Athena Blogs

This past week, I went ice skating in an indoor hockey rink in Sydney, where I skated on ice for the first time! I also attended one of the final Formal Hall ceremonies of the quarter.

To explain formal hall, it is similar to a professional ball where there is mingling before and after, formal attire and clothes, and fancy eating and etiquette. This is without a doubt the best food you will get on Campion College's campus! Since most of the students sit together we do not critique each other on eating styles and are able to relax.

Certain students sit at the high table with the adults and there are speakers and guests that come in to provide a lecture, most of which offer re-enlightenment on the Catholic Faith.

Also I am helping produce a Masquerade Ball for all students, adults and friends of Campion College. The ball is set for August 14th - I helped set up fund raising events like movie nights with student's favorite movies.

First time skating on ice!

Chocolate Santa

Last week we showed classical movies. Unfortunately the bonfires set for this week were canceled due to rain; these events usually consist of music dancing and plenty of getting to know each other. We usually have fun on campus in either event!

A few of people on campus also put together a few International Tastings for what you could call the "Taste of Campion College". There were foods from India, Africa and a few other places.

Cory Roper
Sydney Spring 2009

Hello from Sydney!

Australians are known for their love of adventure - this weekend I decided to join in and go white water rafting! I went to Penrith Whitewater Stadium which was the location used for the 2000 Olympic canoe and kayak slalom events. I have always been interested in the Olympics and am glad I got to go through this course.

The rafting option lets you row on a boat with about 8 other people and an instructor. We went through the course several different ways and even went through it one time without the paddles...most people had plenty of fun with this!

During the mid-term break, I went to the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The Easter Show is Australia's largest annual event and showcases Australian heritage & culture. It is a lot like the state fairs in the U.S.: it is a two-week event based on agricultural displays and competitions and also includes live music performances, sideshows, rides, shopping, and of course food (mostly served fried & on a stick).

The Sydney Opera House

A view of the city and harbor

An Easter play

A painted cow

Monster truck rally!

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Ferris wheel

Cory with friends

It's held at the Olympic Park - it was quite an experience seeing the motor cross competition held inside the stadium. This was followed by a spectacle with professional stunt drivers in pickup trucks. I also tasted traditional Egyptian food from a friend. This is really something that you must experience - be prepared for much more taste and strength in food than practically anything in our country!

Every Monday we have an event held on campus called 'Formal Hall'. This is a time when all residential students and any willing off-campus students can sit and have a formal dinner together to get to know one another and catch up. Everyone gets dressed up and wears a black graduation-style robe. The food is always more interesting and upscale, with more well cooked plates that are suitable for say a 4 star restaurant. Each week there is a different speaker who reminds everyone of the possibilities their degree can offer, and how much of an effect we can have on the world.

I didn't mention the passion play! One of the Australian students at the college lives with nuns and was a part of a play for Easter for the "Passion of the Christ". This was not held at the school but many of us went to watch the play. Another event worth mentioning took place on campus when all the students also gathered for a special ceremony for the reception of a religious symbol from the Catholic Church. It was also optional as far as attendance goes, as are all religious services at the school.

Unfortunately I think I lost my SD card and my other card is corrupt! I am having problems getting new pictures but have included some pictures from earlier this year - enjoy!

Sincerely,
Cory Roper

Hello from Sydney!

Life Down Under
Contrary to popular belief, not everything is backwards in Australia! Of course, the seasons are opposite and this means their school year ends in November; and seniors graduate at this time. The entire bachelor's degree is a 3-year program, not 4 like in the U.S. While the cars, water and weather can seem very strange at times, the city is about as big and has as many things to do as say Los Angeles or Chicago! And just like those cities not everyone is the big city type and some prefer their rural areas - which you can easily get to on public transportation.

During my time at Campion I have done a lot of things. I have visited several different beaches, seen Sydney harbor and the Blue Mountains! Sydney harbor is in the downtown area (they say central business district) and is where the harbor bridge, Sydney opera house and most sky scrapers are. I even went on a Catholic cruise where I saw this area at night; unfortunately, it was hard getting good pictures at this time. The Blue Mountains are in the bush (tree areas) and have the best views of far off cliffs, mountains, and other wilderness for miles and miles. They were given their name due to the blue haze that hovers above the mountains (produced by the oil from the Eucalyptus trees).

The beaches here are great! The sand can get hot as the water feels cold when it hits you, but maybe I'm just not used to swimming?! I actually haven't seen that many animals yet...but Mr. Abela (Athena's Resident Director) wants to set up a trip to a wildlife park. As I said earlier the mountains are great, especially the 'Three Sisters' mountain in Katoomba (a town in the Blue Mountains).

Campion College
Campion College is a very small college about 20 miles outside of the city. Everyone here is as nice as they can be! Things are different and much smaller than at the University of Cincinnati. There is basically one professor and class for each subject-level taught. As a Catholic college they take the Catholic morals and responsibilities seriously; Catholic beliefs on life issues, and the importance of prayer are often discussed at campus events. It may be important to be prepared for that and be prepared for a strong liberal arts set of classes, especially if you come from less liberal college that is more science/math based.

If you live on campus you can get to know pretty much everyone else on campus. The men's and women's residence hall are at opposing ends of the same main building. There are also separate houses for students to stay at (freshmen and upperclassmen) that are owned by Campion but offer a different living situation than on campus.

The college's first graduating class was this past year. It is an exciting time to be at Campion: as this is only the 4th year of the college's operation, the current students get to help shape the college's traditions and culture.

Regards,
Cory Roper