No Newport Wednesday for me :(

My parents will be happy to know that my plan to go to the bars tonight (Wednesday) were completely ruined when I came back to my flat and found I was locked out of my room. I came back from my class around 6:15 and was trying to get into my room. After 15 minutes of standing there and trying to unlock the door, along with attempts by my flatmates, I realized my key wasn't working. But then the RA came and the master key wasn't working! Long story short - they had to call a locksmith because my lock was shot. I didn't get into my room until 11. So disappointed. Oh well. It's dub-step night at a bar in Fremantle tomorrow night, so I'll be going to that (sorry mom and dad).

To recap on the week so far - Monday I had no classes, Tuesday was my first day of internship, and today was my first day of classes. Monday I just went for a run (got lost) and did pretty much nothing. Tuesday was a little more interesting. I woke up early (had to be at the internship at 9:30), however, I waited at the wrong bus stop and when I tried to flag down the bus I needed to be on, it didn't stop. So that was nice. Eventually I figured out that the bus stop I needed to wait at was just down the road. I was 15 minutes late to my internship, but they didn't seem to mind. I didn't accomplish much on the first day. Brad (the mayor) was a little unorganized so he just had me reading up about Fremantle and things like that. Next week he said he'd have interviews organized for me so I could start really researching for my project. Made it home fine, no wrong bus stops or anything like that.

Today I started classes at 1:30. Kind of weird starting so late, but I was able to get a good run in before classes (and a shower, of course). My first class was Environmental Policy and Law. My professor seems awesome. He brought in stuffed animals and told us that the preferred reading for the class is all the books in the Harry Potter series. Then told us that if we could find an example of law in the Harry Potter series he would reward us with cane toads...which are actually Freddo Frogs, a Cadbury's treat - but they're not actually frogs, they're cane toads. We also have a day where we have to bring in a stuffed animal and we're not allowed in to class that day unless we have one. Should be a fun class. However, I think it's going to be superrrr hard. Apparently the feedback they get every year is that the class is really hard and he even admitted that it is. I know zero about environmental policy and law (and have no idea how to read litigation) so it should be a struggle...but a fun struggle? If that even exists. Also, this class is in a huge lecture hall and has probably about 100 people in it. Biggest class I've ever had.

My second class was Climate Change Adaptation: Ecosystems and Societies (it was Climate Change Adaptation: Policy and Practice, but they changed the name but I think that's right). It's a lot smaller, about 20 people and we learn about how climate change affects different ecosystems and how they adapt to it. The only bad thing is I go straight from an hour long lecture to a two hour workshop, so it's a long afternoon. But the good part about that is I don't have at all the rest of the week.

And here are just some random thoughts about teaching styles at Murdoch:

1. They don't have folders here. Seriously. No folders. Where am I supposed to put all my papers?! I don't do binders, I do a notebook and a folder for each class. Also, their notebooks are weird.

2. They number classrooms weirdly. One of my classes is in the social sciences building in room 1.036. 1.036?? Why not just 1036. Or 136. Why complicate a room number with a decimal?

3. They put every lecture and powerpoint online. The professors wear little microphones around their necks to record their lectures and then they put it up on the website for the external students. But...doesn't that defeat the purpose of going to class for the internal students? Why bother showing up when you can listen to EXACTLY what they say in class online? And then supplement that with the powerpoints? Weird.

4. I get to call professors by their first names. My policy and law professor is John and my climate change professor is Belinda. Oh, and they don't like being called "professor."

I can't think of anything else, but I'm sure I'll come up with more as the semester goes on. Anyways, I'm tired so I'm going to go to sleep. Night (....or good morning? afternoon?)

xxx