A+3

So yesterday I went out with my counselor, Carol, and got myself enrolled in school at Moruya High to start Thursday. While I was in the process of enrolment, one of the teachers came by and gave me my first assignment! He wants me to read the papers he gave me for MUNA the weekend after the next. MUNA is Model United Nations Assembly where I'll be going to Canberra with my future host brother, Will, and his cousin as a mock delegation for Malaysia to debate as the UN! That should be a fun weekend. Now tomorrow I just need to show up, sort out the uniform, and I will be all set to start enjoying school in Australia! After, we started to sort out my banking in Australia, which will be finished later this week. We had some tea at a nice cafe and along the way I met some nice Rotarians. It was an enjoyable morning where I returned home to go for a nice 10 km run around the town to explore and get my bearings straight. I took a relaxing afternoon before visiting the local AAC, Australian Army Cadets, to see about them and I think I might join them for the year. Last night seemed pretty fun, crawling around in the bush for the first time.

Now today I slept a little later, (I think the jet lag is finally behind me) and then Rohan took me up to Batemans Bay while he ran errands and to show me around. Its a nice town about the same size as North Haven but during the summer I guess it attracts a large crowd to the beach. We had a nice lunch up there and I saw my first pelican! It was nice day, that will end with my first rotary meeting with the Moruya Club, where I'll just give a brief introduction of myself until my presentation later this month.

A+1

The day after I arrived in Australia and I think I may have beaten jet lag. Yesterday I was able to stay awake with not much opposition until it came to a normal bed time and I woke up bright and early at 7, after gaining 10 hours of sleep. The truth will come later, but as of right now, I'm in Australia and feeling great! :D It's winter right now, so a little chilly, I think I can compare the current weather to late October back in CT.

After showering and getting dressed, I sat down to breakfast with Rohan and Pauline, and tried vegemite for the first time! My thoughts about it: its definitely different, but its not bad. Upon my first bite I thought it was nice, but not something I would like to eat regularly, but after then it did seem to taste better. I think it's something that I will have to get used to but won't be bad. I feel like my first bite wasn't the most pleasant because it was so different and new to my palate.

Now, back to my arrival: I really enjoyed my flight. It was a 14 hour plane ride, but it went by pretty quick and the 2 meals Qantas served were great for "plane food." I think they were even better than some restaurants serve back in the States, definitely better than diner food. All the crew were very friendly and welcoming and made for a pleasant ride. When I landed though, things didn't go quite as smooth, I got through Customs and Immigration nicely, but not through baggage claim. I waited at the carousel for about 40 minutes before it was made known that there were no more bags on the plane, and mine was not there. So I had to spend the next 15 minutes claiming it, and at least I received $100 mastercard from the airline. But the bags will be in today, I just found out!

Upon getting all that straightened out, I was greeted warmly by Rohan, he brought me back to his hotel so I could shower (finally, after 3 days!) and change. Then we briefly explored around the Opera House and harbor, before taking a nice, but long, drive down to Moruya, my new home! For this week I'll be staying with Rohan and Pauline, who have been very kind so far and have made my first day very enjoyable. Pics will be up later.

A-0

This is the day I've been waiting for since I was first approved for Rotary Youth Exchange! I AM ON MY WAY TO AUSTRALIA! This morning when I got up my parents and brother (only in it for the food) went out to IHOP for breakfast before going back to my house to say goodbye to my aunt and cousins, one of which wanted to tell the TSA that I was a terrorist to keep me from going! 

After that my brother went to work then my grandparents accompanied myself and my parents to the airport. After checking in, we just stayed outside the security checkpoint for an hour because my grandparents couldn't come through. Once that was over, my parents saw me to the gate and I took off to Dallas, which is where I sit now. The flight was a little bumpy with some turbulence, but I managed to get some sleep.