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The Last Post

I apologize for the radio silence. I am currently sitting at the San Francisco airport waiting for my final flight to Phoenix. Surprise!

I started this blog with the hopes of keeping those close to me up to date with my adventures. It has proven to be mostly an often introspective look at my life mixed in with random Aussie adventures. The past 8 months have given me an appreciation for vegemite, timtams, and lamingtons. I have seen and touched exotic creatures. I spent time exploring 4/8 of the AU capital cities. I rekindled my love of climbing rocks and trees, and seeing nature.

I experienced a different culture and am overall glad that I chose to do this. I hope you enjoyed reading my updates, even though they often ramble and cover subjects that are less than exciting.

I lived 217 days in Australia. My suburbs were St. Kilda, Springvale, Beaumaris, and Croyden.

I lived for 14 days in New Zealand in a campervan.

This is the 44th blog post I have written since my first post on January 19.

Below is the complete Aussie Dictionary (directly from my posts).

Thank you for reading!

Petrol (gas)

Eskies=Coolers

Lollies=Candy

Doona=Blanket

Petrol=Gas

Jelly=Jello

Jam=Jelly

yutes (trucks)

Salvos (like goodwill)

Fairy Floss = Cotton Candy

Mate=Friend

Brass Razoo = Money

Mackers (McDonalds)

Clap Trap = Nonsense

Dead Horse = Ketchup

Whinging (win-j-ing) = Annoying/Persistent Complaining

Queue = Line (like the thing you wait in at the grocery store checkout)

Party Pie = Tiny Meat Pie (Staple of Aussie birthday parties)

biscuits (baked sweets)

Netball = A sport that is a mix of basketball and volleyball…played without backboards or bouncing the ball, where you pass and shoot a volleyball-like-ball into one of 2 netted hoops. (rough translation)

Hundreds & Thousands = Sprinkles

Pumpkin = Squash (Apparently they use the word pumpkin for both pumpkins and squash)

Sook = Baby (like calling someone a baby)

Arvo=Afternoon (ie: what do you have on for the arvo?)

Chook=Alive Chicken (the food is still just chicken)

Chock a Block = Very Full/Busy (The train is chock a block full.)

Ranga = Redhead (not sure if it is meant to be insulting or not, but it comes from Orangatan).

Fairdinkum = For real? …like an exclamation of astonishment.

Piss

1. Urinate. ie: Harry pissed himself.

2. Drunk. ie: Harry pissed himself because he is pissed.

3. Upset. ie: Harry will be pissed when he finds out he pissed himself because he was pissed.

4. Joking around. ie: We’ll all be taking a piss retelling the story of Harry being pissed at pissing himself while pissed.

Tea = Supper/Dinner…ie: It is time for tea.

Bottle O (or Bottle Shop)=Liquor Store

On Ya = Short for “Good on ya”...which basically means “Good job”.

Trolley = Shopping Cart

Chemist = Pharmacist and/or Pharmacy

Devo = Devastated

Tradie = Tradesman (electrician, plumber, construction worker, etc.)

_____ as = emphasizing something. Examples: sweet as, goofy as, strong as. You don’t say what the comparison is...you just add the “as” to any adjective really.

Ticky  = Road Trip (New Zealand Slang)

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Tourist Stuff

I did a bunch of random tourist things while the kiddoes were on school holiday (spring break). These are in no order, and taken in places across Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra.

Got to start with the most cliché tourist photo you can get in Oz.

After the Prime Minister controversy, Pokey wanted to see what’s up.

Yup. Those are Kangaroos. So fun to watch.

Outside the art museum in Canberra.

Botanical garden in Sydney in Spring. So nice. Love all the flowers.

Observation Wheel in Melbourne. The “great star” or something like that. I am on the floor because heights are scary.

Wishing pig of Sydney. You put the coins in a slot below it.

Sydney is so pretty.

Another shot of the botanical garden.

Australia’s highest court. 

This bird had the prettiest color eyes.

Ok...ok. I really enjoyed wandering around the gardens.

Canberra has a new and old parliament house, and they both look the same.

Canberra is basically a giant circle around the new parliament house.

I love being able to be at the bay in no time at all.

For $1, I had to at least try it. It tasted like burnt coffee and it was disgusting.

_____ as = emphasizing something. Examples: sweet as, goofy as, strong as. You don’t say what the comparison is...you just add the “as” to any adjective really.

209 Days in Oz!

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My AZ Home

First, I know this is Tuesday, and not Saturday. I am all over the place and might go back to sporadic posts for October. My schedule is just all over the place. Today, I am taking you back to Arizona. I made this video in the hours before I drove to the airport on my journey to Oz. I had intended to post it a long time ago, but never got around to it. Now feels like a good time, and I hope you enjoy my little home in the desert. One major regret is that I don’t have the before-photos from when I first moved in. A few pictures throughout the renovation are below with captions. Hope you enjoy my home-tour.

One thing I constantly wonder about is why I put up with stuff for so long. It took a few hours and a google video to close up the hole in the ceiling. It took 1 trip to the store to get air conditioning. Hindsight is just 20/20.

This is the kitchen midway through the project. You can see the old upper cabinets on the left, and the door.

This is the render of what my kitchen was supposed to look like.

And this is how it turned out. I think it turned out pretty darn close.

This is the satellite where you can see the blue tarp that covered my ceiling hole for years.

This is the old bathtub and the angled ceiling feature.

Again, wish I had real before pictures to show you, but that is about all that I have. I do have in progress pictures of the kitchen and bathroom, but they aren’t super exciting to look at. Hope you enjoyed a look into my home.

Tradie = Tradesman (electrician, plumber, construction worker, etc.)

203 Days in Oz!

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Should I Stay?

So...this question has been a question for me from the beginning of this journey. When I first started researching the move to Australia, I looked into options for a longer term stay than the 1-year visa that I have currently. All the data says that it is a great place to live. High wages, great benefits, relaxed culture, and google can go on and on. I knew that I was ready to come home after 2 months. While I have tried to keep these posts relatively positive, there has been an underlying desire to come home.

A fair number of people know that I applied to come back to the states in May. Through that hiring process, I found out that the national office had suspended my credentials and basically black-listed me in my role as an educator. That limited my ability to come home and led me down a rabbit hole that took months of time, and a lot of energy to appeal the decision at national. I am happy to share that I was finally cleared and my appeal was successful, but by the time my name was clear, the job was long gone.

To be fair, most of my concerns about living here are related to my current set of specific circumstances. Being on my visa makes a lot of things difficult, and I have met a lot of people who just absolutely love living here. I also have met people who dislike things as much as me. I’ve been living in this state of ambivalence for months now, and have wondered whether I would have more regret for staying or leaving.

Pride has played a major role. I felt that leaving before I made it to a year would be seen as a failure. The possibility of leaving and missing out on the great experiences has been another factor. I have been trying to change circumstances that have negatively impacted me, and that has helped. I switched from taking public transit to investing in long term car rentals. I switched locations at work to go from 18 hours a week to 35.

Unfortunately, there are just some things that I can’t change. People here have been a mixed bag, but the overall culture is less than ideal for me. As a foreigner, I am taxed at the highest Australian tax rate...even though other visas or citizens aren’t taxed until they hit a higher salary. Cost of living is really high, and they have few protections for frontline staff. I worked 51.25 hours this week and don’t get overtime, and many shifts don’t even include a meal break.

I have been planning an escape for the last month and a half or so. I let my room mates know that I was not renewing the lease in October. I started telling all my friends here that I was moving. I had the price-point I needed for my flight home. I started knocking things off of my AZ bucket-list. I started applying to jobs in the states. I was all set to board the plane on Oct 14th and be in Phoenix again. Then, when I went to pay for my flight, I couldn’t do it. Part practical (I don't have a job there), and part emotional (I don’t want to leave with regret)...and after a talk with my besties and the person I had been dating for a while...I decided to not throw in the towel just yet.

I am not going to limit myself in either direction, and I am accepting that “Should I stay or go?” will be a daily question for me. Is there a new opening in the states that will take me home next week? Is there an opportunity to switch visas here and get a better tax rate? The future is unknown, but when I move home, it’ll be for the right reasons. If I can climb an unstable rockface, I can persevere.

Devo = Devastated

195 Days In Oz!

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Fat or Big?

I have been in Australia for 6 months and 1 day. Because this is a major milestone, I considered writing about something deep and meaningful...reflecting on my time here, but lately I have really wanted to write about this subject...so I’ll reflect some other time. Also, this is Werribee Gorge.

So...I have wanted to write about this for a while. I basically want to muse about body image and my own issues. Only loosely related to Australia, and not really related to anything else...but I wanted to write about this, so here it is.

Basically, I started thinking about this because I have a really hard time differentiating between big and fat. I always had issues of being fat growing up and being in high school and beyond. There is a period of time in my early twenties where I just refused to be in most pictures because I hated seeing myself. I wish I could go back and take those pictures I dodged. I wasn’t really fat at that time, I was just big.

One day I woke up and realized I had stopped swimming and biking and jogging (yes, I used to jog). I stopped using the elliptical and the little machines that make you think you are getting muscles by using them...my job went from active work to desk work, and overall I just got sedentary. No more dancing every weekend and far fewer hikes. My clothes weren’t fitting anymore and I had actually gotten fat.

Occasional shifts in my diet helped in other aspects of my wellness, but I never really dropped the fat. A few years ago, I took a random shot in the dark and got a weightlifting routine from online. I bought some dumbbells, an exercise ball, and a yoga mat. For 2 months straight, I followed the workout routine without missing a day. My dumbbells were 2 pounds, 5 pounds, and 10 pounds. By the end of the 2 months I needed to add a 15 pound set.

I started dating someone around that time, and I was skipping workouts for dates, and all around doing a bad job of balancing my time. When that relationship went no where, I came back to weights, but not as strictly regimented as I had before. I am personally annoyed by people who come work out in matching outfits, and kiss between sets, and do other annoying couple things in the gym...but I do see the appeal from a time management perspective.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the feeling of being stronger. I remember the day I realized that I could see my triceps, and spent 3 whole days looking for my reflection so I could flex them. Since starting with free weights, I have done it off and on with various levels of consistency. About a year ago, I discovered that weight lifting is not the way to lose fat. I looked at myself in the mirror and realized that I was even bigger than before...and as stated...I can’t differentiate between big and fat.

So now my mind is breaking as I try to wrap my head around feeling better and stronger (and having triceps) and being bigger (read fatter) than ever. Amazing how perceptions affect things. The first friend I made here in Oz said that I wasn’t fat, just “built”, and I have been told a lot that I have a good frame. I am ok just knowing that I am big. I’ve worked on being ok with that.

Being in Australia has helped in a few random ways. I already talked about having to lift heavier weights when I do. I did a deadlift with 28kg dumbbells yesterday. That is about 125 pounds. The highest I did in the states was 90 pounds. I don’ t do 1 rep max lifts, so not sure how much I can do outside of sets, but I am doing more across most every move that I do. I also have seen a lot of people with similar builds to me that are well dressed, well groomed, and super attractive (I know you’ve heard it before). That definitely has helped me to separate big and fat (and the negative thoughts associated).

Overall, I do think being in Australia has helped me be prettier. Partly because I am walking and biking and swimming. Partly because I work out somewhat regularly. Partly because I spend more time grooming than before. But also, partly because being here has helped me break apart my thoughts of big vs fat.

Thanks for reading through this random word vomit. Next week, I will try and do something more along the lines of a 6 month check-in with more exciting insight than this one.

6+ Months in Oz

Chemist = Pharmacist and/or Pharmacy

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Dessert

First...I was able to upload a few pictures...these are all from the first hike in Wilson’s Prom. After the pictures, I will share my musings for the week.

I am not thinking much about Australia today. I am thinking mostly about my own self at the moment. They have rice pudding in the stores here from a local Australian company...it got me thinking about the Arroz con Leche that my tata would always make when we visited. A while back, I tried to google recipes and came across an article that said you are not likely to ever recreate a recipe since there are as many recipes as there are people who have a recipe. I want to spend a day in the future sometime trying to recreate his special blend of Arroz con Leche. I tried the store version here, and it is good, but definitely not the same.

Thinking about the delicious treat got me thinking about my family. Outside of my parents and sister, I grew up with a grandma, a grandpa, a nana, a tata. aunts, uncles, cousins, a nino and a nina. As a young child, you don’t really question words you learn. I knew my mom’s mom was my grandma and my dad’s mom was my nana...but I think the multiculturalism of my childhood didn’t really sink in until I was an adult.

I have memories of tamales, arroz con leche, menudo, and warm chorizo breakfast burritos. I remember my nana cooking tortillas on the stove, and my tata mixing everything with beans. I also have memories of dryers ice cream cartons in my grandmas fridge. Thanksgiving dinner with baby corn and olives I would stick on my fingers. I remember my grandpa the least. Just a couple vague memories of a big room and people sitting at a table.

I think one of the best things that I have come to appreciate with time are my nino and nina. I only learned this in the last few years, but they are short for padrino and padrina, which is Spanish for godfather and godmother. I must have been a teenager before I learned that they were my aunt and uncle by birth, but they will never be those people in my mind.

When I moved to Arizona, I actually looked forward to getting to know the Mexican side of my family more. Of course that was before the nightmares that hit me in the first year. Although I didn’t visit enough, one of the best parts of living in AZ was being able to see my nino and nina. I liked hearing stories about my nana and tata, and getting to hear about things I don’t remember or never learned. Even getting a hard time for not knowing Spanish makes me feel like a part of the family.

I don’t often take time to reflect on my family, and I get the question a lot from people here in Oz...did I move here with my family...do you miss them...etc. My mind usually moves on pretty quickly...but darn that rice pudding. Also, if you are an Australian reading this and know where to get a great tamale, please let me know.

Trolley = Shopping Cart

25+ Weeks in Oz

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Hiking Adventures

Tumblr is being a jerk about photos again right now, which is unfortunate because I have some pretty good photos from the past two weekends. I was really hoping to share...partly because pictures are easier than trying to type out something engaging and coherent...and partly because I got some great shots of stuff.

I guess this mostly started when I was reflecting on my trip to New Zealand and realized that my happiest excursion was when I decided to take an impromptu hike up a waterfall. It was not the greatest scenery I had seen in the country. It wasn’t particularly unique either...but I loved every moment of climbing up to the top of that waterfall. With that in mind, I have wanted to spend more time outdoors here in Oz too.

Last weekend, I went to Wilson’s Promenade with Al. We went the night before and hiked out to a little peninsula to watch the sunrise. It was not a vivid view at all...and we probably should have just gone for the sunset instead, but our Air BnB host said the sunrise was better. Lies. After the peninsula, we went inland and went around a loop and up a big hill. The coolest feature around Wilson’s Prom was definitely the rocks. So many good giant boulders to climb up. There is this giant rockface that is not accessible by any trail that is just massive and beautiful from the ground water run off. We decided to go off-trail so we could get to it. Totally worth it. We did forget to bring food though... that was not the best.

This past weekend, I went with a group of friends to Werribee Gorge. It had some really fun elements...a very loosely defined trail, some scaling around rocks, and ok views. It was really fun going with a group. I was a little worried because all 3 people I went with are really fit, but I was able to keep up...even on the last leg that went basically straight uphill. We did have plenty of food though, so that was good. We stopped in a fish and chip place on the way home, and it was pretty good. I had my first Australian Potato Cake. Not the same as in the states, but tasted kind of like tempura sweet potato...and I liked it.

If Tumblr stops being annoying, I will upload all the pictures. =]

On Ya = Short for “Good on ya”...which basically means “Good job”.

24+ Weeks on Oz

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Refreshing Beverages

I am dedicating today to drinkable beverages. I had a date suggest we meet over coffee, tea, or a refreshing beverage...and I also had some conversations with coworkers that have led to this being the subject of the week.

First, I want to introduce you to cordial. It was described as a concentrated fruit syrup. It made me think of the frozen juices you would get in a can as a kid, and mix with water to make juice. After seeing, and tasting it, the better comparison is Koolaid. Also, it took me a while to draw the comparison, but the mio squirt pods are basically small versions of cordial too. Also, apparently most of the world knows of blackcurrants, which are a purple berry...so don’t assume everything purple is grape like in the states. I did a little history check, and apparently blackcurrant plants can carry a disease that kills pine trees, and to protect the timber industry, the US was like...nope. Not in our country...so we don’t have them in mass markets.

Lemonade back home is water sugar and lemon juice...maybe honey if you are getting fancy...but that is not a thing here. Their “lemonade” is like a squirt for lemons...carbonated and lemon flavored. Definitely not the same thing at all...not bad if you think you’d like lemon squirt...but not lemonade.

I briefly touched on coffee before, but the left is the coffee machine you’ll find in any 7-Eleven here in Oz (pictured with their large $3 cup)...and on the right is the coffee and cup I am used to back home. You will not find drip coffee sold en-masse here. 

Speaking of coffee being sold...Starbucks exists but has a very small presence...you are definitely more likely to grab a cup from Gloria Jean’s...which is a larger chain with drive throughs.

But I think everyone knows that my favorite chain back home is Bigfoot.

A couple other drink mentions...Dr Pepper and Root Beer are specialty items, and not in general stores. Cream Soda here is red and raspberry, but if you ask for Brown Cream Soda, that will get you what you are looking for. Also, Except for water you are not likely to get a free refill anywhere...if you get a Pepsi at KFC, you are getting a can or a bottle. No dispensers...Oh the world of different refreshing beverages. =]

Bottle O (or Bottle Shop)=Liquor Store

23+ Weeks in Oz!

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Adelaide, South Australia

I rented a car for the weekend...

And drove 7 hours to Adelaide...

Mostly for a shot glass…

But I also explored...

And hiked...

Overall, It was a good weekend. 7 more shot glasses to go!

22+ Weeks in Oz.

Tea = Supper/Dinner...ie: It is time for tea.

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Metric System

All right. So. I have had a lot of time to recuperate and rest. I have had plenty of ideas for writing subjects come through my head, and the winner is the metric system. I have a lot of conversations with people about this, and yesterday had a pretty lengthy discussion with a teenager that I taught. So...here we go.

I remember learning in school how it works...the multiples of tens and the changing from milli- through kilo- (I don’t think I learned anything bigger). I remembered most of the conversions when I got here from school. 2.54 cm to 1 inch...2.2 pounds to 1 kilogram...and 1.6 km to 1 mile being the most frequently used. Being able to recall that information is not the same as being able to apply it instantly...which causes issues. When I want to tell someone to lift something 4 inches up, I have to actually do the conversion in my head...which creates a lag as I figure out that I mean 10 cm. If you plan on spending time in another country, I would recommend practicing speaking in metric beforehand to help with that issue.

I have to say the pounds to kilograms has been a double edged sword for me. I got into weight lifting a few years ago, and have made it a part of my regular fitness routine ever since. Unfortunately the free weights here are in kg...and they start at 10kg (22 pounds). All the places I worked out at in the states started at 5 pounds and went up from there. I do a lot of reps with different weights, but I have a lot of times that I need 10 or 15 pounds (or even just 5). Because I don’t want to go to the baby weights off to the side of the rack (unless I absolutely have to), I have forced myself to use the 10 kg weights more than I probably would have in the states. Bad in the moment, but I think overall, it has forced me to lift higher weights sooner than I would have in the states...which might lead to my good-looking-theory mentioned in other blogs.

Ok. So...now I am going to stand on my soap box for a section. Aussies (and other immigrants) have all given me a hard time for being from a country that uses the imperial system. I didn’t choose the system. I learned the metric. I don’t know why we don’t just do what everyone else does...but...most people I have met use imperial when they want to. Almost everyone here measures their height in feet and inches. The teenager I debated with said he only did it for D and D (because it is an American game). But very few people use cm for height. After researching it a little, England changed in the sixties to be better aligned with the rest of Europe, and the commonwealth countries followed suit throughout the seventies, and the US just sort of never followed through with a plan to change. Again, not my fault, but at least we didn’t give into peer pressure. Say no to bullying kids!

All right. Back off my soap box. The hardest one to wrap my head around is definitely temperature. Because the system doesn’t have an easy conversion, I just know that 20C is 68F and above is warmer, and below is colder.

If you are an American looking to move abroad, I would definitely say to brush up on your metric. If you an American not looking to move abroad, just keep doing you. If you are not an American, stop giving us a hard time about what we learned in school. Not our faults.

Since I missed a few weeks, here is a word with many meanings.

Piss

1. Urinate. ie: Harry pissed himself.

2. Drunk. ie: Harry pissed himself because he is pissed.

3. Upset. ie: Harry will be pissed when he finds out he pissed himself because he was pissed.

4. Joking around. ie: We’ll all be taking a piss retelling the story of Harry being pissed at pissing himself while pissed.

5 Months in Oz!

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Wednesdays...

Ok...so...I missed last week because my computer was having issues. Now I am just too exhausted. Work is a more typical Mon-Fri with long shifts now..I think the reign of Wednesdays is gone. I am officially moving my blog day to Saturday (but maybe sometimes Sundays). I will post again in 3 days, and go from there. =] Thanks for understanding all!

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Watch Other Video First.

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New Zealand Photos

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New Zealand Campervan Tips

Ok. So. I have been in the land of kiwis for a week now, and I have been trying to take lots of pictures and think about how I am going to write about everything I have experienced, but I decided that I am not going to do that.  One of the downsides to writing this saga of my adventures is that on the rare occasion that I do talk with people back in the states, they have been reading my blog and I have nothing to talk about…so this time, I will have lots to talk about. Next week, I will sort and attempt to post the best pictures…but otherwise, you’ll have to wait for all the juicy details.

1.       Check your campervan completely before you drive off. Everything. Oil level, tire pressure, cutlery, lights, locks. Everything. You don’t want to be in Rotorua when you discover your plate is cracked, and you have low oil. Just check everything at the start.

2.       Plan your meals. While eating instant noodles for every meal is an option…a little planning will make your life much better. Once you know what cooking supplies you have, you can figure out what you can make. Even rotating through a few different meals or variations on the same meal will help. I am pretty sure adding a new ingredient makes it a new meal. Don’t forget coffee!

3.       Stock up on butane. You never know when that little canister of cooking power is going to go out. Better to just have some on hand so you can just switch over when the flame does go out.

4.       Keep the windows clear while driving. While it can be tempting to keep the shades pulled when you wake up, take the extra few seconds to bunch all the curtains so your windows are clear to drive. You never know when you need to turn and look through the window unexpectedly.

5.       Know where you are staying each night. New Zealand has a love-hate relationship with the style of travel you’ve decided to embark on. Make sure you stay on the love side, and don’t piss off the parks department for unauthorized squatting in their sacred parking space. Also have back-up plans in case sites are at capacity.

6.       Spring for the chains if it is winter. You never know, and it is better to have them and not need them than the opposite. On a similar note…practice putting them onto your tires before you actually are caught in the snow trying to figure out these strange contraptions attach to your vehicle.

7.       Ferry. Make sure you have everything you will need for the 3.5 hour trip when you leave the car deck…your car will be locked up while in transit, so don’t leave your snacks or computer in purgatory…it will be a long ride.

8.       If you have the back set up like couches, the cushions will fly off on the first turn you make. Just save yourself the hassle, and keep it set up as a bed. Sure, everyone looking into your unshaded windows will know you sleep in the back of a van, but this is New Zealand, so no one is going to judge you.

9.       Don’t believe distances. People will constantly tell you how long or short anything is from anything else. Use GPS and common sense to figure out your own time table. People seem to have the best intentions, but they just always seem to get it wrong. Smile, thank them, and check your GPS.

10.   Finally, smile and wave at people more. Construction workers on the street. Hitchhikers (there are a lot). People in the car next to you. You might be surprised to see how many of them smile and wave back, and you both leave feeling a little happier than before you smiled and waved.

 Ticky  = Road Trip (New Zealand Slang)

1 Week in New Zealand

18 Weeks Since Landing in Oz

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A (Pretty) Lazy Post

I got sick this past week (yes that makes 3 times in 4 months). My fever broke and I can breathe through my nose more than not, but I am still not 100%. Between that, getting ready for New Zealand tomorrow, and tumblr finally being ok with my pictures...I figure I will mostly do photos with a little typing. I found the flower above on my way to the train, besides being really pretty, the center looks like it is made of metal. So shiny and gorgeous.

This is the tree in my courtyard, and an Australian possum. I heard they are skittish, but it let me get really close for this picture. I saw one climbing, and thought it was a giant rat until someone educated me.

Ok. My camera would not stay focused on the hair, but this hair is from my beard. It is blonde and very light brown. Anyone who gives me an opening here hears about how angry I am about my hairs being destroyed by the chemicals in the pool I was at. My body hair has thinned out, and the hairs I still have are being bleached blonde. It bugs the crap out of me.

This is a sunset as seen from my bedroom window. Not the best, but not bad. My birthday felt pretty good this year. It was like having a 4-day weekend. I had my actual birthday here, followed by people in the US wishing me happy birthday the following day, followed by Friday & Saturday celebrating with friends.

I had this cake on my actual birthday. I still had work, and it was a pretty typical day, but I did spend it with someone really thoughtful who made breakfast in bed and dinner complete with this cake.

This has nothing to do with my birthday, but someone got me to try jellied pork blood. I took one bite and that was enough. For my Friday dinner that was the only thing I asked not be served.

Saturday, I was sooo excited that my friends made a pumpkin pie for me. It is vegan, but it was delicious. It was a great way to end my 4-day birthday. =]

Fairdinkum = For real? ...like an exclamation of astonishment.

1 Day to New Zealand

17 Weeks in Oz

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Transition Week

This week, I have a few transitions. Obviously, today was my birthday. I transition into another year of my life. I shared before that I was excited to have a non-holiday birthday, but let’s be honest. Any birthday that is not a weekend birthday probably isn’t as special. I am not doing anything for the day today, but will be hanging out with different friends on Friday and Saturday to celebrate. I even have a friend who will attempt making a vegan pumpkin pie for me. That should be exciting.

Next week is my birthday present to myself…my trip to New Zealand. I wish I had more money in the bank to enjoy, but I am happy to stretch what I have as much as I can. I booked a few excursions, and there are enough free attractions that I think I will be ok just enjoying the natural beauty of everything. The basic accommodations are all taken care of. The petrol, food and ferry fee are going to be the biggest expenditures while I am there. I only have my crappy phone camera, so sorry in advance for bad pictures. I will do what I can, but you’ll probably find better photos of the other land down under from google.

Finally, this is my last week working scheduled shifts at my job. About a month ago, I made a few calls and put out a few feelers for different options. Some uncovered other issues I am working through, but 1 came to fruition. When I am back from New Zealand, I will start my new job…closer to home, and already friendlier than my current situation. This week has been interesting. I actually don’t mind the bulk of my classes, and I do like teaching. On one day, they came and assessed all my classes, and 90% of my students moved into the next level. I literally had 3 entire classes pass to the next level. I was really proud of all my students. Monday night, I had built up a solid group of adults in my class, and they all wished me a happy birthday and said they would never forget me as their instructor. A few parents came up and asked which days I was working because they wanted their children to stay with me because I was consistent and their children learned so much. I have even had co-workers who I haven’t really talked with come up and talk with me about leaving. Turns out I am not the only one who is unhappy working there…overall, I have been a little shocked at how much positivity I have gotten as I am on my way out. It feels like a good way to go.

 Yeah. Oh. Also. I have some pictures...but Tumblr would not let me post them...I tried for half an hour...

Ranga = Redhead (not sure if it is meant to be insulting or not, but it comes from Orangatan).

16 Weeks in Oz

8 Days to New Zealand