The perks of being a cinema worker.

Cinema work is yet another perspective that I've taken for granted. One thing I'll say; popcorn off carpet has to be one of the hardest things to clean effectively and efficiently.

 

As I sit here with my regular cup of tea and ponder the future, new details come into knowledge and old ones end up helping define them clearer. I'm finally, definitely, out of that lost feeling of such a prolonged reverse culture shock. While I treasure my moments overseas and they shaped to become this new me; I know it means nothing unless I start moving forward and onwards.

I've been seeing tons of Melbourne lately and I'm loving finally being a tourist in my own city; Mount Dandenong, the Royal Botanical Gardens, St Kilda, Southbank... there's more to come and I can't wait.

Last assignments are coming up; essays piecing apart films, advertisement analysis and group work all complete. I find I'm feeling so productive when I'm on a roll, with some Sufjan Stevens accompanying my laptop's keyboard clacking away on a Word document. I've chosen Stoker and The Purge for my film essays, mainly because I've been so fascinated by the visual imagery and themes in both as of recently. I'll include trailers below of both for your interest.

Stoker (2013)

The Purge (2013)

The weather's getting warmer, the next season ice skating classes are coming up... and it's October! This time next month, I'll be full swing in last minute preparations for my study tour to the States. Remembering the necessary arrangements is a little scary, but it's oh so very exciting to be heading out again.

Take me, take me to the riot!

I passed my ice skating exam, by the way.

So I've had a bunch of crazy catastrophes in the past week or so. I've finally figured out how to utilise this part of my life; this strange, jetlagged heart of mine recovering little by little. I was sitting on the sidelines of my own life, looking in, waiting for my own life to start.

And it has. It took a while, but it finally has.

Sunday I went to the Royal Melbourne Show with friends. I'm glad I initiated plans and it turned out to be one of the best days I've had in quite some time. BMX stunts, rides, fireworks, showbags... I'd missed the chaos of a carnival atmosphere. It had been years since I'd previously gone to the show, and I was able to appreciate it differently with friends. One of my highlights of the day was finding a booth that was selling chocolate covered strawberries, which I'd taken to doing in Örebro as gifts and for fika.

It's funny, my two regular fika friends first laughed amusedly at the thought of 'fika' being an actual word for what we do regularly (sitting around catching up over coffee and cake for hours, Fika Fridays!), but they seem to have adapted the term and they've really embraced it, which is something I've delighted in.

Something else I've done this week is revisit my Melbourne bucket list. I still want to do the Eureka Tower, but some interesting circumstances happened and I ended up at the top of Mount Dandenong, looking out over the city below.

It's so much better in person, you could see the entire city skyline much better. It got me thinking how I saw so many views abroad; Barcelona, Paris, Poland, Venice, Florence, Russia, Tallinn, and even from the Örebro water tower, looking over the city I'd lived in for such a while. 

It was so comforting to see a view of a place I call home this time; being able to think 'I live somewhere down here' as I watched the city below - and practically cost free (unless you count parking) and great company. That's not something I could entirely get from going to the Eureka Tower, but I still want to do it.

Cinema work is something entirely new; yet another perspective I've taken for granted. Apparently though, I'm a fast learner and I'm doing well.

And my pre-departure session for the study tour in the States is this Friday! It feels so much closer now.

Country time and a catch up.

It's so easy to forget just how far I've come.

I'm not talking travel, I'm talking family. I went to visit Mildura during my week off from uni.

 

It's been a refreshing time off from work, which I've been thankful for. Work's definitely been more challenging lately and I've ended up second guessing myself. Which is ridiculous because I have confidence in my work. The problem just seems to be clashes of perspective when it comes to upselling and service.

...always putting in 100% only to be told it's not enough and another 30% is required? You'd be frustrated too. Especially when tips say I'm doing perfectly fine.

 

University's really starting to get interesting as I start looking at Freud and Oedipus in my film psychology classes. I went and saw Now You See Me in cinemas and recommend it. I mean, magicians.

That's all from me for now... stay awesome, guys.

Play hard, but work hard too.

Abisko, Sweden.

Hello! I'm happy to report that things have been quite busy lately. Sometimes I wonder why I put myself through certain things, before remembering that I'm working toward something. It'll all be worth it.

University trimester starts up again, and I'll be pondering more of the media and its hypnosis on the general society again. There's also a Study Abroad Club on campus that helps out the international exchange students, and I'll be joining! I'll help out students adjusting to Melbourne and this insane country.

I opened my letter to myself that I wrote before I left. It was full of a respect for the unknown that I wasn't quite expecting; and just another example of how far I've come.

I've read and watched The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Daydream Nation, respectively. I've reviewed both on my Tumblr page for your viewing pleasure, and they've both been such a surprise to me. Both came within 48 hours of each other and it's made me see things yet again differently.

I've finished 2 Broke Girls, and I'm debating about rewatching Buffy for that extra boost of self-respect. 2 Broke Girls has gotten me more curious about New York, and the people that can be found in little corners and down streets. Places like Soho and Willamsburg. Central Park. South Manhattan. I'm hoping to see Metric while I'm in North America; coming across Emily Haines' music in Daydream Nation has steered me back to listening to Metric and rediscovering my old favourites.

 

Ice skating's going well, I've signed up for a term and I've been going to the rink on weekends. I'm exploring different areas of Melbourne that I haven't previously and I'm loving it. I went with my friend Jewels to the Monet exhibition and then we wandered around the Business District.

As always, you can find more informal stuff on my Tumblr, and I'll keep updating once uni starts.

A restless nomad.

Well. I've been adjusting. I've had terrible jet lag, and Melbourne's been colder, but I'm recovering every day. I'm catching up and socialising as often as I can. I also got my job back! That's something that's become a huge relief to me.

I love being able to talk about my travels, with other people who have travelled. It may come off as boasting, but travelling is something I've realised makes me so happy. Some people have asked me why I'm not more big headed. And others feel the need to try and make what I've done hit home to me. I don't think I've entirely realised all the travelling I've done myself; and I prefer to keep it that way and remember them sequentially. Otherwise they blur together and I do realise that I've done a lot. I'm fighting to remember them separately, and it's confusing.

I met so many ambitious, like minded people overseas; and coming back, I've had to remember that this wonderful, open minded group is sadly the minority.

Another thing I've found coming back is how comparatively mundane everyday life feels now that I've experienced a different way of living. I didn't go two weeks without travelling somewhere after my first trip (Barcelona) and jet setting to another country just became so normal.

So one of the things I'm trying to do for myself these holidays is to try and keep things exciting. Socialise more. Get out there. Find a way to incorporate this weightless, effortless personality I'd found overseas and keep that zest for life that I'd found so easily overseas.

I've learned that I can't sit still and let life pass.
I need to actively participate.
I need to be a part of this strange, crazy, not always fair, life.
I need to see more of it.
And I want to find more of the minority.
...not only closer to home, but keep everyone I met abroad as well.

Unexpected achievements during my exchange...

• Minimal jetlag flying Oz to Sweden
• Steep downhill sledding
• Coffee addiction
• Starting a foreign Starbucks mug collection
• Sangria and tapas in Spain
• Ice skating
• Dogsledding

• Snowmobiling
• Visiting the Ice Hotel
• Seeing the Northern Lights (twice!)

• Feeding Reindeer
• Eating Reindeer
• Visiting Café Deux Moulins

• Eating Escargot
• Wearing a beret in Paris

• Visiting Auschwitz
• Finding Old Scotland Yard
• Touring the Harry Potter Studios

• Watching Eurovision in the same time zone
• Visiting three countries in one week
• Visiting three Italian cities in one week
• Being on 19 different flights
• Being on 7 different ferries

Swedish acknowledgements.

Well, it's time to leave for Melbourne (Friday), and don't get me wrong: I can't wait to get back. But I've had such an amazing time abroad with so many people. They need a soppy emotional acknowledgement blog post.

First of all, I'll say this. It's been such a pleasure to meet such smart, educated, motivated, ambitious people. It takes a certain mindset and decision to decide to spend a semester abroad in a different country. It's been amazing to talk to people about so many different countries and even visit them together.

I'll start with my two favourite ladies. I introduced these two to each other and they ended up the best of friends; Lindsey and Marion. You girls have been fantastic, I'm going to miss our partying and our gossipy fika sessions. I'm proud to call you my friends and confidantes.

Next... Lucas! Mister tall Canadian so proud of his corner of the world! We got along so well and I'm so glad to call you my travel buddy. Paris, Poland and Malta were fantastic with you and we must stay in contact! I'm so thankful you convinced me to go to Italy when I was on the fence about it, because it ended up being yet another fantastic trip for me. Thank you. Keep being you!

Next would be Rachell and Christin. You ladies have also been great for gossip, partying and downtime; thanks! The semester would be quite different if not for you two.

Next are the American lads, Max, Zach and Jake. I'll admit that my impression of Americans wasn't the best to begin with. But the way I got to know you three, it's helped me turn that around for the better. You guys keep it up!

Other Canadians, Josh, Meryn, Kyle: thanks for being there, really. Especially Meryn when I was homeless for a couple days. Arnaud and Julien! My French buddies! You guys kept things lively and I'm glad I could finally tell you apart by the end of the first week.

Italians! Giovanni, Marta, Andrea etc, I've loved being able to talk to you guys! You always included me and I loved being around you in Lapland. You were another reason that I ended up going to Italy. You inspire me to keep up my not-quite-fluent Italians.

And the fellow Aussies! Amy, Steven and Billy; you kept me grounded with conversations about home. Thank you for the company in such a strange little country.

At this point the Örebro group just widens and it gets impossible to thank you individually. People I saw on a regular basis, always asked me how I was, where I'd been, my next trip, and complaining how I was never around! I've loved getting to know each and every one of you. Don't forget the crazy little Australian girl.

Special mention to the Scanbalt Balalaika and Vodka Tour! We were such a great group of people and you made the trip even better. Tour manager Zane, you were brilliant, keep it up! Alex, Luke, Owen, Manon, Emily, Mitch, Romain, Andrew.... Well I could keep going. I still can't believe how much we drank that whole week.

That's enough emotional for me, I think. When we all separate and go back to our own lives, we'll still remember all those stupid, funny, ridiculous, delirious, drunk moments and smile for years to come.

If any of you are interested, I wrote a memoir about my waitressing experiences in Melbourne (November 2011). It's available at Amazon in both paperback and Kindle. 

If it wasn't for waiting, I never would have gotten out to Sweden and met all you lovely people. I've also been told that the way I tell stories is entertaining. The first day I started writing I served a woman with multiple sclerosis; it's all written down here in this monster.

Again... thank you. Thank you for this wonderful part of my life. Take care.

Italian Espresso Tour with Contiki.

The Italian tour with Contiki was absolutely jam packed. Our tour manager Vincenzo (Vinnie) was quite a character and he set the tone for the trip. Very open and friendly. And funny!

The tour started in Rome, where we spent two nights and one full day. Places included the Trevi Fountain (which received 50 Euro cents and 1 Russian ruble from me), the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.

 

Afterwards we jumped into Florence. This was two days of sightseeing, leather distinction, and relaxing. A certain David was there, and I myself didn't know that it was actually an intended representation of David from David and Goliath, the biblical story. Obviously before David slayed Goliath, and then started having how many wives. The real one's in a museum where pictures aren't allowed, so here's the Doppel-David for you. We enjoyed Tuscan dinners, wines and cheeses. 

The food overall was fantastic.

We stopped through San Guglielmo, Pisa (yes, the Leaning Tower) and Verona (Romeo and Juliet's town) before arriving in Venice for two nights. 

Obviously this called for a gondola ride. Some would call it cheesy, but I'm not in Venice often. Plus it makes so much of the income for Venice, you'd be surprised. Venice itself is quite expensive. The tour itself ended in Venice.

Something else I will say is, I was so happy to use my not-quite-fluent Italian I learned through primary school and some of high school. It's otherwise considered almost useless in my daily life in Australia. It was fantastic to greet the locals, ask how they were, and understand most of what they were saying.

I wasn't going to consider going to Italy because I was afraid I didn't have the time. Finding the Contiki tour and counsel from my friends persuaded otherwise, and I'm so glad they did. This tour got most of Italy for me than if I'd tried to plan it on my own. All the cities are different in their own right and I loved all of them for it.

This was my last overseas trip before returning home next week - and what a trip it was!

I also have a little extra news... I've been on accepted on a study tour in the US! LA and New York, for two weeks in November. I'm so excited. United States, you're next!