"You can trust me (trust nobody)"

Thank you for everyone who made me feel better about my stupid wallet being stolen.  Things are definitely a lot better now!  I am still incredibly broke, however (due to the Icehouse forgetting to put my paperwork through last week to pay me, and the bank losing my card in the mail... two weeks and I still have no access to any cash!).

I'm in a much better mood than I was last time that I wrote.  Although, this week I have learned that I am a bit brash for my own good, sometimes.  I also tend to break a lot of hearts, which I'm still not how that's possible.  I mean... it's me. How the heck does this happen?  But, here I am doing the same thing I've always done: getting someone close enough and pushing them away at the moment that it counts.  Maybe it's because of my experiences in love (my parents or other couples I've seen as examples throughout my life) that I am a cynic and I tend to push people away before anything could happen.  But, the worst part is I let them believe something could, then crush them at the last second.  I thought I was working on this, but no... I've got a long ways to go.  I'm sorry, if you're reading this.

Looking for something I've never seen

Alone and I'm in between

The place that I'm from and the place that I'm in

A city I never been

I found a friend or should I say a foe

Said there's just a few things you should know

We don't want you to see we come and we go

Here today, gone tomorrow

Okay, okay before I let this turn into another emo blog, let me save it.

Melbourne is cold.  BUT, the last couple of days have been sunny AND warm.  I use the word "warm" relatively, though.  Warm compared to the freezing cold, not warm compared to Magnetic Island.  I walked around with no jacket today.  You hear that?  I had a T-shirt and jeans on and was content.  What a beautiful thing that is.  Tomorrow it will probably be back to coat weather, but it was glorious while it lasted.

Another thing about Melbourne is that it is a very cultural, artsy, and sports oriented city.  Sydney was a city that could've been anywhere in the world.  It never felt particularly "Australian."  But, Melbourne feels like it belongs here.  They have multiple sports arenas (one that seats 100,000 people!) and art galleries and performance centres, theatres, parks, and the craziest architecture you have ever seen.  It becomes unnecessary at times.

Melbourne also likes to hide their best shops, cafes, restaurants and bars in seedy alley ways.  The whole city is in block formation, making perfect squares, but if you sneak onto the smaller lane-ways, in between the large streets, you will find all these little places squished together and PACKED with locals.  Tourists always miss them.  

Melbournites also no not to pay for trams.  Tourists do.  It is stressful, always looking out for the rent-a-cops that patrol the trams to see if you have a ticket, but most people don't pay and dodge the authorities just fine.  I've gotten away twice.  I'm such a rebel... but I like to think of it as me fitting in with the locals.

I have also attempted to ice skate twice here now.  I get to do it for free, since I work in an Icehouse, but I'm still no good.  I haven't fallen yet, though... so I count that as a success.  I'm going to try to take an intro to hockey course once I get a little better at skating... no sense in me trying to be graceful like a figure skater.  I'm like a man any ways, best learn to skate like one! :P

I've been out on the town a few times with some friends, where I got vegetarian pizza at an all veggie (vege as the Aussies say) place in Carlton.  Had $1 tacos last Thursday at a pub, also in Carlton.  I've been a tourist and ridden the tourist bus AND tram, which are free.  I've shopped at the DFOs, which are discount outlet malls.  I bought a pair of $5 dollar shoes for work.  I had a free barbeque tonight at my hostel. 

Oh yea, I'm living the high-life.

But, seriously I've learned I can have a really good time on no money at all.  I have found free entertainment and learned how to grocery shop for real cheap, yet make healthy meals that last for awhile.  I hope that I can keep up these habits once I get paid on Thursday.  It will be helpful to me saving up lots of money to get me back to America. 

I'll try to update sooner next time... possibly with pictures.

Love,

Michaela

"I fought you for so long, I should've let you in..."

A random fact about me:  I tend to not be able to write about what is happening in my life when a lot has happened.  I struggle to find words to describe the amazing/horrible things that happen to me.  When my life is boring, when I actually have time to sit and ponder things and become irresistible witty, then I have things to write.  

But, because so many of you keep hassling me, I'm going to try and put the last two weeks into words (and make it worth reading).

It's cloudy here and so is my head

The hint of these new tears are showing

I try to choke them back

But, it's useless

I'm useless against them

Let me start by saying, I've reached a weird point in my travels.  For the last six months I've been having the time of my life and never regretting my choices.  But, my emotions have caught up with me, and I'm wishing I could be anywhere else but here.  Not that I'm not loving Melbourne and the opportunity of my new job, but I feel a little "empty," so to say.  I think this may be due to some things that have happened back in America that have made me feel so useless because I am so far away.  It also may be due to some things that have happened here that make me want to be so far away.

The best way to do this is count it down.

1. My wallet was stolen.  Somewhere in between going out, going to bed and waking up at 7:20 am on the 27th of April, my wallet was stolen.  I have no idea to this day what happened, I just know I woke up to take me flight to Melbourne from Sydney, and I had no wallet.  No Money. No ID (took my passport).  Luckily, JetStar doesn't require ID for domestic flights (scary, right?), but... one problem... I was scheduled to be on an international flight (Sydney to Melbourne to Bangkok).  This would require my passport, which was conveniently in the hands of some person who really just wanted my credit cards.  

I ran around trying to find my wallet in the hostel, called (and woke up) my friend Ryan to see if it was at his place, asked the hostel, and called and cancelled my two cards that I use for money (one American and one Australian).  I packed quickly and just barely made my airport connection service.  He had asked me if I was Domestic of International, so I said International; however, as I was on the way, I called JetStar to ask if a copy of my ID would suffice and she proceeded to tell me that my flight had been moved to Domestic.  So, I told the driver Domestic.  

I get in and try to check in, and they can't find me.  The lady proceeds to be rude and say "Well, had you read your itinerary you would have saw you were International."  I (very nicely) explain my situation and what the lady said on the phone, and she responds with a simple "you'll be fine, go to International."

Well, what they don't tell you is it costs $5.50 to get to the International terminal from the Domestic.  I had $20 in my purse to last me my entire stay in Melbourne (HA!).  So, I paid it and get over to International.  

The lovely JetStar attendants at the International check in tell me that "No, you have to have your actual passport to fly, due to customs. We will transfer you to a Domestic flight, at no cost."  Well, that's all good and well, but now I have to get back over to Domestic.  I explain that I only have $16 dollars to last me, and the one lady (to her credit) does attempt to get me over for free.  It doesn't work, however.  So, I pay another $5.50 to get back to Domestic.

I now don't have enough money to take the $16 to take the airport transfer from the airport to Melbourne city centre.  So, I call my friend Arron to meet me at the Airport, and I promise to pay him back.

So, I check in to my Domestic flight, arrive in Melbourne, meet Arron, get into the city to check into my hostel that I had booked a few days ago, only to find out that my copy of my ID won't suffice.  I have to have a hard copy.  AND, not only do they turn me away, but there policy requires they take one nights pay from me since it was cancelled less than 24 hours in advance.  

Funny, I don't have enough money for food, let alone a night's accommodation I won't be using.  So, Arron charged his card.  $24 more dollars I owe him (Total: $40 for those of you having trouble keeping up).

Thanks to Arron, again, he gets a friend to house me on his couch for two nights.  Which, I appreciate very much and their very nice guys, but they don't have heat, nor do I have a blanket.  So, I end up wearing almost every article of clothing I own to keep warm for two nights.  

I go on a job interview for the Icehouse (thanks to Arron, again).  

I go to IEP (the program I came through) and meet an American girl from the midwest (who now lives in Tennessee as well!) who lives in a place out of St. Kilda (20 minute tram ride south of Melbourne) that won't require ID and is only $145 a week.  

SOLD!

I move out from the couch and down to St. Kilda.  This is now Thursday (I arrived Tuesday).

I spend two days trying to apply for jobs.  Friday, after printing out more resumes in IEP, I meet up with Arron who tries and gets me to go to a mall with him.  Discouraged, since I have no money, I at first say no, but soon give in.  As we're walking around, he gets a call from his boss at the Icehouse asking for my number (weird, cause it's on my resume).  

A minute later I get a call, informing me I got the job!  I start Saturday, 5pm.

Ecstatic, I buy a pair of shoes.  Naturally.

Work goes well Saturday and Sunday.  I work in the cafe of an ice rink!

Things are starting to look up for me.  Today, I went and used out the privilege of getting to skate for free!  It's been a good while since I have skated, and I have never skated with hockey skates.  So, I had Arron teach me how to skate like a hockey player, and I'm proud to say, that in an hour I could skate (fast!), do right cross overs (kind of), and skate backwards (enough to be impressed with myself).

2.  I find out Nashville is flooding.  Both Taylor Swift and members of Paramore tweet about this.  It makes me want to be home and be caught up in the community spirit that floods bring about.  Even though I deny it  a lot, Nashville is home.

3.  My friends have been having a tough time lately and I want to be there and hug them.  I want to sit and eat ice cream and watch shitting episodes of The Hills.  I want to gossip and go out to bars like old times.  I miss my friends more than I have in a very, very long time.

4.  Boys.  Always confusing and always making me frustrated.  I would elaborate, but really I think I've said enough already.

5.  I think I'm getting tired of the same old in Australia.  I don't want to sit around and drink or go out and party all the time.  No, I don't want to drink your Goon.  I've felt very anti social lately because I can't relate with everyone in the hostels that just want to party all the time.  I had six months of partying... I can't do it anymore.

6.  I miss my friends that have left me in Australia.  Come baaaaaaaaack.

Okay, okay this has turned into a pretty ridiculous rant.  Let me end it...

I am moving into the city centre from St. Kilda tomorrow morning so I won't have an hour commute to and from work all the time!  Plus, I hope to leave this party hostel/atmosphre behind.  

I don't know where this week will lead me, but I do know that I am in Australia for another 5 months.  I am okay with this and am excited, don't get me wrong.  I love what I'm doing and wouldn't change it for the world, as I have learned more about myself than I ever did at home.

But, I am starting to realise (after having a talk with a friend) that the reasons that I came here have resolved themselves.  I am merely staying for enjoyment.  That being said, times will get hard and I will have moments where I want to throw up my hands and get the hell out.  But, life is hard and you have to stick through it.  I came here to find myself and to get away from everything that was killing me inside.  I am staying (I pushed my flight back another five months, from May 1st) in order to make sure what I feel inside is real.  That I am okay.  So, maybe it's just at six months, life wants to throw me a curve ball and say "Are you sure you made the right choice?"

And, even though life is crumbling a bit back home and inside my heart, I look at the city sky line and think "possibly."  I close my eyes, and can't picture anything else but the Melbourne skyline, the Aussie accents, and everything else involved and I think "yes, yes I did."

Love,

Michaela

"...and all I was trying to do was save my own skin, but so were you."

Up the coast we go...

In Brisbane we hung around with some locals:

Met up with God:

Caffeinated ourselves:

Harassed lizards:

And, lived like royalty (ie. this is the view from our hostel):

Then I got to Magnetic Island:

Made out with some birds:

Hunted a wombat:

Cuddled a lizard:

Wrestled a crocodile:

More to come...

Love,

Michaela

Hello, from Sydney (again).

Sydney is the base from where people start. Most people fly directly to Sydney, groggy and light-headed, to start their Australian adventure. All the conversation in Sydney hostels goes something like this:

"Hi, where are you from?"
"I'm from [insert country here], what about you?"
"Sweet! I'm from [insert country here]. Did you just arrive?"
"Yea, yesterday. Have any idea what to do here?"
"Not sure, I arrived this morning. Want to go get drinks at the bar?"
"Yea, sounds good."

And, so they frolick off together to enjoy $3 beers in the hostel's bar. I may have improvised a bit on the conversation, but you catch my drift.

On the complete opposite of this are the people that are going home. Sydney comes full circle in this aspect, because usually from where you fly in, you fly out.

So, being back in a hostel in Sydney (after many, many months of calling this home in my own little comfy apartment), I find I run into people who are just coming or going. Obviously, I fit in neither of these categories, but I am the minority. Sydney is just the stop over for the moment, but soon I will be going home from Sydney and get to fall into the majority. Yay!

Anyways, I arrived in Sydney on Thursday to see Lizzo off back to America. We met up with Arron and his co worker Tobias and had delicious Roti (Malaysian). Then, the next morning we had proper Dim Sum... where I ate some tripe, dumplings, egg tart, and even a green bean for good measure. That night, a bunch of us went out to the Ivy for drinks. The Ivy is an open air club, complete with old men lurking in the corners and young, scantily clad women grinding on each other on the dance floor, drunk off over priced beers and Tequila shots ($8 for one beer. They don't lie when they say Sydney will suck your wallet dry).

There were three older gentlemen (50/60 perhaps) that we walked past and I heard one say "Here's to being too old for this shit," in which he proceeded to lift his full glass of beer, his two friends following in suit, and they all chugged their beers. I wanted to be their friends.

Saturday (ie. Today), I waved good bye to Lizzo. Ryan, Diego and I stood on the corner sending our (very hungover) friend off in a taxi to the airport. We will meet again in America, I am sure, but it's weird to know I have one less friend on this continent with me. First Annie, now Lizzo... oh well, it just gives me more excuses to travel in the future.

"But, Moooommmm, I have to borrow a thousand dollars to go to Ireland to visit my friend. Oh, we might go to Germany and Amsterdam as well. Possibly England. It's, like, required."

I joke... but, seriously. I need a job STAT to start paying for myself again. I'm still living off the CityMove funds, but they're draining quickly. Especially if I stay in Sydney much longer!

But, alas, I am flying to Melbourne on Tuesday to try and find another job. It will be cold and dreary (I imagine it as such, I have no idea if this is true).

I miss Maggie Island and the beach. The sun, the warm, sticky afternoons. I miss the food. I miss the people.

But, it's amazing to be back in Sydney, visiting my old haunts and getting up to no good in a town I once called home. Sometimes, I still do.

Alright, I'm off to catch some fireworks to celebrate Anzac Day, or some other holiday that produces an excuse to shoot fire into the sky and people to get Monday off and spend the day lazily on the beach, getting paid to do absolutely nothing. Wow, it sounds a bit American. :P

Love,

Michaela

Facebook won't let me add all my photos, so here you go:

View of Byron Bay, New South Wales:


Byron beach:












Then we went to Surfer's Paradise. First time in Queensland. We partied like rockstars (in cowboy hats):







Then we went to Brisbane (Brizzy):





Swam in the city lagoon/beach (many of times):



They like their crazy bridges:

*PHOTOS COURTESY OF MY FRIEND SARAH. SHE'S AWESOME.*

Love,

Michaela

'Nuff Said.

Maggie Island.

Also, here is an interesting PDF that shows the history behind the suburbs of Townsville/Magnetic Island. A lot of them are Aboriginal, since they inhabited these areas first.

Click Me!

Also, there is this bird on the island that is rumored, based on Aboriginal tales, to be the host of souls of the dead Aboriginals. This is the reason Aboriginals don't live here, they live in Townsville or neighbouring Palm Island.

The haunting, eerie, mournful sounds heard at night on Magnetic Island are the cries of the Bush Stone-curlew. Stone-curlews belong to family Burhinidae represented throughout the world by nine species in two genera. Two species are found in Australia, one from each genus: the Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) and the Beach Stone-curlew (Esacus neclectus).The Bush Stone-curlew, also known as Bush Thick-knee, Southern Stone-curlew, Southern Stone-plover, Weeloo, Willaroo, Angelbird and Scrub curlew, was once found across much of Australia, except for very arid regions and heavily forested areas. It is now rare to totally extinct in closely settled parts of Australia and dwindling in numbers elsewhere. In some states it is listed as vulnerable or threatened. Ground-feeding, ground-nesting woodland birds that are larger than 500 grams are the bird species most endangered in Australia and the Bush Stone-curlew fits every one of these criteria. This bird is the emblem of Moorabool Shire in Victoria because Moorabool is local Aboriginal for 'the place of the curlew' or 'the voice of the curlew'. But for the last 50 years curlews have not been seen there. SOURCE

"I'm gonna call you Dorthy, cause I like your shoes."

Just when I thought Super Cockroaches were the worst, I have now discovered Super Crickets. Now, I don't mind crickets normally. They are one of the bugs that you love to catch as a kid. Plus, they're musical. But, here... they're MASSIVE and they FLY! Crickets back home jump, with a little bit of forward motion that could possibly be considered temporary flight. The things here, they take off and flap their wings and go for a considerable distance. They aim for areas, such as you, and can't be bothered to be shooed away. Super Crickets... who woulda thought?

Sitting on my bed tonight (Thursday Night) I was attacked by one of these Super Crickets. One of the girls I work with/livve in the same room with squealed as I squealed, and we then spent the next ten minutes of our lives shooing it away, curled up in the corners of our top bunks, afraid for our lives.

Australia has Super Ants, Super Frogs and Super Oppossums. This is already added to the list of the spiders, bats and cockroaches that inhabit this continent.

The ants here are ridiculous. Magnetic Island (Maggie Island, as the locals say) has these brown ants that grow to be like 2 cm long. A little excessive, don't you think? I see them crawling in the kitchen that I have to clean, on my bedroom walls and even in my bed. Hot water kills them... it's the ONLY thing that kills them. I think even an atomic bomb wouldn't do the trick. They don't really hurt you, they sometimes bite, but they won't kill you. Although, I'm sure they are really staging a massive takeover. I imagine that scene in the third Mummy film where those killer ant-bug-mammoth sized things eat those bad guys from the inside out. There are enough of them for that, that's for sure.

The first day that I arrived here, I began working. This was after a 23 hour bus ride. No, that is not a miss type. I actually rode on a bus for 23 hours of my life. It's not something I plan on repeating any time soon, nor do I recommend it.

Anyways, I sat down my bags and go to the kitchen to begin my work. As I'm elbow deep in a mountain of dishes, from the dinner rush, I look to my left and see the most beautiful scenery. The hostel sits straight on the ocean, just south of Picnic Bay on the island. Literally, I'm about 30 feet from the ocean when I'm working in the restaurant. There are mountains and greenery and the most pristine blue-green ocean I have ever seen. It looked like glass, rippling only so slightly on the smooth sand. There aren't big waves up in Northern Queensland due to the Great Barrier Reef blocking the tide. The water sits on a flat plane and seems to fall off the edge of the earth at an unknown point miles off the coast. Big, green mountains reside to the right and left of the glassy water. When I looked at that moment, the sun was setting at the point where the sky was a mixture of pale blues, oranges, pinks and whites. The sun was low in the sky, somewhere behind me. It was breathtaking.

I'm calling this place home for about 2.5 weeks, then I head back to Sydney for a few days. No idea where to next...

I fall asleep with my friends around me

Only place I know I feel safe

I'm going to call this home

With the way that I live, you have to find a little piece of home in every place you go, especially if you're staying for more than a week, otherwise you'll lose your sanity. You have to appreciate your top bunk, super creaky bed. Your roommates (anywhere from 3 to 30 other people, depending on the room you bought) might snore or have sex in the room or not speak English. Your pillow is pater thin and your mattress caves in the center. The bathrooms are lined with lots of toilets and showers with only two sinks at the front. You push and shove to to get to the front to spit your toothpaste out. The kitchens are crowded and you keep all your food in one tiny bag shoved in the back right right corver of the industrial sized fridges. You have to do a five minute hunt every time you want to eat. You may be situated in a big city or a tiny little island. There might be air conditioning or there might not. If there is, you embrace it and try to curl up under the one little thin sheet they give you for warmth. Or, you don't have it, and you become very good friends with all your roommates very quickly as you sleep, sprawled out in your underwear on top of your bedding in an attempt to not die of heat stroke.

It's a funny way to live, but as I lay up in my top bunk, where it creaks any time I slightly move, I remember back to when I was a kid and everyone fought for the top bunk. It's like a fort.

I'm so cool... I'm 23 and I live in a bunk bed-fort. All that is missing are my stuffed animals and footy pjs.

Also, there are A LOT of Canadians that travel here. Americans and Canadians have this friendly rivalry... more it's like Canadians think all Americans are idiots. Which, is probably true in SOME sense... but, most Canadians I've met aren't the brightest out there, either. They are known for being pot heads. Every Canadian I meet smokes pot, knows where to get it and is most likely a dealer. They tend to offer this information up without even being prompted.

But, I have found I gain a little respect from my friends from the Northern Country because I like hockey. Now, I don't claim to be an expert. I don't know most players and can't talke incessantly about it or have any real argument. But, I like the Blackhawks, I watch the games and was truly upset at the USA vs CANADA game for Gold. We were SOOO close! Canadians like... no, love... hockey, and they really get excited when they meet an American... or, anyone really... who likes it too.

I never used to be a hockey fan. Growing up in Kansas, no one plays it and we don't have a team. When I was thirteen, my boyfriend Kevin and his dad took me to a KC Blades game, the minor league team. They were only around for a few years. But, when Kipp and I started dating, it's all he talked about, so I somehow soaked up the knowledge. I didn't really enjoy it or particularly care. I just listened and nodded a lot. But, we went and saw a game last March and it was awesome! I'm a sucker for any sports arena, with rabid fans. There is a particular energy that you can't get anywhere else. It's magnetic.

We broke up shortly after, but I started following the team myself. I knew when were doing well and when we sucked. I love talking hockey.

Two good things came out of that relationship: hockey appreciation and Australia.

On a side note, I'm also thankful for Mars bars, Cadbury chocolate bars, Caesar Salad flavored potato chips, sweet chili sauce, and Tooheys.

****

Fast forward to Sunday morning...

On Friday, I worked the morning shift, got off at 12 and went back and some how fell asleep reading my book. I was awoken to the receptionist in my room telling me to hurry up and wake up cause she had a surprise for me. Being half-asleep and a bit weary, I made my way to the receptionist desk, questioning this surprise. She kept trying to make me go around the corner, but I was afraid of what might be there. So, Aiden grabbed me and pushed me around the corner, and out popped Sarah and Will (from Sydney)!

They had come to surprise me!

After Sarah was here for an hour, she loved it so much she decided to get a job here as well and will be here for the next two weeks with me!

On Saturday we rented a car (although I couldn't drive it sense it was stick...) and drove all around the island. We went to a tiny zoo here and I got to pet a wombat and a turtle, I held birds, lizards, a crocodile, a python, and a koala!

I also learned that koalas aren't actually drugged from the plants they eat, this is a myth. The reason they always look so sloth-like is because they're diet consists of about 5 grams of leaves a day, which only has about 10% of energy in them. So, if that's how much energy you were getting from your diet, you'd sleep 16 hours a day as well.

And, I held a large python for a good five minutes, letting him slither all over my body! Amazing.

God Bless Australia.

Love,

Michaela

p.s. I was wearing bright pink shoes one night, and a guy I work with thought they were red and he called me Dorthy. I proceeded to tell him how funny that is sense I'm from Kansas, so now my coworkers ask me how Toto is on a regular basis.