rock formations downunder

On the 24th and 25th of June, my housemate Stef, took me on a roadtrip to her beachhouse in Anglesea. Anglesea is along the Great Ocean Road, east of Melbourne. During our stay we went to Lorne (pronounced "Lawn" in Australian accent" to explore the beach as well as take a hike down to the Erksine Falls.

At Lorne Beach I was fascinated by the rock holes along the shore. It seems as though the water has fossilized and molded the rock into holes that look like a sponge. It was cold at the beach (as it is winter here in June), but the spectacular rock formations made up for the weather.

As I walked along, I also found a small monument of 12 rocks set up by beach-goers, to replicate the "12 Apostles." The 12 Apostles are large rock formations that protrude out of the ocean along the Great Ocean Road (See image below).

back to booktown down under

At La Trobe University I also had the privilege of being hired to make a short 5 minute documentary on the Clunes Back to Book-Town Festival that happened in the second weekend of May. La Trobe University hired a car out for me to drive to Clunes. The drive was about 2 hours from the central business district of Melbourne. The drive was an experience to! It was the first time that I had driven by myself on the right side of the car, let alone navigated around the victorian roads. I kept putting the windshield wipers on every-time I went to indicate, but I got the hang of it after a while :)! Clunes was a lovely little historic town and it was great to be able to drive out and see another part of Victoria outside of Melbourne. The people in the town were lovely and had so much local australian spirit. Check out the short documentary I produced below to get an impression of the area.

future students center down under

At La Trobe, I was hired to make 7 digital shorts for the Future Students Center at La Trobe University. The FSC is putting on a "La Trobe Experience Panel" July 2010, just around the corner! And each short video I produced will play before the beginning of each panel. The panels included: Research@LaTrobe, Learning Environments@LaTrobe, UniLife@LaTrobe, Exchange@LaTrobe, and more. I want to thank Amanda Kerley and Harshi Kulathilaka as well as the actors for their advice and collaboration on the project. Thanks so much! Check one of them out below:

in between and down under

After checking in at the Alice Springs YHA (Youth Hostel Association), I decided to walk up the Anzac Memorial HIll that is about a 10 minute walk from the Hostel on the north side of Alice Springs' "CBD". The walk up the hill (Lion's Walk) was about 5-minutes. The pathway up to the top was made out of rocky sandstone and was very well maintained. At the top of the hill there was the memorial, just a small white statue commemorating the war effort in WWI and WWWII, on one side of the statue there was the famous inscription, "Lest we forget." The memorial was starch white against the desert which also provided a contrast to the brown letters of "Lest me forget inscribed on the side stood out like sore thumb. There was also two flags, the Australian flag to the East and the Aboriginal Flag to the west. There was something different about this memorial- it wasn't like the grandeur site of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, it was small and insignificant. Although it is on the top of a hill in the desert, the memorial lies in-between the thoughts of Alice Springs' community.
As I continued to admire this simple yet complex memorial, a family sat around eating subway sandwiches while looking out to the view of Alice Springs. Some read the plaques about the war and others took photos with the landscape in the background. I have to say that the view was not spectacular- the hill was only about 100m high. And the view consisted of houses, industrial zones, telegraph lines, and cars- all things that didn't seem to fit in the desert. The memorial seemed out of place, it seemed against the idea of trying to live harmoniously with the indigenous populations.

I couldn't help but feel "in-between" about this memorial. The site itself, just like the telegraph station, is a western European monument, built to provide a view to the developed land that was once free from European Influence. Due to this in-betweenness, the memorial suffers much vandalism. On the stones graffiti and trash impair the memorials significance. (I don't think the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne CBD has a single mark on it.) The site itself becomes a controversy. It embodies the in-congruence between European Memorialisation and Indigenous ways of remembering (non-visual, non-memorial). In other words, this site, among many others in Alice, is embedded with the tension of living in paradoxical society full of a guilty past and a hopeful future.

alice springs down under

During my stay at Alice Springs I was able to spend some time exploring the historical site of the old telegraph station. Several tourists were there during my visit- most of whom came to see the historical place where Alice Springs began. The station was set up in 1872 and it linked national communication between Darwin and Adelaide. Maintaining this connection was hard though- the harsh weather and environment of Australia's red center desert interrupted and often caused many technological problems with receiving and sending messages across the land. This is why people come to visit. To see how a station so remote, could function.


Although, I was excited about seeing the station I had read about in books in the states before I came over, I couldn't help but feel a bit unease while I was there. What I found interesting about the station is that it memorializes the original site of European Settlement in desert. In other words, it praises the colonization of the Indigenous populations. The telegraph lines that line Alice Springs (up and down telegraph terrace) up to the original station create cultural interruptions between Indigenous understandings of the landscape and European vision. The telegraph lines thus embody a cultural tension- they dissect and interrupt the traditional indigenous song-lines that inhabited the landscape.

I felt this tension more clearly when I walked around Alice Springs' town center. The young tourists whiz to and from the town in this Hi-Top Caravans to "experience" the desert, while the original owners of the land sit on the sidewalk begging for money. Although, this old telegraph station's history marks part of the beginning of Australia's triumph of the desert and mobility towards better "civilization", it also is a site of much cultural controversy; controversy that I felt just walking the streets of Alice Springs. What do indigenous populations feel about the station's history? Are they happy now that this past technological has evolved to allow them to to have their own cable stations on TV in the desert? Or are they mournful that these lines have dominated their landscape?

undergraduate research award down under!

I know...It has been a long time since I've posted on here, but it doesn't mean I haven't been doing anything! During this time I have been working hard at Uni and I'd like to say that I just found out that I received Honorable Mention for my application to the UC EAP Undergraduate Research Award for my Art HIstory project here at La Trobe University in Australia. I will receive $500 dollars as a reward as well as a published article in a issue of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. http://www.frontiersjournal.com/

The title of my project was "Surfacing the Australian Desert: The Local Environmental Art of John Wolseley."

John Wolseley at Work in the Desert

Abstract:

"Australian identity is a complex conversation of ownership, language, myth, and environmentalism. Landscape art is a powerful way to access the core of Australia’s complex national identity. In each painting there are several narratives, dissolving and overlapping with one another, some dominating and some repressing a desire to reveal the beauty and fear of the Australian landscape. John Wolseley’s contemporary landscape art, unlike traditional landscape painting, addresses the discomforts and ambiguities of the Australian landscape by using a multiplicity of styles and mediums. His local environmental art becomes a microcosm for the shifting identities and environmental diversity embedded in the layers of the Australian desert. Through a discussion of Wolseley’s desert landscape art, issues of colonization, archeology, and environmentalism become visible and the complex consciousness of Australia's identity becomes perceivable. The paper will also discuss the following questions: How were British ‘ways of seeing’ transferred to Australian landscapes? How did this contrast with Aboriginal conceptions of land? How can artists synthesize the European conception of the land with Aboriginal beliefs to make true “Australian art”? With this is in mind, this research paper will open up discourse for different ways in which Australia’s contemporary identity copes with preserving and archiving the Australian environment through art. `

Through this project I was able to visit the Australian desert and speak to the artist, John Wolseley himself, about his goals with art and how he aims to synthesize European and Indigenous ways of understanding the landscape through art.

John Wolseley,"Dunes Climbing A Mountain," 1992-3, Pencil, Chalk, Ink. Australian Galleries

The paradox of nature and modernity down under

Last Friday I went to the Hiede Museum of Modern Art for my Art History class, "Australia: Environment and Visual Culture" to look at Sidney Nolan's collection. (I must say it is quite a trek from St. Kilda by Public Transport, but a trek well worth it). Sidney's paintings reinvented the Australian landscape; he searched for a modern language that could express the ambiguity of the Australian landscape. Up until Sidney Nolan in the 1940's, classical Hiedelberg landscapes painters borrowed art language from the European and Claudian vision of the landscape as the "picturesque." In fact, Hiedelberg artists perception of the landscape was influenced by "anti-industrial sentiments of the industralised" world. Sidney, however, was one of the first artists to realize and visualize how the colonization of Australia would not leave the landscape untouched by industralisation. Sidney's work critiques the idea of dealing with intersection of urban experience (expansion of telecommunication line and railways) and country life. Ian Burn wrote, "The landscapes continue to convey the country as an ideal and as productive, but the image is now integrated into modern urban experience." In the painting below, called Railway Guard 1943 by Sidney Nolan, symbols of transport intersect with the railway guard's head. The spatial ambiguity and mixture of flat and modelled forms create a tension in the painting- a visual paradox.

With all of this in mind, the Heide's green pastures adjacent to the Museum ), there lived two cows that belonged to Mr and Mrs Reed who were famous art collectors and founders of the Heide. As a remembrance of the Reed's beloved cows, artists have installed metal statues of cows on the green grass. I enjoyed taking pictures (see below) of the cows because I could see the telegraph lines that intersected with them. It is powerful when forms art, technology, and nature collide. It is as each of these forms merge with one another and speak to each other. This intersection also reminds me of Nolan's paintings and the way in which he internalizes the process of understanding the landscape through objective realism.

It seems that no matter where I go in Australia there is a tension between the old and the new. In the city, there are old victorian buildings next to contemporary buildings. In Tasmania, the vegetation of Mt. Wellington is embedded with telecommunication facilities. It was Sidney's art that made this paradox evident to me, a paradox that it is crucial to Australia's national Identity. Ian Burn wrote, "We are still learning to with the landscape of this country (Australia). That remains the cultural paradox, even at the end of the twentieth century" (85).

stop 17 down under

On my way to the city from Campus on the 86 tram, stop 17 in between Johnston st and gertrude st. at 174 Smith street is Collingwood's old Post telegraph and office building that has been converted into a a modern apartment. I noticed the building while I was Half-spacing out on my tram ride to the city and I got really excited and took some pictures of it! It was built in 1892 and designed by John H. Marsden. The building holds many Victorian style architecture features such as a mansareque tower and arches. It is advertised on the web for leasing as a "modern twist on an old classic."

mapping within the taz landscape down under

Sometimes when you hike, especially on a difficult hike such as Mt. Wellington, the focus tends to be on the ground rather than the surrounding areas. In most cases, the ground gets quite boring and tiring to look at- but on this hike the rocky terrain kept me busy. The shape of the rocks constantly changed, as well as the angle and incline- it was exhausting. Luckily, on this hike I was able to capture an "Australian Map" embedded in the ground on the terrain. The foot stone has the shape of the mainland Australia as well as a tiny rock at the south east side resembling Tasmania separated by the Bass Strait- a self-reflexive mapping of the Oz ground.

Mt. Wellington's communication down under

On the Mt. Wellington hike in Tasmania last Monday, there were beautiful landscape sites- the infinite rocky terrains, the clusters of gum trees, the ghostly fog and mist, and the blue distant sea. Due to the fog it was hard to transverse the landscape, but when it cleared it made the landscape look twice as beautiful and desirable. It was interesting being in a landscape that I recently just studied in my Australian Environment and Visual culture class. I saw the landscape through early Australian painters such as Glover and McLean. I thought the artists exaggerated the "wavyiness" of the gum trees, but it turns out that they truly have amazing curvature.

Despite my lack of sleep from having to wake up at 3:30 in the morning to catch a flight to Hobart that morning, the "hide and seek" game the foggy landscape was playing with me made me want to further explore. Along the way up I noticed several manholes with a "T" for telecom, as well as many water pipes. It occurred to me, that although Mt. Wellington is one of Hobart's greatest natural landmarks it is also a landmark embedded with cables and satellites that provide the infrastructure for Hobart's telecommunications.

At the top of our hike, the fog was so thick it was hard to see anything at the top of the mountain. Several of us joked that we were just hiking in circles following the same hiking markers- lost in a sea of fog. Relieved with the sight of a fellow hiker, we were told that about 10 minutes away there would be a tower. When we reached the top we saw a translucent shadow of a phallic tower- we had no idea what it was. However when the fog cleared it turned out that this eerie shadow was actually the Mount Wellington Broadcasting facility. Surrounding the tower are several satellites, each with an orange lightening bolt in the center. Lots of people have commented on how the tower is "imposing" upon the beautiful landscape. However, I think the tower comments on how contemporary Tasmania is trying to "boost" their telecommunication facility to keep up to par with the Mainland's robust tele-network.

telephonin' now and then down under

"Do you know who i've always depended on? Not strangers, not friends. The telephone! That's my best friend' (Marilyn Monroe, cited in Maddox 1981: 262).

Lady gaga was just on tour in Melbourne and it made me think about the symbolism and iconography of the telephone in her video compared to early films that advertised "female" telephonists in early australia. Most people thought Gaga's video would take place in a club, however, Gaga did what people least expected. When Gaga wore a bright blue and old fashioned telephone on her head while cooking a "poisonous meal" she was commenting on the way in which the telephone has invaded her everyday thoughts. Text messages, gossip, mass media are constantly ringing in. In a way she is saying that the telephone, although once and is still a medium of power, has now become a medium that also causes distraction, and controversy with "poisonous" outcomes. People wear this power, but also wear this force that inhibits are ability to "connect" effectively with the people sitting in front of us.

It seems as though the "telephone" (although, now a mobile phone and video phone in some cases) over the past 70 yrs has represented female power- and in gaga's case sexual power as well. Women were able to gain agency in the industry through their telephone skills. Now the telephone is embedded in everyday culture- women and men carry around phones. It is what links them to and from the world that surrounds them and as monroe said it has become everyone's best friend.

Gaga must have looked at old photos of women working in the industry because during my 16mm film viewing session at the ACMI this past Monday I took some screenshots of women working as telephonists and I see a striking resemblance. There is a very robotic and mechanical essence to both the pictures. Gaga and the Australian telephonist have the phone on their head, underscoring the idea that the mechanical device is literally a part of their movements and thoughts. Gaga notes that the she has a fear of the telephone, she said, 'That's my fear --- that the phone's ringing and my head's ringings...Whether its a telephone or it's just the thoughts in your head, that's another fear...."

I wonder how the early women telephonists felt about having a voice in their head all day...

Me at the 16mm viewing room at the Mediatheque at ACMI

climbing over surfaces down under

I think I have finally connected with a sport that fits me here in melbourne..rockclimbing! I have been to the Hardrock climbing gym once a week since I have been in Melbourne. It is fantastic! I can feel my self getting stronger as well as making some great connections with some melbourne locals. I am looking forward to Anzac day weekend (April 24-26) I am going outdoor rockclimbing and camping near the Arapiles with Les Rock!

I never thought I would get into rock climbing- I guess when you travel you discover new things you never would have connected with elsewhere. I like rock climbing because you have to move your body and muscles in ways that you wouldn't ever do on flat land. You have to grip, hold and almost become one with the environmental surfaces you attach yourself to. Often times the surfaces do not have the perfect grip or shape- but over time you become stronger and can adapt to the edgy surfaces so you can reach the top. Rockclimbing in a sense is like traveling to a new place- at first you slip, fall, and get lost, but the next time around you reach and discover a new stepping stone to lead you to a new space. :) And more importantly, you leave impressions and trails

telephonin' me me me mediatheque down under

The other day I went to the Australian Mediatheque in Federation square at the ACMI (Australian Center for Moving Image) to look at some archival material of Australia's early telecommunication industry. (A mediatheque is a french term for a media library- a place where you can view research media material.). I came to view this material cause I needed to do some research on films that portrayed the atmosphere of the 'telegraph industry' in the early 1900's for a script that I am currently writing.

The facility was fantastic! I got a whole video viewing booth with contemporary style couches that were brown and green. Also, I got a nice HD widescreen television to view my pile of archive film with. During my screening, I slyly took some none-flash photos of the TV screen on particular shots that I found fascinating (above). What is even better- my viewing costs were free! No charge.

All of the early videos I watched evoked a colonizer's perspective on the Ausralian landscape. They each held a nationalistic purpose to make Australia the 'top' interconnected nation in the world. Australia presents: Forward communications, juxtaposed the "vast country" of Australia in need for communication to the bustling cities of Melbourne. The film showed the increase in mail to the scattered towns, the laying of cables, and the operations of telephonists and telegraphists operating morse keys. Almost all of the telephonists were women and all the men were outside "laying the cable." A patterned emerged- men outdoors (public sphere) and women on the inside (private sphere). Australia made efforts after WWII to rebuild the telecommunication infrastructure- new buildings, new tele-training facilities (e.g. PMG training college), new trenches for underground cables...etc. The underground cables began as a replacement for the overhead cables because the Australian environment produced hazard fires which caused damage to the overhead wires. In the video Triumph of the Telegraph, they discussed ways of protecting local Oz birds (magpies) from disrupting the lines, such as building nests that layed on the outside of the poles for them to take comfort in.

In the opening of Triumph of the Telegraph, there was a shot of an Aboriginal native making a fire out of sticks, and then telegraph lines faded in eventually to replace the Aboriginal. The film blatantly states that the 'native' culture, must be erased and overwritten with technological that would ensure strength, stability, and progress. Everything they discussed was pertinent to the vastness of the Australian landscape and 'white' man's extension of oneself into the Australian arcadia by wire.

Another interesting clip I watched was called "Lucky Sue!" It was an advertisement recruiting women into the telephone branch in Adelaide. It showed sue lying on the beach with a handsome man and then Sue working and smiling at her telephone office booth. The ad used the picturesque Australian beach environment to lure women in. Lucky sue!

The Australian mediatheque is also great because they let you watch 16 mm films from a projector in a special room with no charge! Next monday, I am going to go see my "film" reels at the Mediatheque. As for advice, if you feel like connecting down under- check out the Mediatheque. Just request films from the National Film and Sound Archive at:

http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/search/search.w3p;adv=no;query=%22post%20office%22%20Media%3A%22FILM%22%20Access%3Atrue;resCount=10

The films will be sent for free to an onsite viewing facility in Australia within a week.

:)

Also, the title is in reference to Lady Gaga's song 'telephone'- (which I am currently slightly obsessed with)- but I chose it, because it seems as though Australia constantly updating and altering their media infrastructure.

Rain, Hail or Shine- explorations still happen down under

It was Saturday the 6th of March, and my friend Ellen lured me in to go exploring in the city of Melbourne for the day. We were going to check out some festivals and maybe go see the Shrine of remembrance. As we rode the tram down the sky slowly became darker and darker- it was as if a translucent dark shade had been cast over the melbourne sky. The clouds became moving faster- as if one were watching a time-lapse of the sky. Ellen and I, looked at each other, and we knew that it would probably rain, but we figured we could get our way around it.

Little did we know,however, that within five minutes of getting off the Tram at Swanston street-'Hail' the size of golfballs would be pouring down on us. Just as we were about to cross over to Flinder's street station we took cover under a small tree- several other pedestrians joined us. The tree provided some protection, but the hail was so strong it still managed to knock me in the head and neck a few times- this was serious. The hail lasted for about 10 minutes and I noticed that the streets were started to fill up, and I knew that we needed to cross the street and go into a local business. As the hail began to dissipate and transform into a downpour Ellen and I rushed across the street into the pub Young & Jacksons. There were heaps of people taking cover in this building- all of whom, like us, had their day plans ruined. So why not? We decided to buy a couple beers and hang out till the rain started to recede. We got a delicious amber Lager called "Chief" mmm. We ended making fiends with a local, who took us around to a few more pubs and out for delicious shanghai dumplings (service wasn't the best there, but the food was decent and cheap!).

The lesson learned, is that your plans can be totally changed by the environmental conditions. Ellen and I thought we were going to have a day of explorations- and we did in a way- but rather than to the shrine of remembrance, we went through a rainy day of remembrance. All HAIL that day of of remembrance.

architecture of infrastructure down under

The architecture in Melbourne is so fluid. The walls, ceilings, and rooftops flow like waves within the movements of the city. During O-week (Orientation Week for the Colleges on campus at La Trobe University) all of the students in Menzies College were put into teams to complete ridiculous tasks throughout the Melbourne CBD. Tasks ranged from swimming in the Yarra River to doing the cha-cha through city intersections. I (unfortunately) had the privilege of getting my hairstyled with Macca's (McDonalds in Aussie Language) BBQ sauce, and had to ride the tram all the way back to campus attracting all sorts of yummy insects.

Despite the minor smelly and sticky mishap, I found peace in the cultural urban environment of Melbourne CBD. I did not pay attention to the games that were going on because all I could focus on was the spectacular site of Melbourne's architecture. All of the crazy college students were running around trying to win a scavenger hunt without even taking notice to the amazing sites that surrounded them. So instead of being a keen participator of the scavenger hunt I took some pictures of the architecture I was in- framing the shots to make shapes with the sky.

In Melbourne, there are old buildings (Parliament House on Victoria Parade and the State Library of Victoria on Swanston Stree), new buildings (HardRock climbing), and buildings under construction (RMIT- Royal Melbourne Institute for Technology). The city is a palimpsest of culture and desgin- holding heritages of art-deco, neo-gothism, and contemporary art keen to the artists eye.

My favorite architecture lies inside the ACMI (Australian Center for the Moving Image, located in Federation Square across from Flinder's station). The colors are so vivid and bright and the space is so spacious and crowded at the same time. Reading about the history of the building I discovered that the designs for the film centre were developed in the early 1980's to create "an exhibition space free of the restrictions imposed in traditional display facilities." (acmi.net.au) And the state film centre of victoria envisioned the ACMI as an "open" space that could interface school and university work as well. In 1997, Lab architecture studio won the design to create the building in federation square. Today, it is by far (my favorite) an amazing building that conveys within its design the cross-roads of commercial, cultural, and educational thought and desire. It is the vital infrastructure to the growing film industry in Melbourne. :)

lost in bondi down under

Bondi beach- infamous- is a site where culture, fashion, tourism, and consumerism collide. Probably, more sunscreen has been consumed on that beach than the entire history of sunscreen usage in California. Bondi is the home of the new reality Aussie TV hit "Bondi rescue." The show dramatizes the rescues that occur within Bondi's strong currents. I was lucky enough to witness the filming of a scene while laying on the beach. It is quite interesting and kinda of sad that Bondi bathers watch with pleasure and amusement as some poor person gets dragged out of the waters while being filmed. Check out some episodes... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muhDOkefb4U). In fact, rescues have become the norm- people think to themselves, "o theres just another person drowning....old news..."

My Bondi Beach excursion has been my favorite excursion so far. Why? Because I went to Bondi Beach the first day I arrived in Sydney (February 12, 2010) and I had no idea where I was going and I knew no one. (I did wish, however, that I would have brought a towel. Laying on a hot beach with no towel can get uncomfortably sticky and sandy haha). I did not even know how to pronounce the beach right. (Bondi is pronounced "bond-eye," when I first saw the sign called it "Bond-eee"- quite embarrassing when trying to ask locals what bus I should take to get there).

It was great to explore a place with a fresh pair of eyes- the only thing I knew about Bondi was that it had been the landing point of major telecommunication traffic. Yes, that right. Little do the Bondi Beach bathers know, however, is that Bondi Beach used to be the landing point for a submarine cable that connected New Zealand to the mainland of Australia. So rather than doing the typical tourists things- such as lounging on the beach to increase my bronze tan- I spent my day (in 32˚ weather!) trying to find markings and residues of the submarine cable. I did find several Teltrsa telephone booths on the beach, as well a manholes (where the cable is threaded) along the walkways. I also discovered that the old cable station on the beach has been transformed into a surf club, restaurant for tourists.

I truly do love the feeling of getting lost and being confused because it forces me to re-think my surroundings and re-evaluate environmental conditions. And I love mediating places on my own- I was not with anyone to give me a history of the beach or tell me where I should eat and dine- I discovered that for myself. The feeling of discovery only lasts for a moment because once you have been to a place your subjective perspective forever leaves a mark and your bearings are set. However, during re-visits you discover new things you never saw before.

Bondi Beach will forever be a changing landscape- a telegraph landing point, a tourist spot, the site of an action rescue reality show, and who knows what else lies ahead. It is a beautiful beach- and I will never forget my first excursion.

paddington station down under

The Paddington Cable Station seen in the picture to the right is the station that receives and monitors all the telecommunication data and information from the Australian Japan Cable (AJC). The Australian Japan Fiber optic Cable goes undersea to connect Japan to Australia. The building features some satellites at the roof, however, the building itself is plain and dull compared to the architecture that surrounds it. I find it interesting that the station is located in the middle of a shopping area- in media res- where people and several lines of transportation traffic intersect. Most cable stations are remote and have indicators of high security.

More info on the Australian landing point at: http://www.ajcable.com/australia-landing-points/

I took this picture (thanks to my friend Ellen, who smoothly and rapidly passed me her camera just in time) at Oxford St. on the Sydney Bus route to Bondi Beach the day of the Mardi Gras parade.

sounds down under

Waking up to the sounds of La Trobe University is my favorite part of the day. The sounds of Australia are vivid, fresh, and new- they reiterate the fact that I am currently "down under". Having only been here at La Trobe University for three weeks, I have felt as though I have been here for two months. The campus is active with sporting clubs, picnics, and movements of students just beginning classes. I do find, however, that it is great to escape the movements of campus by taking a tram ride into the city of Melbourne for an evening or day- it is the most beautiful city in the world. The tram ride into the city is about 45 minutes, but it goes by fast- and once you are there it is worth the crowded tram ride. My favorite food to get in the city is sushi (It is the cheapest food here- can get 2 rolls for $3.00!). The best place I have found to eat, however, was in Fitzroy (just about a 10 minute tram ride out of the Melbourne CBD (Central Business District)- a Thai restaurant called "Patee Thai." There I took off my shoes and sat on the floor to enjoy a delicious lamb curry after an evening of exploring Federation Square.

Exploring the night life in Melbourne city is unique because you have to use your ears rather than your eyes to find your way around. Often, the (good) pubs are hidden away out of view- you have to get lost before you have a good time. The other night, two of my friends and I walked down Fitzroy street to find a pub that I I looked up on google. The street was dark and just as my friends were beginning to second guess my google map research skills- I heard a subtle sound of laughter and a Carlton Draught sign began to emerge from the darkness. After a 30 minute trek, we found the Standard Hotel. A lovely place, with an authentic bar and lively beer garden. The atmosphere there was fresh and there was live music playing. It was a great way to end the day before another long tram ride back to campus.

There is so much to do here at La Trobe University. On Monday Nights, there is $5 meals from a pub called Father Flannegans, (only a 25 minute tram ride from campus), throughout the week there are events at the on campus pub ($2 pints of goon(Boxed wine) and juice- not the most classy drink, but fun to socialize with), and there are also heaps of clubs that I have joined such as the Mountaineering Club and Scuba diving club that offer kayaking trips and diving trips. But my favorite thing to do is just to listen- to listen to the environment that surrounds me. To let the sounds inform me how far I have come and how much there is still to hear and learn. To let the sounds slowly reveal the beauty that comes into focus. I have included a digital montage with sounds of my travels- sounds down under. Listen. G'day mates.