Australian Sports and Shenanigans with my Favorite Aussie

I'm in the middle of week 12 in school right now, with 4 1/2 weeks left here in Fremantle. At the beginning of the semester I made a little bucket list with about 20 things I wanted to do while being here, and there are still a bunch I've yet to do. One thing I really want to do is get on the train and get off at every stop between Freo and Perth. So far I've been to Claremont (a favorite spot for Thursday nights), West Leederville (where the Dockers play), City West (Harbour Town Shopping Centre...naturally), North Fremantle (Leighton Beach), Cottesloe (a favorite beach, also where we do run and swim with the Bakers and friends on Sunday mornings). That probably leaves about 10 more stops and places to check out in the next couple of weeks! 

Last weekend I went to an AFL game for the first time. Western Australia has two AFL teams, the Dockers and the Eagles. The Eagles seem to be the favored team among Australians that I have gotten to know, but we went as a house to see the Dockers play Adelaide. The Dockers, who don't have that great of a record came out with a Win, so it was a fun game to watch. Tai and I were sitting front row and got to meet Johnny Docker(:

Lauren, Tai, and I went over to the Baker's and had a BBQ. They made some sausages and lamb on their Aussie shaped BBQ. We got to meet one of Martha's older sisters, Gabby, and her husband Simon. We watched an Australian movie called Red Dog, which just came out about a year ago. It's about a dog who hung around one of the mine sights and how he became a town hero...it's a true story, I can't do justice explaining it. It's so good! We also started to watch Priscilla Queen of the Desert, but didn't get to finish it. I definitely will before I leave though. It is about 3 drag queens who go on a road trip through the desert...and that's about as far as I got, but as you can image, with 2 drag queens on a road trip, something funny has got to happen. In the morning, Mumsy made us egg and soldiers for breakfast. It was the best feeling to be in a home with such an amazing family. The Bakers are the greatest people I have met here in Australia and I'm so blessed to have them taking care of me while I'm away from home (: Martha is leaving tomorrow for America! She had a going away party at her house with some friends and family. We got to meet some of her Aussie friends and have pizza cooked in the famous fire breathing dragon pizza oven. We also played a game called Goon of Fortune. It involved pinning a wine bag to the clothesline and spin it; whoever the bag landed over had to drink from it as long as the could...and you just keep spinning til the bag is gone. Mumsy even joined in and it was hilarious. I can't wait to see Martha in August when she comes to Portland to stay with Tai and me for a couple weeks!

We said our last goodbyes to Martha last night. We met up with her and some of her friends from the Norfolk at the Orient for some drinks and just hanging out. She stopped by Cleos while I was in class today, but I had just missed her):

Last weekend, Friday I went to the Attic (our favorite coffee shop to do homework at) for a couple hours, then went shopping in City West with some of the girls before Martha's going away party. On Saturday all of Cleos went over to the Campus Minister, Tom Gannon's, house. His wife Liz and him, both being from Portland, had us Northwesterners over to celebrate his favorite holiday; the anniversary of Mt. St. Helens erupting. We had a BBQ and a fire in the backyard and all just hung out for the night. Sunday I went to my first Rugby game! I thought footy was exciting, but rugby was just as intense. We went to see the Western Force, but they lost to the Melbourne Rebels. Footy and rugby were kinda similar, and just so different than sports I'm used to watching. I've never sat at any sort of sporting even and not understood what was going on (thanks Dad), and I felt so awkward not knowing what was going on or what calls were being made. I can't even say I got it all by the end of the game. My favorite part about rugby is when the players lift each other up on throw-ins (or whatever the call them...). It was just so graceful and I was caught so off guard when I saw it the first time. Both rugby and footy made American football look sort of lame.

Yesterday I turned in my last essay of the semester! It was a research essay for Children's Literature. I'm so glad to be doneeeee, until finals...
Today, Children's Literature lecture was cancelled, and instead we had to go see Morris Gleitzman speak. He is an Australian children's lit author, and happened to be the author of one of the books I chose to analyze in my research essay, so that was pretty cool to get the chance to see him speak in person.

Oh, and shout out to OKC for defeating the Lakers today...I miss watching basketball. Now cheering on my boy Patty Mills and the Spurs, reppin Australia in the NBA.
And thank you Mom for the lovely package, the chocolate covered berries were a nice touch. And Em for the surprise letter I got in the mail today. You guys are the best and I can't wait to be home! (In my new house with Erin Flynn of course!)

I feel like I always leave so much out of these blogs...buuuuut, here is my to-do list for the next week or so in case I forget:
Go to Cottesloe and get fish'n'chips to eat on the beach at sunset.
Walk to the lighthouse that you can see from Bather's Beach.
Go to the Pickled Fig cafe near South Beach, and explore South Terrace.