What Started as One Eventually Became Four

I have an internship with both Mojosurf and Loka(a new hop on hop off tour along the east coast of Australia) until March 1st 2015.  Because I am only an intern, I receive free accommodation from Mojosurf, and a small weekly allowance from Loka. As I said nearly a month ago, I needed to find another job since I came here with such a small amount of money. Now I have two more.

I applied at the Lazy Italian about two weeks ago, and just heard back from them this week.  After talking on the phone to the owner yesterday, I arranged for a trial last night.  I got to have my first shift.

The Lazy Italian is a small shop down one of the alley ways in Byron.  There are several similar shops that all compete for the business of each person that wanders through, looking for somewhere to eat.  Obviously, we serve Italian food, but even better: it's all homemade.  Everything.  Even the chicken and beef are raised locally.  

I only had a 3.5 hour shift yesterday, which went by extremely fast.  I was only learning, but everything was pretty easy to grasp.  I am basically a hospitality all-a-rounder, mostly taking food orders and serving dishes to patrons.

At the end of my trial, my manager told me that I did a really good job, and asked if I would like to have two more trials this week.  I did, of course.  She also mentioned that I would be working at their other restaurant right next door, Fishmongers, once I had gotten used to how the Lazy Italian operates.  

So what started as one internship in Australia, turned into 4 jobs.  Even if I have no life, I am pretty excited to finally feel a bit more financially secure.

All Shapes and Sizes

I would say a typical stereotype of the States is that our portion sizes are massive.  For the most part, I believe that the stereotype is accurate.  Coffees, for example, are massive in the U.S.  Our small coffees are usually 12 oz and are generally bigger than the large size coffees here in Australia.  The small coffees here can nearly fit in your entire hand.

American coffee company

Also, McDonald's Super Size menu is a horrendous example of large portions in the U.S.  As if the large, greasy burger and gigantic portion of fries, complete with a massive coke, weren't big enough, we had to create something to destroy any hope of staying within the average American's daily caloric limit.

What accentuates our portions, I find, is the price of our meals.  In Australia, I have gotten some fairly large portions while eating out, but you pay a fair price for them.  Back home, everything is dirt cheap.  Our average price for a meal out is about $10, whereas in Australia, it's closer to $20.  Even alcohol is the same way.  I can buy a case of beer in Wisconsin for the same price of a six pack over here.

The noticeable differences are growing everyday.  I'm just beginning to wonder if I will get to a point where I consider the Australian culture normal and the American culture foreign. 

Thursday Movie Night

If you want to party in Byron Bay, there is something for you every day of the week.  If you stay at the Arts Factory, most of the time you don't even need to leave to find a party.

Otherwise, bars are open 7 days a week, many of which host themed party nights and bands.  There is no shortage o party opportunities.

Sometimes, however, you just want to avoid alcohol and the party scenes, and just relax.  That was how David, Lois and I felt last night.  Quite a few of the backpackers from the AFL headed out of town for a Wolfmother concert--I was told it was a really good show--but the three of us just wanted to relax and go to bed early.  We came up with the perfect solution.

About two weeks ago, when our friend Louise was still here, David downloaded Crazy, Stupid Love so we could all watch it on his iPad.  Partying got in the way, and we never seemed to have an open opportunity to watch the movie, until last night.

I grabbed one of my big, blue, fuzzy blankets from my tent and a bar of chocolate from the vending machine.  David grabbed his iPad, and Lois just grabbed a seat.  We all squeezed onto one of the couches right outside of the rec area, propped the iPad up, and chilled out.  It was a really great, simple night, and I woke up feeling fresh and ready for the weekend.  Happy Friday!

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

When I first got to Australia, I had a nasty cough.  I would imagine it was from my poor diet and drinking habits from before I left the States.  I celebrated a bit too hard during my going away party, which seemed to last for about two weeks straight.  And I wasn't eating very much.  When I was eating, it was terrible food.

So I got sick.  Luckily, I got over my sickness relatively quickly.  I was able to run, go hiking, swim, surf, whatever.  I woke up every morning quite early and went for a walk into town.  

Then everyone at work and the hostel seemed to be getting sick.  I figured that I would be fine since I had just gotten over being sick.  I wasn't that lucky.

I started getting the sniffles and was sneezing all the time.  Then the cough came.  It kept me up at night so then of course I was tired all the time.  One morning I even woke up with an irritated eye.  I was just useless all around.

I haven't stopped smoking yet either, which is something I desperately need to do, both for my health and my wallet.  Combine my smoking with staying up late and occasionally partying, and you have the recipe for a poor immune system.

I'm getting so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I want to just be healthy, ready to wake up early each morning and attack the day, as cheesy as that sounds.  What I really need to do is stop complaining and talking about what I am going to do, and just do it.

I Want Candy

I'm not the biggest sweets person in the world, but it seems that my sweet tooth has been growing since I came to OZ. Eating an actual bar of chocolate is a real rarity back home, but I'm beginning to realize that I have been hanging out with more women while I have been in Australia.  Back home, I always hang out with guys, who never seem to eat chocolate or candy.  Just pizza...and lots of it.

 Girls are chocolate fiends though.  You don't have to have the 'munchies' to eat sweets and there is no need for a special occasion to get out a bar of chocolate--all you need is the idea of chocolate and the deal is sealed.

Once again, I rarely eat dessert back home.  If I make brownies or cookies, or really any other dessert for that matter, it's a big production.  You get a couple of girls together, make a pan of brownies, and watch chick flicks all night.  Not here.  As soon as dinner is over, it seems like every girl and her mother reaches for her personal stash of chocolate, and disperses it among her friends.

Such candy includes gummy snakes or frogs, chocolate bullets (white or milk chocolate-coated red or black licorice), Cadbury or Lindt chocolate bars, malted milk balls, etc.  The other night we even make a trip into town just to get frozen yogurt--it was about 10 o'clock at night.

You would think that I would gain a million pounds, but as far as I know, I'm not gaining any at the moment.  My pants still fit the same and my face doesn't look unusually bloated.  I believe I am overindulging a bit lately, but I feel as though a moderate amount of chocolate daily is not bad for you.  Of course, we all know that some chocolates are healthier than others, but it's all about moderation.  I want to cut back on my chocolate indulgences, but not cut them out.  At this point, I'm not sure that I could even give chocolate up...and Halloween is just around the corner.

Hunting for Jobs

Although I am working for both Mojosurf and Loka, I really want to get a second job so that I can make some extra money and travel or even just save.  One of the things I want money most for is Christmas.  I won't be able to spend Christmas with my family this year so I really want to spend it with my boyfriend's family, which means I would need to buy a plane ticket. I'd love to even have enough extra money to buy everyone presents.

Then, of course, you have Boxing Day the day after Christmas.  My boyfriend told me all about Boxing Day; you dress up in fancy clothes, watch the horse races, and drink. Some people also dress up and watch professional cricket matches.  It sounds like a rowdy holiday.
Next is Falls Fest over New Year's.  I have never truly been to a music festival and would absolutely love to go.  Apparently, the festival in Byron is sold out, but there are work opportunities for bartenders.  I think even working for the festival would still be quite fun.

After Falls Fest is Australia Day, which seems to be the equivalent to our Independence Day in the U.S.  This seems to be another drinking holiday, but patriotic holidays are always fun regardless.

After Australia Day, I don't really have any other major events that I would need money for until my internship is over.  After March 1st, my plan is to go down to where my boyfriend lives in Bega so that I can stay and work for a few months.  If I actually do this, I would like to have some money saved just in case I can't find a job right away.  I don't want to be living off of my boyfriend like a bum.

In general, I have some big plans, and want to make the most of Australia while I'm here.  I just wish there weren't so many other travelers looking for jobs.  That's the biggest reality I've had to come to terms with: everyone wants a job, everyone applies for jobs, few people get jobs.

Everyday is a Journey, and the Journey Itself is Home

There are so many things going on constantly in Byron Bay; it keeps you busy and makes it easy to meet new people. The video above will give you a good idea of things to do while in Byron.  Below are events going on each week I am here:

On Sundays, the Byron Bay Brewery hosts Karaoke night.  People are invited to participate from all corners of the world. We can always hear the thunder of the bass and screeching of the untalented from the Arts Factory.  It makes for good entertainment nonetheless.

The Ginger Pig is a popular spot on Monday nights because it hosts Rasta night.  I haven't been to the Rasta night yet, but I have heard about the laid back music and atmosphere of the reggae scene.

Tuesdays are a big night at the AFL: the talent show.  People gather from both the jungle and mainland to participate as spectators at the famous talent show.  Acts include hula hoopers, guitarists, singers, and even comedians.  Like the karaoke on Sundays, not all who participate are talented, but it's still a good time.

Wednesday nights can prove to be very beneficial for those who participate in trivia at the AFL.  Each participant pays a two dollar fee and can win a number of free excursions, such as a trip to Nimbin, snorkeling, or even skydiving.  In addition, the winning team gets to keep all of the money from the entry fees.

Thursday night at the Brewery is another eventful evening: ArtsExposure.  This includes fire-spinners, decor, graffiti and DJ's, not to mention $3 beers and $4 hot dogs.  It's a perfect opportunity to check out the works of local artists without breaking the bank.

Fridays and Saturdays are pretty much fair game for any bar or club in Byron Bay.  Occasionally you will hear of beach parties, but mostly people head to the larger venues in town, such as Cheeky Monkeys, Woody's Surf Shack, The Northern, or Cocomangas.  Loads of travellers are seen wandering around the streets of Byron on the weekends.

And then it starts all over again. 

Sharing is Caring

Although we already share a room or even a bed with other people here at the Arts Factory, we seem to share just about everything else.  Yesterday I was hanging out with David and his room/bed mate, Louise, all day.  We went shopping and just hung out in town nearly all day.  While we were grocery shopping, we decided we were just going to share some of the things between us instead of each buying a bag of it.  When we finished, we sat down at a table in front of Legend Pizza, shared a cigarette, and demolished a bag of potato chips and Aioli.

When we came back to the AFL, we each contributed some minced beef, noodles, and tomato sauce so that we could make a giant pan of spaghetti.  Our friend Tyse came and talked to us, so we shared with him as well.  Everyone was very well-fed by the time dinner was over.

David and Louise

Then Louise brought out the chocolate chip cookies.  None of us had much room left in our stomachs, but we each took a cookie (or two) and continued talking.  Eventually we made our way downstairs and continued sharing stories between us.

The whole point of this post is that living in a community like the one at the AFL is somewhat socialistic.  I don't want to get crazy political, but the system we have here just works.  Everyone contributes and everyone shares.  Someone might make you dinner one night, so you offer to make them dinner the following night.  It's just like an unspoken agreement, even though once you give, you don't really expect to receive anything back.  You do it purely because you enjoy giving; you enjoy helping out others.

I think this works so well because no one here has a lot of money.  Sometimes you're up, and sometimes you're down, but nearly everyone has been in your place before.  I've realised that you need to take care of the people in your life above all else.  In time, money spends, possessions lose their value and grandeur, but loyalty can be infinite.  When you have no material possessions, you can still be the most fortunate person in the world.

Give Me Some Soup--I'm Homesick

I expected to feel homesick during my trip; how could I not? My parents are the most laid-back people in the world, always having fun in their own ways.  Their energy is contagious for sure.  It is kind of funny how you don't realize how good something is until you don't have it anymore.  It used to drive me nuts to visit my parents because they would be asking me questions nonstop, but now I'd love to just be sitting with mom, telling her all about my trip.

And the food. I miss my parents' cooking so bad.  They are both amazing cooks and always have gigantic feasts for special occasions.  Even when they met my boyfriend they had a BBQ with tons of food and good drinks.  They also went all-out for my Graduation/Going-Away party; my friends were very well-fed.

I always got along really well with my dad too.  When I was younger, I used to be in choirs and musicals--my dad never missed a single one.  He was like my #1 fan.  My mom went to the ones that she could, but she always worked pretty late at night.  When I was in Girl Scouts, my dad even chaperoned a trip; I can only imagine what that would've been like, being one of the only men for miles, and having to supervise a bunch of screaming girls.  And now that I'm older, I can just sit with my dad, have a few beers, and just talk about whatever.

I haven't gotten to Skype my parents yet, but I hope I can very soon.  It'll most-likely be just under a year before I even get to see them again, though I can't wait until I do.

You always remember those really painful good byes too.  I knew I landed this internship about 6 months before I left, so it seemed like it was ages away.  Then I had to actually stop by my parents' house to say good bye for a while.  I hugged my mom right when I got there and started crying.  But they had another BBQ for us, so I had to keep my spirits up.

Then came the BIG good bye. I gave my parents each a hug for about one second and then wiped my eyes and walked to the car.  I couldn't handle a long good bye.  I would've been bawling my eyes out.  Having to pull out of that driveway and head on to start the road trip was unbelievably difficult.  And now it's all I can think about. My heart is heavy.

Food: America vs. Australia

You don’t really realize how bad certain aspects in life are if you've grown up with them.  The aspect I’m referring to is food.  Don’t get me wrong I love food back home, all kinds of it. The fact of the matter is that our food just can’t even compare to Australian food.  

American bread

Australian bread

Bread, for example. My boyfriend always said that America’s bread is so sweet.  Now that I've been eating more Australian bread, I can tell the difference.  And if you look at the ingredients in an Australian loaf of bread, you can pronounce all the ingredients and count them on your two hands.  America is a whole different story.

I’m not perfectly healthy but most of us Americans don’t even know what all of those extra additives do in the bread.  It’s just crazy, but that’s the bread I grew up on.

Another general thing that’s different is just the lack of stomach aches I get over here.  In America, you were bound to eat something almost every other day that would upset your stomach.  In Australia, even the pizza that I've had doesn't bother me.

The cheapest eggs I
could buy in AU...
the same as our farm
fresh eggs back home.

You can tell though that all of the food over here just tastes so fresh.  If you buy a prepackaged sandwich at the servo, the tomatoes are still firm, the lettuce is still crunchy.  I couldn't tell you how many times I bought a sandwich in the store at home that had wilted, brown lettuce and soggy bread.  I was walking home from a run on the beach this morning and actually stumbled upon a Farmer's Market...on a Thursday morning.  Everything looked so good; I just wish I had brought my wallet.

I think when I actually go back to the U.S. I am going to be very disappointed with the food options available.  Either that or I'd have to pay twice as much just for some of the better food. Eating while you're out, however, is almost a definite nutritional-letdown.