UW junior Lara Millman is currently documenting her experience with the OMA&D-affiliated study abroad program in Brisbane, Australia for the OMA&D student blog.
by Lara Millman
Weekend two = awesome.
Following the events at SERF (still so happy about the flying-not-catching-fire-actually-working thing), the group and I traveled down to the Gold Coast for our free weekend. While there, we stayed in these fantastic rooms provided by the Hilton and just enjoyed the sites to be seen. After arriving, myself and three of my lovely cohort wandered the city and shopped which was perhaps not the best plan because we arrived early in the morning and had nowhere to drop our things until we could be checked in, but fun nonetheless. After this and after checking in we hastily changed into our swimsuits and most everyone descended upon the beach, with a couple folks sitting and reading while the rest of us hopped around and giggled in the waves (for those unaware: Australia has awesome waves and an impressive undertow).
On Sunday morning Nicole, Anna and I just wandered around the city by foot, managing to make it all the way to a free art museum about 2.5 miles from the city proper. In doing this I learned that apparently I’m fast at art museums, as Anna and Nicole stood and talked about all the pieces they found interesting I speedily looked through each piece that I found interesting and had it been allowed I would have taken so many pictures for you guys but alas, rules and regulations forbid it. Nevertheless, I had heaps of fun and ate so much good food (new food that belongs on the level with the Tim Tams: Churro Donuts. Google those too, or look at the picture I posted along with this post [it was too pretty not to…])
The point of this post, as I perceive it, is that going with the flow sometimes is really fun. Usually I am meticulous about planning every detail of my trips and while I’m not advocating laziness or anything, in a group setting what I am advocating for is a certain amount of changeability when you go somewhere brand new. It can be really fun and relaxing to let go the control and just wander.
