This is my last day at the hotel in Potts Point, so I'm trying to take full advantage of the internet here before I leave. It will be a while before I get internet set up in my new place, so I don't know when my next post will be. I signed a 6-month lease for the apartment in Leichhardt yesterday, and I'm about to move in. I have all my stuff packed up now, and I'm dreading taking it all down to the lobby. I'm going to take a cab over to the new place once I ...

I had a nice weekend and am finally finding the time to relax a bit. On Thursday, I "inspected" an apartment in Leichhardt. It is a small studio with a tiny kitchenette located in a security building. It has a large communal kitchen and lounge area as well as washers and dryers. It is pretty expensive since Sydney real estate is among the highest, but it is the most affordable and decent place I can find. The building is well-kept and secure, and I...

Yesterday was a busy day. I logged 10 miles of walking! I walked to the Town hall arcade and enrolled in Medicare, the national healthcare cover scheme, which provides free public healthcare at public hospitals to all Australians. Australia's public hospital system is funded jointly by their governments. Under a special provision, Fulbright scholars are allowed to enroll in the program. While I was in the arcade, I found a store having a sale and bought two ...

I guess it's about time I wrote another entry here. This week has been pretty busy, mainly trying to sort out any remaining details and trying to find a place to live. On Monday, I toured the USS Kitty Hawk, at the envy of most any Sydneysider. The bay was crowded all weekend with people trying to catch a glimpse of the ship. Thanks to the Fulbright Alumni group, I was put on the list to tour the ship. Only special groups were able to tour, and to gain ac...

Well, I'm here and trying to adjust. My flights went smoothly, and I got all my luggage safe and sound. I managed to fit my huge camera bag in the overhead bins on two of my flights, which I was very happy about. The jet from Birmingham to Chicago was tiny, so my bag was way too big to fit overhead. Fortunately, it wasn't a full flight, and they let me change seats and strap my bag into an empty seat next to me. On my flight to San Francisco, a man asked me ...