MLX is crazy! The first night was fantabulous. Two simultaneous dance floors on two different levels. Many friendly dancers, especially those from Perth. They’re all nuts. I’ve volunteered for the exchange, so I’ll get into some stuff free. The Aussies are generous and accomodating.

And now I’m at Ariel’s host family’s house until I find a job and place or until she leaves (which ever comes first). The family has a *vacant* house on their lot, so I’ll squat for a bit. Today, A and I are going to a nicer beach for sun (it’s atleast 30C here, or 78F I think - my math club skills are a bit slow on the conversions).

Yeah.

Today I went swing dancing! The Melbourne Lindy Exchange is this weekend, and today was a pre-dance. Some folks came in from Perth, threw together a dinner party thing, and then we went dancing at Mayfields in Fitzroy.

I met Sarah first. She was from the Melbourne swing forum. She took me to the Perthies’ party, and then we carpooled to the dance. I was warmly received - the custom is to dance two songs in a row: one to get used to the person, the second to have a good connection.

People liked my new different style - I did things they hadn’t seen, and it excited them. There was a welcome dance for visitors, and I went in. One was from CA, another from Toronto, and a pair from Sweeden, among others.

Tomorrow is the official start, and it will be a blast!

Oh, and tomorrow I meet with Fumie to practice Japanese and English. Huttah!

I had the most incredible experience today…

While looking for a Japanese-English dictionary (after that disappointment with the Japanese Language School - too slow and costly), I was approached by a Japanese woman. She asked me if I was studying Japanese, I said yes. I started thinking she was going to try and sell me something (or swindle me or something). But I saw her hands shaking in nervousness and introduced myself.

She wanted to continue practicing English after school was out (next week), and I wanted to practice my elementary Japanese. We exchanged email addresses and hopefully we’ll meet this week.

That experience taught me a few things: my fear of being tricked/robbed holds me back from meeting new people. I feel vulnerable and defensive in a land where my accent and looking around gives me away as a foreigner. I must overcome this. Also, Japanese people are incredible, amazing, and unlike any American I know. They are courageous and outgoing and always optimistic. I am humbled by her (Fumie) actions. I have more to learn from her than grammar.

Another oddity: many restaurants and cafes are “fully liscenced and BYO”. So, if you want, bring your own booze to your dinner! They don’t mind.

Life news:
* rewrote resume for restaurant position, will scope out places tomorrow, set up bank account.
* filed for a tax number (like a SSN) so I’ll be taxed at 29% instead of 47%. Healthcare for all. I’m honored to pay 29%.
* scrapped Japanese language school after meeting Fumie. But I’ll still drop in on their A$5 culture class (like calligraphy!).

Oh, what I said about snail mail above was wrong. SEND ME MAIL! I call IEP and ask if I have any mail waiting for me, if I do, I tell them my zip code, then they forward it to the post office, where I can pick it up.

WRITE WRITE WRITE right now. ‘k go.

I sat in a Japanse class today. I happened to walk by the Japanese Language School (around the corner from my hostel) yesterday, and I decided to check it out today. They teach entirely in Japanese (so it can be good for imersion, but bad for explanation). I took a placement test, and they let me join the already going class (in week 6) because of my knowledge. Thanks Dice!

But I didn’t like the class so much. The grammar was very basic - desu, dewa alimasu only. Nothing else. Just vocab practice. This is an apple, blah blah blah. So, I told them I wanted more advance grammar, and they’re letting me sit in the next level tomorrow. I dunno. Perhaps, I’ll just go to the university and try to find a group….

-=\ joe /=-

Discoverd a few things today:

(1) All Americans are imperialist bastards. Yes, and I include my self. Here I am, just a guy from the US, mosey on in to Melbourne, and what do I do? I apply for a job and TAKE one from an Aussie. How mean is that?

(2) You can buy pizza by the slice that’s packaged in individual baggies (little flat brown paper bags that hold the pizza for you. They come with wax liners so that the cheese doens’t stick to the paper.

(3) You can buy tandori pizza by the slice that’s packaged in individual baggies.

-=\ joe /=-

Melbourne has a very different city plan than Denver. The city of Melbourne itself isn’t bigger than downtown Denver (in land area). And so the bulk of people live in ’suburbs’, but these aren’t the same and Ameican suburbs. They’re more like neighborhoods that are city units. Like Capital Hill would be a suburb, or Five Points. It’s neat. You get to the Americanesque burb way out (like Long Island), 20km from the city center.

Public transport is great: busses, light rail, and trains (like above ground subway, but not elevated). You buy a 2 hour pass or a daily and just go!

I’ll prolly swing dance tonight or tomorrow.

-=\ joe /=-

Writing from the hostel/backpacker… It’s 8am Sunday (and 2pm Saturday for you).l

While waiting at the gate for my plane in Denver, I decided there needs to be a new policiy reguarding boarding. When the gate announcer says, “Now boarding our First Class passengers,” everyone waiting should give a round of applause.

I flew in an S80 to LA, and in a 747 to Melbourne (just thot you’d like to know, Samovar). Qantas has banned Furby toys on their aircraft. Those demi-intelligent automatons must never be allowed to know what happens during flight.

I found a two-button toilet at Ariel’s host family’s bathroom. One button for half a flush, the other for a full flush. Oz in a drought as well, so everyone is water concious.

The cross walks “click” when you’re supposed to cross (a cue for blind people). But it sounds really strange - kinda like those wind-up cymbal-equipped monkey toys. A dull metallic clang in a fast tempo.

Today, I hope to buy stationery. Oh, and that snail mail address is as slow as a snail. Notice it’s being sent to Sydney (and I’m in Melbourne). In addition to the week long transit time for a letter to reach Oz, it will take at least a week for them to forward me the mail. But they can’t forward the mail yet because I haven’t given them an address to forward to (so you can send mail, and they’ll hold it). Uf.

Personal log, StarDate 3020.88:

w00t! I have arrived. Ariel and her friend Miggs rescued me from the Melbourne Airport and delivered my swiftly to my hostel. After which, we ate at the Southbank at place called The Blue Train. I shall apply to work here. Really cool sidewalk chalk art (like the American Astronaut stuff), sky writing (JEN MARRY ME), and lots of bicyclists!

Uberpublictransport is good.

I am sad, not so jet lagged (thanks for the cure Erin), and excited to find new cool haunts.

-=\ joe /=-

Personal log, StarDate 3002.33:

I wrestled my bike into pieces this evening - the first physical indication of my now-too-soon departure. I don’t want to leave these people! I finally develop deeper relationships with those around me, and now I go and remove myself. I find my personal, political, and moral footing just in time to pack up and leave.

Oh, and I packed today, too. That was stressful - I cropped one pair of pants and half of my shirts. The good news: my checked bag only weights 25lbs (well below the limit of 23kg - you do the math, it’s less).

I feel the foreboding of an aching heart - a small sinking everytime I think about Thrusday. These cold feet are difficult to warm.

-=\ joe /=-

So if you got here from the mass email, it sounded like I wasn’t interested in email at all. That is incorrect!

Rather, I don’t like those huge distro lists. If you write me a personal email, I’ll write you back another in kind.

Go to my website for the email addy:

http://www.meriwi.net/joe/