All is quiet in the house. The girls left for school four hours ago and aside from the sound of the cleaning lady bustling about, it is perfectly still. I haven't made a plan of what homework to attack first so in the midst of my indecision (procrastination?), I fixed myself a cup of coffee (actually, it would probably be more accurate to say a cup of milk and sugar with coffee) and have decided to ignore it all and write a blog entry instead.
Today marks the beginning of Term 4, the last term of the Australian school year. Beginning today, I have exactly eight weeks and two days until the end of term and my departure for the states. I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'm getting older or the routines I fall into, but eight weeks seems so incredibly short to me. A few years ago, two months would have seemed just a hair short of eternity. It makes me glad that I'll be here for a year and not a semester since there's still so much I haven't had the chance to see or do. One of the other residents and I just sat down with our work schedules last night so we could plot out every available moment we have and fill them with excursions and activities. And the coming of summer means that the amount of things to do in Sydney will triple. Sydney, like most of Australia, is all about warm weather and the outdoors and I've been told that summer is when the city really comes to life.
Even now, there's never a shortage of things to do. For example, we spent yesterday afternoon shopping at the Kirribilli Art & Design Market, held on the second Sunday of every month. It's a place for new and established artists to hock their wares and where anyone can sell their secondhand merchandise (I picked up a beautiful summer dress for $5!). There are also food booths that offer everything from Russian blinis (which I had) to dim sum to Mexican quesadillas. And all this is sprawled out in the area just next to the Harbour Bridge so you have a gorgeous view as you stroll about. The prior weekend, we went to the Latin Festival held at Darling Harbour where we enjoyed live music and dancing, food from Spain and nearly every South American country, and beatiful handmade arts and crafts.
Of course, somewhere in the midst of all this excitement, I do have to try and stay on top of my studies. My semester ends in about five weeks and I have three assignments to finish up in the meantime and a thesis to work on. Which, actually, has become a bit of a predicament. I've been having a terrible time trying to get in touch with my advisor as she has no set office hours, does not answer her phone, or reply to emails. As of right now, we've only met once (at the beginning of the year before classes even began) and she doesn't even know I've switched topics. This is the same professor who I've turned in two assignments to over a month ago and have yet to get them back. Why is it that students are expected to be diligent and responsible with completing and turning in their assignments but professors are free to procrastinate and be entirely inaccessible? (end rant) In other news, I picked up a side job babysitting the little sister of one of my boarders and officially begin working there at the end of the month. It's great being able to get out of the boarding house for a few evenings a week--you don't realize how nice it is to be in a real house when you haven't been in one for so long--and of course the extra cash is great, too. Since I'm on a student visa I can only legally work 20 hours a week so informal jobs like babysitting are ideal. Especially since me and a few of the other reisdents are planning to go to New Zealand in April and I'll definitely need the extra income.
The weather has been on a bit of a roller coaster here these past few weeks but tends to hover around the low 20s (in Fahrenheit that's high 60s, low 70s). However, since we're closer to the equator, when the sun's out it feels much warmer. We're hoping for beach weather by the end of the month and the other residents are kicking their workout routines into high gear to prepare. (Somehow, I've gotten dragged into the frenzy, too, and am expected to be up at 6am every Thursday for "boot camp." Apparently, each week one of us is supposed to arrange a 45 minute work-out of our choosing for all of us to do. When asked what my activity would be, I told them I wanted to have everyone cook me breakfast. Ideal, no?) There are plenty of Aussies, though, including some of my boarders, who have already started their beach season. This includes going barefoot--everywhere. The phrase "No shirt, no shoes, no service" does not apply in Australia. You will see barefoot people, young and old, any and everywhere, including the grocery store, the train, the markets, and the mall. I even saw a middle-aged construction worker just off the jobsite hoofing it through the Westfield in Hornsby with bare feet!
I will say the thing I'm dreading most about warmer weather is the increase in the insect population. Australia is known for its spiders and I've already had my bedroom breached by two of them, one on the wall and one in my bed (yes, my BED!), and am not looking forward to anymore unexpected guests. Apparently, flies really become a nuisance in the summer as well since they're everywhere and will either follow you around or catch a free ride on your back. I'd definitely take a fly over a spider anyday, though...
Regardless, I have a feeling this next term will fly by even quicker than the first. Granted, it's two weeks shorter than the previous term but the longer I'm here and the busier I get, the weeks seem to consist of only beginnings and endings. Before I know it, it'll be December 7th and I'll be leaving the sunny shores of Sydney for the frosty cornfields of Ohio. In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep you all up-to-date and informed and, as always, drop me a line.
Cheers!
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