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I guess it's about time I wrote another entry here. This week has been pretty busy, mainly trying to sort out any remaining details and trying to find a place to live. On Monday, I toured the USS Kitty Hawk, at the envy of most any Sydneysider. The bay was crowded all weekend with people trying to catch a glimpse of the ship. Thanks to the Fulbright Alumni group, I was put on the list to tour the ship. Only special groups were able to tour, and to gain access, you had to be on the list well in advance to gain security clearance. The USS Kitty Hawk is a supercarrier that is currently the oldest active service warship in the US Navy. It was commissioned in 1961 and is set to be decommissioned next year. It is also the only remaining conventionally fueled aircraft carrier still in active service with the Navy (others are nuclear-powered). It was a pretty cool tour. Before we boarded the ship, the man told the group (which was mainly Australians) to stay on the right when going through passages. He said, "Crazy Americans. They drive on the wrong side, so they walk on the wrong side." On my way back to the hotel from the ship, I passed a tree that was filled with cockatoos (I think there were about five of them. By the time I got my camera out, I think there were only two left). Now, I knew cockatoos lived in Australia, but I wasn't expecting to see them in the city. I thought that was cool ... until I ventured closer to the central city the next day. On top of a random building, I spotted at least 20 cockatoos chilling with the pidgeons. It was such a strange sight. I've only seen cockatoos in pet stores, but certainly not in such huge numbers. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of them due to the light rain, which they didn't seem to mind. Speaking of rain, Australia has had an on-going drought that has been driving up the prices of produce. Most produce I have seen in Woolworths has been grown in Australia, except for cherries and grapes, which are imports from the US. And then there's the fuyu fruit, which is imported from New Zealand. I bought a couple of them yesterday. I'm sure they're sold in the US, but I've never seen them before. They're apparently some type of persimmon. But not like the ones growing in our back yard that make your mouth shrivel up. These are bright orange and at first glance look like tomatoes. For all I know, they could make your mouth shrivel up, but I don't know yet because I haven't tried them. I will probably eat them tomorrow. The sign at the store suggested baking them with sugar and vanilla, so that's just what I'll do. I'll try to get a picture of them before I eat them. Yesterday, I met with my teacher to pick up my Fulbright welcome packet, and he gave me a tour of Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), where I'll spend most of my time. It's a small campus, which is nice, and it's very pretty. It's located in century-old sandstone buildings that were once part of a mental hospital. The main lecture hall is situated in the old sanctuary, and the stained-glass windows have been preserved, although I don't think they're visible from inside the lecture hall. The program is in the process of upgrading everything to HD. They should be finished in time for my second semester next year. I didn't realize it, but some of my classes will actually be held at the main university campus. I thought all of my classes would be on the SCA campus. While this might be a slight inconvenience since the campuses are separated by a couple of miles or so, I'm excited to attend classes on the main campus. Sydney University is, after all, the oldest university in Australia, and I'm glad I'll have the opportunity to spend time on its campus. After he gave me a tour, he dropped me off in Balmain, which is a suburb close to school. The campus is located in Rozelle, another suburb in the area known as Inner West. While in Balmain, I visited several real estate agencies and picked up copies of their property lists. I even checked one apartment out in Balmain while I was over there. It was a horrible little place, definitely not worth the money they were asking. At this point, I think I will end up living in Leichhardt, which is an Inner West suburb right below Rozelle. Parts of Leichhardt are known for the Italian residents, who operate several restaurants and stores in the area. Leichhardt, I think, will be fairly convenient for both the SCA campus and the main campus, and it is a nice area. In my welcome packet I received from my teacher, I found my bank card. I activated it while in Balmain, so I finally have access to my scholarship funds.
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