Thanksgiving in Australia!

So Andy and I had yet another wedding to attend two weekends ago! It was a lot of fun! Much more like a traditional wedding than the one we went to before! By traditional I mean dinner was served and alocohol was provided! And it was at night! We went to the ceremony about 3pm. Then the reception was at 7 down at this really nice hotel by the beach! We got there a little early, so sat in a pub down the road and had a few beers! Then we went to the hotel where we were greeted with "drinks on the terrace!" Then on to the reception! Which was a blast! Everyone drank, danced, and ate into the night! Lots and lots of fun! (Some pics here of our table, Andy and I, and the bride and groom!)

As you all know....Thanksgiving is just round the corner! So , since I can't be home to celebrate, I made a yummy dinner for Andy and his family on Monday night! (Pictures included!) It was Sue and Barry (Mr and Mrs Cole), Andy, Ben, Imogen (Bennys GF) and I! Also, sadly, I had to cook a chicken because I didn't think of it ahead of time so there was no time to defrost a turkey! But the chicken was yummy!

This weekend there isn't much on. I am starting my new job full time next week in the city! Looking forward to that! Then, next weekend is "Andy's Birthday weekend!" (Because evidently we need a whole weekend to celebrate turning 23!) We are heading to the horse races on the saturday and having a BBQ chill day sunday! SHould be fun, many pics to follow!

Anyway, love and miss you all! (To those who actually still check this thing...I think it's just you dad!)
MUAH!
lots of love, amy:-)

one down...one to go!

YAY!!

So I've officially finished my first semester of grad school today! PHEW! No more assignments for three months! YAY! (Sorry...don't mean to rub it in...but I did also have to start in August when all of you were still bathing in the sun!)

SO that was a great semester overall I thought! I met so many cool and interesting people from all over the world and I hope to be able to visit them in their homelands at some point in my life! Here is a picture from my cross-cultural class. We had our last day yesterday and everyone brought foods from their cultures! I was lazy and brought Doritos because thats what was in the cupboard! And I didn't really have time to cook! Plus...what am I going to make? Burgers? I don't think so! SO there were home made spring rolls (like eggrolls but smaller), Indian food, dumplings, fried dumplings, cookies from East Timor, and heaps of other cool things! Needless to say my stomach was NOT happy with me after wards! I couldn't have dinner and when I went to the pub with Andy, Mike, and the boys, I couldn't even have a beer! Sad I know! haha Oh...and the pic there is Mike (Mayfield as some of you know--Marister) eating his first kebab and drinking a Toohey's New! sadly...he is leaving us sunday:-( But he had a great time and thats all that matters! Catch ya state side Mikey!

So crazily enough Im headed to yet ANOTHER of Andy's friends weddings this weekend! (Don't worry...no one else is engaged or getting there any time soon so this will be it for a while!)
SO we are going to that on Saturday! Thank god the wedding is a little bit later than the last one...its at 3pm. Then the reception is at 7 so it will be a LONG night of fun!!

Also...I have booked the trip for Andy and I to New Zealand!!! We are flying out of Sydney on the 7th of February into Auckland (north island) and flying out of Christchurch on the 18th! We are going to visit his friend in Auckland for a day or two. Then drive down the coast and throughout the island. Not 100% on every thing yet, but I'm researching. Then we will take a ferry to the south island and explore more there! I know for a fact that we will be seeing hot thermal springs, bunjy jumping (sorry mom!), and zorbing! Thats the cool thing where you go down the hill in a see through plastic ball! It's gonna ROCK! I will of course take 1000 pictures and put them up!

So for now...thats about it from here! Hope you all are well and having fun! Hope to hear from you soon!
Lots of love,
Amy:-)

Fun Wedding on the Weekend!

Hi there all!

I hope there are still a few of you still reading! I know it's been a while but I'm trying to get back into doing this every week if possible!!

So Andy's friend Simon got married this weekend to his high school sweetheart, Bethan! Pictures to be found here...
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/amy0631/album?.dir=/34f7&.src=ph&.tok=ph1KKwDBAqznhAEh
They had been together for 7 years, and last year while backpacking around Europe, Simon asked her to marry him when they were at the Eifel Tower!! So cute! So this weekend they were supposed to have their wedding on Shelly Beach in Manly (about 35 minutes from Andy's). The sad news was that it was crap weather so we had to have it inside:-( Regardless....it was an AWESOME time! They looked so happy and the ceremony was actually cool! The minister was very funny and he made it so personable. It was very nice! Then, since the wedding was at 7:30am we had a breakfast reception! It was soooo good! We had eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato, hash browns, danish, croisants, and of course champagne with orange juice or guava juice! Needless to say, it was AMAZING! Then there were speeches, cake, etc. Then the bride and groom left about 2:30pm to head to their hotel where they were just going to chill before they left for their honeymoon sunday morning. They were heading to Hamilton Island, not that I have any clue where that is or how nice it is! But i've heard its great! So...after they left, we went down to the pub that was part of the place where the wedding and reception were held. We got lots of drinks, played the poker machines (ps i won $105!!!! it was so exciting!!) Then we headed to Manly to the pub, but there was no one there seeing as it was only 7pm! By that time we were all pretty drunk though! Just since we'd been drinking since 10am! So then we got a ride home to a pub near Andy and everyone elses, but again, it was only 9pm so no one was there! So we got a kebab and went home! So we were home about 10! It was a great time though! Sunday we just got up and went to Hornsby (where I lived the first time I was here) to the shopping centre to get some things, then came back and had a BBQ and watched the cricket with the boys. All in all, it was a great weekend!
Now, its back to school this week and work! It's ok though because Im not that stressed any more with the papers! They all got handed in thank god! But now i have to worry about group projects which are the worst because no one lives near each other of course! AHHH! I miss the Marist campus!
Anyway, Im off to my apartment because I need to go for a run! I'm not feeling very skinny lately! But I've put some pics on here, and go to my website and see the rest. PS these are not my pics, they are andy's friend Mike's. (I got some developed but they weren't on disc so I couldn't bring them to put online:-( But these are good too!
love you all! talk to you next week!
amy:-)

Go the Tigers!!

So this past weekend Andy's friends Mik and Pete had a party for the Grand Final of the Rugby! It was the Tigers v. the Cowboys! Andy and most everyone was going for the Tigers! I took photos but sadly they are on a diposable camera:-( I had to send my camera home to have my dad take it back to Best Buy...piece of crap! Oh well...they have to give me a new one if they can't fix it which is sweet!
So anyway, we went to a soccer game on Friday! It was fun..although the team we were cheering on lost! GEEZ! Then saturday we spent most of the day getting Andy's suit for the wedding thats this saturday! It's his friend Simon and Bethan--it's on the beach at 7:30am!!! Don't know how cute I'm going to look that early! Oh well...I'll try! So we were out getting that, then we had to go to the equivalent of Home Depot (called Bunnings) so Andy could look for a tap to put on his beer helmet! Bit too much of a drinker at times! No luck with the tap, but he did drool over the socket sets for about 20 minutes! We went to see Dukes of Hazzard so he is now obsessed with anything to do with cars! Crazy kid!
SO we tried to get some school work done later saturday, then went to Mik and Petes house to play poker. Now those of you who know my card skills know that the extent of my skills is Golf, Queens, Goldfish, and War! I really have no capacity for these things! But I learned and thank god Andy won! So I didn't have to pay him! But he won $100! Which was used on the party the next day anyway!
SO we slept over at their house that night, woke up, went to Andy's house for about 2 hours to shower, and went back to their house for the party! The boys were drinking at noon! EWWW! I was hitting the Diet Cokes pretty hard til about 4! Then people started getting crazy...playing power hour..which they call 100 shots in a 100 minutes! There was puking over the balcony, Andy was puking in the toilet at one point which was fun! Not for me though! I knew I'd be hideous if I attempted the challenge!
SO yeah....all in all...fun fun fun weekend! I'm going to be writing a lot about what Im doing now since Dad yelled at me for not putting more on the blog!! haha
so love you all! Welcome home to Matthew Abbott! He's coming home thursday as per Ashley!
talk soon!
MUAH!
amy:-)

Busy from here on out....

So starting next week I will have two weeks off from school. Which sounds awesome...but I have a bunch of assignments that are due after the break...and I'll pretty much be busy with other assignments when break is over! GEEZZZZ...don't these people know I'm here to have fun!? haha Well...thats not 100% true...but I wish it was!

I have to shoot a silent film and an interview for my Video Production class, which is proving to be harder than I thought. Not that the class is tough, but shooting a video on your own...not so easy! And all the editing time...WOAH! But hey...I'll take than any day over writing a 10 page paper about development communication in developing countries! Yeah...not so much fun that class! Then I have to write some BS paper about a film we watched in my Intercultural class called Wedding Banquet. (funny...sounds just like a class i took at marist....) I mean the movie was cool enough, but I just don't really wanna use all these theories to analyze it! blah.

Other than that...things with Andy and others good! Andy's friend Simon is getting married in a few weeks...so I'm thinking of buying a new dress! YAY! although the wedding (as i think I told some of you) is at 7:30 am on the beach! How the H am I supposed to look nice at that time of the AM! Plus...the beach is like SUPER far for me to get to...so I think I'm staying at Andy's and hitching a ride with his rents! I think I'll straighten it the night before...and wake up and re-straighten! haha nice and clean!
Andy came over last night and had dinner with me--the first one in my new apartment! And he brought me a treat...Tim Tam ice cream!!!! And let me tell you....AMAZING! Thank god for boyfriends! haha
Then I went to the Epping Hotel with Mike Mayfield (marister who is over here now...lives near me). We played some trivia with the weirdo and totally lost...but decided that that would be our new tuesday night thing to do! 1st prize is $50 so thats not too shabby!
Not too sure what the weekend has in store....but I start my new job at the International Office tomorrow!!! Very excited! YAY! Can't wait to get some MOOLAH!!!!

Ok...thats long enough for now...but if you don't hear from me for a few weeks....thats cause I'm writing 15 pagers about development communication in crappy little countries!!

xoxo
amy:-)

I've Moved!!

Hello all!

So I have moved from Erica's house to a suburb called Epping! My new address for you all to write me is:
1/64 Oxford Street
Epping, NSW 2121
Australia

So Erica is moving out of her house in about 2 weeks or so! And she is very excited as well! It will be cool for her to be away from home for once! Her parents are annoying as anything! But anyway...I'm out and loving it! The two sisters I live with are Aussie's from Indonesia. The younger more outgoing one is Sonya (26). She works at a bank and is pretty cool! The other sister is nice but not quite as outgoing. Her name is Kiki (28), and she is a nurse from what I understand! But I think things are going to work out just fine! I don't know how long I'll stay there, but for now I'm liking it! I also am getting my new bed tomorrow which I can't wait for! If the chick isn't lying about it, it sounds like an absolutely amazing bed! We shall see!
I went to Big W (their = to Walmart!) today and got new towels and a shower caddy for my new ensuite!! That may be the most exciting part! Well, that and the fact that I won't be living in a half put together house where I have to walk to the toilet all the way across the house!! haha

Anyway...thats all there is really for now! Andy is great as per usual! He is going to a buck's turn this weekend (that = bachelor party)! So I'm sure it will be crazy! I think I'm going to a charity thing with his bro on Friday and to the city on Saturday. Should be good fun! I also need to start doing some work on my papers soon! AHHH! I almost forgot there was work involved with going to school! haha

ok....I'm out! Love and miss you all and hope to hear from you sooooon!
MUAH!
ames:-)

I'm Online!!!!

So I have beaten the internet gods who were trying to keep me away from my precious internet!! I am now online at Erica's house which I have been trying to get working for a month now! But its up and running! Mostly Im excited so I can talk to you all more! Oh yea...and do research and homework...blah blah blah! haha

Tonight I'm headed to a rugby game with Andy and some of his buddies! Should be a good time! Then a German friend of mine is having a "house warming" party saturday because she moved into her new apartment last week! So should be fun as well! Then next week I'm going to work a little for Erica's mom basically handing out crap! But it's like $20/hour! So I don't mind the moolah! Also...I did get a real job! At the international office at Macquarie, working with the PR marketing people! I start the 8th of September! Im excited for that as well! So all in all....things are GREAT!

I hope you are all well! Miss each and everyone of you!
amy:-)

(im also including a pic of andy and I from a fun night on the town! and pic of a burly aussie man chopping wood at this woodchop festival we went to in andys town! so funny! cheers!)

I have a love/hate relationship with my computer!

SO at the moment I am hating my computer because it won't pick up erica's wireless signal, therefore not allowing me to connect to the internet...something I desperately need and want back! I have been using the computers at school and at erica's house, but its not the same as having mine...online all day and enabling me to talk to you all at home! So I am not a happy camper. Also...the last few days have been a serious shocker as I look at all the assignments Im meant to do between now and the end of november! It's just sad really because I could have been done and had a job making money! Oh well...Im very happy I came back over...and I love the classes...I just wish there was no work involved! Kinda like Marist when I was there! haha

Anyway...Im still in the process of trying to get my job at the INternational office. Im meeting with the public relations director tomorrow, so we shall see how that all goes! Hopefully well! Not that Im running out of money, but I will be in a few months if I don't get a job! Plus, I want to travel to New Zealand sometime in my long summer break (December-Feb) so I need to save for that! Andy said he would like to go as well because he has a friend there that he hasn't seen in a long time! So that should be cool!
Things are good with him as well. He is at school as well, two days a week and not really enjoying it! He says he's still in holiday mode and probably won't come out of it just because this is his last semester! He also works 3 days a week laboring with this Scottish dude! He's funny. But he gets paid really well...like $17/hour! Wish I made that! Well..maybe I will!
Also...his 96 year old grandma is very sick at the moment. She had to go to the hospital the other day when I was there, and it was a little sad because andy's mom was just so nervous and upset. I feel bad for her, but at the same time, she worries a little too much about it. Anyway...we shall see how she goes. Either she will get better and come back to andys house, or she will pass away in the hospital. I'll keep you updated.

So...nothing else is really new! I think im making these posts too boring for you all! I need to start making things up! Altough I could tell you about all the going out and drinking Im doing...but thats all the same really!
So I will stop boring you all and say farewell for now! But I miss and love you all! Hope this finds you well (if anyone in fact is reading this!)
MUAH!
amy:-)

First Class At Macquarie

Hey all!!
So today was my first class at Macquarie (from now on we will call it Mac cause thats easier!)
I am taking this class having to do with communication development, and there are people from all over the world in the class which I think is going to be a huge advantage! There are a lot of people from China, a few from Germany, Thailand, Chile, Colombia, Norway, Quwait, Holland, and me from the USA! We went around the room to talk about ourselves a little bit and where we were from, and it seemed like everyone was very interested in the course and were excited to start learning from each other! So I think this will be a great learning experience! Then I went to my other class of today, only to find out it was cancelled and starting next week! But thats ok because I needed to do other things on campus!
I moved into Erica's house yesterday! Avril and Ross are being very nice! Kind of sad to leave Andy and his family, but Ill be seeing them more often than not! They were so sweet to me for the past two weeks (as they always are!) Im actually heading back up there tonight because Mim and I are getting our hair cut, and Ben is leaving for England tomorrow so we are having dinner at the pub! YAY!

SO thats about it so far! Im looking forward to this semester of meeting cool people from all over the world and learning about all the different cultural perspectives they have to offer!
ok all...i love and miss you all! Hope this finds you well! Email me and let me know whats going on with all of you!
Talk soon....
Amy:-)

Back Down Undah!

Hello All! And welcome to another exciting edition of Amy IN OZ!! haha

So I've made it back down! No big problems...although I did get to sit in the LA airport for about 5 hours cause the plane was late coming in from NY. But a HUGE thank you to Susan and her family for making me feel so welcome in their home! I had a great time! Thanks again!
And it was awesome to see Miss Maura out there in all her glory! What an awesome job man! I really thought it was cool! Miss you already:-(

Anywho....Im just at Andy's house at the moment! I will be for about a week or so until my "family" in Eastwood comes back from holiday! Things are great with him also! It was so funny at the airport because I had called him to let him know the flight was about an hour behind--so he could sleep in a little! Turns out the pilot was going 80 million miles per hour and we arrived only about 10 minutes late! And I got through customs and quarantine so fast! So I was waiting outside for andy--and how unromantic! He was waiting inside somewhere and came up behind me! haha theres a love story for ya! But its great to finally be back with my boy! YAY!
So last night we just met up with a bunch of his friends and his brother, Ben, and had some drinks. Then Ben had a BBQ which was awesome-although it was a bit late cause by that time I was hammered! Being overtired and hungry is not a good combo! 100% bound to get drunk quick! haha But it was a really good time! Today, Andy has a soccer game at 1, then I think we're going to get me a mobile! SO I can rejoin the 21st century! Then there are plans for this evening, but of course I don't know what they are!

But ok...gotta run. My fingers are frozen! Yea....its freezing here! Esp. in the AM!
But I love you all! Missing you! More to come so come on back!

Drumheller side at Amanda's party!!  

The Family at Amanda's graduation 

VISA approved!!!

OK.....so only 7 days until I depart Syracuse, NY for Los Angeles, CA. Although I am looking forward to hanging out with Maura and Susan, I am realizing how weird it's going to be without my family for a year:-(
Amanda is going to go through her whole first year of college....Mom will learn what it's like to be an empty nester....and Dad is going to also do that, and move his whole business to a whole new place in the 'cuse.
So much will change while Im away. Its amazing how things keep going on without you! I mean I know they did that while I was at Marist, but at least then I was only 4 hours away! This time I'll be across the globe, but things will still go on as usual. I guess thats how things have to be! How would we survive otherwise!

So we had a good 4th of July! Mom and I just relaxed around the house all day (yes she did take a mattress outside and sleep under a tent for a few hours while I tanned and read!) and Dad got in some good golfing! Amanda had over her BF Justin and some friends! They swam and chilled....then we went to see some fireworks---I'd show you some pics from that but I had to trun in my camera to get fixed cause it keeps stuffing up! Piece of poooo!
Also....Amanda's party went off without a hitch! Had so much fun! Lots of cool people---lots of drinks! (pic at the bottom!)

So now I am just in my room, surveying the things scattered about! I think I'm doing ok actually! My VISA was approved! So I am so thankful that went through! No more worries! And everything seems to be falling into place--as it usually does! Andy always tells me not to worry cause things will work out...I guess he's got a good philosophy! Smart boy!

Anyway...I probably won't write again until I get to Oz.....but I just want you all to know that you are all amazing people who have had huge impacts on my life! I love you all and I shall talk to you from down under soon!

MUAH!
amy:-)

First Post

Well....thanks Brandon for giving me yet another thing I dont have time to do!! haha No, I thought this would be a cool thing for me to have whilst "down under!" This way everyone can keep up to date on what Im doing, and can let me know what they are up to! ANNND i can put photos! SWEET AS!

So...here it goes!

Im heading for Oz in approximately 11 days. Freaking out a little to say the least as I am having difficulties with my Visa application. Whatever...im sure you dont wanna hear about it, just take my word that it sucks! However...I am more than stoked to see Andy in that amount of time!!! I miss him soooo much and its gonna be awesome to actually BE with him for more than a month at a time!
Other than that, Ive just been spending the summer working at Home Depot here in the 'cuse, and hanging out with some old friends and the fam of course!!
Had an AWESOME time when everyone from Marist came to visit! Too bad we can't have one more shindig before I go:-( Oh well...a year will fly im sure! They always do!

I've been hanging out with the family too! and all my awesome neighbors! I can't tell you how much im gonna miss living here. I mean im so happy Im going, but its gonna be weird to move back to the states and have to live somewhere else!

Too bad I can't make it to CT this weekend to see Carla and Brandon cause I havent seen either of them since graduation. But Im sure you guys will have a great time and Ill see you when i return!

Well....i think thats about it for now kids. Im off to bed so that I can have my second to last day at the depot! Oh..and Amandas grad party is saturday...so good times ahead girls! I can feel it in me waters!
Ta-da!

-Amy


Just so we can have everything in one place...here are my pic page links.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/amy0631/my_photos
http://community.webshots.com/user/amy06311

getting ready for Oz!