Today was a free day for the group. I woke up, and made it into the city in time for worship services, or so I thought. The times listed online were incorrect, so I missed all but the last 30 minutes of the service. I learned today, that churches of Christ in Australia are not the same as churches of Christ in the states. They are very similar, but use instruments regularly, and have women leading prayers, singing, and other parts of the worship service. I discussed this with one of the preachers/pastors, and he confirmed to me that in the states, church of Christ means something different than it does to Aussies. This explained my experience at the church in Sydney, and is frustrating, but I was still able to meet some people afterwards, and go out to lunch with them. Now that I know this, I hope to find a congregation that holds to the same beliefs as myself, while in New Zealand.
During lunch, a protest began out in the street. I am ignorant in the ways of the middle eastern cultures, so all I can say is that the protesters were Islamic, but I do not know exactly what they were protesting. I am working on getting a video uploaded, but it appears to be in the wrong format. They paraded down the street with banners, as they chanted and yelled different phrases. It was truly an experience, that I doubt I’ll ever see again.
Today was a gorgeous day... It was nice being able to relax, and just enjoy some alone time, but I’m ready to jump back into things tomorrow, as we head to the Australian Open. I’m a bit of a lone wolf, and am not used to being in a group all day, for so many days. I enjoyed the opportunity to hang out in my room, talk with my mom and little brother, and to watch a few episodes of different TV shows that I like to watch back home. Now, it’s time for some more busy days, full of excitement!
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