'I can't wait to go to heaven so I can meet Pascal!'

I slept in late, but quickly ate some Rice Bubbles. (aka Rice Krispies, they just have a different name) They also had little packets of vegemite, so I got two for people at home. When we got to NTE we had our strand groups and we split into two groups. Each group prepared a flow chart of the passage of the bible we were studying to help us in preparation for our talks. Afterward we had our break/reflection time and I sat in the singing corner with Katie. We then had our Gospel thinking track but I was too tired and hungry to pay attention.

Lunch was a Caesar chicken thing. Today Katie and I decided to actually sit where we were supposed to sit. They have people with signs saying to sit there so that they can fill the vacant seats. We always just sat where we wanted or by people we knew, though. Since we actually sat with new people, we met two guys, Evan and Ian. Ian was taking photos of everyone doing a thumbs up... I have no idea what he was going to do with those! They were from the Sydney area so we talked to them about what we should do during our half day in Sydney. Then Rohan and Jon Wan came over to our table. Jon got the attention of NTE tv and so they came over. Then Rohan decided to point at Katie and me saying that we were Americans. I felt like killing both of them at that point because then NTEtv decided to interview us. They always show those interviews during the main sessions. I was worried about it all day!

Photo courtesy of Jon Wan

I don't know how, but the topic of Survivor came up during break. I really don't know how since I'm the only one of us that watches it. I think it's because I talked about how one of the things on my bucket list is to go to every country that Survivor has ever been to. I was talking to Rohan and Katie about how I would like to be on it and how I think I could get picked. I definitely have the quirks! One of the things going on during break was missions around the world. Rohan went to the one about Japan while Katie wanted to go to the one about Fiji. I didn't care, so I just went with Katie. They did a cool Fijian dance for us. All I could think about was Survivor, though, since they have been to Fiji, which means that one day I'll have to go there. I decided during that talk that I would audition. (They currently have a casting call competition going on and I submitted a video, so wish me luck!)

We then had a half hour before Katie and I went to the Prayer Walk. Rohan had already gone before the conference had started because he went to the day before the conference meeting for people on Christian Union committees. Katie and I ended up just going to the Prayer Walk early. It was a room with ten different prayer sections. Each section had a different theme, like family, your uni, everyone at NTE, your community, etc. There was also a map of Australia and you were supposed to put stickers for places that you are praying for. I wanted to put one on Meekatharra because I think it has a hilarious name and we went there on the Northwest/Outback Excursion and had a drag queen competition. There was actually already a sticker there, but I think I put one there anyway. I also put one in Karijini national park. I just realized that those were the two places that I was sickest on my trip too. There was also a map of the world to put prayers for other parts of the world. Of course I put one in Michigan. It was the only one over there.

We were supposed to be in our strand groups at the point that Katie and I went to the Prayer Walk, but my leaders said that we were just writing our talks, so we didn't have to go to our area in Quokka. I just sat in the singing corner and kind of worked on it until Katie came. She left her group early because she had a headache. We then went to dinner. Surprise, surprise: I didn't like it. I just ate some rolls and potatoes. Katie, Rohan, Tom, and I then went to our singing corner and found Amanda there.

We then had the main session. I was really nervous that I would be up on the screen. Luckily, they didn't show my interview!!! I was so happy! They showed Katie's, but only my sleeve showed and they didn't show mine. I'm glad because I probably sounded stupid. They asked me what my favourite part of NTE was so far and I have no idea what I said. At some point during the main session someone said the quote that I am using as my title and I thought it was hilarious, so I wrote it down.

When we got back, we had Nathalie's birthday party. Katie walked home with Nathalie so that Monica could tell everyone on the bus what was going on and we would get there first. Nathalie never suspected anything, which is surprising because the only thing more suspicious than Katie wanting to walk back is me wanting to walk. Not everything went according to plan and Nathalie wanted to go to maccas but we couldn't let that happen! Somehow news hadn't gotten to the guys (meaning the four that stayed at the Tinneys with us) and so she wanted to go to maccas with Chris to work on their talks. We definitely had to try and rearrange our plans.

We decided that instead of trying to lure her in to one of the common areas, we would just all meet her in the middle of Lyneham. I had Katie texting me when they got close and Tom and someone else were on Nathalie look out so we knew when to light the candles on her cake. It was so funny to see Monica with the matches... although I'm not sure funny is the right word, it was kind of scary! She had a hard time trying to get the matches to light and then to get the candles to light. The candles also kept blowing out because of the wind. We had to hide behind a car to get them to light and try to shield them from the wind when bringing the cake to her.

'N' for Nathalie

Birthday girl

Nathalie was really surprised, but she was happy. We then moved the party into the guys' common area and all ate cake. There were some left overs, so Katie and I went to give them out. We took it up to Tim Thorburn's room and he took a piece. Then we came across a common area with a bunch of guys but they didn't really seem to want it. Eventually they did take it, though.

Katie and I were about to go to bed, but she decided that she wanted to play Martian Fluxx with Rohan and Tom, so I went with her. I had to write in my journal anyway. There were a bunch of other guys in the common area that were doing this weird thing where they started on top of the table and then climbed under and back on top without touching the floor. I have no idea what started that, but Tom ended up doing it! The group playing Martian Fluxx consisted of Katie, Rohan, Tom, Jack, Ruby (for a few games), and Evan, who we had just met at lunch that day. We ended up staying up until around 2:30.