Weekend

After working all week, I was more than ready for a little fun this weekend. I went out for drinks with a group of friends and got to see a few nice local bars, one of which had a great jazz band playing. The best thing about going out with a group here is the guys do all the paying. They take turns getting rounds, and girls aren't expected to do the same. I tried a few times, but they wouldn't let me.... I didn't spend a dime all night!

Australia is huge on sports... and Melbourne in particular loves Aussie Rules Football, or footy as it's called. Sunday I went to the last Aussie Rules game before the playoffs. The stadium (the MCG) is absolutely massive... the field is at least double the size of an American football field, but oval instead of rectangular. The object of the game is to kick the ball through the upright poles, similar to a field goal in the NFL. The middle poles get you 6 points, the secondary poles on either side gets you 1 point. The game seems kind of chaotic to watch... 18 players on each team, a lot of running around, very few pauses, and the ball is constantly being kicked or punted to other players. It was a fun game... I'm not sure I really get it, but I cheered when other people cheered, and booed when other people booed.

My favorite part of the game was half time... they bring out mini poles and let little kids play on the field. The favored team in this game was the Richmond Tigers, and their colors are black and gold... kind of looked like Pittsburgh! They won too... 121 - 41. The fans were singing the team songs (every team has their own songs and cheers) for a while after the game ended.

It was a fun experience, and I wouldn't have heard the end of it if I left Melbourne without seeing a footy game.

Work Update

Sorry I haven't posted much recently... I'm a busy working girl now. The job is ok... but much more actual work than I expected. I thought I'd be sorting papers, filing, and getting people coffee. But, I am actually taking over the entire position for a girl who is using her vacation days. She's spending 5 weeks traveling through Europe. Yes, 5 weeks vacation. I found out that everyone here gets 4 weeks vacation time to start. And whatever you don't use accrues the next year. And this is 4 weeks is in addition to public holidays, Christmas, etc. Aussies are living the good life over here.

So, I spent the week in training, and Monday I'm on my own. My main job is working with international students who want to take ESL courses. I have to make sure they are eligible for a free government program offered, and that means checking their passport and visa. It's the worst tease for someone like me... I have to look at visas that say "this visa holder can remain in Australia indefinitely." I would do anything to make my visa say that... mine says I better get my American butt back home by December 3.

So far so good though... I'm looking for an apartment closer to the campus so I don't have such a long commute. Will keep you posted!

She works hard for the money...

I got a job! It's true; I am now a gainfully employed Aussie... wanna-be. I sent my info to a staffing agency on Wednesday, had an interview on Thursday afternoon, and start working on Monday!

I will be doing general office help for a university just outside the city. I think it will be pretty interesting, because I am going to be in the Language Center. So even though I won't be too involved with projects or information, it will be dealing with English, language learning, ESL, etc. which I love. The assignment lasts until October 3, so I'll be in Melbourne for a while longer.

Considering I have been on a long vacation since mid June, getting back into the swing of a 9-5 job is not going to be easy. But working a full time job does mean that happy hours are back on the agenda...

Wish me luck!

Random Fun

The best part of being in a new country is finding all the little day-to-day things that are done differently. Things that the residents here don't think twice about, but that make me pull out my camera and ask as many questions as I can. Here are a few of the quirky things I've found here... it doesn't always take much to amuse me, but hopefully you'll find these interesting too.

When you order a Coke or Sprite at a cafe, they give it to you these small glass bottles. I've seen them in stores at home, but not really in use. I think they're so cute and love that they're common here.

I saw these burgers in the grocery store yesterday. They are shaped like Australia for no real reason. It's not a holiday or anything, just for fun.

One really odd thing about driving in Melbourne is what they call a Hook Turn. It means you have to make a right-hand turn from the left lane. I'm pretty sure Melbourne is the only city that has this, and I've been told it's to keep cars out of the way of the city trams, which run through the middle of the road. But... driving on the left side of the road, in the right side of the car, and having to make a right-hand turn from the left lane?? Melbourne should be very, very happy to know I wont be driving here.

The eternal question for any traveler down under is whether or not the toilets really flush in the opposite direction. I've tested this, and really have come to the conclusion that they don't. It actually seems to me like the water goes straight down moreso than it spins. But, besides the flushing, the toilets here have something else about them. Almost all of them have two buttons for flushing. One is a "half flush" and one is a "full flush" depending on how much water you need to use. Australia is always in the middle of a water crisis, so they are very conscious about not wasting water. (When it gets really bad, they have bans on car washing, lawn watering, filling your pool, etc.) But on a daily basis, you get to decide how much water you need. I've seen a lot of different buttons, but they are all some variation of a short line and a longer line. Saving the world, one flush at a time, I guess. Go Aussies.

Skydeck

In the Rialto Tower in Melbourne, the 88th floor has an observation room called the Skydeck. It's a 360 degree view of everything in the city... here are some photos for your viewing please:

In the one above, you can see the Yarra, and some of the city buildings. In the back, the stadium is the MCG - Melbourne Cricket Ground, where they play Aussie Rules Football (or footie, as its affectionately called) which is basically worshipped in the city.


And below, a picture of another building, and a nighttime shot. I love the city at night.

Melbourne Nightlife

This weekend was my first chance to really go out and experience Melbourne nightlife. All in all, it's pretty good. A lot of people are out in the city, and there is every choice of bars, shows, and clubs to go to. Friday night , I went out with my friend to meet a group of people at an 80s night. The music was good... some songs I knew, some I didn't. I guess Aussies have their own 1-hit wonders.

The only bad thing about going out in Melbourne is the drink prices. Beers and mixed drinks are about $8-$9 a piece. That's probably similar to New York City, but coming from Pittsburgh where you can easily find a $1 beer night or some $2 anything specials, it's a little hard to get used to.

Another night, I went to a Pub Trivia game with some of the people in my travel program... and we won. $100 bar tab for our group, thanks to me answering the token US question "What year did Bush take office?"

The funny thing about meeting all these people is they loved my accent. My regular, American accent. What are they thinking??

Perks of Non-Commissioned Workers

People always ask me why I love Australia so much. It can sometimes be hard to explain exactly... it's more of a general vibe of the people and the city. Everything is laid back, people are genuinely nice, and life is to be enjoyed.


A few days ago, I went to switch my cell phone to an Australian SIM card. I didn't go right after arriving because I was dreading the usual cell phone store experience: workers on commission pushing random products/services/ insurance/packages onto you when all you wanted was a new charger. I was also confused on how the SIM card switch would work, which meant I should be prepared to be scammed out of money somehow.


The experience couldn't have been better... two guys working the desk were so friendly and realized I didn't really know what to ask or how to go about this switch. They explained everything, more than once for me, and gave me a ton of extras. When all was said and done, I paid $29 for $160 worth of pre-paid credit. I also got advice on what to visit in New Zealand and who had the best beer selections on tap. They didn't get commission for their service, but they reminded me why I love Australia so much. The people here are so open. And the accents don't hurt either.

Another amazing cell phone perk... while I was there, other people were renewing contracts. If they signed up for two year contract, they got a free GPS system. Yes, a $350 GPS system for a cell phone contract. In the States, you're lucky if you get a T-shirt!

One for the Girls

Yesterday's adventure took me on a river cruise of the Yarra River that runs through the city. There were two options: downstream that highlights the newer buildings and technological advances of the city... or upstream, which shows architecture and the history of the city. I chose upstream so I learned a lot of random facts about the history of Melbourne and some of the buildings along the way. The cruise was good, but that leaves me without a lot of exciting things to show here. I'll do my best though.

Fact 1: The Yarra river is saltwater on bottom and freshwater on top. I didn't even know that was possible. And it's brown in color not due to pollution, but it's from clay in the soil underneath. It's actually one of the top 5 cleanest rivers in the world.

Fact 2: There are 65 bridges that cross the river. One of them was built during/after WWII, when most of the male worker population was depleted. They needed a bridge built in a specific area, and reluctantly let women design and build the entire thing. They didn't expect it to last, it was more of a temporary solution until the big, strapping men returned. Turns out, to this day... it is the only bridge in Melbourne that is maintenance free every annual inspection. So, yay for us girls!

Money

I love Australian money. Every bill (or note, as they call it) is a different size and color. And they are basically impossible to rip or tear. They've got a plastic finish to them, so they hold up a lot better. There are $2 and $1 coins. It sucks getting all that change in your wallet, but if you forget you have it...it's fun to look later and find you have $20 or so extra in change.

Also... Australia includes the tax on the price of things before it's rung up. So if something says its $6.95 on the shelf, when you go to pay, you are paying $6.95. It's so much easier. Here's a picture. Hope you enjoyed my random thing for today.

After the Jetlag

So, here I am... in Melbourne finally. The flights took forever, and I'm more than happy to be back on land and rested. The hostel I am staying in is very nice, despite what people think about hostels. Really, they just make me feel like I'm in a college dorm again. I share a room with other travelers who come and go, community showers on every floor, kitchen (with free breakfast!) and tons of help for people looking for trips, car rentals, jobs, things to do, etc.

I did a little sightseeing in the city yesterday just trying to get my bearings. If you know me at all, you know I have zero sense of direction, so it's not the easiest thing in the world for me to find my way around a new city. A friend of mine is living in Melbourne and he showed me the basics. I bought myself a MetCard for riding the trams, and went into the city to explore. The picture to the right is me in front of Flinders Street Station. It's the original 1911 building used for trains. It's a central stop for traveling in the city.

As you can see in the pictures, I am wearing a jacket and sweater... it's a little colder here than I expected. It's about 50F. So, I have to say, Australia in the summer is way better. But I'll live.

This is the Southbank of the Yarra River. It's a trendy area with shops, restaurants, and you can catch day cruises up and down the river. They nickname the Yarra River the "upside down river" because its pretty brown and muddy. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but the area around it is nice. The tallest building in the back has a observation deck that I plan to visit soon.

I saw a few of these carriages around the city. I love that they ride right along with cars and buses.

Below is Federation Square... it's a really unique, abstract group of buildings. Inside is a museum, a theater, and some shopping. There's an enormous TV screen on the side of one of the buildings. When I walked past they were showing part of the Olympics. They generally have movies, or big sporting events broadcast here. People gather outside to watch it and it's all free. There are cafes and shops all around through here too.