Aussie Football and Beyond

So we are all just trying to get our butts in the work mentality especially since it is cold outside. It is hard being in a great city and not being able to just tour around all day everyday but I guess you have to make money somehow. I’ve gotten really lucky and most of my placements have been really good classes. It is nice not having any responsibilities past 3:30 and then I can jet and never think about work again until the next morning.


The week was jammed packed with a 5 day work week. I was sick for most of the week with a little cold so most nights I was just trying to get rest to feel better. Finally the weekend rolled around. We had some guests over on Friday night to start the night out. We order some Indian delivery food that was quite delicious. Then we all played a couple of card games before heading out to the Espy. The Espy was once a hotel that is now a pretty famous bar around here.
When we got there, there was a live band that was pretty good. At the end of the night we made a stop at the amazing bakery shop again and I had to get another chocolate croissant.



Saturday was the big day! My roommates, my new friend Tracy (that I had made at a school I worked at), Sam and I went to an Australian Football League game. We decided since we live beside St. Kilda and live on St. Kilda rd that St. Kilda would be the perfect team to cheer for. The game was very fun. The Aussie Rules Footy is so different from American football. We are planning on getting good seats at the playoffs here in a couple weeks. After the game we were starving and wanted to eat in a pub. It just seemed fitting. After what seemed like forever we finally made it back towards our area and ate at the Elephant and Wheelbarrel. It ended up being exactly what we needed. It was a cute pub with a fireplace and amazing food. Then we went home to all take a nap. It was 7pm when we passed out. Everyone started waking up to get ready around 10pm. I however did not. I just couldn’t do it, my body was exhausted. I had been sick plus I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before because my stupidness drove me to Skype to a friend till 3:30am and then I got early Saturday before the game to Skype with my niece before she had to go to her dad’s for the weekend. So my Saturday night was spent catching up on my much needed sleep.


Thank goodness I did that too because the next day I woke up feeling like a million dollars. Caitlin and I had talked to a guy the day before on the tram that had said that if we wanted a good margarita we had to head down to our old stomping grounds (were we stayed in the hostel) and go to Ackland Street. So we did.


We couldn’t believe it but we actually found the most appetizing Mexican food!!! We split these delicious fajitas and of course we had to try one of the margaritas so we got a pink grapefruit one. After filling up our bellies we walked around shopping and then made our way to the beach at sunset. I took some beautiful pictures. Then we got to see the PENGUINS!!! They come out on the rocks on the beach just after sunset when people start to leave. It was a really neat experience. When walking back toward Ackland Street, Caitlin and I stumbled upon another great find….an indoor pool and spa. We walked in and found out that anyone could come in and pay a onetime fee to swim/ chill in the hot tub for the day. This is now our plan for Sunday next week! The rest of Sunday was nice. We went and got groceries and headed home. After watching Beauty and the Beast (Dean excluded himself from this) we crashed out.




So far this week has been once again full with work with a dose of working out and cooking at home! What can I say it is freezing outside at the moment and we need to keep our butts warm indoors. Watch out spring months, once you’re here there is no stopping us!

Fitting in!

So I have now been in Melbourne for over a month and pretty much a regular here hee hee not quite but I can pretend can't I? Work is set and I have worked a lot. Most days are great but none the less I would way rather be off exploring than working. Not that I mind being in the classroom but still....I'm in Australia.

Monday us girls had off because we mainly work in the public sector of the schools. Poor Dean had to work because he has been at a Private boys school everyday since he started working here. We all went to a cafe, used the internet and chatted away. Then we were off to chapel street for some shopping. I got a great dress and had a blast. The next couple of days were just normal workdays with coming home, eating and sleeping. However Thursday we decided we would live on the wild side and actually go out during the week, after all we are here to have fun first and foremost. We went to ladies night and had a blast. Friday at work was a little tough since we had stayed out a bit too late. So come Friday night we split up. Amy and I were in charge of ordering the delivery food and going to get junk food while Caitlin and Dean went to get the stuff to finally hook up our internet. We all met back and had a lovely night in, eating our chineese food and watching a movie. It was classic all of us snuggling together on the pull out couch in the living room watching Fun with Dick and Jane.

Saturday we were a little bit more livelier. Since we got paid on Friday it was time to truly shop hardcore. So off we were back on Chapel street. Dean, Caitlin and I hit the shops with a vengeance and found some awesome deals. Dean went with his must have items ie wieghts and a laundry basket where as Caitlin and I were after more important things like going out clothes. We did well and we even featured some of our new items when we went out on Fitzroy street that night. On the way home I had the best chocolate croissant of my life!!!! It was amazing and the bakery is open 24/7, it doesn't get better than that.

Sunday I was sick with a cold so I stayed in bed till 3pm which I never do. I wasn't sleeping however the whole time. We had finally set up the internet and all of us had to try it out on our own laptops in our own domains. We were literally skype chatting with each other even though we were just in our own rooms across the hall from each other. It was that kind of Sunday. We did get a lot accomplished though! We tagged and put up very important pictures on facebook as well as started planning our trip to Queensland!

Come Monday Dean had way too much time on his hands during work and practically planned out our next six months from the list of things we had all said we wanted to do which is amazing!!!! Now I am psyched that we have things rolling because I was getting very antsy. I have been wanting to start venturing outside of Melbourne. That night Caitlin and I joined Sam and her hostel mates to a comedy show downtown. It was hilarious and we had a great time. Loving life right now on a new side of the world.

Weekend in Melbourne

Come Friday, after working all week, all of us were ready for a few drinks. We all bought some bubbly to start the night off with. After taking turns jumping in the shower, which takes awhile when there are 4 people and 1 bathroom, we were finally ready to meet the ANZUK agency at their drink night. By time we got there and asked were the group was I guess they were all scattered about because through the whole night none of us met anyone from the agency. I suppose that’s what happens when the drink night is from 6-11 and you arrive at 10:30. We still managed to have fun and then unfortunately but apparently the whole world does hee hee…we went to McDonalds for a late night snack before returning home.

Saturday was nice! The weather was good and I was able to have a very wonderful day full with lots of things. I first went to my favorite coffee shop down the road. Caitlin and I shared some wedges with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce that was to die for. We had the funny memory of the night before meeting a group of people and sitting down with them. They offered for us to eat some of their wedges and we were laughing about how I bet they didn’t realize that we would chow down on them! While at the coffee shop I talked to my mom on her mobile (they call cell phones mobiles here with the best accent) to find out that tornados had hit down right beside their house and that all of her electricity was out. Luckily there was no damage to her house or street but down the road wasn’t as lucky. Then I skyped with my daddy who was in Phoenix for the week. I played a little more on the computer and ended up spending hours in this coffee shop. At some point the whole gang was down using their computers as well. We were looking up prices for flights, getting more credit on skype, facebooking, blogging and much more. We all agree it will be nice when we finally get wireless at the house and won’t have to run down to a café to internet. Finally Caitlin and I were the last to leave and decided that we worked up a nice appetite and nothing will satisfy like curry.

So we were off to find us some curry. We went down the road and didn’t find anything so we trammed it St. Kilda beach, our old stomping grounds when we were living out of hostel. After going up and down both main streets we finally found a place that had curry as one of their specials for the day. We sat down to enjoy the most amazing meal. Of course we had to get a chai latte after for a little dessert. At this point I got an unexpected call from a not so old friend and him and I talked for quite a bit internationally. I got a little bit more ease about the Titus situation after talking to him but still no real solution. I tried that day and have continued to try to not let it stress me out and just find a good place for Titus until I return. After that it was time for Caitlin and I to get some very important things for the night…champagne (I told you it has become a staple at our house.) We went back to the house to get ready for our Saturday night adventure.
So when we got home we had the best surprise. Our flatmate, Dean, had made us steak, salad, and cheesy bread. You gotta love Italians who know how to cook. When he came over from Canada one of the items he just couldn’t part with was his steak spices. I am so glad now. It was so delicious! If you are thinking is her biggest joys of the day eating then you are correct. After our nice dinner we all got ready for the night.

After what seemed like forever because there were four of us girls all trying our best to get our hair done and gorgeous outfits put together all at once, we all sat down with Dean to play some cards. Poor Dean had been ready for quite awhile. After our very entertaining card game it was time to hit the town and that we did. My new friend Stevo had made arrangements at his bar our names to be on the list to get in. We went to the Poison Apple and he met us out front. It was a really cool club with good music and a couple of dance floors. We all had a blast dancing throughout the night. When it got to be 2am we were all exhausted although the club was still packed and pumping we decided it was time to go. As we were leaving we got the bad news that the trams were no longer running.
Considering the trams are our main source of transportation directly to our house we weren’t too happy but we thought we could get a taxi. If you think it is easy to get a taxi in the middle of the night in downtown Melbourne, think again. We literally tried for hours to get one to stop. There are tons of these yellow cars driving by and when one finally stops everyone rushes to it. Sometimes it will take the person who just jumps in or sometimes they will just drive away without taking anyone. There seems to be no method to their madness but it leaves many people wandering the streets not knowing how they will get home and we were some those exact people. Stressed out and tired, we stopped and ate McDonalds once again before giving it another try. No one seemed to know why it was so hard to get a taxi but the streets we lined with people trying to get one and every two seconds you saw one pass. We kept walking closer to our house while still trying to get a cab to stop. At this point Caitlin and I who happened to both be wearing very high heels could barely walk anymore. We thought about just staying a hostel that we had just passed for the night because it didn’t seem like we had a way home at this point. The rest of the crew decided they were going to take another break for a moment but I couldn’t stand just sitting and doing nothing. So I saw a bus that stopped and I hobbled to it and asked if it was going to St. Kilda rd but it wasn’t. Thankfully one the workers overheard me and told me that the bus across the street did. I called Dean to gather everyone and meet me at the bus. As we got on we asked if it did indeed take us to were we needed to go and IT DID!!! It went around a way I had never went before but then ended up on our street. The bus kept going though passing our place but then finally came to a stop about a 5 minute walk from home. We were almost there. Once we got home we found out that the keys that Dean had just got made for the house didn’t work on the front door. My jaw dropped and couldn’t saw a word while some others nervously laughed. But a few minutes later Dean called on the intercom from inside the house and we were let in. His keys end up working on the backdoor and the night was finally to an end. I laid down and passed out. Time 4:30AM
The next day I slept in as much as I could which ended up only being till about 10:30. I got up and got dressed to go downtown to sightsee a bit and find a few items that had been on my list. I ventured out on my own for the day and had a very lovely day. Even though my feet were literally swollen from the night before I walked around the big beautiful city. I stopped and skyped with my mum (this is how Australians’ say and write mom) for a bit. I then found some great stores. I got flat black boots so that I can look stylish but without the pain. I also got a microphone for my labtop since apparently it didn’t come with one even though it has a webcam. I stumbled upon this amazing 5 story mall called the Melbourne Central. It was designed in such a unique way. The mall had a movie theatre and a bowling alley in it. I decided that I will have to come back with the roomies there because I have not made it to the cinema yet since I have been to Australia. I shopped around for a bit then found me a little café outside of it to eat. After dinner I saw it was time for me to try out this church that I had looked up. It was called Cross Culture Church. It was a nice sermon and I met a very nice girl named Sophie. She had just moved here from Brisbane Australia about a month ago. We decided we would go to the newcomers dinner together next week. The church had great praise and worship however the sermon did last quite a long time. The service ended up being about 2 hours long. I had now been gone all day and it was time to return home to relax a bit. The trams were still running and I got home without any problems. At home I nestled into the couch and watched a couple movies that were on tv with the flatmates. Not a bad weekend here in Melbourne if I do say so myself and fortunately I also have Monday off because it is a holiday for the students.

Week 3 in Aussieland/Terrible News

So this week was a lot of work…literally I worked 5 days this week. It was wonderful though. I worked at three different schools. But before all the work happened we had our first of many family meal nights! Sunday we Dean, Caitlin and I had Family Taco Night. It was so cute and fun cooking all together then coming together at the dinner table to eat. I think I can get use to this.
My first work assignment for the week was in a grade 2 classroom and loved it. There was also a very nice student teacher in there named Stevo. He took me out to lunch because you can leave campus for lunch here apparently. Of course normally that wouldn’t help me any because I do not have a car. Stevo took me to this little café down the road. It was the first time I was in the passenger seat when someone was driving on the wrong side of the road. It was so weird and I kept trying to get in on the wrong side hee hee. The café had the best sandwich I have ever had and he picked up the tab which was really nice. I love being a girl sometimes! He also works at a bar that my roommate and I are going to check out on Saturday.
Tuesday and Wednesday I worked at a specialized school for mentally challenged students. I was the PE teacher there for both days. It was wonderful and the students for the most part were really sweet. They liked me so much there that they requested me personally to come back on Thursday. It is always nice to feel wanted. I worked in just one classroom all day. The kids were great and I really enjoyed it though one child had a melt down in the room next to mine and destroyed the room so the second half of the day I two classes in my room. We just extended recess a bit and then worked on the smartboard and it was fine.

On Tuesday, Amy finally arrived. The last piece to our puzzle. She is really sweet. We all went out for sushi as the whole family and popped champagne. This is definitely a regular occurrence for us now because there is this really good champagne that is really cheap. Amy had met a girl named Sam on the plane and Sam came along too. Sam is from the UK and is really cool. Sam, not knowing anyone in Australia, has become a regular visitor to our house and now is part of our little clan! She has just traveled to Thailand and then came over to spend some time here in Australia. She has convinced us that Thailand is to be our first place to visit while in this area. So here in 5 weeks we will be traveling there. In 5 weeks the schools take a “holiday” here. Each break or vacation you take is called holidays here. I love it! So we can’t work for 2 weeks so we might as well go explore somewhere new. Plus it will be hot there and it will be nice to get out of the winter weather for a bit.
Thursday I got terrible news. My dog sitter sent me an email suggesting that Titus is not adjusting well. He said that with Titus being use to a living with only himself or a few other dogs that he is not liking having anywhere from 10 to 15 other dogs around all the time. Because of this Titus has gotten agitated towards the small dogs there. He basically said he doesn’t want him there anymore which kills me in everyway. Titus is my baby and hearing he isn’t happy makes me miserable. I now have to find a place for my wonderful, amazing dog for a least a year when I am on the other side of the world. Needless to say I am very stressed about this and don’t know what to do. I keep praying for a solution and hopefully I will find a great one soon that allows my baby to be safe and happy while I am away. I have more to write about but it doesn’t seem right to flip from my sad news of Titus being depressed to my partying. So there will be a more peppy blog soon I promise but until then please pray for this situation and/or feel free to jot me some advice.