I Leave (Brisbane) and Heave a Sigh and Say Goodbye

Two months in Brisbane went by incredibly quickly!  I finished two finals this past week, and then had the weekend off before leaving for Stradbroke Island this morning.  The hardest part of all this was not the part where I had to take final exams - it was leaving the friends that I have made during my stay here (mostly dancers, from both Australia and the U.S.).  I was fortunate to be able to spend a fantastic final weekend in their company; going out on a great note, I guess.

I took a mini road trip up to the Sunshine Coast with several of these friends on Friday.  We went to the Ettamoga Pub, to be touristy, and I got to try a classic Australian dessert known as pavlova (which my marine biology teacher uses as a model for reef formation, but that's another story).

We also ended up going to the beach (cold but sunny), cooking an amazing vegetarian dinner, and finding a koala crossing road sign, among other things.  Lots of fun!

The rest of the weekend was filled with more time with friends, including another fantastic dinner/dessert (made by two excellent cooks, who also happen to dance), as well as a nice evening out with nearly the entire dance group.  I will certainly miss them when I head back to my 'real life,' but I appreciate how much better my stay has been while in Brisbane because I met them.