Oi, can't ya see I'm busy!!
"Whereas the tourist generally hurries back home at the end of a few weeks or months, the traveler, belonging no more to one place than the next, moves slowly, over periods of years from one part of the earth to another." -Paul Bowles
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Grocery Shopping in Oz
One thing Steve and I almost always do together is the grocery shopping. It's more fun, it shares the responsibility, and we tend to save money when Steve's along;) Note above the Aussie tendency to shorten all words, and the legal issues regarding stating where your dollar is going.
Friday, 19 March 2010
Election Woes in SA
Tomorrow is election day. Yes, on a Saturday, millions of South Australians will be forced to take part in compulsory voting on the weekend, in order to elect a new Premier, among others. They'll muddle through a preferential voting system, ranking their preferred candidates according to who they would least mind winning. Upon questioning my husband as to who he is voting for, at least who will receive his 'top' vote, he told me definitely not candidate A. That seems to be the consensus from all the Aussies I've spoken to. They don't like anyone for Premier, but there is one they dislike over all others. So, on my first proper election day in Oz, my understanding of preferential voting is that Aussies vote by ranking the candidates according to who they dislike the least being on top. (It doesn't really sound that much different to home does it?)
Sunday, 7 March 2010
The Adelaide Festival(s)
Adelaide is known as the Festival State. At no time is this more apparent than in February/March, when the Fringe Festival, Adelaide Festival, and Womad are on. We went to a play last night as part of the Adelaide Festival, than wandered down to the riverfront, to see the Northern Lights and stop off at the Artists' Bar.
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
The Most Expensive Pairs of Shoes I've ever Bought - or Why American Healthcare is Better than Australian
I estimate that these shoes will end up costing me approximately $6,000. As of next Wednesday, I'll be around $3,000 out of pocket for dental work, with another $3,000 or so to follow over the next 2 years. Hopefully, that will be the end of it although I'm guessing that there'll be some (not cheap) cosmetic maintenance for the rest of my life. That big smile you see in this pic doesn't exist any more. For the second time, I'll have braces, although this time around, I'm opting for the clear ones. After that, I get a cap on one of my teeth. My goal is to be able to eat ribs again some day, but eating crusty bread without pain would be a good start.
Lesson - don't wear girly shoes, and if you do, don't fall off the porch in them and land on your face!
By the way, I bought those shoes for $25 (down from $90) at the Nordstrom Rack store about 10 years ago and have only worn them a handful of times. They weren't a bargain in the end. The second part of the title - if I had American dental care, it would have covered ... every... last... cent!
Monday, 1 March 2010
What we Do Differently, Part 1
Quite often, people back home tell me they couldn't do what I've done, that the change would be too much for them to handle. I've deleted the link, but I found a post on another expat blog describing what that expat does differently, now that she's moved countries. Here are a few things that have changed for me.
1. I drive a cosmetically challenged, '93 Toyota Camry wagon. Since buying it for $1500 a little over a year ago, I've replaced tires, the battery, starter motor, and various other inexpensive bits and bobs. It runs fine, but it's definitely my first 'bomb'. In '93, when I was 17, my first car was my mom's old '87 Camry wagon with all the bells and whistles - electronic readout on the dash, seatbelts that put themselves into place when you shut the door and turned on the car, sun roof, and power windows (none of which I have on my current car). When my mom bought a new Saturn in '97, I talked her into giving it to me (I was a VERY spoiled 'child').
2. I never had any savings to speak of when I lived in the US, and I always bought what I wanted when I wanted it. Now, I put a 1/3 of each paycheck into savings as soon as I get it. I split that savings into 5 equal amounts, for specific things I'm saving for (for example, flights home, a container to ship my US furniture and belongings to Oz eventually, a car fund so I can replace my 'bomb' with something a bit nicer...) If I was still living in the US, I wouldn't need to save for these things. Another 1/3 of my paycheck goes directly to mortgage and house repairs, and I pinch my pennies to live off the remaining 1/3 until the next payday. I have no debt, don't have a credit card to my name in Oz, and don't buy anything until I have the money for it. There are few luxuries, and I don't feel the need for them to be honest. I buy clothes when I go home for visits since it's cheaper, and occasionally treat myself to a pedicure and meals out with friends.
3. I do at least 2 different grocery shops each time I go. For general groceries, and sometime meat, I go to the supermarket, although quite often we make a separate trip to the butcher for meat. For veggies, I either go to the veg shop in the mall, or more likely, to Central Market. Veg is much cheaper, and heaps fresher, there.
More to come as I think of them. In the meantime, to those of you who say you couldn't do this, I say you don't know until you've tried.
1. I drive a cosmetically challenged, '93 Toyota Camry wagon. Since buying it for $1500 a little over a year ago, I've replaced tires, the battery, starter motor, and various other inexpensive bits and bobs. It runs fine, but it's definitely my first 'bomb'. In '93, when I was 17, my first car was my mom's old '87 Camry wagon with all the bells and whistles - electronic readout on the dash, seatbelts that put themselves into place when you shut the door and turned on the car, sun roof, and power windows (none of which I have on my current car). When my mom bought a new Saturn in '97, I talked her into giving it to me (I was a VERY spoiled 'child').
2. I never had any savings to speak of when I lived in the US, and I always bought what I wanted when I wanted it. Now, I put a 1/3 of each paycheck into savings as soon as I get it. I split that savings into 5 equal amounts, for specific things I'm saving for (for example, flights home, a container to ship my US furniture and belongings to Oz eventually, a car fund so I can replace my 'bomb' with something a bit nicer...) If I was still living in the US, I wouldn't need to save for these things. Another 1/3 of my paycheck goes directly to mortgage and house repairs, and I pinch my pennies to live off the remaining 1/3 until the next payday. I have no debt, don't have a credit card to my name in Oz, and don't buy anything until I have the money for it. There are few luxuries, and I don't feel the need for them to be honest. I buy clothes when I go home for visits since it's cheaper, and occasionally treat myself to a pedicure and meals out with friends.
3. I do at least 2 different grocery shops each time I go. For general groceries, and sometime meat, I go to the supermarket, although quite often we make a separate trip to the butcher for meat. For veggies, I either go to the veg shop in the mall, or more likely, to Central Market. Veg is much cheaper, and heaps fresher, there.
More to come as I think of them. In the meantime, to those of you who say you couldn't do this, I say you don't know until you've tried.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Negativity in the Expat World
"The problem is, and this sounds really obvious, that when you move to a foreign country you're a long way from home. What I mean is, you're a long way from your mates and family. You're forced to fit in with everyone else. You don't have the comfort of knowing that later on, down the pub, you can tell everyone "and then she poured coffee on my cornflakes" and get some sympathy."
-In the Merde for Love, by Stephen Clarke
Although no one here has tried to pour coffee on my cornflakes, this paragraph in the above book struck a resonance with me. When things happen here that seem completely, cultural strange to me, there often isn't anyone around that I can look to who will confirm the ridiculousness. That being said, one thing I avoid like the plague down here is other expats who only want to complain. Most often, it seems that other Americans are the most likely to make the assumption that I'm going to readily agree with their thinking that Australia is backwards, the people are less intelligent, and the way back home is always the right way. I can understand the frustration with things being different, but the best way to keep yourself from settling into your new life is to surround yourself with negativity. It's ok to complain a bit, and it's often necessary to a certain extent, but finding the positives in your new environment, even if hard work, is important.
-In the Merde for Love, by Stephen Clarke
Although no one here has tried to pour coffee on my cornflakes, this paragraph in the above book struck a resonance with me. When things happen here that seem completely, cultural strange to me, there often isn't anyone around that I can look to who will confirm the ridiculousness. That being said, one thing I avoid like the plague down here is other expats who only want to complain. Most often, it seems that other Americans are the most likely to make the assumption that I'm going to readily agree with their thinking that Australia is backwards, the people are less intelligent, and the way back home is always the right way. I can understand the frustration with things being different, but the best way to keep yourself from settling into your new life is to surround yourself with negativity. It's ok to complain a bit, and it's often necessary to a certain extent, but finding the positives in your new environment, even if hard work, is important.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Saturday, 2 January 2010
101 in 1001
*Bumping this one up as it's been over a year since I started it now. I still don't have 101 things, but am happy to say that in the past year+, out of (previously) 66 items, I've completed 25 and have another 12 in progress. (January 2010)
As seen on Day Zero
(I don't usually have trouble completing task lists, although this one is a monster. It is a hugely refreshing task in that it allows me to see what will be accomplished 3 years from now, and that's a lot!)
The Mission
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).
Start date : 11 November 2008
End date : 9 August 2011 (I'll be almost 35!)
Key:
Not yet started
In progress
Complete
House
1. Paint 2 bedrooms
2. Finish the table I started stripping
3. Install ceiling fans in 2 bedrooms
4. Complete porch
5. Redo front bathroom
6. Redo main bathroom
7. Install heat
8. Install air conditioning
9. Get new front windows
10. Complete games room
11. Paint laundry
12. Ship container from US
13. Buy new lounge suite
31. Begin a vegetable garden
32. Make the pomegranite tree healthy again
40. Get veranda on porch (possibly a 5+ year project)
41. Remove wall heater from lounge
42. Remove oil heater & tank from dining room/outside wall
43. Get rain water tank
46. Redo walk-in closet
51. Replace carpeting in 3 bedrooms
53. Put screens in windows
54. Put fly screen on vent bricks to get rid of the bees
59. Get new curtain rods for the front rooms
64. Plant a lime tree
65. Make peach tree healthy
66. Install new water heater
67. Replace windows in 3 bedrooms
68. Replace windows in dining room and kitchen
69. Replace sliding door
70. Get light-blocking blinds/curtains in 3 bedrooms, kitchen & dining room
71. Fix roof
72. Get house painted
73. Replace floor in kitchen/hallway
As seen on Day Zero
(I don't usually have trouble completing task lists, although this one is a monster. It is a hugely refreshing task in that it allows me to see what will be accomplished 3 years from now, and that's a lot!)
The Mission
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).
Start date : 11 November 2008
End date : 9 August 2011 (I'll be almost 35!)
Key:
Not yet started
In progress
Complete
House
1. Paint 2 bedrooms
2. Finish the table I started stripping
3. Install ceiling fans in 2 bedrooms
4. Complete porch
5. Redo front bathroom
6. Redo main bathroom
7. Install heat
8. Install air conditioning
9. Get new front windows
10. Complete games room
11. Paint laundry
12. Ship container from US
13. Buy new lounge suite
31. Begin a vegetable garden
32. Make the pomegranite tree healthy again
40. Get veranda on porch (possibly a 5+ year project)
41. Remove wall heater from lounge
42. Remove oil heater & tank from dining room/outside wall
43. Get rain water tank
46. Redo walk-in closet
51. Replace carpeting in 3 bedrooms
53. Put screens in windows
54. Put fly screen on vent bricks to get rid of the bees
59. Get new curtain rods for the front rooms
64. Plant a lime tree
65. Make peach tree healthy
66. Install new water heater
67. Replace windows in 3 bedrooms
68. Replace windows in dining room and kitchen
69. Replace sliding door
70. Get light-blocking blinds/curtains in 3 bedrooms, kitchen & dining room
71. Fix roof
72. Get house painted
73. Replace floor in kitchen/hallway
Personal/Professional/Cultural
18. Successfully form an International social group in Adelaide that includes Aussies
20. Invest time in 3 new friendships
21. See a play
22. Find a place in Adelaide to go to for good massages & pedicures (and go once every 3 months)
25. Begin an herb garden
26. Convince hubs to have a planned date once a month
27. Attempt to begin writing professionally
44. Make 2 purchases per year from USA Foods
52. Learn to cook a proper lamb stew or tagine
55. Get a full-time job I enjoy!!!!
58. Attempt to home brew some beer
60. Hike Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty
Sightseeing/Travel
28. Visit Melbourne
29. Visit Tasmania
33. Go to the Mt Lofty Botanic Garden
34. Go to Tandanya
35. Go on a tour of Parliament House
36. Attend Fridays Uncorked at the Wine Centre
37. Beer tasting at Cooper's Brewery
38. Try Horus Egyptian Cafe & Shisha House
39. Visit Canberra
45. Go back to Hahndorf for a Rueben and Pot Belly pies!
56. Attend an Adelaide United Game
57. See an SA baseball game
61. Suss out Chili Mojo and Norwood
62. Visit Hallett Cove
63. Hit every Irish pub in the Adelaide area at least once
Health
14. Develop a regular yoga routine
15. Drink 3 glasses of water a day
16. Take a multi-vitamin every day
17. Learn to cook 5 (very good) vegetarian meals (1 per week for a month)
19. Get up in time to either do yoga or have breakfast before work, 3x per week
23. Stop drinking juice and eat 2 pieces of fruit per day instead
24. Bring lunch to work at least 3 days per week
30. Go on a hike once a month
47. Eat oatmeal or cereal for breakfast 4x per week
48. Eat plain yogurt or toast & vegemite as a morning snack 4x per week
49. Eat veggies or fruit and nuts as an afternoon snack 4x per week
50. Begin a food tracking blog and blog what I eat each day for 2 weeks
Friday, 1 January 2010
Two Years Up
In just about three months, I'll have been living in Australia for two years (consecutively). When I first got here, I told myself I'd give it two years. Most resources for expats will tell you that it takes an average of two years to start to feel settled in. This isn't to say I was planning on leaving after two years if it didn't work out, only that I made a conscious decision to be especially patient with myself, my environment, and others around me for the first two years. Making that decision probably helped to keep me sane these last couple of years. I highly recommend this to new expats.
Happy New Year!
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