Month 6 Review

The halfway point of my time in Australia has come and gone (or has it??) and I’m still loving it. I honest to goodness don’t know where the time is going. I am head over heels for Australia, and soaking up every second. Month 6 was a busy one, with summer break in full swing, a visit from Mom and Dad, and a trip to Sydney!

New Words

• A frock is a fancy dress. I first heard the term in “Frocktober” a fundraising campaign, but didn’t piece it together until now
• If you are utterly exhausted you might say you’re knackered, or stuffed. 
• You’re ordering French fries? Nope, they’re chips. Grabbing a bag of chips from the store? Also chips. Gotta use your context clues to decipher what we are really talking about. “We” meaning us because I’ve said chips without thinking about it! Cultural assimilation is happening before my eyes 👀 
• Ever tried potato gems? If you’ve had tater tots, then you know exactly what I’m talking about
• An update on potato cakes: they are actually battered and fried slices of potato, not a shredded potato product
• In Canada we might call it an agenda or planner, but here the universal term is diary. Nothing like having a man in a suit tell you he will have to check his diary. 
• Although not many people have duvets in Canada, you’re going to want to swap the term for doona to fit in down under!
• Coolers are not a thing, it’s called an Esky
• “Miss, I’m bustin'” is how you tell me that you really gotta go to the bathroom
• Lastly, I’ve had to explain what it means to be bushed, there’s a word I didn’t know was a Canadianism!

Observations

Before we get into January’s adventures, an observation: shoes are optional! Particularly in beach areas, people are just out and about (including being served at restaurants!) barefoot. I was surprised but not shocked when I saw this, though I don’t think I’ll be trying it any time soon.

Adventures

I was on school holidays for the month of January, which gave me plenty of time to get out and explore! 

While Ma and Pa were on their Australian adventure, we visited Central Deborah Gold Mine in Bendigo and Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, both a V/Line train away from Melbourne.

Also on the agenda was a trip to Phillip Island (complete with Little Penguins!), a fishing trip (I caught a King George Whiting and a number of Pinkies!), and a detour to the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley. 

Then I went to Sydney and the Blue Mountains. When looking to move here, I had never given Melbourne a second thought. Sydney was just more notable in my mind. I’m glad I was directed further south, though. Sydney was WARM and beachy, not as good a fit for me as Melbourne is.

While in Sydney I booked my flight home!!! Booking it has re-energized me to continue to see and do all that I can while I’m here.

After I got home, I had a much-anticipated week of rotting on the couch. Mostly kidding! I read, went for my twice daily walks (I’m basically a puppy), and called so many friends. There was one more visit to the Melbourne Zoo (LOVE being a member) to catch up with some of my teacher friends. I visited the Melbourne Museum again, checking out the dinosaur and geologic history exhibit. At the MM, I learned a fun fact: tectonic plates move at the same rate as our fingernails grow. I also visited the Royal Australian Air Force Museum – complete with a flying display!

Some of my Canadian friends hosted a back-to-school party on the last weekend before heading back to work, it was so nice to get to see everyone and hear about all the adventures everyone had during our break. I officially commemorated my six months down under by taking myself out to breakfast before going back to school, and it was so fancy! A little out there though: a sweet potato and corn fritter with poached eggs, avo, cherry tomatoes, a grilled pineapple salad and horseradish yogurt sauce. Would you try it?

The last two days of the month I started work again! Since the school I’m at now is under construction, I was not able to actually set foot on campus until the day before students started. That first curriculum day was hectic! Getting lost in the school, learning all the other technology teachers’ names, figuring out just what I was going to be teaching, and getting to know the schools policies and expectations was a LOT for that day. But, the advantage to not being able to worry about school until that day was that I truly got to enjoy my summer. That’s one thing the Aussie education system in general has going for it: teachers are MORE than just teachers in terms of having that degree of separation/autonomy from their personal lives. It’s more like “I’m a teacher, but only until 3:30,” which is nice as I learn to navigate keeping my work from overtaking my life.

Looking at the novel I just wrote, January was a busy month! See you soon,

Kate