Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road

As you might have guessed from the title, I now have a car. The main difference between Australian driving and American driving is the amount of roundabouts. Most of the intersections in the outskirts of Brisbane are roundabouts, which are so much cooler than traffic signals or stop signs. Oh, and one other difference is driving on the opposite side of the road. For one who doesn't pay attention very well, it keeps me on my toes.

That's right, I am now the proud co-owner of a 1989 Ford Laser hatchback, equipped with four doors, a hatch, a CD player, and five seats. And a manual gear shift. For those of you who are wondering, "Does Lucas know how to drive a manual car?" the answer is "Yeah... sort of." And I'm getting better every time I drive. I promise.

The last few days have sort of felt like I'm driving on the wrong side of the road. The whole car purchasing ordeal has been surreal--meeting the owner, test driving it, and then all of a sudden filing paperwork for ownership and insurance. I have met some old friends and made new ones already, which has also been surreal. I haven't talked to many of these people in a year, and yet we are still able to have meaningful conversations, like I never left.

I am quite thankful for my host family. They have been very understanding when I fall asleep watching television with them at 8 p.m. and helping me get accustomed to the time change. I am also quite thankful for Gwen Edginton, who has sort of adopted me as a grandson. She introduced me to the owner of the car and helped me through the purchasing process. She has also introduced me to a few new people by taking me to a Bible study Saturday night. I look forward to meeting with them somewhat regularly this summer to study the Scriptures and share in this life together.

Today looks like a busy day. The other intern, Jessi, arrived this morning, and so I am about to go to her host house and discuss some things with her. Then I'll be off to go by the bank and pay for the car, and then prepare for a Bible study tonight. Some other things will probably pop up along the way. They always do while driving on the wrong side of the road.