Now that I have begun to settle in and develop a routine of things, I stay pretty busy for a majority of the week. I have class on Mondays and Tuesdays that usually have weekly homework and/or readings. Since I am also interning two full days on Wednesdays and Thursdays, these classes meet only once a week for about 3 hours. Everyone, especially me, feels tested by these long, strenuous lectures, but most of the professors seem to be pretty aware of the American college students ‘ADD’ attention span, so they give us 10-15 minute intermission breaks. They also do a decent job at keeping us engaged in the discussion at hand. Other than class, I work for 8 hours a day on Wednesdays and Thursdays. These four days keep me pretty busy and too tired to go out after a full day of class or work. Thankfully, I opted to get my Fridays off from studies and interning, so my weekends begin on Thursday nights.
A seven story night-club called Ivy has become our popular Thursday night hot spot. The free cover was what originally drew us in (since Ivy usually has a $30 entry fee on Fridays and Saturdays), but the extravagant set up and lines out the door keep us going back. Although they only open up half of the rooms on Thursdays, the pool bar with a dance floor reaching over the pool has become one of my favorite aspects of the place. These crazy Thursday nights make Fridays the perfect day for relaxing on the various beaches offered surrounding the city. The beaches here have stolen a piece of my heart with their snow white sand and clear blue water with sea-foam blue waves. I always feel so at peace listening to the waves crashing under the hot, beating sun. Not to mention the locals aren’t too bad to look at either.
Anyways, this past weekend our CAPA program took us on an excursion up to the Blue Mountains. The two hour bus ride was well worth the breath-taking, lush mountainous views. Our first stop was a view of the Three Sisters (pictured below), which is notorious for its unique mountainous formation. Mother nature never fails to amaze me with her remarkable landscapes, plus we were fortunate enough to be hiking in perfect weather. I felt like I was walking through a wonder land full of majestic waterfalls and intricate rock formations complimented by the abundant greenery that surrounded it. Even though we were on a tight schedule, I did my best to soak in every second I was out there. Our hike concluded with a ride up the steepest passenger railway in the world. The thrilling 52 degree incline offered a nail biting view of the entire landscape. Once we reached the top, there was a stereotypical gift shop and cafe as well as our bus awaiting our departure. The entire day was one for the books, and my friends and I plan on making another trip up there if we get the chance.
Although I am officially studying and working hard almost everyday of the week, I have been pretty successful at living it up on the days I have off. Between the nightlife, beaches, and Blue Mountains, it’s safe to say that I live for the weekends.
