The last 24 hours have been a ride.
I boarded a really janky bus that took me from Brisbane to Lismore. There were three other international students with me but none of them were from Eau Claire or even the midwest. One was from a school in New York and the other two were students from China who were here for a semester. The bus took us directly to the SCU campus dorm that we'd be staying in but we weren't the only ones on route so there were others that were picked up and dropped off at different stops along the way. So essentially, I had time. So I finished another book. I've finished 7 books so far in 2018! so I'm fast approaching the 15 book milestone I set for myself at the beginning of the year. Maybe I'll shoot for 20.
Anyway, it started pouring rain then we had to transfer buses and it was wonky all over, but we made it. They drop us off at the campus dorm (Orion college) and the bus drives away. We look around and the college is several buildings arrayed and spread out along a long path that goes down to the campus. There's a pool outside on one side and there are maybe 40 some people there having a pool party, bumping dance music, and very very drunk. So here I am with a huge camping backpack, a second backpack thrown over my shoulder, and a suitcase in tow and it dawns on me that I have no idea where I'm going. I was sure there would be some sort of main building to check into or something but there wasn't and there was certainly nobody there who looked like they were expecting us. We ended up asking for directions from a guy who was just passing by and he brought us to an RA who then called somebody else who showed us to our dorms.
And by "showed us to our dorms" I mean showed me which apartment was mine, gave me a key and walked away. There was no orientation. No pazz-azz or catching up. Not really much of a briefing on rules or anything. Just...in the room.
There was a pool party outside though. So, naturally, I walked the furthest I could from it. Not really, I just wanted to see the campus and stretch my legs. Plus I was disgusting from my flight and I didn't feel like socializing. I walked down a long hill that led to campus and familiarized with myself with where the "plaza" was. I had been at least told that Monday night there would be a mandatory dinner to attend that would be meeting at the Plaza. Once I got back up the hill the pool party had disseminated (the pool closed at 8pm) and people had started migrating to room drinking.
I walked into my apartment, still thinking to myself, and there were two girls sitting at the kitchen table talking. Literally, my first thought was that I ran into the wrong room then I remembered that the dorms were co-ed and these were probably some of my roommates. So I sat down and started talking with them. We drank some and then hopped off to one of the room where there were more people talking and drinking. Eventually, we even went down town and went to the club. That's right. I went clubbing. Didn't stay there too long though and called it a night after a fun night of meeting people and dancing.
There was a mandatory bus shuttle (for all international students) to Byron Bay at 9am this morning. when I got home I set an alarm for 8am so I could catch the bus.
Turns out though that I had forgotten to set the time right on my phone so it was an hour behind. I woke up just as the bus was leaving. So instead, I went with some of my roommates - two other guys I met last night - and started walking to the Lismore Mall. The buses don't run on Sundays and I was too cheep for a $12 taxi so we walked (it was only 30 minutes). My original plan was to just get some small stuff to hold me over and put it in my backpack but one of my roommates who was with me and is Australian assured me we could just grab some carts and bring them to the University. So we went on a full shopping trip.
But the way back...that was the tricky part. The entire way there we were going down hill so the entire way back was a steep uphill. And my oh my was it an uphill. We said it would be okay (it wasn't). We said it wouldn't be too tiring (it was) so having two shopping carts would be fine (it wasn't). We wouldn't have any issue (we did). And everything would be fine (it wasn't). We drudged up a hill for a good 40 minutes pushing two shopping carts full of groceries. Next time, we're getting a car.
But hey it was an adventure!
Tonight is a barbecue so I'm excited for it. All the other Eau Claire people were telling me last night that they remembered me from orientation (which was a bit heartwarming) and It'll be fun spending some more time with them and the others here. I've reached the first layer of social penetration theory and I very much look forward to exploring more layers with. Especially my roommates who are super cool people.
EDIT: Forgot the Com Theory reference. Inclusion is mandatory.
neat
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