A proper blog post

Ok,  I'm feeling more stable now that I have secured a place to live.  I also am realizing that life is going to implode again when classes start, because grad school in Australia is vastly different than undergrad in the US.  So I should give you all a proper update now, while I have the time and sanity :)

During my 26 hours of traveling from Chicago to Sydney:

• It FINALLY felt real, like it was actually happening to me when my lovely sister Jessica dropped me at the train station to get back to Wonder Lake after partying in Chicago all weekend.  And in classic Kassi-Jessica-style we almost missed the train and did not even get the luxury of a proper goodbye.  Which was probably for the best because I was blubbering like a baby and trying not to worry the other passengers.
• I'm sick to my stomach with worry, anxiety, sadness, excitement, every other possible emotion until the moment I get through security at O'Hare, then it all dissipates away.  I'm ready for my adventure.
• I spent almost the entire 4 hour layover in LA on the phone with friends for one last time getting in every minute I can until I board for New Zealand and won't be able to freely talk to them for some time.
• Waiting to take off to NZ, all the worry and anxiety come flooding back, and I find myself crying but trying not to sob on the airplane.  All because I had to turn my phone off.  It seemed very final.
• Sleepaides apparently have NO effect on me, though they do make my eyelids soo heavy I can't open my eyes, even though Im awake.  I doze, but never really sleep on the 12hr leg to Auckland. 
• Probably tmi, but the undergarments I chose to wear that day were a very bad choice for being stuck sitting down for 26 hours...note to self, lol.

I finally arrive in Sydney 8am local time.  The airport is chaotic, customs lets me through without even checking my checked baggage...sweeet!  And I was able to buy a phone straight away at the airport, saving me some hassle later on, I think.

My hostel was ready early, thankfully.  But I forced myself awake until 7pm to stave off jet lag.  I've never been so tired...my eye sockets hurt.  The heat is unbearable as well and I walked around thinking "Who the hell did I think I was?  Why in the world did I think I could move to Australia?"  I'm validated later on when talking to other travellers who had the same thoughts.  Its not regret, its worry.

It took me a few days to acclimate to the heat.  The first day was more hot than most days here.  It rains more than I expected, about the whole first week, buts its been gorgeous since.  Pictures to come, I promise. I just haven't taken them yet, lol.

Hostel life is interesting. I both love it and hate it at the same time.  I love that everyone is in the same boat, no one knows anyone and everyone wants to make friends.  Everyone is friendly, everyone.  They usually want to go out or hang out, or drink Goon in the room together.  (Goon is Australian box wine.  It is the definition of awful.  Literally on the box says it contains fish, milk, and eggs.)  I hate that theres no privacy and when I want to waste a day or night away doing nothing and taking a "mental health day" theres always someone there to judge and say that I should go out.  I hate that I can't sleep in cuz inevitably theres someone leaving at 6am to catch a bus to go up the east coast.  And I dont like that all the friends Ive made have all now left.  I'm thankful that I only have two days left in the hostel. 

Then I get to move into my awesome new apartment with an awesome new flatmate.  I. am. so. excited.  I'm moving in Friday. I won't have internet there yet.  I have to buy a usb internet thing...the internet is very strange here, they have limits.  You get like 6GB a day. I dont even know what that means, lol. But I can't get the usb thing until I have a proof of address, so I have to mail myself something first.  Though Im not exactly sure about my mailing address.  Im pretty sure Im in the city limits of Sydney, but anything here that asks for address asks for what 'suburb' Im in.  Which is Annandale.  So I dont know if I should list Sydney or Annandale as my address...and I dont want to pester my new roommate before I even move in, lol.

Once again, my blog is cut short by running out of internet time.  I may get anoter one in tonight...we'll see.

Hope everyone is well....leave me comments!! :)

Open letter to the City of Sydney...

Dear Sydney,

Your housing situation sucks.  But after seeing one of your beaches yesterday, I forgive you.  I understand why so many people are willing to live in over priced shit-holes just to be near the beaches.  Even though it took an hour on a very slow, also over priced bus to get to the beach, it was worth it. The fact that you don't have an ozone is unfortunate, though I have been careful not to scorch my skin so far.

On more positive notes, I have a place to live. I have beaten you at your own game!  I found a very lovely, friendly Sydney-sider who thinks Im cool enough to live with :)  Her name is Sarah (with an H) and lives in a suburb (that the rest of the world would call a neighborhood because it is in the city) called Annandale.  I was kind of hoping to tell everyone I lived in a neighborhood called Chippendale, solely for its name, but the neighborhood itself is not that lovely.  I will move in on Friday, so take that crappy-housing-market-Sydney!

Sincerely,
Kassi

updates Updates UPDATES....

OK, I hear you loud and clear....you all want an update!  I apologize for lacking in the update department...I will get better.  There are a few reasons why the updates haven't been happening....

1.  Internet is expensive.
2.  While on the internet I feel like I should be doing something more productive...like apartment hunting.
3.  I have no pictures to share as I dont have my computer set up.
4.  A lot of my updates sound whiney.

Regardless, there are a lot things that I want to share with everyone.  Many times I day I see something or something happens that I want to tell everyone about.  Like today, while walking to the Harbour Bridge a parrot shit on my shoulder.  Thats good luck right?  Also, its raining, since Friday, through tomorrow.  Its not the rainy season, but apparently this is the wettest summer Sydney has had.  I like it and hate it at the same time.  I dont have a tan, so I want sun, but the sun here is oppressively hot.  Or at least it feels oppressive compared to the cold climate I just left.  Also...it ruins my hair!  I still haven't bought a hair straightener (gasp!)  but the humidity would ruin it anyway, so I just walk around with crappy hair.  Last night I borrowed my neighbors straightener and everyone was impressed with how awesome my hair really is (thank you again Erica!)

Speaking of neighbors...apparently I had to move to Sydney to pick up a British accent.  All my roommates (theres 10 beds in my room) are English, save for one Canadian dude.  I find myself speaking with a British accent.  I don't think they notice it because they never heard me talk before, but seriously...I sound freakin English.

There is a disproportionate number of money lenders, sex stores, and open air Asian food shops near my hostel.  But once you get past the money lenders and sex stores, there is an AWESOME mall/market.  Through the week its just a mall with a food court of all asian food. But Wednesday through Sunday it is also Paddy's Market (why it has an irish name I dont know).  Paddy's market is AMAZING.  Its like a giant flea market...giant.  And it has everything you could wish for.  There is also a produce area, like Super H Mart in Evanston if you know what that is.  I've been there about 5 times since arriving 5 days ago. 

Though while at Paddy's Market today, I discovered that Chase Bank has blocked my debit card.  Pissed.  One, its embarrassing when I have no other way to pay for things (left my cash stash in my room).  I told them I was traveling so I don't know why they blocked it.  I used it yesterday at an ATM just fine and there is plenty of money in it.  The kicker is...Its Sunday here.  Which means its Saturday in the states.  So I wont even be able to get a hold of customer service until Tuesday.  And if I find a place between now and then I am going to need to put down a bond, which is about a grand.  I don't have a grand in cash on me.  And if they take the money I have, I wont have any money to use until this gets taken care of.  Annoying.

Anyways, Im about to run out of internet.  When I have more internet money, or my Uni Key at University is fixed I will post more updates.  And pictures.  I have plenty of pictures of my new hostel friends.  They are all pretty awesome.  Today was the first day I did anything toursity, I have pics of that too.

One last point...something I never thought I would be able to say:  Today I bought a mini-dress.  A mini-skirt dress.  Crazy.