Spring Break in Cairns, PT. 1

As I sit on this cold and stuffed up plane, I can't help but think about the adventure that awaits me. Unfortunately, 3 hours separates myself from the Crystal blue waters of Cairns, the Gorgeous Australian landscape and the crusty youth hostel, that is Gilligans. The plane is illuminated by deep violet lights, and catered by the friendliest Australian crew. Each attendant looks identical: fair skin, brunette hair wrapped tight in a bun, gorgeous blue eyes, and crimson red lipstick attempting to pull every ounce of white from their yellow teeth. The woman next to me is wrinkled with age, a thin mustache lines her upper lip with the slightest hint of death in her scent. She constantly checks her armpits for smell, as I can imagine flying stresses her old soul out. 

The man next to me is indulged in his Golfer's Digest, occasionally drifting asleep amidst the boredom of golf itself.
I, myself, have quickly sifted through my Surfing magazines, catching the old lady next to me attempting to sneak some peeks of Kelly Slater and Kohloe Andino and their sun kissed skin. Of course, I am to protect my sister in Christ from stumbling, so I quickly turn the page and giggle to myself. Want to know how I know the woman is looking? The sun reflects off the blond hairs of her mustache, and I catch that in my peripherals...only when she is looking my way. Haha

As I have no other choice than to reflect on this moment, I would like to thank those who have supported my entire adventures. Just know I am deeply thankful, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the encouragement I received in the months leading up to my flight. God has been very good to me, and please let it be known that it has been complete trust and faith in Him that has got me this far in my life. If you don't know Him, talk to me sometime.

I am currently sitting in Row 15 of the Virgin Australia flight. The two rows in front of me are the exit seats lined with 12 lucky customers who have earned the privilege of extra leg space.


These lucky winners range in age from 37 to 70, and I write to you in distress over the fact that if the plane goes down, they are the first ones to book it.  I watched as the flight attendant explained the procedures to them, and what to do in case of emergency. Each of them bobbed their crowns up and down and agreed to aid in service. I winced at their apathetic nature and began to daydream. I could see myself all over Australian and American social media and broadcasting networks as they proudly proclaim about the lone American who saved the passengers of flight number 1314. Good Morning America would be the first interview I would accept, and I would suddenly receive hundreds of random Facebook friend requests from creepers wanting to know who this mystery American is.

I quickly snapped out of my daydream when the plane began to dip into a vertical position. The seatbelt signal began to flash uncontrollably and each attendant began encouraging the passengers that this was unique on each flight to Cairns.

Just kidding. But Aussies are encouragingly sarcastic like that, so it wouldn't surprise me if that was their response.

Well, I will continue my journey with you when I reach AJ Hackett for the biggest adrenaline rush of my life. If I don't make it, please tell my Mom and Brother and Teddy and Simba I love them.

Well, I made it. Cairns is even more of what I truly expected Australia to be. Picture warm weather, luscious green mountains and crystal blue waters and you have reached Cairns. The town is small, much like Lake Geneva. Tourists are obviously the number one priority, and this is seen with the plethora of Youth Hostels and travel agencies that line every narrow road. Gilligans is my place of rest, and it's actually not too bad. My room is above the club below, and I actually had the privilege of seeing DJ Niño Brown! Haha For those who may be curious, hostels are much like hotels, except anyone can be in your room and it's dirt cheap. Sometimes you get strange people in your room, who also bring guests home as well. I'll leave it at that.

Excitement and anxiety began to set in as the great AJ Hackett shuttle arrived for our travel to jump! My group and I were jumping for joy to do one of the most wild things we can ever say we have done! Matt was our driver, and provided the basic rules for the jump, he then passed out forms so we could sign our lives away in case of an accident. By this moment, all I could think about is what would happen if my spinal cord snapped, and I was a vegetable for the rest of my life. We continued to drive along the tropical streets, and Matt informed us about the 12 foot Crocs that swarm the waters of Cairns. Up until last year, the locals still swam in the rivers, until a croc ate one of them. Then it wasn't all fun and games. Haha


Upon arrival, most of the group was in awe of the gorgeous mountainous landscape that surrounded us. Luscious green palms, along with a mix of others provided quite the excitement. We excited the van and were greeted to multiple AJ Hackett signs alerting us to the falling people that were ahead. Finally, out from the trees shot the 168 foot tower, just waiting for 6 adrenaline hungry Americans to place their lives on the line. Literally. Lol


Immediately, they sized us up and provided numbers to give the men at the top of the tower. So, like children on Christmas Day we booked it up the steps and finally stopped in awe when we realized what we were about to do. Heavy dub step music blasted from the top of the towers, and 6 Aussies were screaming and dropping colorful words around the four other girls I was with. Not a nerve in my system was moved as I provided encouragement for the others. They were about to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives, and I was seriously so proud of each of them for their bravery. One by one, they smiled for the camera, and dropped. I would race to the bar to see their flight and my stomach would drop right with them.


When my name was called, I was calm and relaxed and made my way to the box where they would tie me up. I had my waist harness on, and I watched as they wrapped a towel around my ankles and proceeded to tie a rope around the towel. Simple instructions were given to me. I was to waddle out to the end of the platform, smile at the video camera and attempt to perform a gnarly swan dive.


As time began to slow down, i hopped down from the box And scooted across the warm wood plank. My feet gradually inched until I reached the edge, hanging all 10 toes towards death. I smiled, andrebaline beginning to force it's way through my veins and I heard the count down; 5...4...3..2.1.
I leaped, attempting the best dive I could. Arms open, back arched preparing to hit the cool green waters at the end of the 164 foot drop. I attempted to scream, but my voice was robbed by the the sense of my stomach shooting into my throat. Before I could blink, I had reached the cold water below. My body dunked at least half way, and as I came out, I lost my sense of sound. I could see everyone cheering around me. Cameras flashing, fists pumping, but fear shot through me as I realized I couldn't hear a thing! As I attempted to clear my ears, the water finally drained and the yelling and screaming of my American friends became quite apparent, and an overwhelming sense of relief came about. A boat quickly picked me up, I gave one last smile to the camera, and untied myself. I made my way to my friends and felt really good about crossing something off of my bucket list. If you are an adrenaline junky, I definitely recommend the famous Bungy jump. Trust me :)

We ended the evening with high fives and photos, and were even lucky enough to receive free t-shirts! Wow! Haha Our shuttle drive Matt took us back to Gilligans and was a bit more rowdy then usual. He explained that its a custom for the employes to have a few to drink after work, so our lives were now in the hands with this psycho Aussie who claimed he almost punched Russell Crow after a rugby match! Crazy huh?
We ended up making it home, but along the way I couldn't help but take in the landscape. This luscious green atmosphere was exactly what I pictured Australia to be, and I didn't want to think about my return back to the hostel.
That night we went out to eat, and came back early to prepare for Our Adventure on Easter Morning to the Great Barrier Reef

Each of us woke up quite early as the excitement began settle in. I couldn't help but think about all the pictures and videos I had read about the reef. I lone idea that I would be spending Easter Sunday on it, made it that much more special. As I waited for my friends on the balcony, I watched the sun begin to wash the mountain tops with golden rays of light. The little town was waking up, and those that stayed out late were making their way back to the hostels to recover. I walked back into my room where I reached into my bag and sank my teeth into a delicious hot cross bun. I can honestly say I've never had one until coming to Australia, and they are quite delicious. Especially the chocolate chip kind!


After everyone was ready we grabbed our bags and made our way to the wharf to register for our tour. The wharf was quite busy, but our tour was still on and as we spoke with the representative for the tour they gave us yet another contract to sign which clearly explained we were responsible for our own lives. Of course I signed away, and boarded the ship with little anxiety.


The ship was medium sized with two decks. The front of the boat honed a sun deck for the babes to tan, while the back of the boat provided a place for our snorkel equipment. The inside of the boat was quite spacious, lined with multiple tables and seats and right away my group found themselves resting their weary heads on the cool wooden platforms. Videos were playing on televisions strategically placed around the room. Although they were educational. Some of them were quite awkward and I couldn't quite figure out why it was necessary to show a looping clip of coral and other sea creatures spawning? We were greeted and sized right away for flippers and I was given the safety number 17, as a way to provide a roll call for the staff.

I quickly made my way inside the boat, and found my friends who so happened to sit by these really cute girls who happened to be from Connecticut. I thought one of them would be my future wife. BUT, I quickly got my mind off of that idea, and began to get so excited as the rumble of the boat could be felt beneath my seat and I could feel the waves crashing gently against the side of the boat as we began to move. Within a few moments the captain spoke, and that was pretty neat! He gave us insight of what to expect, and also gave the usual speech on how it’s good to wear a wetsuit just in case of a jelly fish attack! So I purchased my wetsuit, as all of my friends did, and I humbly made my way outside on the top deck. 

The warm sun crept through my clothes as I watched in awe the sight as we left the dock in Cairns. To my left were luscious green mountains, and to my right there was nothing but crystal blue waters, and I was spending my Easter getting ready to have such a good time! Well, after about an hour of cruising, we began to slow down as we reached a few buoys in the middle of the deep blue waters. I could see where waves were crashing over the reef, and at some points the coral was peaking through the top of the water waiting for me to come explore. Quickly everyone began to hustle out of their seats as they grabbed their snorkeling equipment and made their way to the stairway into the water. My friends and I grabbed our goods, and zipped up our suits, and got some quick pictures before moving forth through our excursion into the open blue sea.

As I sat down on the steps above the water, I was amazed by how crystal clear the ocean was. I could easily see 50 feet down, which was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. The scuba divers were already making their trek to the bottom, and some of the Asians who couldn’t swim made sure the captain had provided them with noodles lol I laughed a little as I begin to put on my mask and attempt to place the snorkel in my mouth. I allowed for the water to reach my body before I sank in. to give you a good idea of what I felt,  I want you to picture yourself slowly sliding into a warm bath tub after a long day at work or school. Now imagine hundreds of thousands of colorful fish guiding themselves through your arms and legs as they are just as curious as you are to see what is going on in their home. Picture the coral you have seen in books and magazines of the Great Barrier Reef, and that is exactly what I experienced.

I felt like I was in the largest bath tub in the world, and once you experience it, you never want to let that go. The fish were amazing! Some were big, some were little, some were long, and some were short. Some were fat, and some were skinny, and some were gorgeous, and others were pretty ugly. The coral was super cool too. So many different kinds! At one point, I thought I saw a collection of deer antlers! Its crazy what the ocean holds, I wish I could explore it more and more every day!

Everyone is worried about Sharks when they enter the Reef. The little kids all ask if they are going to get eaten, and the answer that the Captain gives, is that you probably won’t see any do don’t worry. Well, that dumbass was wrong. Haha After a few hours of exploring everything I could see, I began to make my way away from the rest of my group and the ship. I saw everything from sea cucumbers, to Gil fish from Nemo, to the deer antler to some starfish! But as I was swimming through open waters, my heart almost stopped when a 6 foot shark slowly crept up behind me. I quickly realized that this shark wasn’t interested in me, so I took some big gulps of air and quickly attempted to swim behind it. The shark wasn’t very fat or hungry, but just looked curious to see what was going on. I followed him for about 50 feet, but lost him as he made  his way through some coral. I was so excited after this experience that I quickly made my way to the boat, and before I knew it, it was time to come home!

We got our pictures developed quickly on the boat, and by the time it was dinner time, we had already made it back to the marina so we could enjoy the rest of our day and prepare for the Rainforest!!!

Now, I will post on the rainforest adventure as soon as I can, but everyone should know that I am doing well. It is currently April 14^th, and I have been having such an amazing time here in Australia. I’ve done things that I’ve never imagined I would do, so it’s been a really good experience. I have a ton of stories, from Hanging out with Kelly Slater, to chilling with Homeless people, and climbing to the top of Sydney Tower! I wish I had time to tell more about what I’ve done on my blog, and I apologize for not posting in a while. Pictures will come up, and I will have to steal people’s memory cards because they have really good pictures too!

For those that are wondering, I will be home June 9^th most likely. That is coming up so much quicker than I anticipated, but I am looking forward to everything else there is to see and do. As I mentioned before follow me on Instagram where you can see some of my pictures! I will finish part two of Cairns as soon as I can. But just send some prayers my way too as this semester begins to pick up with my work load and all.

If you would like to write to me. Do it!

Mike Bruce

Wesley Institute- ASC PO BOX 534

Drummoyne, NSW

1470 Australia

It takes two stamps! haha

Australia in the Eyes of a Midwestern Kid

If you were to combine the City of Chicago, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Louisville from the perspectives of culture and attractions, you would have Sydney, Australia.

The city is broken up into main suburbs much like home, and its people seem to walk and talk with a certain confidence unknown to the average tourist. The buildings tower over luscious green parks and even the homeless men can be seen enjoying the golden rays of sun on a perfectly perched bench.

However, Sydney is nothing like home. The homeless all tell you to smile, because you are in Australia. The Crows sound like crying babies, and absolutely everyone looks good. I have spent four days soaking in every bit of Australia that I can, and let me tell you, I have yet to see one overweight person!

Don’t expect to even hear a siren during your stay. I was lucky enough to see a fire truck drive through the streets of Sydney, it was then that I realized that was the first siren I heard, and has been the last one as well. BTW, Fire trucks look like a red short bus.

Public transit is very nice so far. The trains are clean, the buses smell fresh, and you seriously do not need to worry about the person sitting next to you. Everyone is very friendly and approachable, and I would not hesitate to talk to someone if boredom was a factor.

Getting used to the road system is very different as well. Of course the driver sits on the opposite side of the vehicle, but they also drive on the other side of the road as well. Gas is called Petrol, and petrol is sold by the liter. 1.57 if that fits your fancy. 4 liters go to a gallon, and a tank can get quite expensive which is why I will not be driving during my duration! Lol

When it comes to Uni, Aussies don’t really stress about schooling the way Americans do. In fact, many Australians don’t see their GPA until after they graduate. In American terms, C’s get degrees. Lol The grading terms are different as well, considering the grading scale in nothing like the A-F system we have. In other words, I wish I had just gone to school here in Sydney. It takes 3 years to graduate, and all you really need is that piece of paper saying you finished your specific program of education.

Many Americans seem to have a hard time accepting the Mexicans who receive free health care, and all the benefits of being American. Well, in Australia, 40% of the population is of another culture, with most being Asian. So Asians are as to Mexicans when it comes to alienating a new country.

I will speak more about my host family as I progress, but right now I am excited to say I am staying with a great family in a neighborhood called Croydon. Croydon is a small village in the outskirts of Sydney, but fairly close to my school which is nice. The family is made up of two little boys, two cats, as well and Mr. and Mrs. Nair who are very kind. Mr. Nair is from Fiji, and Mrs. Nair is from Italy. As you can see, Italian and Seafood will be a very delicious diet J

I will not have as much internet the first few days I am here, so please give me some time to get going. I am still learning public transportation here in Australia, and I will be planning on purchasing a bike here soon too!

If you have any questions about Australia, feel free to ask me! I will be happy to find out the answer for you. I will be sharing my new phone number soon as well when I get that all set up!

Continue to follow on Facebook and Twitter and I will be posting some instagram photos soon!!!

Peace.

PS. Australian internet is terrible!!!!!!!!!

5 Reasons Why You Need to Study Abroad

As a Senior in college, I can finally say that I was able to experience one of the most memorable journeys in my existence. After 21 years, I was able to do the one thing that I had been dreaming about since I was a kid; Studying Abroad. Now you may be just like me, but maybe you need a few more reasons to convince yourself that you need to go.If this is true, here are 5 reasons for you to see why you should take the plunge and just study abroad!

5. It's Affordable:
Believe it or not, most study abroad programs will still cost about the same per semester as your home university... including airfare and other add-ons. I found that depending on where I wanted to go, financial aid was still fully available. With further research, I was able to receive half of my student aid, which still allowed me build on the opportunity to study. So take a look at your options and talk to your financial aid advisor. They very much want to help you, and in my case I was able to work out a way to have some money to spend while I was in Australia..you could do the same!

4. It Works With Your Major:
You may be surprised to see that you may have more general education classes than you do core courses. Take advantage of this. I am a Public Relations major, and after looking at my degree audit, I found that I only needed 9 more PR credits...but 24 Gen Ed credits. So, I used this to my advantage, and worked with my advisor to get the credits I will take to transfer flawlessly towards graduation. Many programs are for your major anyways!! So why wouldn't you want to use that for your own good?!

3.Your Friends Are Doing It:
If you are like me, you have clicked through countless pictures of your friends on Facebook having the time of their lives in Spain, Europe, Africa etc. You probably have heard the amazing stories of their adventures, and perhaps you would like to be able to share your own stories with your friends and family as well. Now it's your turn!  Ask around, see where your friends and family have been, and start planning your own adventure.

2. Intercultural Experience/Networking
Depending on where you are traveling and what program you are going to study, you have a possibility to make some fantastic connections. Some of the best stories I've heard, are the ones that spontaneously include meeting random celebrities in an elevator and then connecting with them later on in the States. Or perhaps you are wanting to grow in your business or teaching experience. Employers like seeing this experience on a resume, so you can use this to your advantage. If you make a good impression in your new country, you might receive offers to work internationally! Of course it takes time, and you need to be passionate about whatever you want to do. However, opportunities are always out there, and it wouldn't hurt to establish great relationships because it can only help you in the long run.

1. You Only Live Once
Yes. I am using this acronym to prove a point. At what other point in your life are you going to be able to live internationally for four months without worrying about a mortgage, spouse, children and a career?! I honestly cannot answer this question, but maybe your parents can. You are at a point in your life where you can say YOLO and live abroad without worrying about things you will have to do after you graduate. You don't have to grow up just yet, use this opportunity to do something you have always wanted! So many people regret not taking the chance to study abroad because they didn't think they could do it. I'll be honest, it is a lot of work to go through the entire process, but trust me, it's 100% worth it and your future self will pick up the tab ;) YOLO!

So don't hesitate. Go to your Global Studies office or Academic Advisor and look at your options. You are in the prime of your life, why wait when you have a family or when you're retired? Take the chance now while you still can, and create an adventure that will last a lifetime!

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Preparation: 27 Days

Hello World,

Well, it's been a little while since my last post. So I suppose you would like to know how I am spending my time off from school.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of  hanging out with some of my  old friends, as well as my Grandma and Brother at the 28th Annual Cubs Convention. With plenty of players, artifacts and conferences I definitely had my winter Cubs fix. One of the highlights of the convention involved meeting Kerry Wood, who was my favorite pitcher growing up. Although he finally retired last year, it was great to see him still involved with the organization. With that being said, I felt that I should join his cause to help kids in and around the city of Chicago. So I applied to intern with the Wood Family Foundation! Here's the link! They do some pretty great stuff during the summer, so hopefully I can be apart of that as well. I have an interview next week, so wish me luck, and any prayers would be nice too :)
http://mlb.mlb.com/players/woodfamilyfoundation/index.jsp

While preparing for Australia, I decided to look into things to do there on youtube. Of course I found some great stuff, but then I found this...The Huntsman Spider!!! Watch this video. This is the only reason why I am getting scared to go haha 
Stupid Spider Video

As the days keep counting down, I am growing farther and farther away from wanting to do school work. This of course is not good, because it means I'm not gonna have fun the first few weeks in my new country. But, after this semester is over, I will finally be a senior! Which means that I will be done with school forever and I am definitely ready for that.

My brother and I also saw Haunted House. It's really funny, but super stupid. So if you want to have a good laugh see that! 
I also saw Django which is sickk!!! See that if you want to see the best movie of your life! lol I'm still trying to see the Hobbit. So if anyone is down. Please tell me!

I have also had the opportunity to do some extra PR work while I have been home with my High School. So tomorrow I will be conducting a focus group to get some inside Social Media information for the school. Thank you Dr. Lee, for giving me the skills for that!

With all this being said, I am looking forward to my trip and cannot wait to start living in a completely new culture. I know things will be completely different than I'm used to, however I also know that I will be making some sick connections along the way. I figured I might as well network there so at some point I can move to a nice Australian city. Feel free to join me if you would like.

Well, I hope things are well. I miss everyone at school too. I want to come back for a Komets game, so if you're down to go, let me know and I will make my way back! 

If you would like to follow my travels on Twitter you can here:http://twitter.com/mikebruce1291

If you would like to follow my pictures on Instagram you can here: mbruce1291

If you would like to connect professionally you can here: linkedin.com/in/michaelbruce3

Until next time....

Peace!