So let's talk about food. Food here is expensive. Lunch averages at $13AU, which is maybe about 11 USD. I think I am going to have to get a job just to be able to afford to eat. The portions are also a lot smaller than what I am used to, and for the most part the cuisine is Asian. I'm ready for a cheeseburger, or pizza, but the closest pizza shop doesn't open until 5:30pm!.

Shopping here looks fantastic. The prices are equally as high, and I think it might be due to importing goods, and a much higher minimum wage. I was talking about this with my aussie friend Jack, and he mentioned that the minimum wage here is atleast $10 au, but most won't work for less than $15 au.

Melbourne is the fashion capital of Australia, and the mall Chadstone or Chaddie, is amazing. It has well over 100 stores, with brands specific to Australia. I need to save some money and bring back some to the states.

But I booked a trip to Cairns for Reading Week (our spring break), here for easter, they also get mondays off, and it is part of our break. I can't wait, I'm going to sky dive, river raft, and scuba dive the great barrier reef. I'll post pictures when I can, we still don't have internet/phone in our dorm.

I registered for classes on wednesday and allocated my preferences. This was new to me, since I am used of registering for classes and the time of class at the same time. Here it is much different, instead we had to visit the faculty that most of our classes fall under, since I am taking two studio courses as electives, I am under the faculty of art & design. So we had to be officially enrolled by that faculty. The way classes are setup, they have tutorials, lectures, and seminars, or studio if you're in an art class. Some of the classes have lectures taped, so you can watch them in the library and then discuss them in the tutorials. This might take some time to get used to, since I am used to a different style. I'm not used to have a separate lecture then a question and answering section, in fact I've never had a class larger than 100 students, and that was only a mandatory intro class.

Well now I must be off, there is a welcome dinner tonight for all international students, and I have to get ready to attend it. But before I go, I just wanted to mention how it seems alcohol usage is actually almost encouraged by the University. Transportation and special trips planned during orientation to local pubs is in abundance, and parties and drinking on campus at events is even advertised. Its definately different than back home, where most schools discourage partying and drinking. Tonight after the welcome dinner, they are even providing us a bus to the pub venue to party.