Jet Lag and a Full Schedule

August 21, 2013

Sitting on my bed on my first evening of experiencing Sydney, I cannot believe I'm actually on a whole other continent. Walking around outside, you would never be able to tell you are in a different country except for the fact that everyone is driving on the opposite side of the road. I should mention, by the way, every time I cross the street, I feel like I'm going to get hit by a car. They do not really stop for pedestrians and they're coming from a direction I am not accustomed to. I feel safer in Boston crosswalks! Anyway, here's a recap on my journey westward (though I think Australia is technically an eastern continent).

I departed from JFK International Airport around 7:30 on Monday night, arriving at LAX at around 11pm. After boarding the flight from LAX to Sydney, I finally let myself get some sleep, though I always wonder why airplane air is so dry. The plane was actually not so bad, since the seats reclined well and the headrests could be folded to give your head support. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food provided. On my flight to LAX, I had penne pasta with some sort of mushroom sauce, and on my flight here, I had braised beef with mashed potatoes. I actually enjoyed the meals.

When I arrived at the BU Sydney Academic Centre (BUSAC), I received my room assignment and keys. So far, I'm living with Denise, who I know from volunteering at Kevin Kim's campaign four years ago (wow!) and Michelle, who is another student at BU. There is still one empty bedroom, but we don't know if we will have a fourth roommate, though at this point, it seems unlikely. After traveling for twenty-something hours, going through customs, finding our luggage, taking a trip to BUSAC, and even having time to unpack my bags, it was only 11am and time to start orientation.

This afternoon/evening was spent learning a bit about the program, taking a walk to the nearby mall, and having a welcome BBQ at Freda's. Denise, Inez, and I ended up near Chinatown during our hunt for lunch and found a Chatime! I'm happy to report that I can get bubble tea within a five minute walk from my building. While buying lunch and purchasing various groceries, I noticed that prices in Sydney are a bit steeper than what I am accustomed to in NYC. However, many of the items must be imported and the prices are inclusive of tax and gratuity, if applicable, so it is understandable--I'm just not thrilled about it. The evening at Freda's was quite nice. We were each provided two drink tickets and a few small bites. I liked the calm and friendly atmosphere of my peers and the BUSAC staff.

Now, it's 8pm and I am ready for a good night's sleep. I have a packed orientation schedule for the next three days, a Color Run on Sunday, and classes starting on Monday. I'm sure it'll be terribly exhausting, but I bet it will also be a lot of fun and I can't wait!