Macquarie Uni

I am attending Macquarie University. The uni is probably around 35-40000 students, 1/3 of which are international. The campus is about a 15 minute walk from my flat and just the main courtyard and surrounding buildings are SXU's equivalent.

There is not really on-campus housing. There is the village about 15 minutes outside of campus, which is a collection of apartments that houses the majority of students. The parklands, where I stay, houses the rest. We are adjacent to the village, and also about 15 mins from campus. However, we're only 10 away from the shopping center, which has literally everything.

Academics are not as forced as they are in the US. By this I mean that college is not something Aussies feel they must do. Jon, our program mentor, tells us that it is typical for and Aussie to finish college (high school), then travel. They do not necessarily require a university education in order to find themselves in a successful occupation, Jon being a primary example--as he is a self-employed landscaper.

Classes, or units, are a lot more dependent on the student. Typically, you have a lecture or 2 and a tutorial, maybe a practical or a mixed session. Attendance at lectures is not mandatory and all are available to view online, but tutorials are essential and used to aid you in your understanding of course material. Not attending them can result in failure, and deportation for anyone studying on a visa. Professors prefer to be called by their first name and the learning environment is very casual. Busy work is non-existent; most classes consist of a couple of papers, maybe a test...but not so much weekly assignments. It is the students job to keep up with the readings and pass.

Getting a student ID card was utter chaos, as is buying books. Lines are very long and move quite slow. You have to get up early, or stay late to complete such tasks. Speaking of books, many of my classes use extended syllabi and e-reserve. The syllabus is 50+ pages, and e-reserve has articles and chapters from books online. Concession stickers are available for exchange, international, and Australian MQ students, but not for study-abroad students. In the city's eyes, we are not eligible because we are not replacing an Aussie student or living here like a resident. It's a bummer, but what can you do?

There are numerous clubs and activities available for students. Many clubs cost a couple of dollars to join, but you reap the benefits--such as free food, friends, and a good time. There is also a gym known as the Sports and Aquatic Center. It costs something like $180 to join, but it gives you access to courts, pools, weights, and classes. There are even some trips organized through the facility.

The campus also has its very own bar, the Ubar. It is the hot spot to be on Thursday nights and has affordable drinks! AMAZING! It's a great environment, although it is still bizarre to me that I can grab a rum and coke between classes.

Behind the Ubar is a huge lake with a fountain. It is like Lake Marian, only it's a real lake and doesn't smell like goose poop.

So how do I feel about MQ? It is honestly everything I'd hoped for. Granted, things are a hell of a lot more difficult to get accomplished, I don't have a meal plan, and I have to get up earlier than I usually would, but it is completely worth it.

Welcome to Sydney

The plane ride was long. I think Ryan and I were done after the 4 hour flight to San Francisco. I am kind of glad neither of us had the time. It made the journey seem a lot less painful. Once we arrived in Sydney and stepped off the plane, you could feel the heat. We found the Macquarie sign and made our way to a van with several other study abroad students from the states

Australian’s drive on the left side of the road and it seems to me that manuals are fairly common as oppose to the US, though we were told that there is a good mix. The trains are a hell of a lot nicer than in Chicago and a lot more user friendly. They are also double decks so they accommodate more. The buses are nice as well, but take a bit longer. We are very fortunate to have a bus stop and train station within walking distance to where we leave.

We live in the Macquarie Parklands. They are sufficient for our needs, but there is no internet and only 5 channels, 2 of which we'll actually watch. The apartments are rather run down with outdated appliances and dishes/pans/etc that other students just left there. We are technically not allowed to hang stuff on the walls, which is lame...and the RAs do check. The apartments don't have internet and purchasing it is expensive, but I'll probably bight the bullet and do so anyway.

I live in a shared room with Lilian. She is AWESOME. We have a ton of fun together. One of my flat mates is Vegard (Vague Nuh). He is Norwegian, and also fun to hang out with. A very clean male, actually. He hangs out with all of us, which is lovely. My other flatmate just moved in yesterday. I can't recall his name, but he is from France. The fellas that live below me are Italian grad students--Jacabo (yah kah bow), Luka, and Andreas, and one Finn who just moved in named Ozzie. We had a little party with them a couple days ago, and with their French friend Vinny. It was so much fun and a great way to break in the semester. They play games a bit different here. I can't wait to play them with friends back home! I had an amazing conversation with Vinny about perceptions French have of Americans. One of the most engaging conversations I have ever had. I also met the GSE people. I really see myself becoming good friends with Lil (TX) and Brandon(NY). We all get together and cook dinner with Ryan. I have tried to put myself outside of my comfort zone and talk to strangers, and it's paying off! We all went to a party at The Ranch, which is a bar/club a block up the street from our apartment. It was...different. Mainly drunk exchange students. We also went on a cruise around the harbour last night. It was very beautiful, and I met and talked with several other individuals. Our GSE buddy is named Jon. He is a true Sydneysider and sort of like our mentor. He is a great deal of fun, always willing to help, and a prime candidate for some good conversations. Anyway, the people here are extremely friendly. When Ry and I were grocery shopping, an Aussie woman had a conversation with us and even gave us some shopping tips.

Things in Australia are very expensive compared to home. Supporting my habits are going to be an exciting challenge. I don't think it's a bad thing, though. Just to add some perspective:
box of cereal = $6-8
mcchicken from Maccas (mcdonalds)= $4
Bottle of Absolute vodka= $40
1 donut=$2
eggs = $5
petrol/gas= $2 a litre
drinks downtown=$8
train = $6.40
and internet costs...well, they are just awful because you pay by how much data you use.
As you can see, cost of living is pricey. However, Aussies make $15 on average for a minimum wage, so the cost balances out for them. Australia doesn't have tax like me do, or tipping. They don't mess around with pennies. They will round up or down to the nearest 10 cents. On the upside, I will be eating healthier and wine is cheap!

The weather here is currently in the mid 70s and it is 2pm. It is usually sunny in Sydney, but occasionally there's some rain/storms. The terrain is very hilly, which is a great change of pace from the flatness that is home. The trees are crazy looking and a lot of them don't have any bark. It ALWAYS smells good outside. The birds are very exotic and make a lot of interesting noises. There are cockroaches that hang out on the sidewalks. No kangaroos or anything like that yet. They say you have to visit the country to see them. That is a bit bizarre to me, but it's the norm. The little houses are filled with so much character and I have yet to see a boring landscape. It is nothing like suburbia. The wealthier families houses are larger and seem to be more futuristic in style. Downtown Sydney is everything I imagined and even more. It is massive. The opera house and harbour bridge are absolutely breathtaking. We did an all encompassing tour of Sydney and learned a bit about the history and places to go. Bondi beach is HUGE and the waves are crazy big. I can't wait to fail miserably at surfing.


I will post more about the culture and my personal experiences in my next blog, but just know that vegemite is an acquired taste, but Aussie's will go craaazy for it.

And just for fun, here are a few terms I've learned since my arrival:
snag = sausage
dick sticker / budgie smuggler = speedo
thongs = flip flops
take the piss = make fun of, joke around
capsicone = a bell pepper