A month

This has to be quick because I really have to get some sleep... wow I've been in country for a month... it's flown and yet crawled by... I figure if I made it for a month, hopefully things will get a bit easier...knock on wood heavily.  I have also counted on one hand the number of days it hasn't rained.... wow.

A quick note on Visas

I learned the hard way that applying for a new visa when you are already in a country is in some ways more difficult than applying from the outside.  If you are applying for a visa that will replace the one you currently have, make sure you specify when you want it to take effect... otherwise it might take effect immediately and wipe out the other one for good.  Not all visas are created equal...the new one might revoke privileges (e.g. like work privileges) that you are relying upon. 

Queen Victoria Market

Queen Victoria Market
On the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets
Open generally on  Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun  
http://www.qvm.com.au/

The Queen Victoria Market... for all intents and purposes is awesome.  While it's trading hours are from 6-2 on weekdays (except closed on Wednesday), usually the massive food sections are the ones that open at 6 and the other retail parts open later.  Everything looks like a good deal... but don't jump at things immediately, the strawberries at 2 packages for 3 dollars might be undercut by a nearby vendor who is offering 2 for 2.  You could bring a huge suitcase and 200 AUD and easily fill it with goodies ranging from food to wigs, to shirts, souvenies, shoes, other bags, and most any other goodies you can think of... ok so they don't sell Lawn mowers and yes you could by the really expensive item here and there... but that's not what you are at the Queen Victoria Market for.  You're there for good bargains on things you need to live on and to beat the price on things you'd like to send home to friends and family (T-shirts - 5 to 8 dollars).  You could easily spend a day there just to look over all that's being sold....

I will say, you should bring cash because may of the vendors don't accept credit (nor are in a position to take a card and process it - would you want someone in the meat section to handle your card with his bloody hands?). 

Don't forget... Wednesday nights in the summer, part of the Market opens for fun and festivities...

I've done it

I'm pretty busy getting started at moment... despite the odds I managed to find housing in 1/2 the time it normally takes - 2 weeks instead of 4... and that's with the University housing database totally breaking down and being of no use. I hope this bodes well for the rest of my stay here.