The End of an Era....

These were the words spoken by a fabulous new friend of mine in respect to my departure of this great continent in only a couple short days.

Since my last post, I have continued my travels around the south and eastern coasts of Australia, making another stop in Melbourne before hitting the great ocean road. For pics, refer to http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2039417&id=1054940637&l=0b68f28446.

To be honest, 10 days by myself was all I could handle. I actually cut my travelling short by a day to return to Sydney to be back amongst people again. It was a fabulous trip and great time, but anything worth doing is worth doing it with someone.

Tonight, a few friends and I head out for an almost final time to have dinner, drinks, and take in the Michael Jackson "This Is It" movie. Perfect evening, I reckon. And tomorrow is the final farewell to this city I've come to love passionately. I fly out to Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday morning at 10:15am. (Sam Welch and Tony Corbin, if you're reading this, it means that Friday night must be a tame one.....I have an early flight!)

This time in Australia has been completely incredible and something that I will never forget. The lessons learned here have been many and varied and in order to keep this rated G, if you want to know what the lessons were, let's chat offline. Just kidding, but in all seriousness, my perspectives have been broaden beyond belief, as has my network. This will not be the last time I'm in Australia, I can guarantee that (unless something unfortunate happens to me in the next year). However, it is, as Sam put it, the end of an era. As Kristen has said, life will never be like this again.

So, my next post will (hopefully) come from South Africa, assuming I have internet access. Our group going to South Africa will be keeping a more detailed and focused blog that you should take a gander at if you're interested. There is a link to it on the left navigation bar.

Until I reach another continent......

Cheers!

A week of firsts.....

Well, since my last post, I have completed my work assignment with Uncle Price in Australia and began my holiday. What does this mean? I am officially off the Uncle Price radar. It's a rather lovely feeling, really.

In the last couple weeks of time in Sydney, Karalee (my roommate) and I enjoyed a visit from a friend of her's from Chicago - Tiffany Westfall - who also, coincidentally, is someone who went to my high school as well. It really is a small world. We also enjoyed the arrival of Karalee's husband, Brian. Our last day of work was filled with little work really, and much more socializing. Our team gave each of us the Australian version of Monopoly as a parting gift. The interesting thing about this version of the game is that it doesn't include any money. Everything is via credit cards and a little electronic computer thing that keeps track of how much each player has. While I suppose this is only the logical next step for this game, I wonder how children will learn to count money without Monopoly money.

Later that evening, KL and I and 8 others boarded a somewhat dodgey looking boat for a harbour dinner cruise with an ABBA tribute group for the entertainment. A great time was had by all, and it was a wonderful opportunity for us have one last memorable time together.

The following day, KL, Tiffany, Brian and I boarded a plane to Cairns, Queensland. This is where the holiday began, as well as the week of firsts.

• First time snorkeling (at the Great Barrier Reef)
• First live encounter with a shark
• First time driving in over 3 months
• First time driving on the left side of the road
• First time driving along a seaside road that hugs cliffs on one side and mountains on the other
• First vacation by myself (KL, Tiffany and Brian left on Monday and I proceeded north in my car to Port Douglas)
• First time in a rain forest (northern Queensland is basically one rain forest after another - this week's news here is that two scientists have found a chemical in some tree's fruit in the QLD rain forest that shrinks cancer tumors overnight)
• First hot air balloon ride
• First time on a beach where there is no development for as far as the eye can see

To view some pics from this week, go to http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2038619&id=1054940637&l=e5ab669482

I've been in Queensland for about a week now and am boarding a plane later today to head down to Victoria to continue my holiday.

I'm becoming quite sentimental about my impending departure from this amazing place. When I was preparing to come to Australia, I was anticipating that once I arrived in South Africa, I'd be an emotional mess because it would be the first time I'd be seeing some great friends from home. However, I'm now beginning to think that I may be an emotional mess in South Africa because of what I will have just left in Australia. I have met some incredible people here and have had the absolute time of my life in the last 3 months. I am going to tremendously miss these people and this country and hope that it won't be too long before I am back.

Well, I'm off to get a skinny flat white and some breaky. More later....

Looking towards home....

Realizing it's been quite a few weeks since my last post, I figured it was time to update you all. The last several weeks have been more of the same fun....a weekend in Melbourne, days at the beach, and the beginning of the end of my time here. Last weekend, we said goodbye to two of our new friends here as they boarded planes - one to New York via New Zealand, and another to New York via everywhere in Australia you could ever want to go. Three days later, we sent another back to the Netherlands via Cairns, and on Wednesday of this week, we will send our Canadian home as well. And so, the 6 short timers will be down to two - myself and my roommate, Karalee.

While the prospect of staying here forever is a tempting one, I have gradually become more excited about coming home. The time here has been amazing and I've had the absolute time of my life. But as I reflected a bit, the conclusion I have come to as to why I've been looking towards home so much is there is this sense that life is on hold right now. I'm sort of in this weird yet incredible spot where I am having the best time, yet life is not really progressing at all. So, in that regard, all of you who have been fearing that I wouldn't be looking to come home, breathe a sigh of relief.

However, enough with the introspection......what's been going on....

As I mentioned, two weekends ago, 3 American friends and I jetted off to Melbourne for the weekend. Melbourne is a really lovely city that has a much more European feel to it. The arts seemed to be a more regular part of the culture there, and there was certainly a slower pace to things.

I've also spent the last two weekends at the beach in one fashion or another. The beaches of choice are Bondi and Manly - both two of the world's most renowned for surfing and both with friends living there. I love having the beach as an option for the weekend festivities. I'm gonna have to find a way to reconcile that to Midwest living....somehow.....

And probably the most exciting thing that has happened in the last few weeks is that I have planned and booked my holiday for the end of October. I will be leaving Sydney on October 17 and heading north to Cairns and Port Douglas, home to the Great Barrier Reef. I will be spending a week up there soaking up the rays, finding Nemo, and hopefully cuddling some koalas. I then head back south to Melbourne where I will be renting a car and roadtripping along the Great Ocean Road (http://www.greatoceanrd.org.au/). I then fly back to Sydney for two final nights here with friends and head off to Africa for two weeks.

I only have 3 more weeks of work left until the relaxation begins. I'm so looking forward to the break and am sure that the next 7 weeks before I actually step back on US soil will be full of more incredible experiences and great stories. Forgive the rather melancholy tone this evening. I guess in the end, I've been putting off this post as I knew it would have to discuss the beginning of the end. I guess all good things come to an end....and this has definitely been a very good thing.

Another reason I love it here.....

.....in a word.....SAILING!

That was the highlight activity of the weekend. One of my new friends here has become a certified crew member for sailing large racing yachts while he's been here. So, with a little (although not much) coaxing, a group of us encouraged him to hook us up. The result? See for yourself.....

It was a lovely afternoon out on the water - including the open seas. We started out in the harbour and headed out past the heads and into the ocean. No whales were spotted, but it was still a nice time. Some of the folks on the boat were a little queezy in the swells, but my roots prevailed and my stomach held strong. Granted, lake life is nothing like ocean life, but I'll still attribute my feeling well to that.

Then, today (Sunday) I just spent some low key time wandering around a bit - making my way by foot across the Harbour Bridge into Kirribilli. This provided me the opportunity to see the bridge and Opera House from a different side, literally. Grabbed lunch at the Freckle Face Cafe and chilled out in a quaint little park where you just feel like you go to picnic if you really live there. Ended the evening with "family dinner" at my place, where I made tacos for 4 Brits, 1 Canadian and 5 Americans. All in all, a great day!

View from the otherside of the harbour.

So, to continue the list of things I will miss.....

6. The culture that the water brings to an area

7. The coffee - it is so amazing here. Starbucks will never suffice after this.

8. A cold day in winter = 13 degrees celsius

Ok, well, a run is calling my name in the morning. Next race is in 2 weeks and I haven't been running since City 2 Surf. It's a problem. The next race is called the Bridge Run, which takes you across the Harbour Bridge. 9K. Approximately 5 miles. Should be a good time. On that note, I'm out. Until next time......which will include stories from Melbourne.

What I love about Sydney.....

I promise, there will be another post in the coming days. Too much fun planned for the weekend to not tell you about it. However, this post is dedicating to a little reflection that has been triggered by the great travel book writer - Bill Bryson.

I've spent the week in Blacktown, NSW. This is a suburb of Sydney and maybe only familiar to anyone in the US because it was the 'burb where the softball games were held during the 2000 Olympic games. I spend an hour on a train to get to Blacktown (and, consequently, an hour to get home, too). During this commute time, I have been doing some personal reading. Already finished one book this week. Began the next. Or, should I say, restarted the next. In a Sunburned Country is Bill Bryson's comedic tale of his travels in Australia.

On my train ride home tonight, I was reading chapter 4, which seems to be all about Sydney. One particular paragraph really resonated with my current reality, and I thought it best to share it with you:

[In reference to his time at Circular Quay, the main stop for commuter ferries as well as the space between the lovely Opera House and also lovely Harbour Bridge] "An air of cheerful industriousness stuffuses the scene. These are people who get to live in a safe and fair-minded society, in a climate that makes you strong and handsome, in one of the world's great cities - and they get to come to work on a boat from a children's storybook, across a sublime plane of water, and each morning glance up from their Heralds and Telegraphs to see that famous Opera House and inspiring bridge and the laughing face of Luna Park. No wonder they look so damned happy."

Honestly, everytime I pass the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, I still want to take heaps of pictures of each. There are friends I've made who have been here 3 years who still do this as well. It never gets old - seeing that majestic sight still stirs something in people who've been looking at it for 3 years. So, here are a couple for your viewing pleasure.

Ok, so as I thought of this and reflected, I compiled a list of things I'm going to miss about being here when I am home. I'm not sure that there's much to the order here, but maybe....

1. Living near enough to the beach that I can go there every weekend

2. Lamingtons - google it, but it's a cake-esque thing

3. Scotch Fingers - shortbread biscuits - best served with nutella

4. Not having to drive anywhere

5. Did I mention the beach?

Ok, there are other things, but my roommate just got home and there's a pushy New Yorker waiting on us to go to dinner, so I must cut it short for now. (Jonathan, if you're reading this, know that I am only speaking the truth in love.)

Until next time....oh, and you'll want to read the next one. This weekend involves sailing! Yay!

Time is Flying By.....

Hello! Well, it's been a busy couple of weeks. Just wrapped up client #2 in Sydney and have managed to catch a cold while I'm at it. The majority of my friends here have had a cold for a time ranging from 2 to 4 weeks. I thought I had somehow managed to miss it, but alas, no such luck.

As a result of everyone's illness, this weekend has been relatively low key. Home in bed before midnight each night - that's quite an accomplishment here, by the way. Yesterday, we ventured to the Taronga Zoo, which is a short ferry ride from the city. This was probably the best zoo experience I've had. The kangaroo exhibit was a "walkabout" where there weren't any fences between me and the animals. I actually petted a kangaroo, saw a couple with joeys in their pouches and came very close to a huge emu. However, the highlight of the visit was probably the gorilla exhibit, which had approximate 10-12 gorillas, including babies. They were all very active, horse-playing with each other, fighting over an apple, and one even kept pounding its chest. Quite incredible. Oh, and the zoo had amazing views of the city. Here's a sample:

Today, a few of us girls decided to go on a guided kayaking tour of the Northern Beaches. Our tour guide, Conal, is a retired gentleman from South Africa. He was great! He had such patience with the 4 of us girls. The tour was great! We even kayaked out to the Sydney Harbor heads, which means that I actually was officially in the Pacific Ocean and not just the harbor. About 3/4 of the way through our tour, we found ourselves on a beach that is only accessible via the water, where the tour company had set up a nice little "afternoon tea" for us. Now, this did not actually involve tea, but rather apple juice, fresh fruit, gummy worms and a these amazing little chocolate and coconut covered cakes called Lemmingtons. It was a practically perfect day....except where I fell in the water trying to get out of the kayak at said beach. :)

We then wrapped up this evening with some much needed American cuisine. The food here in Australia is really quite non-distinct. Everything seems pretty average, but just a little different tasting than "normal." Therefore, I've been disappointed with dinner more often than I've been pleased or impressed. However, fear not! The American franchise business is alive and well in the Sydney CBD....just a couple blocks from our apartment. A group of us headed out to Tony Roma's for dinner. Ribs, a baked potato and let's not forget the proverbial onion-ring-esque appetizer. It was just what I was craving - something that tasted just as you expected it to!

Well, on that note, it's time to head to bed for another week to start. The time has flown by here. It's been 6 weeks already, which is surprising and depressing all in the same. I continue to have a great time and came to the realization last week that there is nothing I could ask to be different about my life right now. That's a pretty great place to be. I hope you each can find that same place.

Until next time.....

City 2 Surf

Hello all! Last weekend was the long awaited City 2 Surf 14k race. I feel quite accomplished. My official time was 108:24. I was aiming for finishing in under 2 hours, so I was quite pleased with this time. I toted my camera along the way and, admittedly, if I hadn't stopped to take so many photos, I might have come in under 90 minutes. Here's a shot from the route. If this could be my running scenery everyday, I might actually take up running for real.

The race had over 75k participants - the largest timed road race in the world. The first people to cross the finish line were done before I even started running. It takes quite a while to get 75k people organized across a single line. The start was a pretty incredible site.

There were over 500 PwC people who participated in the run from all across Australia. Every now and then I would see someone sporting a PwC jersey along the way. Sad to say, I registered too late to get a jersey of my own.

The run started in the middle of Sydney's CBD and went out to one of the beaches - Bondi. After the race, Uncle Price was nice enough to throw a party for those of us who had participated. Great fun was had by all, and the fun continued well into the afternoon and evening.

From left to right - Lisa (UK), Sam (UK), Jonathan (NYC), Me, Karalee (Chicago) and Henriette (Amsterdam) - after the run, enjoying the beach.

The official after party - Kristen (NYC), Tracy (Toronto), Karalee (Chicago), Me

This weekend promises to continue the Aussie fun. I'm having a great time and still sometimes can't believe I'm here. Hope you all are well and I look forward to the next set of stories I have to share with you!

Cheers!

A Long 2 Weeks

Ok, ok, ok. I realize it's been 2 weeks since my last post. I'm sorry. The truth of the matter is this whole work thing has really begun to cramp my style. (Just kidding) Seriously though, the last two weeks have involved many long nights, which is my excuse for not updating this blog sooner.

The good news is that you haven't missed much! Last weekend, a group of us had some surfing lessons at Manly Beach. (See photo below....this was before the waves and salt water had gotten to us.) It was "heaps" of fun, although very hard work. I managed to get up on the board a few times, which was super exciting. The truth of the matter is, however, I might be more a beach bum/body boarder than a surfer. The moral of the story is that a good time was had by all and we all survived without much injury.

We also went last weekend to an AFL footy game. This game seems to be similar to rugby (which is moderately similar to US football), but it is played on a round field, no one wears any protective gear, and there are 4 goal posts instead of 2. It was a very exciting game, as the Sydney Swans nearly beat the St. Kilda Saints. It came down to the last seconds of the game.

This weekend is already off to a much more low key start. Last night involved an amazing dinner of mussels and beef at the Belgian Beer Cafe. I found myself coming in early (and by early, we mean 12:30) to head to bed.

I am currently at work, spending a few hours trying to get this job to a point where my team doesn't have to think too hard to wrap it up, and then it's off to prepare for an evening of cooking and eating. Tomorrow is the City 2 Surf race, and as would only be appropriate the night before an 8.7 mile run, we are carbo loading. It should be a nice time to just hang out and enjoy each other's company.

In other news, it was announced yesterday that when I return home, I will have a new title at work - Manager. This is an exciting next step in my career. I'm certain it won't come without many challenges, but if we're not continuing to learn and be challenged, we're probably not maximizing our potential.

On that note, I must get some work done. Hope you are all well, and I'm sure you'll hear more from me soon.

The weekend can't come soon enough

Ok, you had to know it would come eventually....that little dose of reality that reminds you of the real purpose of the trip....WORK. That has hit this week. It has been a typical "busy season" week for me. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for some of my Australian colleagues, who have commented on my "American work ethic" and not meant it in a complimentary fashion. I'm relatively stressed out, which shouldn't be a surprise to any of you who have seen me in the heat of busy season. However, I'm trying really hard to soak up the Aussie nature and be more laid back. I'm just not sure I can do it. Maybe I need to stay here much longer than 3 months to make sure I get that very valuable trait. :)

Anyway, the weekend.....sooooo excited for it to come. The agenda entails (after some work on Saturday morning, I'm sure) viewing an Aussie rules football match on Saturday night and then....oh yes....wait for it.....surfing lessons on Sunday. I know. I was just commenting on how cold it is here for surfing. However, I figure when in Rome.... And I'm not sure what it is right now with me and the excessive use of dots. Please forgive me. I'm sure this is annoying someone. Probably the result of too much caffeine combined with too much work and too much running. Anyway, I have no idea what Aussie rules football entails, but I know I'm supposed to "cheer" for the Sydney Swans (apparently the word "root" has a different meaning here) as they strive to win their "match" (it's not a game, apparently). All in all, it promises to be a very Australian weekend, which only seems appropriate given my location.

I mentioned earlier something about running. I'm sure some of you who know me well are wondering what that is all about. In all honesty, it's an effort to help counter act some of the more "empty" activities I find myself participating in, as well as just generally being motivated by my new friends here. There are 3 of us who get up at 6am and run out to Sydney Harbor (home of the famous bridge and Opera House) and back. It's about a 3 mile loop we've been doing, and it is absolutely surreal to run past those amazing sites as the sun is hitting the horizon behind them.

Additionally, while we're on the topic of running, next weekend is Australia's largest "fun run" called City 2 Surf. (www.city2surf.com.au) The run starts in the heart of Sydney and winds 14k (approx. 9 miles) with a finish at Bondi Beach. They claim 70,000 people participate in this. My new friends here have all signed up to do this. Some are intending to run the entire thing (and some I have more faith in that happening for than others), while others of us (myself included) have committed to do it more for the fun of it - which isn't likely to include running 9 miles. Anyway, there are many folks from work who participate and Uncle Price is generous enough to throw a big party at the beach for all his grunts afterwards. It should be, needless to say, a fabulous time.

Ok, must get to bed. 6am comes awfully early when it entails running. Until next time....

An Australian Tradition....the Beginning

Tonight, my new roommate (Karalee) and I started a new tradition.....Sunday evening dinner at our house. We had all our short-term secondee friends over - 2 New Yorkers, 1 Canadian, and 1 from Amsterdam. We made tacos and had wine and shortbread cookies with nutella for dessert. Side bar - it's the strangest thing - you can find all the makings for Mexican food in the grocery here, but there isn't a Mexican restaurant to be found. At least not easily. Anyway, it was a great time. Makes it sort of seem like you've got a little family here. Anyway, just wanted to share. Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend, and I can't wait to be able to share more of this with you.

Loving Life

Two weeks in and I've resolved myself to the fact that I love it here. I'm still trying to find the words as to why, but what I know is that I do in fact love it here.

Work is going well. I'm learning alot and definitely experiencing more diversity than ever before. My team currently consists 2 Aussies, a Brit, a New Zealander, an Indonesian, and a girl from Singapore. It's just crazy - but amazing. It's interesting to hear all of their experiences and to hear their ideas about Americans. One of them told me this week that I don't say "fantastic" as much as he would have expected, since I'm from America. Another one asked me if the high school experiences in the movies is real - where the football players wear their letter jackets and jerseys and there are geeks and popular girls, etc. I have a hard time believing that's not a high school reality in most places of the world, but maybe I'm just being ethno-centric in my thinking.

Yesterday, a few of us went to Bondi Beach, which is one of the main surfing beaches here. Actually, in a couple of weeks, there is a 14km run that goes from the city to the beach called "City to Surf". A few of my new friends here are running it. Anyway, Bondi is basically heaven. There were guys surfing and it was only about 50-55 degrees. There are huge rocks and cliffs near the beach where the waves were crashing and making amazing sites. I've added some pictures for your viewing pleasure. I also have posted a pic from the whale watching adventures.

Seriously, this place is amazing. It's really too bad it's on the other side of the world from the US. I never in a million years thought that I would ever consider relocating to a foreign country for a time. However, this experience so far may be changing that. At PwC, there are opportunities all the time to do 2 year tours all over the world. In fact, I've met some pretty cool people here from America on a 2 year bit. I know the grass is always greener on the other side, but seriously.......this (here or in some other random place) could be my reality. Crazy!

The first two pictures below are from the whale excursion. The last three are from Bondi. I hope you enjoy!

A correction...and a quick update

So, since some new friends here in SYD have read this blog and pointed out the error that I had hoped could just slip by without notice, I'll take the high road and admit the mistake. In some previous posts, I mentioned exchange rates and have since realized that I had them backwards. Therefore, a bottle of yellow mustard for $3.50 AUD is actually only about $2.80 USD.

So, this weekend was as busy as expected. The whales were amazing! I hope to have pictures to upload soon. Wine country was a good experience, but the tour bus driver was a bit of a tool. He sort of put a damper on things. Otherwise, though, it was all in all a good time.

I must skip out for now and get some things done, but know I haven't forgotten about you and the promises of sharing this all with you.

First weekend without jet lag.....

...promises to hold a few very exciting things. 1) Whale watching, 2) Coffee festival, 3) Yulefest (aka, Christmas in July), 4) Wine country. It will be a full weekend that is already off to a great start. The Aussies are totally NOT into working weekends...and the weekend seems to start some time between noon and five on Friday. So, this evening, I spent the evening meeting new PwC folks at a happy hour turn HOURS at a bar that is just around the corner from my apartment. Yes, that's right, I live only 1 block from "the place to be". It's a beautiful thing....particularly a few drinks in. Anywho....good times were had by all.

Tomorrow's plans include enjoying the coffee festival, markets nearby and whale watching. The whales are apparently migrating now, so the other short term secondees and a couple other new friends from SC and NY are planning to spend 4 hours on a boat in the middle of the ocean looking for them! Sooooo excited.

Sunday entails a tour to wine country - Hunter Valley. It's supposed to be about a 2 hour trip there via bus. Should also be a great time. Might make Monday morning interesting, but I suppose you only live in Sydney once, right? :)

I've got my camera battery on charge now to be fully ready to catch all the excitement of the weekend. Can't wait to share it all with you!

Cheers!

A little vocabulary lesson

So, I'm realizing that a lot of things are different here - neither better or worse, just different. One of these things are common words used for various things. Tonight, I learned a new term - lady boy. Any takers on what this might mean? This is the Aussie slang for transvestite. Now, why this came up in conversation, it's hard to say, but it did. So, consider yourself a little more cultured now. :)

Another thing that is different here is how they deal with cell phones - or "mobiles" as they're called here. Nothing here is divided into packages by minutes. Rather, it's based on dollar values. So far, what this means to me is that they don't want you to really know how much it costs you to talk on your mobile. Well, I signed up for a plan that gives me $xxx value. We'll see how it goes.

I went tonight with some new friends to see The Proposal. It was a cute movie - a little unrealistic, but still entertaining. How can you go wrong with Sandra Bullock and an ending with a big kiss?

I have attached a few pics of my apartment and the views not far from my apartment. These are all along Darling Harbour. I hope you enjoy!

Hello from the Southern Hemisphere!

So, I arrived....I was hoping to be able to post something sooner than now, but it has taken me a while to figure out how to best obtain internet access here. It's not like the States. Upon the advice of some folks at work, I ventured out to Chinatown and purchased a prepaid wireless card with a limited amount of gigs to be used over the next 30 days. So, it's slower than molasses, but it's working.

Anyway, the jet lag has been a little rough, although I now feel like I'm adjusted. I arrived Saturday morning at 8am, after having slept about 6 hours on the flights. I made it until about 3pm and decided to try to take a nap. Bad idea. I slept through the alarm at 5pm and awoke at 11pm. At this point, I realized the best option was to try to continue to sleep, which I did until about 2:30 am and then was wide awake. At this point, the options of activities were limited - especially w/o internet access. So, I watched several reruns of Will & Grace on the tv channel that seems to play nothing but American reruns (including VH1 Pop Up Videos!). I then worked out a bit and decided to try to find my way to church. Afterall, it was Sunday morning and I was awake, so why not?

Well, being in Sydney, I decided to google from my blackberry Hillsong and found that there was a campus not too far from a major train stop that was nearby. So, out I went. Hillsong was a good experience, and not too different than my church experiences in college. I ended up meeting a very friendly girl - Naomi - who introduced me to a few of her friends and invited me to join them Tuesday evening. I'm so looking forward to getting to know these girls. I love exploring different cultures, and what better way than to do life with someone who lives this culture everyday. Speaking of cultures, that is one thing that was so striking about being at Hillsong. As I walked in, I quickly realized that as a caucasian blonde girl, I was in the minority. It was such an empowering feeling....being in a new place, realizing that while I might be the new kid on the block, there were so many people around me that likely had very diverse experiences, yet shared a similar basic belief.

The rest of Sunday consisted of me not being at my amazing apartment for fear of falling asleep again. So, instead, I ventured out to Darling Harbour - which is right by my apartment - and then on to Circular Quay (pronounced "key"), which is home to the Sydney Harbour bridge and the Opera House. Here is a picture I took on my bb from a great park bench where I sat and read for a bit in the Royal Botanic Gardens. It was so amazing. I had one of those, "holy crap - I'm in Sydney Australia" moments sitting here.

I ended up making it until about 8pm, and then went to sleep. I woke up about every hour beginning at 4am this morning, but forced myself to sleep until 7am. As a result, I think my body has successfully adjusted. Work today was good. Typical first day kind of stuff - orientation to office, orientation to new computer, including time sheets, etc. Left work by about 4pm. Also a nice thing. Everyone that I have met is so nice. There were 4 other secondees in my training today - 2 from NYC (financial services, of course), 1 from Canada and 1 from Papua New Guinea. I also met my "buddy" today, which is a girl who has worked for the firm about 2 years and was born and raised in the Sydney suburbs.

The weather has been amazing. The locals claim it's "freezing." However, if I had to guess, it was probably a high of 60 degrees today. This evening, as I ventured out with one of my new NYC friends - Liz - I wore flip flops, jeans and a t-shirt. Everyone on the street looked at me like I was crazy, but I was sweating by the time I got back to my apt from work in a suit. A guy at Woolworth's (the big supermarket here) commented that I must be from the Northern States, since I think this is amazingly warm. He gave the example of North Dakota. Too funny!

Anyway, tomorrow's agenda consists of confirming my identity with the bank here so I can access the $$ they are giving me and hopefully obtaining an Australian pre-paid cell phone. I'm sure this will be equally as interesting as the internet card experience was today. Things are quite expensive here - even according to the NYC folks. The craziest thing so far might just be that in Woolworth's, I went looking for mustard to go along w/ my bread and turkey. I found 2 bottles, on the top shelf, labeled "American Mustard" for $3.50 AU. This a bout $5 USD. Holy cow! Obviously, they have to import this stuff. I bought it - don't get me wrong - but that's just crazy. Oh, and everything is in kilograms at the grocery, so that took some adjustment. At the deli, I just asked for about 5 or 6 slices of turkey, as I didn't know what the common request was. Do you ask for 1/4 of a kilogram? Or do you actually ask for grams? Who knows? However, thank you Laura Hatcher for the lesson in the airport regarding the conversion of pounds to kilos. It was very useful. :)

Ok, well, I'm going to continue to try to figure this place out. I will upload more pics once I get them downloaded from my camera. This always seems to be a challenge for me. I hope you are all doing well! Cheers!

4 Days and Counting...

Well, I've managed to procrastinate on just about everything left to do for this trip....including updating this blog. This procrastination also includes packing - maybe the most essential task after finding the house/pet sitter - of which I have done very little. The one part of this packing fiasco (or soon to be) that has been accomplished is laundry. I guess you gotta start somewhere.

I leave in less than 100 hours. CRAZY! The goodbyes started today - a trip to Indy to say "See you in 4 months!" to the 'rents, the sister, the college roommates and their respective babies. I left the teary eyes to my mother, but I'm sure at some point they will begin to mist.

I have received my address in Sydney, which is in the Kings Street Wharf area, approximately 1 block from Darling Harbour. I am not quite sure what this all means yet, but the fact that the words "wharf" and "harbour" are in my immediate residential future is a very encouraging sign.

So, at this point, the only real thing left to do is pack. It'll be interesting to see exactly how much stuff one can fit in 2 large suitcases and a carry-on. Oh, and there is the continuation of the "See you later's!" And let us not forget the oh so necessary hair appointment and massage. :)

It is likely that my next post will be from the other side of the world. I'm really looking forward to what the next 4 months hold for me. And I am really excited to have you share it with me. A very dear and wise friend of mine helped me explain my anxieties about this trip best. She said, "You're just going to experience so much and you want those you love to experience it with you." This is a very true statement, so I will try to hold up my end of that bargain if you will too.

SYDNEY OR BUST!

28 Days....

The count is now down to less than 30 days. I've made significant progress in my preparations:

House/pet sitter…..Check
Flight to Australia….Check
Flight home from South Africa…..Check
Books to read on the plane…..Check
No Jet Lag herbal supplements (we'll give it whirl - they come highly recommended)…..Check
Plans for last evening in the States…..Check

A couple of these items are worth expanding on.

Books. I'm not much of a reader typically. I got away from this in grad school when I was reading a lot of text books and case studies all the time. The last thing I wanted to do was to read something else. However, I have found as I travel with Uncle Price, I do a lot of great reading on airplanes. The girl who was never a very fast reader can finish off a book in the time it takes to get from Cincinnati to Dallas. So, I'm really looking forward to the opportunity this trip is going to provide me to do some personal reading. I purchased a couple books today by authors I really enjoy - Rob Bell and Bill Bryson. One is likely to elicit much thinking and reflection on my part and the other promises to make me laugh and help me come to understand the land I am about to travel to.

Last evening in the States. There may not be much more American than rock and roll. And while we no longer have the likes of Elvis Presley among us anymore, we do have some very significant rock and roll legends still doing their thing and entertaining us. So, in order to make sure that my blood is filled with the appropriate amount of American-ism before I leave, I am going to see some of these legends in concert - John Mellencamp (whom I affectionately refer to as "The Coug"), Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. I can't think of a better way to spend my last night here than enjoying great live music with great company. I am sure to report back on this concert. Although, at that point, I might be on the other side of the world.

Until there is more to tell you....Cheers!

33 Days.....

Well, folks, I guess it's official. I'm really going to Australia. I now possess an airline ticket which leaves CVG at 8pm on July 9th. I will connect at LAX and arrive in SYD on July 11th at 7:10am. (For those followers of Kenny Tarmac, these initials might make you giggle. For those who don't travel much, I leave Cincinnati, connect in Los Angeles and arrive in Sydney.) So, at this point, I have 33 days to get the world in order. Still working through a few logistics, but it looks like all will fall into place.

Uncle Price is giving me a furnished apartment in the heart of Sydney. 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. I will also have a roommate - Karalee is from the Chicago office of PwC and will be in Sydney with the same exchange program. This fact has relieved a decent amount of anxiety from this process. It's comforting knowing that there will be someone there to notice if I don't make it home and to be experiencing the same things alongside me.

Someone asked me last night what I am most excited about related to this trip. This was a good question, one I had not really considered yet. I have thought a lot about what I am anxious about, but had not begun to put words to what excites me about the opportunity. I think I am most excited about being out of the country again. Each time I have been out of the country, I have experienced a feeling of great empowerment and freedom. For some reason, when I am out of the country, I feel more like myself than any other time. It's hard to explain, but I hope this makes sense. Therefore, what I am most excited about is the opportunity to be in this place again - this time for longer than I have ever been before.

39 Days and Counting!

Welcome to my blog! I hope you will choose to follow me as I travel around the world in 120 days. This adventure is made possible by Uncle Price - my endearing term for my employer. He has given me the "opportunity" to perform my mad auditing skills in Sydney, Australia. While in the world of public accounting, the word "opportunity" generally has a less than desirable connotation, this is Uncle Price's way to prove us all wrong.

I will be in Sydney for 3 months. For all you math gurus (and fellow auditors), I realize that 3 months is approximately 90 days - not 120. However, at the end of my work assignment, I will spend 2 weeks travelling to destinations yet to be determined (suggestions welcome) and then meeting some of my dearest friends in Cape Town, South Africa for 2 weeks of loving people and experiencing this world.

So, at this point, I'm less than 40 days from departure. Today, my visa was approved, which means I can now officially move forward with my travel plans. Additionally, I got some hopeful news from some great friends with regards to who will be taking care of my life here in the states (e.g. my dog, 2 cats, house, and 1/2 acre yard) while I'm gallivanting. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the offer on their house turns into a closing - for their sake and mine!

Until there is more to tell you about.....cheers.