I hope you're ready for a difficult ride... I can say that the past week for me hasn't been the most fun, and I warn you if you care for me, you may find yourself a little worried about me, but I promise you, keep reading, you'll know I'm okay. I'll just let you read and find out what I'm talking about...

06/09/12

Well happy birthday Grandad! (if you're reading this).

Today is attempt #2 at completing a training day. I've read some articles and have a few tricks up my sleeve, but I can't help but think about the lengths people go through to avoid street fundraisers. I guess I'll find out when I hit the streets tomorrow. The team seem fun though, and they'd have to be considering you're on the street all day. This is a sink or swim situation. If I sink, it's helpx work down the coast somewhere until I find work. If I swim, I'll be staying put in Brisbane until Christmas (whilst looking for more secure work).

1 hour early. Again. I need to learn that it doesn't take that long to get to places. I guess it's partly my anxiety to find out if I'm actually going to make any money. I'll cut to the chase as you're probably thinking "You don't NEED this job, just get a better one!" Truth is; financially, I'm about 3 weeks away from having to go home. If this doesn't work out, my only option if I want to stay in Australia is to go for that helpx down the coast. This is a pretty low time for me, I apologise if this seems out of character or completely tangential from how I've seemed before, but it has only occurred to me this week how worried I am. And, pessimistically speaking, the interviews for this job were all salesmen techniques. The double interview makes it seem like it's a better job than walking in and being offered it straight away, they need us to want it so that the 'law of averages' they spoke about (the more people you ask, the more likely you are to get a sale) wasn't about getting sales, it was about hiring us. They don't pay us a penny unless we get a sale, thus, the more people they hire, the more likely they are to find a decent salesman. If someone doesn't get a single sale in a week, they're probably going to quit, no loss to the company as they weren't making them money anyway. Let's just see where this training goes...

I can't believe how erratic I've been recently. It's the uncertainty, I don't deal well with not knowing. Anybody who knows me a little bit knows that I like things to be planned, the same (apparently) is to be said about my money. Being a contracter clearly can't be for me. I spent the whole training with that negative mindset, I know it's not healthy. I noticed something today too, and I don't want anybody to worry, but I'm not eating properly. The past few days I have been too worried. I know that's not an excuse, but it's an observation. It's not that I can't afford to eat, it's that I don't feel like eating. The fact that I have observed this means I can rectify it, so please don't worry about me! Also, by the time I post this, it'll be too late for you to do anything anyway, so yeh!

When Juanita got here and I finished the training I had a job interview for a Mexican bar, they asked if I knew cocktails, so I said yes and spent the 2 hours I had researching and learning cocktails. Even waking Selina up at what must've been about 5am in Norway. I studied like a failure before an exam, cramming 7 cocktail recipes in my head. Turned out they were all Mexican and the guy trying to interview me was trying to say he would pay me $14p/h because that's the base rate. I told him it wasn't, which he responded with 'Yes, cash in hand' whilst looking shifty. I thanked him for his time and walked away. So yeh, on my way back from that Juanita called me and decided to tell me she's bagged herself a job. Brilliant. That kicked me in the nuts.

On Saturday Tom is very kindly driving me an hour South West of Brisbane to a chicken farm I phoned up which have work going. They seemed pretty keen but just want to chat to me, face to face before agreeing whether or not to take me. I know, I said I won't leave Brisbane without work, but this is work. If I get it, happy days. Oh and I also applied for a job 13 hours north west of Brissie too, working at a hotel doing general hotel stuff including bar work, so I'd put that RSA to good use. They said I have the job on one condition: "A girl doesn't apply in the next 24hours" I think it's for diversity, he said he's got 3 guys working for him already and only 1 girl. But if those both fail, the helpx I've been speaking about is in Bowraville (near Macksville). I can't remember if I said much about them, it's a farm, counts towards the 2nd year but also... they contacted me! About a month ago, so they do want me and they know my situation. I know I said I have more time, but seeing Juanita tonight made me realise I don't have to stay in one place. And having the backup of money to get me places reinforces that theory. If I helpx and stick to it (which I have no choice this time) It'll take the pressure off getting a job and give me time to get that work. Finally, before I go to bed after this rollercoaster of emotions that is my blog entry for just one day: There is a guy in my room who absolutely stinks of B.O. Fantastic

08/09/12

This morning I woke up to an email reply from a 5* resort in Port Douglas: 'Thala Beach Lodge' - Look it up. Offering me a job as a porter/waiter with valet driving included. This sounds awesome, I replied, so waiting for confirmation. If I get it, I'll be there over the eclipse which is one thing I wanted to see whilst here in Oz. If I don't hear anything by tonight, I'll phone up before calling the (13hr drive) Hotel. This is the thing, in the mindset that I'm not going to turn down a job offer; Step 1: Phone up the resort tonight see if that's a definite, if it's not; Step 2: Phone up the (13hr drive) hotel to see if they got a girl for the job, if they did; Step 3: Chicken farm tomorrow. Even if the (13hr drive) hotel don't have a girl, I'll still go to the chicken farm to see if their pay is better. The chicken farm should be just a 2 head check. But if it's not, the final backup is the helpx. Side note: I ate 3 sausages and a bowl of potato salad for breakfast. Looks like my appetite is back!

Who am I kidding? As if I'd be up in Port Douglas working at a 5* resort earning top dollar. My luck just isn't in over here. Oh wait! I'll be getting a flight up to Cairns on Monday to start work on Tuesday! I know I've said this a lot, and I think I've even said that... but this is for the long run. I've done some calculations and providing I don't spend anything (which is doubtful but doable) after 12 weeks I'll have $8280.

08/09/12 (Technically)

It's 2am, the best thing about tonight is I hardly spent any money. Free pool in the bar and free foosball meant an entertaining night. Tom appeared about 2pm and from then we went to the XXXX brewery to book in for tomorrow. Had a cheeky beer there and headed back to the hostel. Pretty good aft, chilling and having a few more. Met *these two Estonian girls in the bar and ended up spending the night chit chatting away. Learnt a lot about the Estonian relations with Russia which was pretty cool, but mainly, wingmanned my heart out with the one that had a bf so Tom could get in there. Guess I just picked the wrong one.

Woke up with a hangover, had a shower and breakfast after which I felt a bit better, just groggy. Ah well, had the XXXX brewery tour at 12, knew it would either cure it or kill me. Well let's just say the tour itself was pretty dull with more walking than I wanted to do with a hangover. Finally got to the end and had a BBQ waiting for us with 4 free beers each. Steak, Kebab and Sausage helped the beer down and after that it was good. The barman accidently poured an extra one so gave me that for free! What is it with me receiving free beer recently?! Don't get me wrong, I'm really not complaining. Still hungry after the BBQ I ordered some chips. These aren't just any chips, these are beer battered thick cut log-chips. "What sauces would you like? We have tomato, bbq or sweet chilli. Oh and there's one made from beer." "Urh, yeh, that one". Beer battered chips, with beer sauce, washed down with beer in a brewery, with a hangover. That's been the day so far, I'm now on my way to Tom's as he's very kindly putting me up for the night and dropping me at the airport Sunday night for my 6am flight. I've slept in an airport before, I can do it again if I want to. The evening consisted of going to the gym and then to the pub to watch Australia play South Africa, which they didn't seem to care about, they're more into their league over here which was quite disappointing. All in all, quite a manly day: Brewery, Gym & Pub.

10/09/12

What a brilliant end to Brisbane, Tom's rents let me crash at theirs and kindly fed me too! We went to a late night showing at the cinema last night so kind of kill time so Tom could drop me at the airport quite late. I spent the hours of 12am - 6am as follows: Watching the Avengers, Skyping with the parents, Watching half of American Pie: The Reunion, checking in, eating breakfast, watching the other half of American pie, then boarding the plane. I was asleep before take off. Think I slept for just short of 2hours. I'm still shattered, on the bus to the resort now, I look scruffy, feel like s*** and I'm pretty certain I smell a little bit. Hopefully they'll let me freshen up before I have to do anything. I'm not starting work til tomorrow, but I'm guessing they have a couple of things to show me before then...