My Life is a Sitcom

Filled with moments of laughter, tears, stress, and the unexpected, my time in Freo has been a few laughs short of a quality sitcom. I think ABC is going to be picking it up next fall (ahem, autumn for those of you who claim to be Australian J .) However, in all seriousness I think that I am finally starting to experience some culture shock which has been leading to feelings of.....homesickness. I hate to say it, but I am missing home a little at times. I think it is a combination of everyone back home finishing up school and preparing for finals when I am in the middle of my busy semester, and the end of the chaos isn’t quite in sight.

Reasons for my culture shock:

*I am finally starting to realize how difficult it is to find good guys to talk to when you are sick of being around women.

*Australian prices are leading me to a diet of ramen and other various pasta assortments.

*I have lots of homework, and by homework I mean papers, and by papers I mean 3000 word long papers.

*Although not entirely required, the dress code for going out is typically skirts, and I am ready to return to my St. Joe fashion of skinny jeans, boots, and a t-shirt. Enough of this dressing up business.

* I would really like to walk down the street without getting called at.

*I miss being able to call my family without having to use Skype’s phone services, and then praying that it goes through....oy to dropped calls.

*Finally, sometimes you just need a hug and you want it to be from your mom.

*A “house” that is falling to shambles, literally

About the P&O...one day we awoke to find that one of the toilets in the girl’s bathroom had actually fallen off the wall! This led to some flooding in the bathroom which led to some leaking of the floor, aka the ceiling in our kitchen downstairs. The leakage led to big chunks of the sheetrock falling down which led to the closure of the kitchen. PLUS all the rain has led to some minor flooding of a few of our walkways, and now some nasty smells that are coming in turn because of that. I am starting to feel like Australia may have a few tricks of nature up its sleeve. The weather lately has not quite been what I expected, and I am starting to sense the need to invest in some more long sleeved shirts because it gets a tad chilly in the evenings.

The fallen sheetrock

The chunk of the ceiling that fell....the whole is much larger now because they had to remove it for safety reasons

I wasn't kidding when I said we walked in and it had just fallen off the wall...possibly rusty screws finally gave way

But, despite the feelings of homesickness, I have to say that this week has been filled with many wonderful things. We got to participate in the local Anzac Day festivities this past Wednesday. This included waking up at 4:15 AM to be at a 5:30 AM Dawn Service; the whole thing reminded me a lot of our Memorial Day or Flag Day...maybe even the Fourth of July. It all seemed a bit strange though to be standing and partaking in a celebration for a country that is not technically “yours.” But, as strange as it sounds I am starting to feel like I am a part of this country. I am starting to use Australian phrases and words such as “cheers” and “mate” without feeling too much like a poser.

Dawn Service at the Memorial

Australian Flag

 Anzac Day also proved to be quite the extravagant holiday in terms of restaurant business as well. Joe’s Fish Shack was hoppin’ with business, and yours truly was bussing tables and serving food. That’s right; yours truly got her a job (finally!!!) at Joe’s Fish Shack. It is only a short walk from the P&O, and I have been enjoying the past three shifts I have worked there. I have been learning a lot of differences between the Australian and American restaurant styles now that I have been working in them.

This is where I work!! It's right on the harbour and the back of the restaurant opens up on to the water!

Some of the differences....

*The pace is generally a lot slower, probably because

*You don’t tip so there is really no need to provide “great” service, but I still try to

*When hustling to a table, you pass the oncoming foot traffic on the left, not the right side...it’s harder than it sounds to remember

*Learn your types of fish (Mackerel, Snapper, Salmon, and Barramundi)

*Silverware goes on the left side of the place setting

*Everyone goes to the table to provide service....kitchen runners for food, the wait staff, the hostesses, bar tenders, just everyone!!

There are just a lot of differences.

To celebrate, well I’m not entirely certain, but just for fun I suppose, The Orient had a mechanical bull on Thursday night. So naturally, a huge crew of us P&O folk went down to support the local economy and take a spin or two or three (in my case) on the mechanical bull. They had it set up in the back room, and everyone was taking a turn on the crazy thing. I had a few tries at it, and each time built up my time. The first ride was around 60 seconds, the second was around 100, and then the third time I was trying to go for the record. Well, low and behold, I got it! With a ride time of 140 seconds, you can now proudly say that you are friends with the Mechanical Bull Riding Champion of Fremantle, Western Australia! (Oh the crazy titles a person will give themself just to sound a tad cooler.) ;)

The Champion for the night!

Mechanical Bull riding

Part of our study abroad group out at bull riding!

Our Anzac Day marine!!

 That night, we also learned a little more about the culture of Australia. We have been noticing that there are not a lot of moments when we hear country music. Typically Australia has its own genre of music, and then they play the other random popular music from the states, but you never really hear much country music. The local talent was taking suggestions, so naturally we suggested “Sweet Home Alabama.” The man looked at us for a VERY long time, and finally explained that he’d have to do some thorough searching to find it. He eventually located the tune, and played it for us, but I thought it was so ironic how he almost refused to play it for us. We also requested that he play “Piano Man” at bar close in true Bennie/Johnnie style. I rounded up the locals and explained how in the states we get in a circle and the guys drop their pants (ONLY THEIR PANTS - NOT THEIR BOXERS.) Apparently that was a misunderstanding because the guy next to me dropped his pants (mind you he was around 60) and then some young kid dropped his, and fell to the ground as his friend pantsed his boxers as well. He managed to cover himself a little, but it was definitely an embarrassing moment for everyone at the bar!! I think it’s obvious that Australians don’t quite understand our Minnesotan waysJ.

This past Saturday a small group drove to Serpentine Falls National Park, where we got to go on this beautiful (and steep) hike. There is so much beauty that lies within the heart of Australia that I have been missing. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Freo, but sometimes there is so much to be offered if you put yourself in situations that branch out of the familiarity of Freo. There was a really beautiful waterfall that fed into a spring pool. It had a really strange scent, but I think that just had to do with the time of year. Joe, Brenna, Kelsey, Sydney, Amanda G., Amanda W., Greg, Janelle, and I all enjoyed a nice cookout in true Australian style, making (no, not sausages for a sausage sizzle), but burgers and all the fixins’. We were joined by a few wild kangaroos as well! Yes, these kangaroos were so tame that they came right up to us and ate these big carrots that we had for them. I even put a carrot in my mouth and the little Joey was nibbling off the other end! It was so cool to see these kangaroos that were in the wild, definitely a lot less tame than the ones from Caversham Wildlife Park, but much more tame then the ones in the outback. They would just bound away using their tails and feet, and with such ease just move around. I was so impressed by them. I probably could have stayed there and looked at these iconic creatures all day. Proof, yet again, that I am still American, and am still impressed by these Australian creatures.

The fall at Serpentine Falls where a few of the girls went for a chilly swim...I was not so brave.

Also, as I complete this entry I have to say that I am being lulled to sleep (NOT) by the torrential downpours that have been occurring outside my window for the past few days. When it rains, it pours....and that is the honest to God truth!

That’s all for now, but I hope I can get through this marathon called a week!!! Wish me luck!