Whew, since I wrote the other day I have made some friends! I have a great group of girls in the exchange group that I have been running around with, as well as Bek from my floor. Ayla and Emma are from Canada and Erin, Bridget and Amanda are from the US! We have all signed up to go to surf camp here in a few weeks! I am excited to go with my best mates:)
We had an adventure at the grocery store the other day that involved all of us trying to push a shopping cart all the way back to our dorm. The front left wheel did NOT want to turn and it was digging into the ground, making it impossible to maneuver. For anyone watching I can imagine we looked ridiculous. We also set up pre-paid phones, which was insane. There are waaaaay too many options! But I now have a phone and a super long phone number I can't remember! I have had such a great time already getting to know these girls and hear their stories from home.
Since being here, I was sick on the plane, I burned my arm on my iron (which actually happens a lot), broke into hives from being so hot (while pushing the shopping cart) and slammed my right hand in the G-Bot kitchen door. My friends have taken to calling me Bubble Girl, in jest, because I seem to be the one who keeps tripping and being spastic! It's kind of funny because friends in the States notice the same things about me.
I went to see Harry Potter last night with Bek and Cody from my floor. We bought some snack food I had never seen before for the movie, called Shapes-which were reallllly good barbeque flavored crackers. We ate a whole box. I rode with Bek and she said she is going to send me home with a great Aussie accent! Some of my favorite expressions are: How ya going? (how are you doing?), Heaps (used as lots or tons would be used) I'll give you a bell (a call) and Bogan (a person who is redneck, dirty or just generally uncouth). I have been saying "heaps cool" for things I like, but without the accent it sounds silly.
I also feel like since coming down here I sound more Southern than I ever have in my whole life. I'm around girls from Canada, New York and San Diego most of the time and they all love the way I talk, and have introduced me to people with "She has the best accent!" It is so funny how we all sound so different, but Bek says that all American accents sound the same to her.
I am really loving the campus here and the general Aussie atmosphere and attitude when it comes to, well, everything!
Here is an example:
When registering for classes, I noticed on my timetable that there was an overlap of 2 classes. I went to my exchange adviser about this and she told me it was "okay because some students choose to leave early or go every other week." Would this ever happen at UT? Uh, no. Also, when I did finally successfully register for classes-I got everything I wanted the first time. No waiting on CPO at 11:45 the night before, no add forms, no going the first day and begging to be let in-it is a nice change of pace.
And everyone I have met here is so friendly! When people hear me talking they will come up and ask where I'm from. A nice lady in the grocery store struck up a conversation with me on the cereal aisle. It really is no worries down here.
I really like my room too, even though it is pretty old and pretty bare. I'm not especially picky so the old-ish nature of Old Res is fine with me. I do, however, miss my pillows and big, soft beds in general because mine is kind of like a glorified cot. Oh well, I'm hardly ever in this room and it's not forever!
I have also mended my one HUGE hiccup of this trip which was forgetting my PIN numbers to one of my debit cards than can actually be used here. I have been emailing, skyping and calling people as soon as I got here and last night I finally worked it out. I did have to stay up til 1:30 here to be able to talk to someone at Bank of America, but it is finally resolved now, whew!
This afternoon we are going on a tour of the city of Canberra, via bus, so that we can learn our way around and learn to love the public transportation! I am also having dinner next Monday with Kara from Young Life Australia! I had emailed her before I left that I was an American exchange student and that I had been a YL leader. I am really excited to meet her!
I know September is over a month away, but I am already starting to plan my Mid Break trip to Northern Territory to see some real Australia!
