Arrival at the Footprints Student Lodge

After living out of a suitcase for two weeks, it was such a relief to move into our university housing today. The Footprints Student Lodge is across the highway from the "uni" (as the Aussies call it), about a ten-minute walk or five-minute bike ride.The lodge is divided into four L-shaped units, situated in pairs so as to create beautiful, shaded courtyards. From my third-story suite, I can look down into the courtyard or up into the rainforest-covered mountains whose peaks are often shrouded in white clouds. My suite is comprised of three rooms, a common area with couch, table, TV, kitchenette, and a tri-split bathroom (all three components can be used at once, theoretically). From my room, the double-window provides a beautiful view of the rainforest backyard, teeming with butterflies, birds, and...spiders. Alarm clocks are unnecessary when you have cockatoos and kookaburras screaming and laughing, respectively (NOT respectfully), outside your open window at 7am every morning. The aircon in my room doesn't see much use now (average temperature is 75F), but I'm sure it will be much appreciated come November! The beige and navy concrete walls are plain and overwhelming, so I've begun to collect natural objects to make it more interesting - shells, bugs, vines, seeds, and a bandicoot skull. I hope to bring the rainforest into my room by the time I leave. I also have a A2 sketchbook and colored pencils to create some colorful wall-art. First project will be a laughing kookaburra. All meals are provided at the attached Murraya restaurant. Breakfast is served at 7-9am, usually consisting of eggs, sausage, toast, cereal, yogurt, and fruit. Tea (lunch) is served at 12-1:30pm, and dinner at 5:30-7pm. The prospect of vanilla ice cream every night keeps me going throughout the day. Since the majority of students at the lodge are international, these times serve as planning sessions for my friends and I - proposing field trips, coordinating actities, and catching up - such that mealtimes often last an hour or so.