Last Days in Sydney

It has been about three weeks since my last blog post. Three weeks! So for those of you who may have wondered: I have not been eaten by sharks, stranded on a desert island, or run off to Fiji with Wentworth Miller. I have, however, completed the portion of my trip where I live and work in Sydney! That’s right, friends and family, my trip is approaching its last month and I have begun my travels around the country. I have heaps to tell you about my adventures the past few days, but first allow me to give you a rundown on my time in Sydney:

Last Days in Sydney

Since I returned from my Jillaroo experience, life has become…well, life. Sure, I am living in a foreign city, meeting people from all over the globe, and not noticing the melting pot of accents so much as I did initially, but for a while now I have not had any grand adventures or new sightseeing. It’s just me, an apron, and a job near the beach. I’ve loved almost every minute of it, but due to how Americanized Australia is, I have had a hard time truly believing that I am living in another country. Sydney itself…well, it’s difficult to explain how much I can love a city and at the same time not want to make my stay here long term. It’s like New York on a smaller scale. Downside: dirty, crammed with people, impersonal. Upside: no shortage of shopping and basic non-necessities, short distance to the beach and beautiful sights. But even though I will never move here, I hope to visit again and a part of myself will always consider Sydney as a home.

Working at the Beach

I don’t think I’ll ever find a job more suited to me than working as a runner at Gertrude & Alice, a café/used bookstore on Bondi Beach. Essentially, I get paid to work on the beach, eat free food, borrow books at my leisure, and serve what has been voted as “the best chai tea in Bondi.” How I found such a perfect travel job for me, I’ll never know. But perfect it was – and I made some pretty awesome friends from all over the world while working there!

Australian Money

In my young life, I have worked my fair share of cash registers. But until now, they have all been in United States currency. While taking money and making change in Australian dollars took a bit of getting used to, it is quite a bit easier here. Firstly, Aussies don’t have 1-cent pieces. All costs in Australia are in increments of 5. Second, Aussie taxes are required to be included in the published prices. If a drink is $2.50, then you will pay $2.50. Period. I love this – it makes things so much easier when you don’t have to worry about tax! Third, no tipping. Certainly, you may tip if you receive exceptional service, but it is not expected, and you will not be starting an international courtesy war should you not tip your waiter. It makes things so much easier when you go out to a restaurant and know that since tax and tip are not a factor, what you see on the price list is exactly what you are expected to pay.

Canadian or American?

Working in a café/bookstore is a good way to meet people, particularly the locals. I have begun to recognize people by name, and many more by face, and they are coming to know me as well. Many people have struck up conversations with me due to my accent, most by asking me first if I am Canadian. (Some have been more reluctant to guess and simply ask me, “States or Canada?”) When I asked two people why most people guessed I was from Canada, one responded that Sydney attracts more Canadians. The other said I sounded more Canadian because of my speech and word choices. Huh. Who knew? Guess I gotta get me more American slang, yo! Um, or not…eh?

Response to Poll

Thank you Karen, April, Lisa, John & Nathan for your votes on what I should do during my trip! So far zorbing, scuba diving, and jungle swinging have made my list. Unless time, money and bravery allow, I'll probably skip the skydiving, shark diving and ballooning. Stay tuned - I'll be posting updates shortly on my first trip to the Great Barrier Reef and rainforests!

Meet some of my new friends!

These are a few of the ladies I worked with at Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore.