SFU

Simon Fraser University has three campuses: the main Burnaby campus (where I am, up in the hills!), the Harbour Centre campus in downtown Vancouver, and Surrey campus in Surrey (on the other side of the hill). SFU, named after explorer Simon Fraser opened in September 1965 and at the Burnaby campus there are around 22,000 students. I say up in the hills because the university's elevation is around 400 metres, high enough to make my ears pop each morning as I drive up the Burnaby Mountain Parkway. The total area is around 430 acres, with buildings expanding over 260,000 square metres of the land. SFU is quite famous for it's distinctive architecture, an interconnected complex of buildings based on the original design concept of Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey. The university is a maze of pathways and split leveled buildings that are easy to follow, but sometimes just as easy to get lost in. It's often referred to as the concrete jungle or cemetery due to the high volume of concrete used in it's construction along with it propensity to become lost in the clouds on foggy mornings (and sometimes whole days!)

Olympic fever has also taken hold on the hill since the International Olympic Committee's choice of Whistler, Vancouver as the host of its 2010 winter games. SFU is involved too, with a lot of construction underway around the uni, mostly concentrated in the car park due to it being designated to be the site of a world-class speed skating oval for the event. It's bad enough I have 8.30 classes three mornings a week, but I gotta get up even earlier to get the pick of the best car spots not under the cranes!! It takes me anywhere between half an hour and 45 minutes to commute each morning, which is sometimes a chore, but gorgeous views of Burrard Inlet, the Lower Mainland and up into the mountains instantly remind me of why I'm here : )

Ok, enough of reading... lets look some pictures. I took my camera up to school one day and just wandered around taking photos in my breaks! It's kinda a snapshot of a day! Enjoy!

You can also check out the website, if you feel so inclined: www.sfu.ca

Cruising up the Burnaby Mountain Parkway.	We're here!
Looking up to the library (left), Convocation Mall & Maggie Benston Centre.	The SFU car park! It's a long walk if you sleep in!
This is the Bennett Library, the main library on campus. I think it's about six floors, but everything is really easy to find and the staff are really helpful. There's even staff members who know what the assignments are for specific subjects and help you research them. There are big rooms designated to 'group study' and 'private study', so it caters for all types and the best part of all (given our internet at home aint too reliable right now) is that there are hundreds of computers all lined up that are always working, with every kind of program imaginable and all hooked up to this cool printing system.	Looking across to the Convocation Mall.
The North-West corner of the Academic Quadrangle and one of the mosaics on the supports.
	As you can see the Academic Quadrangle is a giant square building elevated from the ground, but 'rooms with a view' are mainly offices and stuff- the real action is under ground. Under the ground is two levels of classrooms, labs and lecture theatres all linked together by the same square shaped concourse. This underground concourse also leads off to buildings, Education and Science on the north and south sides, that are semi built into the side on the mountain and down the steps to the library and Convocation Mall on another side. The fourth side leads to more labs and some cafes. Besides lecture theatres and labs there is also an Art Gallery and multipurpose sports facility in the middle (underground).
Sorry, had to interrupt the tour to go have a meeting with my Marketing project group in the AQ... Ben, Marisa, Edwin and me!	Looking up to the AQ through the Convocation Mall. On the north side (to your left) is the Bennett Library, and on the south side are the Maggie Benston Student Services Centre, the Highland Pub and the SFU Theatre. This central mall is where graduation ceremonies are held in June and October. Rain, hail or shine graduates and their families are seated under the mall roof, where the ceremony is held. If you squint you can see a raised concrete platform on which the official dudes sit while grads cross and receive their degrees. I sticky beaked on the October one- it was quite exciting!
Inside the Maggie Benston Centre. This striking building with its central atrium provides one-stop service to students: the Office of the Registrar, the Student Society, the SFU Bookstore, Health Services, Career Services, Co-operative Education, the Peak student newspaper, International & Exchange Student Services, etc are all in this building. Managed by the Student Society, there is also the Highland Pub and Higher Ground coffee shop to relax in between classes.	This is Christina, the lovely lady I run to every time I have a question. She's responsible for the well being of all the exchange students and organises fun stuff for us too! Thanks Christina- you do a wonderful job!
Off to the West Mall Complex for lunch... bumped into Lia, a fellow Aussie from Monash, on the way.	Inside the West Mall Complex. Here's were I spend most of my time due to it being the home of the Faculty of Business Administration. There are also classrooms, lecture halls, and seminar rooms and big open rooms with desks, as well as nooks and crannies with couches to study in. Unfortunately the north side of the study hall provides a great view of the mountains and I find a lot of time is wasted day dreaming!
View from Raven's Cafe (in the West Mall) over the northern mountains. Not so good today, but on a clear day you can see this giant snow capped mountain way off in the distance... still haven't worked out what its called...	Directly opposite Raven's are doors out to the Labatt Sport Court and the Gym Complex.
	Another place I spend a lot of time is the Chancellor's Gym Complex. It has two gyms, 6 lane 25 meter swimming pool and diving tank, racquetball and squash courts, Piper's Fitness Centre (cardio & circuit stuff), the Bog weight room, saunas, physiotherapy, and offices. It's four levels high and membership is free for all students! Just outside the complex is a climbing wall (if you can call it that...), 400 meter track, tennis courts and several playing fields. I've joined the tennis team (and am playing for top spot on Wednesday!), hiking group and ski club, but there are a variety of Intramural leagues and sports clubs to take part in. There are also heaps of bike trails and running track all over the mountain.

Photos from International Students day...

My Fellow Victorians Stace (from Swinburne), Steve, Laura and Lia (from Monash).	We won first place in the best poster competition!!!
Maddog (Scotland) teaches Daphne (Sweden) the pipes.	Sanne & Kristian (Denmark) and a random SFU student.

Some more photos from school in late November- when it snowed!

Whilst attending my last macroeconomics tutorial (thank god!) something that I was assured wouldn't happen, did. It snowed at school! The lake had already frozen over in the previous week which was somewhat exciting for all us Aussies, but seeing it dump snow like it did was kinda weird. Unfortunately I could only take a few snaps before my tutor for my next class caught me playing in the snow and told me to get inside! I tried to explain it was only the third time I'd seen snow... but he didn't really seem to care!