Week 1

In week 1, I started classes. I don't have too much in class work other than taking notes, but I feel like I'm going to be doing alot of projects (which they call assessments). For my Child Development class, I will be observing a child once a week and tracking his or her different developmental stages, taking notes and pictures, and then in the end I will have to create a portfolio. I actually enjoy going to that class...the students are friendly and the professor is very approachable, friendly, and has an Australian accent (so it's fun to listen to her lectures). Then for my Families, Groups, and Communities class (which I thought would be a BS class) is actually going to require alot of work from me. I have like 2 smaller powerpoints, then another one that I have to research and interview an organization, then I have a group project I have to work on, and then one other assessment. So basically the easiest class I have here...I have the most work unfortunately. My other class is understanding and changing human behavior. My professor is also very approachable, has a South African accent, and has interesting lectures. I don't mind going to my first and third class but I'm not so excited about the F.G.C. class. Oh well, I guess it's good that I have several days off!

As for my social events, Tuesday night is the big drinking night here (well actually everynight except Sunday and Monday are haha). Anyway, I went out on Tuesday night to Hotel CBD with the Westfielders (that's how I'm going to refer to the girls , Matt and Matt from Boston). I had one drink and just went out to socialize. I have an 8 oclock on Wednesday so that keeps me in check plus I have all the other nights. I typically will only drink one or two nights throughout the week and chill the rest even if I decide to go out...while everyone else is drunk almost every night I believe haha. Friday was a big night! We went on this event called Pub Crawl. You could buy pink or green shirts. We bought hot pink shirts for $25 which allowed free entry into all 8 bars and drink specials. The green shirts left at 2 pm while we left around 4pm. This is the day I discovered vodka in a can...YUMM. best invention! We went to the different bars and ended up in the bars in Surfers. We left at 1 am so it was a night of dancing and having a good time dressed in our 80s attire. I will definitely choose to do another one when they have this event again! Saturday they had a bus take us to the beach Coolangatta (which is my fav. beach so far in the area). I got to watch some Australian sand vball (some were good and some weren't so good). But it was still fun to watch some volleyball! It made me want to play so much! I actually signed up for the sand vball club at the Uni but it's not so much competition as it is being coached and practicing. But hey playing sand vball is playing some sand vball, I'm not complaining! Then Sunday I was super excited to go to Byron Bay to learn how to surf.....however a very sad thing happened! I got there and all my friends on my hall and people I knew were signing in to go with the tour guides, but when it was my turn they didn't have me on the list :( Student flights messed up my days, and they had me down as Saturday. The tour guides could not legally take me on the buses b/c all the seats were full so I was left behind :( I was so so so disappointed (not only because I wanted to go to Byron Bay this whole time, but also because all my friends were on one or the other 2 little buses). Another girl's name was not even on the list so she too was left behind. The rest of the day I hungout by myself :( However, I made the best of it and went and laid out by the pool and read a book for the majority of it (so I got some sun and relaxed!). Then I waited until everyone got back and then went to dinner so the end of my day was much better! So yeah, I've had some bad luck in last couple of weeks...but I've had some good luck too!
Tomorrow I am going with Jess to the zoo and then Saturday we are going to a horse race!!! So I am super excited about both of those! We also signed up for our excursions...so I am so excited and can't wait to travel :)