The Aborigines

The Aboriginal Flag

I've been promising this post for the longest time! Finally done! I've been thinking a lot about the Aboriginal culture over the past couple of weeks. We've been talking about it in my Contemporary Australia class. I thought that it was a bit of a heavy topic to start the semester with at first, but I'm actually glad that we did. It kind of pulled me into the class a bit more. So I figure I would blog a little about what I've learned. Read more after the jump.

Gotta Represent!

Ok, so I know I promised that the Aboriginal post would be next, but this is on my mind, so I figure I would just type it out. Swear the Aboriginal post is next! I have my notebook filled with facts right next to me!

It hit me these past couple of days that I'm sort of like an ambassador for the U.S. while I'm here in Australia. I remember one of the directors from the International Programs Office saying that to us all before we left. No medal or special recognition or anything haha, but while I'm here, I'm representing my country. I've had so many people ask me questions about what we do in America. I've found that a lot of their ideas about American life comes from what they see in the movies. And it's not always that way. So I've had to break a few things down for some people. For example, I've had people ask about college life, and if it's really all sororities and fraternities drinking and partying all week haha. I can only talk about my experience at Loyola, but we all know that the movies are mostly fake, but good at enforcing stereotypes. Since I'm here I have no problem telling people how it really is. In a nice and insightful way of course.

It also hit me again last week that I'm a representative for my African-American culture. Again going off of the movies, I've had people ask if I know any "Shaniquas" or "Shenenehs" ha! Again, things you see in the movies or on TV, and it's kind of awkward, but I'm not offended. I just kind of correct that all African American people are not the same, are not all the loud and stereotypical black folks that you might see on TV. Just last week, I had my music theatre professor ask me about stereotypes and the use of the N-word among other things that's seen in film and television, minstrel shows and the like. I felt then that I was also an ambassador for my beautiful black people, to explain to others a bit about our history and everything. It's sort of my duty, so that maybe people won't have these set thoughts about an entire culture anymore.

Again, it's not a huge job or anything, but I've realized that I'm more than Brittany Lee when I'm over here. I represent God, my family, my church, Loyola, as well as America, and my African-American culture. I gotta represent!

PEACE.

#Random Environment Friendly Campus

A very random thought, but this is another difference I just thought of to add to the list of differences between Loyola and Monash. I was walking from the gym, and was reminded of how environmentally friendly Monash is. I'm not sure if the drought that took place in Australia a few years back made officials rethink their use of resources. Whatever it is, Monash is definitely a green campus.  There are so many recycling bins around campus that students actually use. There is also a bike system where students can rent bikes for the semester or the entire year to use to get around campus, as well as different places nearby, reducing the amount of pollutants released into the air by cars. The maintenance department also stresses the use of water, asking us to do small things, like limit our showers to 4 minutes (I try, but it's mostly a fail haha), turn off our lights when we live, or turn off the tap when we are brushing our teeth. They also have a half flush/full flush system in restrooms (I will leave you to figure out which you should use when). All of this to preserve water.

I feel like Loyola definitely talks about being a green campus, but we all need to step it up. Put in more recycling bins. Share more tips around campus on how to preserve resources, what little steps we can make to make the world a little better. I'm not sure if there is an environmental club or anything on campus. I feel like being here, and working at the Fish and Wildlife Service has made me more aware of how much energy I waste on a day to day basis. My family and I have started recycling back home, and taken steps to restrict just how many resources we use. It's nice to see other people actively doing the same.

P.S. Aboriginal culture post coming next!

PEACE.

Loyola vs. Monash

So it hit me today that I have to blog more. I have a lot of work at Monash, but I also have to focus on my work for this travel reporting class too. And in little time, too. I have really only about two months left to finish everything. Got an email today from my professor that he wants more from us, more details about our journeys, more teaching of what being in Australia is about, not just the cliché talks about trips and everything. So I'm going to try to do that.

This blog post probably won't be that though lol. This is just something that I have wanted to write about for a while now. Might be considered a ramble, but this is my experience. I don't consider doing this blog just for a class; this is a connection to my friends and family back home as well. So I write what I please. Bear with me. Even though I've only been here about a month (officially on March 14, a month in Aussieland!), I've noticed so many differences between being at Loyola and being at Monash.

Exploring the Healesville Sanctuary...

Sorry this post is a few days later than I said it would be. Busy days. But a lot is going on here down under. In fact, I'm going to a concert tonight that I look forward to posting about!

This past Saturday, I, along with the Loyola group and other international students, had the opportunity to visit the Healesville Sanctuary. Healesville is a conservation effort in Healesville, Victoria, AUS that keeps only Australian wildlife in efforts to preserve and breed their species.

Now, I'm a city girl, and, to be quite honest, I didn't really appreciate nature before. I would always say that being outdoors just wasn't my thing. However, my love for the environment has grown after working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife at their headquarters office these past two summers. FWS actively works on conservation efforts of animals throughout the world, and it's been an awesome experience seeing what all the agency does. So, when I heard that we would have the opportunity to see Australian animals, I was very excited!