Having just celebrated my one week anniversary of being in Australia, I feel somewhat qualified to give my initial findings on the good and bad of the country thus far.
The good:
The Fitness
This past week and a half in Australia has been one of the most physically strenuous periods of my life. Between lugging two 50-pound suitcases up and down two flights of stairs (three times), two surfing lessons, countless hikes, and trekking all around the greater Melbourne area trying to locate contact solution (Really? No contacts in Australia? Fine), I am working muscles that I'm fairly certain I didn't have before Australia. As one girl remarked during a three hour hike essentially up the side of a mountain "I feel like we're constantly on the Last Chance Workout from Biggest Loser." On the bright side, I am getting RIPPED, and if "vegetarian option" continues to mean rice, I will be returning home jacked AND skinny.
The Wildlife
As everyone has seen on Animal Planet, Australia has some seriously cool wildlife. One thing that I missed from endless viewings of the Crocodile Hunter, however, is the sheer abundance of some of these animals. Since my arrival, I have seen probably 20 kangaroos, about 4 koalas, and one terrified echidna we cornered by the side of the road and photographed as it tried futilely to bury itself in the dirt. In the WILD. Not in a zoo or even a reserve but just straight chillin. Additionally, kookaburras, parrots, cockatoos and countless other exotic looking birds live on campus here at La Trobe and can be constantly spotted in the trees around campus.
Sledging
"sledging" is an Australian term that simply means "to be rude towards any and all people one may encounter and have this be entirely socially acceptable." Basically "sledging" means you can make fun of anyone, anywhere based on anything and have it dismissed by saying loudly "Aw, I'm just takin' the piss!" in your best Aussie twang. Race, sexuality, weight, looks; everything is fair game in this twisted psychological warzone known as joking in Australia. Most of you will be unsurprised to hear that I have developed an affinity, as well as a natural gift, for sledging. Just hope it works its way out of my system by July.
Jorts
Many of you know what a dear place jorts (jean shorts, for the unenlightened) hold in my heart. Simply put, I love them. I love the texture, I love the inappropriate skimpiness of them, I love the redneck je ne sais quoi they add to every outfit. Well, gentle readers, I am THRILLED to report that Aussies share my affinity for cropped denim. Men wear jorts, women wear jorts, children wear jorts. I was even fortunate enough the other day to catch a sprightly old man rocking a tasteful pair, cutoff just above the knee. I stroll around all day gazing happily at the sea of denim covered derrieres, content in the knowledge that I have found my people.
The Bad:
The Wildlife
Remember what I was saying about the beautiful parrots, cockatoos, and kookaburras earlier? Well, beauty is only skin (or feather) deep and these little monsters regularly make horrific screeching noises at 5 in the morning when some of us may still be attempting to get some beauty rest. Being awoken to the screeches of what sounds like an epic interspecies battle (or, in the case of the kookaburra, maniacal, AJ McLean at the beginning of "Larger Than Life" laughter)is not the most restful thing I have ever experienced. Also, the bugs seem to operate by a "bigger is better" sort of philosophy and they all come equipped with some sort of sonar that allows them to aim directly for ears, eyes, nostrils, or partially open mouths that are midsentence.
The Prices
17 dollars for the cheapest bath towel at Target, 34 dollars for a poor quality frying pan, and 13 dollars for a small bottle of sunscreen. That is all. I get that Australia is a pretty remote continent, but unless you are transporting things by cart and pony, there is no reason bath towels and sunscreen need to be treated as such precious commodities.
Kitten-sized spiders aside, I am having a wonderful time in Australia, and am incredibly excited for the rest of my semester here. I will continue updating the blog, but I am having some trouble uploading pictures to Facebook, so just sit tight while I grapple with my entirely dubious internet situation.
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