Hailey Down Under

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.