We've Only Just Begun

Sorry for the hiatus in posting. I’ve either been busy, too lazy, or had nothing to say. Anyway! A “lot” has happened this week.

On Tuesday I had 5 ½ hours of orientation. Not much happened this day, it was mostly just a big long explanation of what to expect in the course and how the program was structured. We went around the room and introduced every single person, what music they play/listen to, etc. Wednesday was just 2 hours and that was more explaining of the program. On Thursday there were only a couple hours as well, but this is when the exciting things happened! We got to see the studios. There are 4 of them – but only 2 are available to first year students. Reader, I swear to god I could take a nap on the soundboards they have. And the two we don’t have access to just keep getting nicer and nicer as well. If you record and know systems/software (I don’t), we are using Pro Tools.

There is a bunch of information in my head right now, and really it’s just mush at this point. But there were a few neat things. They told us how some people have collaborated with big names (Black Eyed Peas, for example. One girl flew into L.A. for a summer and BEP recorded her song/s), and the bassist from Wolfmother graduated from the BPM program. (He went into the program with a classical background!)

All week it has been “O-Week” at the village, so there have been lots of parties and a decent amount of free food and music. We’ve had DJ’s, live bands, taco’s (ooh they were good), and party after party. So I’ve had a good week overall. Slowly still meeting people, it’s coming together, but I’m also noticing myself getting less and less shy. Still working on it, though.

Classes start tomorrow. I only have 2 hours and it’s not until 3pm. Tuesday I have 3 hours of 3 different classes, my day ends at 6. Wednesday is 6 hours of class from 11am-4pm.

That’s it.

Yeah, I have a pretty awesome schedule. However, hearing about how intensive the program is, I feel I’ll still be at the Uni quite a bit. Recording, practicing, writing, editing, etc.

Speaking of which, I ventured to Australia Fair (shopping centre) all by myself today! I did all right, hah. Nearly got on the wrong bus twice, but that’s why you ask questions! I got a pretty good deal at Billy Hyde music store. Acoustic guitar with picks, tuner, bag, strap and stand (there might be more) for $200ish. Obviously it won’t be the best guitar ever, but I’m happy with it. 

Sticker still on it - it's going to take a lot of effort to get that off. But I hate how it looks on, so it's coming off! 

 Also, I must tune it.

It's a Legacy.

The rest of my night I'll be relaxing. Maybe take a swim tomorrow morning... but yes, in case you're wondering, I'm doin' all right. :)

 XOXO!

First Trip to the Beach

Yesterday was just a wonderful day. I woke up and decided I needed to do laundry. Mitch helped me out because I didn't have the proper coins I needed for the machines (It only takes $1 and .20c) We then came to the conclusion it's freaking hot. So while I waited for my laundry, we swam. Ended up meeting 4 people in the pool (with help from Mitch - he's really good at meeting people). Only one of them lives here, and the other 3 were just visiting him, but I'm sure we'll see them again anyway.

These people were on their way to the beach and invited us to come along - heck yeah! They even had vehicles. Bonus! Don't have to take the bus.

I came back to my room and packed a little bag of stuff to take. We first went to the nearby mall and grabbed some food. I don't think any of us had eaten at that point. Then we went on a 15 minute drive just trying to find parking near a beach, hah. Found it. Walked there. Me and the other girl went to the bathroom first - I wanted to change into my swim suit and also use the toilet. What did I not see in my bag? The bottoms to my swim suit! I had forgotten them.

So, I swam in my shorts. C'est la vie. Thankfully they weren't jean shorts.

Now, I'm a pretty good swimmer. I've swam in a couple beaches and done the whole wave pool thing, but the waves at this beach were massive to me. If you were in the ocean, water around your chest, I bet a whole other person could stand on top of you and get wet, too. They were very tall. Very strong. Very full of salt. (I ingested a lot of salt water, haha.) After trying to "body surf" I realized I may not be so keen on trying to surf. But... small steps at a time.

After a few dozen waves, I decided to let most of them hit my back so I didn't have to go under water. This was not a good idea. Although I forgot my bottoms, I did remember my bikini top. And this one particular wave decided it was going to grow some magical fingers and undo my bow.

Yeah. My top came off. It was okay though, still had it around my neck so it only took about a minute to twist it around and tie it again. Gawd. I moved back where the waves weren't as strong after that so it didn't happen again.

We all went back to shore after another dozen waves and laid on the beach. 20 minutes later I'm hot and want to go back in.

One thing they warn you about here are the jellyfish, bluebottle jellyfish, to be exact:

While I was enjoying the waves, I got stung twice on my leg. It burns, it stings, I decide to go back and lay on my towel. But this was not an easy feat! At this point, the beach was littered with bottlnecks either washed up on the sand, or about to be washed up, being brought in by the waves. I managed to get out without touching another one thankfully.

Some people said to pee on it or put vinegar on it - I easily could have asked the lifeguards for something, but it really wasn't that bad, just mostly annoying, so I left it. (One girl though, she got stung pretty bad. The places she got stung were a little puffed out, pretty long. She peed on it.) We, "the gang," head into the shade because we all had had enough sun time. Me and 4 others decide to go inside and get a drink.

When we come back, we all just hang out and talk in the apartment of the guy who actually lives in the village. Most everyone had plans so we said our goodbye's around 6.30. Mitch and I invite the village boy, Matt, out to a pub.

I won't bore you with details of the night, but we ended up staying in anyway. I met another few people down in the grassy area. I do feel bad, though. I'm not a good names person. I only remember one name. I saw a lot of people at the bbq today that I talked to last night, and I couldn't for the life of me remember their names! Regardless..

I know I've made this day sound a little annoying, but it was actually a wonderful day and ended it on a great note.

Although, I am burnt. And I can't go outside today because it hurts too much, ha! (Poor me, eh?) Today I'm relaxing, and hopefully tomorrow I can go outside again to get some groceries.

...I'll take pictures next time.

First Shopping Trip

Yesterday was a wonderful day.

The day started as normal, woke up, chatted online for a bit. I went to the office to inquire about the roaches (I've seen 2 now), but to quote a lady in the office: "Get used to it." I guess to see one or two every now and then is pretty normal around here, and unless it increases, I should just leave it be. Perhaps once winter comes there won't be as many, because they like the heat, so I guess... I'll get used to it!


Yesterday the village put on a BBQ. I went down and sat by myself. People smiled but didn't seem to want to actually introduce themselves. Then who comes up behind me? The guy who waved while I was reading my book! He has been here a month already so he knows a few people, and introduced me to some of them at the bbq. To make a long story short, we ended up spending the whole day together. He was my guide to go shopping, and helped me shop; Learned (a very little chunk) of how to use the bus system here; and once we got back, spent the evening just hanging out. I think yesterday was very good for me. It really helped that it wasn't just a group of people that I somewhat got along with, it was one-on-one human interaction with someone who I got along with really well.

Here starts another day!

Still Adjusting

Hey guys,

Sorry I didn’t post when I arrived. I’ll have an excuse in a few paragraphs :P * You don't have to read the following jibberish (admittedly boring), but there are pictures of my place below, so check those out!

The flights went well, and I found all the new gates and connections (almost) without a hitch. Most everyone I ran into asking questions or riding a transfer bus with were pretty nice. They were really interested to learn I came from Canada. The only REAL complaint I have is that the woman next to me on the big plane (remember, i was stuck in the middle) never wanted to let me out. The girl on my right (I later learned) took a sleeping pill and advil, so she was conked out pretty much the whole time. So the lady on my left had to let me out whenever I needed to get up  – I caught her once rolling her eyes. Mom thinks I should have taken revenge on the bitch. Yeah, probably should have :P Nobody should try and make you feel guilty for going to the bathroom!

Got off the plane into Sydney, and aside from my stomach being in a lot of pain (perhaps the plane food?), I could tell I was dehydrated and overwhelmed because I was getting that feeling like my body was preparing to faint. I was light-headed and it felt like the airport was rocking a lot. So I bought some powerade and just sat down for 45 minutes (thankfully I had time to do that). I ended up being fine, but wasn’t a good feeling.

So! Got off the plane in Gold Coast and met the Griffith University guy. While waiting for my luggage, there was a little band on the other side, one guy was playing his ukulele and the others dancing along, banging on the case and whatnot. I think they had just gotten off my flight, too. Anyway, the uni guy took me to the village, but not before seeing Surfer’s paradise, a few shopping malls and some other things – I still have no idea where any of it is, but i saw it! My favourite thing was seeing the city skyline, beaches, and mountains all in one glance.

* When I first arrived, my insides immediately caved in. The room isn’t what I expected, and I had a 20 minute fight with a cockroach behind my couch. Yeah. So I’ve been intensely homesick ever since I walked through the office. Being homesick is very new to me. When I moved to Toronto, of course I missed home, but being homesick is more than just missing the people and places – it’s affecting me mentally and physically. I don’t really have an appetite, and we won’t explore the mental part, haha. This is why I didn’t post right away, because 97% of me just wanted to leave right away. Not the best first impression. But today is better – I talked to mom for a few hours, and that alone really helped. She knows just what to say. I also got to chat with some friends back home for a few minutes, most of them even saying “Hi” to me first! I also took my mom’s advice and just got outside. I took my book to my patio and read for about an hour. A few people waved and said hi, and one guy asked if it was a good book, and when he walked by again, he looked in and waved. Possible new friend prospect! Woo.

I went grocery shopping, though, I didn’t buy much food. Oh! Guess what they call rice krispies here? Rice bubbles!! I laughed. In the store. I laughed. But yeah, there are still lots of things I DON’T have. Including straightener, hair dryer, bedding, a phone, etc.! 

Here’s what my place looks like:

 Entryway to my place

 My patio! Reading Chuck Palahniuk, of course!

 View from my couch - yes... I AM watching Madagascar :):) I brought two personal things with me that are in the shelf above my chair: a rock that says "Don't dream your life, live your dream," and the framed photos my friends signed.

" Kitchen and dining room" Notice my mini fridge? That might take awhile to get used to.

 "bedroom"! Bed on left, closet on the right, though it's a bad view. And no, I haven't unpacked yet, haha.. Soon.

 Bathroom!

 My shower. Yeah, there's no door. Just half a glass wall separating it :P

 A full look of the place from my bathroom. 

So there it is! I have sun on my patio almost the whole day. Birds right outside my door. Nothing exciting happening as of yet. Tomorrow there's a village BBQ. Not sure what time. Maybe I'll leave my door open so I can smell my way there. ha! 

Ttfn :)

Today's the Day!

10:00am: All right, so no picture today of my suitcases. I have just been SO busy getting ready.

But the day has come, and in 30 short minutes I'll be driving out of this driveway for the last time! (..for awhile..) Hopefully I can keep it together at the airport and things will go smoothly. I'll have more to say in a few days - I'm expecting a LOT more! 

I wanted to have something to show you, so here's a look at their 20 and 50 dollar bill. So cool.

Ttfn!

2:20pm: Sitting at the Fredericton airport, waiting to board. Had a lovely lunch with my brother, mom, and Joyce. After we started the drive to the airport I could feel my stomach turning and turning. Hey, there are the nerves! Finally! My heartbeat has been racing ever since I heard an airplane fly overhead. Every time I have seen an airplane since I was accepted to Griffith, I always thought about the trip to Australia. Every time. And now, here I am. It's still so unbelievable that I'm actually starting this journey.

Saying my farewells just kept getting harder and harder, and of course, saved the hardest for last. But I'm keeping my mind off the leaving and trying to focus on the being. (If that makes sense.)

Love all around-

2:56am (NB Time): Oh my God. I am only in Vancouver. That last flight was 4.5 hours long and I nearly went crazy -- how am I EVER going to do another 10-15!!? :P Being stuck in the middle seat realllly sucks. If the people beside you are sleeping or engaged in something, they really don't like it when you have to go the bathroom. Plus it's not as easy to get some leg room. I may be small, but I love to take up space and it's just not in the cards this time ;P

I love flying. I love traveling. But nobody in their right minds enjoys being in a squished airplane sitting down for hours on end. I think when I arrive, I'm just going to go for a freakin' jog haha. Move my body and get the blood pumping.

It's so strange - maybe it's all the books I've been reading, but each takeoff and landing, and every wait I've had to do, there's a narrator in my head, it's telling a beautiful story! About the clouds and how it pertains to my train of thought. I wish I was able to have my laptop out in those times, when inspiration is at its best... I guess I'll settle for the silent soliloquy that's just for me.

The pilot told us it's a 45 minute wait here. I'm going to peek my head around the corners for any source of food - wish me luck!

Packing My Life

How do you pack your life into two 50lb bags? Choosing what clothes, shoes, products, amenities and memories to bring with you...

All along it hasn’t felt real. I suppose I still haven’t felt the full effect of this situation. Australia. I have absolutely no idea what to expect once I land, and in the months to come. People ask if I’m nervous, and to be honest, I’m not. I moved to Toronto effortlessly (minus the emotions). And I know I’ll survive in Gold Coast, too. It’s just... a big change. There is no other way to describe how I’m feeling. 

I’ve got 2 more friends to say “goodbye” to, and I don’t even want to THINK about what saying goodbye to my mom at the airport is going to be like. I hope the airport employees can handle a sobbing teenager. :P 

According to my phone’s countdown, I have 2 days and 12 hours left to go before the plane is up, up and away.  I’m going to take a picture Wednesday to show you what a life in 2 suitcases looks like. Perhaps it’s more for my own amusement, but I’ll post it.

8 Days to Go

Hello all!


There are 8 days left until I leave for Australia. I've started making rounds to family and friends to see them once more before I leave. Everyone asks the same thing: "Are you excited?"

At first glance, this question seems like one of those that should be followed by "Duh!" However, it's not quite that simple. The stress involved distracts my ability to be pumped, so I meekly reply with a smile, "Yes."

Day in and day out, my head spins around the worst possibilities and the bad outcomes. Which is abnormal for me; normally I'm a pretty optimistic person. I have to keep telling myself, 'It's music! It's Australia! It's a place of your own; it's a beach; it's warm!' and so on. I think it's because it still seems so surreal to me.

Perhaps once I start to pack and decide what I'll bring and what will stay... maybe then it will finally seem real to me.

Anyway! I like to start my blogs with introductions and a glimpse of what's to come. I'd like to make this blog solely about my time in Australia (and if there's anything interesting to tell, the week leading up to it). This idea came from my Aunt asking if I will have a blog. So, here it is! I'm not that great at keeping up other blogs, but I'll give it my best shot.

Also, I would like to explain my "signature:" Girl in the Gold. There are a couple reasons why I chose this. The most obvious reason is that the city I will be living in is Gold Coast. I also wanted to have a more subtle meaning that isn't necessarily specific to Australia. "In the gold" in this sense means I'm in the middle of an opportunity; an adventure; something extraordinary and above all, a huge change. I have no idea what to expect or what is to come in the upcoming months... but I feel honored to be given the chance to experience something completely different. I won't take it for granted. It's special (like gold, get it?)

That ramble is quite long enough. I'm going to go watch my Montreal Canadiens play the Capitals. We could start the list of silly things I'll miss when I leave at: the NHL.