I don't even know where to start, Australia is amazing. It's also amazingly hot and humid, so much so that it is exhausting. Even though the night life is great here I haven't experienced much of it because I've been turning in early most nights. Despite this and the heat, I have had some amazing experiences, and it's hard to believe I've only been here one week. I landed in Cairns exactly one week and three hours ago. Since then I have snorkeled and dove on the Great Barrier Reef, learned how to throw a boomerang, held a koala, watched a crocodile feeding, shopped at a night market, went swimming at two beaches, one in a stinger net and one a man-made lagoon, participated in a drum circle, and countless other things. I've moved into my dorm at James Cook University and gone through a few orientation activities and have another week of orientation before classes start.
So I have explored two cities in the country so far, Cairns, where we had our program orientation, and Townsville, where the university is located. Cairns is a rather touristy town. It isn't too big, and it feels rather safe. The sidewalks are packed with specialty shops and boutiques and at night and on weekends the streets are lined with vendors selling their wares. Because of the marine stingers, or jellyfish, it is unsafe to swim off the beach so the city has built a lagoon that overlooks the ocean. It has a rather picturesque view and is great for the community. At night, bats can be seen flying across the sky, and during the day seabirds wander around looking for something to eat. Townsville is also a small town, the university is actually totally separate from the town but luckily there is public transportation that runs between the two locations as well as the beach. The beach is also closed to swimming for now because of the stingers so there are a few stinger nets which people can swim in with a bit more confidence that they won't get stung. There is also a pool which filters sea water in and the beach ends at the end of the road at a small amphitheater which is where the drum circle was located.
I don't even know where to start, Australia is amazing. It's also amazingly hot and humid, so much so that it is exhausting. Even though the night life is great here I haven't experienced much of it because I've been turning in early most nights. Despite this and the heat, I have had some amazing experiences, and it's hard to believe I've only been here one week. I landed in Cairns exactly one week and three hours ago. Since then I have snorkeled and dove on the Great Barrier Reef, learned how to throw a boomerang, held a koala, watched a crocodile feeding, shopped at a night market, went swimming at two beaches, one in a stinger net and one a man-made lagoon, participated in a drum circle, and countless other things. I've moved into my dorm at James Cook University and gone through a few orientation activities and have another week of orientation before classes start. 
So I have explored two cities in the country so far, Cairns, where we had our program orientation, and Townsville, where the university is located. Cairns is a rather touristy town. It isn't too big, and it feels rather safe. The sidewalks are packed with specialty shops and boutiques and at night and on weekends the streets are lined with vendors selling their wares. Because of the marine stingers, or jellyfish, it is unsafe to swim off the beach so the city has built a lagoon that overlooks the ocean. It has a rather picturesque view and is great for the community. At night, bats can be seen flying across the sky, and during the day seabirds wander around looking for something to eat. Townsville is also a small town, the university is actually totally separate from the town but luckily there is public transportation that runs between the two locations as well as the beach. The beach is also closed to swimming for now because of the stingers so there are a few stinger nets which people can swim in with a bit more confidence that they won't get stung. There is also a pool which filters sea water in and the beach ends at the end of the road at a small amphitheater which is where the drum circle was located.
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