A little update – the wifi still sucks, I think I’ve finally
overcome jet lag (I went to bed at midnight last night instead of 7 pm so I’m
makin strides), and I fell in love with an Aussie – imagine that.
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| ANZ Olympic Park Stadium |
This morning, we got to tour Sydney Olympic Park where the
2000 Olympic Games were held. As soon as we walked into the ANZ stadium,
everyone got silent – it was one of the most beautiful views I think any of us
have ever seen.
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| "Wall of Fame" |
Olympic Park is used as a large sports and entertainment
complex for events such as NRL (National Rugby League) and AFL (Australian
Football League) games, concerts, and cultural events. We got to tour the
inside of the stadium where we saw the locker rooms and the ~wall of fame~ that
past Olympians, professional athletes, and performers have signed. I got to
touch Adele’s signature … no big deal. We also got the opportunity to meet with
a physiotherapist who is also a swim coach for the New South Wales Institution
of Sports (NSWIS). He gave us a little more insight of the role of a
physiotherapist in Australia and how it differs from a physical therapist in
the U.S. Besides the difference in names, one of the biggest differences is that a patient in Australia does not need to be referred by a physician in order to receive rehabilitation. In the U.S., a patient must have a clinical evaluation and diagnosis by a physician in order to see a physical therapist. In the U.S., physical therapy is paid by insurance which depending on one's insurance can be a lot more expensive than in Australia.
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| Cronulla Beach |
After the Olympic Park tour, we traveled to a cute lil’
beach side community called Cronulla Beach. We got the chance to enjoy the
beach, explore all the boutiques and cafes, and finally catch a break from all
the hustle and bustle of downtown Sydney. Food is really expensive in the city
and if you’re out to eat with some friends, you’ll get one check. Yup, ONE.
Separate checks aren’t a thing at sit down restaurants in Australia. We learned
this the hard way when 4 of us got lunch together and one single $100 check
came out… that’s a lot for a broke college kid’s bank account. We sat there for
a solid 10 minutes trying to figure out how we were going to pay for our meal. In
Cronulla, we went to a sushi train for lunch and I got two rolls for ONLY $6
which is like $4 in American dollars. My bank account and I were extra happy
about that ;)
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| Kurnell Cliff |
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| Dr. Mazoue reppin the Sharkies |
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| Kurnell Cliff |
We stopped for a photo shoot at Kurnell Cliff on our way to
the NRL game and again – one of the most beautiful sites I’ve ever seen. I
think I’ve said that every single day since I’ve gotten here and Australia; you
keep on surprising me in ways I didn’t even think were possible. As soon as we
got to the game, we were painted up and thrown onto the “Sharkie” bandwagon – the
home team that we decided we’d be rooting for that night. The atmosphere reminded
me of one of my hometown Carmel High School Friday night football games. Our
whole group squaded up in one section and Craig, our program director while we’re
abroad, led some Cronulla Shark cheers and everyone probably thought we had been
Sharks fans our whole lives with our enthusiasm and excitement for the team. We
even added an Australian accent to our cheers, sounding like “Shah-kies.” NRL
in Aussie is the closest equivalent to NFL in the U.S., in terms of popularity.
At sport bars, rugby games are always on the TVs and everyone is getting into
them. And finally, the part I know y’all are probably waiting for – the deets
on the beautiful Aussie that I fell in love with. Long story short, him and his
friends sat in front of us at the game and us Americans with little knowledge
of rugby or the rules of the game, were asking a lot of (stupid) questions and
finally one of them turned around and attempted to explain the game to us. Eventually
all of us were talking, laughing and getting to know each other and voilà …
love at first sight !!!! Even though the chances of me actually ever seeing him
again are probably one in a million but hey a girl can dream, right?! After
being down most of the game, the Shahkies pulled off an unbelievable comeback and
won the game 18-14.
Olympic Park is used as a large sports and entertainment
complex for events such as NRL (National Rugby League) and AFL (Australian
Football League) games, concerts, and cultural events. We got to tour the
inside of the stadium where we saw the locker rooms and the ~wall of fame~ that
past Olympians, professional athletes, and performers have signed. I got to
touch Adele’s signature … no big deal. We also got the opportunity to meet with
a physiotherapist who is also a swim coach for the New South Wales Institution
of Sports (NSWIS). He gave us a little more insight of the role of a
physiotherapist in Australia and how it differs from a physical therapist in
the U.S. Besides the difference in names, one of the biggest differences is that a patient in Australia does not need to be referred by a physician in order to receive rehabilitation. In the U.S., a patient must have a clinical evaluation and diagnosis by a physician in order to see a physical therapist. In the U.S., physical therapy is paid by insurance which depending on one's insurance can be a lot more expensive than in Australia.
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