A Lesson in Aussie Slang

For those of you who are under the impression that Australians speak "English"...let me enlighten you to the truth:

Barrack = cheer for (you do not "root" for sports teams here, unless you plan on having a very sexual relationship with an entire sports team)

Mexican = Anyone from below the Queensland border?  Don't ask....

How're you going = What's up (that one took forever for me to understand)

Footie = not soccer anymore apparently, but Australian Rules Football (most cracked out game EVER)

Fairy Floss = Cotton Candy?

Goon = Franzia or equivalent US boxed wine

Eskie = Cooler

Bastard = .....apparently a term of endearment here?

I'll add more odd ones when I think of them.

On a different note:

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               Martial JOY

I had my first BJJ class today, which was fabulous.  The female coach is unbelievable.  She's the number 4 competitor globally in BJJ, and is just a great instructor.  She'll be really good with learning how to handle people who are bigger, since she faces that problem all the time.  She's definitely very technical and precise, but also very nice and understanding when explaining techniques.  She's really going to help me understand more about the mental aspects of BJJ and the strategies in each position :D

Earlier today was our first day of meeting with other Australian students, except for some reason it didn't dawn on me that we'd be chilling with....FRESHMEN.  Obviously the Aussie students who are in their 2nd and 3rd years don't really need to be coming to groups to learn the lay of the campus etc.  So there I am, sitting in a group of 10 awkward 17-18 year old Biomedical majors.....it was crazy exciting, let me tell you.  I felt SO old.  After a quick campus tour, they kind of set us loose for a bit since we got done about 2 hours ahead of schedule....whoops. 

I set out to return to the Faculty of Arts office to try to get my schedule in order.  Here has been my catastrophic interactions with Melbourne as far as my classes go.  Besides them not having enrollment information for me etc, I finally went and met with an advisor and got signed up for 3 classes.  I then had to run to the psychology department to get approval to take a 2nd year psychology course (upper division at Berkeley).  The people behind the counter said they didn't know, and that they'd call me.  Great.  So when they finally did, they said they'd put a note on my file that I was allowed to take it.  Things SEEMED to be falling into place.  I then discover that I can't tweak my schedule online like EVERY OTHER NORMAL STUDENT EVER.

So when I went to talk to the Faculty of Arts today, I was told that apparently international students CAN'T change their schedules at will, because god forbid we actually know what is going on in our lives....I had realized the night before that two of my classes had a time conflict, so I had to re-work my schedule, and attempted to change my classes around and add neuroscience.  The guy at the desk said that there was no note on my file, and that they couldn't add me without proof in writing.  *SIGH*  So I called the psych department to ask them to call Arts, only to talk to some random girl who complained that I didn't submit a FORMAL request to be approved, and that I actually WASN'T approved to take the class....."but....you told me yesterday"...."um...ok....we'll call you later"......*RAWRAWRAWRAWR*

So now I have no earthly idea what my schedule is going to look like, because I have no idea what time neuroscience is at, or if I can even get INTO it....*growl*  I just wanna be a normal college student again.  I'm banking on not getting in to neuroscience just so I don't have to deal with it, and if I do, I'm actually probably gonna kill someone, since I've finally started to accept my schedule.

We shall seeeee what tomorrow holds, I suppose.  Though it will definitely hold kickboxing and TKD now that I have my shoes :D  Also....night market tomorrow!  I will post pictures since my camera is alive again :)  Tomorrow, I plan on consuming kangaroo and emu.  Wish me luck :/

On a different note, I don't think my roommate has been home for AT LEAST four days...I think she might be dead?  But to test my theory that she is indeed not returning home to our dorm at night, I've set up an experiment.  I put a tape-seal at the bottom part of her door, so that if the door is opened, the tape will be disturbed and I'll know she's alive.....or at least SOMETHING is alive and coming in to her room.....I need a hobby