"I Love the Gong"- rugby league tips

"I like Wollongong," dad said "cause it rhymes with bong."

Jon and I 

Yes I agree. A day in the gong can feel like you hit the bong.  It has that California vibe but a heightened sense of community. The population is a lot more homogenous then California. The Asians have a good rep here, they are more outgoing it seems.

A typical day starts off with some Uni (school in Aussie). It goes by pretty fast. The teachers here have a good sense of humor and filter less of their thoughts. They also listen to you and offer positive feedback. I feel encouraged to speak up in class, Take note USA.

One of my teachers referred to the age group of 12-16 year olds as "raging horny rabbits". Classic.

James and I 

After a few good laughs it is a short trek home from the bus station. I do a short run to the beach and then down one of the trails. I can last anywhere from 3 to 6 miles depending on the degree of humidity. If I am in a lazier mood, I'll just chill at the beach. However today, my friends Heidi (Iceland) and Alyssa (Chicago) let me show them my yoga workout.

We head back to the motel to make dinner. All of us at the motel, sixty people, share a kitchen so dinner has become somewhat of a get-together. We all stand in line for one of the four sauce pans. I go for salad since it eliminates any hard cooking.

View from the grass hill

    Tonight there is a footy game at WIN stadium in Wollongong. The Illawarra Dragons face off against Brisbane Broncos. I go for the local Dragons and wear the supportive colors of red and white. It takes Jon, James and I about 20 minutes to walk there. Once there, the stadium is bustling with noise. The field is right there when you walk in and the lights are blinding. 

Alyssa and Ari with Waldos

    $20 ticket gets you on the grass hill along side the field. I love it already. Then I see all the good-looking Australian men in the place. $5 gets you a beer, not bad. We find our friends and take a seat. Stadium looks like it can hold about 25,000. Tonight there is 13 thousand something in attendance.

Footy is Rugby League, which is a mix between soccer and football. 

• The only gear players wear are mouthpieces. 
• They start in a huddle in the middle (looks like a football field). 
• Once a team has possession they run down the field against the opposition, who is going to try to pull them to the ground. 
• The player with the ball either has the choice to underhand pass it sideways or rush the opposition.
• If tackled then they must kick the ball backwards, that is were the soccer comes in. Each goal is 6 points.

The crowd is lively. The away team Bronco fans are not afraid to show off their spirit. They come off kind of ballsy at points.  The cheerleaders’ look like the hot girl you went to school with except they can dance like a stripper. They don't hold back.

Broncos beat the Dragons 22-6. I will be back though, fun time. It reminded me of my brother Christian and my pops. They would have liked it. The players are so aggressive and full on, it is awesome. Footy-1 NFL-0

     Time to celebrate a loss at the local pub The Harp. A great place to go and get a good dance in or if you're the confident type then try some karaoke. I included a video of what I thought was a great performance.  I stick to the dance floor.

     Exhausted we start our walk back home where Ari (CA) and I are escorted by the kind mate Jack. We pass some spooky church and similar street performers. It's time to call it a night, I have to wake up early and play in a beach volleyball tournament.

Creepy church

When you are be tackled, the rest of your team just chills.