GeorgiaS

Georgia Smithson-Tomas

FIRST POST:

Dear family and any other readers, Wambana is actually not that remote - the town's only a walk away - and the scenery's amazing! The beaches are super blue (like, Port Willunga blue) and we're right on the beachfront, it's gorgeous!

I am in Wardli 2 with Catherine 'CPXY' Y, Julia 'JB' E, Mimi H, Madeline 'Red' B, Sophie 'Jim' H and Zara F. I'm rooming with Red and Jim (they both have their clothes nicely contained in one small set of drawers, whilst my clothes spill out of the massive cupboard) and I've got the bed in the middle. Jim has decorated our Wardli with Glee, Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Star Trek posters, with CPXY decorating her room (she rooms with JB) with beautiful landscapes.

So far, so good, but it's only the first day. Tonight we were provided with dinner (BBQ) and tomorrow we go on our first shopping trip. We have just under $600 to spend for the first week. Also, the routine comes into play soon enough -> I'm cooking pizzas on Friday night and cleaning up tomorrow night, can you believe it?!?!?!

With lots of love from 3 hours away, Georgia xxxxxxxxxx

P.S. Remember that if/when you respond, everyone can see your posts so please don't post anything embarrassing/rude/etc. (that goes for you, Mum) P.P.S My 'friends' are editing my posts, so don't worry if something doesn't add up! LOL JKS WO0O0O0O0O0 CAMP IS DA B0MB <-Olivia Traynor

SECOND POST:

Third day and it's gone so fast! I have been cleaning and helping out 24/7....a bit of a change from my normal routine, anyway, yesterday (Tuesday) was a bit of a bludge day - we did the shopping and, thanks to Jim being so frugal and stingy, we were $70 under budget, so we're planning on spending it all next shopping trip. Last night we played a mixture of the game Spotlight / Murder in the Dark on the Wambana campus; it was so much fun, even though it was 5 degrees or something ridiculous! We had delicious Tandoori Chicken last night and some scones (courtesy of JB). Today we went for a 3km run, not too bad, actually, and then to Vinnie's and I bought a pair of '1890s' gloves because we had to buy a piece of clothing to match the time period of the museums we were visiting later in the day. Then we went to some random farming museum, which I personally found boring, then had lunch (leftover chicken in a wrap) at some park and I made friends with this little kid who was like "hi, what's your name? My name's (insert some random name), let's be friends," or something, and then he kind of made me play with him, hmmm :S anyway, he was pretty cool, haha. Hahahahaaaaaaaaaaa.

We're going to Innes National Park tomorrow, camping. Drop-hole toilet, yeah, sounds fun. Anyway, really have to go now!

Please reply soon Mum and Dad (and William?) Missing you heaps, Georgia xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

THIRD POST:

Innes National Park was something new altogether. The long-drops really were disgusting, especially when you accidentally take a deep breath just as you walk in :S...anyway, we spent the first while just weeding this stupid South African weed called polygana or something...then we had lunch on a beautiful beach and walked along it as we picked up rubbish. At night, we went wallaby watching and actually saw like 100 ....I thought they were supposed to be endangered? Anyway, the camping part was OK (just fit into a 3 person tent with Jim and Red) but the flies, the flies! I can't imagine what the third Realise group will be like! Next day, we continued weeding and I swore if I ever saw a stupid polygana weed again I would actually have a mental breakdown! We then went to Pondi's and picked up more rubbish. We also saw our first snake of the camp, a brown snake in the sand dunes (you were right, Mum!) Then we left and everyone was so glad to be rid of the mozzies and sunburn and long-drops that Innes hosted! The first thing most people did when they returned was have a long shower....or rather 3 minutes, and stuff themselves, for food was rather rare at that point in time. On Saturday we went on our second shopping trip and are still under-budget, this time by $170! We then returned and had some lunch before heading off to a secluded beach near Corny Point. We played beach cricket then Yaoling 'Sharon' and I went into the water and stood in the sand for ages so that when it was time to leave I was so short that Sophie Howe and I were like almost even height (there are photos to prove it)! Then, last night after dinner we watched 'John Tucker Must Die' which was so funny that even the skeptics were laughing their heads off! Today was nice and relaxing, a lazy Sunday. We had an extra hour's sleep in and then went snorkelling in full gear! Yep, that's right, full-length wettie, flippers, snorkelling goggles, neck-band and face mask....we looked like such seals. Thankfully, no sharks or anything, it was too shallow. And there was an obvious difference between Point Turton's reef and the GBF, but I still managed to see an orange starfish and a sea anemone. Now I've just come back from dinner (we had a roast) and I'm blogging to you guys.

Hope everything's fine back home! Please respond more often, family! This week I'm sure I'm going to have homesickness and would appreciate you guys just talking to me!

With lots of love, Georgia xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

P.S. Keep me up dated on the Robbos; is Ella feeling sick? And where are they now? Norway? Send them my love, as well! P.P.S. Claudia

FOURTH POST:

Haven't blogged for awhile - the blogs been down, anyway... Tuesday, we went snorkelling again - it was FREEEEEZING this time, despite the 'warm' wetties. Saw nothing, returned to Wambana and then we went to Point Pearce Aboriginal School - BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! We were greeted by 13 smiling faces and although they were shy, eventually they played games with us and I met this one boy named Jyden who was 8 and I swear he was the most mature 8 y/o ever! William still isn't as mature as him! Jyden was also very caring and we became BFFLs...haha, not quite, but you know... Wednesday, we went snorkelling and this time it was actually enjoyable. Besides from being bashed on the rocks and nearly drowning, it was so pretty and nice! About the drowning thing, Jim and I decided not to wear flippers because they're pesky and so when we went to go in, we got caught in a rip and were swimming so hard but went nowhere. But then I realised I could touch the ocean floor and so I got Jim and I to safety - WEIRDEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! Thursday, (a.k.a. today) we did school work and nothing else, really...we have so much work it is not even funny! I don't know how teachers expect us to get it all done in time! But it's OK, I can touch things up in the holidays...

With love, Georgia xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

FIFTH POST:

Friday, (a.k.a. yesterday) we went shopping for the last time - still under budget! I bought heaps of apricots (officially addicted) and then we finished off some classwork before working on the mosaics that our REALISE group is putting together - it will look so cool! We then finished off the night with pizza (which I cooked from scratch with my Wardli) and then a movie night - we watched 'Wild Child'. Anyway, I have also been pigging out on Red's amazing desert, hedgehog slice! So yummy! Today, it's really gross weather so we're staying indoors, doing some classwork and Tournament of the Minds. Tomorrow, we'll be sleeping in! Till 8! Yep, that's right. Sleep-ins here are considered '8' o'clock...If the weather improves, we might so surfing or something like that, but it's been pretty bad all this week, so I doubt it!

Now to get on top of my work! Bye and love you all, Georgia xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

=**LUV WENDY THATS MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEME**=

SIXTH POST:

Monday, we went to Hardwicke Bay and helped some of the retirees help their small township of 100 people with the weeding, etc. and then we returned home and did nothing special, although I did end up cooking stir fry (Catherine's Dad's recipe, although I don't think that I did him justice! Oh well!) Tuesday, we went surfing - and I finished all my work! YAY for me! - but there was no success, besides from a few near stand-ups. Wednesday, we went surfing and I stood up! See, William! I'm not such a fail at these things! After dinner, we went to bingo with the Hardwicke Bay residents and guess what? I won twice! But, because it's illegal for us to gamble, we were given chocolates instead of monetary prizes, which was fine by me, you know...:D Today, we drove all the way to Marion Bay (deja vu, Mum) only to discover that the waves were non-existant, so we headed all the way back. Tonight, we had a joint dinner with all the Wardlis and that was delicious! Tomorrow, we'll be cleaning so need to get heaps of sleep to prepare me for the backbreaking work ahead! OK, maybe not quite that extreme, but still...REALISE is so tiring, not to mention fun!

I remember that on the first day it felt like the time would dilly-dally and take an eternity, but this last week has just flown by! I think I will really miss the opportunities we are given, such as living with friends and people who may not have been friends beforehand, but are now people I feel quite close to. Also, having such a structured day is amazing! I feel so organised! Also, you learn to appreciate everything so much more - before, I never really appreciated time by myself, but now I look forward (or rather looked forward) to Chill-Out sessions; they're amazing! And sleep-ins! Oh, sleep-ins....but no real chance of that with rowing, what a shame.

With love, Wendy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx