Week 5 - Kayaking

           This past weekend, I was unable to attend the lawn bowling field trip because I was in Byron Bay. However, my weekend getaway did not stop me from participating in a very important Australian sport – kayaking. According to the official Australian canoeing and kayaking website, kayaking boomed in popularity in the 1970s as better materials were introduced to make more advanced boats. Australians excelled in canoeing and kayak races in Olympic games throughout the eighties and official canoeing clubs sprouted up in every state of Australia.

            Canoeing and kayaking are probably such popular sports in Australia because they take place in the water, which is where the majority of the Australian population resides. The sports make for great leisure activities and are another excellent way to get in touch with the ocean as well. In Byron Bay, there were two major kayaking companies who offered two trips daily, and both trips were pretty booked.

            On our trip out, we paddled over reefs and along with the dolphins. Taking in my surroundings, I was surprised to see how far I paddled out. I’ve never been so far out to sea in such a small boat by myself before. It was pretty challenging trying to overcome the waves and the currents, but the entire experience itself was very empowering. I felt meek sitting in a small boat in an enormous ocean, yet I also felt very adventurous and free. These emotions definitely made me realize that kayaking and canoeing precisely capture the Australian spirit, as every good Australian likes to feel bold and limitless. 

History. (n.d.). Australian Canoeing. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://www.canoe.org.au/?Page=1512&MenuID=AC_Information/93/0/,Who_is_Australian_Canoeing%3F/68/1513/0,Australian_Canoeing_History/69/0/

Week 4 - Surfing

            I was so excited to FINALLY take a surf lesson at Manly Beach this weekend! However, when I woke up on Saturday morning to the pouring rain and set off for the ferry, which happened to rock and roll more than a rockstar does, I grew extremely nervous. The surf was just as rough as the ferry ride and as a bunch of us sat in a semicircle around our instructors in our binding wet suits, I grew extremely nervous.

            What I didn’t expect was that actually getting the surf board out into the water would be so physically taxing. The waves and the currents were so strong that they would just drag my board backwards into the rips. By the time I actually reached the point to where I wanted to catch a wave, I was already exhausted.

            Despite how much it sucked in the beginning though, when I actually was able to ride a wave, it was the most exhilerating feeling in the world and made the hard labor totally worth it. Gliding over the water at full speed felt like flying and I could understand why surfing is so important to the Australian culture. There’s nothing like being so in touch with nature and although I could only manage to stand on my knees in the crazy surf, I absolutely can’t wait to try it again. I’m going to Byron Bay this weekend and I will definitely be renting a board.  

Week 3 - The Nippers

            This week we went on our first official trip with my Australian Sport and Cultures class. Early Sunday morning a huge group of us made our way down to Maroubra beach to watch the Nippers have fun in the sand. There were two interesting things that struck me as interesting about this trip. One was that Maroubra has such a crazy history and a very rich (and yet also violent) culture. Maroubra beach is home to the famous beach gang called the Bra Boys, and although it seems that their main purpose is to find solitude amongst a difficult life by riding a wave, there are still hundreds of cases of fighting, stabbing, and other crimes associated with the gang. It was interesting that a gang like this actually existed, and I haven’t even heard of anything like this in America. What was even more interesting was that on a Sunday morning, Maroubra looked so calm and peaceful, it was hard to believe that it could be home to something so rough.

          The second thing that I found really interesting about this trip was how fun the Nippers looked! I swear I wish we had something like this in America. I live pretty close to the Jersey Shore and I would have loved a group like the Nippers growing up. There was a really tight community and family feel as the little kids swam in the ocean and did drills in the sand. Most of the parents were directly involved while the rest were enthusiastically cheering the kids on from the sidelines. I find it amazing that groups like this exist all along the Australian coast, and I think it’s a great way to instill family time and promote healthy competition in young children’s minds. Not to mention the children were so well-behaved!! 

Week 2

It’s only the second week of class and I’ve already witnessed a crazy sporting event that’s sacred to Sydney: a Rugby League football match. The game was between the South Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters, and when initially bought the tickets, I thought the team names actually sounded pretty funny. But no, upon arrival at the stadium, I saw that there was nothing funny about rugby. Both sides had a really good number of fans who seemed to have come out in droves to show their support. Everywhere I looked there was a diehard fan sloshing back a beer and screaming their heads off. The closest I’ve seen to this sort of fanaticism in America is when big guys take off their shirts and paint their bodies with their team colors in freezing temperatures for an American football game, but that couldn’t quite compare to this.

            The cheering was very infectious and even though I didn’t really have a clue as to what was going on, I could tell that it was a REALLY exciting game. The Roosters were killing the Rabbitohs, then the Rabbitohs almost made an amazing comeback, but in the end the Roosters stayed on top and were victorious.

            Usually when you’re walking on the street, Australians are always super polite and talk so quietly, which is why it was so funny to see everyone absoultey screaming their heads off. It was great to see so many passionate people in one place and honestly, it was an amazing thing to watch and experience. It was definitely one of my favorite nights here thus far.

Introduction

            G’day! My name is Jennifer and I’m currently spending a semester abroad in the beautiful Sydney, Australia. Through this blog I would like to reflect on and share my experiences of Australian sport and culture. In a country that is known to have very fit and active people, I must say that there are plenty of opportunities to observe and participate in Australian sports and experience the culture surrounding them.

            I am originally from New Jersey and attend school at Penn State University, where I will graduate next year.  Growing up, I participated in a few sports, including softball and basketball, but my favorite sport to play is tennis. I also am an avid sports fan and love to watch baseball and professional and college football. My university is a Division 1 school and our sports teams are huge! Attending games with crazy Penn State fans has been a huge bonus to my college experience.

            Other than sports, my favorite activities include cooking and hiking. I also love to just hang out with friends and travel. Even though I’ve already been in Australia for about a month, I’m still very excited to keep adventuring out and explore my surroundings, as well as travel all around Australia. I am hoping to make the most of my time here and taking classes such as Australian Sports and Cultures will hopefully help me achieve that. I can’t wait to learn and soak up all that I can through this course.