I am at the point where I truly feel planted in this church and in this city. Yesterday as I was coming home from work, I looked around me and really felt like I was part of the scene. I got off the bus by the Queen Victoria Building to catch my train home, and I looked like every other Sydney-ian (ite?) there. I had my headphones in, I had a coffee in hand and I was darting in front of buses before the walk signs were green in order to catch the train. I was even wearing all Australian-purchased clothing. And I thought, the great thing is, I actually know where I am and where I'm going. I never thought I would know where I was in the Sydney CBD- it's so big and there's so many people- but I finally feel like I could never get lost there.
It's sort of like that at church too. At first when I came I was overwhelmed with the amount of people in this church. A person could easily get lost there if they let themselves. I'm not saying that the Hillsong community doesn't reach out, because they certainly do. They do their best to connect everyone. I've never seen it work better than at Hillsong, despite the size. I'm simply saying that because of the sheer volume of people in the auditorium each week, it's easy to remain anonymous if you truly don't want to become planted. But fortunately for me, I'm in college and college students are who the church depends on to run (I'm only repeating what I hear from pastors. :) ) there was no way I was getting lost. I got planted into several different ministries really fast. But out of my connections here, I've gotten to do some really fun stuff in the last few weeks. Here is a condensed list:
- I'm in Christmas Spectacular. And just like Hillsong's church body, this production is HUGE. We have 10 performances in Sydney alone- it involves video, audio recordings, huge sets, full costumes, a cast of over 35 people AND sold out shows in both campuses every night already. I'm a character who has lines and solos in multiple scenes, so I was in the recording studio for 6 hours the other night (yes. Hillsong has multiple recording locations on campus.) recording not only chorus parts, but my solo bits as well. It's been really fun.
- I got to be in "choir" for the live album recording. Even though they overdub most of the sound in the studio and then layer it on top the live recording, my smiling face will still be on the DVD right behind Nigel, the guitarist's, feet. Look for it. Also, my voice is on the DVD extras section speaking over some footage talking about what worship means to me.
-I got asked to record album overdubs. My vocal trainer Sheila (who is on stage in the DVD by the way.) asked me if I'd like to do choral overdubs for album. I went the other night and there was a group of about 30 of us. We stood in a circle in the chapel around a huge microphone and sang through the songs together, recording all the harmonies as well. So if you're buying the new album and you hear a really lovely blended choir part with harmonies you're hearing the 30 of us! And yes, it took forever- about an hour per song.
- I went to Thanksgiving at Brian and Bobbie's house. All the Americans and Canadians were invited for a day at the river, and they made us a really lovely meal (hey. It wasn't the best Thanksgiving meal in the world, but they really tried to make traditional foods. It was sweet). There was music, hammocks, boats, a rope swing, volleyball, and even a game of American football. It was nice. I got sunburned and I actually didn't mind.
- The other day when I was walking home, the recording engineer from the studio saw me and gave me a ride to her house, where the family she lives with was having a real American Thanksgiving. There were all sorts of traditional homemade foods there- even cornbread dressing! And we learned about Joshua House in Ukraine. They took up a mission offering for it and I think they did really well.
- Grad dinner was Thursday night, and we went and had a ball. Great food, good music, and tons of pictures. Then afterwords, a bunch of us from Hills and City campuses decided to go salsa dancing. We walked to a club on Darling Harbour that had free admission on Thursday nights and danced until the late hours of the morning. After we left, we hit up a 24 hour Maccas on the way home and then fell asleep in our beds as the sun was rising. I never do anything like that, but I feel comfortable to do it here with these people and it was so much fun.
I've been praying for some provision over break, something extra on top of my normal work. After spending days sending out my resume, my current employer asked me yesterday if I wanted extra days. So it looks like I will be doing Mondays and Tuesdays in December, maybe January. If I start saving now, I could be able to pay tuition for a 3rd semester....
Well. I am leaving now to get ready for Christmas. Going to get decorations and small presents for people. Also going to find my cookie recipe for tomorrow's cookie making party at a friends' house. Robin's parents are here for 2 weeks, so I may meet up with them later.
I hope everyone else began their Christmas season with as much fun and joy as we're having around here!
Love,
Aislinn
I remember living in Texas and thinking to myself every time I passed a bus downtown, "Damn, I'm so glad I'll never have to ride one of those!" Capitol Metro has a stigma of being the transport of choice for the homeless, dangerous, high or otherwise inebriated economically disadvantaged person- or UT students. None of which was me, so I never thought I'd have to learn to use the bus system. Plus, the buses at home only run in certain areas- definitely not into the more suburban neighborhoods. You might say the bus routes cater to the aforementioned crowd.
However, in Sydney, it's completely different. I have no car here. I can walk to school and the grocery store (if I'm not getting more than two or three bags worth of food) but if I want to go to the mall, post office, movies, or maybe even to a friend's house that doesn't live in Glenwood, then I need to take the bus. At first this was fine- I would maybe take the bus once or twice a month. However, since I started working in Balmain, which is across the Sydney Harbor on the inner west side and a good 40 Ks from my house- I need to take the bus once, sometimes twice, a week. Actually, I take a bus, then a train, then another bus. Both ways. Total each way? 1.5-2 hours on transport- depending on the day of the week (weekends are slower) and if the buses are on time.
My morning, when taking transportation, looks somewhat like this:
6:45 am- wake up, shower, pack lunch, dress, eat breakfast, make sure I have my wallet/ ipod and book, and run out the door.
7:52 am- catch the T65 to Parramatta at the T-Way station behind my house (thank god for a close bus stop!)
8:30 am- arrive at Parramatta, where I run down the stairs to my right into the train station.
8:35 am- board a train from platform 1 to Town Hall station (Downtown Sydney in the Queen Victoria Building)
9:08 am- arrive at the QVB; go up into the light and run across a MASSIVE intersection to the York St. Bus Stand B
9:17 am- catch the 442 to Balmain from York Stand B
9:28 am- get dropped at Balmain Town Hall; walk 3 minutes to work.
9:31 am- arrive at work.
And then when I leave at 6, I do it all over again. Now, there's a good chunk of time (especially at night) when I just sit around waiting for the bus. For example, if the train from Town Hall back to Parramatta runs slow, I'll miss the 7:10 bus back to Glenwood and have to wait for the 7:40 bus. Not good. So, I definitely run for my life to try to catch buses and trains.
Now the funny thing about Sydney's transport is that it seems like everyone uses it. I've seen men in business suits going to the City; old grandmas with their shopping, young moms with strollers, kids going to school in their uniforms (no school busses here- they just all get a free pass to ride the city buses). I'm not in the least bit intimidated to ride the buses here. They're generally clean. Sometimes they're old, but clean. Sometimes they're so full I have to stand. EVERYTIME I ride the train down into the City in the mornings, I stand the whole way.
I think my favorite part of the journey would be Chinese Santa. He drives the T65 in the mornings. Everytime someone gets on the bus, he shouts "Merry Christmas! Ho Ho Ho!" in his Chinese accent. He plays Christmas music over the radio and yells out the doors as he passes stops, "You want my bus? Christmas Express here!" It's so funny to watch the way people on the bus react. Some people ignore it, some laugh, some look at everyone else to see what they're doing. When we get off the bus, he always yells, "Take valuables, take you bags, you papers, you umblellas- Or else I give away! Ho Ho Ho!" Man, it makes for a fun ride. :)
The trains are a little scarier than the bus because for some reason more people who are obviously drunk or high get on the trains. I think it's easier to get on and off a massive 8 car train than a small bus without being noticed. Plus you could potentially get one ticket for a train; and ride trains all day- as long as you didn't try to go back out through the stations you wouldn't have to present a ticket or buy another one to re-board. Let's just say I'd never take my laptop on the train, or sleep, like I see some people doing. On the other hand, if you don't know where you're going, the train is easier than the bus because it stops at every station and announces the station over an intercom- unlike the bus where you just have to know your stop and push the button.
Since I've been taking the same route for about 2 months now, I've got it down pretty well. I am sort of interested to see what my family thinks of our lovely public transport when they come visit at the end of next month. My mom's reaction to the trains should be fun.
Well, that's all for now.
Chow!
However, in Sydney, it's completely different. I have no car here. I can walk to school and the grocery store (if I'm not getting more than two or three bags worth of food) but if I want to go to the mall, post office, movies, or maybe even to a friend's house that doesn't live in Glenwood, then I need to take the bus. At first this was fine- I would maybe take the bus once or twice a month. However, since I started working in Balmain, which is across the Sydney Harbor on the inner west side and a good 40 Ks from my house- I need to take the bus once, sometimes twice, a week. Actually, I take a bus, then a train, then another bus. Both ways. Total each way? 1.5-2 hours on transport- depending on the day of the week (weekends are slower) and if the buses are on time.
My morning, when taking transportation, looks somewhat like this:
6:45 am- wake up, shower, pack lunch, dress, eat breakfast, make sure I have my wallet/ ipod and book, and run out the door.
7:52 am- catch the T65 to Parramatta at the T-Way station behind my house (thank god for a close bus stop!)
8:30 am- arrive at Parramatta, where I run down the stairs to my right into the train station.
8:35 am- board a train from platform 1 to Town Hall station (Downtown Sydney in the Queen Victoria Building)
9:08 am- arrive at the QVB; go up into the light and run across a MASSIVE intersection to the York St. Bus Stand B
9:17 am- catch the 442 to Balmain from York Stand B
9:28 am- get dropped at Balmain Town Hall; walk 3 minutes to work.
9:31 am- arrive at work.
And then when I leave at 6, I do it all over again. Now, there's a good chunk of time (especially at night) when I just sit around waiting for the bus. For example, if the train from Town Hall back to Parramatta runs slow, I'll miss the 7:10 bus back to Glenwood and have to wait for the 7:40 bus. Not good. So, I definitely run for my life to try to catch buses and trains.
Now the funny thing about Sydney's transport is that it seems like everyone uses it. I've seen men in business suits going to the City; old grandmas with their shopping, young moms with strollers, kids going to school in their uniforms (no school busses here- they just all get a free pass to ride the city buses). I'm not in the least bit intimidated to ride the buses here. They're generally clean. Sometimes they're old, but clean. Sometimes they're so full I have to stand. EVERYTIME I ride the train down into the City in the mornings, I stand the whole way.
I think my favorite part of the journey would be Chinese Santa. He drives the T65 in the mornings. Everytime someone gets on the bus, he shouts "Merry Christmas! Ho Ho Ho!" in his Chinese accent. He plays Christmas music over the radio and yells out the doors as he passes stops, "You want my bus? Christmas Express here!" It's so funny to watch the way people on the bus react. Some people ignore it, some laugh, some look at everyone else to see what they're doing. When we get off the bus, he always yells, "Take valuables, take you bags, you papers, you umblellas- Or else I give away! Ho Ho Ho!" Man, it makes for a fun ride. :)
The trains are a little scarier than the bus because for some reason more people who are obviously drunk or high get on the trains. I think it's easier to get on and off a massive 8 car train than a small bus without being noticed. Plus you could potentially get one ticket for a train; and ride trains all day- as long as you didn't try to go back out through the stations you wouldn't have to present a ticket or buy another one to re-board. Let's just say I'd never take my laptop on the train, or sleep, like I see some people doing. On the other hand, if you don't know where you're going, the train is easier than the bus because it stops at every station and announces the station over an intercom- unlike the bus where you just have to know your stop and push the button.
Since I've been taking the same route for about 2 months now, I've got it down pretty well. I am sort of interested to see what my family thinks of our lovely public transport when they come visit at the end of next month. My mom's reaction to the trains should be fun.
Well, that's all for now.
Chow!
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