It was a beautiful day in Lennox Head today. It was the perfect weather to wake up to. I started the day off with a run down the beach with Bryan (see previous post by Linda). It`s great to have the beach to run on without hoards of people like you see in Chicago. My feet are still sore from the run. After the run, all of the guys on the trip, minus Bryan, went to a beach-side cafe for breakfast. It`s weird to see that Australians don't drink drip coffee, mostly espresso. They also don't serve the bacon that Americans are used to when we hear bacon. Australians market Canadian bacon/ham as bacon. Its interesting to see how cultures are somewhat shaped around food.

After breakfast, I attended a lecture with the sports management majors on Australian sport and the Australian identity with Greg Downes. Similar to the US, sport plays a large role in the culture and the identity of the people. Unlike America, Australia began as a penal state, with the first settlers being mostly convicts and the soldiers who whose jobs were to watch these "wrong-doers." Many people of other cultures think that Australians don't do much but play sports and party.  This isn't true. While sports play a big role in shaping the culture, it isn't the only thing that Australians identify with. Australians have a lot of drive for things they believe in, and sports are only one of those topics.

After the lecture on Australian identity, the athletic training majors attended a lecture about treating surf injuries with Sally Petrie. Like any other sport, athletes need sufficient strength, endurance, and flexibility to maintain proper technique to perform at the highest level. Sally instructed us on some stretches that she uses for patients who present with surf-related injuries. The stretches were similar to stretches that any athlete could use to gain flexibility, but it was interesting to think about how surfing demands multiple body structures to be working in unison. After the lecture, Bryan, Laura, and I observed at Sally's physiotherapy clinic. It was cool to see how similar the athletic training profession is to physiotherapy. Many of the as,e ,annual therapy techniques and exercises are used to treat the patients. Physiotherapists work with a larger range of populations than athletic trainers, but the skillsnamd techniques are very similar.

After walking back along the beach with Bryan and Laura, I attended a lecture with the entire group about cultural competency. Working in the healthcare and sports management fields, we must be culturally competent to provide the best possible care to all patients, or to work efficiently within a group. If we cannot be respectful towards other cultures, there are going to be issues that arise.We must be adaptable and versatile so that we can work together with individuals of all cultures towards a common goal.

View from the boathouse during our lectures.

Bryan, Laura, and I at the physiotherapy clinic.

View of the sunset during the walk back on the beach.


It's been a great two days in Lennox Head, and I'm very excited to see what the rest of the trip brings.