SBS

Yesterday was my official last day at SBS. I came in and basically worked on my own personal project all day. I recorded voice overs, shot video and was able to get my hands on some stock footage. Unfortunately I didn't completely finish because the people I needed in my video were busy most of the day, and since I didn't finish my video I wasn't able to present it to camera in the studio. But wait! I'm going back on Monday to finish it! They booked me into the studio and I'm actually going to go through hair and makeup to get ready for the cameras. They are really putting all they can together for me and I appreciate it so much. Yesterday they threw together a little party with a cake, a bottle of wine and some SBS presents. I also walked away with the sweetest "We'll Miss You" card that Shruti made and so many people signed, I am still amazed by how many people signed it. I am so grateful to have met all of these wonderful people and it makes me teary eyed thinking about actually leaving them.

Shruti!

Joan found those reindeer antlers and bought them for all of the facilities people
(those were Shruti's)

Shruti and I laughing at something Joan probably said

Jena and Adele
(I will have better pictures of them by the time I actually leave, but they're my other good friends there and they deserve to be in this post too)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all eat as much as you can with the best people you can find. Tonight BU is going to be throwing together a (promised to be) well-catered party. I am very excited for all the of the food...and that I don't have my usual Thursday night class!

In other news, I stepped in as a journalist covering an event in Sydney this morning. The original plan was for me to shadow the journalist covering the event but he couldn't go. Instead, he handed me his set of questions and briefly explained what was going before I was off to the Mercure Hotel. It was very exciting to be thrown in the deep end. In the end I interviewed the two speakers after they were done presenting and then headed back to SBS with the cameraman. It was a new (and wonderful) experience, being the go to representative for SBS instead of that intern just following the 'real' people around.

Today marks two weeks left in Australia. I don't know how to feel about it. It is all too bittersweet.

Time is Winding Down

As of right now I have 19 days left in Australia and 23 days until I am back home in the States. I have two weeks left in my internship and only a couple days of class left before heading back. My internship has turned out to be an amazing time and such a learning experience. For the next two weeks I am going to be shadowing news directors and eventually directing a news promo here and there. I will also be developing a news story, shooting it, editing it, and even getting one of the news anchors to present it on air. It'll be a great way to use all of the skills I brought to my internship and skills I have learned through my time at SBS to create a piece I can bring home and add to my resume. I am very excited at what is to come with that.

Yesterday a couple friends and I were able to attend the finale taping of our favorite show here in Australia. It was a long day but so much fun!! The 1 and a half hour show took about 5 hours to tape and we waited to get into the studio for about 3 hours. Afterward we wandered over to Darling Harbour to celebrate my friend Andrew's birthday. He surprised us all with birthday gifts. He gave my friend Alan a birthday scavenger hunt that I believe they are undertaking right now in the 100 heat- good luck to them with that. He gave Nikki a Disney book about friendship stories. It was such a sweet gift. He said he originally had bought me Will Anderson's new book Friendly Fire but then came across a book full of apartments in Paris and Sydney and knew that it was the perfect gift. Since I have spent much time here browsing through apartment listings on craigslist and getting excited about kitchen setups and floor layouts it really was a great gift.

Thanksgiving is this week and although I am sad to be missing it in the States, I will be happy to be celebrating it with this group here at a (supposedly) well-catered Thanksgiving feast being thrown at the BU Sydney Center. It'll be a bittersweet celebration highlighting the short amount of days we have left til we leave this beautiful country.

After leaving Australia on the 10th I will be heading to New Zealand for a short 4 day vacation in Queenstown. I have all of the flights and accommodations booked and am getting so excited! I plan to cruise around Milford Sound and marvel at its beauty and hopefully see a dolphin or two playing in the boat's wake. I am also planning on skydiving in Glenorchy (maybe with a friend, maybe not). It is going to be scary and stunning and breathtaking but I can't help but smile and get incredibly excited thinking about it. I also have tentative plans to go 4WD in the high country around Queenstown, if I do I know it will be stunning scenery full of sheep, fields, and still lakes. I will be heading back to the North Island via Christchurch to fly out of Auckland on the 14th and amazingly I will be landing in LA on the 14th and then subsequently landing in NY on the 14th. It will be a long trip!


My roommate Nikki works for a show on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (the ABC) and their final show is being taped on Monday (tomorrow) followed by an all night party that I was lucky enough to get invited to. I'll be attending the taping and the party and have a chance to wear a beautiful dress I bought at the Newtown festival a couple weekends ago. I'll get to meet Nikki's co-workers and mingle with some ABC execs, it is going to be great.

Nikki and I had plans to head to Manly beach today but unfortunately it is about 100 degrees outside and a Sunday...not really a great combination to get out and do something. So instead I plan to do my laundry, clean up around the apartment and get some homework done while listening to my American podcasts. It is going to be a great day.

Talk soon!

Love,
Ellen

6 weeks...

So two weeks have gone by since starting the internship and the people there are great. The first week was spent shadowing a news director, going on shoots with the ENG guys, and shadowing the vision mixer (the woman who switches the show...presses the buttons) for the SBS show Dateline. It happened to be an anniversary episode too so that was exciting. This last week they had me in the office because they are short staffed right now and will be short staffed for the next couple weeks so I don't think I'll be leaving the facilities office anytime soon. It's really not what I signed up for but I am learning a lot and since I seem to be catching on quickly they are giving me more and more responsibility. The area around SBS is beautiful. I have to cross the Harbour Bridge on my way there and back so I have a view of the Opera House and all of Sydney near the water...it is probably the most beautiful commute I will ever have.

I have also been taking a class and have a paper due this Saturday, with an internship paper due Monday. My professor is great and seems to have taken a genuine interest in how all of the (9) people in my class are getting along in their internships.

Some great news! My friends and I have been watching this one show, Good News Week, since the first Monday we got here. We love it and have made a weekly gathering of it. Today Alan and Andrew surprised Nikki and I with tickets for the show's finale taping on the 21st! It's going to be amazing!! It's taped at the ABC, which is right around the corner. It really was such a great surprise.

Oh yes and for Halloween I was Pam from the Office. My friends Alan and Matt were Dwight and Jim. We wound up winning best group costume at the BU Halloween party, crazy! My friends Maggie and Monica were Gilligan and the Skipper. Maggie (the Skipper) won best girl costume.

Gilligan (Monica), the Skipper (Maggie), and Nikki

my roommate Nikki was a ladybug

Alan was amazing as Dwight, he won best overall costume

Dwight, Pam, and Jim!

There are six weeks left of the trip and they are going to go by so fast!! Ah!!

I hope everyone is doing well!

Love,
Ellen

another beginning

Hello! This week marks the beginning of the second half of the semester. My brand advertising and promotions class starts tomorrow and my internship starts on Tuesday. There are almost exactly nine weeks left on this journey and even though I am missing home dearly I am sad to think that we are already on to the second half of the trip. These next weeks are probably going to go by really fast too. It's okay though! When I get back to Boston I'll have new friends to hang out with, in my LAST semester of undergrad (I wish I had met them earlier in my college-going career)...what!! This has been a crazy time here enjoying Australia while thinking about what I am going to do once school is over. Making my last undergrad schedule was a little sentimental, ha.

This spring break was mostly spent sleeping until 3pm and watching movies, overall I'd rank it as successful, and I still have another spring break to perfect my sleeping, movie-watching form- glorious all around.

Well time to go to bed early, class at 9:30!

pictures

my roommate Nikki and I at the Nobbies

Nobbies

Coogee beach, day of dust storm

it has been awhile

a picture taken during the dust storm, Coogee Beach

Sorry for the lack in postings recently.

Melbourne was amazing. It is such an architecturally stunning city and I generally found it much more enjoyable than Sydney. We went to see the fairy penguins on Phillip Island about two hours from Melbourne. They were so cute... and loud! They emerged from the ocean in bunches and if they hesitated near the water waves would knock them down. They're the smallest penguins in the world and when we were walking on the boardwalk near the ocean we saw them up close running to their burrows. Some were calling out from the hills looking for their mates, they mate for life. On the way to Phillip Island we stopped at a koala sanctuary and saw some koalas eating and sleeping... that is basically all they do ha. The drive to the penguins was filled with rolling hills, sheep, cows, and coastline. Some of the fellow travelers said that it reminded them of Ireland... if so I really need to head to Ireland! In Melbourne we visited and toured around the Melbourne Cricket Ground, it is home to both the Melbourne Cricket Club and Australian Rules Football, which was actually invented there. It is right next to the Rod Laver Arena (where the Australian Open is held). It was hard to imagine the intolerable heat of the Open in the 60 degree F and rainy weather. We also toured around the Australian Center for the Moving Image (ACMI) at Federation Square. It has this new permanent exhibit that explores the history and development of film and television. There were interactive exhibits where you could make your own picture flipbook and another where you walked into a small room with video cameras all around and you made your own animation. I could have spent the entire day in the exhibit but we only spent a couple hours.

Last week was spent writing papers and studying for finals. It is amazing that the first part of the program is over and internships are going to be starting soon. Right now is spring break where we get the next week off before our class and internship starts.

I'm going to be interning at the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). SBS is a public television station on Australian TV. I'm going to working with a variety of shows and will even have a day where I will be assigned to some directors with the possibility of actually directing a promo myself, crazy right?? It is definitely going to be an amazing experience and interesting next two months. While I'm at my internship I'll also be taking one class- Brand Promotion and Advertising. I was originally signed up for another class but had to switch to accommodate my internship, no problem by me. It is kind of unfortunate that there are no TV classes offered in the second half of the program but I'm sure this class will be interesting.

On another note, Grandma and Grandpa you've both been in my thoughts these past couple of weeks and I'm so happy you both are home together again.

I will try a little harder to stay up to date with this blog and keep in touch.

Talk soon!
Ellen

more

some melboure pictures

the weekend

Just finished up a long week that ended in a group presentation, quiz, and a paper. We're heading to see Up! in 3D soon, it should be a good time. Tomorrow we head to Melbourne!! Buses for the airport leave around 9 and then we'll be flying down and heading back on Wednesday. I'm going to see the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Australian Center for the Moving Image, and then the fairy penguins!

I'll be in touch when I get back!

dust bowl

The view an hour after sunrise this morning. A record dust storm hit southern Queensland and the Sydney area last night and this morning. 100km/hr winds whipped through the city. Things settled down gradually throughout the day- still pretty hazy and windy when we went lawn bowling this morning but not as bad as the early morning. Right now it's pretty sunny and clear outside but I think they're expecting another dust storm later on today or tonight. Crazy stuff.

more pictures

the blue mountains!

heading down (on the left)

getting ready to go canyoning

again

the canyon

all of us

all of us close up

jumping back first into a pool in the canyon

the waterfall at the end of the canyon (from the bottom)

that's me!

me again :)

here are some pictures courtesy of Michelle.

pictures!

there will be more eventually...

abseiling!

So much fun!! Honestly I almost wished I could have jumped off the cliff...maybe it is a hint at bungee jumping in my future...maybe...?

We first honed our skills off of some cliff faces overlooking the vast divide between the mountains. First a 5m cliff, then an 15m, then finally a 30m cliff that we basically only rappelled down a couple meters and then just dangled there (the rock cut in and there was no longer anything to rappel off of) pulling ourselves down and admiring the view along the way. Then we went canyoning through this absolutely magical canyon. We were decked out in wetsuits and our rappelling gear- harness, helmet, and backpack included- it was intense. Through the canyon we climbed over rocks, jumped into little pools and did the backwards turtle to swim across- if you swam on your stomach the backpack would have rode up and tried drowning you- so on your back was the best bet. At the end of the canyon was a waterfall, that we had to rappel down. Most people kind of fell down the waterfall. I think we were all kind of thrown into the waterfall without much description about what to expect- not that it was a bad thing. About 3 meters off of the water I got to let go, push off the wall, and jump in.

That trip was probably one of the most amazing things I have ever done.

Other good news...I have an internship! Daryl informed me today that I definitely have an internship at SBS, a public broadcasting station here in Australia. I start October 20th and get to drop in on a news shoot. It sounds like I will actually be around the control room for a bit of it so that is good news. It all sounds very exciting. I will have to take the train to get there but the way Daryl described it it's only about a ten minute walk from the train stop (plus the 10 minute walk to the train station on my end) so it's not so bad.

Our favorite show Good News Week is about to start so I must be off!
Talk soon.

4 things...

First- last night for dinner we had kangaroo! We bought some steaks and cooked it ourselves. We also made some asparagus and mashed potatoes to go along with it. It was actually really good- very similar to steak tips. I don't know if I'll be eating it again anytime soon (it's a kangaroo!) but it was definitely not a bad experience.
Second- handed in my first paper of the semester today, just marking the beginning of the end of my undergrad career...an amazing feeling!
Third- heading to the Blue Mtns early tomorrow morning to go canyoning. We're going to be hiking up the mountains and abseiling (rappelling) down a bunch of cliff faces and then hike through a waterfall that we eventually will be abseiling down! It sounds like such an amazing trip and I've been wanting to head to the Blue Mtns since I got here. I'm sure I'll be heading out there again at some point since it is relatively close (2 hours by train) and is supposed to have amazing views- apparently on a clear day you can actually see all the way back to Sydney. I don't think I will be able to take any pictures since only waterproof cameras are allowed on the trek- but maybe I'll be able to snag some pictures from friends.

Fourth- In class on Thursday we screened this film called Razzle Dazzle and then the director came in, sat with us and talked about the movie, his previous work, and (secret) future projects. The movie was so funny- if you're a fan of Christopher Guest movies (This is Spinal Tap and Best in Show) then you'd definitely enjoy it and if you've never seen those movies go find Razzle Dazzle and watch! And the director, Darren Ashton, was wonderful. Incredibly unpretentious and very passionate about his work. All of the guests we've had so far have been incredible and definitely higher level, connected individuals- amazing.

On another note the end of this week marks the halfway point of the first academic period. Next weekend off to Melbourne for 4 days (heading to the coast to see the fairy penguins emerge from the ocean by the thousands at sunset- how ridiculous does that sound??) and then the weekend after we have a four day weekend and then the week following we have finals.

And then internships and an Australian Wine Industry class- with a field trip to the Hunter Valley Wine region! Yes!

Going to finish up watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, cuddle up with some James Lipton, and go to sleep- have to grab a 7am train tomorrow- goodnight!

Chinatown

For part of my Cultural Transmissions module we went on a field trip through Chinatown. We were given a tour by a man named King Fong who came here in 1946 and has lived here since. He's 71 years old and actually got to carry the Olympic torch in 2000 from the old Chinatown to the new Chinatown. After the tour we were given a free meal at one of the nicer restaurants in the area. We sat around the table talking for awhile with one of our professors, Mark. That man has been all over the world and has a story for everything. We talked about American sports and his history playing sports at Sydney Uni. He talked about the time when he overstayed his visa by a day in the States and how he still sometimes is given a hard time about it by customs. I think I could've stayed around that table all day talking.

Today I need to write a paper since I have class all day tomorrow and it is due Friday!
Here's to the first paper of many...

Surf Camp

was awesome! It was such an amazing weekend, the best so far. The town we were in, Gerroa, was absolutely gorgeous. There were green pastured hills with the sea facing them. It was such a small town but I wish we could have spent a couple more days there. The instructors were pretty nice and apparently really young, I heard one of them had just turned 16, ha. I got up so many times (and wiped out probably 3x as much!) and definitely felt the rush. I caught this one wave and was able to pick up so much speed that I immediately thought I must do this again! The instructors were so enthusiastic about having us continue to surf after we left the camp. They gave us advice on what type of boards to buy, how to handle a boardshop worker, how to assess the water conditions, and about the different types of waves and rips. Before the last lesson (out of four) I think everyone was sore, tired, and ready to leave but the last lesson was a blast and everyone seemed to leave on a high note, even my friend Alan who is now hobbling around on crutches after hurting his knee.

This week I have a paper due on Friday and hope to get a bunch of work done along with the paper.

On Saturday I am heading to the Blue Mtns to go canyoning down some rock faces and then a waterfall!! It's going to be amazing. I am so excited to head out to the Blue Mtns and see that area. Any day out of Sydney is a good day, don't get me wrong Sydney isn't bad- especially if you can find the right neighborhoods, but it's such a city. My Mass Media professor compared it to LA, and it didn't sound like a good thing. He likes Melbourne much more than here, he says it is more cultured and has more of a personality (though I wouldn't say that around a Sydneysider, they are huge rivals of Melbourne).

We just finished watching our favorite Australian show Good News Week, always hilarious. So now it is off to bed!

some pictures

I still need to grab some pictures from my friends' cameras, since they took some ones of me with some animals, so those will just need to come later.

I hope you enjoy!!