Week One

Well, my first week of classes ends tomorrow. My finalized schedule is: metric spaces, probability for statistics, Australia and America, and Famine in the Modern World. I, unfortunately, have lectures every day of the week - I have friends here who have a four day weekend every week. I had some massive scheduling conflicts that I finally got figured out. I had three lectures at 11:00 on Wednesdays, which clearly wasn't going to work out so well - especially since two of them were maths lectures. So I dropped two subjects, and added two new ones. I think the new ones will be fantastic, though. I went to my first Famine in the Modern World lecture today and I think it'll be interesting (and sobering).

All my subjects here are broken into two parts: lectures and practicals, or tutorials. Some have two lectures a week, and Probability for Statistics has two practicals, but I spend what feels like a lot less time in class, and a lot less time interacting. In Grinnell, my only "lecture" style classes all had mentor sessions, where I could talk to a science major who took that course about homework. Most of my other classes were lectures with a place built in for discussion and questions. Here, I take notes and don't talk. It was most noticable to me in Famine in the Modern World, which is an anthropology subject - somewhere I'm very used to having discussion that can sometimes over-run the lecture. Its very different, and I think I prefer the Grinnell-style. Its only the first week, though, and my tutorials and practicals don't start until next week. That may change my mind some.

I am starting to get less lost when I venture out, which is really great. I seem to have a wonderful ability to get home from wherever I am, even if I can't make it to where I wanted to go. I'm perfectly happy with this arrangement! Uni campus is still a rabbit-warren I can't make sense of, though I am starting to be able to routinely get to the same place using the same route - and even beginning to figure out shorter ways to get places.

I am more and more able to navigate the city on my own, which is lovely. I bought a 10x2hour pass, and am using that to get around. I take the tram to Ultimate practice, to buy non-market grocery items, and to venture into the city. I have even begun to understand the layout of grocery stores, which has so far stumped me. I can now enter and find what I need fairly quickly. I am also a bit in love with the Australia GST (general standard tax), which is 1) included in prices already, 2) not on essentials like: bread, dairy, eggs, noodles, juice, meat, tortillas - pretty much everything I eat, and 3) not on boxed tea. Its beautiful. Tea is considered an essential household commodity. I love Australia.

Today I went into the city, by myself!, to buy notebooks and other school supplies. I took the tram from Uni, which is not where I'm used to getting it, and got into the city just fine. I took the wrong tram out of the city, but figured it out, and was able to catch the right tram further down the line. I was (am) very proud of myself, especially since the last time I missed my tram stop, I ended up having to walk several blocks to figure out where I was. Its a really small thing, but really important for me, that I can get around by myself. This weekend, my big adventure is going to be taking the tram to St. Kilda's Beach by myself. Or at least figuring out how to do it by myself. I'll probably invite a friend or two along. I promise photos in the next post!