Nothing to report on the flight to Townsville, except I did finally a window seat in daylight, and Australia from above is very pretty. Australia from the ground is pretty, too, come to that. (I've been taking a few pictures, but I'll post them much later.)
It was absolutely pouring rain when I got here (around 4:00, local time). A bunch of other foreign students (mostly from the US) got picked up alongside me... but they were all going to live in dorms that had been booked months ago. I got dropped off at a hotel and left. No explanation, no map, nothing. They just left me at a hotel on my own.
Also the hotel didn't have internet at all, so there went any way of contacting them. Also the hotel only knew that I was another person with a reservation, nothing more.
JCU is recieving an angry review if they ever ask about my experience here.
The room is nice enough. I have it for four days. The woman I talked to this morning seems to think I'll need it much longer, as well. She also says that they abandoned international students there last year, too, so apparently nobody has explained to them that this isn't very welcoming of them.
So she got me on a bus and now I'm at the university. It's not pouring rain, which is a very nice change from last night. There are a lot of cool plants around- I'll get pictures.
I made my way to the International Student Center, and they were much more helpful than the Welcoming Committee lead me to believe they'd be. They're taking international students without accomodations out to look for housing tomorrow. I've been through the listings and found a few places. And a nice guy from Wisconsin who'd been through orientation already (the next session is Sunday and all my hopes and dreams for the future are riding on it), showed me where and how to get WiFi, so I can check my various internet hangouts, which is a relief.
So I'm all right, now. Once I have a place of my own and have been through orientation I think I'll be much less stressed.
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So have you decided which of your sketchy!housing ads you'll answer?
ReplyDeleteDespite your stories, I still want to fly on a plane someday.
ReplyDeleteI suppose you could always wear Marissa's scarf as some sort of flashy sash or belt...
Crystalmir: I think the two men seeking female international student has been answered... or else they got arrested.
ReplyDeleteMidnight_Zephyr: Oh, I love flying, actually. It's just sad that I didn't get to see the desert from above. Also that the food lived up to its reputation. Other than that, it's quite enjoyable.
I'm going to wear the scarf... just... not when I have to walk everywhere.