Week Two: PENGUIN. PARADE.

Hey ya'll! Here I am, checking in and letting you know that everything is going pretty well so far. I'm finally learning how to navigate to and from my job from the apartment WITHOUT getting lost. The key word there being 'WITHOUT," naturally. That includes Melbourne's campus as well, which is rife with distractions such as sushi, crepes, and just food, all that food.

But it's ok guys, I've learned how to avoid buying it all....at once. 

Seriously though, I haven't gotten lost in a few days, I'm learning things! I also got to help set up the cages for the mice and everything which was pretty tedious, and boring but I've also been to my first Monday meeting where one of the researchers presents their lab project...kinda. So, there was some talk about statistics and some stuff we learned in quantitative research methods (known from this point on as QRM). Such as repeated measures design and analysis of variance tests (ANOVA, if you will). So I'm also learning about the applications of what I've been taught which is a real comfort. Other than that I have been pipetting more, which is considerably more exciting than setting up mice cages. 

But then...on Tuesday...it happened....I was asked to do MATH. And this was my initial internal reaction:

Although Terence was able to tell that I was worried because he was like: "It's really easy, you just have to remake this spreadsheet." However I was still really worried and put it off by going to lunch! Yum, food.

And then I looked at the math and IT WAS THE EASIEST THING EVER. Especially since, you know, excel. If you don't know excel, that's ok but really, you're making life harder than it has to be. That is all I have to say about that. And Terence checked it and it was all good! Yaaay math!

Moving onto more fun things, like the beach! So Michael, Karlyn, and I went to St Kilda Beach which was AMAZING because I really do miss going to the beach.

(Lost at Sea by Zedd Feat Ryan Tedder)

So I felt pretty at home, and we were there to support a friend! I can't remember her name but there was a sort of demonstration/performance/flashmob she was doing for tap week. Apparently tap week is a thing which is fun! Shout out to Jenna Tramonti and her beautiful tapping self: happy belated tap week from Melbourne!

(Life in Color by One Republic)

Yeah, Minnie Mouse was there, making it a pretty official tap celebration that was happening.

Pretty tappers in pretty dresses!

Getting ready to do some tap! 

 That panorama setting.

 Look at'em goooo!

So they had a bit of a tap parade ending right by the entrance to Luna Park, an AMUSEMENT park (we have made future travel plans to go, if you were concerned)! And after that we were able to go eat at a vegetarian restaurant and it was delicious! And we had wandered around before and after the whole event, here are some pictures of those wanderings:

Look at the top of that meringue! I took this because I immediately thought of Aunt Giki, mah li'l bro, and our lemon meringue pies! Note: I was planning on sending a text to you with the picture but completely forgot per usual. Hopefully you've gotten it by the time you're reading this.

Here's a fun song that I've been listening to on the the way to work:

(Rather Be by Clean Bandit Feat. Jess Glynne)

I just wanted to take a moment to let my family know that I've been missing them terribly and wanted to dedicate a little song to'em belooooow.

(From Where You Are by Lifehouse)

I have been getting quite homesick this week but am planning on Skyping home soon! Get ready for some babbling guys and some lag because it's coming to you from Aussie land. While writing this I JUST found out about a Supernatural convention that is/was happening Sunday. I'll tell ya'll about it in the next blog, along with my adventures on the island. Love you all! Until next time:)

Love,

Syd