I finally saw a possum. I saw two in one day, but unfortunately both were dead. BUT they weren't flattened like last time, so I took a picture. The one not shown was bigger and much more yellow. I had no idea they were this cute and orange. Sorry if this is a bit inappropriate putting up a dead possum, but I wanted you all to see one. Rest in peace little possum~

I haven't mentioned just how hilly it is here. The streets near my house are almost a joke. Absolutely no one would be able to leave Indooroopilly if the roads were ever covered in ice... Anyways, I took an uphill walk to a shopping center I haven't visited yet. It wasn't very good for clothing ad accessories, like the mall next to me, but I've noticed one thing about Brisbane- food is everywhere. Grocery stores are in malls, even markets, bakeries, and produce stands are in weird places like a shopping center. Oh and indoor cafes, where sitting "outside" is really the inside of the mall. I'm not sure how everyone here isn't fat. I sure am. I've been here almost 11 weeks, and I think I've gained ten pounds (as you will notice by the change in cheek volume in the picture). It's very tragic, but at least I enjoyed all the wonderful food here. I'll start my healthy lifestyle again once I'm back in AZ.

Much like Europe, chocolate here is very good. Fancy Lindt chocolate bars and Cadbury bars are found in huge displays and isles at the grocery store. And while those chocolate bars aren't horribly expensive, a normal, tiny candy bar is a $1 when on sale. I'll bring some back for everyone to see. They are so different and very fun looking- cherry ripe is by far the most popular.

At the shopping center, I finally forced myself into buying a meat pie (I know, so horrible to have to eat something containing pie crust...) It was just average though. Steak and beef filled with gravy are the most popular. I have yet to see a chicken pie. Australians eat their meat pies with ketchup and with their hands. This is a picture of me eating it. I was laughing awkwardly to myself as I tried to quickly snap a picture while people were walking by.

I was reading a blog of my friend in France doing this same research program, and I definitely agree with her- American tourists are so stereotypical, and it's so sad. I rarely ever see Americans in Brisbane, but the times that I have, the ones in their twenties are just obnoxious. They talk loudly and it always seems to be about alcohol, and yell profanities. They just act so disrespectful. Oh well, at least I've made my mark on some people here as a nice, respectful American.

Lastly, I am excited to announce that I may finally have gotten some soluble protein.... on my last week here :(

Background: when you make proteins in a somewhat" artificial" way, they tend to be mass produced (if produced at all) insoluble, which means you can't really do anything with them. I think am the first and only person in the world attempting to get this particular protein produced, and I may have got it!