Australia 4

Wow, I have been rubbish at keeping up with these long emails so here goes a big long catch up.

Left off last Monday after my first day in uni. Tuesday was pretty uneventful during the day as I had waited about for the Glass Class at 2 only to fins out the teacher was changing the time and we weren’t going to start until week 2. I was pretty peed off as I had been looking forward to it all day, but headed up to my ceramics class at the main campus.

Ceramics was really good. It was a beginner’s class on wheel throwing so I found it pretty easy and they clay we use is really easier to centre! I met a nice girl called Fiona who is doing education and the teacher Mark is also pretty cool. He reminds me of dad a bit as he’s about the same age and wears bad woolly jumpers with holes in the elbows. Hehe.

Anyway, at the end of the class he said I should move up to the advanced class. Was perfect as it stopped my ceramics and glass classes chatting.
I have to pretend I am doing the hand-building course, as the advanced ceramics class is post grad only.

After the class I met Nina as she had been in Photography and we went for dinner in the Lansdowne hotel. I recon that we are going to make it a regular thing, as it’s only a fiver for a beer and a main meal!

Wednesday was pretty uneventful as well, but I found a really cheep shopping centre just over the bridge and made myself a pair of curtains for my bedroom and tidied everything up and made some space for the arrival of Ali. Had ceramics again in the evening and started the hand-building project to make a mask so I could get it done then do some throwing. Didn’t get time in the end to do any wheelwork as we finished early for some reason. When I got home I was exhausted so I went to bed early so I could get up really early to go get Ali from the airport in the morning.

Was really nice to see a familiar face and Ali and I had a really good day on Thursday wandering round the harbour and the Sydney opera house etc. We got the ferry back to my suburb as well, which is a nice way to get from town to home that I hadn’t yet discovered.

Ali conked out about 8pm unsurprisingly and I sat up watching DVDs till Ross got back from work for a chat. Friday we met up with Nina and headed on the Bus to Bondi beach. It was a really nice sunny day but not quite warm enough to swim, so we decided to do the cost path walk from Bondi to Coogee beach. It had a lot of good views, but Ali and I decided it still didn’t quite live up to the Devon cost or the mull of Kintyre! Got the bus back and had a healthy dinner of crisps and muffins ☺

I had already arranged our Saturday activities and we got up early and went down to the uni boat shed to go for a kayak on the harbour. It was so good having Ali there while I met the Sydney Uni Canoe Club. They are a tiny club, with mostly ex students in but all really friendly. We paddled across to the harbour bridge and into lavender bay on the north shores. Had a really good BBQ and some beers then regretted eating and drinking so much on the wavy paddle home!
Back at the boat shed, Ali and I decided to roll the topo duo (double kayak) that we were in and managed twice. Then we got a bit cocky and decided to try and hand roll it. Didn’t quite work as we both tried to roll up on a different side! After a warming shower we sat of the jetty and drank red wine till it got dark and we felt the need for chips.

Sunday was a lazy day, we popped on the Internet in the morning and then I took Ali into Central station. I went to the library after she got on her train up to Newcastle and then I headed over to the hostel to see Nina and joined in with the big BBQ that the Brits were having there.

I went into uni on Monday and similarly to Glasgow School of Art, very few people were in! I did get some work done which was useful, then I have no memory of what I did on Monday night! Can’t have been very exciting.

Tuesday morning I went to explore my local swimming pool on Belinda’s bike that she said I could borrow! I got a bit lost on the way there but went for a nice bike ride along the waterside. The swimming pool is a massive 50m outside pool and was really warm. Found myself getting annoyed about the sun in my eyes and had to laugh at myself! I couldn’t do back stroke as there were no ceiling tiles to follow to stay in a straight line so I kept crashing into the wall which was a bit embarrassing! Went home for lunch then headed back to uni for my Glass Class…

It was totally worth the wait! Was one of the best things I’ve done since I got here! We had a safety talk and all and then started making things. The heat was horrific when we collected the glass from the furnace and we had to keep it centred on the metal rod and do something called “Jacking” which makes the glass into a ball. After making a single ball we tried making a series of balls, which looked a bit like a caterpillar or something. It took quite a while to get everyone to have a go at it, as there are only 2 workstations. The teacher Stevie is really good though and she said I had the knack, which is nice.

Wednesday went well too. I had to give the presentation of my work to the class and it went really well! I was really nervous but I managed to chat about my work quite confidently and a few people started being a bit more chatty after that.
I had studio all afternoon so got on with some work and some research and then headed into main campus for Ceramics.

I finished off my mask and then got started doing some throwing. Mark gave us a demo on throwing bigger bowls and stuff. It involves using a huge flamethrower thing so that the clay doesn’t slump at all. Works amazingly and I managed to make my biggest bowl ever! The first one I made wasn’t too good as I got a bit over excited with the flame thrower and think I heated it a bit too much.

I was in a really good mood after throwing the big bowls so I headed out to the Lansdowne again with Nina for beer and food.
We had a really nice chat and I didn’t get back till about half ten.

On Thursday Nina came round for lunch and we made roasted veggies with ricotta cheese and watched Harry Potter under my duvet. I showed her around the SCA library and then we got the most amazing lemon and lime tart and had tea. I got ready to go to an art gallery opening and we both got the bus into town. Nina got off at the hostel and I headed up towards the rocks to the Saatchi and Saatchi Gallery opening. I met Annika (who was at Glasgow last term) and we wandered round the really busy opening until all the free beer had run out. After that we went in search of alcohol dispensary unit to get some more and sat outside the opening chatting to lots of her friends. Felt really quite drunk getting the bus back, but made it fine and collapsed into bed.

This morning was pretty un productive as I’m sure you can imagine. Had a really good chat with Ross at my lunch time (his 4am!) before he went to work in the morning. I have been sorting out my room and packing to go and see Ali tonight. We are going to go up to the hunter valley and maybe go surfing this weekend. I am off to get the train up the coast so I should go.

Sorry for such a massive email, Lots of Love. xxxxxxxxxx