Australia Part 2

So the first week of classes is over, as is my second week in Sydney. I am attempting to find some sort of a routine or organization with school and living in a foreign country, but I am wondering if that is even the best thing. Maybe I should just fly by the seat of m pants and see what happens. My classes seem like they will be interesting. I have three film classes and a media relations classes. The film classes all have a screening every week so I am on campus for quite a bit of time, but it’s ok because the campus is beautiful. I did have a bit of anxiety finding my classes because it’s a new campus and I didn’t find my classes before this week. I felt like a freshman again asking people where to go and finding kids who were in my class, but also had no idea where the room was. I eventually found them all. A couple highlights of my classes are I only have one final since they all want research papers instead. So once those are all turned in I can relax a little bit. For my religion and film class, I am writing a review on Fight Club’s religious parallels with Buddhism and its ongoing search for something to fill that void, when in the end the answer is nothingness.

The weather has been quite a different one than expected. It’s rained about half the time I have been, which has definitely prohibited the traveling around the city. I guess it is understandable since it is the middle of winter here, but I am excited for spring and some good weather. I have been over to Darling Harbor, but haven’t quite made it over to Sydney Harbor to the bridge or opera house, but I have plenty of time to do that. I have walked around the city a little bit with some other kids from my program. We saw where the Real World Sydney was filmed on the way to the harbor, so that was kind of cool. I haven’t done too much traveling around, but I look forward to in the weeks to come.

I have been trying to find a way to exercise around here because the food isn’t the healthiest place in the world. I can see how this beats America as the fattest country in the world even though the city doesn’t quite display this. So I joined the Sydney Uni Ultimate Frisbee Association (Suufa), and I have been practicing with them on Wednesdays. I also got asked to play with the club team (Fakulti) on Thursdays. So I am thankfully keeping myself running around outside because the pushups were just not cutting it. The Suufa is a co-ed team this semester and they are going to the Australia Uni Games in Melbourne in September. I made the squad, but told them I couldn’t go because it was a bit too expensive to play. I joined the team for some karaoke on Thursday night, and I can’t wait to see those pictures.

My roommates are still awesome, and there has been very little drama in the two weeks of living here. I am having a blast spending time with people from my program and meeting some amazing Australians that know how to have fun. I hope everyone back home is doing well. I miss you, and see you at Thanksgiving. More to follow…

Cheers, Richard