G'Day! It’s been awhile! I guess I just haven’t had any super exciting adventures. But there’s still plenty going on too keep me occupied and happy. I’ll jot down a few more little differences I’ve continued to notice. As well as what's been going on and such.
The weather is very interesting here, a bit like home in that it is very indecisive. It is even more extreme, though. Now it’s autumn here so the temperature has dropped on average, but a couple days have still been in the 90s, and one night it was in the 40s, it was quite cold. Then there are days that is fluctuates about 3 degrees Celcius the entire day. It’s just crazy. And the strange thing is, it seems that on most days you can be comfortable outside in either pants and a jumper (hoodie) or shorts and a t-shirt. All the aussies think the 70s are warmer than I perceive them, and the 50s are much colder than I perceive them. It’s strange. I guess here is just really temperate all the time and that’s why. Let’s see, they’ve told me all the words that are derogatory terms towards different groups so I don’t get in trouble. There are some words that we say that mean something totally different and we would not be looked at inviting if we used, so that’s helpful. The light switches here are a little strange, they’re like buttons almost that you flip, and up is off while down is on, opposite from home. There is a debate even between aussies about the color of traffic lights. Most say red, amber and green, others call the amber orange. But nobody calls it yellow, I suppose they’re right, but still. The metric system has been a little difficult to switch to, but I’m getting the hang of it and usually know close to what it equals in our system, I get the general idea. Of course they drive on the opposite side of the road, but the strangest part of it is that means the gear shift is on their left, but the pedals are in the same place. Peanut butter isn’t very big over here, and they really don’t seem open to the idea of mixing it with chocolate, like Reece’s. It’s a little disappointing, they don’t seem to like it, I am obsessed. All their food seems more salty, and less sugary. They have long shelf life milk that is just on the shelf, not refrigerated, I haven’t figured that out yet, it’s not like condensed milk, because they have that too, I’m not sure. They also keep their eggs just on the shelf, not in the fridge section. Granola = muesli but it‘s not as good if you ask me. Sultanas are what they use instead of raisins, it’s the same thing, but from a different grape I think. They have raisins as well, but sultanas are popular. Right now they have hot cross buns, it’s an Easter thing, and I hear they’re pretty good, I must try them since they are a bakery item with cinnamon in them. I’m sure I’ll fall in love with them. I can’t decide whether things are more expensive here or less. I guess it depends on the item. With the conversion rate it usually ends up a lot better than it seems. Although I know for sure that toiletry type things like shampoo and stuff is quite a bit more expensive. I’ve heard a few people say fair dinkum, which can mean true blue, it’s right, or are you serious?, but some people say only country people use that. And country people are called “bogans” not hicks like we call them, although they do know that term as well. I’ve found that the Aussies seem to know a lot more about Americans and our culture than we know about them. It makes sense because they get a lot of their TV and movies and such from America and we don’t really have any influences from here, but it’s still interesting. It sort of reinforces the idea that Americans are self-centered and ignorant about the rest of the world, it’s a little sad. But I’m learning so that’s good! Gas stations are servos and I got made fun of for saying I needed to go to the store, not the supermarket or something. Coozies for your drink are called stubby holders because they call them stubbies. The hood of a car is the bonnet, and the trunk is called the boot. A comforter is a quilt, or a doona. If something is required, they say compulsory. We have the word nil meaning nothing, but I’ve actually seen it used here, like nil prerequisites. If they’re saying what?, like if they didn’t hear you, some people say hey? instead. I know there are more that have come up, but I can’t think of them, I forget to write them down. They also try to teach us how to pronounce the words they use, it’s interesting and they sit and laugh at us awhile while we try to say it right. I think I’m saying it right and they keep laughing, it’s pretty funny. One of our friends, Amber, loves the way we say her name because when she says it with the accent it almost sounds like she’s saying Emma, it’s a lot softer. So when we say her name with our accent she laughs, it’s funny.
So, anyway, more of what I’ve actually been up to now. Since last weekend going to the gardens, not much really. Classes are getting more involved now. My first assignment is in international econ and due next Monday and we have one ongoing assignment not technically due til April in bus comm but we have to show her a part of it every week that we work on in class and have to then finish. It’s not too bad, but anything seems like a lot of work right now since I haven’t really done much. It’s a little scary not knowing how they’ll grade because I really am not sure what to expect and these assignments are all worth at least 15% of my grade each. It’s so different than home! I just have to keep telling myself I technically just have to pass to get credit since the grade doesn’t transfer, and I could do that without going to class probably. So I’ll be fine, it’s just the pressure I put on myself to do so well. I’m getting used to it all and am doing a better job of reading and pacing myself and such. Going to class is most of the battle though, and I haven’t missed one yet so that’s good. My econ class is a bit frustrating, I don’t think any of it is really that hard, I understand it mostly and I’m fairly smart in the subject, but she explains things differently than I’ve learned them and she’s really not the best teacher in general. It’s harder than it needs to be. There is also this know it all girl in the class which bothers me, because I know as much or more than she does, I just don’t speak up. I guess that’s my fault, but I just don’t feel like I always know it as well as I do, so she thinks she’s really something, that bothers me. My business comm class is fairly pointless, I haven’t really learned anything besides the teacher’s preferences for things, and she’s picky. She also doesn’t seem to be too fond of America, which I don’t like too much since I am! Our book is American and every single class, including our tutes, she has something to say about the way Americans are and how it’s that way in the book and why it’s such a bad thing. Australia Today is fairly interesting, but I think it could be more so. The tute for that class is annoying, too, the tutor is very particular and gets way too into things to where they aren’t really interesting anymore. I don’t know, I definitely enjoy the class though. The lecture is fabulous. My finance class is actually pretty good too. I have learned a lot and I understand it all pretty well. The professor for that class is super enthusiastic, I’ve never seen anyone so excited about stocks and other finance things. It’s crazy, makes for an interesting lecture though which is good since one of them is 9am on Fridays. It’s nice only having four classes, although I feel like a bit of a slacker. They wouldn’t let me take 5 though! This is a lot of work for them, I think it all comes back to a culture difference. Here they enjoy relaxing more and think it’s more important, although they do work hard at times. On the other hand, we are always go go go and there’s no time to rest and do nothing, you’re supposed to be productive all the time. It’s interesting to see so many differences, and really be exposed to more about our own culture that I never really noticed so much.
I was sad to see K-State not it the NCAA tourney, but happy about the NIT. Now I’m sad again as I see we lost today in the second round, pretty disappointing. But I listened on the internet to the end of our close first game and was pretty dang excited we won it! Nobody else here cared so I felt a little strange, but it was good. I was also very excited to get an email from K-State saying I’ve been awarded another scholarship! I got a management one that I had applied for before I left! So that was great news and makes me feel better about spending so much money to be here! I’ve been trying to follow the NCAA tourney from here, it’s tough. I miss watching all that basketball though, it makes me sad I don’t get to. Nobody else here cares to much about it at all, so I can’t even talk about it with anyone!
We’re going into winter here now, that’s everyone says. Even though it’s just the start of Autumn(they don’t call it fall) and it won’t really get into winter til just when I’m leaving! It is getting cooler though. Especially at night it can get quite chilly, I don’t want to get out of the covers in the morning because it is chilly in my room! The days are still really nice though, almost perfect weather most days. It hasn’t rained a whole lot, but it looks like it might sometimes, and they’re hoping with the weather pattern that it will be a cold wet winter. I’m not sure if I really want that but it will give them relief from the drought which they really desperately need, so I guess it would be good.
Last Friday I went fishing again with Nick, Marc, Jeff, and April. April was the only aussie, she drove us which was really nice. We went at night to try and get sharks, but had no luck. It was quite a good time though. I needed to get away and that was enough. It was super cold on the water because it was really windy, but I survived. We got to watch the entire sunset which was pretty awesome. We cooked some dinner and ate late again, it was a good night. Saturday was St. Patrick’s Day and we were all pretty excited for it. The Aussies don’t seem to get as pumped up about it as we do, though. It’s celebrated, but it’s not really commercialized at all, in any way. A lot of people didn’t even wear green! I was disappointed. We went into town during the day because we heard there was an Irish festival. Well, it turned out that was just an Irish Pub with the alley blocked off next to it with a live band. We had to pay $5 to get in but it was good all day with the stamp. So we decided to go back, get something to eat, and do nothing for awhile and come back later that night. So we did, and then decided to go out about 9. The last bus that ran left at 8, but we thought that was too early so we waited and called a taxi. Well we called the taxi four more times after that as well. We never got one. They never came. And there is no other way into town. So we ended up staying on res and just hanging around here. It was pretty frustrating we didn’t get to go out and celebrate St. Patty’s Day, but it was still a pretty good evening anyway. One of my friends here, Nick, got sick over the weekend so Sunday a bunch of us took turns helping to take care of him. He had a bad fever and felt horrible, I didn’t especially want to be around him, but I felt bad since he was in such bad shape. A bunch of us cooked some dinner that night as well and had lots of desserts with it! Loretta and I have been doing a little bit of our homework assignment every night which has been really good. Yesterday was my day off with no classes and I did absolutely nothing really. I stayed in my pjs and in my room until the afternoon. It was nice though, I got some homework done and read some Harry Potter, I haven’t done much of that yet. Loretta’s roommate has an Xbox so last night I played HALO on that for the first time ever. It was exciting, I was actually pretty good at it too! He thought it was funny how I concentrated so hard and got into it. I can’t help it! It felt good to release some energy through that.
Nothing else is really new. No exciting adventures really. I don’t have anything particular planned for this weekend, either. We were going to go on a surfing trip this Friday, but not enough people signed up so it was cancelled. That was pretty disappointing. But the next Friday I get to go on a trip to swim with the dolphins and that is something I have always wanted to do, so that’s awesome. On Monday I’m going into Melbourne for the day to see Mom!! She stops there for the day on her cruise before she comes to see me on my break in a couple weeks. So that is super exciting, I get a hug! I can’t think of anything else. I hope everything continues to be well for all of you back home. Let me know what you’ve been up to and how things are going. I still miss you!
I almost forgot! My quotes/advice/whatever. Here you go:
“There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer, no disease that enough love will not heal, no door that enough love will not bridge” ~Emmet Fox
“There isn't a ruler, a yard stick or a measuring tape in the entire world long enough to compute the strength and capabilities inside you “ ~Paul J Meyer
Love, Alissa
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