The beginning of the adventures!

Finally, I'm in Australia!  The trip has been so crazy so far.  I thought I would be nervous flying myself , but it really wasnt scary at all.  Luckily I slept most the way to San Francisco where I met up with Aarika , the other girl from U of I.  The 14 hour plane ride from San Francisco to Sydney was TERRIBLE.  I could barely sleep at all, even though I drank some of the free wine!!!!  It makes me want to stay here just so that I don't have to fly back.  Dont worry I'll come back.  

Everyone around here is so friendly!  When Aarika and I were trying to get from her apartment to my college, we tried to take a free bus.  We asked directions from someone and they told us to take the free bus the was caterpillar colored.  We werent really sure what caterpillar color was but we did find the bus stop.  We waited 35 minutes because around here nobody seems to be really worried about being on time anywhere.  The bus driver would tell some people they just couldnt get on the bus because he'll be back in 20 minutes!! That would never happen at home!  The bus only held like 15 people and all of them were old people and we were the 2 crazy American girls!  All the old ladies were telling us different places to get off the bus and so finally with both of my HUGE luggages, we got off at some random stop and stood on the corner with our map trying to figure out where to go.  Luckily some lady walked by us and asked if we needed help and then offered to walk us all the way over to where we needed to go.  

After getting all my stuff into my room and meeting my roommates, they showed me the cellar thats in my room.  I can pull up a door in the floor and theres a whole room down this super steep lady.  It creeps me out pretty bad so I have been keeping my suitcases on top of it, but my roommates said they had parties all the time down there.  

Yesterday, Aarika and I went to the beach for the day.   We asked some people how to take the tram to the beach.  It should only cost $2 for students, but we dont have student cards yet.  When we got to the beach we stopped for food and I ordered what I thought was a normal tuna fish sandwich.  However, instead of tuna salad like I am used to, I got plain tuna.  It was so gross.  Aarika ordered fish and chips and had to pay extra for ketchup or "tomato sauce".   So while we were laying at the beach, the  people in front of us were from here and they starting talking to the guy next to them who happened to be from London, and then the girl next to him was from Canada and then Aarika and I were like oh hey well we are from the US.  The study abroad office at home kind of made us worried about how people would react when we would say we were American, but everyones thinks its great.  One of the first questions everyone asks about is Obama being in office.   Everyone around here is really excited about him.