So I've officially arrived and survived my first night here in Lismore. The flight while being the longest I've ever been on was also probably the one that also went by the quickest it seemed. Kendall and I lucked out and didn't have anyone between the two of us on the flight, so we were able to spread out while we slept. When we arrived in Lismore we had to wait for all of the other International students before we could drive the 2.5 hours to the school.  Seven hours after landing all 9 of the international students left the airport. The drive from Brisbane to Lismore was pretty quiet, everyone really was looking around at the scenery. About an hour from Lismore we left the freeway and went on a pretty scenic drive through some hills. It kind of reminded me of home except that the trees weren't evergreens.  When we actually arrived at Orion College (the name of the dorm we live in) we had a small orientation about the rules in the rooms, and then recieved our room assignments. I live with Maggie, who I met at the airport. We live in a 6 bedroom apartment with 4 others who are on break right now.  After we all moved in we went on a little adventure known as trying to shop to survive the night.  The nine of us ran into a little snafu because we had been told that a woman was picking up another student at the Lismore airport and would take us all to the shops when she arrived. So she showed up with 3 students and then left to go back to the airport, however, since we were told that she would drive us to the shops the 9 of us attempted to get in the van with her. Luckily as soon as we were about to leave, the actual shuttle bus that was to take us to the shops showed up. We had about an hour to all buy our sheets and some food to get us all through the night.

I survived the night here at Lismore, but I was definitely cold. I hadn't bought a comforter or a heavy blanket thinking I would be fine in my room, but that was not true. The dorms don't have either central heating or air and the building is brick, so heat doesn't really stay. So this morning I went out and bought a comforter and some other essentials. After I returned a few of us decided to go explore the campus, but were delayed due to a torrential downpour that lasted for about 2 hours. Definitely had not expected that since it had been relatively sunny in the morning. However, a few hours after the rain we decided to venture out and see the campus.

We had all been told that there was a hill we have to go up and down to reach the main part of campus, but I was not expecting it to be that steep! Because of the rain the concrete was pretty slippery, and me being the klutz I am was slipping and sliding down for most of the way. The campus was pretty easy to get around, but the class buildings we found are kind of far from where Orion is. On our adventure around campus, we saw wallabies and a few koalas and being the Americans we are the five of us looked at them in awe and started taking pictures.

The weather is supposed to come back with a vengeance tomorrow with thunder and lightning, but I really hope it won't because the International students are being taken to Byron Bay to go to the beach.