Tuesday 24/08/10

I never want to stop being amazed by this city. I love this place. It is weird being away from friends and family, but I am making friends here and it is just a really different experience. I never really went away to college. I mean, I did, but I knew people there. I had Amy show me around before I started so I knew where everything was. I felt prepared going there. I had no preparation for this place. In the beginning it was just a tiny bit scary and very exhilarating, and every day from that first one I love this place just a little more.
I got up and immediately got ready for the day. I was planning on going to referral agencies once I put together a sufficient resume. I already had one, but I wanted one that was general enough for a referral agency that needed office work. David and I were making breakfast, and a magpie was sitting on the window ledge of the kitchen. It was so close, but I knew that if I went to get my camera it would fly away. David told me to run and get my camera and I did. In the meanwhile, he was feeding it bread to insure its stay. We got some pretty sweet pictures of the magpie in the window. When would that ever happen at home? No bird will get in 100 feet of you, let alone so close to the window and just hang out for awhile. While finishing breakfast, my phone rang. It was a little weird since David was the only person who really had my number, but it ended up being one of the places I had emailed. It was for a Café is Surry Hills, it is called Toast. Sophie, the owner, asked if I could come in around 2pm for an interview. Of course I could! I told her I would see her there. The girl, Connie, working the reception area told me that what I was wearing was fine, they just want to see that you’re dependable and on time. I think I’m gold!
When I was getting ready I had a short chat with two girls who just got to the hostel from Norway, and a boy who just got here as well from the Netherlands. He is here on an internship in Surry Hills and is just staying in the hostel until he finds an apartment. He seemed very nice but a bit awkward.
David and I both went to the library to work on our resumes. I had to go to the bathroom and went downstairs to do that. A woman walked into the bathroom before me but I couldn’t really see her, it wasn’t close. But she refused to close the stall door for whatever reason it might be. So with the mirrors in front of the stalls, so walking into my stall I got a front row seat to her using the toilet. Which is another interesting thing about Australia vs. the USA. In the states, we sugar coat everything. We use the bathroom, go to the restroom, etc. Here in Australia, they go to the toilet. Any sign for bathrooms are just for toilets. As an American, I think it’s something we would never do in the states, too abrasive.
Around 1pm I left the library and got ready for the interview. It takes about 25 minutes to walk to the café, which I don’t think is that bad. I would much rather be active and walking than have a 10 minute drive but sit in a car (not that I have a car currently). Trying to relate Sydney to another big city would be very hard. This was the first time David and I split up basically at all because of what we have been doing. I walked all by myself to Toast, with my headphones in the whole time. Think about walking around New York City with headphones in, or even Philly. I wouldn’t do it, I would be too afraid that I couldn’t hear anything going on around me. But the city, is just beautiful and I feel very safe here, even in the Cross. I only got lost twice too, which for me is a big feat. I didn’t get lost per say, I just took a different, possibly longer route.
The “interview” was really short, maybe 10 minutes, and Sophie told me she liked me and asked me to come back for a trial on Thursday at 9. She told me that Australian coffee was very different than coffee in the states so I probably wouldn’t be a barista but they did need a waitress. I don’t know specifically what a trial means or what it consists of but it’s definitely better than not having a job at all. She had asked me if I drank any Australian coffee yet and I told her no. The reason being that the two most expensive liquids are alcohol and coffee, and I would feel completely awful if I ran out of money and had to come home to Sydney because I drank too much alcohol or coffee. So until I have a job I can’t afford coffee.
Since I had a trial and felt pretty good about that, I decided to get myself a coffee. I went to an espresso place right around the corner of the hostel, Froth Espresso and got myself a long white. It was described as steamed milk and a shot of espresso, so a latte. But latte was on the menu… I’ll have to do more trying. The barista asked me if I wanted sugar, and I said, “Sure?” He asked me one or two, I said two because I haven’t got a clue. It was very good, it tasted like a latte with a little sugar. It was also very small. The menu said 3.50 for a regular and 4.00 for a large. I got a regular and he only charged me 3.00, and the cup was probably 8-10 oz, definitely not 12 oz.
David was still working on his resume, but finally finished up and we came back to the hostel. The French boy who is in our room, Alexander, does absolutely nothing. He just got to Sydney, and he goes to bed around 10pm and sleeps until 11am or even longer. When he’s not sleeping he is watching stuff on his computer. It is really bizarre. How can you come to a new city and stay in the hostel the whole time? It hurts my feelings.
We left the hostel because David wants to look at purchasing a bike, and part of me wants to do the same. I’m half-sies on it right now. Maybe if I find one I like that is super cheap I will. I’m still confused about gas prices, I think I need to ask someone about that. I know they measure in Liters, but 126.9 per liter? That doesn’t seem right.
Before leaving the hostel we were told that the hostel gets free food from a restaurant called The Gaff every Tuesday night. I’m in! Since the bike place David wanted to look at was on Oxford and The Gaff is on Oxford we met people from the hostel there around 730pm. While waiting, we did some awesome people watching. There was a couple that met right in front of us, and they were a gay couple. Walking towards each other, David thought they were twins, but it turned out that they were gay lovers. He had a real kick out of that. Boys also wear their shorts really short, much shorter than in the states. David got a picture of two dudes from the waist down that you can’t tell they’re dudes.
The food at the Gaff wasn’t incredible by any means, but it was free. And I never say no to anything free. David and I split ours of course, but I got the sausage and mash (mashed potatoes), and David got the chicken curry. Beer was $3 during dinner, and 2 free beers from 9pm to 10pm. After being there for a short time, I’m really glad we went. The people we sat at the table with are just incredibly fun and interesting. It was a 6 person table with David and I, Josh and Rich, two English boys, then Leo the boy from the Netherlands that I met earlier, and Henry, a kid from Germany. The conversation never lagged and it wasn’t uncomfortable. I think I may have been flirting a little with Josh, the cute boy from England. I don’t know how I feel about flirting with him, but it was kind of fun. It has been a really long time since I have had to flirt since I went from one relationship to another one with someone I knew for awhile, I haven’t been forced to flirt in forever. I wasn’t forced, but I’ll admit it was fun. David was on the opposite side of the table and I don’t think he even noticed because it was pretty subtle. I wonder how he would feel if he knew I was flirting with someone. He is hard to read sometimes. But currently, I wouldn’t feel comfortable if he were flirting with a girl, so while it’s a catch 22 for him, he broke up with me so he’s just going to have to deal with it. Honestly, he’s usually pretty oblivious so I’m not worried, not that I would be in the first place. And luckily he can’t even keep up on his own blog let along reading mine so we’re good.
There was another kid from the hostel who sat with us on and off during the night. He is another boy from England, and from what I’ve seen and heard, he’s not exactly the kind of person I want to be around. He hits on any girl that moves and that really pushes my buttons. We were all sitting at the table and I said something, and he looked at me and said, “I don’t think your boyfriend would like that.” I replied with, “Well it’s good I don’t have one then.” He immediately put his hand on my back and said, “Oh really? Cause everyone in the hostel thinks he’s your boyfriend.”
Thank you for telling me what I already know. I know that everyone thinks we’re together but no one asks. I’m not really worried about it, people are already starting to find out since we told Forrest. He’s just got a stick up his butt about everything. He feels like he’s entitled to things which I hate, and he just wants to show off. Most of this hostel is really awesome, so if only one or two stink I’m really okay with that.
Whoever from the group rounds everyone up to go to The Gaff, they get a wristband which gives them free drinks all night. Rich got the band, so he and josh switched two went up for beers and shared the beers with the table which was just so great. I don’t know if anyone in the states would do that, I’ve never seen it, but then again I’ve never seen anyone get free beer in the states other than at parties in E courts basements. When Josh an Rich left, we went they gave the wristband to Henry and Leo who continued to share with me, even though I told them I didn’t need anymore. At one point I got a whole beer. How? Leo went and got one but didn’t need anymore and neither did Henry. So great. The first night that I drink I am not paying, for any drinks.
Every Tuesday night there is a wet T-shirt contest and the winner won 200 bucks. The boys tried to get me to sign up, but I told them I wanted to feel it out first. Yes, I watched my first live wet T-shirt contest. Dad, aren’t you proud? =) I’m glad I didn’t sign up, I wouldn’t have won. Not because I wouldn’t have been the best (not to sound cocky, but go to facebook and see the pictures.. =/) but all the girls took their shirts off. I will get a t shirt wet, but I will not take my shirt off in public. All of them were either chubby with small boobies or grossly big with big boobies. Definitely wonderfully hysterical to watch but not something that I would want to be in.
While watching the wet t-shirt contest, I realized that there was a gargoyle sitting on the bar. It is also cowgirl night every Tuesday night. So workers are dressed in plaid, and there at one point were “coyote ugly” dancers that wore tiny cow printed outfits and did routine dances on the bar. The watching of my coyote girl was interrupted shortly after they started by a boy. I think his name was Jack but I’ve honestly got no clue. Somehow, even though I’m surrounded by 5 guys and then 3 still I end up getting hit on. He was really cheesy at first, I told him I was watching the girls on the bar and he said that he was watching me cause the show was better and bah bah bullshit people say to get a girl to sleep with them. We chatted for awhile and somehow he was from Sydney but almost went to Villanova College? I don’t know if I believe it, but it was funny to have that happen. He also had an eyebrow piercing. Eh..
Ending the evening off right at The Gaff I noticed in the girls bathroom there is a condom vending machine. I’m not sure if I have seen them around or not, but this was big and blatant. My favorite part was that David said there was not one of those in the boys bathroom.
I’m really glad I got to experience the night life here in Sydney, I had an awesome time.