McKenna and Oz in Australia!

Hey Mates, Oz and I are saying G'Day from across the globe in Australia!

Little Oz and the Australian flag

Meet Oz, my dragon.  Australians refer to their country as Oz sometimes, because is sounds like the abbreviation AUS, and because this gorgeous land is filled with crazy creatures.  Oz and I are at James Cook University in Townsville.  Townsville is the largest city in Tropical North Queensland.  It's never been under 70 degrees while I've been here and the beach is a short bus rid away from pristine coastal beaches.  A short ferry ride away is the beautiful Magnetic Island, and a few hours boat ride away is the spectacular Great Barrier Reef.

In addition to Townsville, Oz and I have seen Sydney and Brisbane: two of the most exciting cities in Australia.  Sydney was a whirlwind filled with rushing people and cars and boats.  The iconic sights, the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, are gems to see.  But experiencing the SydneySider lifestyel is an amazing adventure, too!  Brisbane is an impressive city filled with amazingly beautiful parks and a sparkling river weaving through the bustling city.  For Spring Break, Oz and I are going to visit Fiji, and also seeing Melbourne and Cairns and maybe even New Zealand!

Sydney Harbour with the Harbour Bridge behind the famous Sydney Opera House

Brisbane skyline seen from the boardwalk along the Brisbane River

Australia is full of wonderful, crazy things.  The university is situated in a valley surrounded by beautiful hills perfect for hiking!  A giant mountain called Castle Hill is situated in the middle of Townsville overlooking the entire city and Magnetic Island.  There's a road that goes all the way up to the top, but there's also heaps of different trails and tracks to get a workout while getting to the top.  We took the infamously hard Goat Track just last week.

The view from atop Castle Hill with Magnetic Island in the background.  Candice, Kate, and I conquered the Goat Track

The Strand is a large stretch of beach that's the main hub of Townsville.  The water is warm and wavy, but at this time of year is also filled with deadly stingers.  So swimming is only allowed in enclosed areas with stinger nets.  Heaps of bars and restaurants (and famous gelato shops!) line the Strand beaches and parks.  As I don't have classes Monday or Wednesday, I find as much time as possible to be at the beach.  Along with a coastal beach, Ross River runs through the entire city.  As least once a week I like to bike the 10 miles along the river to the Strand.  The views are gorgeous and getting some exercise in makes me feel better about lounging on the beach!!

Oz hanging out on the Strand

Ditto

The Ross River Bikeway is my favorite way to get to the Strand

My time at Uni has been great.  The dorm life is really a focus here, so finding fun things to do around campus is never an issue.  The classes I'm taking are interesting and fun, especially Australian Vertebrate Fauna, where I get to learn and meet some of Australia's most interesting animals.  My mates and I have gotten to go on some awesome weekend trips; we went to Little Crystal Creek last weekend, and last month went to the North Queensland Cowboys (league rugby) game!

Cheering on the Cowboys at my first footy game!

Kate and I relaxing at the tranquil Little Crystal Creek

My mates joining for a round of mini golf!

The only bad thing about Australia is that the pictures just don't do the beauty justice.  It really is the most spectacular land, and if you ever get the chance, you MUST visit!!  If you want to hear more about my adventures with Oz, and see tons of cool pictures, feel free to check out my study abroad blog at 19south146east.wordpress.com.

View of a Townsville sunset from Castle Hill

Cheers, mates!! <3
McKenna Kormanik
James Cook University
Townsville, Australia