I landed at Melbourne Airport and was straight on a bus into the city. I got the first train out to the suburbs, keen to get to Frankston and back to Beau's as soon as possible.
The sun was shining and I had a great feeling after the month i'd just had. The moment I walked through the door, as expected, the boys were in the bar waiting for my return with a fridge full of ice cold beers. It felt so good to be back.
The sun was shining and I had a great feeling after the month i'd just had. The moment I walked through the door, as expected, the boys were in the bar waiting for my return with a fridge full of ice cold beers. It felt so good to be back.
That first week back in Melbourne was all about spending time with Steve before he jetted off to Canada for the next year or so. While everyone else was at work, Steve and I enjoyed the last of the summer weather lazing on the beach. After the very sad day that he left, possibly the last time i'll ever see him, it was time for me to get back to reality for the first time in 6 months. It was time to join the real world and get jobhunting!
I'd already asked my mum and dad to send a load of work clothes over, to save buying an entire new wardrobe. So as I waited, I spent most days while the others were at work, glued to the laptop applying for any contract HR roles in Melbourne's Central Business District. Unfortunately, with the word 'Recession' in the air, it was taking longer than i'd hoped. Vacancies were low, and of course, keeping the Ozzies employed was the main priority. I jobhunted by day and caught up with friends I'd met previously in 
Asia, by night.
Asia, by night. First was Lizzy and Lolly, 2 girls the same age as me from Southampton, who i'd met in Laos and then again in Thailand. We would go out and enjoy the Melbourne restaurants and nightlife; Shanghai dumplings for $6 a bowl in Chinatown's laneways, clubs that don't close for the entire weekend, and rooftop bars that look over the whole city.
There was also Flo, who I met in Kuala Lumpur. She and I did the typical touristy bits, browsing around the Queen Victoria market and wandering around the city, camera in hand, snapping away at all the 'artwork' and sights Melbourne has to offer.
Next was Si, who i met in Thailand. We went up the Eureka Tower to the Skydeck, the Southern Hemisphere's highest viewing platform, which has impressive views across the city. After the tower we had drinks at the Crown Casino Complex. Drinks only....no gambling, which we should be rewarded for considering how huge the complex is and how tempting the urge to gamble.
Back in the suburbs, most weekends were spent in the bar in the back garden, drink
ing plenty of wine, (from a bottle, i'd gone up in the world since my camping/ drinking $15 wine from a carton days) and having a laugh with the boys. I also discovered a new interest in Aussie Rules Football. What an Ozzy calls football is not what we call football, although I still couldn't tell you the differences and similarities! What I do know (which is pretty obvious) is that the ball is shaped like a rugby ball, and it's a contact sport. You have to have the fitness of a superhero to play the game!
ing plenty of wine, (from a bottle, i'd gone up in the world since my camping/ drinking $15 wine from a carton days) and having a laugh with the boys. I also discovered a new interest in Aussie Rules Football. What an Ozzy calls football is not what we call football, although I still couldn't tell you the differences and similarities! What I do know (which is pretty obvious) is that the ball is shaped like a rugby ball, and it's a contact sport. You have to have the fitness of a superhero to play the game!One of the guys I lived with played for a local team, Karingal FC, along with a lot of the other boys I know. And so, p
retty much every Saturday for the next 3 months or so, excluding maybe 3 games, I went to the footy, home or away, to support Karingal FC with the rest of the boys who didn't play. We would stand at the sidelines, beer in hand, cheer on our team and abuse the opposition. After all that time I still don't know the rules! Some might say it was because, by half time, I'd already had a load of beers, trying to keep up with the boys. Or it might have been the distraction of a field full of fit young men in short shorts tackling eachother! Nevertheless, i was a supporter, even owning the team's bright red 'Karingal Bulls' footy jacket, which we all wore with pride regardless of the result of the game.
retty much every Saturday for the next 3 months or so, excluding maybe 3 games, I went to the footy, home or away, to support Karingal FC with the rest of the boys who didn't play. We would stand at the sidelines, beer in hand, cheer on our team and abuse the opposition. After all that time I still don't know the rules! Some might say it was because, by half time, I'd already had a load of beers, trying to keep up with the boys. Or it might have been the distraction of a field full of fit young men in short shorts tackling eachother! Nevertheless, i was a supporter, even owning the team's bright red 'Karingal Bulls' footy jacket, which we all wore with pride regardless of the result of the game.And then there was Robyn (who gets a special mention as i know she'll be reading this)! who took me under her wing. Not only was she my mates mum, she was also the President of the club. She invited me to the Karingal FC Ladies day lunch (which i didn't have to pay for) where I got a lovely 2 course meal and all the free drinks, including champagne, that i could manage. So while the boys watched the game outside in the cold, I was inside in the warm with the ladies, sipping/ gulping champagne and enjoying the festivities. And I even have my very own pink Karingal FC stubby holder to show for it.
FYI - a stubby holder is what the Ozzies use to keep their beers cold.
Outside of the football, Robyn was my surrogate mum! Making sure I was well fed by inviting me round for home cooked dinners, something I hadn't had in a long time - Thanks Robyn!
So anyway, after 3 weeks of applying for jobs and getting no where, my work clothes finally arrived. Instead of sitting around on the computer, I decided to be proactive. I packed a bag and checked into a hostel in the city, so that I could register with agencies, and hand my CV in at places, dressed corporately rather than like a backpacker. I'd decided that if I couldn't work in HR, or in an office environment, then i'd work as something completely different like a cocktail waitress.
I spent a whole day wandering the city, with a load of CVs printed and ready. After an exhausting 6 hours or so, I stopped at a bar overlooking the Yarra river and and rewarded my efforts with a nice cold beer. Aware of the fact that I was sitting in a bar on my own, I pulled out my phone and decided to call all the agencies I'd registered with online over the last week or so. This proved to be the best thing i could've done... One agency got excited when they heard about the type of HR/ in-house recruitment experience I had, and asked me to come in to meet them first thing the next day. And so in the morning, dressed the best I'd been since last October, I headed into the Central Business District to meet the recruitment consultants.
After 3 hours of going over my CV and computer skills tests, she said she should be able to help and would be in touch, typical recruitment consultant talk! True to her word, about 15 minutes after I left, she called to tell me I had an interview the following day.
The company is called David Jones, and they are Australia's top department store, sort of a cross between John Lewis and Selfridges. After my informal chat with an HR Advisor there I was offered the position of HR Assistant to start immediately on an ongoing basis. For the next 4 weeks I split my time... 5 days in a hostel in the city, walking distance from work, and the weekends back in Frankston. God forbid i miss a football game!
I loved this routine. I was meeting other backpackers and going out in the city during the week. And it meant I could catch up with friends who lived nearby, such as Lolly and Lizzy. I also caught up with 2 guys I met in the Summer of '07 when I was living and working in Portugal.
At the weekends it was nice just to lounge around in my PJs watcing TV, something you can't really do in a hostel. And of course, the highlight being Karingal footy games with the boys and drinks somewhere afterwards.
After t
hese first 4 weeks of working in the city and splitting my time, it was my 23rd birthday, which fell on a Friday. Being away from the house all week I had no idea what, if anything, the guys had planned for me. I got back to the house around 7pm, and was delighted to see i'd received a load of mail from home, which i wasn't expecting, being on the other side of the world! I poured a glass of wine and sat myself in the bar while I opened all my cards from my friends and family. Then, Kristy (who I also lived with) came outside to tell me that Beau had booked a restaurant for the 3 of us. I was pleased that they'd arranged something, but disappointed that Sammy, who we also lived with, had already gone out, and there was no sign on any of the other boys.
hese first 4 weeks of working in the city and splitting my time, it was my 23rd birthday, which fell on a Friday. Being away from the house all week I had no idea what, if anything, the guys had planned for me. I got back to the house around 7pm, and was delighted to see i'd received a load of mail from home, which i wasn't expecting, being on the other side of the world! I poured a glass of wine and sat myself in the bar while I opened all my cards from my friends and family. Then, Kristy (who I also lived with) came outside to tell me that Beau had booked a restaurant for the 3 of us. I was pleased that they'd arranged something, but disappointed that Sammy, who we also lived with, had already gone out, and there was no sign on any of the other boys. We drove to a little Italian about 10 minutes away and as we walked in it was completely empty. My hopes that maybe they'd organised a surprise dinner went out the window, and I'm sure it was obvious that my smile had faded. We were led to a table outside, and there they were. 10 or 11 of my mates were all sitting and waiting for me at a long table. I was so so plea
sed that my birthday wasn't going to be the same as any other Friday night. Also, I don't think i'd had a surprise arranged for me before! At the end of our meal, after the waitress had brought out a chocolate cake (which i don't eat - typical)! and they'd sung happy birthday and i'd blown out the candles etc etc, it was present time! Kristy handed me a giant card, signed by everyone, and then a small envelope. Inside was a voucher for the flight centre, worth $400, which i can use for flights or accommodation at almost any location worldwide. This was quite possibly the best present I could have got as a backpacker (aside from money)!!, and also as someone who much prefers the experiences in life compared to material things.
sed that my birthday wasn't going to be the same as any other Friday night. Also, I don't think i'd had a surprise arranged for me before! At the end of our meal, after the waitress had brought out a chocolate cake (which i don't eat - typical)! and they'd sung happy birthday and i'd blown out the candles etc etc, it was present time! Kristy handed me a giant card, signed by everyone, and then a small envelope. Inside was a voucher for the flight centre, worth $400, which i can use for flights or accommodation at almost any location worldwide. This was quite possibly the best present I could have got as a backpacker (aside from money)!!, and also as someone who much prefers the experiences in life compared to material things.Anyway..... I've run out of time, internet access is limited... I will update on life in Melbourne soon!
