Walkin'

Greetings. Apologies for not posting sooner. I figure a lot of people aren't reading this anyways, so it is more for my own good.

My last week here has been up to my expectations. There are times of loneliness and boredom that I try to pass in productive ways. For example, I'm now trying to formulate a spread sheet complete with a budget, but along with that, tracking every dollar I spend. Kind of intense.

One of the most interesting parts of this is the way it feels like freshmen year of college. You meet new people, are unsure what to do with yourself at times, and have a downright sense of being clueless in a big city. That is a difference from JMU. Harrisonburg does not compare in one bit to the gargantuan city that is Sydney (or from my perspective it is really big).

A few big events of the past week: Orientation for International Students, which was a comprehensive lecture covering everything you need to know about Sydney and Australia. We learned how to use the transportation system, how to protect ourselves from the sun, what to do, where to go, and generally everything you need to know. I love hearing about the box jellyfish. I can't imagine a creature that carries a sting that makes you scream even while unconscious. I met people from all over the world at the orientation: Germany, China, Ghana, Mexico, Spain, Italy. Such a cool feeling to know that so many people are going through the same thing (being in a totally new place) and that they aren't from your country too. Although most of my time I still spend with Americans, I am excited to meet and hang out with some Australians (who knows when that will happen but I'm sure it will).

I am learning a lot about myself now too. For example, the question of "going out" and hitting a bar. With such a tight budget, it is something very low on my list of priorities. I would much rather travel to Melbourne, Perth, or just about anywhere in this region than have $100 nights out. Last night I made an exception, watching All Blacks v Wallabies in the deciding match for the Tri-Nations and then Japan v Australia in the Asian Cup. I'm going to start a serious job hunt come tomorrow using the resources I have in front of me. Oh, and I read the last Harry Potter book yesterday. The whole thing.

Classes are starting tomorrow. Between searching for a job, working on another manuscript, and starting my novel writing process, I will have plenty to do. Hope everyone is well.