The true start to our smaller, reinvented semester began with tree planting, vegan smoothies, cute shops, and ocean pools. Newcastle was the perfect small town respite that we needed after the emotional rollercoaster that was Fiji.
We were welcomed by Elise and Kaz, two members of Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA.) The last five of us were overjoyed to spend the week staying in a house with a full kitchen and multiple couches. Best of all, the house featured an extremely eclectic movie collection: X-men and Into the Wild sat next to each other on the shelf.
Before we had the pleasure of discovering our living situation, we were thrust into the field. We donned our wide brimmed hats, we wore our ultra-slick clear sunglasses, and no neon-colored vest was left unvelcroed. Elise introduced us to the miracle fertilizer, “Terra Cottem,” which contains water crystals and is specifically designed for dry climates. One might be surprised by the precise requirements for planting gum tree saplings. This could be due to our work being part of a government initiative to plant 20 million trees by 2020.
The first day, our small team planted 80 trees. Over the week, and with the help of a group called “the green army,” we raised our daily quota to 450 trees planted. Despite living in picturesque Newcastle, and the fulfilling work we were doing, many of us struggled. Fiji was still wreaking havoc on our stomachs, and many days were spent following the BRAT diet and trying to sleep through the sickness. Regardless, after only 6 days, we had planted an entire forest. Nearly 1,500 trees are now in the earth because of us.
Although Newcastle marked the beginning of a new trip, it also signified the countdown until we said farewell to Ashley and Taylor. After Newcastle, we returned to Sydney for two nights. We spent an entire day at Bondi beach, walking along the coastal cliffs. At night, we met up on the steps of the Opera House to pose for silly pictures, and have a delicious goodbye dinner for 2 of the 5 remaining students. The following morning we parted ways at the airport, as they left for LAX, and we departed for Alice Springs. Next up, we head off on our Outback adventure. While we will miss our great friends, we are looking forward to late night bonfires and skies full of stars.
– Anna Bosworth