Week 7- Surf Trip

The gang!

This weekend I learned how to surf! I’m horrible at it. I can occasionally stand up and rarely do I manage to actually ride the wave. Most frequently I can be found eating wake. Even so, I loved it. There is something about just being in the water at the whim of the currents that makes me really happy. I guess I should preface all this by saying that I joined the surf club with a bunch of friends (shown in the above photo from left to right: Elaine, Joe, Krishma, Mike, Brian). They have “surf camps” where they bring a bunch of kids (there were 85 of us) to a “life saving club” which is basically a youth hostel for surfers and give us boards, lessons, and food. It was incredibly fun. I made so many new friends. Unfortunately being in the water for 3 days got me a cold but I think it was worth it. We watched the sunrise and sunset every day. 

Mom was asking me about my classes yesterday and I figured I should elaborate for everyone. The Australian school system is very different from the American system. It is generally a 3 year program. Like in the UK, students enter knowing what they are going to study. As an abroad student I get more flexibility to move between faculties. I’m taking 4.5 classes. I’m taking biochemical regulation of cellular function which meets for lecture three times a week for one hour with an extra one hour tutorial. Australia Now is a historical/anthropological/political look at the Australian society. It meets once a week for an hour and a half with a hour long tutorial once a week. Cognitive Psychology meets once a week for two hours with a two hour laboratory every other week. Nymphs, Sluts, and Madonnas is a feminist critique of art and it meets once a week for one hour with a two hour tutorial for two hours. Almost all of my classes are recorded and put up online. I’m not totally sure how I feel about this, I like learning in the classroom, but at the same time it is pretty convenient. Lecture is pretty self explanatory, a teacher talks for a set amount of time and then the class is over. There is no discussion. Tutorial is time for discussion, talking about the readings, and explaining the assignments. Tutorials are often run by grad students. Another interesting thing is that you don’t call your teachers “professor” and you address them by their first name. Only the most important person in the department (usually the chair but not always) is called professor.