I've been here in this lovely country for five days, and it's already been an amazing experience. It took me four plane rides, seven hours of insane turbulence over the Pacific, and a boatload of time spent not showering to get here, and it was well worth it. The trip here is not for the faint of heart, and I think getting to, say, Mars would be easier.
I'm sorry, I just paused because a bat the size of a small dog just flew my window. Moving along quickly.
For those of you who aren't aware, I'm living on the Gold Coast of Australia at Bond University. I'm in a four person suite, and by pure luck I got put with my good friend and wifey Ilana as my roommate. We live with two other girls, Ashley and Abby, who are really fun and decent people. We have a kitchen, living room, eating area, and a balcony that overlooks the Olympic sized university pool. There are only two suites like this in the whole building, and we got one of them. My life is really difficult. :)
Australia and it's people are absolutely amazing, although I didn't think I would be experiencing culture shock as bad as I have been:
1.) Australia uses "gold" coins which are of one dollar and two dollar value, so it's really hard to remember that they're worth more than the US pennies and to not throw them around as such. They have GIGANTIC fifty cent coins that look like Spanish dablooms or something and weigh like a pound each.
2.) They dislike Steve Irwin intensely. Well, at least the guy at the Circuit City imposter place did. He also said Americans were "flashy," and when I said that he just took a dig at our country, he had no idea what that meant.
3.) They never say "You're Welcome." They say "Cheers!" or "No Worries!"
4.) They're very Americanized here, though they have a love/hate relationship with our country. When we landed in Sydney, all the TVs at the airport were set to the presidential debates that happened in the states, and Hillary Clinton's "tearful breakdown" was on the front page of every newspaper.
5.) All the guys are in ridiculously good shape with the darkest tans I have ever seen, and all the girls are teeny tiny with no boobs and are really European in their fashion.
6.) They drive on the left side of the road, and only take right turns after going through a rotary, which exist about every 2 miles, and the drivers go approx. 80 miles per hour everywhere, but I have not seen one sign of road rage.
7.) Australia is apparently rife with genital herpes and date rape is huge? YIKES.
8.) Apparently Clancy is the name of popular poet here, and I've been reminded of this a couple times now when I introduce myself to people.
9.) Australians are by far the nicest people in the world.
10.) All the bars close really early here and everything is uber expensive. For example, I paid ten bucks to get into a bar last night, but they gave me a free drink at the entrance, but then we had to leave early because last call was at midnight. Like, what?
I've had some lows here while I was trying to adjust to life abroad, but honestly the experience so far has been nothing but positive. I still don't have any money because Sallie Mae is being a huge pain in the ass but hopefully it will all get worked out after I sic my Mom on them.
Also, my roommates and I have planned some trips, and hopefully we're going to Thailand for Easter! I was so against Thailand in the beginning because it scares the crap out of me, but hopefully no creepy guy will plant cocaine on me and I won't get arrested and spend the rest of my days in a Thailand jail, a la Brokedown Palace of whatever that movie is.
And also also, I'll be spending my 22nd birthday on board a huge ship and will be sailing across the Great Barrier Reef. Words can't express how amazing that will be.
Tonight we're going to a beach party and then bar hopping at Surfer's Paradise, where hopefully I can meet some locals and hopefully not get genital herpes.
And just for fireworks and cartwheels, as Stal would say:
Cheers!
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