Today we left the hotel and headed to Brisbane and the Myer Center for some shopping and free time. For the first two hours, I was at the doctors' office trying to figure out what was wrong with me. The fruit said it was either a touch of food poisoning or a mini-flu. Anyways, he gave me nice perscriptions for imodium, buscapan, and some antibiotics. Then I spent time hanging out with friends with the rest of the groups. All in all it was a fun morning. After the drugs kicked in, I was in no pain. In the afternoon, we all met our homestay family. I was very consfused because originally I was supposed to be with one family and then I was posted with another but when we arrived at the Kawana Waters Surf Life Saving Club to actually go home with them I was in for a rude surprise. I was placed with Neil and Nola Francis along with Sara, Bubbles, and Kate.

I personally hate Sara with a passion because she is very rude and inconsiderate. Anyways, back to the homestay family. Ben is the only boy - 15 - and he was incredibly quiet. The girls of the delegtion absolutely melted over him, saying that he was Heath Ledger. Then there was Josie. Her birthday is tomorrow, she is turning 13. She is VERY attractive. It seems all Australians have perfect skin without a blemish to their person.

Anyways, we had cocktails down at the clb and this is when I realized Ben is a very shy pseron when it comes to new people especially GIRLS! How weird! I'm only 14 and I absolutely love talking to new people, especially girls. We went back to tehir house which is a big old house which Neil is fixing up. He a manager for the dry walling company up the road. He puts in long hours to his work, fixing up the house & surfing. Nola is unemployed but she keeps busy tending to the house.

Apparently we are the third group of billets they've put up in their house. We all slept on the third floor kicking Ben and Josie out of their rooms. I got Ben's room which was basically a bed and a desk but it is a comfortably cool and I have it all to myself which is very awkward. Privacy that is. After an informal dinner of lasagne which I had non of, then we all went to the upstairs and talked for a long long time. The while time Ben said nothing rather he only nodded and used his fingers to answer. He really is shy around girls.

James M. Connors