Update

9 weeks and 2 days I've been here in Adelaide. Over 2 months.


I felt as though I should give an update, even though there's really not much for me to update about. The past few weeks not much has been going on because people have been so busy with school. Especially last week. And not just for me, but for all my friends as well. During the week no one has the time to hang out or do anything, so we now mostly only see each other on the weekends. I can honestly say I have never spent so much time at a library. I am literally there everyday during the week. I usually get my coffee in the morning from Aroma Cafe and then head over to either the Uni Library or the State Library if I don't have class. Everyday I have a break at 1 and usually meet up with Nana and/or Nina and/or Caroline for lunch. Since the weathers been warmer, we've taken to going to the David Jones cafeteria across the street and taking our meals to go so we can eat down by the river and enjoy the sunshine for an hour or so.


Over the weekend we usually have some event organized by the Uni clubs or else one of the Internationals will throw some kind of house party in the evenings. This past weekend Thursday night we celebrated my friend Markus' birthday, Friday we had a pub crawl with the German Club, and Saturday night our friends Valentine, Raphael, and Vanessa had a BBQ at their house on South Terrace. I am up early every morning during the week and in bed early each night. Its nice to be able to relax some on the weekends and have a good time with my friends.


As I've said before, its been quite an adjustment for me. First of all, the work load is more intense than back home. Another big adjustment is the realization that I'm not on holiday... that I'm actually HERE to study. Though I knew this, actually changing my lifestyle from enjoying Australia to spending most of my time studying, was not easy. And yet, in the past week or so, I really feel as though I've adjusted well. This weekend I had to prepare an essay and debate argument for my Philosophy course for Monday (yesterday) and today I had to begin my 2000-word essay due on Thursday reviewing the book Never Let Me Go for my Passions lit class. We are to choose an emotion expressed in the novel and explain its affect on society. The story, Never Let Me Go, is about a group of clones raised in a boarding school together and, eventually, put in a group home with other clones to live in until they are ready to begin their "donations". The protagonist, Kathy, one of the clones, tells the story from her perspective, and explains what its like growing up knowing someday you will begin donating your vital organs one at a time until your "completion", or death. She ends up falling in love with one of the guys in the boarding school named Tommy, but, of course, there is little they can do about their love.


One of the most interesting parts of the story is that the clones never fight for their lives. They are made aware of their fate when they are children and all seem to accept it. None of them ever run away, argue with the "guardians", or see anything terrible about their situation. I suppose it could be their lack of exposure to the outside world and any other way of life... but still, it is very frustrating for the reader, who just wants them to rebel and fight for the life that they deserve.


It is a pretty depressing book to read.


Anyhow, the emotion I chose to single out in the novel was 'hope', mainly because I find it is significant in the tale because of the fact that the group of 'clones', who feel just like normal people... who can feel pain, love, hate, joy, and sorrow... live lives without HOPE. And how that is just so hard to imagine for regular people, who are constantly hoping for better things... a better future. People always have hope. They need it, to some degree.


Well, that's what my paper is about. We have to reference the novel, of course, and also use 3 other scholarly sources to refer to. I was at Uni by 10am this morning and worked on my paper from then till 4pm, with an hour lunch break from 1-2 with Rene, Nana, Nate, and Magne. I made some good progress, but now I'm tired and brain-dead.


Also, learned this afternoon that I'll be moving into another town-home here at the Village, which I am NOT happy about. When we first arrived back in July they told my roommates and I that we would be put in temporary housing, due to the fact that management had overbooked the town-homes. They assured us it would only be for a week or so. Over 2 months later and they are now informing us that our "permanent" accommodation is now ready.


Really?


I'll be packing all of my stuff up and moving 2 town-homes down, to townhouse 12, this weekend.


Anyways, I will feel much better Thursday after I get this essay turned in. Over the weekend I need to start on my presentation for my Anthro class next week. I'll have to stand in front of the class and present for ten minutes. I'm mortified. This weekend should be fun though. The Uni is putting on another International Student Party Friday evening themed 'White Party'. We have to, apparently, wear all white because they'll have black lights all over the place. Saturday the German Club is putting on "Septemberfest", Uni of Adelaide's version of Oktoberfest, with genuine German beer and German food like Bratwursts, Weisswursts, Vienna sausages, and Brezels. Who knew that in Australia I would be exposed to so much German culture??  It should be a good time.


Keeping busy... missing my family and friends... looking forward to mid-semester break!