Much delayed post #1

2/18/08 7:48am

Hello!

Can’t sleep so I’ll type a post. Sorry for the short post before, I had to pay for internet since I can’t get the University wireless at the library yet, so I couldn’t spend much time typing. Yesterday I spent all day buying things (like shampoo and sheets) and being homesick. My housemates (all 3 now, 2 boys, one other girl) went on this surfing trip offered to early arrivers. They won’t be back until tomorrow, which is orientation, so it was/is a bit lonely. I did make friends with two girls on the top floor of the building who were very nice. We went around and met kids throughout the building and then made some dinner. Today the three of us are going to the only thing around here, the shopping center, and getting some more things. We’re also going to explore campus since it’s confusing and spread out. The building numbers are all things like E93, F45, without any indication of there location.

Tomorrow starts the first day of CEA orientation, which I luckily found out yesterday, is a 2 day thing in downtown Sydney (I never got the email). If you look on a map of Sydney, I’m in a northern suburb called North Ryde at the intersection of Herring Rd. and Epping Rd. There’s a bus ride to downtown Sydney (where Melissa lives and everything happens) that takes about 30 minutes. I’ll probably be spending most of my free time down there since that’s where all the action is. Tomorrow morning my whole group meets on campus and we take a bus to the harbor area in Sydney. Then, believe it or not, we’re doing the bridge climb! This is a tourist thing in which you put on a harness and some camouflage (so as not to distract the drivers) and climb to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Imagine tons of people climbing the Golden Gate or Brooklyn Bridge, and you’ll get the idea. It’s usually very expensive ($150) and I really wanted to do it, and CEA is paying, so why not? I am scared of heights so it may be rough; the whole thing is about 3 hours long (bottom to top to bottom). But I’ll charge my camera and get some great pictures which I will post in a Facebook album and put the link here (people without Facebook should still be able to see them). We’ll be getting lunch downtown and staying in a backpackers hostel for the night. The bar/nightlife scene is huge around here and it’s normal for students to get drinks with their advisors and orientation leaders at night. Wednesday we’re...doing something but I can’t quite remember now. Still touring downtown Sydney I think. I won’t be around then until Wednesday night, just so you know.

Melissa is in Melbourne until Wednesday night, so since I’ll be near her dorm anyway, I’m hoping to see her then. She’s going to Byron Bay (a hippie like area up the coast I think) with a couple friends for the weekend, and she invited me to go. I’d love to, but you have to buy plane tickets and that’s my weekend before classes start so I think I’ll be busy preparing for all that. Thursday is my Macquarie Orientation and Welcome, with yet again, a party at a bar that night. Friday is an optional beach trip, which I may go to if Melissa isn’t around.

My area is pretty dead at night, which is too bad. There are two bars that are popular with students on Wednesday and...Sunday nights, but otherwise most people go downtown. Also, let me tell you, things are very expensive here. More so than I thought. Going out just for one night, including food, is apparently at least $100 (Aus dollar and US are about equal now). Shampoo and groceries add up quickly too. I did get a really nice sheet set (370 thread count, cotton) for only $30 yesterday that was on sale, I’m hoping it arrives Friday (had to be ordered).

The weather here is odd. Quite humid and hot during the day but gets pretty cold at night, but still humid (think clammy). I’m worried I didn’t bring enough warm clothes since it’s just going to get cooler now (it’s the end of their summer). Don’t really want to buy anything since it’s so pricey. Instead of pigeons, here cockatoos and colored parrots fly around like crazy and are very loud. Especially at 3am. There’s a beetle situation since I’m on the first floor, bugs are everywhere (buying Combat today).

I got myself to stay up until midnight last night but was super tired and still fighting that cold, so I woke up at 7am and there’s no going back. I really miss everyone, I think the first month will be tough, then I’m sure I’ll settle in and not be so homesick.

This is a long post, but I won’t be able to again until Friday at the earliest. I looked into internet for the dorm so I could post/check email (going crazy without it!) but it’s expensive here and you pay per GB of information; 5GB is $50/month, 15GB is $100/month etc. Depending on the campus wireless situation, I may or may not set something up with a few other people. The library is quite a walk away. I’ve talked to people about traveling after (is it true you need 14 shots for Thailand?) and most have already done so, or will just be doing New Zealand, so I may end up going with a backpacker/student tour (in which case I’ll be shipping a lot of stuff home). We’ll see how things pan out, I really hope I settle and fit in soon. I’m not much of a partier and a lot of the kids came here for just that. Melissa isn’t either, so we may be spending more time together than we think. Time to shower I suppose and watch some TV on the 6 channels we get. Stay safe everyone, I love you all.