Random stuff from the past 2 days (I couldn't think of a better title :-)

I'm sunburnt! and it's all my fault. Today I went off to SDSU to ask about courses (or classes as they're called here), see what I need to do to register and just generally check out the campus. It's really pretty! Very big and spread out. Anyway, as Marge is away at the moment in order to get to campus I had to catch the bus. It's about 1km, maybe 1.5kms to the bus stop from Marge's house. I left at about 9am and had a pleasant stroll there. Yes, I understand that I just said walking was pleasant but it was - not to hot, it's a flat walk, the area's really pretty etc. Buses here are airconditioned! How cool? (excuse the pun). Anyway, I made it to campus and with the help of my trusty map I printed off the net I started finding my way around. I went to the international student centre (the long way round - grr), had a meeting with the economics graduate advisor, and generally had a look round and did 'useful stuff'. As I said though, the campus is spread out so this involved a fair amount of walking in the sun. The genius that I am didn't even consider putting on suntan cream this morning. So that + campus walk + walk back to Marges at 1pm = burnt Kate. Not fun.

Yesterday I went to my first Rotary Club meeting. It was in a rather smart looking hotel. Everyone was really nice and friendly. The best part was - I got asked THE question..... Do you have wild animals walking around where you live?! I was a good girl and gave him a serious answer. I was tempted to say that we ride elephants to work though :-) The meeting itself was very similar to the ones I went to at Kloof Rotary before I left. There was a speaker from another Rotary club talking about how to get new member and retain them. It was quite interesting - the subject matter wasn't that thrilling but he was a very good speaker. I was introduced and said a few words. Can't remember what now, just something along the line of how happy I was to be there etc. The one thing that got a good laugh though is that people have been asking me what I think of San Diego - so of course I say it's very nice, hot and that there seem to be lots of Americans. Ha ha. They have a full lunch with their meeting. Today it was quite a nice salady thing. There was iced tea to drink - but not like Lipton. Proper tea with ice! Unsweetened. It was quite gross so I drank water instead. San Diego's water is pretty nice. A bit different to Durban but not unpleasant tasting.

Yesterday's other big adventure was going to an American supermarket! You have no idea just how much variety there is. I think I amused the woman I was with (one of Marge's friends) endlessly! Some stuff is the same - they have Colgate toothpaste, Lays, Danon yogurts etc but some stuff is totally different! There are lots of ready made meals and everything seems to come already packaged. I know that sounds a bit random but I can't think of a better way to explain it at the moment. All their fruit and vegetables look absolutely perfect! And they're all presented beautifully. You don't just have a bin/container thing (the right word escapes me at the moment) of apples, they're all laid out individually in neat rows. Everything is so big! I battled to find a 500ml bottle of water. Well I could find them but they were sold in 6 packs. I could buy the litre version individually. It's called 'family sized'. I had to get a shampoo but didn't want to buy an enormous bottle as I didn't know if I'd like it or not. That was hard! I had such fun though - I think the easiest way to entertain me at the moment is just to take me grocery shopping :-)

Random observation I feel the need to share - food's really sweet and artificial tasting. I make this sweeping statement after drinking diet coke, eating yogurt and a bran muffin so I feel fully qualified :-) It's overly sweet, and not in a good way (and this is coming from me who loves sweet stuff). Also it leaves that unpleasant artificial-sweetener taste in your mouth.

Tomorrow I'm off to see some of San Diego. Dad's best friend from University has lived here for the past umpteen years so he's taking me out. How's this for a coincidence - his 26 year old son has decided to go back to university after working for a few years and is going to SDSU..... to do his Masters in Ecos! Wierd huh? Oh, and they call it Econ here - I got asked what I was talking about today.