sausage, roast beef, chicken kababs, onions, corn on the cob, rice, buns, and more. There was more too but I can’t think of it right now. That was just the main course, oh and there was about 2 dozen of each food too. Then we went for a walk around a lake that they live on. When we got back, we were served fruit like grapes, pears, apples, oranges, kiwi, and bing cherries from the US (Halena was so excited to have cherries from the US). Then after that we were served desert. Lamingtons which is yellow cake covered in chocolate and coconut. I guess that is a traditional Australian dessert. Also pavlova which is basically pure sugar with fruit on it. Its kind of like meringue but soft in the middle. Then we got all the left overs! I couldn’t believe it. It was like going to grandmas house! Haha but not really… I like the food way better at home. I miss moms and grandmas dinners.
Halenas house was beautiful! They have lived in it for 30 some years and it was built in 1910. It was one of those old open houses with really high ceilings. It was gorgeous!