Canberra

Hello all from Down Under....

So I arrived in Sydney after a really long flight.  I got off the plane and on the bus.  It feels like November here weather-wise and it has gotten me all in the spirit of the inpending holidays (which are not really inpending...but don't break my spirit folks...haha).
The bus drivers here don't drive crazy enough.  I miss Korean buses...they are fast and they announce the next stop.  Luckly, everyone speaks my language here, so I just asked random people on the bus and they told me when to get off.  I got off at Centenial Park, which is FLIPPING HUGE!  I wandered around for 45 mins lost and found myself at a gas station asking for directions.  This older man overheard me and said he knew the place I was going to.  He offered me a lift.  Normally, I don't get into cars with strangers...but I had to get there, and the guy was old, so I could probably take him if there was any funny business.

I approach his car to get in and found myself on the driver's side.  "Sir, I didn't mean to get in on the driver's side, but Australia is backwards....haha". Yes folks, they have the drivers seat on the right and they drive on the left side of the road.  Te he..silly American.

Needless to say, he got me there safely and quickly.  He was pleasant conversation too.  I was there early enough to check in and found time to do my bible study in the park with all the crazy Australian birds.  (And I mean there are a TON of crazy looking birds here...black swans, wild cockatoos, etc.) After a few house of orientation they drove me to the bus stop and sent me to Canberra on a Greyhound.  It's the political capital of Australia (4 hours out of Sydney) and it's right in the middle of many different types of ecosystems. 

I met up with my group, who are all Asian (execpt a girl from Denmark that I will meet tonight).  Anyway, there are 3 Koreans and 2 people from Taiwan.  They had dinner on the table for me when I got there.  :-)  YAY Taiwanese food!!!

Anyway, we have today and tomorrow off to get settled and we will start our service project on Monday in the Marshland.  We went to a few museams today and I think I might try to go to the Mint or the Parliment house tomorrow.  Who knows?

Thanks guys for reading this...I know it is not as interesting as an exotic blog about Laos or Thailand...but hey, Australia IS pleasant.