Fortnight

I have now been in Cairns for two weeks.

I still am in love with the tropical rainforesty landscape of Far North Queensland, but it hasn't all been sunshine and beach parties. Adjusting to living in a foreign country is hard. Because the language spoken here is the same (relatively speaking), it is sometimes easy to forget that I'm over 7,000 miles across the ocean away. But then I see a (super confusing) multi-lane intersection or someone hitting cane toads with a golf club for fun, and I remember.

(*Side note* Cane toads are a massively invasive species here in Queensland, originally brought in as an attempt at biologically controlling the destructive cane beetle. Not only did the toads fail at controlling the intended pests, they became one instead, eating both the food of native frogs, and sometimes even the frogs themselves! They also carry and spread diseases that affect the biodiversity of this region. And they are everywhere. Almost all Australians hate them. Now, I'm not remotely justifying the drunk cocky Aussie's cruel actions [I literally couldn't believe it was happening], but merely attempting to provide some sense of cultural context).

I have been frustrated a lot since I've been here.

Getting yelled at by an angry bus driver for not knowing the correct schedule, route, or price is not fun, nor is sitting in your room as groups of people traipse by, already the best of friends. Don't get me wrong, I have made some awesome friends here (and will continue to do so), but it sometimes seems like it is so much easier for everyone else to do. Foods don't taste the same here, and it takes strong determination to hunt down everything I need in the grocery store. I still sweat out what feels like half my body weight every time I go outside or exert any type of physical activity like walking or breathing, and I just LOVE meeting new people when I'm red-faced and sweaty (AKA most of the time here).

However, I have also had many victories!

One day last week, I wanted to go to Smithfield Shopping Center (closest mall to us, just a few miles from school). I needed a few groceries and wanted to open a bank account at Westpac Bank. So after finishing reading my book by the pool (and acquiring a few bugbites, causing me to add bugspray to my mental shopping list), I headed for the bus stop. I went to the right one for the direction I wanted to go (sometimes confusing because of having the road directions all switched around), and a bus showed up in 3 minutes. I told the driver (in mostly correct terms, I think) that I wanted a round trip student ticket to Smithfield and handed over my money. I smiled cheerfully at the wonderfully surly bus driver, my good mood refusing to be dampened by his withering glare. I even managed (without too much thinking) to get off at the right stop!

(*Another side note* I don't understand how everyone I have met from this country is so incredibly friendly and nice, yet most of the bus drivers act like a shark with diarrhea took a dump on their pillow. Then again, if I had to drive a bus for a living, I'd probably be a wee bit grumpy too.)

I have met loads of awesome people, both Australians and other foreign students, and have gotten flirted at by attractive Australian men. I successfully completed my first week of classes and have a feeling I will learn a lot this semester, and it is all stuff that I'm wildly interested in! (I'm going to do another post about my classes later this week, providing the internet doesn't decide to stop working for three days again). I have gotten to talk to my family and friends via the wonders of technology, and have started writing people back home postcards (again, let me know if you'd like one). I survived wading through a flooded underpass (either that or running across the highway in the dark, and no, there weren't any creepy crawlies in it [snakes, bugs, etc.]. We checked.)

Yes, I am still adjusting. Yes, I still have issues. Yes, it is getting easier. Yes, I'm still 100% glad I came here :)

Time for my weekend trip to Chillagoe Caves!

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Song of the day: Go Do by Jonsi