Sunday was Daylight Savings... clocks went forward one hour. Monday was Labor Day... I didn't work. It rained all weekend and has rained every day since. We've had a few sunny breaks, but the nights have been wet and cold.
This is my last week of our main training on the job. We are doing a three day training session on Sensis' new production system next week and then Friday I will be on the floor actually doing ads! I am ready to actually be doing my job and not preparing for it.
So far, so good on the home front. I found out my Brazilian roommate will only be here the rest of the month so I will have two new roommates soon. The Chilean is also moving out from what I understand. I am praying that the two newbies are NOT snorers.
I am almost paid up on my rent and bond. I thought I had to pay 3 weeks bond, but it was actually 4 weeks bond. So I have another chunk to pay from my next paycheck. Two more weeks and I should be able to start getting ahead. I want to start sending some money back home to the States while the Australian dollar is strong. It's much stronger than when I arrived so it's a good time to swap them for US Dollars.
I had my second gym training session yesterday and boy did I get a workout! I will definitely be feeling this for the next couple of days! Legs are on the agenda today and Friday I have another session with my trainer where we will do a chest/back workout and discuss my diet. No more Hungry Jacks (Americans insert "Burger King") or McDonalds for me! He is going to tell me his tips for prepping meals for the week which will save me both time and money! I love the sound of that! I have a three month goal of seeing real results so I am anxious to jump all in. With the gym right there and with me not having any other obligations or excuses for not going, I am pretty confident I can't talk myself out of sticking with it.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Three months and counting...
Yesterday marked three months that I've been in Australia. Hard to believe I have been here for a fourth of the year already! Time has really been flying by.
This is also the end of my second week of training for the new job. So far, so good! We've started going more in depth of what we will actually be doing once we get into production. It's more of a technical job than a design job. The hardest part will be learning the rules and regulations regarding the way they process ads for the Yellow Pages. It is very different from setting up files for four color process printing. It'll be a great learning experience. Our group has been getting to know each other pretty well, and we go out for dinner together as a group with our trainers on Thursday nights. This week we ate at a Spanish Tapas restaurant. It's nice making some friends in the city now that I am farther away from Patrick and Jaime and will only be seeing them on the weekends.
I have moved to an area called Darlinghurst which is a ten minute walk to work. It's so convenient. I wasn't sure about the place the first night I stayed there, but after a week, I feel really good about the decision. I met my roommate who is from Brazil. He is nice and considerate, but doesn't speak much English as he just started learning when he came to Australia this summer. However, I must say he speaks English pretty well compared to me trying to speak Portuguese! My only complaint is that he is a snorer, but that was solved with the purchase of some silicone ear plugs. We technically have a third roommate from Chile, but he works outside of the city on the weekdays so I probably won't see him much. There is also a French guy and a Turkish guy that I have met that live on the first floor, second floor if you are American. They call the first floor ground level. Everyone is nice and pretty good about keeping the noise down at night and cleaning up after themselves. I think it will be great accommodation for the next three months, possibly longer. It is definitely affordable and will allow me to save tons for my Post New Year's trip to the Great Barrier Reef!
One of my goals that I set for myself when coming overseas was to get more active, so I joined Fitness First this week. It is only five minutes from my house and my work, so I plan to go Monday through Friday early afternoons. With my membership I have three personal training sessions. I met with my fitness assessor today and he went over my personal goals with me. I have always hated going to the gym because I never could decide on what I wanted to do or where to start. My trainer Baden seems pretty confident he can help me reach my goals but it's going to require a lot of frequent eating! To get the body I am after, I am going to need good strength training, but most importantly a protein high diet and adequate sleep. I'm excited to get started and can't wait to start seeing some results!
I am in Manly for the weekend to house sit for Patrick and Jaime while they are away on a birthday trip to Byron Bay. I was hoping this would be a relaxing weekend soaking up rays on the beach but the forecast is showing rain all weekend. I'll just consider it a lazy indoor weekend in solitude.
While I was waiting for the ferry, there was a fireworks display in the harbour associated with the Latin Festival going on this weekend. If that is a small taste of what New Year's will be like, I am super excited!
This is also the end of my second week of training for the new job. So far, so good! We've started going more in depth of what we will actually be doing once we get into production. It's more of a technical job than a design job. The hardest part will be learning the rules and regulations regarding the way they process ads for the Yellow Pages. It is very different from setting up files for four color process printing. It'll be a great learning experience. Our group has been getting to know each other pretty well, and we go out for dinner together as a group with our trainers on Thursday nights. This week we ate at a Spanish Tapas restaurant. It's nice making some friends in the city now that I am farther away from Patrick and Jaime and will only be seeing them on the weekends.
I have moved to an area called Darlinghurst which is a ten minute walk to work. It's so convenient. I wasn't sure about the place the first night I stayed there, but after a week, I feel really good about the decision. I met my roommate who is from Brazil. He is nice and considerate, but doesn't speak much English as he just started learning when he came to Australia this summer. However, I must say he speaks English pretty well compared to me trying to speak Portuguese! My only complaint is that he is a snorer, but that was solved with the purchase of some silicone ear plugs. We technically have a third roommate from Chile, but he works outside of the city on the weekdays so I probably won't see him much. There is also a French guy and a Turkish guy that I have met that live on the first floor, second floor if you are American. They call the first floor ground level. Everyone is nice and pretty good about keeping the noise down at night and cleaning up after themselves. I think it will be great accommodation for the next three months, possibly longer. It is definitely affordable and will allow me to save tons for my Post New Year's trip to the Great Barrier Reef!
One of my goals that I set for myself when coming overseas was to get more active, so I joined Fitness First this week. It is only five minutes from my house and my work, so I plan to go Monday through Friday early afternoons. With my membership I have three personal training sessions. I met with my fitness assessor today and he went over my personal goals with me. I have always hated going to the gym because I never could decide on what I wanted to do or where to start. My trainer Baden seems pretty confident he can help me reach my goals but it's going to require a lot of frequent eating! To get the body I am after, I am going to need good strength training, but most importantly a protein high diet and adequate sleep. I'm excited to get started and can't wait to start seeing some results!
I am in Manly for the weekend to house sit for Patrick and Jaime while they are away on a birthday trip to Byron Bay. I was hoping this would be a relaxing weekend soaking up rays on the beach but the forecast is showing rain all weekend. I'll just consider it a lazy indoor weekend in solitude.
While I was waiting for the ferry, there was a fireworks display in the harbour associated with the Latin Festival going on this weekend. If that is a small taste of what New Year's will be like, I am super excited!
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