Aug 25 - Independent Woman, Part I

Nothing has been happening lately - as you can tell by my lack of writing. I go to class, I come back, I eat, I sleep, I go to class, I hang out with people at the house, I read, I go to the grocery store, I go to class. That's not a real sentence, but you get the point: nothing exciting happening.

So tonight is bar night here at LTU. I usually skip out on this because I have class early on Friday mornings. Tonight, Premi, Mark, and I were going to cook dinner and then a big group of us were going to the bar. I was excited about it. Then Premi's cousin called and asked Premi to step in on something and Premi couldnt say no... so he's left. So we cancelled dinner. A few other people are going out to have dinner before bar night. And then, the usual suspects are kinda wandering around and hanging out in the tv room looking bored. I asked if anyone was up for anything... Let's go do something! Let's go have dinner! Let's go out and just be out somewhere. Anywhere. And there really weren't any takers. Kinda like one of those... um, we could, but where-type responses. And then the momentum just died. That's when I moped and can back to my room to write and winge (gripe).

I tried to get a concession card today that would cut my met card price in half... no go. As an international, regardless that I pay full fees, unless you are an exchange student (NOT to be confused with study abroad), no internationals can get a concession card here in VIC. Soooo... everytime I want to go to town - a day pass costs me $5.90 and a 2 hr card costs $3.10. Sure, it's not like I go often - but the price is part of the problem. To go to the city... it's expensive to travel. Sure, I'm not paying gas prices and parking rates, but still... it takes an hour and it costs the better part of $6.

So that's part of the bigger picture - refer to title. I miss my independence. I miss being able to get in my car and go when I want to go... need to go... or just feel like going. I miss that even if I felt like getting out, but had no one to go with - I could get in my car and at least drive to Target and just walk around or go see a movie because it was within walking distance or head down to the Plaza and window shop. Everything is far away when you have to walk or rely on the tram. And going out... even for dinner... well, it's a production! Coordinating the group. Buy a tram card. Wait for the tram. Ride the tram 30-40 min to get to a good cafe area. Then wait for the tram coming back... etc. If and when I get a job here, I am going to have to factor in 1-1.5 hours for transportation. I realize that people live in cities with bad rushhour traffic, but geeeeeez. I feel trapped!

Ok... enough being poopy. I have to go rummage up my own dinner now. By myself.