O-week

So, I am having problems uploading my pictures onto this blog, so I will make a place online to view my pictures and then add a link to here, so keep a look out for that. I have just been doing O-week stuff, mainly eating free lunch (hot dogs, hamburgers, and falafel), all pretty good, but they just had normal pieces of bread for the hot dogs. I feel kind of funny, because it's my first time here, I have been in a lot of the introductory stuff along with the 1st years, so even though I am only 21 I feel old. ;P I have met a few more people my age or older, so that is nice; I think once classes start I will be meeting a lot more people my age. So, my friend Loretta and I took the bus down to K-Mart the other day to buy bikes, the guy who assembles them wasn't there, so we have to pick them up on Tuesday after school, but we have already purchased them. It will be nice to be able to get around better. So, not much else is going on, I finally got something to put most of my clothes in today, just three little shelves. I managed to get all of my clothes in there that I don't want hung up, so that is good, this room is slowly but surely turning into a bedroom. :) The only other thing to report is that I start school on Monday, and I am very much looking forward to it. Oh, I got to go to a free screening of the movie Run Fatboy Run with the British actor from Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg, I highly recommend it, HILARIOUS!

School time

So, registration went well, I will list the classes I am taking this semester for anyone who is interested.
Principals of Physiology
Animal Biology
Toxicology
Australia Today
So, those are my classes, I am looking forward to starting school, which might sound really strange to you, but it'll be nice to have work to keep my mind occupied. For the most part I am looking forward to feeling like a normal person just going to school here and not a tourist. One thing I really liked about staying in Norway for a year was the feeling that I was one of them and that was my home, I can't wait to get that feeling here, it's nice. This is random, but I don't understand why my room mates (the boys) will turn on one TV in one room, then a little later leave and turn on the other TV in the other room (without turning the previous one off) and it's even on the same channel most of the time! Then they will leave the house and both TVs are left on! Really, explain this to me please! Anyway, so I'm all set up for classes, and "O week" (orientation week) or "week zero" as they have recently changed the name to starts tomorrow (Monday). This weekend I went to the Pako festival (short for Pakington Street Festival), which is an international festival, it was nice, but it was more of a hassel to get back than I ever anticipated. I had to stop at the train station to get my concession card (gets you cheaper pretty much everything) and then I couldn't find a bus back to Warun Ponds. I finally just decided to suck it up and take a taxi, it cost be 20 bloody dollars, but I got home finally! I don't know if it was all worth it or not! We went on a little trip around the Bellarine coast today, that was nice, we saw some kangaroos on a golf course! :P And, I had fish and chips for the first time over here. :) So, anyway, I should finish doing the dishes and go to bed. Night!

Trip to Lorne

So, I just got back from our orientation trip to Lorne today, it was really nice. It was especially nice getting to meet people after having been bored and alone for so long. Lorne is on the Southern coast, on the Great Ocean Road, it was a really nice little place, and very beautiful! It was really hot Monday and Tuesday (it rained Wednesday while we were leaving, but hey, we were leaving). I didn't get sun burnt because I was constantly putting on sunblock (the ozone layer down here is pretty much non-existent. ;P) I did get a bit red on the face and upper back today because it was overcast, and I forgot to put on sun screen, but it's not very bad, so that's good. We got to pick out of 4 different activities, and we would be picked to go on our top 2, if it worked out. I am glad I got my top two, surfing and beach yoga. Surfing was fun, but also frustrating because I couldn't stand up on the bloody board! I did one time, with the help of one of the instructors, and when I did it was amazing, but I couldn't do it by my self. I could get to my knees, then all was lost, and then near the end I couldn't get to my knees anymore cause my arms were too tired. I had yoga after surfing, which was nice because I was exhausted and so it was relaxing. I made some friends (from Japan, Switzerland, and Virginia) and we walked around the first night, there were some nice walkways by the beach and such. We also saw a kookaburra that flew down just above our heads and landed a few feet away, they are such cute birds! I love their "laugh" too! :P The girl from Finland saw a koala on the hike she went on (hiking and playing footy were two of the other choices), I thought that was neat. On our way out of Lorne, we drove about 3 more hours down the Great Ocean Road to see the 12 Apostles, they were beautiful! I was really glad that the weather get better for when we got there, then we took the highway back (the GOR is very curvy). They gave us a lunch to have on the bus with us, I ate my fist sandwich, then my custard, then after I took a bite of my second sandwich I saw a dead spider in it!!!! That was nasty!! It was right next to where I had taken a bite!!! Needless to say, I threw the rest of it away! So now I am back and registration is tomorrow. :)

Getting settled in

So, I have tried uploading more pictures for you all to look at, but for some reason they are not taking. Oh well, I will keep trying. So I am getting more settled in here, I am still living out of my suitcase, but Heath says he'll get me stuff this week. I am very excited to not live out of my suitcase anymore!!! Valentine's Day was nice because I got to talk to David for a while (we do most everyday) on Skype with webcams. It was also really hard too, it's most difficult to be here when I am doing nothing because I have a lot of time to think about how much I miss him. Yesterday was much better though, I did some more cleaning, and later in the day Sachi, the other girl, moved in; she's Australian too, which is nice. I read some more in "The Man in the Iron Mask," which is absolutely nothing like the movie by the way, and which I am almost done with. At about 3:35 I left to start walking to Deakin (I had to be there at 5, which I later found was 5:30) but I stopped at the bike shop on my way just to see what they had in the way of prices. The cheapest thing they had there was like $260 and over, so I think I will try K-Mart cause they have some for $80-$100. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to walk to Deakin, so that's why I left so early, it ended up taking about 45 minutes, luckily I brought my book along. While I was waiting one of the other exchange students came up to me (his name is Cooper from Wisconsin) and we chatted for a while. Once we all got together, it was interesting because three of them were from the same area near Chicago (2 from the same school in Wisconsin and one just outside of Chicago) and there were two from the same area in California. Another girl, from Massachusetts had a click with the girl from Wisconsin, so in other words, the girl from Minnesota who goes to school in Hawaii and I were kind of outsiders since everyone else had something in common and that's what they would talk about. I also felt a little out of place because they talked mostly about either their areas, or how their trip on the plane was. I had already been here for 2 weeks, so I couldn't relate to how tired they were and such. Anyway, we were driven out into Geelong and given a little drive tour, then stopped at a place to do any shopping we needed, then went to a Chinese restaurant. They all wanted to hang out and drink after, but I was getting a ride back to my house (so I didn't have to walk home along in the dark, which I wouldn't have done anyway) so I didn't stay with them. I don't know what it is but I don't seem to fit in very well with designated groups of Americans (like when I went to Thailand) but I am glad that I have the option to meet other people too this time. When I got home everyone was watching footy (Aussie rools football) on TV and Sachi was waiting for her friends. They showed up (2 girls and 2 boys came, one of the boys was from Massachusetts and had been an exchange student here a few years ago and was back visiting, but only had like 5 days left of his visit) and asked me if I wanted to go out with them. I did, they were great fun, I went to a pub called Nash with them that had crazy, loud music. We got some famous fried food that the window for it only really opens at hours where drunk people are wandering around, and then went to another pub but only the boys went it (it was a $10 cover). Then we drove home. I really enjoyed their company, and it was much better, in my opinion, than if I had stayed with the others. I like hanging out with Australians more because I can hang out with Americans in America! I always write such long posts, I am sorry. ;P Oh, one other bit of information, when driving once off your p-plates (learners plates, which you have for 3 years) you can drive with a 0.05 alcohol level (on p-plates it's nothing 0.00). Well, that's all for now!

Moving in

So, I moved into the house I will be living in for the year. I am not completely moved in in that there is yet to be furniture, bed, and a wall. ;P So since there was a little bit of short notice, and my landlord (who also lives here, Heath) is a very busy guy, running his own company, he has yet to supply me with furniture. I really don't mind, I understand he's busy, but he promises to get it soon. He said that we would get a bed from his parents tomorrow (I met his parents, they seem really nice). So, about the wall thing, there is one bedroom that he was letting out, but there is also a dinning room in the house that they don't use, and it looks exactly like the bedrooms except for the fact that it has no wall closing it off from the rest of the house. So Heath is having a guy come in tomorrow night and build a wall. I was originally going to get the bedroom but apparently the other girl that is moving in called first, so she gets it. I don't mind, she's not moving in until Saturday, so hopefully my room is done by then, until then I am staying in the room. As two guys have been living here for a few weeks, it isn't the cleanest place in the world. Right when I got here I started cleaning (cause no one was here, it was gross, and I was bored). I found quite a few spiders hanging about (don't worry, they were daddy long legs) which was gross, and the floor was disgusting! So, it looks much better now, in my opinion. I wanted to vacuum, but the vacuum was out in the garage and the bad was filled with glass; I learned later from Heath that someone had broken a window and they had to clean it up with the vacuum. They also have a dog, he's quite big, and he's 3 years old, a cutie though, and sweet, but of course hyper; his name is Terrorist (don't ask ;P). I will get some pictures up of the place soon, but I might want to wait until it's fully furnished, they have yet to get the couches in for the main living room (there are two). So, I caught the 6:30 am bus to Geelong where I was picked up my Mo the driver I had when I was looking for places to live. He drove me here with all of my crap and then I had to entertain myself for the rest of the day. No one was here like I said, so I had the run of the house, which didn't mean much. I talked to David for a while, then watched the movie "The American Tale" you know, with Fival (I had never seen it before) which was posted in its entirety on Youtube. Then I talked to David some more, that was nice cause today was Valentine's Day in Australia. :) Heath took me down to the gas station to air up the air mattress that Ash's parents let me borrow (they couldn't find a proper pump), and then I got some Subway cause there's no food in the house. Now I am back here typing, what an interesting day . . . in some ways. :) I'm going to be bored tomorrow!

Latest happenings

So, dinner with Christine's parents was great fun. They had some friends over, a 60-ish year old couple, who were a hoot. Bob, the husband, was especially hysterical, I loved him. On Sunday Christine and Ash drove me to the Ballarat Wildlife Park, it was good, they had free roaming kangaroos! Right when I walked through the door one came up to me and took a bite out of my map, I then had a bit of a time keeping the map away from him, he kept pawing my bad trying to get at it. ;P It was cute! For the record, kangaroos are really soft (grey ones anyway, I didn't get to touch the Red ones cause they were in a paddock). I got to pet a koala too, their fur feels a bit like rabbit fur, very soft. They had most of the native Australian wildlife, I didn't get a good look at the wombats as they are more nocturnal and were in their little holes, so I could only see their outline. They had tasmanian devils, but I couldn't see any. They fed the alligators, which was really neat, but crowded with people, and they fed the quolls too. Anyway, long story short, I had a good time, but it would have been a lot better if I could have gone with someone, as it is I was by myself. Oh well. I am moving into my house on Thursday morning, Christine and Ash are going away for the weekend and as they are staying at a friend's house for a bit I can't come because they didn't count on me when they made the plans. So, I am getting on the 6:30 AM bus to Geelong, which gets in at 8:00 AM. The university will send someone to come get me at the train station at 9:30 AM and they will take me to my house. With the short notice Heath, the owner, hasn't had time to get my room fully furnished yet, but he will, in the mean time I am going to borrow an air mattress from Ash's parents. I can't wait until it's fully furnished and I am able to put all of my stuff away permanently for the year. So, someone at the university mentioned getting the exchange students together for a dinner on the 15th (that is the official arrival date for foreign students), I am really looking forward to that so I can get to know some of the students. Then our beach orientation in Lorne is the 18-20th, that should also be really good for meeting people. I really can't wait to get out of this slump and start a routine with classes and such. Anyway, I have just been hanging out and talking to friends and family on the internet these last few days until I leave. I hope I will be able to get on the internet asap when I get there cause, I have to admit, it's kind of my lifeline at this point, as I don't really know anyone except Christine here. :)

Ballarat

So I have been having a good time in ballarat with Christine and Ash. The first day I was with them, while they went to work I stayed home, talked to Dad and David (and the gang) on Skype and watched movies. It was nice to just relax. The next day (Thursday) I went into the city when Christine and Ash went to work. Christine works in town, so I just walked around that area, I got some essentials and looked in some shops. It was a good day, it started to get pretty chilly later on though. So, February is supposed to be the hottest month here, but it's been quite chilly recently, so I haven't had a whole lot of summer weather! ;P The next day (Friday) I took the bus into Geelong and the university took me around to see the different places they had found for me to live in. The first place was nice, with this Malaysian lady, I wouldn't have minded living there, but it just felt like if I lived there I wouldn't get out as much and stuff. The second place was really nice and the lady there was really nice. I would have liked to live with her, but she had a kid and I didn't think I would like living with a child, especially if I have to do homework and stuff. There was another guy living there (like 30 some years old) but I didn't meet him. The third place was an apartment of a 30 some year old guy and he wasn't there but his mom was. I just was not comfortable living alone with a 30 some year old guy whom I have never met. So that one was out right away (plus it smelled like smoke in there). The fourth one is the one I ended up picking, there were two guys living there ( I think in their mid to late 20's). One of them, Heath, the owner, was on the Australian version of Big Brother in like 2003. He is the owner of two electrical companies (and according to my driver, Moe, is really well off). They have a big screen plasma TV and a fish tank that they are getting tropical fish put in. I don't know how I will get along with them, I hope well, but I was much relieved to hear that there is another girl moving in as well. He's going to furnish my room, but apparently it won't be finished for about two weeks, so I don't know exactly when I will move in yet. Christine and Ash are going down to Port Fairy this next weekend with Christine's parents and their friends. I might go with them, I will have to see, but it would be nice. It's past Warnambool on the coast. Christine's mum has been really nice and has said that if I need anything at all to just ask and they might be able to let me borrow whatever, she has also said that if she's free she would be up to driving me places; very nice of her. I will write some more a little later and post some pictures of the pond areas on the Deakin campus I will be on; there's some really nice walkways. So, soon Christine and I will go watch Ash do some go-carting and then we will eat at her parent's house.

Dorm pics

(a pic of Melbourne from the air)
Here are some pictures I took of the place I stayed in Melbourne, and after those are what the dorms at Geelong look like even though I am not going to stay there. :)

Yay for Geelong!

So, I finally got picked up and taken to Geelong! It was nice to get out of the big city, even though it was nice, I just wanted to get away from the crowds. I really like Geelong, we drove through downtown and then went to my campus in Warun Ponds. I am really glad I am going to this campus, it's really green and there are a lot of ponds around (no wonder ;P) So, I got a few things worked out, talked to the housing people (very nice) and they will find me a place to live soon. I ended up being able to go home with my best friend Christine. The university was going to put me up in the dorms, but they were going to charge me for it and this way I don't have to pay for temporary housing. Christine lives in Ballarat (about 45 minutes drive from Geelong) so the university is going to call me on her cell when they need me to come down to Geelong to look at the places they have found for me to live. Hopefully I can find a nice cheap place to live. Anyway, I am staying at Christine and Ash's (her boyfriend) house today while they are at work, tomorrow I think I will go into town with them and walk around while they are at work. :) So, I am very glad to be with a friend and that I have been around very nice, helpful people through this whole experience. They have helped my experience be a good one so far, and that helps me in the hardship of being away from David as well (something I have been really struggling with). I miss you all but am having a very good time and know that it will only get better.

I have arrived

Hey all!
So, I am finally here! The plane flight went very well. I did have some problems after getting off of the plane though. I saw a guy holding a Deakin sign ( the University I am going to go to) and so I went with him. We didn't find out until we had left the airport that I was the wrong person! He was supposed to pick up a Norwegian girl (which is funny cause he mentioned that and I also happened to be a Norwegian girl, but neither of us made the connection; however, I did think it was interesting that he brought that up.) So we went back to the airport and he picked up the 2 Norwegian girls (he wasn't expecting the 2nd) and I went with the other driver (who showed up after we had left). Both of my drivers were really nice, anyway, this second guy brought me to a place in the suburbs of Melbourne. I was scheduled to go there but I didn't understand why because I am going to be going to school in Geelong! Everyone I mentioned this to thought it was also weird. So, he dropped me off at this hostel type place (nice asian lady at the desk, but very crummy looking) and we tried calling Deakin and couldn't get through on the numbers I had. So, I called my best friend Christine (who lives in Ballarat; near Geelong) and even though she was at work she called the university and they called me back on a pay phone there at the hostel. The lady didn't want me using the phones cause she wasn't sure about the calling rate cause it was long distance. Anyway, so I waited by the pay phone and kept receiving calls by various Deakin people and Christine. So a guy came a picked me up from there a little bit later and drove me to a place further into the center of Melbourne. I had to leave that hostel because if I stayed there I would have to pay for a full week, they didn't to one day stays. So I was dropped at this very nice place that has little singles (a bed, small fridge, window) and with separate showers and toilets. It's quite nice actually. I will take pictures and put them up soon. So to kill some time (cause I don't want to take a nap for fear of messing up my internal schedule for tomorrow if I do so) I walked around the block and got some yummy Thai food for either late lunch, or early dinner (haven't decided which it is yet). An then I bought an AU$8 internet card for 1 hour and am typing to you all. :) I will be picked up from here tomorrow afternoon ( and get an included breakfast) and then I will be driven to Geelong. I will let you all know how it goes from there later when I am able to get internet again. :) Oh, by the way it is quite humid and has been about 82˚F today (cooler than it has been I have heard). :)