Hailey Down Under

You know, people, you tell me to post a new entry and then I get ZERO love. Sigh.

At work, I support both the government & tourism and travel teams. You'd think this would help me learn the political system here. Well, friends, that would make you very wrong. I've been too caught up learning about Google to keep up on politics. Poor form, I know.

Tony Abbott happens to be the leader of the Liberal Party. Ironic, no? So yes, watching that video made my choice much easier. I'd do whatever I could to make sure THAT guy didn't become PM (Amanda, are you still alive after watching?). Australia is, for the most part, a two party system, with the occasional Green or Independent candidate getting elected.

Off I went to my friendly neighborhood polling place yesterday, feeling like a more informed voter... and immediately I was greeted by a litany of people handing me pamphlets, one-sheeters, and voting guides in order to vote appropriately for a given party. This was a bit of a revelation to me as lobbyists aren't allowed to be anywhere near a poll in the US. I walked in, nervously pronounced the name of my seat (this location allowed people from North Sydney and Warringah to vote... take a guess as to which district was mine), and collected a small green sheet of paper + a 3 foot long white paper. I sauntered up to my booth, a bit confused by the long paper, but prepared to cast my vote. For the record, the booth wasn't really a booth... yes, I could actually see how the dude next to me was voting.

Ya, I'll admit those two things have nothing to do with each other. Other than the fact that they're on my mind, anyway.

It's rained enough in the past two months to make me think that I moved to Seattle. Seriously, it's mindboggling how much it has rained. Today seemed to take it to a new level though. I love that living in Sydney means I walk nearly an hour a day, but I don't love that walking so much when it's pouring. By the time I got home tonight, my slacks were completely soaked, my socks were soggy, and my shoes appeared that they'd never be dry again... and this all happened despite my huge umbrella and trench coat. Sigh. Well, at least I'm all snuggly on my couch in my rubber ducky blanket (Thanks Karen!) and Oxy sweatpants as I write this. Sidenote - next person to go to the Oxy bookstore and pick me up a pair of black sweatpants with "Occidental" running down the leg wins my undying love!

Anyway, on to more interesting topics. The more time I spend with Aussies at work, the more I realize that certain language differences are really confusing and yet amusing. I present here a list of differences between US and Aussie language that I've heard during my first 3.5 months here (at least what I can remember at 11:30pm anyway):

-The letter H is pronounced "hay-ch" here instead of "ay-ch"

-The letter Z is pronounced "zed" instead of "zee"

-People are more likely to have "mates" than "friends"

-If all else fails, include a U, S, or L in a word: behaviour, organise, traveller

-One doesn't take a vacation, one takes a holiday

-Those things that float in the ocean are pronounced "boys" (this one seems to make Aussies laugh a lot... they can't get over Americans calling them bu-ees")

-A lady's last evening of singledom is celebrated with a hen's night, not a bachelorette party

-"Arvo" means afternoon

-Few things are beautiful... they're more likely to just be a "beaut"

-Cookies are "biscuits"

-French fries are "chips"

-Your mom is really your "mum"

-Instead of saying "a lot," you say "heaps"

-A cooler is an "esky" (short for eskimo)

-After a long run, you could very well be "knackered"

-You might grab a burger at "Macca's," not Mickey D's

-I'm more likely to buy sheets from a manchester store than Linens n' Things

-No matter the size, they are never shrimp, always "prawns"

-At a meal, you wouldn't put a napkin in your lap, you'd put a "serviette" there. And for the record, "nappy" is the word for diaper

-Snap, Crackle, and Pop might be sad to hear they're called "Rice Bubbles" here

-Your beer comes as in a "schooner," not a pint.

-Speedos are quaintly referred to as "budgie smugglers"

-People don't whine, they "whinge"


Please keep in mind I haven't been able to bring myself to say these things or even sign off my emails with "cheers."


Also, our conference rooms at Google have Aussie themed names. I've found these names pretty educational since I've literally had to go Google most of them out of curiosity. Some of my favorites:

-Iced Vo Vo: a type of cookie

-Jumbuck: Sheep

-Chiko Roll : A snack resembling an egg roll that has Shawn's name written all over it

-Scribbly Gum: A type of eucalyptus tree

-Mozzies: Mosquitoes

-Barramundi: A type of fish

-Corroboree: A meeting for aborigines

-Daintree, Kakadu: Regions of Australia

-Cassowary: A type of bird

-Nippers: Toddler

-Rissole: Meat patty


That's it for now. I'll update as I think of more! :)

P.S. - My LAT friends will laugh to hear that because EVERYONE gets a nickname in Australia, all kinds of people have already taken to calling me "Hails," without knowing the backstory. haha

Hello friends :)

It only (only) took three weeks, but internode finally connected my internet service at home... this means I am currently rejoicing in the splendor of wifi from my couch. Where I sit wrapped in a blanket. Yes, while all of you Angelenos are whining about the heat wave, and all you Hawaiians relax on the beach, it is the freakin middle of winter in Sydney and I'm freezing. Someone told me the other day that meteorologists say that this has been the coldest winter in Sydney since 1920. BRRRRRRR.

Anyway, thought I'd finally take the time to show off my pretty new apartment! So, here's my pictorial tour...


My dining table overlooks North Sydney


Sofa next to the table



My kitchen - SO much bigger than my kitchen in LA. Not that my cooking skills have gotten any better. But uh, you know...




My bedroom. With my gloooorious bed. Oh how I missed it... You'll also notice Froggy has settled in quite nicely.



The view from my bedroom




My bathroom

Okay, it occurs to me that pics of my guest room aren't in my camera and the battery is currently dead. That room is a bit of a work in progress, but I'll attempt to take a pic in the morning. I've ordered some pretty pillows to decorate the day bed in that room but since they're coming from Jakarta, it'll take some time.

Update- Pic of the guest room. First person to come visit and stay in it will have the glory of forever having that room known as ______'s room:



In other news, my life finally feels like it has a bit of a rhythm and familiarity here. I've been able to hang out with coworkers at happy hours which is helping me feel a bit more comfy. The friend thing will take some time... wish it would happen overnight, but I need to keep reminding myself that it doesn't work that way.

I've been taking pilates classes on Wednesday nights at work, which has been nice. Next Monday I start ceramics courses! They helped me in Japan and I hope they will here too.

Also, for those who weren't already aware - I'll be in California from October 2nd the 23rd. I'm hoping to get up to SF in addition to being in LA... good thing about working for a big, global company is the flexibility to work out of offices around the globe. So that's affording me the ability to stick around for three weeks without sucking up too many vacation days... leaving me the opportunity to go visit places like Fiji and Bali at some point in the next year. It'll happen, I SWEAR. Who's going to come visit and go with me, huh huh huh?!

Quick list of things that have happened over the past couple of weeks:

- I went to Japan for a whopping four days... too short, but I did get to see my host family, which was amazing. My host mom had my favorite curry waiting for me when I got there. Seriously like getting a little piece of home.

- I moved into my apartment (finally!) and received all of my possessions I'd packed away over 2 months ago. My wonderful bed was assembled and I'm happily enjoying sleep in my queen size bed (I'd been on a twin the past several weeks). And most importantly, I unpacked all of my pictures and put them on various shelves, tables, and walls. It makes me glad to be surrounded by familiar faces. :)

- I had a team offsite with all of the other industry analysts, which was a nice way to get to know everyone better.

- Signed up for two races in August... a 7k and a 14k. Figure it'll kick start me into exercising again!

- Signed up for a pilates class at work.

- Am strongly considering a ceramics course at a community college to help with the making friends thing.

Pics to come soon of my apartment... just need to hang some pictures and buy furniture first! :) But seriously, people need to start visiting me now!

So, admittedly, it's been a while since I've last written. I didn't think anyone would care but then my adoring public (ha) started making comments to the contrary and I was shocked. That said, there is some logic behind why I've been pretty quiet on here for the past 3+ weeks.

I have been really homesick. Like, almost unbearably so. Every time I go abroad, I seem to forget that this happens. I truly believe that I am a difficult person to get to know and love because, well, let's face it, I'm a weirdo. Plus I don't let people in very easily. My trust bar is probably unacceptably high (no, no... I don't need therapy :P). My post a little while back about how I was adapting better than I expected was clearly a bit premature. This homesickness has resulted in me not posting for the following reasons:

1) I hate admitting that I'm weak. This reaction may seem absurd to most but I think I'm a pretty prideful person who never likes to let on that things are bothering me.

2) I felt really uninspired.

3) I felt that if I did write, I would be inappropriately morose and I really didn't care to bring anyone else down. Reading depressing notes about me would likely make people feel sad.

I can't really say if my homesickness this round is better or worse than what I experienced in Japan. Honestly, I think my brain has blocked out the negative stuff there. Also, as limited as it was, I did have a network of sorts in the way of 13 other fellows who were sharing a rather unique experience. The network that I would have thought would be the most natural and logical here has turned out to be not so much that way. My weekends have been far quieter here than they were in LA. It also isn't helping that events are going on there that I would like to be a part of. It's rough hearing about things you would have done if you were in another place and time.

I'm trying to be patient on the friend making, but I think anyone who knows me well is aware that trait is not one of my virtues. That said, some events of the past couple of weeks have been promising:

1) Last weekend I went to a happy hour on Friday and got know some of my coworkers a bit better. I also met some nice people who were friends of friends and aren't associated with Google.

2) Saturday night I met up with my mom's best friend from college. Her step-daughter was performing at a club in downtown Sydney and was really good. Very Joni Mitchell-Carole King-esque. She plays the guitar and piano and also sings... I'm always jealous with people who have that kind of talent. Check her out here: http://www.myspace.com/alexikaye I met some other lovely people that evening whom I hoping I can build some deeper friendships with.

3) I met up with a guy at Starbucks last night to talk about Google and moving here. My old boss from LAT connected us as she'd briefly worked with him at her new gig. He has a lot of connections to Oxy people in NYC, which I found totally random but totally hilarious. It was nice hearing that someone else has had some of the same growing pains I have.

In other news, things are work are getting a bit less fuzzy. It's a lot of learning by doing. I get an assignment and will then typically bug my functional mentor, Kate (who oddly enough has the same deep love of Coldplay I do and has a ton of b-sides I'd never heard before. Big win!) and then she points me in the right direction. I'm learning a ton.

I head to Japan next week for our annual regional sales conference. Short trip of four days but I'll be staying with my host family for a night when I first arrive. I'm hoping seeing them and being in some familiar surroundings will help put me in better spirits.

I'd like to end this on a more positive note than I started. Despite the heartache I've experienced as of late, I must say that I am constantly finding great things in Sydney. The people I encounter are incredibly warm and friendly; it's absurdly beautiful (even though it's been raining for the past three weeks); the food is pretty delicious; and I'm walking a lot more than I ever did in LA, which has thankfully helped keep off the pounds that I should be packing on thanks to the Google cafeteria.

Also, to kick myself out of this rut, I signed up for the company City2Surf race (14K run from downtown to the ocean) as well as a 7K race the weekend prior. Running always seems to help clear my head (it certainly helped a bunch in Japan), so I figure setting some goals for August will help.

Okay, that's it for now. :) I'll try to write more often, really.

In an email I received today from the relocation company:

"Should you require a comprehensive unpack and setting up service, we can arrange a complete valet unpack service through our partnership with the Australian owned 'Finishing Touch' unpacking service. We can provide experienced ladies skilled at transforming your house full of cartons into a comfortable new home"

Amanda, I picture you rolling your eyes.