I got up, showered, ate an apple, and headed off. My first stop was the bank. I needed to open a new checking account so that I don't have to pay a conversion and international fee every time that I use my debit card. I looked up directions on google maps, but I wasn't really sure where one of the streets was. I just kind of walked in that general direction and found the street that it was supposed to be on. However when I got to the street, I turned the wrong way and walked a couple of blocks before realizing that the numbers were getting too high. I decided to go to the other side of the street on my way back, since maybe that's why I didn't see it. It ended up being on the side of the street that I was originally on, but I had to turn right instead of left. Plus it was all the way at the end of the block.
Once I found the bank, I didn't really have any trouble setting up my account. I should get my debit card in the mail in about a week and she filled out my form for direct debit for unilodge. I also wrote a check to transfer money from my US account into this one, but she said it'll take 21 business days for that to go through. I guess that the check has to go all the way back to the US for them to verify it, then they have to send it back to Australia. Oh the joys of the long distance between America and Australia!
When I got lost, I at least found the street that I had to take to get to Canberra Centre. I knew which way to go from the bank and I headed there to get a mobile. I passed EB games first, so I stopped in and got a new charger for my 3DS. Yay!
I then headed over to Vodafone. It was just the one in the middle of Canberra Centre because I didn't realize that there was a store downstairs! Anyway, I talked to the guy and I had to have like a million and one different forms of ID. Silly me, thinking that a passport would be enough. I had my passport, my eCoE to prove I was a student, my visa, my forms that I just got from the bank, and my United States ID and debit card. Now I know that the US ID isn't valid, but I added it because it has my picture and name on it. I guess that there is some sort of points for each form of ID and the last thing that he said I could get was a bank statement, so he told me to go back to the bank.
I went back to the bank. Now, because I had just opened the account today, they weren't able to get me that bank statement. They had to order one and I can pick it up tomorrow. But I still had to go back to Canberra Centre even though I couldn't get my new mobile. I had to go to Target to get some stuff that I couldn't get at the IGA near my flat. I made the journey back to Canberra Centre and then I had to follow the map all the way down to the other end of the Centre to where Target was located. I bought some more stuff for my apartment, including a pan. Woo hoo! I still have a long list of stuff that I need to buy, but at least I know I'll be going to Canberra Centre tomorrow, anyway. It's a good thing that it's only 1 km away from my flat!
When I got back, I just wanted to crash! I laid down for a bit, but didn't end up taking a nap. I heated up some frozen green beans for a lunch/dinner meal and put some stuff away. I also went through the rest of my unilodge paperwork so that I can hand that in tomorrow. I got some poster putty at Target, so I was able to put up my pictures, too. Yay!
Now I just want to get to bed after a frustrating and long day, but I'm try to stay awake so that I can get my sleeping schedule to normal. Tomorrow I'm bringing all of my paperwork when I try to go get my phone, so hopefully tomorrow will be a lot less frustrating.
Pictures from today:
Sounds like you got your exercise in today! Glad you got so much accomplished and good luck in getting your phone tomorrow.
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