We went to the alcohol store to be flabbergasted at the prices. Apparently first moment besides the accent that screams to the locals I AM AN AMERICAN AND PROUD OF IT. $26 dollars for a pint of Smirnoff. $18 for a 6 pack of beer. Cheap beer is still $30 for a 30 pack. All of our wallets were going to be in huge trouble. Luckily wine is a specialty here and for my taste buds. Just like wine back home they range in prices but with $5 house special, I think I might survive.
There is a bar on campus called Don's that is where everyone starts at for the night. The first night was the BBQ at Don's and a non-alcoholic event that only lasted until 10. As we were walking in we decided to look at the times of the bar. The latest Don's stays open is 11 on Friday's and 12 and Saturday's. We met a local outside, Flannel Metro Guy. (I am horrible with names and only refer to people as description to protect those spoken about and for lack of a memory). He informed us that CBD's (a local hotel bar) is where everyone was heading once this was over. Perfect. We grab our quick forming clan since arriving here and headed there for the night.
CBD's is not a hotel bar. Well, technically it is a hotel's bar and attached. But it is more accurately described as a lounge. There are nice couches and chairs and tables all over. It is decorated trendy and has TV screen playing music and other videos on them. We meet people from everywhere at this point. Canada, South America, Europe, Australia, South Africa and of course Americans. Not one person is even remotely close to unpleasant and this is only a good sign of what is to come. Since we get there super early and we have been up since before 6:30 due to traveling, 10 o'clock rolls around and we head in having a successful first night at Bond Uni.
Since the majority of people on campus are legal, drinking events on campus are very acceptable and encouraged by all. TOGA NIGHT was the next event during orientation week, and a night that will be hard to live up to all semester. With our togas securely fastened and pinned with everything covered up we headed to don's really early as usual since the line was out the door to get in. I would be terrified to even consider using a fake id around here they card to hard. They truly scruntize your id, some ask for second forms, and then take a picture of your id so the same one doesn't return that night AND if you get thrown out you are banned for the rest of the semester. At least it is safe. We walked in to see the place is packed with all Bond Uni students, a bunch we have met the night before. Did you know long island iced teas are only an American drink? Well not an Australian drink at least. My new friend Marco Warco from NY quizzed me on how to order as a joke before it was my turn. Little did I know I was going to make a fool of myself either way. The Bartender stared like I was a three eyed monster when attempting to order.
After Don's we all got bused to Broachbeach for an after party at some bar. "Bar" does not describe this place. It is a trendy- asian infused- buddhas every where- night club. I am talking that the place is called EAST in all japanese/chinese letters. There are buddhas everywhere, interesting asian art on the ceilings, 3 bars in two levels, Bond Uni kids, music, and really nice bartenders. Apparently if you do not say please and thank you at the bar, the bartenders have every right to not serve you. It is their biggest pet peeve and consider it a tip, since they do accept tips in money form. They almost get mad if you tip them (but only at bars, restaurants love tips!) But who can blame him with a wicked rat tail like this bartender had. I made a new friend Canada. He is from Montreal, or Ontario, maybe Quebec? It is very loud in East and let's face it I do not have the best memory. He was an extremely nice guy getting his MBA here. Around 3 am when the buses finally came to get us we headed back to our humble abode to go to bed. Kiley met a friend, Homeless Boy, who came back to hang out with us before going to bed. Luckily the common rooms are large enough to fit everyone, otherwise we would be crammed in our rooms. Around 5 am it was vital that I get some sleep considering I was still jet lagged. However, since we are not allowed to have guests in the building, we had to get Homeless Boy to go home. Here is where his name came from. HE WOULD NOT LEAVE. Kiley left her wallet at the bar and he had already helped her get her wallet back. And since he was the only one of us with a Australian cell phone, We couldn't necessarily be mean to him. The next morning we go back into the common room to collaborate for the day and Homeless Boy is sleeping in our common room. Still here. Never left.I quickly came up with an idea. Considering that out of all of us, Fink would be the first to get admitted into a hospital, I ran into the common room in a panic saying the Fink was in the hospital and that all 8 of us need to go to the hospital in order to release him (you know, since we are foreigners). Since only one of us had a cell phone we all needed to go. Kiley was extremely confused since Fink was in the common room not long before that and considering we forgot to fill her in on this side of the story. I literally grabbed Homeless Boy by the arm and dragged him outside and collect the information from East.
If all night life is like the past two days, it is going to take a toll on my wallet and my liver.
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