Well, a whole week has gone by and I haven't written anything to my wonderful fans (cough, cough, wink, wink) :p Anyway, I would love to have some wonderful goss or news or something but basically I have been going to school, getting as much work as possible at the Lodge/Nursing Home (I think i am basically learning every shift there is there -It is crazy stuff!!! I have run out of the number of mistakes I make - insane!!!!), getting all my paperwork worked out for work in the hospital (yes, I am turning into a working chic this semester - basically, I am a crap nurse so we constant work I am hoping to become more confident AND become a fanastic nurse - basically well the horse throws me off I am going back again to kick it in the balls - or some other strange twist of that saying :p), getting a thousand and one assignments (there is so many - it increase every semester - now, why am I surpurised by that?), hanging with the family (it is awesome having Kristin and Mel in the dorm, and Chris and Dad across the road in the flats with Mum arriving TOMORROW!!!!), and well, basicaly that is about it.

I am so thankful it is Sabbath - even tho I am working this afternooon :( I don't like it but I just have to keep telling myself that kicking a horse in the balls is truly rewarding :D

Catch ya next time,

Shaz

Ah, it is Sabbath!!! And I did a lot of things today. I mean, I worked, talked (that's not hard - it's me!!!), shopped, banked, bused, movied, chocolated, carred, socialised, eated, laughed, Bibled, welcomed backed Kellyed, and chilled.

All in all it was a good day. I keep busy, I ensured I was out of my comfort zone on many occasions, and I was NOT A SNOB (ok, maybe I was twice but I wasn't for th erest of the day!!! I swear). And I actutally enjoyed not being a snob - after I got over my uncomfortableness and awkwardness it was fine. :) I even realised that I had connections with people I would never have thought. For example, at SBS today I had a bit of a bible study with couple of people and one of them, an RN that I have worked with before had some really excellent pts and we all (the groupe) worked really well with diging deep into the Bilbe. Good stuff. :)

Anyway, as Kel P would say, my eyes feel fat so I need sleep,

good night,

Sharona

Well, I am back in Oz!!! And I feel like I have hit the ground running. Registration, catching up with friends, seeing Kel in hospital (did ya all know she is back in hospital - nothing serious just getting priority over outpatients in getting some tests done), hanging Kristin (yipee!!!), trying to organise this and that, running all these errands since I have tons of bills etc. that I have just left due to being away. :(

We had a Mexican welcome dinner for the 1st yrs the other night which was fanastic. :) I mean, honestly, it wasn't the best social I have been to in my life and I didn't really want to go but it WAS a SOCIAL and I DID GO!!! I know this sounds super weird but when I am at the SAN I am a bit of a snob - I don't socialise as much - I have my small group of friends - Yo yo, Kylie Anne, Kel, Mel, Leith and Kristin at the moment and that is it. I don't interact with everyone else, I dont' make an effort and I don't get to know anyone. Shame, shame, shame. I also don't work in the hospital and I am terrified of getting work thus making me a very unconfident nurse and a pretty bad one. I know this all sounds like I am coming down pretty hard on myself but I am facing up to some hard truths (going home always causes me to adjust my perspective on life!). So this semester I am going to try harder ... to social, to work, to study, to be a better person. Now this does not mean I will decrease my visits to Avondale but I will have more of a "team spirit" at the SAN. I will appreciate it more (I mean, I got to compare the SAN to PAU's nursing department and we have it pretty good really - on as good as Avondale but pretty darn good). I want/need a car badly as well so I am really going to put in the hard work all around. I am also going to put more effort into my church - I will go to socials and I will interact and not be put off because I feel intimidated or shy or embarrassed. I will do it ... even if it kills me! It is so scary. :p

Anyway, sorry for the sidetrack. The mexican dinner was quite good and well, I got to interact with a number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd yrs (yeah, there a quite a number  of people I need to socialise with or at least not snob!). There was yummy haystacks, a game, pool and balloons. :D

This Friday night I WILL go to SBS (Soup, Buns, and Scripture) with the church youth group - I even getting picked up by a girl who I barely know. Ahhh!!!

Oh, by the way, on a different topic, my dad got approved to do his doctrine today. He presented his proposal for it and gained approval and it is excellent. :D Go Dad!!!

And I got a super compliment the other day. It didn't hit me straight away but when it did I was really blown away. We have a spiritual class and anyway, we have to have small groups of 7 or 8 and well, Yo and I were a bit worried (b/c we are snobs and don't really interact with our class mates so, it was going to bite us in the butts, who do WE go with?) and anyway, this guy asked us to be in his group. I actually thought it was joking because of the totally different social group but int he end Yo and I joined. When we sat down, one fo the first things he said was ok, well, Sharona, you are the spiritual one so you can be in charge. Ohhhh!!! Ok, it could be just a change to get out of responsibility but my goodness, what a compliment. And our group is excellent. Most of it I don't know really well so it is a chance to get to know more people :D

Anyway, enough ranting and raving, I have work in the morning,

Miss ya

Shaz

hey all!!!

Well, no great news but just thought i would drop ya all a note to tell ya bout my hols so far:

There has been a couple of girls staying with us but they have now gone back to their school/work but it was nice while they were with us

I mowed the lawn yesterday!!!! Ok, I know this sounds terrible but it is the first time I have ever done it all by myself. Yeah, I know, 20 yrs old and never mowed her own entire yard. Dude, that is depressing but it is true. The reason for this is that people who stay with us tend to do it to show their appreciation for letting them stay etc. and well, I don't know, others have always got to it first. Mum and Dad actually pay someone to do because they are quite busy teaching. Of course, yesterday I didn't get paid!!! Unfair!! Well, nah, really, I actually enjoyed it and the experience was good. Something I could boast about (of course, not too much because of the shameful fact that I am 20 and I have never mowed our entire lawn before!!! Shame, shame!!!)

Been a couple of rascal (criminal) scares around here lately. A member of faculty was nearly held up the other day but he managed to drive though the attackers. They had guns and everything but thankfully no one was hurt. :) But it was scary for the poor bugger.

Been getting into Bryce Courtney (sorry about the spelling - it's my dad's fault) with Matthew Flinders' Cat and Brother Fish etc. It is really good stuff. :)

Be back in Aus in 5 days - Nooo!!! It means that I have to go back to school. Man, my hols have gone just so fast. It is not fair!!! I like hols.

Anyway, I will stop my complaining as none of us like a complainer.

Anyway, enjoy your break, work, hols, prac, etc.

Shaz

I am home!!! The heat, the mozzies, the pot holes, the betel nut, the rich drinks! AH, what a place!!

Actually, I am really enjoying it - of course, I have only been home for three days - even though the uni is having exams there is this ovivous feel bout the uni that Sydney, and not even Avondale has - it is relaxed, people don't rush around here (the heat won't let them!). I don't know - people seem a lot more carefree and relaxed - of course, maybe I didn't notice people being relaxed in Sydney because I was blinded by my own stress. Anyway, onwards with the blog ...

Tried to convince my parents that my brother's girlfriend was pregnant and I was adopting it when I got here (nothing like good news from the home land to make you feel just great) but they didn't believe me (I think they trust them or something strange like that .. don't know why? I mean, have you mean them?)

Went into town the other and went into one of the villages. We were looking for this friend of the family and anyway, the place was packed. My friend was telling me that in the houses (if you could call them that - rooms bout double my dorm room and with the bathroom down stairs) lived not 1, not 2, but 3 or 4 familes. And in this culture a family includes mum, dad, a dozen kids, the aunties, uncles, cousins, grandparents etc. That is a lot of people for a small room. Mum and Dad commented how last time they came here there were tons of washing out and the same was today. The only thing I can figure is that the kids wore one set of clothes one day and washed the other set and then swapped. It was amazing the number of people who got dressed as we pulled up - kids pulled on pants, ladies put on more covering tops, etc. Quite interesting. I thought we had disturbed bathtime, but nah, it was just fun time in the water. :) Anyway, don't know why but thought you may find this interesting as it is really different from Aussie or at least the Aussie I am familiar with anyway. :)

Went to church today and there were all these groups up the front talking about street ministry and prison ministry and it was very inspiring. It is great to see churches with outreach programs and that kind of thing. :)

Been helping mum mark papers - and in the weirdest way, it is actually been fun. But of course, I have always been a sucker for work and fun at the same time. :)

Dad has been picking on me majorly since getting home - I can't believe I actually missed it. :) lol. One of our chairs broke and Dad has been taking it in turns to tease me or Tupea (chick staying with us at the moment) about it. It is either that or some other random thing just so he can tease us. :) Weird, because I will miss it when I go back to Aus.

Anyway, need to go and enjoy the wonderful warm weather of PNG - suckers!!! in Aussie!!!! :)

Anyway, miss ya,

Shaz

I am home!!! The heat, the mozzies, the pot holes, the betel nut, the rich drinks! AH, what a place!!

Actually, I am really enjoying it - of course, I have only been home for three days - even though the uni is having exams there is this ovivous feel bout the uni that Sydney, and not even Avondale has - it is relaxed, people don't rush around here (the heat won't let them!). I don't know - people seem a lot more carefree and relaxed - of course, maybe I didn't notice people being relaxed in Sydney because I was blinded by my own stress. Anyway, onwards with the blog ...

Tried to convince my parents that my brother's girlfriend was pregnant and I was adopting it when I got here (nothing like good news from the home land to make you feel just great) but they didn't believe me (I think they trust them or something strange like that .. don't know why? I mean, have you mean them?)

Went into town the other and went into one of the villages. We were looking for this friend of the family and anyway, the place was packed. My friend was telling me that in the houses (if you could call them that - rooms bout double my dorm room and with the bathroom down stairs) lived not 1, not 2, but 3 or 4 familes. And in this culture a family includes mum, dad, a dozen kids, the aunties, uncles, cousins, grandparents etc. That is a lot of people for a small room. Mum and Dad commented how last time they came here there were tons of washing out and the same was today. The only thing I can figure is that the kids wore one set of clothes one day and washed the other set and then swapped. It was amazing the number of people who got dressed as we pulled up - kids pulled on pants, ladies put on more covering tops, etc. Quite interesting. I thought we had disturbed bathtime, but nah, it was just fun time in the water. :) Anyway, don't know why but thought you may find this interesting as it is really different from Aussie or at least the Aussie I am familiar with anyway. :)

Went to church today and there were all these groups up the front talking about street ministry and prison ministry and it was very inspiring. It is great to see churches with outreach programs and that kind of thing. :)

Been helping mum mark papers - and in the weirdest way, it is actually been fun. But of course, I have always been a sucker for work and fun at the same time. :)

Dad has been picking on me majorly since getting home - I can't believe I actually missed it. :) lol. One of our chairs broke and Dad has been taking it in turns to tease me or Tupea (chick staying with us at the moment) about it. It is either that or some other random thing just so he can tease us. :) Weird, because I will miss it when I go back to Aus.

Anyway, need to go and enjoy the wonderful warm weather of PNG - suckers!!! in Aussie!!!! :)

Anyway, miss ya,

Shaz