Week 4 Over

Hey, all!

Once again, this passed week wasn't very eventful as I had a pretty big assignment worth 30% of my grade due for one of my classes. I needed to find a primary source which was proving to be really difficult to find. I think I finally found one that could be considered a primary source, but I'll find out either way. I will also be receiving a book from Amazon (that my parents paid for, thank you!) that will really help with writing this essay.

Sunday, I attended a meeting to determine if I would be a good member to have on the general committee for one of the clubs I'm in and I had a lot of fun! Afterwards, I was even invited to karaoke with a couple of the people. That was my first time, ever, going to karaoke and I had a lot of fun! It also reinforced that I need to get better at reading Japanese and stop being so distracted at kanji when it comes up, haha. After karaoke, we had dinner somewhere and it was pretty good. After dinner, we went to the cake place I went to last week (85C Bakery Cafe) and bought a couple more cakes to have as dessert throughout the week. I bought the Black Forest cake and the Shangri-La Mango cake. Both were very good, but I think I liked the Shangri-La Mango better. I look forward to trying more of their cakes!

Monday through Friday, I was pretty busy with trying to find the primary source and finish the Proposal that was due Friday afternoon. I hardly went to any club activities as I was really worried about getting this assignment finished. Luckily, I finished it in time, but I'm not sure I really finished it satisfactorily. Oh well, I did what I could.

Friday afternoon, a couple of my roommates asked me if I wanted to join them for dinner that night, and I said sure! This is the first real contact and communication we've really had and it makes me happy that this happened. I was really beginning to worry I wouldn't ever really communicate with them or hang out with them. They treated me for food, even after I asked if they wanted me to pay them back, which was really nice of them and I think this was a good start to opening a relationship with them.

Today (Saturday), I didn't do horribly much, to my  chagrin, dealing with school. I did do laundry, get food and such for breakfasts and lunches this next week, and I filled up the six 2-L water bottles I have at the water-bottle-filling station closest to my building. However, I didn't do anything related to school today. I guess I just needed a day to myself since all I did this passed week was worry about school. Oh well, I just need to do a little more stuff tomorrow and I think this will be doable. I was thinking about going to a dog park that the Dog Appreciation Society (a club/society I joined) was hosting, but the ride via public transport is very long (about 1 hour and 15 minutes one way). Since it was this long, I debated about going, and I decided that I wouldn't go, even though I really would like to see some dogs and play with them. I just think that's a bit too far to go when I still have a lot of stuff to do.

I also haven't been crocheting every night as I've been so busy, so I ended up crocheting a lot of rows on the temperature blanket tonight, right before typing this post.

I plan to try and be more social this upcoming week, but I also plan on getting more ahead with my subjects. Wish me luck! Until next time!

^^ I recorded some of the bird calls in the evening.

Black Forest cake

Shangri-La Mango cake

Last week, I had a map quiz in one of my classes where I had to fill out Asia on the map they gave us. The neatest map would "win" a box of fortune cookies! I used my colorful pens (and perhaps a little bit of my OCD-ness) and won!

Five and a half (3 days) in! I'm going to have to start folding it in order to store it when I'm not working on it!

Getting Better (Finally)

Hey, all!

This week was not very exciting as I was just trying to focus on getting better and doing things for class, but I did a few things this passed week.

Sunday, I went to see Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale with the Anime Club at UNSW. I really, really enjoyed the movie and I'm glad I was went to this with others, even though I was having doubts about going (because I just really wanted to rest and I didn't want to ruin the movie for those around me with blowing my nose and coughing). Luckily, I only coughed a little and didn't need to blow my nose at all. To get to the cinemas, I had to take the bus. After I got off of the bus, I walked to the cinemas and saw a few things that made me smile. There was a sign that had PSY (the Korean singer/performer, if you don't know him- just look up Oppa Gangam Style) and I found this amusing. A little further passed this, was a café and bakery that had these awesome-looking cakes. I ended up getting one before finishing my walk to the cinemas, thinking I would either eat it before we went to get our seats or while I was watching the movie. I didn't end up eating it for a couple reasons: an acquaintance shared his popcorn with me and it was REALLY dark in the theatre and I didn't feel comfortable eating something that could be potentially very messy. After the movie, on my way to the bus stop to get home, I ended up getting another cake sine the café was still open.

Monday, I went to the doctor (again) and was once again told that it was probably viral and not bacterial so antibiotics wouldn't do any good. At this point, I was feeling a little better than I had the previous days, but it was still a little annoying since I had been going in to the doctor's office (seeing a different doctor each time) every week, at least once, since I have gotten here. I ended up going to the pharmacy and looking around for things to help boost my immune system so I could get better faster. I think I finally found something that helped me get over whatever it is I had. Hopefully, this continues and I will fully be over whatever it is that had me.

I have gotten to the point that I am beginning to feel really overwhelmed with everything I have to do. I had tried keeping a mental checklist of everything I needed to do for the upcoming week and prepping for the essays I have to write, but that didn't work. So I finally wrote down a list for me to focus on doing this week so I can beat this semester without feeling even more overwhelmed. Hopefully this works, as I have a pretty big assignment due in one of my classes this week- the proposal for the essay I am going to write. Together, the proposal and essay is worth 75% of my grade in the class, so I want to be able to get that done without rushing for it.

Every day, I have been crocheting more onto the temperature blanket and the picture I have provided is 4 weeks in.

I think that's it for this week. Until next time!

^^ The sign and cakes I saw on my way to the cinemas!

 ^^ The ticket to get in and a group picture after the movie!

 ^^ The container the put the cake in and the cakes I got. Above is the Hokkaido Strawberry, and below is the Swiss Devil Chocolate. Both cakes were very good, but I think I preferred the Hokkaido Strawberry.

^^ Temperature blanket at 4 weeks!

Sick again /:

Hey, all!

This week has been interesting. Sunday, I watched the Taido session like I said I would, but at some point I ended up coughing so much/ so hard that I must have pulled a muscle. At first, it wasn't that painful, but Monday, it proved to get worse, to the point I was unsure what the pain was. It hurt to sit up, lay down, and it really hurt to cough- so it made being sick that much worse. I saw the nurse (and then the doctor) on campus, thinking maybe the pain was my appendix, or even ovarian cyst (which I've have before). After the appointment, the doctor told me it was more likely to be a pulled/torn muscle, but made an appointment for me later in the week to get an ultrasound done, just in case.

Tuesday, I felt better, the pain in my lower right abdomen was not that noticeable anymore and I promptly forgot about it the rest of the day- until the Taido session that night which I participated in (light workout stuff only). The first forward roll I did, aggravated the pulled muscle and I stepped out and watched the rest of the session. It hurt for a few days afterward, and even now still hurts.

Thursday, I had the ultrasound and nothing out of the norm was there and when I saw a doctor the next day as follow up, he confirmed it was a muscle thing and told me how to help it. I went to one of the club's dinner get together's that night and had some fun trying new food and trying to be social and talking to new people. I had a chicken omelette with rice and a 4pc spring roll! It was pretty good, but I split it up so I could make another meal out of it- trying to save money. For both items, it was $20 AUD. I saw this as pricey for a meal, so that's why I split it in half. I feel like $10 AUD is still a bit pricey for a meal, but it's not as bad.

Friday night, after I got back to my room from the dinner get together, I noticed my throat was seriously starting to hurt, so I figured that I must be getting another cold or something, so I went to sleep and slept in as much as I could today. I felt worse after waking up- my throat hurt so bad it hurt to swallow, I wasn't hungry though I know I needed to eat, I didn't feel like getting out of my bed, and my head hurt and it felt like I had a fever. After taking a hot shower [after getting some food, ibuprofen (for the muscle pain so I could cough and the possible fever I had), and a vitamin C pill to help fight whatever had me this time)], I felt better- my throat didn't hurt nearly as much and I was starting to get a little hungry. As I'm typing this now, though, I'm starting to feel worse again- my throat is starting to hurt again and I fear I will wake up tomorrow like I woke up today- in pain and not wanting to do anything.

I plan to get ready for this upcoming week of school by starting the necessary readings and everything else that needs to be done. I'm still trying to adjust to the amount of prepping I need to do for these courses so I can pass them.

I also got the latest package from my parents! It had a lot of useful things. The main thing that made me happy, though, were the movies and shows that were there.

Until next time!

 ^^ This was the meal I had. It was pretty big,

^^ The box I received from my parents. US Customs had it for a bit and opened the bottom of the box and tore a corned /: I don't think anything fell out though, luckily. The second picture is my temperate blanket as of tonight- 3 weeks and 1 day.

First Week of Classes!

Hey, all!

This was the first week of classes. Tutorials were not included this week, but will start next week. I'm pretty excited for all of my classes, but for one thing- I have to write three ~2000 word essays for three of my classes. I've never really liked essays, but now I have to write three of them and they will all be heavily weighted for my grade in the course. So I'm a bit nervous, but I know I will be able to find a way to get through them and pass these courses, with what I hope to be an A. Wish me luck!

I had my first Taido training sessions this week. Taido is a martial arts that mixes martial arts with gymnastic. I've been wanting to try different types of martial arts and this just seemed like a fun option. I was extremely sore after the practice session as well as two days after- going down stairs was more difficult than going up them. I am feeling less sore right now, but I will probably have to skip the next session, Sunday, because I am pretty sick and I have already had to skip one class with a doctor's note and a couple other club events. I felt that if I was skipping a class so I can rest, I should also skip events where I could meet new people and possibly get them sick. While I probably won't be doing all the exercises and such in the upcoming Taido session, I hope to be able to sit in and watch everything that occurs.

Being sick this week has put me an in emotional state, more irritable than anything else. I just don't really want to spend my first week in class sick and not really be able to go out and do things. It's throwing me back to me being at my home university and just sitting in my apartment, alone, watching anime, TV shows on Netflix, and reading stuff. I did not have a social life and I really wanted to change that here. The first week and a half, I was able to socialize some, but was understandable that I couldn't socialize too much since I'm not really a party person and my roommates keep to themselves even though my door is open. I hope this changes, but I'm not sure it will. The first week of classes, I was able to hold somewhat of a conversation with a couple of people and made a few acquaintances, whom I hope to be friends with later. I wasn't really able to do too much Thursday, today, and I won't be able to do too much tomorrow or Sunday except laze around my apartment/dorm room and watch anime, TV shows on Netflix, and reading stuff. It has put me in a week spot and I fear it will symbolize my time here on campus, for the year I am here, and I won't be able to change more into the person I want to be.

Enough on that, I started crocheting a "Temperature Blanket" when I got here. A temperature blanket is where each row symbolizes a day and the high temperature that day. It's really helped put me in a zen mode where I can calm down from the events that day and do some self reflection and things I need to do or should have done. I'll attach a picture of the picture I am using to know which color I need to use for the day. I had to adjust some of the colors as not all of the colors on the picture were available. I will also attach a picture of the blanket as it appears now, after two weeks.

One other thing for this post: I learned how crazy the weather in Sydney can be. The rain has different levels it can go through. It can be a calm, misty rain; it can be a simple rain like you see in Arizona (USA), or it can be a torrential downpour where immediately everything is flooded and if you are outside walking around, your shoes will be wet, if you are wearing pants, the bottom quarter to half will also be drenched. It was a crazy event for me to experience on my way to the doctor's office on campus. It made me appreciate my surroundings once more, even if I should have waited for things to calm down before I went out.

I received a bamboo plant from my parents today. I'm thankful and it will put some color and, well, life into my life. I look forward to trying to take care of it. I hope I can make it last until I leave.

Until next time!

  This is the scale I am using. Red, then pink, then yellow, then green, then green teal, then blue teal, then blue, and then purple- from top to bottom. Here is also 2 weeks of crocheting.

^^ This was in a space where I was covered from rain. The area is still flooded, even though there was no rain. My feet were covered in water and the bottoms of my pants were already wet. I feel like I've experienced their beach even though I have yet to go!

^^ After I got to the covered area where the doctor's office was. The bottom quarter to half of my pants were completely drenched. The second picture shows how flooded it was, as well as a silly Ibis just looking for food in the rain. At this point, it was like the rain you would see in Arizona (USA)

 ^^ The bamboo plant my parents got me ♥