As I sit here in the airport musing about my Melbourne experience, the airline announces that my flight has been delayed yet again. Melbourne must be having as much trouble letting me go as I am her…perfect time to write another update.

When I look back on it I am truly blown away by everything that has happened here. It’s like the universe just smiled upon me and gave me the most incredible working experience I could have hoped for…an office in the heart of CBD (what they call downtown – “Central Business District”) with an incredible view of the of the city and the ocean, the most amazing/fun/generous people as coworkers, and exposure to the Aussie way of life as a direct participant, rather than an outside traveler. Three weeks ago I was saying sad goodbyes to everyone at BDO as my temporary assignment was up….only to receive a call from them the following Monday inviting me back for another assignment. I worked with the Wealth Management team and thank my lucky stars for it as I met the most amazing friends – Mizz Sharon Esquamel and her husband “Smaq”. There was an adventure to the first Australian Costco (sadly the American obsession with instant gratification in the form of ‘how much can I accumulate and consume’ are now packaged and marketed here in the land down under) and a Sing Star competition that lasted well into the wee hours of the morning…Jeffrey and Chris, it reminded me of the old late night Rock Band wars at the House of Bruce! I have been blown away by their generosity, especially Kerry who has truly looked after me like a mum, and opened her home to me. I’m going to miss coming home and watching TV with her and a glass of wine so much!

Joey and I had a blast during his visit - my favorite was the night we stumbled into a bar that had a band playing called Soul Tribe. We were the first ones there, and the last ones to leave – this band rocked the joint with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, George Clinton, John Lee Hooker, even some of their own stuff…I made sure everyone was dancing. The band was aptly named! Joey and I also ventured to a Guns N Roses tribute concert on the 4th of July – I mean, what better way to celebrate our great nation’s birthday? I’m posting a video of a fan who valiantly attempted but bitterly failed a stage dive – towards the end of November Rain. Do yourself a favor and watch it; hysterical. We did few touristry things; but my favorite find was the State Library of Victoria. Absolutely gorgeous, and it was literally something straight out of Harry Potter – they have their “special” books in book cases on the walls all the way to the ceiling; only attendants know where the door, key, and staircase was to each one. I could have lived very happily in that room.

After Joey left and I was preparing to leave Melbourne, I turned up the tourism a few notches. I saw the Tim Burton exhibition – absolutely amazing – that guy has one of the most brilliant creative minds I’ve ever been exposed to. It included some of his drawings and writings from highs chool, as well as some costumes from his movies…the scissor hands, the sculptures from Beetlejuice (one of my favorite childhood movies!), etc.

I went to an Australian Rules Footy game between #1 Collingwood and #3 St. Kilda. It was a brilliant match but in the end my St. Kilda team did not win. Their games are very different…firstly they don’t wear pads/helmets, it’s very “full on”, as they say. The field is enormous – bigger that a regulation soccer field. They kick and punch the ball to each other down the field – it’s like a combination of soccer and our football – and it is a constant scramble, rarely is the game stopped. I bought a ticket for $20 and went to the general admission area, where you could sit anywhere you found a seat…it was a packed house. They don’t divide everyone into home and visitor sections; instead fans from both sides are interspersed all throughout the stadium. No cheerleaders. Very different. In fact, their universities don’t even have footy teams – if you want to be a football player, you join your local neighborhood club and play as a kid…through the years they keep their eye on you, and if you try out and make the team, well then you’re in. Doesn’t seem to be nearly as regulated or money hungry as ours…and each team is from a suburb, not a city – for example Melbourne itself had something like 15 teams; St. Kilda, Collingwood, Carlton…very different. But very fun.


I took a day tour drive along the Great Ocean Road; so many gorgeous landmarks out there. The land itself was something that I would have imagined in Ireland – lush, green rolling hills with sheep grazing in paddocks. Nothing like the barren desert we see in pictures! But apparently Victoria has had more rain this year than the last 15; I would like to thank the clouds for making it so gorgeous. We saw Bell’s Beach (remember that from Point Break? Ah, Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze...) the 12 Apostles (rock formations rising out of the ocean) a rain forest and even a whale.

Also hit up the Queen Victoria Markets – I would describe it as an acre of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, wine, etc – and the Rememberance Shrine, a tribute to all of the Australians who have fallen in war. That was the most meaningful to me; with two grandfathers who have served, I stood in awe and respect reading about Australia’s war history. Such a waste of precious lives – I hope someday we will learn to live defining ourselves by our commonalities rather than our differences. And then killing each other over them.

There is just too much to relay! I am now in Brisbane – it’s taken a few days to write this update – and MAN! I love it! Spent the first few nights here Couch Surfing. A friend recommended it in Austin, and I absolutely love this organization. Their slogan is “changing the world, one couch at a time.” It’s a way for travelers to see a city or area through a native’s eyes, and meet and connect with people from all over the world. I’ve stayed at two different houses – complete opposite ends of the social spectrum – and made some amazing friends out of it. Yes, you of course need to be careful and use your best judgment – but they have security checks, etc. It’s a great way to connect people and expand horizons. I’ve met up with Joey again here in Brizzy, and as usual it has been great…just been seeing the sights and hanging out with friends – as luck would have it, Jonny Napoli is in Brisbane this weekend too! As this guy was my tour driver six long years ago through Europe, I have officially seen him in more places on this earth than anyone else – 13 different countries, and now three different cities in Oz – Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. He has one of the biggest and best hearts on the planet – I am so very thankful for our friendship. Don’t let that big scary tattoo fool you.

My Brizzy excursion is coming to a close; Joey has already headed north to Cairns (pronounced Caaaaaaaaaans) and I was planning on going with him…but….(drum role please) I have landed the best gig EVER!!! I am leaving on Tuesday to go to Windorah, QLD. (http://tiny.cc/2trb4) I will be behind the bar at this hotel pub: http://www.westernstarhotel.com.au/ . It is a six week assignment, and seeing as I have to take a 24 hour train to get there and then have someone give me a ride for the final six hours to Windorah, I think it’s safe to say I am truly heading to the Outback, at long last. There is a tiny mention of Windorah in my Lonely Planet Australia book: “Windorah. Either really wet or really dry.” The end. I AM SO EXCITED! This is exactly one of the experiences I was looking for. If you don’t hear from me for six weeks – it’s because I’m meditating in isolation on the red dirt of the Australian Outback. Or maybe it’s because I’m getting crazy with the locals. Either way, sounds good to me. :)

I am thoroughly impressed if you have made it this far! Not sure if I’ll have internet access in the Outback but I’ll try to find some. After that I plan on working on a horse farm, we’ll see how we go. I hold all of you in my heart everyday and am so thankful for the amazing friends and family I have supporting this journey. Couldn’t do it without yous.

In closing, some more Aussie isms that I have recently learned:

1. Crook – not well, a little off. “Mate are you coming down with a cold? You sound a bit crook.”
2. “Up and down like a fart in a bottle” – similar to our “running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off”
3. Poet’s Day – Friday; as in “Piss off early bc tomorrow’s Saturday”
4. Fig Jam (Maturity rating R so mothers hide your children’s eyes) Fuck I’m Good Just Ask Me. Heard “Fig Jam” a lot around the office.

That’s all for now folks. Lots of love to everyone. See you on the other side.
TA. :)

MELBOURNE! What glory! What culture, what attitude!

I think I have found my Australian home away from home. I swear, the minute I stepped off the plane I could feel it. I didn’t think it, smell it, analyze it or envision it – I could feel it. Melbourne is frequently referred to as the “cultural” city in Australia – I would have to agree. There is so much more live music pouring out of smoky doorways and clubhouses here than in Sydney. Quite honestly I was shocked at what a small live music scene Sydney had. The attitude of the people here in Melbourne is also different, very “cosmopolitan” – yet with a hippie-esque relaxed attitude. The best way to relate it would be as follows: Sydney is to Dallas as Melbourne is to Austin. And there you have it. No offense to Dallas or my beloved Dallas peeps, but you all know I’m an Austin girl through and through – now with a dash of Melbourne, so it would seem.

Noticing the drastic drop in bank funds since Sydney, I scrambled for a job the first week I arrived in Melbourne and immediately landed two temporary gigs. I would highly recommend temp agencies for anyone with corporate experience who is travelling – not only does it pay much better than the average café or traveler job, it also offers immediate access to the inner workings of the country’s culture and thinking. For example, my first temp job was a one-day assignment only, for a company called “PPB”. I had no idea who or what PPB was, but when I arrived at their downtown offices and had to go through two security scans to get to their floor, I knew they were “somebody”. That morning on the Today show (which is basically a carbon copy of ours – goofy weather woman, sharp/witty anchorwoman, goofy anchorman, and an Ann Curry look alike news reporter) a story broke about Clive Peters, a huge Aussie hardware store chain similar to Home Depot or LOWES, that had just declared bankruptcy. Citizens all over the country were unable to collect items they had already paid for, and it was unclear as to whether these people would ever see their money again. I “tsk tsk”ed the TV and headed out to catch the train into town. Imagine my surprise when I sit down to my shiny new desk and my manager says “Right. So we are handling the Clive Peters receivership. You’ll be answering consumer calls, here is your script.” For the next 8 hours I spoke to at least 200 Aussies who were either irate, bewildered, saddened, or downright frantic. I had women crying to me that I had no right to take their money. I had builders yelling that they had twenty houses waiting on the twenty refrigerators they had paid for in full and now I wouldn’t let them pick them up from the store – they had paid for them in full and I WAS STEALING FROM THEM!!!. I had husband and wife teams get on two phones to me and read out the Australian laws and how what we were doing was illegal. I had an 80 year old granny ask me how she was going to do her laundry now that she couldn’t pick up her machine from the store and she had no more money to buy another one. Yes folks, yes. The worst: A man on the phone screamed “You obviously have no scruples to be some AMERICAN to take a job like this when you know that company is stealing from Australian citizens!!!” Yes, oh yes. In reality this was all very interesting for me – I didn’t let the mean ones get to me, for after all their anger had nothing to do with me personally – and if I was them, I would have been frustrated too, especially since I could not deviate from my script or give any concrete information. Just remember this for yourselves, people: the next time you call up some hotline to bemoan your troubles or to rage about the injustice you’re being served, you might just be speaking to some foreign backpacker who is as clueless as you are, and though they might truly sympathize and want to help you, there is simply nothing they can do about it. So don’t take it out on them.

My next temporary gig was a five week assignment; I’ve been with them for a while now, it ends next week, and I am going to miss it SO MUCH!!! It’s for an accounting firm, and man gosh almighty are the offices gorgeous. I am a receptionist, and for a company that has two floors in the famous Rialto Towers downtown with 300 people, I am a very busy receptionist. I manage the switchboard, book meeting rooms, greet clients, PA for directors, etc, etc. Guess what – I absolutely LOVE IT. The people I work with are SO MUCH FUN!!! My fellow receptionist is Kerry, a woman who has been here for 9 years and is an absolute gem. I call her my “mama bear”; she has truly taken me under her wing and stays on top of me about finding other jobs, buying warm clothes, getting good food to eat, etc. She practically forces her own coat and scarf on me every time I go outside because she thinks I’m going to catch a cold. This is truly comical to me; you should see the Aussies get all bundled up like Eskimos to go outside, complete with their UGG boots, two scarves, hats, gloves, and trenchcoats…when it is only 18 Celsius, which is about 64 Fahrenheit. I hear it gets really cold here; I’m still waiting for it. The other great thing about this job is my “office”. :) Our half of the floor is a giant room that can be turned into three separate entertaining areas – and the walls are all floor to ceiling windows. We have a 180 degree view of downtown Melbourne and Australia beyond on one side, and the ocean on the other. The sunsets and sunrises from this view are absolutely stunning. On that note, the sunrises/sunsets/just skies in general here are the most majestic I have ever seen, anywhere, period. I’m sure it has to do with Australia’s location on the planet and their lack of smog compared to places I’ve been, but I’m telling you – even in the middle of the day, at 2:00 pm, I have to stop and marvel at the crystal clear blue skies with floating blankets of pink and golden clouds. It’s just unbelievable. I’m afraid half of my pictures are of skies or trees, HA! Back to my job – to give you an idea of how fun this company is, or I’m guessing of the Aussie corporate culture in general, they had a “Sex in the City” night for us ladies. They served cosmos and champagne in our reception area at 5:30, with the first movie playing on a huge screen in the background, muted. At one point I turned to the movie and saw that we were right in the middle of one of Samantha’s R-rated scenes…looking around, no one noticed or cared. Hmm…I thought, this would certainly violate some sort of HR code in the states. Then we all headed out to the Golden Pass Theater and watch SATC 2. So much fun. They’re doing the same thing for Eclipse. Every Friday at around 3:30 or 4:00 is “Friday afternoon drinks” meaning just that – everyone has a beer or opens a bottle of wine at their desk. At the end of the month is “end of month” drinks which, luckily for me, was the first week I started. I joined everyone in the training room (which is more like a giant hotel ballroom) for kegs, tubs of champagne, wine, food, and a Wii competition. Next week is their end of year party, and we’ll all be on a party barge for 4 hours – pirate costume required. Did I mention that the reason for my 5 week assignment here is due to the other receptionist taking her 5 week holiday in Europe, “as you do”? Folks, welcome to the Aussie corporate culture.

Can you see now why I am having an ideological war within myself? I came to Australia to do something completely different – work in pubs, on farms, write, play music. And yet I find myself enjoying the corporate world so much more over here. I will still be working on farms – that is not up for debate. But for now, the corporate world is growing on me for cultural and financial reasons. :)

Let’s see…in other news, I have rented a room in Newport, a 14 minute train ride from downtown. I absolutely LOVE MY HOUSE. It’s an old art gallery converted to a home, so there is fabulous artwork everywhere and just a general funkiness to the place that really resonates with me. Wood floors, a fully stocked kitchen, and my own big beautiful furnished bedroom with cute curtains and a big desk. Every morning I walk to the train station for my commute into town, and I pass a mural painting with “TRUST” emblazoned into its center. This is the best thing to see and be reminded of every morning. I really enjoy joining the thousands that migrate into the city for work – it is so much fun to experience that! Everyone walks to the same heart beat, it’s just crazy, a feeling that I can’t put into words. No one really speaks on the train because you are all so smashed together, you know all up in your neighbor’s personal space, but nothing you can do about it – so everyone kind of takes a vow of silence. Then as you exit the train it’s like you’re all a part of the same organism and you have to work together to all fit on the escalators, then through the gates, and then over the crosswalks. What a thing to be a part of. I’m reading Jack Kerouac’s On the Road right now, and good lord there are so many parallels that I catch myself throwing the book down wanting to accuse him of stealing my thoughts. But then I remember that this book was written well over 50 years ago…which just goes to reinforce the one thought that all of my travels lead me back to: no matter where you go, we’re all the same. All of our differences are just illusions – this ain’t no fancy idealistic new age thing folks – it’s just truth.

Other random tidbits…the FIFA World Cup has been a lot of fun here, I watched the opening USA/ENG game with my cool British neighbors. While I was just happy to be happy watching it, yelling “yippee!” or “yay!” occasionally when I thought USA were doing well, these guys sat with furrowed brow and cussed at the television nonstop. Very serious matter to the rest of the world, this FIFA World Cup is. I also had many men stopping by my desk at work to ask who I was rooting for in the NBA Finals, and several say “GO SPURS!” as they passed! I had no idea that they followed basketball so closely – I had quite a surprise when I went to a small food court for lunch that day, which is usually deserted…but found it PACKED with guys watching the game. With every score they would all scream in unison, it was deafening. Melbourne is known as the sports capital of Australia, and I will be going to my first footy game here soon.

Some more terms from the Aussie dictionary:

1. Sook: cry baby. “Don’t be such a sook!!”
2. Bingle: car crash. “Nah look, he had a bingle but he’s fine.”
3. Cracked it: to go off on someone. Shit hits the fan. “She saw him kissing that other girl and she cracked it.” I love this phrase.
4. Tickets: I really have no idea. Sam at work is trying to explain this one to me. Something about if someone thinks they're “all that”, acting as if they would sell tickets for themselves, then you say “tickets…” really sarcastically. I think. Something like that.
5. MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. TA: thank you. Pronounced “tah”. Everyone kept saying this to me when I would transfer a call to them, and people would reply “TA” to my emails…I thought it was some weird code for something they wanted me to do, but apparently it just means thank you! It’s the cutest thing and so common. When I expressed my delight to Kerry, she said “But don’t you say that? You know when you’re a baby and your mum teaches you to say thank you you say “Taaaaaaa!” Um, nope. But I will now. Love it.

And there we are for now! Please keep your fingers crossed and say prayers that I find another job…today. :) I love Melbourne so much, and could really see myself staying here for quite a while. You know what that means – TIME FOR YOU TO COME AND VISIT! That’s right, YOU! :) Joey Sommerfield arrives here in Melbourne on Thursday June 24th, and words cannot express my sheer delight and giddiness. Things like Skype, email, and Facebook really make you all seem much closer than you are…and because of this I have not been overcome with homesickness or sadness at not seeing my friends or family in person for the past 6 months. However, there is something to be said for being around the people who have known you your whole life, who help make up the fabric of you, who help hold you up with an invisible wall of support. I don’t know what it’s going to feel like to be physically close to someone like that again. Joey, when I see you I’m either going to tackle you in a bear hug, cry like a sook, faint, or float off into la la land. Hope you’re ready.

Much love, hope all is well, and that the Texas heat is treating you with respect if not mercy –

Nancy

Well here we are, the Sydney Chapter of Australia is for me, coming to a close.

And I have to say I’m quite ready for it.

Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely adore this seaside, always-something-to-celebrate cultural melting pot of a city, but I stayed here much longer than I originally intended, and I am very ready to see the rest of Australia. Tomorrow morning I embark on a Tiger Airways flight to Melbourne, to at last settle in with Lisa for a bit and experience the “artsy fartsy” city of the land down under. (Note: When in Australia, Tiger Airways is the way to fly – for example this flight cost me tax only at $48. However, you pay for what you get – meaning that these flights load and unload on the runway, not the terminal, and the baggage claim in Melbourne is a portable “cage” outside, disconnected from the rest of the airport. You feel like you’re stepping off into a jail cell waiting to be bailed out by your ride…or a taxi.)

This past weekend was quite an exciting one for Sydney; Jessica Watson, the 16 year old from Queensland, returned after 7.5 months at sea. She has now become the youngest person on Earth to sail around the world without stopping. Thousands upon thousands gathered near the Sydney Opera House to welcome her home, and the harbor was packed with boats that formed a fleet behind her as she passed. One forgets (at least I do) that though Australia is a continent about as big as Canada, their population is a mere 22 million (as compared to Texas with 25 million, if Google Public Data is accurate). Thus there is an extremely communal feel to living here; even though it is it’s own country, it feels more like a smallish state, where everyone knows and relates to everyone, and though there might be disputes over whatever political debate is popular at the moment (right now it is Public Transport, but I swear for all of their bad publicity the Sydney and Melbourne trains run fabulously) there is a general sense of unity and most of all – pride. This was in full force as Jessica sailed into the harbor. Her father and brother supported her on either side as she stepped off the boat, for 7 months on sea can leave one feeling a bit wobbly, I’m sure. It was amazing to see the people swell and cheer for Jessica as she passed them. It brought tears to my eyes; you could feel the love and the respect.

So later that day, basking in the glow of this Aussie pride, I headed to the markets to get Helen some food. Australia has some grocery stores like we do, though nothing compared to an HEB or Albertson’s. Their two main grocery chains are Woolworth’s and Coles. I went to the biggest Woolworth’s in Cremorne, an area that Helen’s daughter lives in – also an area renowned for having the biggest and best Woolworth’s in the city, boasting that people drive for hours to experience it’s goods. It was no where near Central Market or Whole Foods; I wonder if we all realize how blessed we are, how many options we have at our finger tips. I also find that though these grocery stores have fruits, veggies, meats, etc, people tend to go to the “butcher” for meat, “fish shop” for seafood, “market” for fruits and veggies…so on this day I was heading to the butcher to get Helen her small rump filet. The nice Asian butcher sliced it in half for me – he recognizes me by now – and I turned to make my way towards Coles. Once inside I realized that the butcher must have been in a hurry, because there was a smallish piece of raw chicken on the package. Now I’m a bit embarrassed by my knee jerk reaction, but as it kind of grossed me out, without thinking I quickly flicked it with my fingers, thinking it would…you know, diappear into outer space and cease to exist, like everything does when you flick it out of eyesight. Instead it landed smack in the middle of an older man’s back as he innocently surveyed watermelons. I frantically looked around, I could seriously feel my cheeks turning bright red…no one had seen….so I inched my way towards him and quietly extended my arm towards his back to deftly pick it off. Just as my fingers were about to make contact, something sharp and pointed jabbed me sharply where the sun don’t shine – sorry to be graphic folks – but truly that doesn’t even do it justice. Imagine quietly concentrating in your own world, and then BAM! Something sharp sticks you were you know it shouldn’t. So, as any normal person would, I yelped and jumped forward, slightly smacking the old man in the back. He turned to look at me, I turned to search for the culprit, which turned out to be an old lady carrying a box who had tripped and fallen right into me – or I should say, the corner of the box did. The three of us looked at each other, and hurried away. I think we all wanted to forget about it.

Another adventure I had recently was as I was walking to the car after an outing, I stumbled upon an old abandoned graveyard. Literally, it looked just like The Secret Garden – except a cemetery. :) No one had mowed or trimmed the place in what looked like years, and the entrance was completely obscure – the only reason I found it was because, well hey, when I see a foresty path leading into darkness with no fresh footprints – I’m there! It was truly incredible. HUGE. The overgrowth was gorgeous, but to look at the graves was so interesting, they were some of the original emigrants from England. I finally found an old sign from the 70s talking about the cemetery being one of the first in Australia, and declaring that renovations would start soon. Looks like that never happened. Walking around that piece of history, seeing names of people with “born in Sussex, England, 1805) was so intriguing. One grave was for a little boy named Jack who died at age 5, bearing the inscription “Daddy’s best mate”. Again, some tears. I even found some ancestors, I believe, some “Liggins” from England. Mom, Dad, I took pictures of the tombstone and will be sending them to you. I can’t explain, this was a very special day for me. I was excited to talk to Helen about it when I returned.

"Helen, what year was Australia founded?"
"1977."
“Are you sure? You mean 1777?"
"Yes...1717. I'm not good with Geography."

Man I’m going to miss this woman. I believe in fact that Australia was founded in 1788 (thank you again, Google).

There is so much to write about that if I narrated it all in this fashion, we could be here for a while. So, I’ve made a list…see below for facts learned, experiences had, thoughts pondered, and things to make you go “huh?”…

1. Russell Crowe is not Australian. He is a Kiwi. The Aussie’s dirtiest little secret.

2. Women here are HUGE on “tradies”…as in tradesmen: plumbers, electricians, builders…there was a story on the National News concerning the topic, and there are many advertising campaigns celebrating this man’s man image of the ultimate Aussie.

3. Which leads me to nicknames. Being the natural, fun loving, don’t waste time with boring stuff if ever possible creatures that they are, it follows that most words in the English language are shortened for ease of use and jolliness of character: Breakfast=breaky, present=prezzy, “swimming costume”=cossies, or bathers, television=telly, sunglasses=sunnies, bathroom=dunny (I’m stuck on that one). There are countless others but after all this isn’t a translation dictionary.

4. Watch out fashion police, the times they are a’changin – it is now not only acceptable but fashionable to wear brown and black. Specifically black leggings and brown boots. It’s everywhere folks. I have broken down and purchased some black leggings but I refuse to wear brown on my black. So far. Something else that I’m fighting: MC Hammer pants. Yep, they are all the rage here too. As are black leggings under denim cut off shorts, and fedoras worn with cut up t-shirts hanging off the shoulder…it’s like I’ve stepped into an Uncle Buck scene. Let’s hope my life-sized pancakes are gluten free.

5. Trucks here are rare. I’ve seen a few that look like trucks, but the beds are all metal – and they call them “trays”. For example, one doesn’t have a truck, they have a “car with a tray”. I mentioned to someone about a pickup truck and they said “oh yeah that’s a Texas thing, right?” Maybe this will be different in the Outback.

6. Talk about fresh – the good thing from buying your veggies and fruits at the market is that you know it has come straight from the farmer’s truck into your hands. Proof of this is that every single time I rinse our veggies, I find real live farm critters: a spider, moth, worm, lady bug, and some other unidentified beetle type so far.

7. They use sunflower oil to cook much more than olive oil. Sunflower oil is produced en masse here.

8. When I first arrived, the major debates on the news were regarding Health Care and the Prime Minister’s lack of a solid plan (sound familiar?) For reasons we will leave undisclosed, I recently had a trip to the Emergency Room. Super clean, five minute wait, in and out in 30 minutes – again, sometimes it seems popular for them to be engaged in some sort of political disagreement just to keep busy – because that ER experience far outshined any I’ve had in the states.

So, onward I go. Absolutely cannot wait to see Lisa, to see more of the arts and music of Australia, and just to experience something new. That being said, I wouldn’t trade my time here in Sydney for anything. I have met some of the most amazing people, and truly gained an appreciation and respect for this great city. More photos coming to Facebook shortly.

I will be writing much more in Melbourne – again, the internet situation here has been touch and go. I miss all you wonderful people! Please, as you are moving into that glorious Texas Summer, remember me here in Melbourne where it is starting to get very, very cold…take a dip in the Springs and enjoy a Daily Juice for me!!!

Love love –

Nancy

Great Aussie Adventure Part 3

WOW. There is so much to convey I literally don’t know where to start. I’m just going to write it all…if you make it the whole way through, good on’ya! Warning: this update will be largely dedicated to The Dead Weather. But first…

I have been living with Helen, one of the coolest 80 year old ladies I ever did meet, here in Chatswood – a very nice and family oriented suburb of Sydney. The city is a quick 10 minute train ride away, and I have to be honest – I’M LOVING IT. After all the hoopla and running from friends’ places to hostels and back and forth and packing and unpacking and sharing bathrooms and being woken up at all hours of the night when drunken travelers are returning from 24 hour bars…living with Helen is like a true vacation. I have my own gorgeous bedroom and big, wall-length bay window that opens up to a balcony…and my own bathroom. After being a nomad for five weeks, I cannot begin to describe the luxury I feel like I’m being cradled in. I also thoroughly enjoy being of service to Helen. She just recently came down with asthma, which has really slowed her down…it frustrates her, as she likes to get out and do things, be active. Sometimes she gets down, so I do my best to always bring her cheer and make her laugh – every now and then she cracks a smile for me, which is payment enough. I really enjoy cooking her dinner, though she is brutally honest – she doesn’t like the way I cook spinach! And my vegan tendencies are very “interesting” to her. When we first met and I told her I was a vegetarian, she said oh yes, I don’t eat much meat either…just steak at night. I giggled.

Another thing I love about living here is that I get to drive her to appointments, to meet friends, to shop. Something happened, the whole driving on the left hand side of the road thing clicked – it’s natural now. I even take the car into town by myself to pick up things for her. I feel like a real citizen of the world again.

I’ve joined the local library and am tearing it up…I’ve rented all kinds of music books and literature, learning about the Aussie music scene and the impact of the digital age here…as well as some Sherlock Holmes. I was reading Rob Roy, but after having to turn to the index after every sentence to translate the old Scottish dialect that Sir Walter Scott created, I’ve moved on.

I continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of Sydney…it took me three days to get through the New South Wales Art Gallery; not only was the art unbelievable, but it was FREE!!!! A backpacker’s dream! Plus they had an absolutely incredible exhibition by NSW high school students. I was blown away. I’m posting pictures on Facebook for you art lovers – but be advised I have about 200+ pictures to upload, so if you make it to the art photos, I’ll be very impressed. I also spent a few days lingering around the Botanical Gardens, and reading and writing there. The gardens are also free, and packed with people in business suits during the lunch hour, either walking back to work after eating or breaking bread together on the grounds. Every day in Sydney during lunch you will find people in business suits playing footie in a park, or cricket, or eating their lunch…they really do get out of the office and enjoy some sunshine and down time. I love it. Also, fair warning with the Botanical Gardens pictures…there are a lot of trees featured. I love trees in general but I have never seen any like they have here in Oz. Absolutely incredible, like something straight out of Avatar.

Speaking of Avatar, or mass marketed 3-D animation, I saw Alice in Wonderland at the Darling Harbor IMAX, which claims to be the “largest IMAX screen in the world”. I loved the movie, but I’m gonna have to say that the good ole Bob Bullock Theater seems larger to me, from memory. What do we say, everything’s bigger in Texas? Indeed.

All right folks…and now…THE DEAD WEATHER. Most of you are aware that Jack White has been a sort of musical guru for me since I was 18 (as he is with thousands of music aficionados out there). He serves as drummer for this band, with Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age) on guitar/keyboard, Jack Lawrence on bass (The Greenhornes) and the vixenalicious Alison Mosshart (The Kills) on vocals. They announced their Australia tour after I booked my flights over here – talk about Universe in alignment! I immediately snatched up tickets to see them in Melbourne and Sydney…

Two weekends ago I flew to Melbourne for the first show. This was exciting for several reasons…1.) It was my first time to see The Dead Weather perform since last fall 2.) I was getting out of Sydney and finally seeing another part of Australia and, the most important reason of all…3.) I WAS REUNITED WITH LISA! Lisa is an amazing friend that I met travelling in Europe – deep breath – six long years ago. We did a European tour together. First day on the bus, she boards, approaches the empty seat next to me, and says “Right. This seat taken?” The rest is history. She’s been to visit me in the states. To finally be able to see her again, and in her own environment, was amazing. We’ve both grown and changed, and yet at the same time we fell right back into our groove with each other. She joined me for the concert – and after never having heard of them, she walked away thoroughly impressed. The weekend passed by too fast but I’ll be back with her soon – she’s been kind enough to open her home to me for when I move to Melbourne. I’ll be staying there for about a month while I’m interviewing for jobs at the local record stores and live music venues…(more to come on Melbourne later when I’m actually living there – but just briefly – IT KICKS ASS)

Back in Sydney the following Friday, the day of The Dead Weather show, they announced another show the following night…thank GOD I checked my email that day, otherwise I wouldn’t have heard about it. I received an email notification from them describing “an intimate showing at the Oxford Art Factory”…intimate show with The Dead Weather? I’m there. I went to their show that night at the Enmore Theater in Newtown which is the area near Sydney University, super young and hip with lots of restaurants and nightlife around. The show rocked; there were a few mishaps with the drums, but not to be thwarted, Jack got up with maracas and just sang the song himself…the crowd was on fire. Watching bands like The Dead Weather perform is always such a thrill because there is such an exchange of energy that happens…the crowd fuels the band, and the band pours that back into the crowd. We end up being there not only as patrons or fans, but as an integral part of the show; our participation helps them dig down and release the sounds or vibrations we help inspire in them…ahhhh I LOVE IT! After the show I noticed some people gathering outside the back of the venue, waiting for the band to come out. There were enough people there that I figured well, if they don’t want to talk to us, they will let us know. Ladies and gents, I met my guru. A roady came out and requested that we not take any pictures and no autographs; the band needed to get home…and then they came. Jack said hi first; there was this young hipster kid with super tight too-low jeans and oober blow dried peroxide blonde hair…when Jack shook his hand the boy croaked out something like “I love you Jack” to which Jack responded “ahh you” and pulled him in for a quick bear hug and then ruffled his hair. It was a sweet moment to watch, and the kid practically started crying. I just said, God bless ya, Jack.…I mean, how do you say “Thank you Jack for being an antenna and following your inspiration and helping me trust that instinct in myself for all of these years, and for the brilliant music you’ve brought us and for all of the cool things you’re doing for music with Third Man Records” ...with sincerity in a few short words? I’m sure he hears that all the time. Perhaps he's tired of hearing it. He replied “Thank you sweetheart” and shook my hand. I would be lying if I said it didn’t make my little girl’s heart swell, though I’m sure he said the same thing to every other lady there. It was a real thrill and honor meeting Dean and Alison too, they were super cool. Very generous with their fans. It was a good night.

Which brings me to their final show, at the Oxford Art Factory. People, I have no words. No words to describe the joy, the gratitude, the amazement I feel at the whole thing. The venue room was about as big as my house on South Oak – TINY!!! There were, maybe (?) 150 people in the whole room. TINY. The stage was so small they couldn’t even have all of their equipment on, and no back drop. I got there early and walked right to the front of the stage, arms resting on the rail – when they came on, I couldn’t believe it. They were practically in my lap. I’m not going to go on and on and gush here, except to say that it was an experience I will carry with me forever, and one of the many reasons that I’m so obsessed with music. The way it feels to be a part of a show like that, you’re actually helping them with the creation, you are a part of the creation itself. I took some amazing videos and photos, all of which will be on Facebook…I’m going to try to upload one video here. It was the best live music experience of my life.

I know a lot of you are going to see them at Stubbs when they come to town in April…if you aren’t, I would (obviously) recommend it. Not only do they ALL have talent oozing out of every pore, but they also create this really fun “world”…I remember Austin M. described it like “they create this dark, sinister world but play with it…its dark and freaky but at the same time safe and playful”. I couldn’t agree more. They are all very much in character during the show; Jack tried hard to never even make eye contact with the audience and Alison…well, you’ll see. :) Of course overriding all of this is their incredible sound, a fabulous mix of hard rock and roll with yearning and poignant blues boiling up to the surface here and there…go see it for yourself, people!!!! April at Stubbs!

So! So. Here we are at the end. I’ve been looking forward to The Dead Weather shows so much ever since I got here, it’s going to be weird to not have them looming anymore. But I have a lot to do, things to accomplish, other music to scope out, puzzles to solve, joy to live out. I’m staying here with Helen for a few more weeks – I’m loving the quiet life I’m afforded here, it’s a good break – and then I’ll be on to Melbourne.

Once again, I’m reminded how lucky I am to have all of you in my life, and how lucky I am for being from the best city in the world – Austin, TX. I have been very homesick lately. It’s a good feeling, it drives me to focus and appreciate what I’m doing here even more, so that when I come home I’ll have that much more to give. Love to you all - I’ll write again as soon as I can. It’s a bit difficult because Helen doesn’t have internet (she’s still confused as to what it even is…when she needs me to call her daughters, she asks me to “email” them on her phone…it’s quite endearing). I’ll send another update as soon as I can.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!

My Great Aussie Adventure, Chapter II

Well, lots has been happening on the great island down under.

First, I had the great honor of completing one of my dreams – seeing ACDC perform in their homeland. Angus Young and Brian Johnson still know how to bring the rock, even if there are 100+years between them. The concert was held at Olympic Stadium, and it was a real treat to see the site of the 2000 Summer Olympics…there was a forest of “poles” around with all the names of the contenders printed on plaques…I found one Conrad Benedict printed on the “B” pole. Perhaps mom and dad can look him up to see where he lies on our (apparently very large, from Jesus to Thomas Jefferson) family tree?  But back to the concert – words could not describe the intensity. It is the absolutely largest venue I have ever been in, larger even than the Houston Texan Stadium which blew my mind when I was there…and it was packed to the ceiling. Not one empty seat that I could see. My friend Lisa described it as “Boganville”…a “Bogan” is what we would call hicks or hillbillies in the states…I must say yes, if I were one to subscribe to stereotypes this would definitely be true, as there were many a open button down flannel shirt being sported over black leggings and (too)short denim cut off jeans. When “She’s Got the Jack” was played…well…there was not a clothed female chest in sight (except for me, of course!) When “TNT” rang through the air and ACDC started with “Oye! Oye!” you can’t imagine the sound of 30,000 + Aussies screaming OYE! OYE! It was like an incredible, wild eyed army of Aussie bogans ready to carry ACDC to the frontline. Truly, it was incredible. I could go on about the giant half naked blow up balloon biker chick that ended up being larger than the stage itself, or how Angus Young stripped to his black undies which had “ACDC” printed on the bum, but I’ll leave that all to your imagination. :)

That weekend brought the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras…Mardi Gras here was started by the Gay & Lesbian Community back in 1978 to protest and commemorate the Stonewall Riots in the United States…and well, it’s been around ever since. It’s not at all the Mardi Gras you would find in New Orleans; there were no beads being thrown out, no clothing being stripped off…more of a celebration of differences and the “each to their own” mindset that everyone lives with down here (and which I absolutely LOVE). That being said, it was still wild…we camped out on Oxford Street for hours watching the parade go by, staring at the crazy costumes and people all around us, eating, drinking, and being merry.

There is so much to talk about! One Sunday my Aussie host Nick and I had planned to venture to his favorite beach, Cronulla. Sadly, that same day we learned that Chile was stuck by an earthquake. What followed was a Tsunami warning, which my friend Neal alerted me to (who actually just emigrated here from London, he almost moved to Austin and has family in Conroe, Texas – SMALL WORLD!). So I get a bit riled up and ask Nick about said Tsunami warning…he flips through the telly channels, finds nothing, and says “Nah, she’d be on the news if it were bad.” I look at him a bit doubtful…”Come on Nance, she’ll be right!” Note: Whenever Aussies say “She’ll be right” it means that nothing, no matter if their dog was howling dying in the street or they just lost their job and the bank seized their house, could disturb their peace or alter their course of action. Thus, with these words we headed to Cronulla Beach.

Once there, it was cloudy, rainy, and just a tad lifeless – no bustling tourists crowding your path, as at all the other Sydney beaches I had been to…which was strange, since this was definitely the nicest one by far. We go down to take a swim, and notice signs posted in the sand: “No swimming; Tsunami Warning.” At this point I’m punching Nick pretty hard in the arm. The last thing I planned to do in Oz was be the dumb tourist who ignored National regulations and threw Tsunami caution to the wind. But then we notice there are some people out dancing in the waves…so we ask the lifeguard if it is safe. “Oh yeah, she’ll be right – no sense in this Tsunami warning, all good.” Thus we got in, enjoyed the big waves, and had the beach almost to ourselves. That night on the National News the main story was about the Tsunami warning, and how so many beach goers had thoughtlessly ignored precautions. We changed the channel.

Nick and I definitely had some adventures together…I acquainted him with my backpacker friends, which offers the regular Sydney dweller a completely different outlook on the city…for example, I took him to a Cliffside party at Bondi Beach. There were people dancing on the cliffs, beating bongo drums everywhere you looked, and spinning fire…take away the beach, and it could have been Austin, TX! I was right at home. The favorite cheap drink amongst backpackers here is “Goon”, or what we call Box ‘o Wine in Texas. A regular six pack of beer will set you back $17, so Goon at $11 becomes very popular…until you drink it. Ugh. The next morning was painful, to say the least…

Nick was also nice enough to give me a driving lesson, of which I’ll spare you details except to say that I don’t ever want to do it again. I felt like a two year old in a toy car. Imagine every instinct you have in a car, and in the same reaction time having to flip the course of action you would normally take into the exact opposite, and then execute. Minor example: every time I attempted to signal the blinker, I turned on the windshield wipers. At any rate Nick was a fabulous and ever gracious instructor (“she’ll be right Nance!”) and I’m thankful for his indulgence…but don’t think I’ll be doing that again soon.

On to the job situation! I at last have employment. I’ll be living with Helen, who is 82 (and a real mover and shaker, just like Marge for those who know her -) and likes for someone to cook her dinner during the week, and accompany her to the grocery store. For this I receive my OWN BEDROOM AND BATHROOM (you can’t imagine what luxurious paradise this is after staying in hostels and at friends’ places for five weeks), free rent, free food, and $100/week. I also got a job down the road from her transcribing things online, and I can set my own hours…so allll good! I start next Monday, and will probably stay in Sydney for about 5 more weeks; just enough to recharge (I’m exhausted after being a tourist for five weeks) and make some money. Then I will be off to Melbourne to see Jonny and Lisa.

Now, if you are still with me (can’t believe I’ve written this much!) here are some fun Aussie anecdotes…

1. They don’t believe in air conditioning. Truly the only place I’ve been with AC is the hostel, and thank goodness for that – even coffee shops or cafes don’t have AC. So if you are walking around all day seeing the sights and think you’ll pop in to a café to “cool off” – forget it.

2. No dishwashers. Everyone does their own dishes. I asked Nick about this, as well as the AC, and he replied “yeah, I guess we are pretty environmentally friendly…” This seems to be the general attitude, which I love.

3. Another part of the equation is that as Americans, I think we are used to having whatever we want whenever we want it. That’s not the case here, though it’s carried out with a self-assured efficiency, not the desire for more…for example, all stores close around 6:00 – even bookstores, card shops, some cafes, etc. It’s almost as if they’re saying, “It’s after work. What else are you going to be doing?! Go get with your family or friends…”

4. They show a British television show here that I absolutely LOVE, called Top Gear – basically some car experts who are also comedians do creative things with cars, then they’ll interview a celebrity and have that celeb race a car on their track, and then they’ll showcase a new Audi or Corvette, etc…do we have that show in the states? The last episode I watched had the gentleman in the deep south of the states, Alabama. They drove through it with things like “country is rubbish” and “gay man love forever”, etc written on their trucks (long story as to how they got there) and almost got beaten up by the locals. They did get stones thrown at them.

5. Which brings me to another point, the Aussie perception of Americans. Very interesting. I have, just like in Europe and everywhere else I’ve travelled, been asked if I drive a tractor to school, or ride my horse to work, once it gets out that I’m from Texas. I’ve learned that just being from Texas basically earns you instant international fame, and everyone quickly inquires whether or not I know who shot JR. (!!!!) Recently on the National News, a Los Angeles school was featured for their safe management of gangs and their “zero tolerance” policy. The Aussie reporter began the story with “It is general belief that every American school has metal detectors built in to every entrance, but as we discovered, this is actually not the case…” Huh? Who told them that?

WHEW!! Okay, this wraps it up. Had to take advantage of the free internet time while I’m here (thank you Tim!). I have to close by saying that I have been experiencing some true homesickness recently…for family, friends, loved ones…and that glorious city in the heart of Texas, Austin. I am so thankful for each and every one of you, and SO thankful for that amazing city we live in! Love you all – talk soon.

xoxo
Nancy

Dear friends and family,

Here we are with Aussie Update #1. If you want to be removed from this list, just let me know – you won’t hurt my feelings, but internet time is scarce and it’s much easier to do updates en masse…so far all you cool people who want to stay tuned...

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WHEW! I have been in Sydney for about one week, though it feels more like 1 year. The flight from LA was actually quite enjoyable. The new V Australia Airlines has brand new planes, and each seat has its own TV with free movies, stations, and TV shows on demand, free games (hello Pacman) and a USB plug for Iphones/Ipods/Computer. The plane was brand new and HUGE, and the staff were your typical wonderful Aussies, always smiling and ready to crack a joke with you.

That being said, I arrived at 6:00 am very tired and very stinky. Sydney is one of the most international cities I’ve ever been to, up there with Paris, meaning that the only Aussies I’ve met are friends of friends. The friends I’ve met at the hostel or elsewhere are all foreigners as well. Walking down the street you’ll here at least 5 different languages, and when I say walking down these streets I really mean steering because they are so crowded that you have to pay very close attention…crosswalks are hilarious, it looks like mass exodus every time. The fashion here is also out of control – it’s amazing. The inner city Aussie workers sport really stylish business clothes, most of the women wearing fancy, sexy but very professional dresses…like Mary Tyler Moore style. Sydney has a huge Asian population, and they are much more flashy/sparkly/trendy looking with their apparel. The one thing that still baffles me is how on earth all these women are marching all over town in stilettos. I heard the average Sydney dweller walks about 5 miles a day, and I know as a tourist I’ve walked at least 10 everyday…and this place is like a Texas summer people! It’s HOT! I have no idea how they march around in 3 inch heels.

I’ve eaten sushi at least once if not twice everyday, not even on purpose (though I’ve enjoyed every delicious moment of it) but because on any street you will only find ethnic cuisine…Turkish, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Morrocan, and Indian food at your finger tips, in sidewalk cafes or takeaways. They do have “regular” restaurants, if you want to pay $22 for your glass of house wine, for example. There is no such thing as a casual inexpensive restaurant like Chiles or Denny’s here. There is definitely a reason Sydney is called the most expensive city in Australia. I did get to go to a true Aussie hang out with a friend of a friend here, Nick…we went to Bungalow 8 which overlooks Darling Harbour, a beautiful and very touristy site.

Some other interesting tidbits…everything here comes with aioli sauce, and by aioli sauce they mean basically mayonnaise. I still don’t understand this. Don’t even waste your time asking for ketchup with your chips (French fries). There is what seems like a school on every corner…for example there is one right next to my hostel bedroom window, I enjoy watching the kiddoes march up and down the stairs and tease each other and play on the playground, which is located on floor 2 (not sure If they’ve notice the creep y girl staring at them from across the alley). Apparently Aussies are very into private schools, and actually public schools are not as prevalent or full as private schools. ALL of them require uniforms – a friend was telling me that some of the country schools allow their kids to wear their own clothes, but as a nation they opted to make uniforms mandatory, to preserve a sense of equality amongst the kids. When school gets out, the streets are that much more crowded with a sea of different school uniforms. Their economy has been hit like everyone else’s, and the other day I witnessed teachers and schools protesting against low wages. Oz also has a major campaign against binge drinking going on right now…I’ve seen a few billboards for it, and there are HUGE signs for it at almost every train (subway) stop. It basically depicts a drunken scene, like a fight or something, with a big sign that says “Binge Drinking: What are you doing to yourself?” (I took a picture of this, I’ll post pics to Facebook soon.) My friends, the Aussies are drinkers. I mean, really. When I went out with Nick and turned him down for a 4th glass of wine, he looked at me like I was crazy…we started talking about it, and apparently the Aussie custom is that everyone buys at least one round, period. So if you go out with 5 people, you bet your tooshy that you’re drinking at least 5 drinks…and just from hanging out with my other Aussie friends, yes drinking is a very big part of their culture. It is typical for all co workers to have a beer or a glass of wine at lunch during the work day, and Friday afternoon drinks start in the office at 3:00. (Ha, seems like I’m meant to be here, right?! Haha  ) Also, if I haven’t hit this point yet, Aussies are absolutely the most friendly people I’ve ever met. They are so sincere and happy and would love to talk to you if you’re game about anything. Even the customer service reps in stores. Sometimes I am so touched by their helpfulness or friendliness that I will thank them profusely, only for them to look at me weird and say “no worries love”…as in, duh, this is how people treat each other, lady.

I run around with my gang, we all met on the first day here and just hit it off – Caroline from France, Jope from Chile, and Maurice from The Netherlands. We have a grand time, they are all students either undergrad or grad, here for 6 months to study at Sydney University. So far the only touristy thing we’ve done is watch the Chinese New Year celebrations, go to the wildlife center (I saw Koalas and Kangaroos!) and seen Sydney University. Most of my time is spent job hunting and house hunting. I have two interviews tomorrow with Deloitte, will let everyone know how they go! I’m eager to be settled and know what I’ll be doing – bc as soon as I do, I’m venturing down to Melbourne to visit Jonny and Lisa. And though I’ll miss the hostel life, with the amazing, open and friendly people in and out of the door everyday, I’m also ready to have my own place and a wee bit of stability. :)

Whew ! That’s it! Sorry that internet time is scarce, but it will get better here soon when I have my own place. Love you all so much, thanks for helping make me who I am.

Bye for now cobbers –

Nancy