First Week In

So there are a few things I have discovered that are actually real or a little bit strange. First of all, they really do have yellow school buses over here! They also have mouth wash in the toilets and the cashiers at the bank just stand behind a desk with no glass. Target is also massive. Salt and Vinegar chips are in a blue packet, not pink and while the bacon is just not the same, it wasn't as bad as I was warned it would be.

The houses are also really different. They seem to be bigger, on bigger blocks, and they all look very similar. Also, there are pretty much no fences!

I also went to my first Rotary meeting over here. This one was for The Rotary Club of Braselton, which meets at breakfast time. They meet in this lovely club house at a golf course. They had a buffet breakfast before the meeting. The meeting was shorter than any I have been to back home, but they do the same sort of things, talk about past and upcoming fundraisers and that sort of thing.

I also did my presentation, I just talked about myself where I come from, what I do and showed them some pictures. I think it went just fine.

On Saturday there was an event the Rotary Club was involved in called Tug of Love which is a tug of war over a mud pit. Different teams battle to raise funds for children with disabilities. It was a really cool event to watch. After the event I helped with the ribbon cutting as they announced the name of the new camp where the event was held.

After that we went to get some gelato and ice cream, yes both, we had to compare the two! My choc chip cookie dough ice cream won that battle.

On Saturday I also got the chance to look in an antique store which was huge. It had three levels, and it wasn't even the biggest one! I really like to have a look at that sort of stuff, I find it all very interesting. I also found a stash of comics and bought Superboy #1 which was printed the year I was born, 1994, and it was in really good condition.

On Sunday I went with my host family to explore downtown Atlanta. On the way we stopped at a little Cuban place for lunch. I got a Cuban sandwich, which is a bit like a toasted sandwich in a flat press. It is a really different style of food, I don't even know if there is anywhere in Australia to get this cuisine. It is quite a big meal that fills you up.

We went to The Westin' Peachtree Plaza and rode up 73 floors to the observation deck on top. It was a really great view and I got lots of great photos.

We then walked down to The Olympic Park to have a good look, there is lots of water for people to sit and put their feet in and for kids to play.

On the way back home we stopped at The Varsity which is the worlds largest drive-in restaurant and has been open since 1928. Here you don't order from an intercom, a person actually walks up to you, and you can also eat inside. There are six others in Georgia, and are known for the phrase "What'll ya have?" It certainly was a experience! I just had a frosty orange, which tasted like soft serve mixed with Fanta. I'd like to go again and try some other stuff they have too, and maybe buy a cap! They also have these paper hats you can have, like the crowns at Hungry Jacks/Burger King.

Today I went to have a look around the college, it is a very big campus much bigger than uni back home. Most of the buildings are new and they are more spaced out than any uni back home. It's also very green, and it looks like there are lots of places to get food.

I also had a look at some comic book shops. I managed to stop myself from buying anything, but I know where to go when I need more to read.

I also went into this little boutique style place for beer. It was like nothing I've seen before, and you can buy a growler of beer which is a glass jug with a handle. They had cider, so I bought a quart for about $12.