FINALLY! The way things "work"
I have internet! That's right - I officially now am an internet holder. After 4 weeks, we HAVE INTERNET! AND a phone line! Can you believe it? So...getting internet has NOT been easy my friends. Two days ago, A telstra guy came over to tag the lines to the apartment. When he left I spent 2 hours on the phone trying to figure out why I didn't have internet, when it dawned on me and the service person I was speaking to and realized that I didn't have a phone line! So the guy who came out to the apartment just spent 2 hours doing..um, I'm not sure what. He could have been bugging the lines in the apartment, or organizing a heist of some sort, but he came and went. Then another telstra service guy came and tagged the line (again). He literally put a piece of paper on what was apparently the phone connection to our apt. Then 2 days later, a technician from Optus called, telling me he was coming over. Okay. After all this back and forth, he took 20 min to connect my line! 3 guys! for a phone and internet. Things certainly work differently here. Apparently, the first guy who was here was connecting the line to the lines on the street (?), the second, just put a piece of paper on the line, and the 3rd connected a wire from that piece of paper to our apartment. Right.
Anyway, I'm not complaining...we have internet! So...if you've e-mailed me any time recently (last 4 weeks) and I haven't replied...I'll get there, I promise.
"Marathons" to "Tanzania"
This was a packed weekend.
Saturday: 
We started Saturday with a resolution to get in shape for a marathon we've decided to run in September. Okay, okay, not really a marathon which is like 26 miles (I can't convert them into kms yet), but rather what they call a "Family Fun Run" which is 4 km - it sounds farther in km than the 2.5 miles it really is - and it's the baby of the marathons, okay, fine not even a baby, more like the thought of a baby, but an event nonetheless. So...Jackson and I (the family in the run) decided to go for a trial across the Harbor (Harbour) Bridge and back. As you can tell from the picture, it's a BIG bridge and you can't even see all of the part we ran (okay, it was more like 2 kms altogether), and let's just say...I have sore legs. My "workouts" during the week did not at all prepare me for running across with Jackson. Jackson was flying by me while I huffed and puffed my way over - I am proud to say that he was the only one who passed me (the other pedestrians were all walking). I don't know how a guy who's really not that much taller than me, and who hasn't done ANY exercise really in months could be in better shape...it's kind of depressing, really. But, we decided this was how we were going to start and we have a month to be able to increase that 2 kms to 4kms - I'm screwed.
Anyway, after getting off that bridge, and our showers and stuff, we drove over to the golf range (we were supposed to do 18 holes, but I was exhausted!) and each hit a bucket of balls. I am proud to say that I have graduated from the 7 iron to the 8 iron in that my 8 iron goes further and straighter. I think in golf talk, that's all wrong because technically the 7 is supposed to go further than the 8, but the fact that they were going up in the air and straight made me feel good regardless. Jackson said that he was feeling good about his swings too.
Then, we ran home to watch part two of Australia versus New Zealand. It was really a great match and very exciting...however...the outcome was the same. NZ won. Apparently the Wallabies haven't won in that NZ stadium in 20 years!
So to make ourselves feel better, we went over to Jackson's cousin's apt for some dinner before the four of us headed over to Bondi Junction (a hoity toity mall) to watch Lakehouse with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. I don't recommend it - save your money and wait to watch it on a plane flight or something. It just kind of confirmed the fact that Keanu isn't the greatest actor - his fake sneezes are that...fake. Apparently, we girls owe the guys a movie next week - I think the pick was Miami Vice. Geez...what's happened to the movies?
Sunday:
We started Sunday with lots of shopping! :) Well..we were really going all over the place getting things done and the biggest thing we did was get me a new phone and a phone plan! Well..really, it's under Jackson's name because I'm not a resident yet, but who else would get a PINK! phone but his wife? :) I'm tickled that it's pink and that finally I have phone! It's the same number and everything, so rather hassle free.
Then we headed over to the Chans (cousins) and had lunch and then rushed off to have cake with the other side of the family. We got to see Jackson's aunt and her family and her husband's family, and yun yun (grandmother) and auntie Kat. You see, they were having a little good bye get together for Jacinta and Ashe who are moving to Tasmania. You see, when we spoke on the phone confirming the plans, I could have sworn Daigoo (aunt) had said Tanzania, so I told Jackson that it would be nice to get Jacinta a present as Tanzania was going to be such a cool experience. Jackson thought it was hilarious that I had mistakenly heard Tasmania for Tanzania...really, they sound similar, no? Anyway, despite my misunderstandings, it was really nice to catch up with them and are planning on seeing them again soon.
With all of that, we ended the evening with CSI and a full weekend at that.
Here's to another week.
Slang of the day: (No, I didn't forget)
Knob = Tosser = idiot
(they seem to have a lot of words describing idiots)
Bugger = tired, hungover
A Month?
I've lived in Sydney for a month. A month! I've always known the cliche time flies, especially when you get older, but time is on turbospeed or something. I realized(realised) yesterday that we have just started our 5th week in Sydney. I suppose in this time we have accomplished some major things, like finding a place to live, getting a car, Jackson's starting work, however, when I think about all the little dumb things that haven't gotten done yet, like getting another key, still arguing about whether or not we're going to get a fridge, and setting up internet, I realize that this move is really a move - a little transition. I suppose I don't really feel time fly during the week when I'm sitting at home thinking of new projects to do like set up a cell phone for myself, even memorize Jackson's number, learn how to drive on the opposite side of the road, get used to Aussie winter (at 60 degrees F), get used to the degrees in celsius, etc., make friends, the list goes on and on...but a part of me still feels like a tourist and not a migrant.
Back to internet
Yay! Back to internet! But no thanks to our supposed provider Optus. I have been waiting 2 weeks for them to set up our phone and internet only to find out yesterday (3 days before installment) that we got our zip code wrong and they have to postpone our service for another 2 weeks! What a load of @#$%! So...as any internet junkie I'm borrowing (okay mooching)someone's wireless internet. I figure, the person's off at work so why waste an absolutely good network?
Alright - lots to catch up on. So...Jackson has started work and he's really enjoying it! I guess he enjoys waking up at 7am and taking the ferry to work while I stay in bed till 9/10 okay fine, 11 o'clock stay in my pajamas all day with a tabloid magazine reading how Angelina left Brad and watching Oprah on TV. :) It's a tough life I know. I do do some housework too - I've done laundry weekly, wash the 4 dishes that we currently own, and call up our rental agency asking for a copy of a key and a new fridge like 3 times a week. After 2 weeks we still only have 1 house key between the two of us and they're not giving us a full size fridge that they said we'd get (we have a bar fridge now). Believe you me it looks like there might be some serious discussions at hand.
Oh! a good TV show!
I'll leave you guys with some new words. :)
Wellies = Wellingtons = Rubber rain boots
Spagbol = Spaghetti Bolognaise = spaghetti and meat
Chuck = take i.e. chuck a right at the corner
I'm in!!!
Hello Hello! I just wanted to share some GREAT news!
AUSTRALIA HAS GRANTED ME A VISA!
HOORAY!
All I have to do is leave, get my passport processed and stamped and then come back to Australia before May 2007 and then I'm a temporary permanent resident!
After the scramble to get things together and the sleepness nights of stressing about whether or not it would happen, in a little over 2 months, I got the formal e-mail today saying I'm in! I'm scheduled to go back to the US at the end of September, however, Jackson and I are considering changing my flight plans to go and come back earlier, we'll weigh the benefits in doing that.
Also, Jackson and I have moved into our own apartment! We bought the essentials yesterday - TV, hot water boiler, rice cooker (the real asian one), tea, milo, sheets - and this morning when Jackson was making 2 'cupas' we realized we didn't have any mugs or spoons or anything! So another day of shopping for us!
Hooray!
A Home at Last!
After two and a half weeks of searching over 40 apartments, we just got our apartment application approved! Hooray! The apartment process works a little differently over here in that you can actively negotiate the price and length of stay. The longer you stay, you can negotiate a lower weekly rate (that's right, weekly and not monthly) or if they're desperately looking for a tenant. In addition, the rental agency acts as a mediator between you and the owner of the apartment. So rarely do you have building management looking over an entire building. So then you fill in an application. The owner will look over all the applications and choose the tenants he/she wants. So one apparently does need to dress to impress.
Anyway, we got an apartment! It's in Milsons Point which is right across the bridge from Sydney, a quick 2 minute train ride. It's partially furnished, so it'll serve as temporary housing until we move in December. :)
So in two days, we have squared a car AND an apartment - how's that for settling?
Aussie lesson of the Day:
Mobile NOT cell phone
