Just a few days now.

So this time next week, I will be taking a deep breathe and realizing I will not see Goldfish, Cheez-its or Reese Peanut Butter cups for the next five months. I will be all packed by now, hopefully, because... I leave next THURSDAY.

Holy cow!!!

I can't believe my study abroad adventure is almost here! I remember planning this way back in September, sitting with Claire at the study abroad office, and pacing my room with Laura and Courtney just trying to figure out where I wanted to go.

And yet here I almost am. I am almost in a different country, but not just a country-- a country that is a continent as well. It was a British colony for prisoners. Although Australians speak English there, they have lots of different slang that I'm not used to. I was reading up on that. For example:
Jumper: Sweater—but can be both knit or jersey.
Keen: An expression denoting expertise, experience, talent (e.g., He’s a keen mathematician).
Uni: Short for “university”
College: The residential college, instead of the American 'dormitory/dorm' 
Narniebar: Banana

I'm sure I'll learn a lot more once I am there. :-)

I got my student visa, my health insurance card, my student I.D. number, my Aussie school e-mail and I am currently trying to figure out my classes. Its really hard because there isn't an advisor like Liv to help me out and sit with me. I also don't know where any of the classrooms are because the uni is huge! I'm hoping my schedule works out. Right now I have 3 classes out of 4 but I may need to switch one because there is 5 minutes in between to get to the next class in a completely different building! I need 4 classes in total (thats considered a full time load there) and so I'm hoping I can fit something in. Gah...It is so stressful!

Also, if you are reading this for the first time--Hi!! It's me!! I'm planning to journal my time in Australia through this blog because communication is really difficult. It's not like I can call you up on the telephone. But there IS Skype and e-mail so please let me know if you'd like to talk/connect through those. Thank goodness for technology, right? :-)

Alright I'm off to figure out how to get an international phone for while I am in Aussie and also book my airport transportation from Brisbane to my apartment/student housing.