Welcome to Tassie

So I have been in Tasmania for about 3 days now. Did I mention it is Winter here? Well, Australian Winter anyway. I would call it Fall if this were New England. On a sunny day it's almost 60 F, but gets rather chilly at night.

No surprise that the 3 flights I had to take to get here were stressful and tiring. I was really worried about going through customs when I got to Sydney, but I should have known to not worry as I was entering the land down under. Customs was a breeze. The part that wasn't so fun was having my rolling luggage break as I tried to find the domestic transfer within the airport. The "metal" handle bar snapped and from then on I had to either carry both of my 50 lb bags or get a cart. I managed to get my bags to the next checkpoint and on route to Hobart. From there, I had to lug my bags up the mountain to my single room in Christ College. This is when the strap on my duffel bag decided to break as well. Picture an exhausted, jet-lagged girl trying to make her way up flights of stairs with 100 lbs on her back. What a fun time. I quickly unpacked, turned on  my heater, and passed out early in anticipation for my 9.00 orientation the next morning.

I was so excited that I woke up before 6 am Monday to catch the sunrise. The view from my window is amazing. It is great motivation to get out of bed and do some yoga or at least morning stretches looking out to the sea and mountains.

Orientation was awkward at first. We were all in one area getting tea and pastries, not knowing whether an introduction was worth it or not. We got over it, though, and before I knew it I was walking to get lunch with a couple of other Americans and heaps* (* = authentic Aussie slang) of Europeans. After being over stuffed with information packets and brochures, my new international friends and I went to Hotel SoHo in Hobart for some around the clock steins. I paid $10 for a giant mug of cider and a plate of chicken parmy and chips. (Chips are fries!) In Australia, this is a steal, as a bottle of beer can be $10 or more. I found out that night that I can be funny in any language thanks to the many odd facial expressions I have no control over. #winning! It's such an amazing opportunity to be around people from all over the world. I'm making connections and learning things from Denmark to Malaysia.

I tried taking the bus home that night, only to miss the stop I was supposed to get off for the Uni. Thankfully the locals here are lovely* human beings. The bus driver helped me out and even gave me some insight to a nice cafe with a view. He loved my accent, which I find funny because I can't get enough of the Tassie* accent.

The next day I got to go into town and explore the School of Art for a small orientation there. I'll be taking two drawing classes there, and I cannot wait. From what I have heard, and seen, it's an amazing art school. The Aussies who were there told me it's actually very hard to get into the school; I'm lucky enough to have the chance to skip the introductory units and choose almost any subject that interests me. The School is four floors, each floor with its own area of study. As students progress in their degree, they get their own studio to work in, most of them with an amazing view of the wharf. I got to see some of the students' work on my tour. I'm going to feel like a small catfish in a big koi pond, but if anything I think this will help me learn more and become a better artist.

I'm looking forward to starting classes next week, and finally getting to meet heaps of Aussies and Tassies. Until then I am going to explore the campus and city more with my Canon... expect more photos next time. :)