Part 2 of randomness

I really hope my ramblings are entertaining everyone, if not educating as well. Ah, who am I fooling? This journal is pure ego...maybe a splash of concern for others. What was that you said before, Alanna, about how you're supposed to be selfish in your 20s? After reading friends' journals, I realized I want to be a little more soulful, not purely descriptive. I say this as I record the minutiae of my day.

OK, enough insight, back to me! During my Chinese Gardens/IMAX day, I finally sorted out the housing issue. I move into the pink house in Surry Hills next Tuesday! So far I'm sharing the room with Nathalie, which is fine because the rent is cheaper that way. The room is a little small for my taste, but we'll make do. In total, 7 people will be living in the house. One Spanish guy, an Irish lass, 3 American girls, an Asian nursing student and a French Canadian...what a mix!

I started my trial for work yesterday and I am not exaggerating when I say that the cafe is the size of my bedroom at home! In fact, my bedroom may be bigger. There's an outdoor seating area though, and when I say outdoor, I mean in the middle of the hall of the arcade. But it's an adorable cafe and they played the new Coldplay album (is it still new?), which earned big points with me.

Later that day, I met Rogda to go to the aquarium and we met up with her 2 Chilean friends. Instead of going to the aquarium, however, we went to Pizza Hut and the movies to see The Producers! This is when the surreal bit kicks in. I'm sitting in a Pizza Hut, an establishment I would never patronize in America, with 2 Chileans and a Swiss girl (who, btw, was born the same day as you Alli). I know it may not seem that weird to anyone else, but it just struck me as strange. Meanwhile, this 38 year old guy from Chile (whose name, funnily enough, is spelled German despite being pronounced like Herman) is in Sydney to study English and although he was struggling with some words, he actually spoke it quite well despite having only taken lessons for about a month. He actually could not stop talking...he seemed to delight in the challenge, which I really admire. He also could not stop fawning over me although he's married and declared that he's old enough to be my father...it was more of a friendly thing anyway rather than flirtatious. I swear, it seems Italians and South Americans really have no problem expressing themselves emotionally. It makes me feel hard as stone in comparison.

Watching The Producers was also a little surreal and not just because it is flamboyantly over-the-top. It opens with a scene of Manhattan and I know it's probably only a movie set or something equally fake, but I could not stop smiling. I wasn't so much homesick as glad that I have a relationship with the city. Many times, when I tell people I'm from NY (and when people ask where I'm from, I never say America, I always say NY), they tell me how much they love it if they've been there or how much they want to visit if they haven't. It makes me proud to be a NYer, not that I'm not proud when I'm actually there, I just appreciate it more when I'm overseas.

Tomorrow is Australia Day! Celebrate by having a schooner of beer at your local pub (preferably VB, Toohey's or Cooper if they have it...or if you must, a Fosters).