Let's go to Luke's

They don't tell you how short a semester is.  There are so many things that you want to try and fit in and time just fly's by!  That is why I'm trying to fit in as much as possible and this accounts for very busy weeks.

On Saturday night was the first men's ice hockey game of the season and tickets are free for UVM students.  Let me just say, it was very American!  And I loved it.  I honestly wish that Australia had this kind of school spirit and pride.

Because when you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing

The Catamounts played against Concordia and it was rough and pretty damn cool.  They lost, but oh well.  There is also the UVM pep band that plays at the games and everyone gets really into cheering the team on.

Canadian & American anthems played

On Sunday, I really got to experience Vermont.  A group of us went hiking with the UVM Outing Club for the Catamountain Classic.  My group hiked the Sterling Pond trail in the rain, mud and fog but it was still quite pretty.  We didn't have amazing views where you could see for miles, but the trees are really nice at this time of year and that was enough.  When we first made it to the pond, it was so foggy it looked like something straight out of a horror movie.  By the time we were about to leave it was clearing up a bit and you could see more of the pond.

Horror movie pond after the fog began to clear

I never look back darling, it distracts from the now

Let's go hiking in the mud over the slippery rocks

Last week I experienced my first pop quiz and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be.  I also handed in my first assignment over here, only to realise I wrote the whole thing in British English and not American English.  It's the small differences that you don't even notice.  Luckily that professor loves the fact that I'm Australian so it wasn't a big deal.  In general, I'm finding my classes interesting and although it's a bigger workload to what I'm use to at home, I really think it's helping me manage my time better than what I previously have at uni (weekends being an exception to that when I decide that activities and exploring is more fun than schoolwork...).

I realise that it looks like I've been painting a picture of how perfect living overseas can be, and in truth, it has been close to perfect until this week.  While you're living a whole new life, your life at home doesn't stop.  I have this freaky connection with Mum that sometimes when she has a migraine, I'll have one too.  Guaranteed if I have one, Mum has one.  And it happens the most when we're apart.  So my week began with a pounding head and continued with two personal events from home that left me feeling down.  And the worst part is that you feel absolutely helpless when you're on the other side of the world.  The key to getting through though is having friends.  I have been able to turn to my friends both in America and in Australia and they've supported me by either offering to bring me food and giving me a hug, or offering to FaceTime with me at godly hours of the morning in Australia if I need it.  And because of them, today, the day I was dreading, I had a good day.

I had a very Rory Gilmore kind of day.  I went to class, I went shopping (retail therapy involving shoes always makes me feel better), and then I went to Luke's.  And now I am looking forward to the long weekend that we having coming up which means Montreal!

Until next post.

Adios Amigos.

Tyarna xx

P.S.  I have the best roommate, she brings me cookies