So we’re doing pretty well surviving as broke students. I finally got paid which means we took a trip to the south Melbourne market. It’s pretty sad what it’s come down to, but my shopping fix now has to be fulfilled by shopping for groceries. It’s depressing when you’re paying 8$ for a loaf of bread and 32$/kg of olives. Regardless, there is some really good food at the local market and we normally end up buying more than we can cook or know how to cook for that matter. The luxurious lifestyle of living at home is but a distant memory and the ghetto, broken imperfections of our Aussie home have now become the norm. My blow heater broke, meaning resorting to sleeping in a fleece, using my ikea blanket to simulate a sleeping bag and then cocooning myself in my duvet, all the while affecting my schedule by making me late in the mornings because of not wanting to leave my cocoon of warmth. The laundry machine that sounds like a combination of a world ending earthquake and world war 3 has now become only a minor noise once a week. And lastly, the language of the Aussies is finally starting to seep into my daily vocab. It’s safe to say my Canadian roots have left me and I’m well on my way to becoming an Aussie native. Some of the vocab might give you a good laugh so I thought I’d include a running list of the words I could think of that make me question the English language.
Aussie-Canadian Dictionary:
How ya going=how are you
EFTPOS=debit
Take away=to go (food/drink order)
Give way=yield
Brekky=breakfast
Stubby=bottle of beer
Pot=glass of beer
Mate=the term you use to address anyone
Mocha= pronounced Maka
Flat white=cappuccino with less foam
Long black=Americano
Fix up=pay for the bill
Sort you out=help you
Rooting= does not mean to cheer for one’s team but to have sex (I made this mistake, horribly)
Footy=football, not soccer or AFL football but Aussie rules football (looks like rugby but different)
G’day=what’s up
Ta=thanks
Yute=truck
Woolie’s=safeway
Pick up with=to meet someone
Bogan=hick
Tuts=tutorial
Ringa=red head
Capsicum= peppers (vegetable)
Sultana=raisin
Muesli=cereal
Tomoato sauce=ketchup
Pineapple=50$ bill
Macca’s=McDonalds
CBD=downtown city center, (stands for city business district)
Uni=university
Queue=line up
Petro=gas
Hire=rent
Power point=electrical outlet
Flannel shirts=plaid
Entrée=appetizer
Lemonade=sprite/7up
Lemon squash=lemonade
Short mac=espresso
Boot=trunk
Panedol=like advil
The only really exciting news that I have to share is that with the end of September approaching I can look forward to my birthday and of course our semester break (which technically is spring break because it’s in the middle of their spring semester). Mitchell and Kris arrive the very day our break begins and we have finalized our plans and booked a trip to Sydney and Byron Bay. The plan is to catch some rays and show the boys how to have fun Aussie style. As the date is fatly approaching I cannot wait but at the same time I have four essays due before then and need to get all that sorted while working full time while counting down and looking forward to being reunited with those I love most.
Although school is picking up full blast we have been studying and doing homework Aussie style as well. The past week has been sunny out and around 19 degrees and Kristina and I headed down to the beach, aka crossed the road, and did our homework readings in the sun along the water. Although we attempted to tan the wind had us layering up again, but all in all the small doses of VIT D were much needed.
This weekend one of our friends was playing in an amateur footy game so a few of our international friends and I decided to go cheer him on. The weather turned out amazing and even though we walked away losing, I definitely walked away with a t-shirt tan…so I suppose it was lose-lose all around. After this real Aussie experience we went for lunch in Ellwood which is a neighbouring town to where we live and we had some pretty amazing Panini’s. To end the day we visited our Aussie friend Jeremy’s family book shop. I could’ve looked in there for hours, but who are we kidding I had no money to buy penguin classics, let alone anything from the sale section. Then it was off to work for some more slave labour.
Sunday was yet another 13 hour day at work where I didn’t see daylight since I was inside all day. Although I was tired beyond belief I decided to join some people from work and say farewell to one of our co-workers who was taking a trip to Asia. Our venue of choice was Apartment 29 which is about a 10 minute walk from our house, and the inside looks like an apartment. It is decorated with bath tubs and beds, couches and dining tables. The night took off with some wine and farewell shots (which I quickly found out was tequila) and ended with some slow dancing with friends and a trip to the 24 hour bakery. The sad news was that my mars layered chocolate cake saw more of the ground than of my mouth but I got home in one piece and spent the most of Monday in serious recovery. This was my first real drinking experience in Australia since every other time has ended up just being casual drinks and me being too cheap to pay for 15$ highballs at the bars.
Although we have two assignments coming up in the next week that I have yet sat down to enjoy, and the fact that work is over taking any and all of my time, the days and weeks are zipping by which means we are closer to the arrival of some Canadian company. I am happy to report the count for Mitchell and Kris to get here is at only 22 days! I cannot wait! Till then I’ll be a typical uni student and leave all my assignments to the last minute and be stressing to get it done in time. Shall post updates of my mental status soon.
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