Melting Brains

Should you want a visual, I'll be cooped up in here for the year.

Well, the first week of classes is over. It was a lot of information, but a decent primer for the "fun" we have coming to our class in the next few weeks. The program has all of the classes packed in a 6-week schedule - that way the rest of the time we can slave work away at the many large academic projects we have to finish before May 31st (we have a 1.5x longer break than the rest of the school). If you think about it, though, a 3-month semester is a frightfully short period of time to pack in so much information into my brain. I am  nervous about doing well, considering the amount of work I see in front of me.

But hey! We celebrated the end of the week by rallying as many classmates together as possible for some drinks at the campus bar. I enjoyed an early evening talking to water nerds over cocktails and beers...surrounded by college kids.

I still cannot get over the fact that I am going to be on a real campus for the next year. NYU was such a different beast in regards to geography and lifestyle; there, we were city slickers who happened to go to class between work/friends/parties. The people who walked past me were New Yorkers, and I never knew to where anyone was going. A gallery opening? A boardroom? An audition?

At UQ, on campus, anyone who walks by me is a student. And I know they're a student. And they know I'm a student. How surreal! I keep thinking to myself, this isn't reality!

Today it was hot out. Uncomfortably hot. The thermometer tried to trick me by saying it was only 86F out...but I knew better. The humidity - attached to the sun and the warmth - made it feel more like the late 90s in temperature. I was melting all over the pavement.

The water ladies and I met up early in the morning to go to the City Welcome Festival - a day the city council puts together for us international students. There were booths filled with swag for students in hopes to gain some of our pocket change. We went to a few booths for free things (notepads and bags), the  sun beat us unforgivably with rays of death. We did not last very long, and quietly bumbled our way to get some groceries before heading to our cooler, not-so-sunny flats.

I ended up holing up in an air-conditioned library at school for the better part of the day, reading hundreds of pages of required reading for next week's classes, and writing critiques of each of them. I forgot that is how the weekend looks for graduate students - squirreled away in libraries reading and thinking and writing and having mild panic attacks.

For the next year, I will be spending my weekend hours staring at text, trying to make sense of it all. And writing things in my computer about how smart I want people to think I am.

Classes & Food

This has been the first week of classes, and I’m pooped. The classes have run every day from 9am to 5pm. This is before my official awake time (which is 10am), and after my designated nap time (the noble 2pm). Hence, pooped. I can even feel a stress cold creeping into my nasal cavity.

The people in my program are great. They are all caring, interesting yet interested people. We come from all walks of life – Australia to Zambia – and I’m really looking forward to learning from everyone over the next year. We've had a real blast getting to know each other through joking, fun conversations (like my evangelizing about toilets), and storytelling. For example;  I tried to explain to some ladies about funerary food traditions from Ireland a few centuries ago. I was grateful that, while they seemed mildly disturbed, they feigned interest and asked me about some food cultures in the US (more on that in a bit).

But I’m still exhausted. I always forget how much learning can tired out the brain. It is as if my brain has been training for some big triathlon with new, fascinating material. I guess that’s kind of the point of starting a new graduate program, right?

So, food. I was explaining to some of the Aussies here about the popular funeral casseroles in the Midwest (particularly with Mormon communities). That led to a discussion of what are casseroles; here I thought everyone in the world had the joy of knowing a good old casserole when apparently that is not the case! They then explained to me their fairy bread (which is sliced bread slathered in butter and topped with sugar sprinkles…??), and someone pulled out a hot cross bun for a snack. This blew my mind - I do not think I’ve ever seen a hot cross bun before. Hot cross buns are a thing! I didn't even fully realize that they ever were a thing, outside of the song played on recorders for 3^rd grade music class. Other assorted rolls were discussed, as well, but I don’t recall much else about them other than the fact they were buns. I think I could happily trade a casserole tradition for a bun tradition, guys. At least, as long as there is a gluten free option. Midwesterners – get on that, please.

On the way to class this morning, I saw a wild cockatoo flying around the trees. Because cockatoos exist in the wild in Australia. All I can do is wonder whether or not wild cockatoos imitate the conversations of passerby folk.

I made a new friend from the gentlemen who helped me illegally cross the street over the weekend (No, he’s not the one who asked me to ice skate, but the other one who was more forgiving of my overall confusion). Photosynthesis Drew came and hung out with a bunch of us yesterday, and he’s a really interesting human with great stories (and we all know how much I love a good story) and pretty impressive accent skills. He finished his PhD at UQ on photosynthesis as a potential tool for renewable energy. I don’t understand it fully, but it sounds pretty cool! We had fun chatting about trees and water last night, and I am glad I am finally meeting proper Australians who can vouch that I have, in fact, been in Australia for the last few weeks.

On a less upbeat note, finding a job here has been pretty difficult. I had the impression that Australia was in a labor deficit and in desperate need of workers…but I am finding that no matter how many receptionist-waiter-tutor-teacher-hostess jobs to which I apply, I am left with burger joints even politely rejecting me via email. It has blown some of the wind out of my sails.

Apparently it has also left me a bit “too available” to the workforce lately – last night I got an email responding to an application I had sent via SEEK. I was confused why they were asking for a full-body photo and my real age. I did some more research to find out that I had supposedly applied to be a stripper at a strip club?! I had thought the name “Love and Rockets” was going to bring me to work at a burger joint.

And no, I’m not going to strip at a club. I’m not that needy…yet.

My last thought is that the preliminary readings have really gotten me to question my personal values and practices. Some of the statistics I've read on our planet’s water situation over the next twenty years are pretty bleak. Increased populations are creating more demand for food/drinks/energy/stuff that require increased water usage…and yet we’re already over consuming what little water we have available on Earth (because despite the fact the world is covered with water, only 10% of all water in the world is consumable).

I am someone who likes to think that I practice what I preach, and now I’m asking myself if I should practice my preaching even more. Should I become a vegetarian, since it’s less water intensive? Should I live in a rural area so I don’t require as much water (though that’s not necessarily always the case)? I am even reconsidering my wanting to have children in a few years; the population increase is only making it less sustainable for our future generations. I’m not sure I’m willing to bring children into a world that cannot promise the essentials needed to survive. Perhaps I could adopt. Maybe I should just have puppy kids. I don’t know. I was gently reminded that I just started my program, and maybe these huge life decisions should take some more thinking before I make them.

A Piece Published

I got anotherarticle published on Pink Pangea.  This time it's about why I decided to come to Australia in the first place.
http://www.pinkpangea.com/2015/02/an-international-student-searches-for-home-in-brisbane-australia/

First Day of School

I had to wake up early today. Sure, some of it was for Skyping, but I also had to prepare myself. I showered, ate breakfast, put some fruit into my lunch bag, and threw on my backpack.

Much like a first grader, today was my first day of school.

It was a good first day of school.

There is not much to report, truth be told. All day (9am-5pm) I was absorbing introductions in a classroom with 50+ other people newly enrolled in the Masters for Integrated Water Management. But I did meet a lot of people from a lot of different countries, and got to talk about water freely with others who know at least as much as I do about it all.

I was a lot more outgoing and talkative than I have ever been in previous classrooms, which is a bit thrilling (and different). I guess I’ll be one of the chatty kids in my class! I know some may find it shocking that I normally end up quietly sitting in back, absorbing the material in my solitude…but that was how I rolled for a lot of my last two degrees. This one, though, seems to have attracted the excited part of me out of its shell.

Also, I might be the only person that is super enthusiastic about toilets. Already people are noting my passion and eagerness to talk about sanitation, which could be either good or bad. I’m hoping to convert some of the younger ones to the dark side.

Other than that? I walked around campus, ate dinner, and talked to my roommate.

And I do it all over again tomorrow morning.

Meeting People & Expos

So far so good with the new apartment! My roommate is really great and I have a good feeling it will all work out. I also got to use the complex’s small gym room yesterday. I got blisters from the row machine, and did it feel good!

Last night the water ladies and I went out to the West End to get some good food at a popular Greek restaurant. And ice cream at BaskinRobbins. We walked off all of the calories in an after-meal stroll through South Bank, talking about our lives and our loves.

I know what you might be thinking. You’re probably still stuck on “Baskin Robbins”, wondering how Kim has sunk so low in her life. After all, Baskin Robbins in the US is kind of an old, run-down shop for your kids, like Dairy Queen, right? Well, this ice cream shop did not maintain the same stereotype – it looked cool and hip, and fresh. Clean. And very tasty.

The same thing could be said for Kmart. In the US, Kmart is in its winter and wearily trudges on in whatever stores have survived. Here? It’s the place to go! It is something like a cross between a fancy pants Target (they have that here, too) and Bed, Bath & Beyond (here’s Bed, Bath & Table). There are many Kmarts in Brisbane, and they’re all clean and fashionable. I have pulled many good-quality things from their shelves for my apartment.

It’s almost as if whatever corporate setbacks and denouements companies face in the US market, Australia hasn't quite gotten the memo.

Moving on.  When we called it a night and I ventured home. Going back to my new place on a new bus route, I got a bit confused once I got dropped off on the main highway near my place. I needed to cross the street somehow, as the sidewalk I was on was blocked off in the direction I was headed. Also, the closest crosswalk was a good walk away. No big deal right? I could just jaywalk.

Wrong!

Jaywalking is a no-no here, and is definitely not work the $200+ fine you accrue with that blunder. In fact, it’s surprising just how many things are eligible for hefty fines in Brisbane. I’m sure I’ll elaborate on that in another future post.

I looked around helplessly, contemplating how I could get across the street with my blistered feet in the not-so-helpful Crocs (buying these now seem like a mistake). I saw two guys loitering a few meters away from me, so I went over to ask them for their advice about how to get to the other side.

They were both very helpful and chatted with me for quite a while. We joked and got to know each other. One is a PhD student at UQ in sustainability with photosynthesis (kids these days) and the other is doing something in graphic design. They were very interested in my being here, and other details about my life.

Out of the blue one of them asked me if I sang, and if I did, would I be interested in joining a chorus while I’m here. This startled me a bit, as I had just been contemplating how I would be able to join a chorus while studying. (I find that joining choruses while an international student helps me better integrate in the culture, and lets me keep up a hobby I enjoy  - and have been missing for years.) So we exchanged details and I’m going to look into that. After emails were shared, the same guy invited me to go ice skating with them and others the next day. Excuse me? I don’t know, ice skating is definitely not a pastime I envisaged to exist here. Ever. It’s just so tropical and warm!

Something else I can’t figure out quite yet is how to discern whether an Australian guy is being friendly or flirting with me. The border between flirty and friendly here is much different than my past experiences. There have been a few isolated incidents during these two weeks where guys have invited me to some events, much to my surprise and hesitation. My experience has indicated that when guys you have only just met invite you to join them on some gallivant, it implies a date. But here, the agenda seems mostly platonic and friendly. Like they’re just wanting to make a friend and help me get more comfortable in my new environment. Like it is just really easy to make friends and talk to Aussies.

But this guy? I have a hunch he was perhaps onto something else. I mentioned afterwards something about someone in New England, and I think I saw his face deflate a bit. Maybe it was just me, though.

I ended up breaking the law and jaywalking, if you must know.

This morning I woke up and met with the ladies again to explore a big travel expo at the conference center. It was overwhelming, with swarms of people and lots of people shoving flyers in my face for visiting Los Angeles and London (for only $1500!). We learned a lot about places we should definitely visit while in Australia…but honestly we didn't a lot. The expo was mostly for people who were able to afford big-time trip on the spot. People seemed to have had already planned their trips and were waiting (with their cash in pockets) for months for this expo so they could save a couple of bucks. Another observation was that most of the booths (and the most popular booths) were for cruises and tour group-led trips. I guess Aussies really like that kind of travel. Me – not so much.

Interestingly, there was a smaller, much quieter expo happening in a space right next to this massive one, called the Bucket ListExpo. It had more interesting travel booths to enjoy, such as Lonely Planet, (which wasn’t in the travel expo next door…why that was the case or made sense to anyone is beyond me). We ended up spending more time in the smaller expo and enjoying lunch in the Sultanate of Oman’s booth - they had built a Bedouin tent with cheap Omani lunch options in the corner. I had muqluba (while sitting on a bunch of colorful pillows), which was scrumptious.

Even though everything is going well here and I am making friends and enjoying the (mostly) gorgeous weather, I got homesick today while shopping for cooking oils in Toowong Village. I may have left behind a few tears on the clean carpeting. Nothing major has happened to really spark my sadness. The culture shock here is modest at most and everything so far has gone mostly without a hitch. That said, there are still things that I am missing. Especially people. Like this one person in New England. It can be hard to live your dreams, when you feel they’re in more than one part of the world.

Moving in Rain

I’m alive! It’s a miracle, I’m alive!

Alright, maybe it isn't quite a miracle. None of my fears came to being.

Cyclone Marcia pleasantly disappointed us here in Brisbane. She came to the northeast of Queensland at a level 5 (with fire and brimstone), but quickly realized she was well beyond her league once she touched down, and scaled her power back to more of a level 3 or 2. What that means for us here in good old “brisy” is that she has graced us with a weekend-full of torrential rain, mild flooding, and cancelled plans. Simple, obnoxious rain.

That doesn't mean I didn't freak out yesterday morning. I encouraged my host to take me to Coles Supermarket to hastily get some canned food, in case Marcia got angry somewhere on her journey down the coast. With fear in our eyes, we paced the aisles looking for water jugs and easy-to-open canned tuna. Strangely, though, we seemed to be the only ones panic buying for a storm and not on a normal Friday stroll through the stores. There was a calm among our fellow patrons.

Once back, I watched the news and followed the storm coverage. That, too, was surprisingly peaceful, considering the storm level people were anticipating. The media were concerned, but it kind of sounded like everyone – even the locals further north – were saying in chorus, “We've got this.” This took me by surprise; I feel like when us NYC folks (and Americans in general) hear about a large storm headed their way, we go all out. Supermarkets are emptied. Media is frantic. Officials bite their nails. Crisis mode! High alert! We all, in some sense, become Doomsday Preppers.

And yet here, during what seemed to be during a pretty unusual storm cell, everyone kind of shrugged and said, “It’s a bit wet then, yeh?” I kind of like that. Everyone knew what was coming, and weren't fazed by the unknown too much. People reassured each other that this storm wouldn't be like the detrimental storm they encountered in 2011. Indeed, they judged this one pretty well.

The downside is that the big orientation my program was going to have this weekend at Stradbroke Island was canceled because of all of this rain. The island was going to be impossible to get to via ferry.

But hey! Yesterday I was able to move into my long-term apartment! During the storming and all. I’m so brave.

Not really, actually. It truly has not been that big of a deal.

Anyways, I hired a cab and brought all three of my bags to this gorgeous place I’ll be renting for the next while. It’s a newish, large apartment complex on the Brisbane River, and is really close to both UQ and CBD. There’s a pretty neat bar & cafe nearby, which I foresee my friends and I visiting during the school year. I’ve already used the complex gym, which is situated in a room outside right next to the pool. I’m just telling you because I’m bragging.

But really, I’m just glad to have settled in. There is something so relieving about moving into a place of your own. Once I got my goods into the apartment and unpacked my things, I realized I couldn't care less if Marcia would pass through with vengeance or not. So what if it floods downstairs and I’m stuck in my room for the weekend? I have a long-term room! I relished an evening getting acquainted with my new roommate and my cozy, fancy room.

That said, the rain is still obnoxious.

Today I had to go out to get some more things for my room, like a mattress pad and internet. (Internet here, if you’re wondering, can come as a USB modem – it chills out in your laptop and asks you when you want to connect to the rest of the world.) The rain didn't care about my errands, though. It made large, healthy puddles on my walk to the bus - for both me and the cars. On the sidewalks, I just happily trotted through the puddles with my unfashionable Crocs (I’m so glad I bought these atrocious things). For the cars…well…I had a Bridget Jones moment a number of times. Rather, I had walls of water poured over my foolish, squealing self whenever a car passed me. It happened maybe seven times before I wised up and made a large detour to a less popular road. I decided that, while being soaking wet wasn't so horrible, I didn't want to put myself through more showers on my way to get expensive technology. I chose the safer way – the train – and went to a different and dryer part of Brisbane for my errands.

My errand going confirmed for me that it’s definitely back-to-school time here. As I combed Kmart for some affordable kitchen and housewares today, I noticed I was surrounded by excited teenagers and their stressed out parents. Buying the same stuff that I was buying in the same stores. Because I’m also a student. Oh my goodness, I’m a student again.

Another side note: abbreviations. Aussies absolutely loveabbreviations. Brisbane turns to brisy. Afternoon turns to arvo (no clue how they came up with that one). Want to watch a bit of footy (football) this arvo (afternoon) in brisy (Brisbane)? Maybe eat a bikie (bisquit) and sip a coldie (cold beer) while you’re at it? On ya (Good on you)! I just made that whole scenario up, but the slang is very much real. It makes listening to Aussies a bit challenging at times because sometimes the abbreviation is far away from what I think they mean. Economic, yes. Understandable, not always. 

Little Things...and a Forecast Fear

I've been asked for another blog post about my adventures here, after a two-day hiatus. The problem is...there really hasn't been too much going on. As a dashing lawyer in CT has said to me reassuringly, not every day is about wild adventure. I've been applying for casual jobs here and there, and I have been napping. I've gone out with the water ladies, but we are really trying more to get a feel for the area still than go on some incredible journey. This will be our home for the remainder of the year, after all.

Tuesday Denise and I went onto the CityCat ferry and aimed for a town called Tenneriffe. It seems like a pretty quiet and pleasant area. There, I saw a strange sculpture of a ewe posing with a handbag. The building behind it has the words "Woolstores" hanging on top. I gather this area, when it was more a rural backwater, was a wool manufacturing (read as: farming) area. It isn't a wool area anymore, though; the building was converted to apartments a while ago. The whole area seems pretty residential, aside from the construction garages and boutique offices speckled around on the streets.

We ended up going to a little corner cafe to get lunch. You know, I've heard complaints that (compared to NYC food) restaurants here aren't that great. I'm not sure I believe this -  every meal I've had out in a restaurant (all 3 of them) has been excellent! Here, we shared a salad and corn fritters with bacon, and it was pretty delectable. The bacon was generous and crispy, the corn fritters were actually good, and the salad was refreshing. And the portions were massive! For the cost, especially.

Anyways, we ended up getting lost for a few hours in an area that was either New Farm or Fortitude Valley. Fortitude Valley, should you need to know, is apparently where the wild nightlife of Brisbane takes place, and has a few seedy places as a result (so I don't really plan on spending much time over there). Apparently it has shops as well. We did find an RSPCA thrift shop and enjoyed looking around the books on display; I know now where to go when I need nicer stuff on a student budget.

Yesterday, the water ladies and I met up to enjoy the Museum of Brisbane in City Hall. There is a river exhibit there about the history of the watery snake that splits the city up into separate pockets and reaches (pockets are where the land turn into peninsulas; reaches are where the land curves around the peninsulas). Once again, the short timeline on city history confused me a bit. Most everything that has happened here has been photographed in some way!

We did learn that the Aborigines would paddle/wade to cross the river with spears between their legs, in preparation for crocodiles. So that was fun.

They also had a Hollywood in Brisbane exhibit, which displayed a healthy amount of costumes that were worn in movies from the Golden Age. This was a bit baffling to me as well - Australia hosts Hollywood costumes? Apparently they were gifted by a private collector in Brisbane. Good on him? The costumes were pretty and well made.

We reserved a time to go up the City Hall tower to admire the clocks in the tower. We got to ride an old elevator and check out the square from about 10 stories up.

Other than that, I've been trying to find a face soap that successfully scraping the excess oils on my summery skin, and trying not to freak out about the upcoming cyclone expected to hit Brisbane later tonight. They're forecasting pretty significant flooding. I'm really anxious about it, since the place where I'm supposed to be moving in tomorrow is right in a flood-prone area. Think, right on the water. I'm very much biting my nails from nervousness, and praying it all works out. Because I am not sure what to do if it doesn't.

Fauna & Flora

Today's big event was meeting up with a friend of a friend's for a while. She introduced me to the city's free river ferry service, and I got to tug up the river with her for an hour or so as she pointed out different city areas and points of interest from our seats. It was a really lovely ride - the two riverbanks teeming with life that hug the river banks are fascinating to watch change and alter as the boat skims the water. The river's meandering really come to life when you're actually on the water because one second the CBD is right in front of you and disappears behind you, only to reappear in front of you again when you make it around a large bend.

While we walked around we discussed the wildlife (both fauna and flora) in the area. This place really is quite wild, and Australians (or, at least Brisbanites) like to keep it that way. Trees are protected with stone walls to cover the bases, and animals have a whole slew of rights that actually surprised even me (because of the Nature Conservancy Act of 1992, if you're curious).

For example, it is a major offense if you kill any animals. At all. No killing lizards trespassing in your house, or potentially lethal snakes that might take your backyard hostage. They talk about these things on the news here. I've heard a story of a guy who found a python in his garage, and the authorities informed him that he must keep an eye on the python (KEEP AN EYE ON IT?!) until the Snake Removal Services came and coaxed the massive thing out of his house. Killing it would have put him in some major trouble. Also, a logger recently accidentally killed a koala sitting in a tree he felled. It's a common occurrence in logging, apparently, Welp, those people have to pay major fines for it, and can lose their jobs as a result.

There are also these curious trees called Moreton Bay Fig Tree. These things are pretty large, and the branches end up growing back down to the ground and become roots (Apparently those are called aerial root shoots). They end up looking kind of like a forest of trees instead of one tree with exposed roots. They're around the parks here a lot, and I'm fascinated. Similarly, there's a tree here that shoots straight up, and the pollinated seeds are at the very tippity-top of its tall body. The tree ends up rotting and falls to the ground at some time, planting only then the seed on the top where it falls. As Miami Dave says, it is kind of like the tree walks over time.

The new friend and I ended up walking around South Bank, and I got a small cup of ice cream. It was almost $7 for the thing! I choked a bit while I counted the cash. Luckily it was creamy and delicious, so the splurge wasn't so bad. If you care to know, it was nitrogenized ice cream - they make a creamy custard, and mix it up with dry ice! It comes out smooth like gelato and has less ingredients as other ice creams.

At the end of the day, though, things are expensive here. Like ice cream. And the rest of the food one buys for a week. And the bus cards. And car petrol. And electricity. Shall I keep going? I ran errands earlier this morning, and swallowed hard when I found out face soap would cost me $12 for a small bottle. I spent 10 minutes in front of the sunblocks debating which one was more cost effective. I am grabbing every discount card I come across  (I've currently counted 5 in my wallet). I'm used to having a salary and buying things that I like...even splurging...but here? I am going to have to be extremely careful (even stingy!) with my cash.

Last thought: It's always difficult feeling sick in a foreign country. I might get annoyed with American healthcare and gripe about the cost of medicine, but I always know where to go and what to do if I don't feel well. I know I'm over-generalizing a very complicated topic here (I'm not going to get involved in that larger discussion), but it's just easier to feel more comfortable at home. Kenyan Peter and I were talking about this a few days ago; it's simply nicer to feel sick in your home country. If you need a doctor in a foreign country, it can get very stressful as you hunt for a "good" doctor. In your home country, you can go to just about anyone because you know generally what you're getting, no matter what. Even with medicine can be concerning because options vary between countries. In the US, I head straight to the aisle where I can buy the product I know works for me. Elsewhere? It's a learning process with trial and error, which you really don't want to manage when you feel gross.

I mention this because I have a stomach ache from something I cooked earlier today, and I am rationing my Rolaids in case I can't figure out an option in Brisbane soon.

Kenyans & Vegans

My Saturday (ahem, Valentine's Day) transported me to Kenya, in a sense. A friend of mine invited me to join him and his friends at someone's house for a gathering. It was a gathering of Kenyans. I am not Kenyan, but I kind of look Kenyan, right?

I had a great time and everyone was really lovely and interesting. Long story short: I learned that in Kenyan culture, house guests are a blessing to the host. That means that it can be a long process to leave. We ended up staying around for nine hours at the house...which was fine! Except that it meant I couldn't run the errands I had planned for after the gathering. It's not a big deal, I just was not expecting such an involved gathering. And, like I said, the people were great so I can't really complain. A few of the couples had babies over, and they would come play with me once in a while during the conversation.

--

Today started with a few naps. Yes.

I met up with Miami Dave and his girlfriend Emily at a notable vegan cafe on the northern end of Brisbane. It took a while to get there, though - the trains weren't running today, and the river got in the way.

The river that goes through Brisbane gets in the way. A lot. It winds and coils throughout the town, making it so that some place that might only take 20 minutes of travel as the crow flies ends up taking the better part of an hour. People mentioned it a lot in this first week, but I am really starting to experience it. There's a river taxi that ping-pongs through the river here and there, but since the storm in November, a lot of the terminals are still in repairs.

But anyways, the cafe. It was delicious! I am sometimes skeptical of vegan food because it can taste like how GF food often tastes: cardboard. But we ate generously-sized sandwiches that had good taste quality. My mushroom burger tasted a bit like a grilled cheese sandwich, which pleasantly surprised me. How they knew that was what I really truly wanted, I'll never know.

And they had a shop attached the cafe...with heaps of GF options!!

A small note on the GF life here: it's not so bad. I've found a lot of places indicate "GF" on their menus, and supermarkets have GF aisles, much like in the US. The food has been pretty decent for GF, so I think I'll be alright here diet-wise. In case you were wondering, I bought a crepe mix, cereal, pasta, and cookies. Clearly, my diet is well-balanced and healthy.

We journeyed on to the BrisAsia Festival. BrisAsia is the city's month-long celebration that packages the Chinese New Year with celebrating the city's strong Asian relations. Ladies were dressed in kimonos and drums were being played. And the slowly-growing bonsai were being sold in a booth. The intimate setting of the festival made it easy to glide through quickly. We decided to move on and walk around the city some more.

We walked over a bridge and ended up in an area called South Bank. It's where the city culture is housed - the big performing arts center and modern art museum sit there. The streets are lined with restaurants and bars, so it is pulsing in the evenings and on weekends. And if that stuff doesn't interest you and you roll your eyes because you're in Australia but not near the ocean for goodness sake, you can take a lounge/dip in the area's man-made beach. Man. Made. Beach. It's really nice and clean, which surprised me. I mean, it's essentially a glorified public pool with sand...but something I have noticed here is that people take care of their things. As compared to how a lot of towns in the US are run down and the public facilities are poorly maintained.

We got drinks at a beer garden in the area. Well...I got a "creaming soda" - something us Americans would otherwise lovingly call a Shirley Temple. Yes, chuckle at my love for virgin beverages at bars. I won't stop.

One of the Kenyans I had met the day before, Beatrice (working on her MPH), joined us. We ended up scaling a good amount of South Bank's waterfront together, chatting about travel and our future goals. The city towers sparkled on the other side of the river while we walked through the colorfully-lit gardens and parkways. I have to say, this city has done a fantastic job at bringing beautiful public spaces to the people. It's kind of like being in a theme park sometimes, things look so nice.

History of Brisbane

I think had an adrenaline marathon for the first 5 days or so here...because I'm crashing pretty hard, now. This is the second night in a row I've gotten home early(ish) so I could put on pajamas and curl up in a ball of quiet. At 5:30pm. But, for the sake of documenting my memories before they get morphed in a world of bias...I shall persevere.

First thing to note is that I called the cryptic message person, and I do have a place to move into next Friday! A beautiful space with an impressive view and a nice roommate. I feel like I can breathe again!

I went back to IWC today to meet more fellow water students. It was kind of a repeat of Wednesday, so I have little to report, except that the staff of IWC proved their stripes again, being super helpful and supportive while I ran down my list of Most Recent Questions and Concerns. I also made another friend, Denver Meg. Again, it's funny that I'm linked up with a bunch of Americans while abroad.

Malasian Denise, Denver Meg, and I went out to Chinatown for lunch after our meeting. Well, truthfully, Chinatown is about three blocks of Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, so I'm not sure it can be called a town. Maybe Chinablock?

They also joined me for a tour of Brisbane. The Brisbane Economic Development Board offers a free tour service for tourists and new arrivals called Brisbane Greeters. Sadly, the lady I had reserved a week ago was accidentally double-booked, so my (well, our) private tour got extended to the public and our group increased by 10+ more people. Oh well, the guide was pleasant and informative - despite the crowd - as told us about the history of the town.

Brief history, that is. Most of the history of Australia has happened within the last 200 years; sometimes you could hear the Europeans in the group chuckle when she said things like, "This happened back in 1920!" I admittedly held back my bemusement, as well. It just seems so strange to think that their history is as young as it is, since a lot of the Western World starts around 500+ years ago.

And some of the pride in the history kind of startled us. The guide proudly explained how Brisbane came to being when convicts in Sydney committed more offenses than their original offenses. Essentially, it's a place created because some of the convicts were being particularly bad and weren't allowed to be with the other convicts anymore. She then explained that one of the head guys who developed Brisbane (and was a big founder/funder of UQ), a Mr.Mayne, was in fact a murderer!!

That just does not seem like something to relish in a history...but I guess you just go with what you have got?

Happily, she also took us through a woodlands area of the city, and got us to cool off under the big shady trees in the park (it was hot and humid all day). I really appreciated that she also made a point to highlight important water landmarks in the area for us three water students. She gets an A for memory and considerations.

After the long tour, us three decided to go to a fancy little cafe the guide mentioned that sits in City Hall - Shingle Inn. During the tour we witnessed some magical-looking emerald green smoothie glide past us. We all agreed that we needed to try it. It is called a Lime Mint Julep. Now, in the US, a (Kentucky) julep contains bourbon and has a minty kick to it. But at the Shingle Inn? It's a damn good ice cream blend of mint and lime in a delightful parlor glass. Lots of silent appreciation occurred at our table for a little bit as we sipped our juleps. We also got little tortes to complement our juleps, and they were also delightfully tasty.

After that? I came back to the airbnb and put on my pajamas. A kind New Zealander I had met while house hunting invited me to a house party tonight to help me meet new people...and I turned it down pretty quickly; I know I'm no fun right now.

Last thought: Wild turkeys hang out all over the place. One stalks the area on my route to the bus station every morning. As soon as it sees me approach, it will start kicking its legs back, like it's ready for a dance off or something. If nothing else reminds me on a daily basis that I'm no longer in NYC, this certainly does the trick.

Koalas? Koalas!

I think I might be completely finished with my life goals. Because I got to hold a koala.

It was a brief - ah, too brief! - hold. Little CuhnCuhn, with his little woolly body, was ripped away from my body too quickly, and I immediately felt the emptiness in my hands once he was gone. But the small time we shared with each other, well....it was magical. Sure, he might have looked dazed and confused while he was being plunked into my arms, and sure, he might have looked equally confused when he was being pulled off me....but I think he knew that there was a real connection between us.

Malaysian Denise and I went to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in the rain today. It's a nice little zoo-like place, where they've taken hurt and suffering animals and keep them for a while. Denise and I  bought annual passes because, well, we love animals, and the annual pass is equal to about two visits...so... Also, I'm expecting to hang out there more often with visitors.

The animal sanctuary is in an intimate location and pretty cozy - it's not a zoo where it takes hours to scale. That said, it has a great diversity in animals, and is pretty engaging! They had kookaburras, platypus, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, wombats, wallabies, kangaroos....and, of course, KOALAS. As well as others. We cooed and squealed over the adorableness surrounding us for a while.

Like the platypus! They're so small and spry!

And the wombats are little sad bulldogs with more fur!

And how sweet are those sleepy koalas?! HOW SWEET!

And HOW WEIRD DO CASSOWARIES LOOK!?!?!?

Ahem.

So of course I shelled out the money to hold a koala while I was there. As you already know. Afterwards a wombat and I gazed into each other's eyes for a full five minutes.

The annual pass gives us a deep discount on kangaroo food, as well. Which means we were able to go into the kangaroo area and hang out with the little ones for a while. The kangaroos just kind of waited for the food to be brought to them (rather spoiled, I say), and we happily obliged their regal lounging and hurried over to them with our food bags. I landed two kangaroos fighting for the nibbly bits of food in my hand, as exchange for permission to pet them. They fought with each other in front of me, which made me blush and exclaim, "Boys! I'm flattered really! But there's plenty for both. Don't fight over little old me!" (My humility is worthy of international recognition.) One of their responses was to put its head fully into my paper bag with food, clutching onto my arm so I couldn't get him out for a while.

So, for the rest of my quiet day, I have returned to my childhood. I'm perhaps 4 years old and ogling puppy pictures online..

Meet the Funders

So apparently not ALL Brisbanites are early risers. Last night I got home around 11:30pm from hanging out with some of the part-time students in my program over (a delicious Turkish) dinner in the West End. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly! That's one word with which I would describe here: FRIENDLY!

But let's rewind a bit. My morning started with meeting my funders. My education here is fully funded by the International Water Centre (IWC), and I went into CBD to their office to meet these people responsible for helping me with this program. I sat down nervously in their conference room and waited with a fellow scholar from Malaysia named Denise. We waited and talked together about housing and our pre-departure freak outs. Ah, and! she's around my age!

Quick note; I was concerned that I would be the oldest person in my masters program here...but that is not the case at all! If anything, I'm on the younger end. I rather like being surrounded by older people, so yay!

About five IWC employees came over to greet us - a rainbow of nationalities (Aussie, American, British, French, Japanese). They sat down and started talking almost immediately about which areas are more fun to live in and how to not get screwed by slumlords (yes, even Brisbane has those). It took me a few minutes to register that these five people were, in fact, my funders. So casual and kind were these people, cracking jokes with us and talking about poo, I almost felt compelled to ask them if they really were the people who just threw a lot of money at me (I was expecting more official legalities here).

And that is something I'm learning about this place: everyone, no matter the occasion, is laid back. Just got an email saying, "Yeah alright you're good to go"? You might have just won a scholarship. Did someone say to you "Sure see you next week"? You might have just landed an apartment (more on that in a bit). The casual setting is something that I am not used to at all - us Americans like to have things in writing and official with stamps and lawyers and everything, right? But I've been told to get used to this, as I feel my neurotic controlling tendencies creep up my back.

The funders chatted with us about housing and about the layout of the program. The format of our masters is pretty different than most masters; it's more like a series of intensive workshops throughout the semester while we work on our piece de resistance. There may not be a consistent schedule because of the material and the experts who are teaching us are coming in from all different places all over. In fact, the only consistent thing about the program will be our classroom, which is a single room for about 50 of us (23 full time students) stationed somewhere in the UQ campus.

The funder folks were enthusiastic about my interests in researching WASH, and encouraged me to keep in contact with other universities for my final research project. They also told us they were 100% there to serve and help us throughout the program. We were offered coffee shop talks whenever, connections to organizations for networking, and a lot of support. A lot of support. LOTS. Think phone numbers coupled with the phrase, "If you need anything. Really." At this moment, I'm really glad I signed onto this program.

Afterwards, I went house hunting some more. Again with the casual aspect of the culture here, I texted someone to confirm I wanted to rent their (very nice) place, and his response was "k, c u next week then". I stared blankly at the text message for a while. Did I get the place? Doesn't he need to finalize words officially with me? No stamp? Again?? Those I've met agree that yes, I have the place. But I'm used to something a bit more. I'm not that casual.

Similarly, I'm not worried...but people here allude that I might be often. Whenever I thank someone for anything, the response is, "no worries." It always halts me, and I do a quick internal check if I seem worried. Am I worried? I know, some Americans use this term as well...but I always feel a bit lost. Should I reply with, "Don't worry, I'm not"? I think it goes back to the casual culture here, but I still want them to know that I'm not worried. But I am worried that they think I'm worried.

In other realizations, people here seem to genuinely want to help. I handed my dying cellphone to some cashier at a corner store near the restaurant for charging while I went to dinner. Right after I released my clutch, I reflected that in most places in the US that would have been coined a "really stupid move". I mean, it could be gone by the time I return. Here, though? I don't think that the guy was fathoming doing something like that at all. So while he charged my phone I conversed with fellow students about America's confusing gun policies and racism. And when I came back it, he handed my phone back like it was the Grail or something.

Before meeting up for dinner, I sat on the riverbank and enjoyed the sunset over the tree-lined waterway. It was really peaceful; everything here is calm and relaxed. I breathed and realized I didn't really feel the anxiety with which I came here. I think I'll be just fine. Except with this whole sun thing....it's really intense.

Final note: I either have a big spider bite, or a heat/sun rash on my arm currently. It's about two quarters long and one quarter wide, and it is a red welt that itches and burns a bit. Any medical readers out there? I do know that my skin needs more sunblock than I've been using because other parts of my arms are getting mildly rashy. All good and fun!

Inspection & Wildlife

First, a comment. This whole waking up at 5:30am thing is really going to be a hard adjustment for me.

Okay, now that that is out of the way!

Today I started room hunting. This is my current biggest stress here, and I am looking forward to being housed before the other students come here in a week. I don't want to jinx myself on the first day of hunting, though, so I'm not going to say much about it all....except a few things.

First of all, finding lodging here is called "Inspection". So official! I find this very amusing, since it's in many ways just as backdoor as in the US... not very official at all. That is, if you are looking for a room to share from flatmates.

What is official about the process, though, is if you are looking to rent a place by signing a lease. While in the US you normally give the landlord a deposit to hold, here the government holds it for you, and deducts costs of damages incurred while you lived there from it. Hence, "inspection".

Today during during my inspections I found that it's very mixed bag of what's available and what you get for the same price in different areas of the city. Some places I saw were gorgeous and cheap and conveniently located, while other places were kind of dumpy and far removed yet super expensive. I'm not entirely sure how the market controls this at all here. So, please keep your fingers crossed and pray loudly and with heart that I land one of the former forms of lodging during my stay down under.

Anyways, this all meant most of my day was sitting waiting for - or in - buses. You know what? It might be a pain to figure out which buses to take and walk to the rather random bus stop locations...but the bus system really does work fantastically well here! The buses often ride in bus-only lanes and tunnels, which means getting around really isn't too upsetting or variable. And the ride is pretty smooth.

But the sprawl! Everything is very spaced out here in Brisbane. It is, as I have said, a suburban-heavy city. Most building are houses, and all others outside of the Central Business District (CBD) don't go beyond 7 floors. A car would probably be useful, if it wasn't so damn costly to keep on the road (gas here is about $1.50 per litre...or $5.69 a gallon...and parking fees are no joke). And if only I didn't dislike driving cars so much. I am going to have to get used to a lot of wandering and walking to bus stations.

I ended my evening walking through CBD, as I'm drawn to the high-rising buildings and concrete jungle. Surprisingly I rather liked what I saw! Beautiful buildings were chilling out here and there between long strips of shops and restaurants. It was very clean!! I always find cities that are very clean kind of fascinating. How do they keep it so clean with so many people pacing the streets?? The feeling and layout of the inner city also seems pretty charming. At the very tip of the CBD peninsula is a botanical garden open to the public; I relished walking through the heavy greenery with birds flying around me.

Something nice that happens regardless of where I am here is people coming up to me to chat. A number of times people have started talking to me while I'm walking to my next destination, and it has been very pleasant conversation. One shop owner started talking to me about the recent shark attack that killed a surfer on the coast further south (okay maybe that wasn't so pleasant) as well as great options for experiencing the country during my stay.

And later this evening as I strolled through the green gardens with my earbuds playing music, an old man approached me, pointing excitedly to my side. He kind of looked like a person who might be ignored for being a "loony old man talking in public". I pulled out my earbuds, though, and found out he really had something to say to me!

"Do you hear them?!"

"Hear who?"

"The curlews! They're calling to each other. There are maybe eight of them that come out at night in here. Sound really eerie, don't they?!"

I listened to the background, and I heard a super strange, highly pitched wail. It kind of sounded like a violin crying, or maybe a kid howling in a playground. I have never heard anything like it.

"Yeah, they do. Thank you for stopping and showing me that."

"No worries."

I might start wearing my earbuds less often around here.

School & Lunch

What a difference a full night of sleep makes! I am pretty sure I didn't move an inch last night. I also definitely did not hear all of the apparently peculiar animal noises in the middle of the night, apparently. The hosts had warned me of the strange sounds heard at night by the wildlife. But did I hear anything? Nope, not one sound. Though when I did wake up, I heard some very odd sounds outside of the window. One bird even sounded a bit melodic and beautiful.

I was really proud of myself for having gotten up on my own volition at what I thought was a very early time, 7am. But when I got headed to the shopping centre at 9am, I realized that I was actually late compared to the rest of the population! People were eating some kind of lunch at 9am, reading newspapers and chatting with friends. Others were walking through the mall, looking as if they had been awake for hours! I am not talking about a handful of people here, either; a lot of people were apparently halfway through their days already! And I found out that is not terribly far from the truth here; because the sun rises at a skull-splitting 5:30am, Brisbane tends to get up early and gets things done. I also think people here might all be morning people, as they were all friendly and bubbly...compared to the nocturnal Yours Truly who cannot form a coherent sentence until 10am (at the earliest).

The flip side to this observation is obviously that people in Brisbane go to bed much earlier. In fact, from observations and conversations, Brisbane is a sleepy city after about 5pm! Most stores close up around 5pm, as people make a B-line home once work is over. This news is especially unsettling for me, as I am really only fully functional at around 5pm, and really enjoy being active and involved in community things in the evenings. What will I do?! I guess it'll make me learn how to cook better and focus on my studies (and my blog posts). I'm trying to find the silver lining here.

Anyways. I got to the end of the shopping centre to the bus station so I could make my way to the University of Queensland; I had a number of errands to fulfill before Orientation Week happens. Getting there took close to 1.5 hours...but not because the school is that far from where I am. Instead, it was because I thoroughly confused myself about how the bus system works here.

Public transport is very convenient in Brisbane in the sense that there are available buses everywhere, they get around quickly, and the drivers are very helpful should you be lost (ahem). But it is a ludicrously expensive zoned transportation system ($3.40 to school from here, and it's only an 18-minute ride)! And if you don't have the entire city's system tattooed to your arm, it can become quite a struggle to figure out how on earth to get where, and how. Fortunately, a nice bus driver explained to me which bus numbers I needed, and where, and I finally made it to UQ.

I arrived at the relatively quiet and pastoral area, and I was kind of surprised. UQ is a real campus, for real. Like, really a campus. With a quad and a student union center and trees and everything! Perhaps you are thinking, "Well, Kim, what did you expect?? It is a university, after all." But I went to school in NYC, where a traditional campus wasn't possible. And I loved that I wasn't at a campus setting. However, for the next year or so, I will be strolling through a campus campus, and living the life of a student who goes to a campus campus regularly. With quiet streets and student-run stores.

Walking through the campus, I started reflecting on where I was, compared to where I have been on my life journey, to date. It makes me wonder, am I going backwards? Am I going to be the oldest person in my classes? The people around me outside looked so YOUNG! As if they require an adult escort through the big maze of buildings. These feelings of going backwards and being among youngin's was not helped when I went to a campus introduction session. The friendly presenter shared information about student groups, and added that they "even have one for mature students, over the age of 23 years". 23 is mature here!! Oh goodness.

I did make two friends who are fellow "mature" students at that session. A beautiful Saudi lady (Aya) and a kind Miami native (David). We looked at each other with grim smiles as the lady mentioned their special network for us elderly folk. We chatted afterwards and tried to find our ways around a small part of the campus together, which made me feel more confident in making friends here. It's funny to me still that every time I move abroad, I end up knowing more fellow foreigners than I do locals. I have to move to the other side of the planet to hang out with a Miami and a Saudi. As the youth might say in their common vernacular, smh.

Here's something that will likely surprise not just me: the campus is riddled with ibis. IBIS! I was really startled to see a long arching beak pause in front of me on the way to the session. I thought it was a one-off chance until I got into the session. Apparently these ibis are royal pests and bully students all around the campus. The lady warned us of the ibis taking liberties like sucking milkshake glasses dry while students are eating lunch. Or even stealing a sandwich out of a poor person's hands while in mid-chew. There are a number of other birds who frequent the campus and threaten students' meals on a regular basis, as well, including turkeys and ducks. Once leaving the session, I actually saw a number of ibis terrorizing a couple hungry students.

Oh boy, this is not going to be like my other college experiences.

Aya was sweet and invited us to her apartment for lunch with her and her husband. At first I thought, Idon'tknowshouldIisitsafeIjustmetthisladyanhourago? But then I remembered the first rule to moving abroad solo: say yes. So Miami David & I both went to her place for a Saudi lunch in a beautiful apartment near the school. First off, the food was phenomenal - it might have been simply rice&beans, but it was so tasty she ended up packing the leftovers for me to bring home. I begged her to teach me how to cook. It was also nice to meet new people and get to know them over a meal. Unfortunately for them, my toilet enthusiasm *may* have come out during our conversation.

But these people are really great and I enjoyed myself. David and Aya have been here for longer than me by weeks/months, and were really helpful with advice and offered to support me however they can while I get settled. That is something awesome and heartening. And I got leftovers!

When David & I left and headed to the nearby train station, I chuckled at how all of the kids I saw at the bus/train stations were in these odd school uniforms with very wide brim hats on. He explained to me that in Australia (all of the country? I don't know) they have a school policy called "No Hat No Play". Basically, the UV rays here down under are so intense and dangerous, that kids at school cannot play outside during recess unless they have their uniform hats with them. And let me tell you, I get it; the sun here is serious business. Today the UV Index was at 13, or "Extreme"; for comparison, the UV in the Mediterranean is usually at 9, which is considered "Very High". Someone will burn in 30 minutes at UV 6. Stores have long aisles of sunblock options because people will fry like a crisp under the sky during the day. I myself bought a floppy hat today just to protect myself more from the unforgiving sunlight I've felt pelting down on me the last two days. I may be wearing SPF50+, but I can already tell this is where I need to really work hard to protect myself from melanoma.

I got back to the apartment before the sunset, and my host took me out for a brisk walk around the area. Or, I should say, a hike. We ambled up some very steep hills. But it was pleasant and the fellow passerby's smiled and greeted us upon intersection. As much as I don't like suburban life, I do like the friendliness I've experienced so far here.

Freshly Arrived in Brisbane

And I'm glad the 30-hour trip here is finished, because it was long. Long long long. Granted, the Qantas flight from LAX to here was about as smooth as can be and had great stewards (and, dare I say, great meals!). And sure, I had a 9-hour layover in LAX where I could shower and relax and regroup beforehand. But still, it was long, and kind of uncomfortable, and I am glad to be done for now.

I should also note right now that I am beyond jetlagged as I write this, and am feeling sleep tug at my brain with a whimper and a whine. I think this excuse should exonerate me from any gripes about my griping.

Fortunately, my flight landed here about 45 minutes early, letting me take my time while I got through customs. I'm sad that my luggage was significantly roughed up by airport staff, and have some major cracks in the hard casing of both of them...but hey! they both arrived! My stuff is here after being separated from me for so long, and for that I am grateful.

I exited customs a bit confused, and felt like I must have done something wrong. That's because I didn't get any stamps in my passport. No stamps! I looked around just to make sure no border officials were running after me with a rubber stamper in hand before I got through the sliding doors. There was no such scene. I was surprised, and I'll admit a bit dismayed. I mean, what is the point of the passport booklet if I do not get stamps plunked onto the pages? So my new passport remains a bit empty. I should applaud Australia for moving beyond the mildly archaic system of stamps in a book...but I really wanted a stamp.

Anyways, leaving the airport I looked around for my ride that was arranged for me by the school. The other drivers struck up a conversation with me and nicely told me the guy picking me up would be a bit late. That's fine, I was early anyways. The cab driver guy was super friendly and talked with me about NYC and snow. And I decided to pick up a SIM card from a nearby kiosk, so I could let my family know I was alive and in ridiculously nice summer weather. Because I am a nice person.

The guy at the Optus booth was also very pleasant with me and chatted for a while as he got my phone number set up. Being an impatient New Yorker, I drummed my fingers a bit and interrupted him mid-sentence to ask if my phone was ready yet. But he patiently dealt with my impatience and finally sent me away happily with a phone blowing up with messages from home. People here are, so far, living up to the stereotype of being incredibly friendly. That encourages me.

Just FYI, I love smelling new places as soon as I get there. Brisbane, so far, smells like flowers. Fresh, blooming, subtle yet flagrant flowers. I was kind of surprised; Brisbane is the third largest city in Australia, so naturally I assumed it would have a bit of a steely smell. It doesn't, though! Clean and flowery.

I showed up at my Airbnb place under some pretty intense morning sunlight and got dressed for a long day ahead of me - because, you know, you shouldn't go to sleep until the end of the day after a long-distance travel (hence this meandering and wordy blog post right now!), and it was only 10am. Luckily, the hosts are very helpful and informed me that the house is about a 5 minute walk from a very large shopping mall, where I could get groceries for myself. So of course I trotted on over to this place - the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.

The problems of moving to new countries (or even just new places in general) is having to start over again. But I'm not just talking about how I have to re-accumulate big things like furniture and little things like pens and an umbrella (though, that, too). I'm talking about things like starting over with the English language and my daily routine. Maybe this is the jetlag talking, but as I walked through the shopping mall, I realized that words in my normal vocabulary would have to get swapped out for more locally appropriate words. Like how light bulbs will now be called globes. And how elevators are now lifts. My mind was putting together a vocabulary list for me to review later, once I have had some sleep.

Most upsetting at the time, though, was when I was looking for face soap. I had forgotten to pack the foam soap brand I've used religiously for a couple years - I hadn't really thought of it. However, as I stumbled around the stores (a KMart here, a Target there...), I realized that I might have to start over with my face cleaning routine. With a new brand. And a new soap that would have a different interaction with my unreasonably fragile ecosystem of a face. And then I thought about the other sensitive routines I have finally tamed and balanced to keep my body functioning normally. And all of the things for which I would have to find alternatives.....and I got emotional. How would I be able to figure it all out? Am I really staying in Australia for at minimum a year?? Would I be able to survive this little educational experiment of mine?? That's about the time I realized I was getting overwhelmed and overstimulated and sat down on a couch lounging in the middle of this shopping place (it's a very nice mall). I'll tackle those questions and adjustments another day.

Though, despite these changes, I do feel like I have moved to another state in the US, and not across the planet in a very far-off land of kangaroos. I mean, sure there are major differences like driving orientation and very colorful currency. But many of the stores are the same, as well as the language. Sometimes the accent even sounds a bit American. It's almost concerning, this feeling. Granted, I haven't seen much of this country yet. I'll report back on this later.

This seems to be a bit of a suburban city. Lots of cars. Lots of sprawl. Not a lot of high rises, and a lot lot lot of houses bundled together in neighborhoods. I recall hearing someone saying that Brisbane/Queensland is like the Florida of Australia - the weather is always tropical and warm, and the city is still sleepy and a bit backwater. Having driven a while to get to this apartment, and passing by a lot of shopping malls and strip malls, this is one of my biggest concern about living here. I am really, really hoping that that analogy was not very accurate, and that this place has a lot of offerings and fun things to do. Maybe not like NYC, which will be an super hard one to beat, but have some amount of culture and activities to try out. I mean, it's 2 million people, I'm sure there are things to do here, right? Right, guys? Right?!

Yeah, alright, I should get some shut eye.