Classes Begin :o(

Well we started classes this week. I haven't had school in almost 3 months, so this is going to take some SERIOUS getting used to. It works a little differently than it does at USC, so that will also take some adjusting. At USC we take classes on either Monday/Wednesday/Friday and they are 50 minutes each, or Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday and those are an hour and 20 minutes each. Most people also normally take 5 or even 6 classes a semester. Here on the other hand, the classes are once a week lectures which are 2 hours long, and once a week tutorials which are 1 hour long (except for my one communications class which is the opposite- I don't know why). Most people here also only take 3 or 4 classes a semester, meaning the teachers think you can handle more work because you have less classes. Don't worry, I have already made it a point to let my teachers know that not only am I an International Student, but I also am taking more than the average course load. I don't think it will be too bad. I still don't have Friday classes (which I have been lucky enough to never have in college) and I don't have any classes before 10am. I am taking a class called "The Australian Experience" which is basically a history of Australia. It should be really interesting to learn about another country's history, but I'm a little intimidated. The class had 597 people in it and most of them are Australian. I hope our professor doesn't assume we all know the in's and out's of Australian history like Australians do. I also don't like that we don't know our exam schedules yet. So far 2 of my classes aren't giving exams, but I still don't know the deal with the other 3. At USC you know off the bat when your exams will be. The exam period here is from June 2- 27h (or something like that) so if I knew when my exams were I would be able to figure out some traveling if I had a week off. I guess I will just have to see what happens as I go.

Since my mom asked, I figured I will tell you a little about my house and roomates. There are 9 bedrooms total. There are 4 Australian girls who go to "college" which is not the same thing as "Uni"- which is where I go. We haven't really figured out exactly what college is, but it is a lot like high school. They go every day from like 9-2:45, have half days Thursdays and no school Fridays. They "graduate" after only 12 months as opposed to 4 years like college were used to. They do not get a degree after graduating, but (according to our roomates) are guarenteed a job. It doesnt make sense to me but whatever, I'm not going there. 2 of the girls have moved out already because they decided that "college wasn't for them" and they moved back home with thier parents (they are from all over Australia). The 4 girls that are left have started to show thier true colors to us recently, and it has become a little difficult on "the Americans". We are all 21 and haven't lived at home with our parents in over 3 years. We are used to normal housekeeping things (although I'm sure my mom would beg to differ) and we pretty much know how to take care of outselves. The Australians, on the other hand, are all 19 and are living away from home for their first time. They are not as good at cleaning up after themselves (though to be fair, Chrissy gets mad and does all of thier dishes, and I clean all the bathrooms, so they might not even realize that they need to do housework- something I discovered after first living with Katy). Hopefully this is going to work itself out just like any other first-time roomate situation does, because right now the 3 Americans are at their wits end.

Luckily, we get a little break from the cleaning this weekend! We have been wanting to take our first little trip, and finally planned one. It is only to Sydney, which is like a 2 hour train ride south, but we are all EXTREMELY excited. Not only do we get to get out of the house and this city for a little bit, but we also get to go to "the biggest party in the southern hemisphere": aka The Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney. We really have no idea what to expect excpet what we saw on Real World: Sydney, and what we have googled, so I'll let you know how it goes. I went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans last year, but for some reason I have a feeling this is going to be a little bit different. We were lucky enough to have Laura's dad book us 2 nights at the Sydney Mariott using his Mariott Points (aka I don't have to pay to stay in a $300/a night hotel for the weekend). We are leaving VERY early Friday morning (very early to us being 8 am) and hopefully getting a whole day of totally tourist stuff in before Saturday, which is apparently when the real parties begin. It is the last weekend of the month-long Mardi Gras celebration, so this should be crazy to say the least. We have big, big plans on what we plan to do there, but you'll find out all about those after I get back. Wish us luck (and safety)!!