Awe Australia...

Just reflecting nostalgically on my trip to Australia last year. I love reading over the emails I sent as they really take me back. Enjoy a peak into my past...

January 26, 2010
Hello everyone!

I really want to say thank you for all of your emails. They mean so much to me. I'm sorry if I haven't gotten around to responding to you, things have been really busy (a good thing!), but I promise I will soon. You're emails go a long way for me and I cherish them.

Venus and Serena Williams!

Last week was a whirlwind. I worked 40 hours!!! Good god almighty, haha. It will probably be more like 30 hours from now on, which is better because I would like to see Melbourne while I'm here! Last week I went to the Australian Open! 

It was pretty amazing. Wish I had more of a tennis enthusiast with me (since I'm not one), but still it was exciting to see. I plan on going one more time in the next couple days with my Swedish roommates who happen to have an extra ticket.

These kids were awesome, loved their outfits!

My apartment is great, and my roommates are great too! I've been spending a lot of time with the Swedish girls. Love them! Yesterday was Australia day and we went to the beach, where everyone was sporting their Australian swimsuits (they are so patriotic over here). It's been nice weather, just gets way too windy in the early afternoon, so I'm hoping that will die down soon. We originally wanted to have a bbq down at the beach but decided it was too much hassle and just got take-out, a bottle of wine and headed to the beach for a picnic at sunset. It was looooooooverly! It's funny because their English is really good but they like to make fun of themselves sometimes, and i have sortof become their unofficial English tutor (poor them!) Been teaching them mostly English slang (sorry Mom!), well not really slang but like, catch-phrases i guess. It's really fun : )

The three of us went to the Melbourne Aquarium the other day too. Saw the cutest penguins I've ever seen (straight out of Happy Feet, I swear!) and sting rays that were seriously 10 ft wide, without the tail! In the next couple days we're all planning to go see Avatar at the IMAX here in Melbourne, which is the 3rd biggest in the world! Second biggest is Sidney and not sure where #1 is.

I also met an adorable girl from Germany who's super sweet and fun. We went out for dinner and drinks and talked for hours the other night. It's nice to have someone to talk to like that!

Been out on the town a few times, the other girls and I like this place in St Kilda called the Vineyard which usually has a live band and is just a really nice venue. It's nice though to be able to come home to an apartment and not a hostel!

Work has gotten a bit better. I think I had to prove to everyone that I was going to stick around for a while, because they have become much more friendly and chatty with me. It's understandable because since I've been working (2 weeks now) 2 other girls have come for their "trials" as they call it, and then never came back. I heard the boss tell one of them "we'll call you" so I don't know what I did right and what the other girls did wrong, i mean it's just sandwiches for goodness sake! I would say half of the employees are Australians who have been there for a while, and the rest are backpackers who just come and go. One of the Australian employees flat out told me he usually doesn't even talk to the "backpackers" at all. I think the only reason he's talking to me is because he just got back from the US! And apparently they never have American backpackers working there. So I guess that makes me special? ....... : )

After I leave Melbourne I am planning to spend 2 weeks in Tasmania with the WWOOF program, then take a guided tour to Ayers Rock. These tours are supposed to be incredible, so I'm looking forward to that.

Anyhooooooo, I miss you all so much, and so look forward to your emails.

I'll update soon. Keep me updated on your lives as well please!

Love you all so much. You have a very special place in my heart!

Love, Eliza