tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90970494743582458202024-02-07T17:58:03.825-08:00Bloga VagabondaSome call it wandering, others call it walkabout.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-73480348150097119102013-10-25T18:48:00.000-07:002013-10-25T18:52:25.549-07:00Cairns: Good Times Capital of Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfg6ZMeiS78fxLcUUvLNaUD1NdZ2xmqGTy06eHeQXtYAflOr7rqHp7WWZnd0TCqj9yPqfg4ImgJYcMQYvWjJP0fUo_rP1jRSBdM0sPFqfLQLgXYXn0h3Pav-8YQD3y8vmMbaoGG0r5y9p/s1600/DSC_0396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfg6ZMeiS78fxLcUUvLNaUD1NdZ2xmqGTy06eHeQXtYAflOr7rqHp7WWZnd0TCqj9yPqfg4ImgJYcMQYvWjJP0fUo_rP1jRSBdM0sPFqfLQLgXYXn0h3Pav-8YQD3y8vmMbaoGG0r5y9p/s640/DSC_0396.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Great Barrier Reef is no doubt the most well-known attraction in Cairns, but the list of stuff to do and see goes so much longer: beautiful camping "where the rainforest meets the reef" in Cape Tribulation, exceptional wildlife zoos and sanctuaries, forests with lakes and waterfalls, hiking, bunjy jumping, skydiving, hang gliding, mountain biking, fishing, sailing, parasailing, abseiling, all kinds of atv activities, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and people who actually dance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQWhyphenhyphenktQqCaUeWC34MQMfNJsMbUyjjWP3I2BHBYOJNFuKozjMyY7fEz2em3KfJZZ9ksEqFJhiU95NxVpZZ5-EPQaTlqNMGUjowJDRb7fnIGWCJeL-wYD1J1GZRI3OvIHeN8qXaivnTEv5/s1600/cassowary2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQWhyphenhyphenktQqCaUeWC34MQMfNJsMbUyjjWP3I2BHBYOJNFuKozjMyY7fEz2em3KfJZZ9ksEqFJhiU95NxVpZZ5-EPQaTlqNMGUjowJDRb7fnIGWCJeL-wYD1J1GZRI3OvIHeN8qXaivnTEv5/s320/cassowary2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The surprisingly dangerous cassowary</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shops and cafes along the esplanade, which travels along the oceanside walkway</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Barrier Reef diving</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Daintree Rainforest</td></tr>
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Cairns is the tourism capital of Australia, and that's pretty obvious, but the town is small and feels closer to Santa Cruz than Miami. It's not overwhelming, but there's a good amount of hippie culture here . In the outback my tour guides were rough around the edges - here my guide through the Daintree rainforest played Hare Krishna music on the bus and "quizzed" us on facts with directed answers ("When was Australia first discovered? 60,000 years ago! *Ding*, correct!"). People here are laid back and spend a lot of time in beachwear despite there being no true beach (only a man-made "lagoon" - remember: crocodiles).<br />
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A favorite Cairns moment of mine was seeing some guy in the grocery store (in a mall, no less) in nothing but a bathing suit. No shoes, no shirt, no service is pretty standard, so I took a second look - it was one of my dive instructors :P <br />
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It's one of the few places where, after having left, I wish I would have bought a tourist shirt. Because I do "heart" Cairns.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camper van</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Tribulation</td></tr>
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Not to mention it's gorgeous.<br />
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In short, I'm left wishing it were somehow a part of the US so I could make regular trips.<br />
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<u>Tours I took in Cairns:</u><br />
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-<b>Atherton tablelands</b> waterfall and lake tour with Uncle Brian's. Takes you as far as 2 hours outside of Cairns into the forest and then the rolling countryside. The wit on this tour was unforgettable. <br />
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-<b>Cape Tribulation </b>and wildlife park tour north of Cairns into the Cape so-named after Captain Cook totaled his ship on the reef. Very, very beautiful rainforest and nice, quiet stay in a cabin for a night. No swimming - again, crocodiles - but beautiful hiking and pretty located on the beach.<br />
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-<b>"Learn to Dive"</b> 5 day course, 3 day live aboard on the <b>Great Barrier Reef</b> with Pro Dive Cairns. Absolutely perfect - gorgeous reef, nice boat, great food, great people - and now I'm PADI certified for any future adventures :)<br />
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-<b>Bunjy Jumping</b> at the AJ Hackett tower- one of few purpose-built bungy jumping facilities in the world. I never intended to go bunjy jumping, so why here? 100% safety rating and 15 years in operation, that's why. And probably the best move towards conquering a fear of heights.<br />
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A message to you, domestically untraveled Aussies: you're seriously missing out if you've never been here. Get on it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scuba Zen</td></tr>
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<b><u>Videos of my time in Cairns:</u></b> (via my YouTube channel, MeChamaCisne)<br />
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General Scuba on the Barrier Reef: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UDHVn4PxU0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UDHVn4PxU0</a><br />
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Playing with a giant fish: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0ZfRElE7gY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0ZfRElE7gY</a><br />
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Reef Shark: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc1SthZQSXU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc1SthZQSXU</a><br />
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Giant Clam: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSY3xg8yIc4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSY3xg8yIc4</a><br />
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Bunjy Jump: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7jbaQHjg8Y<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>More fun with Aussie sayings:</u></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are a few sayings in the northern parts which I never heard much, if at all, while in Sydney:</span></span><br />
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<b>"Mufti days"</b> - casual dress days. Used for both work and private school. <br />
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<b>"Pommes" </b>- possibly derogatory word for the Brittish - usually ex-pats. An Aussie told me this term was short for "pomegranates" - the color that Brits come after coming here and being out in the sun. A Brittish person told me that no, this was derived from some old reference to the Brittish ships bringing over potatoes, which are "pommes" in French. Hmmmmmm.<br />
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<b>"Bugger that" </b>- As in, "Take the bus for 12 hours? Nah, bugger that, take a plane!"<br />
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<b>"Ripper"</b> - pronounced "Rippaaa." As in, "Everybody on the bus? Rippaa!"<br />
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-73021015763087210852013-10-09T09:11:00.001-07:002013-10-09T09:11:40.342-07:00Living History: Kakadu, Litchfield and Darwin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu National Park</td></tr>
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Darwin is a small city. There are really only a couple busy pedestrian streets, a park, and a bay, and then suburbs take over. The hostels are nearly all lined up on the main drag, looking out from balconies over large bar porches and a slew of smaller food shops and tourist traps. Southern Australians come here to warm up in the winter and spring ("nomads" are their version of "snow birds"), and tourists come here to see "the real Australia" - the crocodiles and snakes, aboriginal crafts and unique wilderness. Yet on a country-wide scale Darwin is generally overlooked, overshadowed by every other major city.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darwin's only swimmable waves</td></tr>
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I can understand that - the city is set on an ocean that you can never swim in, and its skies are filled with eagles, no seagulls. More often than not the weather is either enormously hot, rainy, or both. But it's the tourists who have it right. Culturally and historically speaking, "The Top-End", as it's called, has more intrigue than perhaps the rest of the country combined. The city itself has a history filled with fascinating bits, if you seek them out. Yes, it was named after Charles Darwin, and to this day new species of plants, animals, and insects are being found. Prior to World War II the majority of the city's population was Chinese - along with aboriginal, Indonesian, and a few other ethnicities. Likewise, Darwin has suffered disaster like no other city in the nation - having been essentially entirely destroyed first in World War II, then again by hurricane Tracy in the '80's. Likewise, some of the most significant and important aboriginal rights movements happened here, which ultimately created a sea change for the entire country in recognizing the rights of and horrible abuses against a whole continent of native inhabitants.<br />
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To its south lies Katherine Gorge and the stark contrasts of an enormous red desert. To the east are the prehistoric wonders of Kakadu and Litchfield national parks. Just beyond these is the sacred Arnhem Land, now again in Aboriginal hands. To the north is all of Asia, and to the west the coast and the Kimberly.<br />
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It seems even residents of Darwin may not fully appreciate how intriguing all of these is when it's put together in the right way. Historical and cultural tours exist but are fewer and farther between- with crocodile features and sea fishing recognized as the big sales.<br />
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But if you're willing to get a little sticky wading around for the tasty details, you'll certainly find the diamonds in the rough.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maguk Gorge, Kakadu National Park</td></tr>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Some features of my time in the Top End:</span></u></b><br />
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- many amazing sunsets over the ocean from the park, the national parks, and Mindil Beach<br />
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- great food and indie shopping at the outdoor, dry-season-only Mindil Markets<br />
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- a 2 day rough-and-tumble camping tour in Kakadu with a very fun guide in a 4x4 SUV via Kakadu Dreams<br />
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- a flip-flop day tour of Litchfield park waterfalls and holes with regular unexpected stops by the tour guide to show everyone a wide range of different plants, animals, and their significance<br />
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- a sunset boat ride across the bay to another peninsula to learn how aboriginals make rope and throw spears - only to get cut just a little short by the first storm of the season (they say if you're out in the first storm of the season it washes away your bad luck from the previous year)<br />
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All this after a week in the outback and I'm pretty done with the heat. Perfectly, I arrived in Cairns today to breezy, sunny weather and a beautiful rainforest. Even with so much more to look forward to and enjoy right now, it's almost hard to stay in the moment with so many great memories :)<br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-79948516426018826542013-10-03T23:41:00.000-07:002013-10-03T23:41:29.718-07:00The Red Centre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9NOuT0E9ntt6mocQsG1GVJ9MLkWeQq5eL3XsoqzRxvlnOFwxGv8rrpCX-o-egRxq1niEf9A5gkS46tkM7K2IJiqFb7HG0fidU1Ld6m6J75EPlQKS89b53RkM-9b4irsOau0yf3SpHsI8/s1600/DSC_0322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9NOuT0E9ntt6mocQsG1GVJ9MLkWeQq5eL3XsoqzRxvlnOFwxGv8rrpCX-o-egRxq1niEf9A5gkS46tkM7K2IJiqFb7HG0fidU1Ld6m6J75EPlQKS89b53RkM-9b4irsOau0yf3SpHsI8/s640/DSC_0322.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Only one person I talked with in my office back in Sydney had been to the center of Australia. For everyone else it was a bit of a national guilt trip - the place that all the tourists go see but many - possibly even most - Australians never do. It's expensive, there's no beach, and it can be ungodly hot.<br />
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I suspect, too, that there had been some stupid publicity that there is little there other than Uluru, seen above (also called "Ayer's Rock" if you have outdated information). Bill Bryson had me thinking this way after reading "In a Sunburned Country". I'm not quite sure how he got so ignorant.<br />
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Other than being intensely beautiful, the terrain is surprisingly varied. Every rock formation you'll go past is different. King's Canyon, see above, is made up of sandstone formed after the inland sea which used to cover parts of inner and coastal Australia dried up, leaving behind sand dunes, some of which condensed into this rock formation. Kata Tjuta seems to be some sort of conglomerate, made of smallstones hardened together, while Uluru is, infact, a gigantic rock which extends an estimated 6 km underground. These features are only the most publicized - there are other unique areas such as the McDonnell mountain ranges and Devil's Marbles that seem to spring up as soon as the previous feature has gone significantly out of site.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kata Tjuta</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Uluru - smiling</span></td></tr>
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This in addition to spectacular wildlife, and the sacred nature of these sites per the oldest maintained culture on Earth.<br />
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So seeing the red centre was epic - incredible sites, hikes, heat, camping, stars, wildlife, and kitsch. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devil's Marbles</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daly Water's pub</td></tr>
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What's sad is the disrespect that some of the people who have put forward so much time and energy into traveling to Uluru insist on. Pictured below are tourists climbing Uluru. This site has been estimated to have been used by local aboriginals for sacred purposes for some 10,000 years. The English came here in the 1870's, gave it a new name, conflicted with local tribes trying to settle the area, and ultimately drove posts up this side of the rock and started bringing in tourists in the 1930's. The Australian government eventually gave the site back to the aboriginals - but required that they lease it to the government for 99 years (yeah, don't know what's up with the British and the whole "99 years" bit).<br />
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This also included allowing tourists to continue to climb the site though this went very much against the sacred practices of the native peoples. So they've put up a large sign in languages from German to Japanese at the bottom of the climbing point explaining this in detail and asking people to please not climb. As you can see below, plenty of people ignore this entirely - actively choosing to disrespect and disregard what truly makes the site unique and powerful.<br />
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Other than wondering who really spends all that money just to come climb a big rock with an average view in the middle of the desert - it's a painful reminder of exactly how far <i>the whole world</i> has to come when it comes to respecting one another. Though the posts the English drove into the rock can't be removed and the iron oxide which has been rubbed off under people's feet will remain as a reminder of the wrong that was done, the active disrespect of the people from every corner of the globe who come here and do this is an ongoing statement.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assholes</td></tr>
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Anyway, getting off my soap box, I'll list some of the cool activities I got to do between Alice and Darwin:<br />
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-Hiked King's Canyon and Kata Tjuta is 36 degree + heat, walked around Uluru in the cooler morning<br />
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-camped under amazing stars for 2 nights<br />
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-mildly explored the hot, dusty and small town of Alice Springs<br />
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-only had 5 people on my tour up to Darwin, so got to know people pretty well :)<br />
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-got to stop at Wycliffe Well!! Most amazing alien kitsch in Australia! And an excellent gas stop.<br />
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-Explored Devil's marbles, experienced huge amounts of blow flies, a rare desert rain, and canoed beautiful Katherine Gorge<br />
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-got some decent historical insight: the telelgraph cable construction, one of the first Australian airports, and WWII significance of some of these sights after the attack on Darwin <br />
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<b>And now, onward, to Darwin and Kakadu.</b></div>
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-45382059302070702302013-09-22T03:55:00.001-07:002013-10-11T00:32:07.001-07:00Pan-Australia Trip Schedule<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ladies and gentlemen, after 6 months of laboring and 3 or so weeks of contemplation, I have completed my plans AT LAST! <br />
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I'm so excited about this I can barely contain myself. This is, by far, my greatest travel creation :) Not sure I'll ever surpass this one, actually, but I guess that remains to be seen...<br />
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(so don't be jealous! I'm guessing I could sit in an apartment until I'm 95 after this and still be content:)<br />
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And it all starts... tomorrow!<br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">THE BIG TRIP PLANS:</span></u></b></h3>
[NOTE: Actual city areas are underlined so you can better read exactly where I'll be geographically, MOM :) ]<br />
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<b>Sep 23 - Sep 29</b>: Fly into <u>Alice Springs</u> in the Red Centre of Australia, take a 3 day camping tour of and around <i>Uluru</i>, then another 3 day camping bus tour up to Darwin in the far, foresty north.<br />
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<b>Oct 30- Oct 8</b>: See <u>Darwin</u> and take a day tour of <i>Litchfield Park</i> and a 2 day camping and 4X4 tour of <i>Kakadu</i>.<br />
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<b>Oct 9 - Oct 23</b>: Fly into and see <u>Cairns</u>, then learn how to <i>scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef!</i> Also a 2 day tour up into the <i>Daintree rainforest </i>of the Cape and a 1 day tour of the <i>Atherton Tablelands</i> and its waterfalls.<br />
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<b>Oct 24 - Oct 27</b>: Take the bus to <u>Airlie Beach</u>, hang out, and then take a 2 day/2 night sail about tour around the infamously beautiful <i>Whitsunday Islands</i>.<br />
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<b>Oct 28 - Oct 31</b>: Take the bus to <u>1770 </u>(name of a town) and do "<i>scooteroo</i>"(surfing and motorcycles:), then head to <u>Hervey Bay</u> for...<br />
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<b>Nov 1 - Nov 3</b>: a 3 day 4X4 tour of <i>Fraser Island </i>(another infamously beautiful island) with plenty of <i>camping, snorkeling, and beaches</i>.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">[NOTE: after this point all plans are tentative in terms of time. Only the flight to Perth is solid. Probably going to be back in Sydney a little earlier and longer than 1 night]</span></b><br />
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<b>Nov 4 - Nov 8</b>: "Gagaju"some sort of swamp camp. Might skip this. Then also some exploring of <u>Noosa</u>, the notorious hippie town.<br />
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<b>Nov 9 - Nov 11 </b>: Might stay longer, might not, here I'll see <u>Brisbane</u> :)<br />
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<b>Nov 12 - Nov 19</b>: Taking the bus down to <u>Byron Bay</u> and spending somewhere around a week trying to <i>learn how to surf</i>. Unless the dirty, mooching hippies make things uncomfortable, as some people claim. Then I'll be staying less than a week. Kinda doubt that. We'll see.<br />
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<b>Nov 19 - Nov 21</b>: Full day bus ride back to <u>Sydney</u>, staying a couple nights, then taking a flight to <u>Perth</u> on the West Coast.<br />
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<b>Nov 22 - Nov 28</b>: 7 day tour of the West Coast up to <u>Exmouth</u>, then back to <u>Perth</u>. Dolphins! Possibly more scuba diving! Definitely more beaches!<br />
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<b>Nov 30 - Dec 2</b>: 3 day tour south of <u>Perth</u> and back. <i>Margaret River, Giant Tree Forrest</i>, hopefully <i>Wave Rock</i>.<br />
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<b>Dec 4 - Dec 12 or 13</b>: Flying to <u>Melbourne</u> and hanging out with Nadine and fam :) Then heading to Sydney whenever it seems safest. Haven't booked this flight/bus yet. Still need to check on seat availability for the flight home - the toughest part : /<br />
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<b> Dec 17 or 18</b>: The last days I figured it was still safe to fly back to the states on standby :) Any otherwise, I'm guessing I get stuck in Australia until ..... well, possibly until my visa expires?<br />
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:)</div>
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Let the adventure begin!</div>
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-52548469567003246292013-09-22T01:53:00.001-07:002013-09-22T04:01:32.166-07:006 Months Already, Really?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhw_Ib8pGWhvuxmhmG_y4pDSM7O6etA6NanlYl16MclqFATaqTeQnaC1GgRv2q8J12Xs9LVRq3MgwSeY4ViuWZeFN3Lr1DqlXPELdgsez-qTy-RE0dLkJi7tQwxIO-ADKRACG4RKSVyLo2/s1600/DSC_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhw_Ib8pGWhvuxmhmG_y4pDSM7O6etA6NanlYl16MclqFATaqTeQnaC1GgRv2q8J12Xs9LVRq3MgwSeY4ViuWZeFN3Lr1DqlXPELdgsez-qTy-RE0dLkJi7tQwxIO-ADKRACG4RKSVyLo2/s640/DSC_0441.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Question: How do you make 6 months fly by quickly?<br />
<br />
Answer: Work 3 of them on night shift. The 4th will be spent recovering. The fifth, in this case, in religious practices/festivities. The 6th will be like nothing at all after all that. In the end it felt like I only worked that last month.<br />
<br />
I realize I have talked very little about my job here, so I feel like I should say something about the recently-ended gift that was:<br />
<br />
It was completely and unexpectedly great - especially considering I spent 2 months not knowing if I even COULD find work. I got to work with nice people, get experience working in Human Resources (yet another new field of work), and work in a professional atmosphere at the top of a building with a beautiful view, and a beautiful sunrise and sunset nearly every day (and I usually either saw one or the other)...<br />
<br />
Since I may not have mentioned it before, I got to stay with the company for the full six months because my contract was re-extended about 3 times due to newly discovered need. I became sort of "the last temp standing" - and was I ever lucky for that. These people essentially have "cake day" once a month to celebrate monthly birthdays, and they always made sure one was gluten-free. They even got me a card when I left and a gift card to a book store. A co-worker bought me some cake from a "famous Sydney bakery". I'm still kicking myself as a reminder of how blessed this has all been.<br />
<br />
<br />
That and, of course, I've been able to save a ton of money. And I will be spending it, probably all of it, on a round-the-country trip which, just to make this post even cornier and more cliche, I must call SUPER AWESOME.<br />
<br />
Details to come. <br />
<br />
And a great, great many thanks to my friends and former co-workers at Lend Lease :)<br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-30244625517015058162013-06-02T21:50:00.001-07:002013-06-02T21:50:18.556-07:00Catching upWhew. Is it really June already? Looks like I have a couple of months of explaining to do.<br />
<br />
That apartment in another dimension? If you didn't seeing it coming before, I had to get out of there. Not only was it weird, loud, and overcrowded, it was also illegal and poorly designed. So not only did I have to deal with my roommates switching to jobs where they needed to have the lights on and do stuff when I needed to sleep, but there were also unannounced flatmates moving in or out and a visit from the "owner" which required moving everyone and everything around and/or out of the apartment so that it would appear that there were only 3 people living there when there were in fact 9.<br />
<br />
So.<br />
<br />
At the end of April I found a room to rent in Lindfield, which is just a couple of train stops north of my job in North Sydney.<br />
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<br />
My own room. A nice bed. Ahhhh.<br />
<br />
But I basically spent the first two weeks and weekends just working and sleeping. Sometimes like 12-13 hours of sleep a night on the weekend. The room is usually cold because of the old, "double brick" style of the house, but the bed is really comfortable and has an "electric blanket." (Which in Australia actually refers to a body-length heating pad used under the mattress sheet. They do have actual blankets or "doonas"which are electrically heated that you can buy, they're just much more uncommon.)<br />
<br />
So my first month in this job I spent sort of "getting by" and then the second I spent recovering. Then last weekend I had an extra day off on Monday (since on night shift we cover concerns from the US and the UK and both were off for Memorial day), so I spent a couple of days and nights in the Blue Mountains.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9euKTWnm84kCF_anISrToP8TODCTqZ2f3Br3FVKDD28698vCO9nxDkitJEULEUggAkNDV9dVydUWNUmpIIIjseAXX0bLmsZfYpZvpSzOgiWBQThlDdD8u_8vH1U7N2V4BXU32S7eVm5Wq/s1600/DSC_1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9euKTWnm84kCF_anISrToP8TODCTqZ2f3Br3FVKDD28698vCO9nxDkitJEULEUggAkNDV9dVydUWNUmpIIIjseAXX0bLmsZfYpZvpSzOgiWBQThlDdD8u_8vH1U7N2V4BXU32S7eVm5Wq/s400/DSC_1082.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More photos on FaceBook if you're interested</td></tr>
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I'm not sure you ever fully "recover" from working night shift until you just stop working it altogether. I feel alright, I haven't gotten sick or anything, but my thoughts go hazy a lot and I'm tired a lot more than I normally would be. This in combination with my new room being located about a 25 minute walk from the train, which I have to take to get to any grocery stores, it's a little discouraging in terms of getting out and finding new and interesting things. I managed to make it to the aquarium the other weekend, but it was absurdly exhausting for what it was.</div>
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Although, really, it's been 4 months and I'm ready to head out of Sydney. I've pretty much seen and done everything I wanted to here. My manager has told me that they are expecting they'll only need me through the end of June. So I figure that's one month to plan things out, try to get healthy (one tends to eat a lot of junk food/caffeine on night shift) and do whatever little things are left on my to-do list.</div>
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But really, I'm looking forward to sleeping at night.</div>
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-35033475974136593292013-04-07T10:25:00.002-07:002013-04-07T10:32:17.624-07:00Oops, My New Apartment is in Another DimensionSorry if anyone missed me updating my blog for the last few weeks, it's been hectic. See my previous post for details.<br />
<br />
However, after recovering from moving and getting a new job, it turns out I have moved into a really, really weird place. Maybe there are weirder in the world - a lot of why I think this place is weird has to do with an almost-inexplicable feel to things. And I have found a little of the "<a href="http://www.ngart.com.au/images/exhibition/chippendale/artists_brief.pdf">Sordid History of Chippendale</a>." But there are some weird things I've been able to document more directly. Such as:<br />
<br />
(note: skip to the bottom for my regular "Australian culture" section)<br />
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<u>The crazy building</u> with the floating platform at the...30th floor?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdBw1RfofoFjLD2VAL-GD6ZV0wi9OUnMMN24Mx1KfljYgmLYPtzO6voR75q4ZKZN9mIrvIQSQGbNSdfzsRrSgyltyV0XXaNLtD0hzKE4VQWLNJMQLwYNUGgSrMeFe1W59xx-badvl50q-/s1600/crazybuilding3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdBw1RfofoFjLD2VAL-GD6ZV0wi9OUnMMN24Mx1KfljYgmLYPtzO6voR75q4ZKZN9mIrvIQSQGbNSdfzsRrSgyltyV0XXaNLtD0hzKE4VQWLNJMQLwYNUGgSrMeFe1W59xx-badvl50q-/s640/crazybuilding3.JPG" width="427" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqQEaOpTzQgfsPTf5V5a6N5xcUi4kd-0L_yIV77OHmFghVMum6_1IUSegsFieyLBgs-W35Rv4tnghlVedOkqynDg6xE8kCnokuU8FJ6SvokjJKvSaTV0qiF2IR51lcKF1OrfLndlgo56Y/s1600/crazy+building1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqQEaOpTzQgfsPTf5V5a6N5xcUi4kd-0L_yIV77OHmFghVMum6_1IUSegsFieyLBgs-W35Rv4tnghlVedOkqynDg6xE8kCnokuU8FJ6SvokjJKvSaTV0qiF2IR51lcKF1OrfLndlgo56Y/s640/crazy+building1.JPG" width="427" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fUiuHsM8JNuTW2qusYlaN2Z9MSreGzSKyRHVtppsg3yH4zqr1kUB5XPpF-SXcQVfFk8ZyhJ-iondIsKqzvN1DwZs9INXDP4AvqYuM-qPY4YRkump3uHcKA6AFxg5GodlcCr-7E1HE6to/s1600/crazybuilding2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fUiuHsM8JNuTW2qusYlaN2Z9MSreGzSKyRHVtppsg3yH4zqr1kUB5XPpF-SXcQVfFk8ZyhJ-iondIsKqzvN1DwZs9INXDP4AvqYuM-qPY4YRkump3uHcKA6AFxg5GodlcCr-7E1HE6to/s640/crazybuilding2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not to mention it's crazy neighbor...</td></tr>
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I had a look in UTS and you can see what it's supposed to look like after completion, which is still weird if you ask me:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmprjO6ds-vHXsTTOPd6xOj-tO1EUMAEOU-RxbJsMyT5FbtnpWSJdVwPRcoYW1uN_z-0r-TuWHWzr88RxsbQxJ6MEA_mpCmgipkDwYTdkCufkW921zyL64yjDw5uHsuli_D7jDr3dEFhl/s1600/crazybuildingmodel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmprjO6ds-vHXsTTOPd6xOj-tO1EUMAEOU-RxbJsMyT5FbtnpWSJdVwPRcoYW1uN_z-0r-TuWHWzr88RxsbQxJ6MEA_mpCmgipkDwYTdkCufkW921zyL64yjDw5uHsuli_D7jDr3dEFhl/s400/crazybuildingmodel.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(the one with the crazy ledge in the middle)</td></tr>
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This building is also nearly next to the <u>crazy looking bus station</u>/train terminal entrance:<br />
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And the weird old hotel which has trance/electronica on Sunday nights with pulsing purple light coming out of its windows:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDY_lHPCEA2wESjY5yYVNniCPuYQgKHkv077lPFb-CJz2kwcjNAT6bOiRiwpI7trdkbQYxv5ak6OHS-YaLBc8FgTNbS_2kIV0cWzHFKf160PcY5p9srDC0-sCO1SqefC2eAIEsfagFD3j/s1600/The+Australian+Hotel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDY_lHPCEA2wESjY5yYVNniCPuYQgKHkv077lPFb-CJz2kwcjNAT6bOiRiwpI7trdkbQYxv5ak6OHS-YaLBc8FgTNbS_2kIV0cWzHFKf160PcY5p9srDC0-sCO1SqefC2eAIEsfagFD3j/s640/The+Australian+Hotel.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And is across the street from internationaly renown weirdos:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZej0R0ikPZnkWU7hlakxLqM0vSbJ0U2_kg2VBa4EDzRJgslUNvimqSzldyO8uCuGyeWjpJT_nwk4Tpz_kET4YgBwCBvdmArDsHGATJklGD2718t3fuX9JfVF5pGR5vcZHvMupKF_fGwg/s1600/scientology.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZej0R0ikPZnkWU7hlakxLqM0vSbJ0U2_kg2VBa4EDzRJgslUNvimqSzldyO8uCuGyeWjpJT_nwk4Tpz_kET4YgBwCBvdmArDsHGATJklGD2718t3fuX9JfVF5pGR5vcZHvMupKF_fGwg/s400/scientology.JPG" width="267" /></a></div>
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As well as UTS (University of Technology Sydney) which had its own share of weird inside:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q88Ua7iG8Ea9GkarZoFaBC7ygUSkHQaF7wp-oUmqVJQ1nQGhE0UTOblo-TiMDE0VYUrJI2aWhsL-uLFPOXYUeHSfyvg2jeAz41CKHjFxEBHKONSjEaycVJE_b4i6Jz71ZOKI3B5K4MgV/s1600/weird+photoart1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q88Ua7iG8Ea9GkarZoFaBC7ygUSkHQaF7wp-oUmqVJQ1nQGhE0UTOblo-TiMDE0VYUrJI2aWhsL-uLFPOXYUeHSfyvg2jeAz41CKHjFxEBHKONSjEaycVJE_b4i6Jz71ZOKI3B5K4MgV/s640/weird+photoart1.JPG" width="427" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93p3dFdUmoJla1vJUXaflC8pLG9mYYzKmxaugd5Y2XlttNX7vD2jyWSIRFQRWnTBs-aErj-wLj47ifNtjU59r6HySgNtlwMQZT5ZbFGGdgXMjtFV8OT-zoAkHDMW3W8G6TO2sGVyb-xIq/s1600/weird+photoart2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93p3dFdUmoJla1vJUXaflC8pLG9mYYzKmxaugd5Y2XlttNX7vD2jyWSIRFQRWnTBs-aErj-wLj47ifNtjU59r6HySgNtlwMQZT5ZbFGGdgXMjtFV8OT-zoAkHDMW3W8G6TO2sGVyb-xIq/s640/weird+photoart2.JPG" width="427" /></a></div>
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<br />
Just down the block from here I had a freakish experience when I went to look at an apartment which was advertised as "wanting to start an artists collective." I didn't have my camera when I was there, so no pictures from the inside, but I went back to take photos of the obvious signs of crazy outside.<br />
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The ally-way that led to the apartment:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZOB5j7HLN1t_xwEMrFj-uDYzrdtiSd54lWE89a64yIpHUn1dYh6kOSflx9YmpQ2Z5MteYkDy8C-iWtttK0JOuYxiTZFmDbjAlpiO_vWVI2zza3yDv0IG7dlAAGHIHUbyCApcO6gPXMAp/s1600/evacuation+route.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZOB5j7HLN1t_xwEMrFj-uDYzrdtiSd54lWE89a64yIpHUn1dYh6kOSflx9YmpQ2Z5MteYkDy8C-iWtttK0JOuYxiTZFmDbjAlpiO_vWVI2zza3yDv0IG7dlAAGHIHUbyCApcO6gPXMAp/s640/evacuation+route.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sign reads, "Evacuation Route"</td></tr>
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The side of the apartment which I passed on the way there, not knowing it was the apartment:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucGKkh7Cb1j5gB2zNTQz-axMurg7QleEReBHmWxc8DsQC-QLkmlanJrQ9kvi5qjl8nFcf1P2ejokAQpYAy7GJH3Hwtmy0VXnqJc4eLpE22r0Yg7ZN5sbULCFrZ2KPdLHoi_xKV2e1kRbp/s1600/dragon+gate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucGKkh7Cb1j5gB2zNTQz-axMurg7QleEReBHmWxc8DsQC-QLkmlanJrQ9kvi5qjl8nFcf1P2ejokAQpYAy7GJH3Hwtmy0VXnqJc4eLpE22r0Yg7ZN5sbULCFrZ2KPdLHoi_xKV2e1kRbp/s640/dragon+gate.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e5FMLfSIwu0XhCiT1ppYuCn_bd4ozGihinbB23BFmBRShjla-1HjLGk9QdISjPHoOkhc6IyupQGeAljLcobwu1z8gBPRAqhrXGp4ktu4i-2FZK2TFamXB2NvqzWw8Ttdsxy_I_ejJ5dq/s1600/creepy+art.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e5FMLfSIwu0XhCiT1ppYuCn_bd4ozGihinbB23BFmBRShjla-1HjLGk9QdISjPHoOkhc6IyupQGeAljLcobwu1z8gBPRAqhrXGp4ktu4i-2FZK2TFamXB2NvqzWw8Ttdsxy_I_ejJ5dq/s640/creepy+art.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the apartment itself:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTCRT-pYF_XHsIEf4S_q19HIBcNz18kGzGlh6Xyio702YI_y7IrjP6tPO5N9C96XkM7fFZWOgNH_JhSl1DDM0qagpNfvmCcQVFelDtT3Fs0Fk2MxVNoIbv5aXlAap3dRMmWvCH3ZZmpJT/s1600/crazy+apt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTCRT-pYF_XHsIEf4S_q19HIBcNz18kGzGlh6Xyio702YI_y7IrjP6tPO5N9C96XkM7fFZWOgNH_JhSl1DDM0qagpNfvmCcQVFelDtT3Fs0Fk2MxVNoIbv5aXlAap3dRMmWvCH3ZZmpJT/s640/crazy+apt.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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If it looks crazy outside, you should see the inside. Lots of random plywood piecing together the ceiling, floors, walls, painted with acrylics (not wall house paint) in black, dark brown and dark purple on the walls and floor. Random pieces of old dirty carpet nailed here or there, pieces of wood haphazardly nailed around, a crumbling hole of a shower which may or may not work and drain, seems like there's no heating, the furniture is amazingly old and torn up, and the place is almost maze-like in its rooms that go on forever and contain the most random crap. There are few windows, almost no light inside, and it has the musty smell of a garage.<br />
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The guy showing this to me is little and weird, and "can't figure out why no one wants to help him fix the place up."<br />
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<u>And then there are all the Alice in Wonderland cues:</u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrL5LU_zmIt2eQeYPEXyplgj1rv0JFj3ZEPXw9qn5QJXHhlUhWT-UK1nSo5ZTBwKvlX6DMJ9ZKBrCpZHQA-KQV9YxPs8jtmT0sF5ZAH668NOBS_IIB4Ss0COrMIOjDR3Jyi_t6Vn53p3X/s1600/alice+doors2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrL5LU_zmIt2eQeYPEXyplgj1rv0JFj3ZEPXw9qn5QJXHhlUhWT-UK1nSo5ZTBwKvlX6DMJ9ZKBrCpZHQA-KQV9YxPs8jtmT0sF5ZAH668NOBS_IIB4Ss0COrMIOjDR3Jyi_t6Vn53p3X/s640/alice+doors2.JPG" width="427" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the two doors that lead to bedrooms in my apartment.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Hsn8fKrY_y1mAFKxkHoNVQrohSrK5Mq9_ap5YU-gQa7A2HbQ-TRqSrAuxAjDUD04m2S6IySNI_YmlvO8pnwN_wamsCWWtPf2-PxxK6dWNSc7mrEa_dF94F4DUptjrjS-AcaHSJnuVFlQ/s1600/white+rabbit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Hsn8fKrY_y1mAFKxkHoNVQrohSrK5Mq9_ap5YU-gQa7A2HbQ-TRqSrAuxAjDUD04m2S6IySNI_YmlvO8pnwN_wamsCWWtPf2-PxxK6dWNSc7mrEa_dF94F4DUptjrjS-AcaHSJnuVFlQ/s640/white+rabbit.JPG" width="427" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passed this on my way to the freaky house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUFeHGCQKczD2PcSIZS02NxFJKz6wg4EtJDHRnQ6z9evcWCIRNr1qzMiLDu0pqI6P3TVYcCfiMbzFLKMJB78-mAe1BfJyvpxciAYZ76r7lEi9_ehP_UEx_YFd91MLEjBtIf02e3z12y9s/s1600/drinkme.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUFeHGCQKczD2PcSIZS02NxFJKz6wg4EtJDHRnQ6z9evcWCIRNr1qzMiLDu0pqI6P3TVYcCfiMbzFLKMJB78-mAe1BfJyvpxciAYZ76r7lEi9_ehP_UEx_YFd91MLEjBtIf02e3z12y9s/s640/drinkme.JPG" width="427" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another photo at UTS entitled...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vUK1RMPEeNm1pAtNcRii3ioVKnI-e-lSVKyJ8Ypj4gx4AXocDcufSvLyxiG38Xg38gFiGQY33qzEc56sxlcnO_AaZJEPVq1aITTfzGnS0SBJ-S7_J7OW6FUDCcArgMoPQScANj_Eyjic/s1600/drinkme+title.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vUK1RMPEeNm1pAtNcRii3ioVKnI-e-lSVKyJ8Ypj4gx4AXocDcufSvLyxiG38Xg38gFiGQY33qzEc56sxlcnO_AaZJEPVq1aITTfzGnS0SBJ-S7_J7OW6FUDCcArgMoPQScANj_Eyjic/s640/drinkme+title.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">..."Drink Me."</td></tr>
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Yeah. Anyway, onto...<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>The Good Stuff</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span>
<b>More fun with Australian Culture</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Lots of good info from my new work colleagues :)<br />
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1.) Australians, unlike virtually any other English speakers, make a distinction between "<i><b>enquiry</b>" </i> and "<i><b>inquiry</b>".</i> And "<i>enquiry"</i> is a question, an "<i>inquiry"</i> is an investigation. <br />
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2.) I'm told that many, perhaps even most, <b>Australians don't like the "salty and sweet" combination.</b> It's weird, they say. I was putting nutella on some crackers at work and both my coworkers just looked at me like I was sitting over there dipping cookies in horseradish sauce or something (and of course, over here a "cookie" is a "bikie", but you know what I mean).<br />
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3.) The letter "<b>Z</b>" is pronounced "Zed" - as in Canada. However, just as in Britain (as I've discovered), the letter "<b>H</b>" is pronounced "Hey." I work for "Heytch Ah" services. :)<br />
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4.) The word "ghetto" isn't really used here. In Sydney, if you look down on anyone, it's most likely the "<b>Westies</b>," or people who live in the suburbs far to the west of Sydney. If they live just slightly to the west, they will be quick to correct you - "It's not IN the west. Not, THE WEST." <br />
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"Westies" are, from what I can gather, people from the most crime ridden, low-income, high immigrant areas, far out from the city where real estate prices are more realistic. There are biker ("bikie") gangs out there who will occasionally cause trouble with one another, but as far as I can tell, it ain't South Central. No bloods or crips here - at least not yet.<br />
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<b>Vocab</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>"It's done and dusted"</i> I think you get the idea. Fun phrase.<br />
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"<i>Blokey bloke" = </i>Manly man. Beer, football, ooga.<br />
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<b><br /></b>
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<b>Videos</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i><u>The Best:</u> "</i>When a Wog gets an Aussie girl<i>" </i>by SuperWog and Mychonny. <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Dirty but hilarious. A "Wog," so I'm told, comes from "Worker of Government," referring to the original waves of immigrants in the 70's and 80's who usually came to take the lower level government jobs. I'm also told that this is sometimes used as derogatory, though these days "FOB" (Fresh off the Boat) is usually considered more offensive.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA-soxP4l9k"></a></blockquote>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TA-soxP4l9k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA-soxP4l9k">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA-soxP4l9k</a></blockquote>
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<u style="font-style: italic;">The Worst:</u> <i>"</i>The Last Templar "<br />
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<blockquote>
2 part TV series which you can watch on SMH (Sydney Morning Herald) TV. Right from the very start, lines so horrible you'll want to shoot yourself in the face. And it gets worse from there.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/tv/Mini-Series/show/The-Last-Templar/The-Last-Templar--Part-1-4340504.html">http://www.smh.com.au/tv/Mini-Series/show/The-Last-Templar/The-Last-Templar--Part-1-4340504.html</a></blockquote>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-25036051656353581982013-04-07T04:02:00.003-07:002013-04-07T04:40:44.365-07:00A Job! An Apartment!Summer has officially ended in Sydney. It's a little cooler, it rains more regularly, and more importantly, I was finally able to find a job. Previously having jumped through the hoops to get listed with 3 different temp agencies, it was the second agency who had never previously found me work that saved the day. After the first day of work (had to make sure it was a job I could keep) I jumped on the first cheap "flatshare" listing that seemed reasonable and moved in the following weekend.<br />
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I now work fielding e-mails and phone calls from 10:30pm to 6:30am in the top-floor office of a large, international company that handles large building construction, real estate investment and development. They're very environmentally focused, and have free snacks and a slew of beverages. I work with two other cool women, and although it can be a little tough to focus after about 4am, the work isn't too stressful. I share a room with two very young (18 and 21) Asian-Canadian sisters, and an apartment with 6 other people on top of that. <br />
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Another way of looking at this: I'm currently working for $32/hr to field phone calls from the US and UK and I live in a place called "Chippendale" (for $135/week, if you were interested - nearly as cheap you can get in the city). I'm sure someone sees the irony of me moving over seas to answer calls from the US for probably twice as much as I would be paid there (and an apartment of the same or cheaper price per the living situation).<br />
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Fun. The only concern is that the apartment has 9 people, right? Well, right. There are people living in the living room (linguistically appropriate, but ghetto). I work all night, sleep all day, so most of the time I don't have to deal with the people living here very much. But as a friend pointed out: it's a recipe for disaster. And the psychic connection is strong with her - last night fellow flatmates were talking about how they couldn't get one guy residing in the living room to leave. Evidently he threatened to kill the small, somewhat meek Thai woman in charge of renters. In short, sounds like a number of people may leave, or the apartment might get cleared out all together.<br />
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I'm keeping my eye out for other places.<br />
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Although I have to give some credit - if there weren't 9 people living here, it would actually be a pretty nice little apartment (though the "modern" design of the sinks and the bathtubs leaves water all over the floor...).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gWvN552N4GV9JZBNYi3xlF256th0Yaik_yDXzsrjerGH7d5QmK1XW3F5pEmyJ-iGRO26C3gnG3GnrKogHmmvSBpS6HBgMV00MQsdqQkoRNBV-s1cOXrsz9mewUltbATBdqxHxRrzPQsg/s1600/bathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gWvN552N4GV9JZBNYi3xlF256th0Yaik_yDXzsrjerGH7d5QmK1XW3F5pEmyJ-iGRO26C3gnG3GnrKogHmmvSBpS6HBgMV00MQsdqQkoRNBV-s1cOXrsz9mewUltbATBdqxHxRrzPQsg/s320/bathroom.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXiMAAhyftmL7Nzi9bj9wokiHuUlRcm0pliylyqzngbJE8UzqfDwb6izqpRX3id-RIu4JRkRHj_9fR5S593P__NvmmLdPqsgzd-WOnTDgeNuSwr0xZx7z3ZhAw6U8GvjH1HtWhnH8cx8G/s1600/bed3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXiMAAhyftmL7Nzi9bj9wokiHuUlRcm0pliylyqzngbJE8UzqfDwb6izqpRX3id-RIu4JRkRHj_9fR5S593P__NvmmLdPqsgzd-WOnTDgeNuSwr0xZx7z3ZhAw6U8GvjH1HtWhnH8cx8G/s400/bed3.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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<u>Bathroom above:</u></div>
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No shower door here!</div>
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No sir, this is <i>futuristic.</i></div>
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And everyone knows there's water allover the floor in the future.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">And just incase you wanted to see what a literal "living room" looks like:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6i4ID4YywrjcQlthgBkkkpPhhpBMk0ZxiI31EffPE9nIrXHDXfL85LLjbiFlfRRLoA6gmqb_rBaavDXt8ACtpqyABlNwMLbzc1WNuOsYa9AAum67DDXO711jdsrGa9jo7LsMhDaGi7HI7/s1600/lrrooms1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6i4ID4YywrjcQlthgBkkkpPhhpBMk0ZxiI31EffPE9nIrXHDXfL85LLjbiFlfRRLoA6gmqb_rBaavDXt8ACtpqyABlNwMLbzc1WNuOsYa9AAum67DDXO711jdsrGa9jo7LsMhDaGi7HI7/s400/lrrooms1.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RjvSdEkqbScUZjVn-IhzSwh8yIyPatdXxHKgXyaK6Qp5xyDa-A5vLWiiX2HOhzkiFlAdf1FYHQ_PMn9EhpEGvSTZSuyrh88LhFn6n6i5VjqEie4RVMCV5Y4_aFXYVINVzlFY2d0nfcYV/s1600/lr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RjvSdEkqbScUZjVn-IhzSwh8yIyPatdXxHKgXyaK6Qp5xyDa-A5vLWiiX2HOhzkiFlAdf1FYHQ_PMn9EhpEGvSTZSuyrh88LhFn6n6i5VjqEie4RVMCV5Y4_aFXYVINVzlFY2d0nfcYV/s400/lr.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-51235090205066627092013-03-14T06:03:00.001-07:002013-03-14T06:05:25.104-07:00Week 4: Life with the Goonies - Thinking About Moving On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7oTG8hPzf8TkuTp1P1am7kFIBdIcfo48cQkCbM6etXVF2AJ0BW30RxUPl6HeMUX81aAnSaWBLB488wNZweI4uyGDzuMM-nn9z0wyCMsnG_tLSTPgtyHLDU7-lk8FvUIDWQo9vdZUC6Qv/s1600/DSC_0271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7oTG8hPzf8TkuTp1P1am7kFIBdIcfo48cQkCbM6etXVF2AJ0BW30RxUPl6HeMUX81aAnSaWBLB488wNZweI4uyGDzuMM-nn9z0wyCMsnG_tLSTPgtyHLDU7-lk8FvUIDWQo9vdZUC6Qv/s320/DSC_0271.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The famous Bondi Beach</span></i></div>
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<b>This was the post I was going to make 2 weeks ago:</b><br />
<br />
I like Sydney, I really do. But after another week with 5 days straight of rain and wind, an increasingly strained job search that's still lacking major leads, and life with the Goonies, I'm thinking about moving on to the next location.<br />
<br />
To clarify, here in Australia there is a very cheap wine that runs about $10 a box. Supposedly it gets you drunker faster, is a "different type of drunk"- and a different, worse kind of hangover. It's so gross, it's known only as "goon." Naturally, my hostel mates get drunk on it nearly every night. If by chance I managed to sleep through them stumbling back into the room at night, I know they were drinking the next day when they're laying on any available surface looking like they died with their eyes open.<br />
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<b>I didn't get to post it because I was called for a week's worth of temp work at the last minute on Sunday night. So to update:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Last week I got to fill in for a receptionist/secretary for a retail/commercial management office (in the top of a small shopping center) in the "inner west". The train ride out was about 20 minutes from the city center, and a marked difference in culture. Though some housing prices in the area were kind of amazingly high (the local news publication was listing very ordinary, relatively small older houses at over a million dollars), the area around the train and the mall was almost overwhelmingly immigrant. Colorful signs were everywhere in Chinese, Korean, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese. Likewise, the few people who worked in my office were more middle class - more approachable, less...erm, stiff, I guess you could say. So along with a nice pay check ( $624 after taxes - not too shabby ;), I got some really nice insight into the city area that I may not have gotten otherwise.<br />
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<b>But this week I'm hanging out to dry again.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
After a suggestion from another traveler I applied to a third office temp agency and got a called back on the same day. A good sign, I thought, they seem eager for workers.<br />
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On Tuesday I showed up to an interview, and they were a little different from the other two I interviewed with (although they all seem to vary pretty widely in terms of how they do business) and a little more open about how business has been lately. Surprisingly slow, I was told. Finally I had confirmation about it. Some businesses had unexpectedly cut staff or job openings - despite positive economic and jobs reports in the newspapers. But, said this particular consultant, temp work is also the first to be affected - and the amount of work available tends to be unpredictable but cyclical. Her experience was that the lull started in February. When it will pick up again, nobody knows.<br />
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After hearing this, I returned to my hostel a little deflated, only to get a call from another temp agency saying they had a client who was looking for immediately available full-time workers to hire for 6 months. Again, quickly and with no forewarning, my major problem could be solved! But no, after no word for 2 days, I called in only to find out that they had cut the number of workers that they wanted.<br />
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So I spent the rest of the day on the "Hop on, Hop off" bus eating chocolate and listening to a pre-recorded guide ramble in an Aussie accent about the finer details of Sydney's features and history.<br />
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Today I have applied for Starbucks. Tomorrow I'm going to take the train over and apply at FedEx. And maybe Target. Probably Target. <br />
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: /<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KogU7_eEXVms9XKmkgUcG2tjnqm9OPTkpu888IJu-Sb7WAxYxV6bd1IXgBaLd5Fvu7WL3Ajw7LXNc3vjJG9fhGg0l1EG9pJqIwLNgW9c1BvZIBLFShBwCtb1wlNn1tjGANWOwnZ_FDLo/s1600/DSC_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KogU7_eEXVms9XKmkgUcG2tjnqm9OPTkpu888IJu-Sb7WAxYxV6bd1IXgBaLd5Fvu7WL3Ajw7LXNc3vjJG9fhGg0l1EG9pJqIwLNgW9c1BvZIBLFShBwCtb1wlNn1tjGANWOwnZ_FDLo/s320/DSC_0203.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The entrance to Luna Park - Sydney's former answer to Coney Island, </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>just across the </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Harbour Bridge from the CBD (downtown)</i></span></div>
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<h3>
<u style="font-weight: normal;">Aussie Slang for the Week:</u></h3>
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gronk</b>: a total loser, moron, idiot.<br />
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<b>houso</b>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;">A person who lives on the poverty line, and goes about life only knowing how to scam, might do drugs, hates the law, likes beating people up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<b>busker</b>: A street entertainer who performs in hopes of collecting money.<br />
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<u style="font-weight: normal;">Fun Fact:</u></h3>
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Australia's <a href="http://www.aussiebushadventures.com.au/blog.php?id=58">first currency was rum</a>. People were actually paid with it by the barrel in certain instances.<br />
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Technically not related: alcoholism and <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/editorial/australias-problem-with-alcohol-must-be-faced-20120630-219kf.html">drinking problems</a> are well recognized here to this day.<br />
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<h3>
<u style="font-weight: normal;">Recent Events:</u><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><b>"Mardi Gras"</b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XkBkZGlupbNavQRmIweFJNayMd2DSAqJRAFyCFSgokvWdgp8WnGAD00mOQgD1hd8LXJNNOkCwaWrxx_rqG7LAhWh2PHEGc0fSWzsE_DBeHP85hE5mNQ9Eyrxt6aaoZ-0PDqrizwqNj-C/s1600/DSC_0257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XkBkZGlupbNavQRmIweFJNayMd2DSAqJRAFyCFSgokvWdgp8WnGAD00mOQgD1hd8LXJNNOkCwaWrxx_rqG7LAhWh2PHEGc0fSWzsE_DBeHP85hE5mNQ9Eyrxt6aaoZ-0PDqrizwqNj-C/s320/DSC_0257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
Here in Sydney it is specifically for the "LGBTQI" (make that acronym much longer, guys, and even the most ardent gay activists won't be able to remember it). It runs down Oxford street, the heart of the gay district which, even without a special event, flaunts itself with gay bookstores, sex shops, and bluntly gay men's clothing stores like "Daly Male" whose window display mannequins are all wearing some very interesting male underwear.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WMOXi_b81PfLjcPpKbUz4UIXK3fCkpwyVy6U9WwaLWxBiMdujc_nQyBS9dHdLBnEfNDSt8RGKPAQANuT1zXNyNvFkxOpIDhbTWYQO3eRHC2i28mgd8-ON2Qitvh9_VJ6vVbOdD-oESCo/s1600/DSC_0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WMOXi_b81PfLjcPpKbUz4UIXK3fCkpwyVy6U9WwaLWxBiMdujc_nQyBS9dHdLBnEfNDSt8RGKPAQANuT1zXNyNvFkxOpIDhbTWYQO3eRHC2i28mgd8-ON2Qitvh9_VJ6vVbOdD-oESCo/s320/DSC_0245.JPG" width="214" /></a>People have hyped it to me as being one of the most renown Mardi Gras parades in the world, and I can understand that it would be for the LGBT community, because I certainly haven't heard of any that are primarily a gay pride parade.<br />
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But I gotta say, I stopped by for a little bit, and it definitely fell short of the rumors. What's fun about it is that a lot of the crowd has dressed up and is ready to party. But the parade itself almost entirely just consisted of supporters of the LGBT community walking past - the police, the firefighters, family support groups, etc. No crazy costumes for them, and very few floats. Loads of color, and it's free, but... I don't know. Not quite up to the hype.<br />
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I'm going back to the beach.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn3vCaE4s36BfeoUU6njWphJPfnzbn6lGtN7lhl19p2xKDfbZbBUDT6iv1QFqN8C0Fe_MWsXtDHRqbE7v_OUy0lPJcCrpApaxild0BJ-1pUPDBENVT4IsQcm_Zqf3FHpqTqlRu3g9K-2b/s1600/DSC_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn3vCaE4s36BfeoUU6njWphJPfnzbn6lGtN7lhl19p2xKDfbZbBUDT6iv1QFqN8C0Fe_MWsXtDHRqbE7v_OUy0lPJcCrpApaxild0BJ-1pUPDBENVT4IsQcm_Zqf3FHpqTqlRu3g9K-2b/s320/DSC_0280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-52838205381716202372013-02-22T21:25:00.002-08:002013-02-22T21:32:42.707-08:00<h2>
WEEK 3: Really, three weeks already?</h2>
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<u>Summary:</u></div>
<div>
Things finally started getting off the ground a little more this week, with personal interviews for 2 temp agencies, jumping through their loops (paperwork, testing, etc), and 3 hours of office work on Friday at my first, albeit very short, temp gig. Here's for hoping there's more where that came from.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq-aJZUPpFaqG9n-feSJTfFP1MmJ6ITuJK0zBu9iU0uCie-JrhDXb2MX4ZDig3HAB1oY1Y4P2aFdLcezc_LYt-wKMK2SBkUVwEjQ0cXtvJ-WHa2XpTU0bmENco8Thez6N3SwGNdeuGh_-/s1600/DSC_0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq-aJZUPpFaqG9n-feSJTfFP1MmJ6ITuJK0zBu9iU0uCie-JrhDXb2MX4ZDig3HAB1oY1Y4P2aFdLcezc_LYt-wKMK2SBkUVwEjQ0cXtvJ-WHa2XpTU0bmENco8Thez6N3SwGNdeuGh_-/s320/DSC_0212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u>But you wanted to know more, didn't you?</u><br />
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<b>Sunday</b> afternoon I had my ipod stolen (pickpocketed). Sunday night I caught part of the huge "Tropfest" event, which is a small films competition shown, for free, in a park, to over 10,000 mostly young people.<br />
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<b>Monday</b> I had my first interview with a temp agency, up in an impressively modern office in a highrise downtown. It went pretty well.<br />
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<b>Tuesday</b> I caught a cold, but still managed to get another interview with a different agency.<br />
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<b>Wednesday</b> I focused on trying to get over being sick. And I got a call to work on Friday for 3 hours. Woohoo!<br />
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<b>Thursday</b> I had another interview in an even more impressive, even-higher highrise. It went pretty well. <br />
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<b>Friday </b>afternoon I worked for 3 hours as a receptionist for an international management consulting firm. I wore my nicest outfit. Everyone was out of the office for some off-site event, so I spent 2.5 hours (after a 1/2 hour training) enjoying a polished-marble high-rise view of the Sydney Opera House and the occasional sail boat. Not to mention free coffee, soda, juice, and even gluten-free snakcs - and, of course, the internet. For this effort, I will be compensated $23/hr plus super annuation (read: Australian 401k).<br />
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At night I did my laundry and couldn't sleep for a while when all my roommates came home from a night out kinda smashed. <br />
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<b>Saturday</b> it's raining in sheets. My glasses lost a screw and are now broken. The young German couple who used to be in my room are going to talk to me later about possibly going out to the Blue Mountains tomorrow.<br />
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<br />
Technically it's not wonderland. Annoying stuff happens. There are bugs, it's dirty in the hostel. I have to live with a whole bunch of somewhat alcohol obsessed college types (read: teenagers in adult bodies). Things can be expensive. It's $3.60 each way to take the bus to the beach. Work didn't come instantly. I'm estimating I probably spend $70/week on food, at least. And I got sick.<br />
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But somehow things are kind of perfect. Sydney is a peaceful, clean, beautiful city environmentally and socially. The Royal Botanical Gardens, close to where I'm staying, are kind of magical - filled with different, fascinating plants and birds, with almost dreamlike views of the Sydney Opera house and the bay. When you can't stand sitting around in the kinda dirty, smelly, crowded hostel any more, it's the perfect cure. And despite the drinking, everyone in the hostel in nice, and pretty interesting. Not mention be able to stay nearly center city in a world class city for an affordable rate.<br />
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Technically, there's no guarantee that the temp agencies I've been accepted into will be able to find me enough work. And I've got some expenses coming my way, at some point. But... I'm not worried. Every once in a while, mostly when I'm in the Royal botanical gardens or at the beach, I wonder how I got this lucky.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAlJiqGnxBJJ-VqHi9t05vx86pGi1TfRKN766mlg8u-jor3-uQkmfHYxgMxJ7P5pyNkDZBuCxg2b5ZTuSiCU25xOpWTMF2QO0UUhQQH8UKvX2XLQ2Er1Cte5OIpmVzyyvXeg2O4StC680/s1600/DSC_0218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAlJiqGnxBJJ-VqHi9t05vx86pGi1TfRKN766mlg8u-jor3-uQkmfHYxgMxJ7P5pyNkDZBuCxg2b5ZTuSiCU25xOpWTMF2QO0UUhQQH8UKvX2XLQ2Er1Cte5OIpmVzyyvXeg2O4StC680/s320/DSC_0218.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Pronounced, "Ozzie"</div>
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<br />
<u>Added Bonus:</u></div>
<div>
Since I didn't really get out to do very much new stuff this week, I'm going to post some fun Ozzie stuff.</div>
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<div>
Sunday night I caught part of Tropfest, Australia's short film awards. They play every thing on gigantic screens outside in a park, so it's free and easy to get in on. My favorite:<br />
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Check out <b>"Better than Sinatra"</b>:<br />
<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/tv/movies/show/tropfest/better-than-sinatra-4321615.html">http://www.smh.com.au/tv/movies/show/tropfest/better-than-sinatra-4321615.html</a></div>
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Also, I never liked <b>"Call Me Maybe"</b> (pop song), but this <b>Ozzie man-version parody</b> is funny :P<br />
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<a href="http://www.novafm.com.au/video/fitzy-and-wippa-call-me-maybe-parody-blokes-version">http://www.novafm.com.au/video/fitzy-and-wippa-call-me-maybe-parody-blokes-version</a></div>
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Other than this, I've been told adapting my language a little bit might not be a bad idea. So, gonna try to exchange:<br />
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"See ya" for "Cheers"<br />
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"Guy" for "Bloke"<br />
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"That's great" for "Fanstastic"<br />
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"Ripping on" someone for "Taking a piss"<br />
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Anything ending in "er" with "ie", such as "Bikie" instead of Biker, and "Surfie" instead of "Surfer". <br />
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And just generally not expressing any disdain for or boredom with cricket, even though it is, infact, very boring. Like golf, only more complicated, and thereby even harder to figure out what the point is.<br />
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-6851512240029770322013-02-17T05:47:00.002-08:002013-02-17T05:49:15.676-08:00<h2>
Week 2:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Hostel Life</span></h2>
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Lots of rain this week, but it helped me focus on the job hunt. Along those lines, I'll summarize: it's not easy, and by my count I've applied to some 44 jobs and 9 different temp agencies. But I have an interview with a temp agency tomorrow so for now, at least, I'm still feeling optimistic. <br />
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The downside of things was that I came here during the summer, when, I guess, there isn't generally a lot of office work. Or something.<br />
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The upside is that things should be picking up, and I've managed to catch the end of summer - nice temperatures for the beach, and outdoor events nearly every evening, if you can figure out what and where they are.<br />
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So to summarize my week: lots of time indoors, on the internet during the day, spending "quality time" in the hostel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0C6_HtuO9KFfU1XK6jBgmfji6LxyJmhgAoRMnvLWZcL6SDZ2aemVONe8Z3xOe438Cfl_d_ZqCq_4vk2qp8nZUNL-kXATqUIv4NJHya8Im7PZmZ0jJ7KTEZ4HKE_7STlh9IX_0HKgT4jUN/s1600/DSC_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0C6_HtuO9KFfU1XK6jBgmfji6LxyJmhgAoRMnvLWZcL6SDZ2aemVONe8Z3xOe438Cfl_d_ZqCq_4vk2qp8nZUNL-kXATqUIv4NJHya8Im7PZmZ0jJ7KTEZ4HKE_7STlh9IX_0HKgT4jUN/s320/DSC_0144.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScTh9B5RxmNVH9FA0Ocg_474GdxkvVNuZlsskz11D7EU6poff2Cb1CxyrRlA4gfhhA3cwgHVEsBfIY94CAx9nNFYTdhT5-SSwriU8KdJdo1MZI1I67adhJi2WnJIIgA88GXOjzwIPeh0N/s1600/DSC_0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScTh9B5RxmNVH9FA0Ocg_474GdxkvVNuZlsskz11D7EU6poff2Cb1CxyrRlA4gfhhA3cwgHVEsBfIY94CAx9nNFYTdhT5-SSwriU8KdJdo1MZI1I67adhJi2WnJIIgA88GXOjzwIPeh0N/s320/DSC_0135.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
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Hit the beach on Valentine's Day and Sunday, walked across the Harbor Bridge to Luna Park (pics on FB soon) on Saturday, and caught a couple of "free" outdoor movies on various nights. Sunday night I was able to catch the end of "Tropfest," Australia's international (though mostly Australian) short film festival.<br />
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Aaand, gonna end this post with a picture of my favorite bird. <br />
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-11001903355981939482013-02-09T18:17:00.001-08:002013-02-12T05:05:29.757-08:00<h2>
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Newest of the New World:</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Beginning of (hopefully) a year in Australia</span></h2>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Today marks my sixth day in Sydney, Australia. Tues-Fri I was setting up shop- setting up a bank account, phone, food, etc. and applying for jobs and temp agencies. Friday I got lucky with a connection through family in LA and got to go sailing on the harbour, Saturday I teamed up with a few people at my hostel and did a walk from Bondi beach (the most famous beach in Australia) down the coast past several beaches on to Coogee Beach and Maroubra beach and watched the surfers for a while.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The weather's been great, the hostel is a little dirty, but comfortable enough (it's a hostel, after all), and the only thing that bothers me is wondering how long it will take me to find work. So far, everyone has reassured me that it should be pretty easy to come by. So. "No worries." :)</span></div>
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<u>Random Notes from the week:</u></div>
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1.) If I don't mention where I'm from, people assume I'm Canadian. Hmm.</div>
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2.) Tops are optional on most beaches, but don't go naked in the streets, evidently it's a $200 ticket. And our hostel has great surveillance cameras, so everyone can watch the video the next day of your naked ass running out and back in when you got busted by the police and laugh at you, little Irish guy.</div>
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3.) There are an almost absurd number of very fit people here. Oddly, a large number of smokers, too. (compared to the US, anyway)</div>
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4.) Was it a clothing store in the US? Then it's a food store here. (Coles, Woolworth)</div>
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5.) A high number of "gingers" seemed to think it was a good idea to move to one of the most intensely sunny places on the planet. I'm not quite sure how they survive. </div>
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6.) Add together #3 and #5 and, evidently, you get a very high cancer rate. Guess that makes sense.</div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-12394652863363873492011-03-02T21:20:00.000-08:002011-03-02T21:49:03.425-08:00unknownIn Pennsylvania<br />I am required by nature to stay up this hour<br />Now matter how much I might want to enjoy a morning<br />This hour is unsleepable<br /> when all things are calm<br /> when waters are smooth<br /> when perspective is possible<br /> when the unknown is unburdened.<br /><br />When all is at peace, when all is at rest<br />My restless soul can finally dive deep<br /> into cool, silent creation<br /> a million tangled threads<br /> every joy pain and color<br /> beautiful calamity.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-30213831191799655822010-07-03T11:42:00.000-07:002010-07-03T11:47:56.712-07:00Update (long past due)Well, it's been... perhaps a year? To update fully:<br /><br />1.) I moved back to PA in October<br />2.) I've been slowly recovering health while working as a taxi driver<br />3.) My brother passed away in Deceomber<br />4.) I will definitely be staying PA through the anniversary of his death (perhaps longer if I get the job I'm waiting for working for a local airline)<br />5.) I went back and visited California again at the end of May<br />6.) I've got my share of other projects going on: Saving money, working on my credit (just requested my first credit card), looking into grad schools and careers, learning portuguese, cleaning/restoring our house, learning tango, helping to teach (and trying to better train myself) capoeira<br /><br />I've also been coming across a lot of interesting ideas and resources on the internet and otherwise lately, so I'm going to post some here. If I'm able, I'd also like to start a website and try posting them there, just to see if I might be able to hone those skills. They seem like they could make me more marketable, who knows.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-31589661685140595102009-10-14T11:20:00.000-07:002009-10-14T11:39:17.906-07:00Moving back to SC ... for now.So. How shall I summarize... let's see.<div><br /></div><div>I've left California and am currently chillin with my pregnant friend here in Bozeman, Mt. I'll be hitting the road again tomorrow morning, and be in State College, sometime between Monday and Wednesday, depending on people and weather.</div><div><br /></div><div>In short, I worked a job I didn't like for a year, spent much of my spare time and money on health concerns, and finally found a community that I loved - just before I realized that I really needed to go home for a little while.</div><div><br /></div><div>I guess my reasons are as follows:</div><div><br /></div><div>1.) Rest and work on my health</div><div>2.) Visit friends and family that I haven't seen for 2.5 - 10 years</div><div>3.) Live at home and save some money</div><div>4.) Tackle this huge list of things that I've been wanting to do that can only be done by living unstressfully at home (organizing all the stuff I left there, getting through a huge reading list, sitting in on classes at PSU, lots of cooking, volunteering, etc)</div><div><br /></div><div>But, of course, after months of fantasizing (during my boring job) about what I would do at home, now I'm not so sure how happy I'll really be there. I mean I left for a reason. But now I'm remembering how few people my own age will be there - how many of my fellow classmates have moved on to massively successful things, how annoying drunken and stupid PSU students can be, and how little there really is to do. Avoiding TV will be hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I'm hoping to make a new start. Take what I've learned in LA and apply it here - make a new space for myself and forget/avoid all this other stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>And in the end, I really only plan to be there through August. God only knows how long I'll actually end up anywhere - but I keep reminding myself, it is what you make of it.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-13452588162229509062009-06-07T23:19:00.001-07:002009-06-07T23:32:36.778-07:00The last thing I did tonight before leaving my Aunt's house was eat a salad. And it was good. And it didn't make my head spin like all the other bread and sugary food I had today. But now I can feel it still expanding slightly, aching in my stomach. And it reminds me of last July, when this whole health problem started.<br /><br />It's been almost a year now, and life has changed in a lot of ways that are disappointing. I can't play capoeira anymore. I haven't felt like I've been in good health for many months. I always have to remember some kind of pill. And my finances are, at best, stable, at worst slip-sliding away.<br /><br />But illness and lonliness - a difficult combination to say the least - have brought be "back to God", so to speak. And I feel that I've come to realize the things that really matter. I feel like I can see myself more clearly, and I have tons to be thankful for. I live in a beautiful, peaceful, cheap abode. I now have my own set of comfy furniture, and just enough clothing to skate by. I can afford decent food for myself, and I'm no longer dependent on any junk food. <br /><br />I've finally kicked TV. I read now - and I learn a lot more. I'm thankful to have my job even though I kind of hate it. And I'm starting to find peace, even amidst the chaos of hormones and who knows what other physical ailments. I'm also finally getting to know the muslim community here and making progress in issues of faith - reading and learning and reciting and practicing. And just this week, I'm re-starting my piano skills - and my teaching skills. That's pretty exciting.<br /><br />But today, amidst my crazy, dizzy brain fog, I realized that I don't love enough. I've only begun to appreciate what I have - I've never loved enough. And it's reflective in the way I treat others, the things I put out into the world, and the way I treat myself. Even as grateful as I feel now, I have to push myself to do nicer things - like make myself get enough, or bring nice snacks to a party, or compliment someone on something.<br /><br />So there it is, my moment of zen admist hope for the future.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-1917314140565910932009-04-25T23:40:00.000-07:002009-04-26T00:49:51.269-07:00An L.A. Cinderella Story pt. 2: the MPAC Media Awards<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJXHZL8rNX_HPQxTcIzTHX1lkmnc7Uj0CO5CID4uyYLSemD5G-KdrVTv6fp8bfhDTbUytmBHvEnuiCHtmovoC-dKUKEVupKtaMa9f6qyRFW43mJ4J2zd4-SOn9vFZknh7KZYKBLTQE7_e/s1600-h/heels.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJXHZL8rNX_HPQxTcIzTHX1lkmnc7Uj0CO5CID4uyYLSemD5G-KdrVTv6fp8bfhDTbUytmBHvEnuiCHtmovoC-dKUKEVupKtaMa9f6qyRFW43mJ4J2zd4-SOn9vFZknh7KZYKBLTQE7_e/s320/heels.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328887602564938674" border="0" /></a>So for those of you who may remember, about 2 years ago when I first came out to L.A. I got to attend the second season premier of "Big Love" on account of my artistically-connected uncle. That was Cinderella story #1 - it showed me the glitzy side of lala land. Kind of an "intro to Hollywood" that I was never interested enough in to follow up with.<br /><br />#2 occured tonight: the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) Media Awards. Noticeably less glitzy, but probably just as good at making me feel out of place. And, being true to the Cinderella theme, took "economically challenged" Heather and put her smack in the middle of people who can afford things like a $150 per seat banquet.<br /><br />The progression went like this: Heather has health problems. Heather has an existential crisis due to health problems. Heather starts spending time at the mosque. Heather then learns of an arabic class she can take at the mosque in her time there, then spending even more time at the mosque. Finally, Heather hangs out at the mosque all day due to the arabic class, and gets randomly offered a free ticket to a cinderella event. Fairy-godmother clothing provision not included (unfortunately).<br /><br />So I put together my best attempt at "formal attire" and headed downtown. In L.A. fashion I was both late and got lost due to road construction. So when I showed up I was reminded of how uncomfortable these kinds of large, formal gatherings are when you don't know anyone - let alone when you show up an hour late. But thankfully I slipped in just in time to eat the salad. <br /><br />The Media Awards are basically an annual event to celebrate those who help break stereotypes and bigotry against muslims and Islam in the media. Amy Goodman of "Democracy Now!" gave a very good speech. The guy from "Slumdog Millionaire" also had good words to say. The guy from the Simpsons seemed unprepared and I felt a little sorry for the comedian - he was good but it just wasn't really a good time for comedy by the end of the program.<br /><br />But overall, what do I remember? Well, I can't remember any of the relatively inconsequential chitchat. Actually, what seems to be sticking in my mind is the banquet servers that I watched after the event was over. I worked as one for 2 years in high school and everything from the uniform to the stink and waste of leftover food brought back memories. It's been a while since I've been somewhere where class distinction is so palpable. It's weird, but somehow I felt like everyone there sort of fit into their clothes, spiritually or characteristically. But I felt like I was faking their dress - like I should have been barefoot in an old long skirt on a dirt floor. And then when the event was over and I watched the servers pulling the glasses off the table I remembered being on the outside of these things - wearing the same crap-covered shoes and old clothes to work, having to wait for the guests to have their "presentation" until you can eat any extra food there might be, and just generally aching and slaving (and earning next to nothing) while others are living luxuriously.<br /><br />So what does this mean? Where do I fit in this community, in the world? I'm content with making my own place, I guess I just wish I knew where that place should be. It's very hard to be in the lower class. But it's too easy to just let yourself be lazy and enjoy everything in life when you're not.<br /><br />I think this post was supposed to be a little bit more deep than that, but that's what it comes down to I guess.<br /><br />Hmm.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-8658611084435100502009-04-14T22:51:00.000-07:002009-04-14T23:04:09.729-07:00Candles and ContemplationWhen I started this my blog I did so to keep my friends and mostly my family informed of where I was and what I was up to. This was before most of them got on Facebook, so I am officially giving up on keeping it "clean." I'm also letting it go <span style="font-style: italic;">because</span> I don't think they'll actually read it anymore ;)<br /><br />So I'm going to let some of my more personal thoughts adorn this web space. I need a place to release them - I don't have the luxury of company I feel comfortable talking to about these kinds of things anymore. God willing, they won't be too obnoxious to read :)<br /><br />At the moment I'm going to take this moment of quiet and candles to go through my "notes" - the notebooks that I use to keep track of who I am, where I'm going, where I want to go, important information, and my dreams, hopes and goals. But no more bland posts! I want to go <a href="http://www.hijabman.com">Hijabman style</a> :)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-58135851566066598842009-04-10T20:43:00.000-07:002009-04-14T22:49:05.991-07:0025On Friday, April 10, I turned 25. So now I can officially say that I've been having a quarter life crisis - evidently the newest trend in my generation.<br /><br />So what is a quarter-life crisis? Well, it's sort of like a mid-life crisis, only instead of changing the direction of your life, you're struggling to establish the direction of your life. It makes a lot of sense for my generation I think - since going to college has become less of the "becoming an adult" experience and more of a "celebrating my youth" kind of experience. At least that's my take on it.<br /><br />And then there are those like me who are having more of a leftover identity crisis from their college days. In my case, not only in career path, but personal development as well. Two years prior to my year-late graduation I not only totally flipped my previously hardcore career path on its head, I also definitely chose a path-less-traveled for myself personally - conversion to faith, and Islam at that. Of course, I don't really regard the second as a decision, more as a calling. I wasn't looking for faith - it came to me and I couldn't ignore it or deny it.<br /><br />So.<br /><br />Here I am, trying to keep my tiny craft from sinking in the sometimes storm-surge waves of life on my own in Los Angeles. My analogy at the moment is like being stuck on a tiny craft in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Caribbean</span>, far from land without a compass. I've figured out East and West, and being relatively close to some major piece of land gives me hope - I just have no idea how close or far from it I may be. Further, I'm not entirely alone - every once in a while a big ship comes by and tries <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">unsuccessfully</span> to take me aboard, but then another hurricane hits, we're torn apart, and I'm struggling to keep my head above water again.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OK</span>, so that might sound a little extreme, and maybe it is. But, the upside of being stuck alone on a tiny craft in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Caribbean</span> is that you learn a lot about yourself. Yes, on this tiny boat there has been a lot of deep thinking about life, who I am, God, and the beauty around me. After all, it's the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Caribbean</span>! And sometimes you're lucky enough to find <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">reprieve</span> on a gorgeous little island for a while.<br /><br />Most recently, to continue the analogy, I finally found refuge on a nice-sized tourist boat. I rested, ate, drank, washed, and enjoyed a welcome back to civilization, though it housed just a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">handful</span> of tourists. But, just when I was feeling solidly optimistic about returning to land and making my plans and getting lost in my company, I discovered that the boat's captain was lost. Most likely I wouldn't end up alone on my little craft again, but where would I end up? And when? And at what cost?<br /><br />Not entirely accurate, but I guess it gives a good feel to the current situation. In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">November</span> I finally had found a job that would support me and a solid place to live. Over the next couple months I started to regain ground financially and re-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">stabilize</span> my life. But then I had persistent health problems. And I couldn't save money. And I stopped going to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">capoeira</span> (which has been my primary source of happiness since I've been in L.A.) and found myself increasingly isolated as I just tried to figure out what was wrong with me.<br /><br />And I'm still in that stage. But I feel I have passed through the worst of it. At it's peak, I was terribly lonely and struggling to deal with a health problem that I couldn't identify - digestive issues - and one more frighteningly definite - periodontal disease (advanced for my age). I may lose all my teeth, they told me. Or need braces or expensive surgery that I most certainly couldn't afford. Going back to school would be cheaper. But, sadly, doing that wouldn't make it go away, of course. No known medical techniques can. Scary stuff.<br /><br />So I cried a lot and it haunted me through miserable shifts at work. And, like people sometimes do when they're ill for too long, I wondered if I might die. Maybe it's cancer! Or worse! Attention K-Mart shoppers: we are now having an existential crisis.<br /><br />And I think that was the worst of it: the night I was sobbing on the floor after praying. For story-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">telling's</span> sake, I wish I remembered my own history in more detail. I don't remember exactly what I was thinking, just that I let all of my own fears out. And that somehow, after that, I was incredibly grateful for everything that I have. More than that, I realized that I had <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">mis</span>-aligned my life. Do you know what I wanted when I changed my life so dramatically those 2-3 years before graduation? I wanted to be one of those unusually good people when I got old. I wanted to explore my interests, drop my bad habits, and establish good ones permanently. Of course I wanted to have the kind of character that's mentioned in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Qur'an</span> - but this was in addition to people whose traits I've wanted much of my life. I wanted to have the warm, loving, intelligent personality of and family ties like my grandma Barton. I wanted to have the solid sense of right and wrong and responsibility of my grandpa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Herron</span>.<br /><br />And over the past 1.5 years I ignored the most important thing of all. I didn't realize it until I couldn't escape my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">loneliness</span> and fear. I didn't remember until I had to get out of my usually comfortable room and house to the most comforting place I know of in L.A. - the mosque. During one of my days off in the middle of this I went there mid-day just to make prayer, read the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Qur'an</span> - my only real solace- and rest, away from my demons. The sun shone in through the front doors as I sat on the soft, cushy carpeting in the prayer area, a large area only populated by a handful of people in the middle of a regular day. I couldn't help but just sit there a while and take in the scene - that unmistakable sweet mosque scent and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">indescribable</span> peace and quiet that even rowdy children can't complete destroy. It was then that some kids were running around, playing with their relatives who had brought them as well as the desk <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">attendant</span>. Their care-takers - be they parents or otherwise, I don't know - were at ease and peace, one even stretching out on the carpeting on the other side of the hall, the other playing with the kids when they ran his way. <br /><br />That is what I want. I want the kind of peace and love and beauty that I find in the mosque in my life. And I want the kind of warmth of family and friendship that I see among <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Muslims</span>. There was no mean joking, no harsh words, no threat of punishment to those kids. There was no weariness or resentment or fear despite a failing economy and the end of a work day. There was no drama, despite kids interrupting the peace and the use of the mosque by hundreds of different people, of different income levels, of different <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">ethnicities</span>, with different values, from different places and cultures and skin tones. And there was, simply, that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">indescribable</span> peace and beauty of putting the most importance on the things in life the matter, and acknowledging all other things as a decoration.<br /><br />So, at age 25, here I am. It has been a little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">traumatic</span>, and certainly quite dramatic getting here. But I think I've finally realized how I need to live my life. Remembrance of God, and prayer, and a path of faith needs to be the center of my life. Career, and money, and yes, even health, are decorations. If I were to die tomorrow I would want to feel like I've put something good in this world. I would much rather have taken my last day of life to give food to the hungry or give someone a helping hand than something relatively selfish like going to France or eating the world's most lavish meal.<br /><br />Now I need to live my life this way. Now I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">truly</span> remember what the best path is. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Alhamdulillah</span>.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-19762814316133428062009-01-30T22:10:00.000-08:002009-01-30T22:55:56.762-08:00Alhamdulilah<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI67uCs9gEHauPV_9sI852itavv-JoyQRORSfqMtJXiwOii4Eam-2DLZKgzfutjVQ9ODMLQmG6KSSusQBW5UyNJ3iEohVofzOcgcc01clSdOqsgB_mdxuy__F4D_t-HXXIIFnOb9nUrDa/s1600-h/la.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI67uCs9gEHauPV_9sI852itavv-JoyQRORSfqMtJXiwOii4Eam-2DLZKgzfutjVQ9ODMLQmG6KSSusQBW5UyNJ3iEohVofzOcgcc01clSdOqsgB_mdxuy__F4D_t-HXXIIFnOb9nUrDa/s320/la.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297337069033248418" border="0" /></a><br /> Thank God. And that's not just an expression - I am incredibly grateful to be where I am right now. I'm not always happy with/about the job I'm working, or the friends and family I miss, or the things that I would do if I could but can't, but I'm not sure I could be much more happy with where I am. I've recently realized that I am actually doing the things that I wanted to do the most - be financially independent, learn how to cook, get 8 hours of sleep most nights, manage my health better, learn about how the world works, and sit down and really think about where I want to be in it.<br /><br />And what have I determined about that last important question? After cycles of thought every few months for 1.5 years, all I can definitely say is that it is subject to change. But I think getting some experience teaching English abroad would be a very good base and starting point. After that I've had all kinds of ideas - some kind of environmental work, development, or research; starting my own business; continuing some kind of specialized teaching career; working for an American Embassy abroad; writing or getting published; going back to music; starting some kind of non-profit; etc.<br /><br />I know I want to go back to school eventually. I had someone ask me recently what I would do with a million dollars. After all the other, "hey, I have money" fun stuff was done, honestly, for some reason I would just take that money, go live in the eco village by LACC (LA Community College), take a bunch of math classes (I hear they have good teachers for that) and just see where it leads me. So I guess in essence, I'd almost do undergrad over, only with more science and math involved - at least in my thinking at this point.<br /><br />Other than that, I continue to learn about myself and about the world. My only hope is that I continue to find things I hadn't expected, always changing...Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-11862286532999041232008-11-09T23:03:00.000-08:002008-11-09T23:46:59.717-08:00The SpoonFor the past nearly 4 months my life has been in near constant turmoil. I was sick, I couldn't find work, I started a new job, I moved, I moved again, and I moved again. In that order. This last move was also my 8th since coming to L.A. and needless to say, I am completely and totally sick of moving. (also, pics of the new place and the last place I was will go up on Facebook soon for those interested)<br /><br />But there are a couple of interesting things I've noticed with all this transience. Like how much stuff I've lost while moving, no matter how vigilant I am. Or how much better I got at moving every time I did it (last time took 1-2 hours). And of course with every new residence I become more aware of what kinds of situations make for a better home.<br /><br />Yet just today it struck me how significant only one or two objects can be in a person's life. Most obvious to me is the rug that I bought a few years back. I've used it in almost every place I've lived since I've been here, and as soon as it has its place any room immediately feels more familiar and welcoming. It's not that the rug serves any important functional purpose - hardwood floors don't ever really bother me here (since it never really gets cold), - it's just nice to have something that is both quality and consistent amidst so much chaos.<br /><br />Yesterday I also bought a very comfy chair. Given that I currently don't have a bed or a dresser, I'm sure this seems like a bit of a stupid purchase. But this chair gives me my own personal place for reading and thinking. Beds are for sleeping. Floors are uncomfortable. The rest of the house might be shared at any time. But this chair both makes my room more home-y, and gives me a second kind of privacy that I guess I value more than I thought I did. It gives me the privacy of thought and reflection away from the possible distractions and criticisms of other people (the first kind of privacy would be the privacy of sleeping without the possible distractions and criticisms of other people).<br /><br />And then there is the spoon. The spoon is not mine - I accidentally and unknowingly brought it to my new residence in a dirty tuperware container that I forgot to clean after work one day. The spoon comes from the house with 11 people living in it. The house where I slept on the couch, where there is always drama for somebody (if not everybody) and always stress. The house where you never know what might happen and who you might dividing up sleeping space with. This is also the house in which if I feel the most unwelcome if I ever must stay the night. There is a kind of balance if I only ever visit - even if regularly. But once I must sleep there - even if I only sleep there- invariably something much more unwelcome will come my way.<br /><br />So, the spoon, when I see it, makes me unhappy, almost as much as the rug or the chair make me happy or comfortable. When I see it I have visions of its owners tongue-lashing me for having "stolen" it. I see their annoyed, condescending faces. "WHY HAVEN'T YOU RETURNED THE SPOON, HEATHER?" it says. "ALL YOU EVER DO IS TAKE! YOU NEVER HELP ANYBODY YOU LEECH."<br /><br />Ug. I really have to return that damn spoon.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-88869485529905177652008-08-27T16:24:00.000-07:002008-08-27T17:00:00.005-07:00I am sitting on the edge today. If I fall to one side, I will stay in California - or try. If I fall to the other I will return to Pennsylvania indefinitely. I have an interview at 7:30 in Burbank. If it goes well, I stay. If not, I am at the end of my rope.<br /><br />This week will mark the end of 7 weeks without a job. It marks the end of the savings that I struggled so hard to earn up. At this point in time I don't have enough money to live here another month. Previously, I was determined to stay in LA, but just today I finally feel ready to give up.<br /><br />For 9 1/2 months I was stucks. That was very trying. After 8 of those months I had to live with someone who was kind enough to put me up for free even though they couldn't really afford it. That was also very trying and difficult. For the first 10 months in LA I didn't have enough money to live on my own or be independent. But I put up with and I fought. Now, after 4 more months, I am giving up. The economy is taking a dive - things are even worse here in California. Banks are failing, firms are making layoffs, the government is dramatically cutting its worse pay and has put a hold on all new hires, the local schools have taken dramatic budget cuts, and now Hollywood is expecting an actor's strike on the tails of the winter's writer's strike. Only Silicon Valley still floats - and that's north quite a ways.<br /><br />And then there's the last 7 weeks that I've been out of work: I was sick for 2 weeks and I had to see the doctor twice. Temp agencies can't find me work (too few jobs, too many resumes), I can't find myself work. My car battery needs replacing. My computer's power button breaks and needs replacing and I don't have my computer for a week and a half. I can't get internet at my apartment. Then the water pressure starts slowly dropping at the apartment. My roommates now want to kick me out because they don't think I can afford to live there anymore. I have another foot injury. I take refuge at my family's house but there's always drama what with 12+ people constantly in and out and the risk of bankruptcy on the horizon. I get a ticket because a headlight is out on my car and I can't figure out how to pay it. Desperate, I take a little job doing occasional labor for a local rental company, but it doesn't pay much and the hours are few and the job sucks. So I apply every chance I get to as many jobs as I can find, getting only a couple of interviews that are mostly very far away and not anything I'd be any good at.<br /><br />So finally I followed a good lead on Monday and found a job I really want. But today I'm tired and more crap keeps going wrong. The water heater is now not working at my apartment - I may have to help pay for that if we need a new one. The toilet also broke this morning and won't flush. The air conditioner seems to have stopped working on my car. One of my cousins is literally selling food on the street to try to cover his expenses. Most of my clothes are old and not in great shape. I've gained weight, I'm not very healthy right now. There aren't very many places I can go for solace - everybody seems to have big problems.<br /><br />Monday is the start of Ramandan. Monday will either be the start of a new job, or my last call to the temp agency. If I don't have an interview that goes well by next Wednesday, I'm getting shipped back to Pennsylvania. I still don't like that reality - but it doesn't look so bad anymore.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-21563366104591724342008-08-07T09:37:00.000-07:002008-08-07T10:49:38.413-07:00Facing East<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZRPcrGfVx9i1Iyhy-AjAiKptpSyv9LvkC93P7Pc_HZRcoBNNBJI70RKU-m7wfesEE8h7dD2oJFH9rgvOxuzUpMKs9erq8xI4ee2sSsc4xWOa6gJ-uEGmjHZcaTQUKYdO5QKz6nDRAoX-/s1600-h/morning.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZRPcrGfVx9i1Iyhy-AjAiKptpSyv9LvkC93P7Pc_HZRcoBNNBJI70RKU-m7wfesEE8h7dD2oJFH9rgvOxuzUpMKs9erq8xI4ee2sSsc4xWOa6gJ-uEGmjHZcaTQUKYdO5QKz6nDRAoX-/s320/morning.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231816329647333410" border="0" /></a>When the sun comes up there is no hiding from it. Its insistently bright, strong rays flood every crack of every room, and the deck is no exception.<br /><br />It has been a short night. Despair took several forms - a lonely couch stowed in the dirt under the concrete overhang of the pool above, open to the wild canyon. A wolf-like wild dog whose breath awakened me but passed me by before I could even glimpse his tail. A bed on wooden slabs. Memories of a worse evening - in a different time, in a different place, much colder and more shocking to the senses.<br /><br />But even the smallest amount of sleep causes the weariness of the heart to fade. Faithful watchdog Debbie comes by to protect me from the unseen canyon interloper, and upon moving to the deck in the early hours my old, most faithful Los Angeles friend creeps, curling up next to me and purring.<br /><br />Everything is a reminder of where I am. Beautiful shades just before dawn broken up by an anonymous <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">swimmer's</span> curved arm and a quiet splashing of water. The swimmer looks somewhat small, their skin overcast by the slowly rising sun behind them. Is it Charlie, that crazy kid? Swimming at 6:15 am? Eventually I realize that the methodical laps could only be those of Liz, a friend, renter, and med student, devotedly exercising before returning to school for the morning.<br /><br />The morning is peaceful, only the slight sounds of air, bugs, birds, and a man-made stream. A police helicopter flies loudly, low overhead, passing the top of the mountain slowly - reminding me that I was right not to walk home last night. I open my eyes <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">occasionally</span> and see the large meditation tree, reaching up beautifully into the morning sky, some branches dead, others waving with the life. This is the tree I have enjoyed looking up at from the deck and the pool when idling, thinking about life. Soon, the whine of a not-too-distant drill shoots up from the canyon . And a fly buzzes around me, landing on the sweaty, dirty clothes that I'm still wearing from the night before, capoeira cordao spilling out of my blanket.<br /><br />And the sun shines warmer. Sleep still beckons, but my blankets have become a burden. I must get up. In a house that faces east, I must get up.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-52524191931362269262008-08-06T23:54:00.000-07:002008-08-07T00:57:33.104-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_RX0jMvrOR8G8WkeVh0_F_X0lrYOTxbtD53NWk9-rz_9c6RuDxShqVHSyTQowDU7K6HMZe-BcCghOqLfDbXVrO-qIfpRa4Yx5esLk4GTBcZNiQ1ZRpiCJvnbdkd0-RqOj1MrUbHHOAO7/s1600-h/nu+me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_RX0jMvrOR8G8WkeVh0_F_X0lrYOTxbtD53NWk9-rz_9c6RuDxShqVHSyTQowDU7K6HMZe-BcCghOqLfDbXVrO-qIfpRa4Yx5esLk4GTBcZNiQ1ZRpiCJvnbdkd0-RqOj1MrUbHHOAO7/s320/nu+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231668264150176002" border="0" /></a>Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you, the empty Nutella jar. I finished it off just now. But it only makes me feel slightly better.<br /><br />For the past 3 weeks I was prescribed a diet in which I could eat no raw fruits or vegetables, no whole grains, no spices, and no chocolate. Can you imagine how much a diet like this sucks after about the 4th day? I have become a blubber butt.<br /><br />I also have no job, despite working for a temp agency.<br /><br />The weather has been hot and I've had cats harassing me late into the night. I get very little done, and seem to keep running into annoyances - Igot a flat tire; I got a "fix it ticket" for which I must navigate the complex and expensive LA DMV; I misplaced my ipod, an earring, a shirt (but found them); my contact prescription ran out; my car alarm stopped working; and just now my car battery seems to have died.<br /><br />I guess these things are all just hurdles, really. But add them in to the mix about what really kinda gets me down in LA and it's kinda harsh. I don't fit here. It's hard even to enjoy lonliness. I have no where that feels like home and I can't find anyone who's very similar to me. Instead I look into the jarring face of constant differences - ones that people don't seem to like to overlook.<br /><br /><br />Anyway. I'm going to go sleep underneath the pool and probably cry since it's not really safe for me to walk home right now and do that...Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9097049474358245820.post-67807844482904379652008-08-03T22:54:00.000-07:002008-08-04T00:15:54.536-07:00The view from Highland Park<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrAfKU1hxiEs3gdzXYV2FaMO1KDFZUX_1cniD9Tr01yPIcpif8jkA9qj9Yh4jdGRSOyrLEzH_Ehb3KDxOewxkDhszYBNWA-33u7lf7SFIaPijGMKmOQX7J2rGZ5nLRgZJRZlxv1k8u9mhQ/s1600-h/HPCleaner2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrAfKU1hxiEs3gdzXYV2FaMO1KDFZUX_1cniD9Tr01yPIcpif8jkA9qj9Yh4jdGRSOyrLEzH_Ehb3KDxOewxkDhszYBNWA-33u7lf7SFIaPijGMKmOQX7J2rGZ5nLRgZJRZlxv1k8u9mhQ/s320/HPCleaner2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230550079857016178" border="0" /></a><u>Summary of the past 4 months:</u> Got a job through a temp agency (see previous post), got a temporary new place to stay, got a car (big hassle, but I've got a nice one now -pics on Facebook), got a more permanent apartment, worked for 3 months, temp job ended, and I managed to save a little cash so I'm not totally desperate going on 3 weeks without work.<br /><br />But I am bored. Hence I have been slowly taking care of the chores that I should have taken care of previously when life was too hectic: getting my CA driver's license, renewing my contact lenses, organizing my stuff, starting to study Portuguese again, and updating all of my online obligations. And there was also a little bit of a health dilemma, which I will only begin to be less handicapped by this coming Thursday. It's a crappy diet, what can I say (no raw fruits or veggies, no whole grains, spices, or chocolate).<br /><br />It's strange how I tend to get less done when I don't have a job than when I do. I guess I just can't easily set up a pattern for myself that I feel any strong compulsion to follow. Consequently, I get easily derailed by things like soreness or crazy cats. I'm not exaggerating, there are two cats where I currently live and all night for the past two weeks one sits outside my room all night after about 3 am and meows. And it's meow literally sounds like it's saying "hello? Hellooooooo..." (only it's a car so it's more like "rero?"). And then sometimes it jumps and crashes into the window by my head.<br /><br />Anyway, I have decided to focus my current life around traveling. My goal is to get up enough money, do the research, and take off for a little while. Ideally, I'd like to go on the Hajj, then, if possible, travel to Turkey and Portugal and hey, maybe even Spain. If I'm rich.<br /><br />Sadly, however, I didn't realize that the Hajj is actually in very early December this year. I won't know for sure until I get another job, but I'm a little doubtful that I would be able to raise enough money to go anywhere by that time.<br /><br />So I'm going to do my research. But for starters, the country possibilities are Brazil, Portugal/Spain, and Turkey. I would like to take a little excursion to Mexico also, if possible (ideally with friends and by car). But that's lower on the agenda, so if it costs any substantial amount of money, that one's getting delayed.<br /><br />Another deadline I'm dealing with: I will likely need to find a new place to live after December.<br /><br />And so, out of no where, an agenda and some guidlines. Finally, something to focus on. <br /><br />Updates to follow, of course :)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415053962382159223noreply@blogger.com0