Day Eleven - Lectures

So today was the first day of lectures at uni, for two of my four courses; first up today was an introduction to Australian myths and legends, looking at the way in which different themes of Australian identity are represented in film - concepts of mateship, male bonding through alcohol, the support for the underdog, class struggle and the way in which sport (especially rugby) brings together the different ethnicities of the country.

The second lecture was by a visiting Oxford professor of political science introducing the concept of 'empire' in different times and places - especially nineteenth century onwards. I'm easily the oldest in both. In the Australian Studies course there are about 50 students, about half of whom, inexplicably, are American 'Study Abroad' students. The second course is much smaller - only around 20 students. Both courses are majoritively girls. I've no idea why.

Whilst the style here is, typically, informal, the opening of the first lecture began with the lecturer formally announcing, as if reading aloud a prayer -  "I would like to recognize we're on [insert obscure Aboriginal name] ground".

I spent the rest of the day in the Library working and trying to get my head around the 3 'learning platforms' UNSW use, which requires a degree itself. I'm a bit concerned that I may have developed an obsession with fruit and veg - my serves were up to 17 today, which may be bordering on dangerous. 

Tomorrow I have my first lecture on 'The Making of the Modern World' and the tutorial for it; and in the evening I will be part of the audience for the last episode of this series' recording of The Chaser's War on Everything at ABC studios (thanks to Sian, an old Aussie friend from many years ago) - I've heard of the show in the UK as it's meant to be very funny, so I'm very much looking forward to that.

The 'comment' count is up, so thank you to those who have chipped in - though there are a couple of shady characters who are making pot shots whilst hiding behind cloaks of invisibility. I'm not sure who one of them is.