O Week!

Two weeks and a day later and it feels like so much longer! Here I am in this beautiful city and already learning so much. First of all, all there is to do here at night is hang out with people and go to pubs, so since we had no school this last week, we did a lot of that. A lot of pubbing, a barn dance, a formal dinner and a cross dressing night later and I have survived the infamous O Week. Even though I am one of the oldest people at the college along with the other Americans (There are maybe 10 people total at Aquinas that are actually older than me), I am still a "fresher" because it is my first year, so I had to do embarrassing things like lying on my back and moving my arms and legs (dead ants) at the sound of a whistle in the middle of the pubs. A lot of fun actually, and also a lot of partying. I am also becoming better acquainted with Australian life. I am playing sports like netball and cricket (I learned how to bowl yesterday- very different from pitching in baseball, but a similar concept). Netball is like basketball only there is no dribbling or running with the ball and there are no backboards. I am also learning about Australian footie (football) and rugby. Both very interesting games, and to whom it may concern, I actually enjoy footie even though I really dislike American football. I now just have to choose a team to support (not root for because that is a sexual term here). It is between the Port Adelaide Power and the Adelaide Crows (any suggestions?) One of the things that I already know I will miss when I get home are the Tim Tams. These are amazing cookies. Two chocolate biscuits (cookies) with chocolate cream in the middle and completely covered with chocolate on the outside. MMMMM, my mouth is watering just thinking about them! Life here at the college is great. Almost like a fraternity, only with a focus on community and grades and coed. We have to "volunteer" for kitchen duty (if we don't we get fined $30) which I had to do tonight. You only have to do it once every three weeks. Unfortunately I got stuck doing it during a formal tea (dinner) which means that I have to serve and clean up after everyone with 3 other people. Quite honestly, it was fun, I actually enjoyed it. I went to the beach this last Friday with Emily and Amber, two very cool Americans (by the way, if Matt Blackmar or any of the Pitzer people who know him happen to be reading this and could tell him... Emily Smuder says hello if you remember her). This lovely trip to the beach resulted in my first sun burn (I applied sunblock everywhere, but forgot my chest , so I have been a bit pink the past few days). Sun burns really are quite painful. I started school today. Not much interesting about that, just getting a taste of my first big university experience. Tomorrow I am at Uni all day (Tuesdays I have class from 11 am until 6 pm) so that should be interesting. So far the one class that I have had seems really interesting. It is History of Indigenous peoples. Today I learned several things: a) Australians are very racist against aborigines and b) aborigines are offended by terms like black and native. I am having a great time here. I am learning so much and having a lot of fun doing it. I hope everyone of you back home reading this is well and I miss you all. Time to go get ready for class tomorrow. Ciao.