Days 38-41

One of the beautiful trees on campus.

Monday through Thursday...

Basically, I've been busy with classes and recovering from this awful cold. So much so that my week has passed me by and I'm not sure how it really happened. Instead of doing the whole day by day routine, I'm just going to give you a few tips from this week.

Tip 1: When you visit the Uni's Medical Center, they don't charge your student account like Carolina does; you actually have to pay there, not walk out the door and be called the following morning because they think you've welshed on your payment.

Tip 2: When you set your alarm on your Aussie prepaid phone, or any phone I suppose, make sure the alarm is set to AM and not PM so you don't miss the required class you have the next morning.

Tip 3: As a Uni student, you have access to one thing many people crave. FREE FOOD. Don't miss any opportunity that allows you to keep a few extra dollars in your pocket. It's called saving.



Tip 4: When cooking in a pan and things look frightful, the solution is easy. TURN THE HEAT DOWN and all your problems are solved.

Tip 5: When unsure of what to eat and low on groceries, just start throwing stuff in a pan and you'll usually end up with something delicious. (Potato gratin with sauteed vegetables? I think yes.)

Tip 6: If you ever reach for a TimTam... 3 more will follow. You've been warned.

Tip 7: If you have a cold, keep cough drops on you for emergencies. One of the worst feelings is having to cough when you're in class and refraining to do so. Your body starts doing all kinds of weird things... left eye pouring water, throat closing up, making funny half coughing noises. (I thought I was going to die twice this week...)

Tip 8: PLANTS ARE COOL! (The point our bio professor told us to take away from his past 5 lectures.)

Monday night I saw the Bourne Legacy. You know me, I'm no movie spoiler, but I still have to give you my humble opinion. The first 3/4 of the movie was awesome. You can tell they were trying to keep to the plot of the books, so of course the normal thought-provoking screenwriting was at play. But then, when they pull the "mysterious asset" out of nowhere, the whole movie went down the drain unless you were looking for a comedy. Honestly, I was laughing my head off the last quarter of the movie. After the longest motorcycle chase in action movie history and the cheesiest defeat of a supposedly hard core assassin, the movie comes to a complete and abrupt halt without accomplishing anything the protagonist really set out to do. Haha honestly, it was like the screen writers got through explaining the plot and then decided to fill the rest of the movie with corny action scenes. Ha. Oh well. An amazing movie if you're looking for an Action Comedy.

(Where's Matt Damon when you need him?)

I also tried another awesome restaurant in Melbourne Central. (I guess you see where I spend most of my nights when bored...) It's a place called Schnitz where they serve, you guessed it, schnitzels. (Basically, hand-breaded, pan-fried chicken on a stick.) It was expensive, but delish. I want one back home. It should happen. Like, now. (http://www.schnitz.com.au/Menu.php)

Tuesday I went to a Unilodge party, hung out with some cool people and a friend gave me his winning ticket for the "lottery" so I got a free teddy bear. Yus. (Actually, I was more excited about the free drinks, burritos and Nandos, but hey, to each their own.)

Lastly, I want to let everyone know that tomorrow begins a new adventure.

Friday through Monday, I will be travelling in a rented car with 4 friends (Wendy, Nanna, Vera and Shayna) on the Great Ocean Road. Whale watching, 12 Apostles, Apollo Bay, camping on the beach, barbecuing snags, tree top walking in the Otways, glow worm adventures, hiking and seeing animals in a sanctuary created by a volcanic crater will all be involved.

Wish us good luck! And that we don't get lost...

You WILL NOT want to miss out on Monday night's update :)

Cheers!