first days in melbourne

My apartment is wonderful. It is in possibly the best location in the city. I told an Aussie where I was living and his response was "that's amazing! so close to *everything*!" Almost everyone on the program initially thought they wanted to live in a residential college and has wound up in apartments; we now seem to be the happiest. I have heard poor reports of residential college dining and numerous complaints about location. There are so many incredible restaurant oportunities it seems like it would be a waist to be paying for a meal plan. This way if I go out I'm not paying for meals out AND meals in I'm not eating. My room looks out onto the State Library (which is right across the street and has much better hours than any library on campus). Here is the view from my window:


I spent most of the day yesterday (Tuesday) getting stuff for the apartment (sheets, towels, pots, pans, utensils, dishes, toaster, food, etc.). In between errands I took the City Circle tram around the city center with my roommate and two of her friends from school who are also on the program. I have yet to figure out the tram system for real but the City Circle is free... and is like a tour! It has a running announcement that says what you're driving by, where you are stopping, and what is nearby. Very cool. I think I will be doing that many times. Perhaps with a pen and paper.

Then at night a gal from the IFSA-Butler program called and asked if I wanted to go out for desert and drinks with her and a few others. So I did. Our plan-of-action changed several times but long-story-short we ended up walking all the way down Swanston to the Yarra River, across the footbridge that goes over the river, and to a bar by the riverfront. This city is incredible at night. Absolutely beautiful. Here's a picture of the view off the bridge at the foot of Swanston street:


I chatted with a couple of Australian women while the four people I was with ordered drinks from the bar. And then I left before they finished their drinks to walk along the river and meander my way home slowly. While I understand the desire to be with people, the I'm-clinging-to-people-becuase-I'm-desperate-for-friends is not really where I'm at right now. Almost everyone is either doing that or hanging out with people they know from home (and commenting about how other people are doing that and should branch out.... it's actually hilariously hypocritical).

Today (Wednesday) I dealt with setting up a bank account in the morning and then headed up to campus. I found where I need to be to register for classes and also found the queer lounge in the student union building... AND times that people might be there. In the afternoon I went to the Melbourne zoo with a bunch of people from the program. It is supposed to be an incredible zoo- I wasn't extremely impressed. It is under construction so a lot of animals aren't in their exhibits and the couple koalas were so hidden in leaves that all you could see was their fur. We did see the little penguins being fed though... and the Australasian gannet that hangs out with them and stands on a rock while his fish are thrown to him. Here are some pictures from the zoo. Just cuz. The left is the Australasian gannet and the right is a meerkat that was posing for us.






University orientation and enrolment begin tomorrow so hopefully soon I'll know about classes- and I'll be sure to share!

Random piece of information: You know how the walk signals in the U.S. are white walking people and red flashing hands? Here they are green walking people and red walking people. Hehe.