Simple Pleasures

I was able to enjoy two of my favorite things this week.

1.) Care Packages

The infamous Australian post office delivered to me a care package full of goodies.




Take note that the sender took the time and initiative to include the essentials of a quality care package. M&Ms, books, fine pens, movies, and of course office supplies. Most of you know how I am about those little metal clips and can imagine my astonishment when a postal worker rang the doorbell first thing Monday morning. Freakin Awesome!

2.) Meeting New People

The boys and I were minding our own business Friday night when were propositioned by two ladies of the night and their chaperon. Though we didn't fancy their services, we did have a good time chatting with them. Before heading back to work, they were nice enough to pose for the camera.

Rugby and LIttle Italy

Went to the rugby game at Olympic Park on Saturday night. What an experience! The Sydney Bulldogs were play the Canberra Crap (not sure of Canberra's real name) and it was lopsided for most of the game. Apart from not knowing the rules, terminology and not being able to figure out why people think rugby players are so "tough", it was pretty neat. As it turns out there is some strategy involved and yet, learning the rules takes all of about two minutes.




After what seemed like thousands of internet searches, emails, text messages and phone calls, I finally caught a break in finding a place to live. While living with KK's family and having Brazilian food all the time is great and everything, I need to be bit closer to the school. Leichhardt, or Little Italy, is famous in Sydney for its cafes, bookstores, restaurants, hotels (what we call bars), and shopping. It may have the largest Italian population living outside of New York. I haven't moved in yet, but probably will within the next couple of weeks.

Oh Yeah...I am in Australia

I FINALLY got my computer in this past week from the post office. They have had it for about 4 weeks and could not deliver it to the address on the box until they received confirmation from the sender (me), permission from the receiver (Gustavo), AND permission from the sender (me) for the receiver (Gustavo) to receive the package. Well by the time all of these permissions and confirmations had been approved, Gustavo had moved, and I had arrived in Sydney- with a different address. As a result, I had to start the process all over and had to have it sent to another address, with Gustavo being the sender and me being the receiver of the package....

If you want a glimpse into Australian business, the post office is about as a perfect model as you can find. Processes for immigration, financial aid, enrolling at uni, getting a phone, opening a bank account and just about anything else uses the post office as the benchmark. And you thought the DMV was bad.

The first few weeks have been hectic, but things are starting to settle down. I am currently living with KK (a friend and teammate from Mobile) and his family, as well as Dingo, another guy from Mobile. Yes, it is a bit weird for 4 guys who all went to the same small college in Alabama together to be living in the same city in Australia. But hey, either things happen for a reason or it truly is a small world.

Today will be the first time that I have done anything that even remotely resembles being in Australia. There is a big rugby match tonight at Olympic Stadium. The plan is to go see Olympic park, have a dip at the aquatic center, eat some dinner, hit up the mach and perhaps a beer or two afterwords. I am really looking forward to it because it seems that I have been living on campus and sleeping on the subway since I have been here.