Vegemite!

Vegemite

Famous in Australia as their kangaroos and The Great Barrier Reef. While I was growing up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, my Australian friends were eating Vegemite ones. I can't describe the taste exactly but if I had to compare it to anything, it tasted like a very strong soy sauce that has been left out to dry to the point that it turned into a paste and someone decided to spread it on toast. Enticing isn’t it? Even thinking about it right now causes my jaw to tense up and mouth to water because of how salty it tasted. I must admit the first time I tried it, instead of spreading a thin layer of Vegemite on buttered toast as recommended, Mar and I decided to lick it straight from the package. WORST mistake ever!! I swear everyone in that hostel was looking at us like we were some stupid Americans. 

I tried it again the right way and it was just as hard to get down as the first time. Vegemite is definitely an acquired taste but a must try if you’re going to be in Australia. Just be warned, when they tell you to lightly spread the Vegemite that means dipping the knife in just a bit (the size of an itty bitty pea) for the whole slice of bread. It makes a great gift to bring home to your food loving people, just make sure to stick around and watch their reaction as they try to make sense of the taste. 

For anyone interested in the history of Vegemite.

Melbourne, Australia (first day)

Melbourne

Nothing as I expected. No kangaroos running around. No koalas in the trees. No beach nearby with cute tan surfers hanging around. The least expected of all is that I would be spending the next 4.5 months living in the busiest part of Melbourne, the Center Business District, in the heart of the city. 

In Melbourne, there are modern architectures mixed with cathedrals and old Victorians buildings that gives you a glimpse of the history of Australia. This was my first impression of Melbourne. The public transportation here makes it very easy for people to get around. The trams run through the main streets of the city and trains take you from one suburb to another. I have never used public transportation at home so this was going to be something I had to get used to. As long as I had my map in hand and chicken wrap from one of the many cafes in the other, I was ready to explore the city by tram to look for my new home. 

My Last Day with My Friends in Cali

This picture was taken at Jang-Toh, our local Korean bar in K-Town. I want to say thank you to everyone who showed up to send me away, I'm sure you guys have been wanting to get rid of me for a while now! =p

Why Australia?

People always ask me why I picked Australia to study abroad. To be honest, I was actually obsessed with going to Paris! I had my heart set on going to Paris since sophomore year in high school but when the time came to apply, I decided that the 4 years of high school French wasn't going to cut it in the real place. I decided to apply to Australia instead since I could always backpack Europe. Australia also had this image of wild kangaroos and koalas roaming everywhere and the weather being warm year round. I thought that I could be a beach bum and chill for the whole 5 months. To my surprise, and all the other American exchange student in Melbourne, there were no wild kangaroos in sight. Instead we found ourselves in the Center Business District surrounded by trams, trains, and men in suits! Studying in Australia wasn't what I expected it to be and coming from Orange County, I was more of a beach girl at home than I was in Melbourne, Australia.