But I found a tennis enthusiast buddy and we made a pact to go to the Men’s Finals together no matter what. Now the Men’s Finals is really “the big show” for the Australian Open, and it’s biggest day. But now having gone I was kind of surprised that there weren’t more people. Not to say there weren’t a lot, but if something like that were happening at home with that much DRINKING, it would have been chaos. Fortunately, it was not.
Unfortunately while is was sunny and hot when we left at 4 PM, it was rainy and cold by the time we arrived at the finals. This is such typical Melbourne weather, everyone always says, “You know Melbourne, four seasons in one day.” So true. However, since the Phillip Island Penguin Parade and other outings where I’ve had to learn this lesson the hard way, NOW I come prepared. Only problem being that I don’t really have pants. It was so hot when I was traveling before that I sent my pants home and have yet to buy new ones, so when it rains I’m walking around in capris and flip flops – looking the fool. I also don’t have a scarf or gloves or any kind of hooded jacket to protect me from the elements. And my umbrella is broken. Not so much that I can’t use it, but enough so that when it does break I’ll probably be in the middle of a hail storm waiting for a bus that never comes, or something equally if not more dramatic. Bottom line being that even when I’m prepared, I’m only so prepared.
Anyways, we left the hostel around 4 PM, but we started drinking around 2 PM and didn’t finish until 2 AM. Wild. The actual tournament didn’t start until 7:30 PM, but we wanted to go early to score all the free swag. So we arrived at the Open, pretty toasted, and ran around taking pictures and ya know general debauchery. We got a cucumber facial, and a free fold out chair, and a free hat and about eight free handheld fans, which of coarse were completely useless given the rain. And we got our faces painted; I was Scottish for the night in support of Andy Murray.
By the time the tournament was about to start, our “drunk” was almost just a buzz, so we went and bought more rounds for the game. At the Open, there’s the stadium seating and there are ground tickets. Stadium seating is in the actual arena but quite can be a few hundred dollars, while ground tickets are only $30 but outside. Saving our money for the for that day’s “beer fund,” we went for the ground tickets and still had a great time. We all pulled out our little lawn chairs and sat in a big crowd watching the game on a big screen.
Now I’m no tennis buff, but the atmosphere was great. The match was Roger Federer versus Andy Murray, and the Scotts were definitely the more vocal fans. Fun just being rowdy and chanting and stuff. And while we were in the crowd, my friend and I were up on the big screen like four times! I was glad I got a manicure, because that was a BIG screen and you could totally see all. Granted this was all in the beginning of the game while it was still light out, no one was featured once night fell. It was pretty sweet though.
And as fun as the match was, even with my great Scots – I still fell asleep. Like a few times. Between the drinking and the shenanigans and the not THAT thrilling sport of tennis I dozed off in my little lawn chair, beer in hand – cause I’m a lady…. Plus it was dark. And I’m like a parakeet, the second you throw a sheet over my cage I’m out. In the end, Roger Federer won, and Murray cried which was touching.
Then we headed back to the hostel, which was still in celebration over the match, but once it was about 2 AM I was so done. The most fun I’ve ever had watching tennis, but EXHAUSTING.
A few days later it was Australia Day, which I thought would be a big to do but their holidays are so disappointing here. I mean just to walk around you would never know when it’s a holiday. That was true of Christmas and New Years too, stores are closed and that’s about the only difference. At home, we decorate our houses, and cities decorate the streets, there are mass sales and stores stay open late. I mean you would not be able to miss Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years or the Fourth of July. But I’m telling you, to be here, you could easily miss it. Australia Day had fireworks, and drink specials, so I guess there’s that. I went out for a few drinks and fireworks and called it a night.
In other news, the job hunt is not gong well. Unfortunately, I may be coming home in a couple of weeks. I spent this past week making my CV (which is the equivalent of our resume), getting “Responsible Service of Alcohol” Certified, handing out my CV, immersing myself in job websites and holding painfully few interviews. I’ve mainly been applying to restaurants, bars and cafés because I thought these would be the most likely venues to hire me. However, while I’ve been a hostess for a restaurant I’ve never been a waitress – they don’t like that. And for all my drinking, I’ve never actually tended bar – also not appreciated. And as much as my caffeine addiction controls my life, I’m not a barista so café’s have little to no interest in me as well. It’s very disappointing because these are jobs that I could so be pro at in a week, but no one can spare a week of an “unskilled” employee.
And all my hostel mates tell me just to lie; apparently it’s how everyone got their job. But then I hear such horror stories of first days as a bartender or barista working alone and I just can’t imagine. I mean even if they didn’t fire me they’d still know I was a huge liar. Plus I’m not even a good liar. So I’m spending today replying to more websites and tomorrow I’ll be out on foot again.
It’s heartbreaking. I have literally never been turned down for anything I’ve interviewed for. Whether my interviews were for positions, like Secretary or Representative, or for my actual jobs I’ve never not gotten the gig. And after another devastating interview, you tell yourself well it’s not personal, it’s the fact that I’m unskilled. But then you’re like, oh my god – I’M UNSKILLED, and no one will train me!!! I’m a college graduate, right? They must not have heard.
And, here’s the best part; and by best I mean horrifyingly worst. I created a post with my picture, kind of advertising my skills and what I was looking for in terms of work, on a Monster.com kind of website. My first response was for sex. He wanted to pay me for sex and then inquired if $150 was a “reasonable offer.” No. NO ON EVERY POSSIBLE LEVEL. So I so reported his ass. My wild adventures are kind of on hold for a while, but hopefully things will turn around for me, soon. Like, yesterday. Love you guys lots!!! Hope you’re all well!!
XOXO
No comments:
Post a Comment