KP, MPH

Ignoring the order to share some fabulouso news.  I got official word that I completed my program requirements and do in fact have a Master in Public Health degree.  My reaction to this:

Holy shit. I did it.

Back on November 8th I blogged that I was done, but it wasn't until I was traveling in December that I got my final marks back.  I passed (by the skin of my teeth).  Since then I've held the assumption that I finished all requirements but was getting more and more nervous that Sydney Uni was going to call me up and say I mucked it all up and didn't actually graduate.  The entire experience felt too good to be true.  Always waiting for the other shoe to drop kinda feeling.  It is an immense relief to have an official letter.

To celebrate, I'm going to blog what I meant to blog a year ago...

Sydney University.  This was the Main Hall, which originally housed the entire university back when it first opened.  Sydney Uni was the first university to open in Australia, it's also the biggest, and number 2 in the country performance wise.   I didn't have any classes that met here, but I did have orientation here as well as exams.  So basically only crappy things took place in here.  I also hated running up this hill everyday rushing to get to class, lol.

 Views of the city from atop the hill.  That tall ugly building affectionately known as the Ugliest Building in Sydney was incredibly useful when I first moved to there.  No matter where I was in the city, if I could find that building I could find my way home.  But its still ugly as hell.

 Walking into the Great Hall was even cooler than the outside.  Inside there's a very picturesque quad where I always imagined myself sitting with friends having a picnic or lounging and reading journal articles.  None of which ever happened (but its in all the brochures).

 There's an awesome purple flowering tree.  These trees were everywhere in Sydney, but this one is especially pretty :)  My mom looooved the purple flower trees when she visited.  These pics are actually care of her.

While the Great Hall is pretty and where I wish I had spent all my time, its not.  Instead my classes were mostly held in the Edward Ford building.

 Affectionately termed Eddie Ford.  Eddie Ford also housed a 24 hour computer lab with unlimited internet access and printing for MPH students, needless to say I was there everyday class or no class.  In the end I was there well into the wee hours of the morning.  I came across a few people who brought pillows and literally slept there.  Gotta love grad school.  I was not that committed, or crazy, lol.

This is how I got through most my lectures.  I have to say this was the best doodle ever.  I didn't set out to draw a flamboyant vampire lecturer, but that's what appeared on my notes, lol.

 I happened upon this tunnel by accident one day.  Other than the picturesque Great Hall and Eddie Ford, I don't know much else of the campus.  I was trying to find  faster way from Eddie Ford to the main street one day and found this  Graffiti Tunnel.

 How cool.  

 Notice the Mr. Man?  Love it.

 "1.4 billion reasons to live below the line."  I don't know what it means.

Funny that I just noticed that the stairs say "Keep the union strong, vote for..."  Just kinda fitting with the recent political battle against unions going on here.  I'm telling ya, I was moderate in Australia.  (and just a side note, Australia was the only western country not really effected by the Global Financial Crisis.  Don't know why, don't know if anyone really knows why, just food for thought).

After most our papers were turned in, the Masters of International Public Health (MIPH) people planned a mock graduation and harbor cruise to celebrate.  MIPH'ers were really good all year at planning social events for students.  Probably because they were mostly international and didn't have settled live in Sydney.  As opposed to MPH'ers, which is what I was, who were mostly locals and took their classes online.  As a result, nearly all my uni friends were MIPHers and I therefore got to crash all their events :)

me, Justine (one of the few Australians), and Mika

 I really did crash their events a lot.  Most people thought I was MIPH and only learned that I wasn't when I showed up to mock graduation and wasn't able to graduate.  That was even a surprise to me, I went there thinking I was 'graduating'  and was really disappointed when I couldn't.  But I had no idea all the work they put into it, gowns, speakers, 'diplomas'...those MIPHers got their shit together.

Kasia from Portland, OR and Kasia from Chicago, IL

me with Alexis (Portland, OR as well).  She was the first friend I made in Sydney!

 My lunch buddies, Mika and Heather.  Everyday, $6 thai after spinning, then spending the rest of the day and night at Eddie Ford.  A nice routine :)

 

 I'm gonna take credit for making them throw their caps.  It is definitely an American tradition.  There are two Americans in the group who kinda had to lead the way, no one else really knew what I was talking about.

 They felt bad that I showed up thinking I could 'graduate' so Heather lent me her robe and cape!  It was beyond excited to take fake graduation pictures at a fake graduation ceremony!!

Ivana, me, Mika, Heather

Miss these girls!  I miss everyone from Sydney, but I spent a lotta time with these girls. 

MIPH (mostly Heather, she planned most everything!) also planned a harbor cruise celebration.

Hannah and me on the harbor cruise

 Hannah come home!  Hannah and I met second semester and quickly learned we were living parallel lives.  She's from Madison, had 2 classes with me and we both were working for the Cancer Council!  We started going to weekly trivia, and went to the Great Ocean Road together in October, and just become great friends overall.  Love this girl!

 Seem outta place?!  Ashley was there!  This was in the middle of her trip!!

 Sydney at night from the Harbor

 Luna Park looks best at night and from the water.  Luna Park is a weird amusement park, think Cooney Island (sp?).  No one goes, but every capitol city in Australia has one.

Hannah, Mike (Australian), me

Mika, my spinning partner!

Whoever took this picture broke my cardinal rule of picture taking!  Never take a picture that angles up!

Ivana and me

Most of my class.  I don't know how, but I love that I ended up in the center of this picture!

Sydney Uni doubles as Hogwarts

I love this picture!