Big Day Out Pt. 1

So this is about a week's past, BUT I finally have a minute while waiting for a bus! There's been so much that's happened, I feel like I've been here a month already. Anyway, Big Day Out is an enormous one day festival in New Zealand and Australia (kinda like Bonnaroo), and this one day show with literally hundreds of artists moves from city to city, hitting around 7 or so cities. Coincidentally, Auckland's BDO was the day after I flew in. I was a bit afraid I would collapse in a jet lag stupor after facing mid-summer heat on my feet for 12 hours, but it was fine. I'm not the important part of BDO however, these people are:

Cairo Knife Fight: Never heard of them, but they were a pretty intense duo, check 'em out, kinda electronicy-hard rockish

Nick D: Crazy cool mash-up artist. One of my favorites of the day

The Temper Trap: These guys you might have heard of, they have this one popular song that I enjoy, but other than that they were sub-par.

Passion Pit: Hands down, favorite act! These guys were funny and great live, but the crowd really did it for me. When "Little Secrets" came on, everyone flipped out and it was awesome. I tried to take some good video, but the camerawork was heavily influenced by jumping people. I also felt like we bonded ever so slightly because it was also Passion Pit's first time in NZ and they were going on about being used to snow and cold.

Eskimo Joe: These guys are an Australian band, who my friend Lauren introduced me to awhile back. You could kind of tell they were getting a bit old, but they had plenty of energy and the lead singer had his shit together. Give them a listen, "Black Fingernails, Red Wine" I think is one that's worth checking out.

Kasabian: Apparently this is some hot shit European band that I'd never heard of, but I couldn't get into the fenced off area with a back pack (come on who doesn't bring a backpack to this thing??) so I watched from afar and it didn't do it for me. Sorry Europe.

And Now We Wait

Christmas has come and gone, New Year's has come and gone. Normally at this time of year I would be very bored and a little depressed. BUT whatever post-holiday doldrums that might have occurred are now being canceled out by anticipation for Adventurepartytravelfuntime 2010. In four days, I will be taking a megabus ride (that only cost me 50 cents (knock on wood that its legit (you better knock on wood as you read this))) down to a random street corner in NYC. From there I will panic for about 8 minutes after realizing the enormity of the task ahead. Then hopefully I'll pull it together, find a Subway, eat a sandwich, then find a subway and ride to 107th and Broadway where my dear friend Tess lives. My fellow Geneseo-ite comrades Tess and Eric will be attending a Passion Pit concert as I arrive. After meeting up with them and dropping my stuff off, we will meet up with my best friend Alice who is taking a later megabus down. Then apparently we are headed to a barn rave in New Jersey for the night, who knew??

After what is sure to be a shitshow only New Jersey could facilitate, we will drive back to NY and see Alice off to her flight (Alice is studying in Florence, Italy, Tess is studying in Sevilla, Spain and Eric in Gronengin, The Netherlands forgot to mention all that).

Actually I just realized I probably shouldn't talk about everything that's GOING to happen because it might not and I'm currently counting "chickens" before they "hatch".

Anyway in the likely chance that I get sent by megabus to NY, El Salvador or the rave barn collapses on me or I choke on a banana pepper in Subway, those had been my plans.

Buying Mah Flight

So after much browsing the 'net and some wringing of hands and doubling checking I'm not actually signed up to study in Guangzhou, I bought a flight! Woo-hoo! On Jan. 12 I am flying from JFK to LAX, then from LAX to NAN (Fiji) and from NAN to AKL (Auckland, New Zealand)! And at a mere $995! I opted for the $50 traveler's insurance, because it seemed like a good deal, I'll have to make sure to lose some bags or have a heart murmur so I get my money's worth. Honestly though, that price was by far the best I found in the past 2 weeks at least. Vayama.com is the place where I found the best prices, and its also easier to use. The best price (before taxes and fees) on Expedia.com was $1200.

But now, as usual I feel as though I may have fucked myself because Auckland is a lot farther away from the South Island (which I heard has all this cool shit I want to do) than I thought. And the study abroad people now want to know when to pick me up in Brisbane and when I'm leaving and I do not have answers to either of those questions! Wazzafuck...

Frontier Psychiatry

So right now I'm in the library of my campus, SUNY Geneseo, simultaneously avoiding monumentous amounts of work, listening to awesome music, celebrating the fact that it's Thursday (the start of my weekend) and getting pumped to go New Zealand and Australia next semester. I'm a good multi-tasker I guess.

Why Australia? Well...

I don't speak any languages other than English

They have the second best Communication and Film opportunities than the U.S.

It's warm with lots of beach.

It's far, far, fucking far away

The accent is friggin awesome

Kangaroos, the great barrier reef, the biggest rock in the world, MEGAFAUNA, walkabouts, not to mention everyone is hot, some of the best surfing, i think there might be camels too....oh and kangaroos

NEED I SAY MORE?

As much as I'd enjoy talking about myself on and on, this blog is about my abroad experience, so that's what I'll stick to. I guess just know that I love traveling, trying new things, meeting new people, getting shit scared, cracking (at times highly inappropriate) jokes, picking up bizarre skills and information as I go, and of course having an awesome time and getting weird looks from lame-os!

I've been accepted into a program at Griffith Film School located in Brisbane, Australia and now I'm going through a bunch of bureacratic bowlshit to avoid getting bumped from the program. I feel like I'm constantly walking on eggshells with this whole thing, "Oops you forgot to fill out Release Form B3-D, but Jimmy Perfectstudent didn't....PEACE COLIN! We got better prospects and people who are schmesponsible!"

I'll get more into the clusterfuck that is this process later. But now I must eat some quesadillas and stir-fry and cupcakes and spinach. but not cottage cheese. never cottage cheese.