FYI: Australia is BIG

Technically speaking, Australia is:

• 7,617,930 km2 / 2,941,288 sq mi
• The 6th largest country in the world

By comparison:

• The United States is 9,826,675 km2 / 3,794,101 sq mi 
• India is 3,166,414 km2 / 2,973,193 sq mi
• The United Kindgom is 242,900 km2 / 241,930 sq mi

But despite it's size, Australia has only 22 million people total. That's less than metropolitan Seoul (23,616,000 people), Jakarta (28,019,545 people), and roughly the size of Mexico city (21,200,000). Though Sydney is Australia's largest city, it is only home to 4,627,345 people, roughly 1/6th of New York (18,897,109), 2 million shy of Houston (6,086,538), but a little bigger than Seattle (3,500,026).

Little monarchs!

Okay, so maybe I am a royal watcher... I do have the coffee cup...

You've probably heard by now that Kate Middleton, queen in waiting, is officially pregnant! Glee is spreading throughout the colonies! Australia is pretty much in full swing planning mode now, excited about the next royal to join our monarchy!

It's a fact that's often forgotten--that Australia officially still belongs to the Queen--but we do. And though there is a pretty strong band of believers that Australia should become an independent republic, support is swelling for the monarchy on speculation that William will be the next King and not Charles.

Of course being Australia, there is still a bit of unconventional and lawless excitement around the recent birth announcement. Take this morning for example: a couple of Aussie DJs called the hospital where Kate Middleton is staying, pretending to be the Queen and Charles, and were able to get as far as Kate's personal nurse to find out information about her well-being. I hear from my British friends that there is a lot of tsking and the sort in London today, embarrassed by their younger and "wilder" colonial sibling in the southern hemisphere.

But truthfully, if you listen to the call (you can do it here), you will see that there is really little to be upset about. They learned nothing that the public didn't already know. A successful prank and embarrassing debacle for the hospital, I say the Brits need to get their knickers in order and just laugh about it! Seriously, how could anyone believe this was indeed the queen on the phone with that horrible, horrible fake accent?

Does this interest you? Here's an interesting link to an article about the historical tradition of naming royal babes.

Coming to Sydney: A Chinese Theme Park

This afternoon I came across this article talking about how China has reached a deal with a city council near Sydney to build a Chinese Theme Park. The $10million project will see a park created with replicas of historical Chinese places, traditional shops, temples and other cultural icons. Slated to be completed in 2020 (if it ever happens--don't underestimate the NSW government's ability to do nothing), I'm doubtful that I'll even be around to see it, but should it happen, I'm sure it'll be lots of fun.

Reading the article reminded me of my first tour in Korea and an outing I partook in with my school, venturing beyond our little enclave of traditional Korean culture to see an English theme park, known quite commonly as an English Village.

The idea of English villages is that you bring students there for camps, retreats and day trips to improve their English by experiencing "life" in another country (before you return to your mountain village in East Asia that evening). My students went absolutely bonkers and were so excited to go! I must admit, I was a little excited too. In fact, the English Village exceeded my expectations. There was a pub, a library, a gym, a town hall, post office, theatre, gift shot, hospital, an airport complete with immigration (we entered the park through here and were given passports), and even housing where the teachers lived and visitors could stay! It really was quite incredible.

So when I say that I'm sure this Chinese theme park will be fun, I say it with (a hint) of seriousness. Despite the kitsch that will undoubtedly be found in abundance, I'm sure it'll be a real learning experience for people who visit. Who knows--maybe I will learn a little Mandarin when I visit!

Sydney Voted #10 City with the Best Quality of Life

Well, I can't hide the fact that I'm made my fair share of complaints in the past about living in Sydney but I will say that more than 50% of them came down to the cost of living (which is really just one complaint). However, there is little to complain about when it comes to the quality of life here. In fact, Sydney was announced today as the #10 city in the world with the best quality of life.

So what's great about Sydney? Here are my top 10:

1. The beaches. I don't spend enough time at the beach but when I do go, I'm always grateful for the clean sand and water, for outdoor showers, for life guards, for the Cancer Council who hand out free sunblock, and for the wonderful sun time! It's so much nicer than Alki Beach in Seattle!

Manly beach in the late afternoon.

2. The food. I have traveled a lot but I still maintain that Sydney is one of the best eating cities in the world. Within a 10 minute walk from my house, I have access to Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Indian, Sri Lankan, Turkish, Lebanese, Japanese, Mexican, Brazillian, organic home food, vegan Chinese, Italian, Greek, French, and a billion gelato and fro-yo shops! And the seafood!!! *fainting* I am never in want for a gastronomic adventure!

This lovely creation is called Bingsu!

3. The weather. It's sunny 227 days of the year here which means I get just enough rain for my "Seattle Fix" but more than enough sun to cure any grey-day blues! Also conducive for picnics in the dog park (a very popular Sunday activity in my neighborhood)!

A spring picnic in the dog park!

4.  Healthcare. As a resident here, I have EXCELLENT social healthcare. I'm always bulk billed so I never have to pay anything. Contrary to popular belief, there are no waits and no lines. No co-pays, no deductions. I just flash my card, and it's done. When Jeremy had his appendix out, all he had to do was sign a paper. No big deal. And I have a wonderful, excellent, very kind doctor who takes good care of me.

I don't really consult with Dr Candy.

5. Cheap Airfares. I love living here because it's much easier to travel! We can fly to Melbourne or Brisbane for under $200 round trip (each), to New Zealand, Fiji, or Vanuatu for $400, Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Camboida, Bali) for $500. The rest of the world is pretty expensive but at least I can get myself a budget holiday for cheap! And it's getting cheaper! A new budget airline called Scoot from Singapore is doing one way flights for $140 from Sydney!

Catching a train at Sydney's Central Train Station.

6. I get paid a living wage. In Australia, there are actual liveable minimum wages so nobody is forced to live below the poverty line. We certainly don't live in the lap of luxury but we're not living hand to mouth. We have enough to save, to buy clothes when we need them, to go on outings, and to eat out every now and then. I feel so privileged to have what I do here.

Looking for a good read at the Sydney Uni annual book fair.

7. There are things to do! On any given weekend, we can ride the ferry, kayak, hike, bike, roller blade in the park, picnic, see museums, go to the beach, rock climb, or cruise cafes! Earlier this year, Jeremy and I made a list of 30 things we want to do in Sydney--a good exercise in consciously filling our lives with happiness and "adventure at home."

Many beach on a particularly beautiful day!

8. Sydney is very multicultural. I love that I have friends from all over the world, from different cultures, traditions, and countries! I sometimes find it hard to make friends with Australians but I always feel at home with other immigrants--it's nice to be in the company of similar people!

The City 2 Surf race is the largest in the world with more than 80,000 runners!

9. The harbour. I just have to say that the harbour is beautiful. I love being out on the water, seeing the city from a new perspective, baking in the sun and enjoying the fresh sea air! Riding the ferry is the best and being out among the sailboats is absolutely refreshing!

The first day of Spring 2012 on the harbour!

10. The sunsets. Australia really is just a hands-down beautiful country! The sunsets here are amazing. The most beautiful and intense colours so consistently and spectacularly displayed every night.

Taken from the roof of my apartment building.

I think I'm learning to love life here. All photos come from my personal Instagram collection.

Word of the Day: Wheelie Bin

It's Monday morning. It's 4am. And do you know who is outside making the most obnoxious noise on earth? All grinding metal, breaking glass, and yelling? The garbage man. 4am. Every. Monday.

;

Who's afraid of the big black bat?

Most people freak out when I tell them I walk home at night through the park near my house but I love it. I love, love, love walking home at night. Why? I used to be so afraid to. The reason I love it is because of the bats. Sydney has a HUGE fruit bat population and they are so fun to watch and listen to as they fight over fruit in the trees. At night, when I'm walking home, I feel much less scared if I can hear them up in the trees. I kind of feel like they are watching over me.

The other day, on my way to work, I found one fried in some telephone wires. He was stuck, all crisped up, holding on to two separate wires, suspended in between. I felt pretty bad for him but it was also really cool to see one so close and during the day. My only other encounter here with a bat was about 2 years ago when I was walking home from the pool at night. A bat dropped down from a tree right in front of me and we both screamed (the bat and me) before he flew off!

But they really are harmless. And kind of cute. In the summer, they can be seen in the thousands leaving the botanic gardens from the center of the city and moving west to feast of the fig trees in the suburbs. Sometimes I can catch their migration on my way home. It's an amazing sight to see!

Here's a short video of them leaving the city at night:

Not my picture.

For more information about Sydney's fruit bats, click here.

Breaking News!

Most of you know the story now of our little bird (for those of you who don't, I rescued him in the park one day and adopted him) and that we've been trying to train him to trust us. Well, today was a big day: Elvis chose to get on my finger and let me touch him!

Two weeks ago we started taking his food away at night and calling out to him when we put it back in the morning (the idea being he thinks we bring him treats and we train him to associate certain calls with food so he'll return when called). Then I started teaching him to step up onto a familiar stick (though lately he's just been pushing it away when I bring it near him). Next I started getting him to eat from my hand by offering him treats in the morning before I set out his food. And tonight I offered my finger when I came home and he didn't even try to bite (though he did nibble a bit as a test)!

I'm so proud of my bird training skills and how far he is coming! He even ate the fresh food I left him for the first time today! He ate cucumber, tomato, carrot and lettuce (leftover from a salad I made). I feel like the bird whisperer!

When I got him on my finger I started yelling at Jeremy to go get the phone and take a picture so here's the evidence! Elvis is in my hand, nearly domesticated! What a sweet bird!

Movie Culture

One of those little differences that never ceases to surprise me is that you can get glasses of wine at the movies here in Australia. Back at home, you would never see this but here it's very much a cultural thing.

It's no secret that Australia has a very vibrant and healthy wine industry but alcohol consumption in general is a big part of the culture. Almost every restaurant and cafe is licensed to serve alcohol--and if they aren't, they usually have a BYO (bring your own) policy wherein they charge either a corkage fee (something in the order of $3-5 per bottle) or a fee per glass ($3-4 per person). You even see people drinking in the park--and I'm not talking homeless people. Everyone here drinks. Maybe it's a European thing (Australia is very multicultural) or maybe it's just a "colony of criminals" thing (hahaha), but there's no getting around it: Australians will drink whenever and wherever they can. In some instances, it's actully *cheaper* to buy wine than it is to buy water. But then again, look at the beer and spirits prices and you'll faint!

So why bring this up? Jeremy and I are going to the movies tonight to see Skyfall and I thought it was a timely topic. I won't be indulging in any wine but I thought you might find the topic interesting. As I said, I'm always surprised no matter how many times I go to the movies!

Word of the Day: Mobile Phone

There are so many little differences between Australian and American English. Some days it can be hard to understand each other--throw in some "ocker" accents (strong, country accents) and it's impossible. One little term that I often slip with with Mobile Phone. Of course in the US we call it a Cell Phone. Thankfully most people understand when I call it a "cell" though I have been made fun of for this once or twice.

Why is it a "cell" phone? Basically, mobile phones operate like a radio--a tower emits a frequency receivable within a certain distance, creating a circle around the tower--or cell--of usability. As I type this Jeremy (my boyfriend) tells me that in his network engineering classes, his professors refer to it as a Cellular Network--further confirmation that the American usage is correct. (Not that it matters.... Or that anyone is keeping score....)

Just for fun: what's an ocker accent sound like? This guy is a backpacker here in Oz (I think) but his accent is "spot-on" (as the Aussies would say)!

A Resurrection of Sorts

I've finally decided to resurrect my blogging "career" and start one all about living in Australia. Many of you remember my old blog and loved reading it (and truthfully, I miss blogging a bit), so I'm back by popular demand!

A little explanation about the old blog and why it is no more: I quit blogging to save my sanity. I felt like what was a very personal blog about my thoughts and the adventure of discovering myself had become a negative place (both due to external voices and my own inward thoughts). It was very hard to go from a carefree vagabond life back to a 9-5 job with rent payments, and I struggled every time I tried to blog to find joy and adventure in my new home. Bottom line: I didn't enjoy the life I had and looking at my blog, remembering the joy I had in my old lifestyle of traveling the world, made me very, very sad.

Granted, I still struggle in that regard. I felt so much more alive when I was traveling but I'm finding new ways to enjoy the sedentary life I lead these days. I find humor in my situation more often now, I find myself speaking like an Aussie, I find my values changing a bit (more on that later), and I'm finding comfort in the predictability suburban life can bring. Will it ever be as exciting as trekking the wilds of Kyrgyzstan? Probably not. But will there be value in this new adventure? Absolutely--I just have to look for it.

So come with me as I explore this strange but familiar culture, this desert island, these fascinating places downunder!