Wrap up of the week

This week was sooo long and full of orientation stuff. My favorite day was Friday when we had an "Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt" and got to take the train into Perth and pretty much just explore for the day. My team wasn't too enthused about the actual competition, so after lunch we ended up at a rooftop bar called The Aviery where I tried cider for the first time. It was pear flavored and delicious. We made it back into Freo later in the afternoon and came nowhere near winning the competition, but overall had a great day, met some new people and explored the city I will be living in for the next 4 months! Saturday night was our first real night out on the town. To celebrate Mel's birthday we started the night at La Porchetta where we each enjoyed a large pizza (cheap pizza means buy a lot so there are leftovers for at least 2 more meals). It was a BYO restaurant so we all brought a bottle of wine to enjoy. After dinner we spent a while at the beach, hanging out...preparing to go to The Newport for the night. The Newport is a club in Freo with lots of dancing. This morning Tai, Clara, Mel and I walked to South Beach a mile and a half away from our house and swam laps at the beach and walked back. After our swim we lounged around the house for a while then went grocery shopping and got school supplies. I just finished my required reading for the first day of class. I was really getting used to exploring the city and laying around the beach all day, but I guess it was school I came here for... kinda. (:  

home sweet home in Cleo's

I have arrived in Fremantle (Freo)! So I will be okay if I do not have to fly again for a while. The trip was so long but surprisingly pleasant. Tai and I got such cool people sitting next to us on every flight. From PDX to LA I sat next to a woman named Rachel who moved to Perth 8 years ago and told us all her favorite places around here. She even gave us her phone number and email so we can contact her and learn more about Perth and Fremantle and places that we must see. After our 3 hour layover in LA where we had an expansive not so amazing Mexican dinner and managed to ask 8 people before we found where we needed to be, we had a 15.5 hour flight to Melbourne. In the airport we met a 55ish year old man named John who was a bit creepy and decided to sit in the middle of our huge group of girls in the airport while he pretended to be on his computer and then "casually" joined in conversation and repeatedly asked who would be his drinking buddy and announced all drinks for us were on him...But after boarding, we didn't see John again. On the long flight to Melbourne we sat next to a girl from Boston College who is also studying abroad at University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA). Theeeeeeen, I managed to get lost in the Melbourne airport and struggle getting my bags rechecked and through customs. On the way to Perth we sat next to a man from Boise who was meeting  up with his fiance who is from here. Overall, we got super lucky and I am scared for the flights home because I know I cannot possibly get so blessed again to sit next to such cool, normal people.

So now I am settled in in Cleo's. First thing I did was shower. It's so hot here and after flying for a million hours, it was much needed. The cold shower was amazing other than the cockroach that climbed up my leg. And other than the roaches in the bathrooms, Cleo's is great. I am living in the quad with Cat, Clara, and Tai. We have a family dinner tonight and got some basic info and rules and our class schedules. Cat and I have every class together. I have classes Monday and Tuesday but none Wednesday or Thursday and only 1 class on Friday mornings with all the other American students. The next few days are filled with orientation meetings and events. So for tonight I am off to bed and hopefully I will have some pictures posted on facebook within the next couple of days. (: 

And so it begins...

In a few hours I will be headed to the airport and saying goodbye to Portland for the next four months! Last night I had a fabulous dinner with family and friends to celebrate the beginning of my new adventure. I am so excited, nervous, scared...I have no idea what to expect, but I'm just going to go with the flow. I am going to be traveling with my friend Tai who will be one of my roommates in Hotel Cleopatra (Cleo's). The weather in Fremantle is currently in the 90's so that will be a nice change from the Portland rain (:

To contact me while I'm abroad:
I won't have a cell phone, but my ipod touch has a messaging app that I am hoping will work. The number you can text is: 240 979 4288
my address is:
Jordan Anderson
University of Portland Study Abroad
University of Notre Dame Australia
Hotel Cleopatra
19 Mouat Street
Fremantle
Western Australia 6160
Australia