It's amazing how even in a country so similar to your own, it takes a few weeks to orient yourself. Today I got a glimpse of the progress I've made since I got to Australia exactly one month ago. At work I walked into the cafe and ordered a cappuccino in a mug, which, contrary to my beliefs a month ago, is not the same as a cup. If it's large, it's a mug. And after three weeks of trying to get a regular old cup of coffee, I've accepted that it will be cappuccinos for me for the next year.
After work I headed to the mall for "late" (read: 9:30) shopping night, a weekly Thursday event. On normal shopping nights the mall closes at 5:30, leaving one to wonder how people with actual jobs get a chance to spend their money. Mysteries aside, it turns out that the malls here aren't quite as intimidating as I thought the other week. Turns out there are some reasonable prices if you hunt a bit, and there is a method to the madness of Australia sizing (for the record, a 10 in America is a 14 here, and they think we're the crazy ones for starting sizing at zero).
As I navigated onto the bus and pulled out the exact change without having to check the amount written on each coin, I smiled to myself thinking that I've done a pretty good job of getting a hold on a little piece of Australia this first month. And as I walked home passing beneath a flying fox and looking with only a bit of anxiety at a spider as big as my hand (which, I might add, I could name), I was sure Australia has already had an effect on me.
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