If one is asked to describe the continent of Australia in one word, he or she may say exotic, while another may say breathtaking. Present day Australia fits each of these characteristics. When the First Fleet sailed into the Sydney cove in 1788, British Captain, Arthur Philip, saw a desolate landmass, populated with some of the most unique creatures known to man

During that time the British were in search of a place to store their prisoners and believed desolate Australia was the ideal place. After sailing 15,000 miles to Australia they took over and colonized the new land. The British hit a gold mine when they came to this land down under. Little did they know, eventually Australia would become the enriching continent that it is today. Many Australian's do not like to talk about its country's past as a British prison because they are proud of how far they have come since that time. The Aussies have been successful in changing their country from a convict prison to one of the most hospitable countries in the world.

Along the coast of Australia is Sydney Harbor, which stretches about 15 miles inland to the mouth of the Parramatta River. With its dramatic landscape of bays, peninsulas, rocky coves and parklands, the harbor is an ideal setting for any city. Drawing a population of 3.7 million, Sydney's picturesque city has become a prominent global city. Its futures exchange is now the biggest in the Asian market and its branch of the Australian Stock Exchange has caused Sydney to become a magnet for international businesses.

Perhaps one of the most renowned changes that brought Sydney to its current status occurred in the mid-fifties, when Sydney felt jealousy of Melbourne being awarded the Olympics. Sydney transformed Bennelong Point, a piece of real estate that was used as a state run tram mine, into a performing arts center. Danish architect Jorn Utzon was chosen to design what became a 14-year-long project. With the completion of the structure in 1973, Australia unveiled the Sydney Opera House. The building is now recognized universally as one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century.

Slowly, Australia began to feel better about their land "down under" and its reputation. After being chosen to hold the 2000 Winter Olympic Games, Sydney has been diligently preparing to house the next generation of athletes. Costs of putting on such an event comes with an expensive price tag. Nearly 2 billion dollars have been spent on the games, primarily on the Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush Bay. Almost3.6 billion dollars have been spent on general construction of twenty new hotels, as well as numerous office and apartment buildings.

The work and stress involved in this historic event does not seem to phase Australia. An event like is just what the Aussies needed for their country. Their goal for this Olympics is to hold the "greenest Olympics yet." Almost every Olympic building is the most energy efficient of its type ever built for the Olympics. Other environmentally friendly touches include natural lighting and ventilation, along with the use of recycled water and the planting of 200,000 trees around Olympic Park.

With the excitement of the Olympics looming on the other side of the world, some Australians do not have the "no worries" attitude of the majority of Australians. The Aborigines of Australia have struggled with maintaining the land that was originally theirs and continue to take three steps back as their country quickly presses onward with renovation. The invasion of the British 200 years ago was a rude awakening for the Aborigines, and although Aborigine art can be seen throughout Sydney, the Aussies do not pride themselves on their indigenous people.

For the Aborigines, the Olympics might be their chance to take a step in the right direction. At the opening ceremonies Cathy Freeman, an Aboriginal 400 meter champion, was given the honor of lighting the flame. The Olympic closing ceremony will include an Aboriginal "Dreaming" story.

With the Olympics well under way, Sydney seems to have created the Olympics of the millennium. Great things have happened thus far for many athletes, but true to the red white and blue, many Americans hope that the USA can defeat the 1996 Australian record for gold medals. That year, Australia won 3.78 medals for each million of its population; a rate quintupled that of the United States'.

Australia has risen to its knees in the past few decades, and proudly so. As a versatile continent, it has not only created an industrial atmosphere suitable

for the Olympics, but also offers a land called the outback, soon to be the home of the American show "Survivor." The eyes of the world are on Australia and from the likes