Hellooo to all who are still checking up on me! Where do I
even begin really. The first week has flown by, with both its ups and downs.
It’s safe to say I have settled in but it definitely has taken the entire week
and probably one more to fully find some routine. And get used to the fact that almost
everything is backwards here. Like, woah. And I’m not just talking about the
more obvious things like driving on the other side of the road, or sitting on
the other side of the car, but the little things like flicking on a light
switch! Instead of going from up to down, they go from down to up. Annoying
when you’re carrying a broken suitcase and trying to do something simple like
turning on a mother f’ing light! Haha. Grr. Even a girl from the Track and
Field team (they don’t use the name Athletics over here unless they are using
it as an umbrella term for all sports), had to turn on the shower for me! It
took me 20minutes to realise I couldn’t do it. No wonder, You have to pull the
handle out, twist, and pull the bath nozzle up at the same time. And each time
I go to get in a car I almost always get in the wrong side. I’ve only just
managed to get used to the days and nights as they too are opposite to Aus. The
first night I didn’t get to sleep until about 430am which combined with a
horrendous bout of homesickness was almost heartbreaking. Good thing I had
people online I could chat too, although knowing that online chatting is no
substitute for living proof.
The entire past week has been Orientation, which all in all, was A-mazing. I
have met some unbelievable people, 70% of them being Brazilian. They have
adopted me as honourary Brazilian because, yep you got it, even they say I got
booty. I think it’s about time I did something about that. Hard to do here
though, seeing as every day chocolate eclaires and donuts are served for
breakfast! DON’T WORRY!!! I’ve been sticking to my fruit and vegies and have
not strayed yet – even though all the Super Seven continue to tell me to super
size my meals, and attempt a stereotypical college keg stand. This will be hard
to do seeing as the other day I signed a contract saying not even a photo is
allowed to be taken of me holding a drink. Look mum, no hands?
We have been doing a lot of social things though, which I thought was going to
be a total drag but has turned out to be an awesome week full of bowling,
sports, dinners, karaoke, and general getting to know people. And by people I
mean the Brazilians. Because they make up most of the international students.
But we do have a Thai and NZ student as well. It might interest you to know, that I already got married to one of the Brazilians so that we have a wicked house it stay in for the Rio Olympics. C'mon guys, I did it for everyone!!
The aths (sorry, track and field) facilities are so awesome, and exciting to be
a part of. But for the past week I haven’t been able to train under Coach J’s
instructions as it took me that log to get all my physicals and paperwork done.
Finally finished all that yesterday, thank goodness. Yesterday also happened to
be the first day of snow. So, without thinking, went about my normal carryings on
and slipped on the ice and rolled my ankle. Swollen like a bitch but no
bruising which is top news. A little tender but of course they are one step
ahead over here so I get as much treatment on it as I want. So I should be able
to start doing some work on training in 2 days or so!
A lot of things to be doing here during the days with all my new pals and
classes starting up this week, but I am still loving all your faceless
distractions at night time even though it makes me a tiny bit homesick. But I
know that I am here doing what I love and just letting myself live life, rather
than just existing.
Will post again in a week or so!
Light and love,
ZT
PS – everyone here is digging the Aussie accent. Brazilians love vegemite.
Noone can really understand words that have a ‘R’ in the middle or end. Like ‘park’,
or ‘beer’. I think Aussie’s just skip right on over the ‘R’ sound. Probably why
we’re better than everyone else.
Over and OUT.
