The days are getting hotter, and longer. So far, the biggest issue I have with the increase in temp is the flies that come out of nowhere, and are found everywhere. I was told that I'm still an American until I swallow a fly while talking during the summer months.. then I am initiated as an Aussie. I think I'll stick to being American and invest in Off spray and sunscreen.
Job: It has been about three full weeks on the job. I spend almost 8 hours per day, sitting at a desk, reading on fluid dynamics, trying to understand how pumps work and fail, and contemplating things that I overlooked when I was studying it for the first time. When you take things for the first time in college, you just learn enough to pass exams; figuring out how to apply equations given the information provided in the problem. Now, when reading, the emphasis is more on why than anything else. [ In fact, for the engineering geeks, I had a question about why is it that Bernoulli's equation says that as pressure increases, the velocity decreases, BUT when I put a nozzle on a hose to a fire hydrant, it feels like the pressure increases as the velocity increases... nobody in the room is able to answer ] So... I share the room with two other people. They don't talk to each other too much, but when I take a break and turn around towards them, I end up having a 5 to 15 minute conversation with at least one of them. So, I manage to get work done by just keeping my back towards them and my head in the books. I'm moving along alright at the job; rarely see the professor in charge. I confer with him once every week and a half, and I'm off on my own to figure out what to do.
On this Sunday, I am taking a trip to Brisbane for four days for work. The university is putting me up in a hotel room that looks like a luxury apt, paid food and other expenses, to listen to bunch of speakers talk about engineering. My professor said that they'll only pay for 8 hours of work a day, which means after hours would translate into the opportunity to wander around. I wish I could stay there longer though... Brisbane is near the Gold Coast, which is famous for its prestine beaches, a sailing opportunity that would teach you how to sail by staying at sea on a sailboat for about 3 days, scuba diving to see the Great Barrier Reef, and going to the jungle area to see hwo the native tribes live... exciting stuff! But another time.. this time I'll just wander the city.
I should be going on full time at the University by the end of this month.. hopefully. In the meantime, I make my own hours, and get paid only by the hour with no benefits.
Driving: My homework each week is to practice at least an hour of driving. My goal is to be able to drive anywhere in WA. So last week, I went around, and got lost (literally) for about an hour, but b/c of TomTom, was able to return back home. I almost got into a car accident... problems always happen when I am in a rush, and forget to repeat to myself "drive on the left". Thank God people in Perth are more forgiving of horrible driving mistakes, as long as I don't run into the police. So, I passed my aunt's house, made a u turn, and then drove on the wrong side fo the road.. and less than 2 minutes later, had to swerve to avoid an oncoming car. And so, this week, I had two places on the agenda to go to: The Margaret River Chocolate Factory (the place to be if you are a chocolate lover! )and a convention on evangelism in South Perth. I made it to the first place, after getting a bit lost, and never made it to the second place... I forgot again once, and almost got run over again, so I went back and settled for video telecast of the convention. This Friday and Saturday is the Global Leadership Summit 2010, and I'm going to risk driving again. Pray for me that I'll get there safe... or pray that no one is on the road at the times I go... either one is fine with me! ;)
Church: Decisions, Decisions... there are positive and negative parts of the church I have been attending, but so it goes with any church... no church is perfect. In short, I ponder over whether this is where God wants me to settle down. I met with the Pastor today to voice my concerns about how the church reaches out to the community, what the theology of the church is (which is important since what you believe affects how you live), and the mission and vision of the church. It was a good talk, and gives a lot of things to think about... such as do I stay with a church that is relatively young, with a diverse population, who are trying to be molded into a church that is deep in relationships and reaches out ... or ... do i try to find one that has it all together now, which would probably mean it would be a bigger church. I had asked people in the church about the church's stand on predestination vs free will; which leads to either long discussions, or avoidance. I had a long discussion with the pastor on it, which was most helpful... so there is a lot to think and pray about. Frustrating at times, and a faith stretching time. This is what the three hour bus rides are for. Anyone up for long conversations over coffee or ice cream? My treat if you can make it here... :)
On the lighter side of things, I am meeting good people in the church, and their hospitality is terrific; making me feel at home. One of them is very connected, and works at the university that I work at. She said that when the time comes, she'll connect me with people that rent out rooms to make the process easier.
There are other small things here and there, so if you want to hear, just give me a buzz. Email or it me up for a convo so I can hear what is happening with you.
I'm going to try to send out an email with pics of where I've been... hopefully this week.
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