G'day everyone

Just a quick note to tell you i've opened a post office account for 1 month only from 12th nov to 12th dec 2010. This isn't a cheap service so I can only have it for 1 month, but it means you can send me mail in that time and it will get to me safely (technically). It can take up to 10 working days for post to arrive so send it early, as post which arrives after will be lost. I'm hoping to have a houseshare by then anyway.

Send to

Miss Tracy Killian

c/o Poste Restante

G.P.O Elizabeth Street

Melbourne

Vic 3000

Australia

Hope it's helpful.

Tues 9th November 2010

What did i do? hmmm..... Oh yeah i got two interviews set up for wed and then went walking along the river, people watching. By the river theres loads of uni/posh school boat clubs and so theres always people training kids. The kids are obviously in a kayak or canoe and the trainer is riding along the banks on their bike usually with a mate and a mircophone. It is funny how many struggle with multi-tasking, i.e talking to their mate, riding the bike and talking to the kids. I saw 5 groups of ppl crash into each other and then look around to see who saw, comical.

Tuesday eve- i did something but i cant remember what so it probably wasn't much fun.

Wed 10th November 2010

First interview went well - heart foundation fundraiser, have a 2nd interview 2mo.

second interview went well - got offered a trial but its a commision based telesales where i could earn $2 an hour. I don't think a refugee would even do that job.

Met a girl from England at the second interview and had lunch in china town and watched street shows in fed square, was a fun day.

Thursday 11th November 2010

Second fundrasing interview - i didnt get because they chose the loud and in your face people. I got up at 7.30am for that, wasn't happy. Today was mega hot and i was tired so was in a bad mood most the day.

Spent time reading and getting a tan.

Eve - went out with my new 19yr old roomie from england. She's done more in her liftime than i'd dream of doing - crazy. I don't think my parents would have been too happy for me to drop my education and just go off at 18. I don't think I even gave travelling a thought at 18 or had the money to do it. We went to the quiz night with the irish lads. I won something that resembled a beer cup for dancing on the Wii. Was a good night, even tried a free baileys with chilli shot - it was nice but my body did not agree!

Friday 12th november 2010

Today I applied for lot's of random jobs, a aquarium worker and loads of dog walking type jobs.Got offered one if i sign for a year. I found out that if you want to work in doggy daycare you need qualifications - well surprised.

Applied for a job working on the streets - not a prostitue, a real job.

Eve - today was 32 degrees so i was mega hot, so obviously the only way to cool down was to drink with beer given to me by the Scottish. lol

Tatty bye xx

Saturday 13th November 2010

Seriously cold today or in comparision to yesterday, 20 degrees and raining/ thundering/windy/slight sunshine = typical 4 seasons in a day.

Had a productive day = food shopping at the market and lunch out until it rained.

pm/eve = my first aussie bbq in the rain at clems that i met at one of the interviews. made some funny aussie friends, learn't how to do the wii and dranks lot's of wine. Then commenced the wine drinking at the hostel bar.

Sunday 14th November 2010

Had a lie in as i've been informed that the evening is less weird than the mornings at this church. I don't know how that can be. Spent the day getting my eyebrows done even cheaper than the last time and drinking coffee (good coffee).

Didn't feel well at all by the eve, not sure if it's alcohol or the weather but i really feltt quite ill. Other people I know are ill too tho that were not out drinking. Also it had rained yesterday when i went out in flip flops. Have I justified my illness enough yet?!

Went to church, God has a sense of humour, this week was weirder than last week. This church loves communion so much they do it every week and it wasn't any better than last week. Someone needs to teach them how it's done.

Met up with my cell group friend Kristen who prob thought i was very unsociable. I felt pretty dizzy, going hot and cold and generally crap. Went to bed at 8pm isha nd slept for 15 hours, It is good to sleep that well.

Monday 14th November 2010

Woke up with a sore throat and ear ache, but better than yesterday. Spent the day making a poor attempt at job hunting and doing my washing.

Got a job interview for friday at another fundraisng company protecting the refugees, good job I went to that rally last week. I may sound like I know my stuff at this one.

eve = went to a free comedy night, was a very small place so couldn't really see. Might go again.

Tuesday 15th November 2010

Got an interview tomorrow to sell brochures and tours, cash in hand, not yet worked out what they will pay me but I intend to push my luck. It's not a great job, but it's some money and I may get a free tour out of it if I try.

Handed out more resumes today. A cafe said they'd ring me and a pizza parlour said if the other girl is crap they will call me later. (So obviously I am hoping she is crap, so I can attempt not to be crap myself).

Visited the aquarium in the city, this was pretty cool. I got up close and personal with a shark from a safe distance. I saw japenese spider fish (there was a scientific name). Also saw some pretty big penquins from the Antartic and some turtles and other fish. I found the fact that there wasn't really anything from Australia itself rather amusing.

Random fact: Aussie newspapers are full of news from the UK, America and other random places. Nothing happens here I guess.

There isn't much here that Australians can say they own apart from kangaroos. Another fact. Australia has more kanagaroos than poeple - no lie.

Going to view a house tomorrow in the city near china town thats $400 a month with bills, so $100 a week. About 50 quid or something a week in british pounds. It is only for a month and a half, but it's over chrimbo which is good. I'm getting fed up of living in a hostel, I need space and the freedom to cook decent food. My diet is prob worse than it was at uni right now. However, china town is great for proper meals with some nutrients.

Was mean't to see a house tonight, but it was sounding dodgy so I'm not going.

Going the pub later to a commedy night.

Oh and spoke to Ben from church who is alot younger than me. He is brave though, he's travelling to New Zealand and Oz in Jan/Feb. So If I get my arse into gear I might be able to meet up with him when i'm over in New Zealand. yay.

Tatty bye

xxxx

Wed 16th November 2010

Job interview - $20 commission per tour sold, not as easy as it sounds when tours aren't cheap. Iwon't give up to easily.

Apartment - Like a slum literally, I've been brought up too well with standards. I can't live there no matter how much I tell myself i'm a backpacker. It was a bed in a living room with a curtain around it and there was more people living in a tiny apartment than in my hostel room.

Walked around the docklands, chatted to a guy about the interview I have on friday, got some inside info. Bought myself the most massive italian cookies and cream icecream ever, so yum and well worth $4.

Eve - Went to The Nightmarkets which are held thoughout the summer on a wed. Would love to tell you it was very Aussie, but it wasn't. It was very european though with Indian and russian bands and stalls from everywhere. I got myself a tatoo (fake lasts a week, realistic though) and I saw a clairvoyant. Think alot of whats she said could apply to anyone, but some of it might not. I think some of it was made up as she was telling me some of the cards are for someone else. Hmm.. obviously had nothing to do with me saying no to something she asked me.

Stayed up chatting to poeple in the hostel getting ideas for fiji and new zealand and tried to sell tours. People are saying maybe which is great, but not good enough.

Arranged to go and stay with the couple I met at Hong Kong Airport. I'm going the mon 29th nov to wed 1st Dec and I get to ride my first train to geelong. woo I then have to get a bus and pray I make it to the right stop in Lorne so i can be picked up. Should be fun. Then on Saturday Wina is coming down to party woo.

Haven't got a proper job yet, applied for some random ones though like subway and the pancake parlour. Would be cool to know how to make pancakes the right way.

It's raining ang cold today so I can't go to the market shopping unless it stops.

Thursday 18th November 2010

Some of yesterday happened today, I'm really confused as somewhere i've lost a day. Sorry

Arranged interview for subway/smart group for tomorrow.

Really have missed a day, my mind is totally blank.

Went to Salsa with my new english friends, but salsa wasn't on so we coooked a random meal instead. My mum will be pleased that every now and again i do manage to eat a normal meal.

Went the pub quiz and went to bed early ish.

Oh and rang my sister whilst sober. Always a good thing if i remember to do this before drinking.

Friday 19th November 2010

A day where I learn't alot about myself and what i'm willing to put up with. lol

7.30am got up for a free breakfast woo (not that exciting i promise), tried to print cvs in the hostel and failed for the second day in a row.

Got a tram to Richmond for two job interviews, realised east and north richmond are two very different places. Had a nice walk whilst finding this out, luckily in the sunshine.

Job 1 - subway or not so subway as its smart group. a young crazy vibrant door to door/street sales group selling electricity. Not sad cos u get to go all over the place for free and get free booze on fridays and free food every day. Good base wage and seems a good thing to sell as its one of the cheapest to switch to. (We'll see, i will be wrong no doubt). Start Tuesday for training and will ahve at least a 4 week job if nothing else and groovy uniform too.

Job 2 - Pizza parlour, today he rang me and offered me a trial. It wasn't till i got off the phone I realized who he was as I cudnt understand him. I now have to go tomorrow for a trial/tell him I've a job, but i'm tempted to do the trail as he'd have to pay me i guess? Is that wrong? I am a backpacker though and it is a little bit of money so maybe it's ok. Plus i've never worked in a pizza parlour before, so maybe i could live the italian dream for one night. lol

Job 3 - Applied for on gumtree when I was applying for any old job yesterday. I have to hand out leaflets once every now and again for $45 plus $20 if someone replies to my leaflet. Will give me something to do for a few hours, might find myself some random friends.

Job 4 - UNHCR or something global like that helping refugees by face to face fundraising. The job I admit I wasn't that into, but I figured I've been to a rally. Plus it would be a really proactive way of doing something for charity that I can get paid for and learn about along the way. I did pretty well for the first 2 and a half hours and was very proud of myself as i did achieve something. I stood up and talked about my life, why I came to Australia alone and why I'm at the interview in front of 45 strangers. I would say that was a pretty big achievement and brave especially when i've an ugly burnt mark from my lip to my chin gradually looking worse. I didnt do well at using makeup to cover it up, the makeup just emphasized it unfortunately. After 2.5 hours I was very very bored and sleepy and had lost all interest in the job. I always imagined someone who recruited people for a sales job to be enthusiastic and have a way with words to get you excited. ( He met this description in the 1st hour)

The next thing i did was probably the worst thing to do if I had wanted the job, but as I had 2 other offers today I decided what I was about to do was ok. I asked the question everyone else must have surely been thinking, how long is this going to go on for? There was a look of horror on his face and a few other peoples, some people found me funny. The interviewer did not laugh or smile or really indicate that this was a good move. Whoops. I may have also lied and said i've another appointment in 40mins. (Logical thinking) He told me I may as well leave now as this is going to go on another hour and a half. He did ask me to leave my details which I did and then he may a well of pushed me out the door with his evil stare. I was polite though I said thank you and hope to hear from you soon. Anyone want to put bets on that he will not ring?! Although you know maybe I could be just the person he want's, someone who isn't afriad to speak her mind in a room full of strangers on the other side of the world.

I celebrated my great move by buying a cup of tea and making conversation with a very fit dutch lad in a cafe. He was that into my story that he forgot to put milk in my tea. lol He also had been for the same interview a month ago. Cool, he found what I did funny and gave me the praise and appreciation I wanted. Thank God someone has a sense of humour.

Looking at a new flat tonight in south yarra, please pray for me that it issomething normal.

Tatty bye xx

Saturday 20th November 2010

Today is a lovely hot sunny day, like most days now yay. good to hear it's getting colder at home. haha

Went to a same sex marriage rights protest by the library, i keep ending up at these protests. It was pretty interesting and colourful actually. Apparently it's only New South Wales that they ahve any rights which is made, aus is defo behind the times.

Went to a Nepal festival in fed square, thsi was seriously weird. I met the Witchdoctor, very famous in Neapal apaprently. He dances around or more like prances around banging a tamborine and shouting about the runs and love. No idea why, but he seems loved as lot's of people cheered him especially when he touched them with his random stick. There wasa few other weird dancers that didnt do very much as well including a guy dressed ina great lion suit.

Eve - I went to view a house in Richmond and had a lovely walk around the town. I do like Richmond, but i'm having no luck in finding a nice normal houseshare. As I have 9 weeks left in melbourne I think i'm going to stick to the hostel. It's no so bad, i get free drinks and have a good group of strange friends.

So i decided to do something in honour of making this decision, i went the hostel bar and got drunk on $5 yes i'm good at budgeting. I was testing new cocktails and shots for the bar staff, it's only right i drink what they offer me surely. Everyone needs there 5 a day. lol

Sunday 21st November 2010

I Spent the day at the St Kilda beach with a group of friends chilling soaking up the sunshine. It was a nice day with lot's of random people playing ball games in the SUNSHINE.

Bought my first cheap aussie cheese slices to make sarnies with too. Theyre ok actually. Spent my eve planning New Zealand which I will eventually book.

Monday 22nd November 2010

Spoke to mum, assured her i'm fine and haven't got a drinking problem. It's the drink that has a problem with me. lol

Going to post some xmas stuff today

Went the library to write this and a weirdo sat next to me decided i'm so funnny that he would laugh at me for no reason what so ever. Idiot, then he decided he wanted to use my phone to make a quick call. I said no i need my money, he said I will pay you. I told him no go find a phone box. He could have been calling India for all I know and I'm not wasting credit for anyone. lol Completely weird

To be continued when i've recovered my my stalker ordeal lol ....

Spent the rest of Monday on a Ferry to Williamstown getting tanned, this is about one hour down the yarra river, lovely. It was a bit of a sleepy port that times forgot and yet again was mainly used by immigrants when it was used rather than aussies. It had the oldest train station in Australia, not that you could really tell and not that anyone was really using it. It had a botanic garden which was nice and a beach that I never made it to as it was quite far to walk in the heat. (This was one of the hottest days so far). I did however meet a celebrity who i'm told was famous for the toilet advert. lol I'd love to tell you who he was and how amazingly like Brad Pitt he looked, but i'd be lying. I had no idea who he was, but people were desperate to get an autograph and photo so he must be pretty well known. I wonder if it's the Aussie equivalent of the Mr Muscle adverts..hmm..i doubt it. I also met a group of lads on a yacht who said they'd take me sightseeing. Considering they looked about 18 it's safe to say it was probably daddys yacht. I declined and otpted for a yummy Gelato instead (ice cream).

I then got the ferry back to the city, met a few strange people on the ferry and a stupid woman who kept watching her child fall over. And yes of course it was going to happen at somepoint that he'd do a rolly polly down the steps. She didnt rush to him either, instead she let her daughter drag him to her whislt her husband got friendly with the captain of the ship. lol classy (They didn't speak English)

Monday eve I read my book whilst randomly sat on the street by the hostel because it was TOO HOT! lol I've read 7 books now in 5 weeks i think, i'm on a roll woo.

Tuesday 23rd November 2010

First day of training - learnt alot of about how energy companys rob us of our money and how most of the companys in victoria have exactly the same deal going. It's a case of first come first served lol In reality the only good thing about this job is free food and booze and the moeny bit is becoming less and less by the day. It started off that we would get a good base wage continously, now that base wage appears to be slowly being decreased. Made some cool friends though and not everone who got the job showed up.

Eve - I payed well over the odds to see Harry Potter at the IMAX centre, the IMAX centre is massive and pretty cool and not cheap for anything. Good job it was a good film and good atmosphere.

Wednesday 24th November 2010

Second day of training - today was fun and yet more free food from subway. I don't think subway is that healthy, but it is nice not to have to make food or go and buy it. They do great chocolate brownies..yum Today we practiced the pitch and rejections blah blah. Then a great team building/slave exercie was set, they wanted us to clean out the vans ready for valeting. This is not a team exercise, it is using us and then they got a parking ticket on 3 of their vans haha karma. lol The ticket inspector was very helpful though and directed the company to where he should go to explain why he hadn't paid any parking fee's. I wish him luck, it doesn't sound an easy process. lol

The subject of money came around and it was clear they were not paying us for our two 5 hour days of training - not impressed as some of that time I did actually make quite an effort. It also became clear I was working my arse off the next free days for little more than 25 quid if that a day - not good. They did alot more bulls***ting for another hour and so i went home and did some thinking of wether this is gonna work in my favour or not.

Pros

Free booze, free subway, party sometimes, some money, commission if u happen to sell, progression if they like you.

Cons

Little money, little chance of making money, unhealthy food, progression means u have little rights if u want to leave. And then the big one - RAIN

Wed eve - We had a nice big thunder and lightning storm and it was set to continue until the weekend. This means If i'm walking door to door I will look like a drowned rat, probably get hyperthermia or something and what really are the chances of me making dosh.I decided the weather will decide my fait, if it is still raining tomorrow i will quit before it gets harder to quit and i'm trapped in. If it's sunny i will do 3 or 4 weeks so I get a bit of money and i'm doing something productive.

Went the night market with Clem and John and their friend, ate lovely spanish paella and drank the best sangria i've had in ages. Good value too $8 for a pint glass...I behaved and had only one.

Thursday 25th November 2010

Weather - heavy rain lol, I got a text telling me I could get double comission if i sell today, how it can suddenly double over night and be true i don't know. I texted back and said I wasn't coming in as I've another job. Big FAT LIE - sort of as i did get a call off a recruitment agency yesterday for another sales job. Got no text back and had a nice lie in listening to the rain outside. I'm doing well in Oz, this job has lasted 2 days woo. Fear not there always alcohol.

I booked to go Phillip Island on Sunday with Tracy and Tom (Scots), so that's a good reward for quitting my job, penguins woo and more penquins.

Spent the day job hunting, lot's of random ones, joined another agency, both agencies said they'l call me.Sure it'l be fine. In the mean time there's a pub quiz tonight. I've come to the conclusion travelling is like being a student, you have the same problems - poor laundry facilities, random diet, alcohol readily available, the weather decides your plans and you drink more tea than ever.

Applied to a sleep trials advert, it's free so why not, I may find a cure whislt i'm here who knows. They are interested, but then who wouldn't my sleep patterns are pretty strange in anyones book. They are going to arrange an interview...woo..maybe they could get me a job..doubt it.

Sleep trial would be for 4 months but i can pay for a full sleep thing, nope too expensive and i need a gp referal, how does that work when i'm miles from England I wonder.

Went the pub quiz, got drunk, usual story. lol

Friday 26th Novemeber 2010

Joined another job agency, spent most of today doing very little to be honest lol apart from chilling, watching movies and talking to people wherever i went. Sat in cafe when it poured down and read the newspaper. Heard the the miners in NZ have all died - Sad day.

Saturday 27th November 2010

Got up early to skype mum and dad for the first time and it was good to see them and weird at the same time. Was worth being up early and they showed Holly who looked confused. Bought my tickets for my little trip, cheaper than I thought too. Had a morning/afternoon cat nap. lol Then met up with steph for tea and cake and catch up as she's been travelling around with her parents for a while so I havent seen her.

She took me to the Myers department store xmas santaland, OMG this beat any grotto in the uk, they had fake snow of course. They had a cool train that i wasn't allowed to ride with conductors and everything. They had Santas house and train station building, a santa tv, mailbox, santas art centre. All sorts it was awesome and very christmassy.

This turned into going out for dinner and then a few drinks which turned into a big night out with Joel and Tristen and a few other randoms that I collected along the way. Went to the hostel party afterwards and upset a few boys who are now not talking to me, but i'm a good girl. All in all it was a good messy day/night and we made plans to have a hot tub party in a few weeks, yay. That should be an interesting event as it's a blow up hot tub i think.

Au revoir xx