SHOUT!

Just to keep everyone at ease, I am eating fairly well for myself- the food here is pretty good, and I'm sure I'll mention that a lot throughout the semester. BUT since I can't go out to eat every night, I've been having fun keep myself full with homemade meals. The food prices here can get pricey but if you can find a good deal- either meat in the price cut section or things on sale- it can occasionally be less expensive than in America. Thankfully, I like fruit, which is less expensive (generally) than in the US. They have a great deal of fruits and foods that I've never tried before and I'm pretty curious as to what they are/how they taste. There's a little reddish ball fruit called a Lychee that I've never seen before that I'm curious to try! Also, they keep their eggs in the aisle with the shelved food- not with the dairy products? I understand it's not really different, it was just strange to see for the first time. Healthly products are abundent- whether it's fat free or low fat. This morning I'm having toast with jam and an egg over hard with low fat chedder and few strawberries on the side! Last night for dinner I made myself a small cut of steak, grilled and marinated with a teriyaki and bbq sauce mix with rice on the side and a glass of Riesling! :) The last part was homework for my wine class, of course :)

So I've been eating well- I still want to try Kangaroo meat of course- I've heard that it's tougher than normal beef but it tastes similar. I'd love to try to visit some of the local markets- there are a few nearby that just sell crafts and clothes, but I've heard of the occasional Farmer's Market!

Anyways, last night I went out with the girls that I live with, and a few friends from around the building. We first visited a bar that was plainly titled "Aussie Bar" and was completely empty. We played a round of pool (which was just like in America save the balls were a little bit smaller) and had a few pitchers of beer among us. I also chatted with the bartender and taught him how to make a kamikazee, which they apparently don't have here. One thing that we've learned about Oz culture is that they aren't particularly hard drinkers, although they are consistent. We've been told that wine is much more commonly drunk than beer, although both are drunk frequently. They stray away from hard liquor, party just due to culture and party because it's ridiculously expensive here- The cheapest bottle of vodka I've found was a litre of Smirnoff for $35!! Wine is fairly inexpensive, and although beer is slightly more expensive than home, it still is more affordable than liquor.

My Oz word of the day is "shout" which means a round. So when you're at a bar or club it is common to hear "I've got this shout", or they have this round. It is apparently bad taste, or so our program director says, to partake in a "shout" without buying the next or another shout later on. I think that's just common manners though! :)

Class from 5:30-8:30 tonight- I have some Wine HW that I should work on at some point this afternoon, and the sun is starting to come out! Think I may check out Paddy's market this afternoon, which is one of the most common craft and artisan markets in my area that happens weekly. Love you all!