1. Walk at a slower pace, it keeps you from getting as sweaty.

2. Don't look up. Looking up rarely turns out well. I feel as though every time I look up there are rain clouds somewhere in the distance or an enormous spider.

The past let's say week or so it has been raining constantly. I usually power-walk it out of my classes to get back to my apartment before the rain clouds burst. However, everyone else just seems to stroll their way between destinations. The other day it occurred to me, the slower you walk, the less sweaty you become, and that is why these people walk around so casually. Who would've thought? Obviously not me. However, I still manage to walk at a rather fast pace (it's just too difficult to walk slowly, and let's be real, I don't really care if I'm sweaty and gross), and it's unlikely I will give that up any time soon.

This spider thing has happened to me twice now. The first time, it was our first day at the Village. Hailey and I needed... Well, everything. You name it we needed it; from toilet paper to tortellini. A very nice Australian girl gave us a lift to the Supa IGA (and no, I do not mean "super"), but told us we'd have to make it back on our own. No problem, right? WRONG. Not only was it about 10,025° at approximately 4PM, but it was almost all uphill from the Supa IGA.

Now, in case you're unaware I am not a fan of spiders, however I can usually kill them on my own (but those thousand leggers? Forget that.). Hailey, on the other hand, hates them with a fiery passion. As Hailey was walking underneath a street lamp I happened to look up at it. There, laying quietly in an enormous web, was an equally enormous spider. All I could say was, "Hailey, don't look up." She sped up, and asked me why as I hurried under the lamp post, and then she looked up and saw it.

Encounter #2 takes place after an early evening class. We had just been let out of Government and Business Relations in Lecture Theater 1. I was walking down a set of stairs making my way back to my apartment when I decided to look up. Right at that moment an Asian kid walked under another one of these behemoths. I walked along the opposite side of the stairs as quickly as I could without tripping... Or vomiting.

Supposedly these terrifying arachnids are harmless and very common, but I just can't get over the size. They're positively scary.

Well, I hope that if you're ever in Australia you take these two things into consideration. Another couple things you should probably keep in mind?:

- drinking is a lifestyle

- partying is a lifestyle

- Australians have morbid commercials

- "Bondi Rescue" is among the greatest shows one can watch here

- The people on "The Biggest Loser: Australia" are not nearly as large as they are in the States

- Always carry an umbrella

- The more times you try Vegemite the more appetizing it becomes

- They have an abundance of Vanilla Coke here

- Kangaroos are the equivalent of deer in Pennsylvania, it's okay to eat them

- Bras are fashionable

- So are rat tails

- Eat at Nando's. Just do it. You will love me for it.

- Ask an Australia to say "cooler". Then ask them to say it like an American. The result is worth it.

♥ caitlin