So, what do we have here?

I had seen the TV show “On the Australian Border”. I did have some dairy products (chocolate lentils) and shoes that had been used in the woods lately in my bags. “Are they clean?” “I guess so?” “Thank you.” And then I was like “???”.

Luckily my plane was one of the first ones that landed that morning because on the Sydney airport they have this night curfew. So the long queues hadn’t formed yet and people were still nice and I managed to get through quite quickly.

I had booked an airport pick-up the university organizes for all new exchange and study abroad students. It took so long for them to arrive to pick me up and then we had to wait for some other students as well, so when I eventually reached the Macquarie University Village it was already 10 am. Which means it took five hours from the landing to get to the accommodation. However, I was so messed up that I didn’t feel either tired or hungry.

When I got to my room I realized that it is a winter here. The whole house had been empty for a while and smelled a bit weird, my room smelled as well and the temperature was hardly on plus. I mean, Australians don’t know much about insulation, but they know how to keep the cold inside during the winter. That is, it was warmer outside.

My room

Anyway, I did the check up the management insist every new resident makes and then I wanted to have a shower. But. There. Was. Only. Cold. Water. I thought about my sister who trained for her voluntary work period in Nepal by taking cold showers at home, as there might not be warm water available in Nepal. I was thinking how that didn’t cross my mind. In Italy, for example, they warm their showering water in containers on the roof, so the sun makes the water heat up.

Anyway, the solution was again to be found with the matter of insulation. They don’t have to cover the water pipes to prevent freezing, so the water in the pipes gets cold when it’s not running. So, please let the water run (because we have lots of) until you get to the point when it’s warm enough to have a shower. Me like.

I had heard that the shopping centre I was headed was huge and new students always get lost in there. I was thinking that it must be a joke as it doesn’t seem like this neighborhood is too much of a shopping area. Anyway, it took me 20 mins to find a grocery store and leaving home, 30 mins to find the right exit from the centre. At that point I knew I had arrived to the biggest city in Australia.

I didn’t want to pay anything for a heater. So my towels don’t get dry, I sleep in my sleeping bag under my quilt and wear all my clothes to stay warm. I think it’s bit funny when people in Finland are seriously in pain because of the really unusually hot summer period. And I’m here. :D

Other stuff about living in Australia: we have a gas stove and oven, a little bit too small fridge for 6 people, no soundproofing and the carpet floor. But the house is big and on the more peaceful side of the village.

Notice the thermos mug? Best thing ever, otherwise my tea would get frozen in no time

Is it expensive to live there? Hell yeah.

The rent is paid fortnightly and it’s about 3-times the rent I’ve used to pay in Finland, one round for washing the clothes is 4 dollars and the dryer is 1 dollar, internet is 30 dollars per month as is the mobile phone plan. Well, luckily my mom has a credit card…