Alas, I will succumb to brain cancer: I bought a mobile phone. It’s crippling not to have one in this city/country. But the phone system is very different: the caller is the one that pays (so that part is like the US). But here’s what’s different: to call a mobile phone, you have to pay 37 cents each half minute. Ouch. So text messaging is very popular - a message is only 25 cents. And the phones are smart: it guesses the word you are typing as you type it (you don’t have to sequentially go thru d and e to get to f — pusing the 3 key three time). Just hit the number that has the letter you want and move on. As you type the word, the phone is able to determine which word you want. If there’s more than one spelling for a certain sequence, you hit the up/down button to change possible spellings. Genious, really.
So it wasn’t all swing dancing, I went to beaches as well. St. Kilda, Chelsea, and Mt. Martha (there are many here). St. Kilda is kinda trashy - dirty and cheap with coarse sand, Chelsea has the nicest sand (it’s like powder) but the neighborhood is crazy (think Colfax & Broadway), Mt. Martha is accessible by car only and even then it’s an hour drive (I got there by Ariel’s host family - read on below). It has the nicest neighborhood, feels like CA beaches, but the sand is grainier (between Chelsea and St. Kilda). BUT, regardless of the quality, it’s beach, and to a land-locked Coloradan, it’s amazing and sunny and ocean. I’ve been to both sides of the Pacific now. Huttah! to skinny dipping madness.
So, Mt. Martha - it was my first Aussia BBQ, a family function for Ariel’s host family. They invited me along, and we drove and drove and drove to a great view: a mountian overlooking the bay, with the city on the horizon. )When I get to the Kinko’s, I may do some internet/gallery work.) The BBQ was full on: steak, chiken, hot dogs, salad, bread, dessert. It was fantastic. A great meal with more friendly people. Folks are saying I should go and stay with them a few days!
On the highway, I noticed that the colors of the lines on the roads are reversed, too: yellow separates lanes, and white separates directions. Yet it’s not consistant, sometimes you’ll only see white lines on the road (which adds to confusion). The road took us past the outer suburbs, which are great recreations of Highlands Ranch: bix box stores, many cars and parking spaces, and houses and houses and houses.
When I served lunch at the exchange, the chef told me about kitchen jobs available, mainly dishwashing. If I can’t find a job, I can call her and start working.
People keep thinking I’m from Europe here. They say my accent isn’t very strong (they’re expecting Valley Girl). And I must look like a Melbournian because I keep getting asked for directions. It’s fun to see their face change when they hear my voice tell them I don’t know so well, but I will guess.
And the radio here is great: Aussie artists mixed with the better American music: Outkast, RjD2, Flaming Lips, Eels, all the stuff I like. It’s sweet.
k that’s enuf