G'day Mate!

I have arrived safe and sound after 24 hours of traveling and figured I better write my first blog. I had to find a new computer adapter to charge my computer battery and the voltage in America is 120 watts and in Tasmania it is over 200 ..the store clerk warned me to be careful plugging my computer in for the first time.  If is it not compatible it will BLOW UP! oh wow no big deal! You should have seen Alisha and I plugging it in the first time! Then I just spend 45 min trying to write an entertaining blog for you all and it deleted........The girl I am staying with for my first few days told me to sum up my stay with a few words: "Its raining and I saw sheep!" ..........Anyway....

I sat in my seat on the first plane only to realize a few seconds later that my seat had been wet. With what?..I don't know. Quickly I knew that I needed to keep a good sense of humor.  After all, I was on minute one of my trip of 24 hours of flying, in the same clothes, without a shower.  I put my sweatshirt over the spot and just sat on top of it hoping for the best................The quote from talledega nights "I was sitting in my pee pants ALL day" had a whole new meaning to me.

Just before my 16 hour flight, my stomach began to hurt and I just keep hoping it was the butterflies and not the fact that I was getting an upset stomach from eating mexican food from the airport food court. :) It did end up being butterflies and I slept most of the long flight, watched a few movies, and enjoyed watching the sun come up from the window. It was BEAUTIFUL!

Alisha and her friend Gem picked me up.  They said they figured out it was me because "I looked like I had been flying for over 24 hours." ..........I packed way too much luggage and Gem's car was so small that my carry on and purse fit in her "trunk."  My suitcases went into the middle seat and I sat in front.  Alisha immediately started laughing when she looked over and saw my 6ft frame sitting in the front seat.  I think my knees were almost to my chest. :)

Tasmania seems rather laid back and made up of rather small towns spread out.  The terrain varies but it is definitely not flat like Kansas.  The roads are typically one lane and a few two lane and paved.  There are not a lot of what we would call "back roads" so I suppose I will not show the Tassy people how we crop tour..........It has rained the whole entire time I  have been here and in parts of the state flooded more than the locals have ever seen.  Houses are mostly brick here and open floor plans with lots of windows.  I have already noticed that they do not have garbage disposals or laundry dryers typically.  They have a toilet room AND a bathroom so you have to be specific in asking what you want.  Even holding your cell phone in the car is illegal here ...if you get caught you get points taken away and a ticket (Each person has a certain amount of points and if you lose all your points by getting tickets, you lose your license.) Of course the Tassy lingo is very different here and I am having fun already picking it up! For instance, Bloke = man and Best mate = good friend.  tea time = dinner time.  More of those fun words to come!

This weekend I will be staying at a camp site (like Rock Springs) with most of the Rural Youth of Tasmania for their annual general meeting to select new officers for the year and what not.  They have about 150 members across the state and it will be those members and their families that I will be staying with / working with for my ten weeks. 

Well it is "tea" time here so I had better get off. I will have another update early next week after a fun weekend!

HUGS!