18+

This morning's orientation consisted of a Critical Thinking seminar. It was a seminar designed to get the students thinking about their upcoming papers and how to go about approaching each of them with a new perspective and a clear and concise arguement. It was a well done seminar. I even took notes! It did, however, scare me a little bit. It got me thinking about how I haven't written a big paper in over 2 years and I'm going to be writing a few of them again. I'm a little nervous that it's going to be a little hard for me to get back into learning mode. We'll see... hopefully it won't be too hard to pick it up again. I've just got to start thinking about 5000 word papers, research, articles, arguements and analysis. Yay.

Today I'm feeling much better. The morning seminar was good. I came back and talked with my parents and Bryan for a bit and then I was on my way out and about town again. Today's adventure was finding the Queensland Trasport building (or DMV) to get my 18+ Card. I looked up the bus route on transinfo.com and found that I could take the 120 to Garden City (my favorite bus) and then jump on the 599 to McGregor West. I had no idea where McGregor West was, but I figured I could ask the bus driver and he'd let me know. Well... I was wrong. I made the decision to get on the bus during peak hours. Schools just got out, people were going home from work and the bus was FULL. When I got onto the 599 I told the bus driver that I was trying to get to Queensland Transport and asked where McGregor West was. He looked at me like I was stupid and said he didn't know. I said that I had looked on transinfo and it told me to take the 599 to McGregor West. He didn't speak the greatest English, and told me to "open my eyes". I think he was just trying to tell me to keep an eye out for it. I said "Okay" and proceeded to the middle of the bus. It was so full that I couldn't get a seat by the window and I wasn't able to see the signs clearly. The bus started going and I thought, "Oh well, I'm on. I'll just keep going and hope that I see it. I can always go back". THANK THE LORD, as we were driving I just so happened turn my head JUST as we were passing the building and I just caught a glimpse of what I thought said "Queensland Transport". I got off at the next stop and backtracked a little bit to find that it WAS the Queensland Transport. YAY! So I was able to get my 18+ Card - which is basically a Queensland Identification Card so that I don't have to carry around my Passport everywhere I go... and I can buy alcohol - cause I'm such a party girl (.........that would be sarcasm).

On my way back to school - waiting at the bus stop - I snapped a picture of some cars. Bec, my friend from the Gold Coast, pointed them out to me earlier. They are Australian made and I see them EVERYWHERE. Very rarely will you see pickup trucks, and NEVER will you see a huge, raised truck. Instead they have these little guys:

They're kinda weird looking, but I guess it makes sense. Probably gets MUCH better gas mileage. :)

When I got home my stomach was growling so I made some dinner.
Laugh all you want, but I cooked my first real meal in Australia tonight. Breaded chicken and green beans. It was super easy and I didn't burn the chicken!! In fact, it was quite juicy and delicious!

I was proud of myself.

That's all tonight.
Cheers!