Week One of Australia

On Monday, August 1st, I awaken at 6:00 and crawl out of bed, anxious about my first day at Radford. I grab my towel and head for the shower. After the trained 2 minute shower, I towel off and find an ironed shirt on my door handle. I take it, go into my room and change into the Radford uniform, but without a blazer or jumper. I have breakfast of cereal and a bit of fruit, put on a black jacket, grab my backpack, and head to the bus stop with Kate. The Goodman house is a one-story house with 3 bedrooms, one bathroom, one living room, and a kitchen. There is no garage, only a covered driveway. One of the most outstanding features about the property is the massive tree in the front yard. In the bus shelter was a year 9 boy by the name of Steven, who caught the bus with Kate. We got out our MyWay cards which were like debit cards for buses.

We got off across the street from Radford College and walked in towards the high school office where Mr. Dodd, the acting head of high school told us that Ms. Girvan, the year 10 coordinator and Roundsquare coordinator was in a meeting and wouldn't be out for until 8:15. So Kate, Steven, and I went to the year 10 locker areas where they dropped off their stuff and checked what classes they had that day. We hung around until 8:15 where we went to Ms. Girvan's Office. She told me my host, Callum Scott Sambridge, and gave me a diary, what we would call a planner. I was brought down to the year 8 locker area where people were fascinated by me. I was given a locker and a padlock (one of the 3 number twisting ones). I went with Callum to his first class, then to tutor. My tutor was Mr. MacDonald, or Mr. Mac as we called him. After tutor was the second period, then break. During break, we played soccer. Then had 2 more classes, lunch, another 2 and then went to the uniform shop, borrowed a jumper and blazer.

I then head to pick up my backpack and head to the bus stop, where Kate and I were meeting. I wait there for 15, 20 minutes before kate walks up. Apparently we were supposed to meet at the locker bay and we missed our bus. So we wait a half hour for the next bus and catch it to 20 metres of the Goodman house. We head up to the house, head in, and settle in. Ms. Flood arrives maybe, a half hour later. One of the classes I had that day was English, where they were reading a book called Tommorow When the War Began, a book by John Marsden. So I spent the whole night until dinner reading the book. I don't remember what dinner was, but it was at least pretty good. I don't remember even a barely okay dinner. All of them were at least pretty good if not great. After dinner I washed my dishes, and headed to bed.

Days 2-3

They were normal days, except on Wednesday where we decided to shun izzy for pashing bailey.




On Thursday, unfortunately, Callum was not at school. According to facebook, he was "as sick as a dog". Meh. So I had to wander around school tagging along with people who I thought were in my classes. 

Same thing on friday.
 

Australia

So after having to ride in a 14 hour plane ride from Los Angeles to Sydney next to some white American couple, I had to wander around until I found out where I was supposed to go through immigration, and wait around, hoping that I had the right baggage claim area, to find my bag which I couldn't remember what it looked like. All of this was not helped by the fact that I was a "Young Person", not an "Unaccompanied Minor", which meant that I was not helped through the process by a Qantas Airline representative. I did meet Daria Clark, Tiana, and their parents, who were going to Sydney, and they provided someone to talk to during the long wait through the lines. After puzzling out which bag was mine,  I asked around for where to go, and was told to go out, but not out of the airport, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get back in. Very reassuring... So I follow their directions and am led to a place where I drop off my baggage and head to the bus that takes me to where the plane leaves. All the while I'm getting more and more nervous because my plane leaves in 10 minutes. While I'm in the bus, 5 minutes. when I get to the terminal, 3 minutes. I can't find my flight number on the gate list so I ask the man at the front counter. 2 minutes. He tells me that it's gate 9, at the very end of the long corridor. I run, my heavy backpack swaying and slowing me down. 1 MINUTE. I get to the gate and see an official looking man and woman closing the door. I curse silently to myself and put on a "young person in distress" face and politely ask whether the plane has left yet, and the woman says that they will start boarding in a minute or two. In response to the confusion/surprise/thankgodlook on my face, she shows that on my ticket, the plane BOARDS at 0800 hours, NOT leaves at 0800 hours. I step back, realize that the man is the captain and ask for a picture. He then replies that, if I'd like, I can wait until the end of the flight and have a picture with him and the copilot IN the cockpit. I say yeah, and sit down to wait until the plane boards. My boarding pass it beeped and I head into the plane

HE's Gone

Kind of like the Hall & Oats song, He's GONE !!!  Left Friday night, with a tummy ache and headache, from being sick, the few days before.  We were able to get to the gate, as he is a minor, but he didn't seem too interested to have us around.  Uncle Ed called and said it was 26 degrees, but should warm up.  He picked up Kurtis, took him to the Military College of Australia, and to Costco for a quick bite.  Supposedly Kurtis did not sleep a wink and watched all the movies on the plane.  What can you do...

Kate Goodman, Kurtis Bingemann & Nick Shaw

The next day, he is off to Radford with Kate.  Stay tuned for the next chapter.  Said he is having so much fun, that he just don't know what to do with himself!!  HAHA