Sunny Days

This week has actually been one of my busiest weeks in Melbourne, even though I didn’t end up working the entire time. Since I didn't get work, it gave me a lot of time to do life admin during the day, and catch up on my social life at night!

Thanksgiving Dinner!

Last Friday morning, I had to get up early to go to Warragul since my tattoo artist (Shanra) said that I could come 1-2 months after my tattoo to get anything retouched free of charge. She only works Monday-Friday so this worked perfectly since I wouldn’t have to take off work to come see her. I must have been in there for about an hour and still quite enjoyed the feeling of it (so weird, I know). But now, it looks even better than it did before - she spent a lot of time adding more contrast to the watercolour so I love it even more now! I got back home and checked the mail because I’ve been waiting for a letter for the past eight weeks. In Australia, we get our tax information around May or June, and then we have until the end of October to lodge our taxes. They automatically tax everyone for Medicare (Australia’s healthcare) no matter who you are. However, since I’m a Canadian citizen, I’m not eligible for Medicare (which is why I have to pay $70 every time I go to the doctor, even when they tell me it's only a throat infection and to just gargle with saltwater...). Therefore, in order to get out of this, I have to opt-out of being taxed for Medicare. Now in order to opt-out, I have to provide a bunch of paperwork - I had to go to the police department to get them to certify copies of my passport and visa as well. I sent the paperwork way

My updated tattoo :) 

back in the beginning of August and they said that since it’s high season, it could take up to 8 weeks for me to hear anything back. When I got back from my holidays, it was exactly 8 weeks so I checked the mail and found a thick letter waiting for me. Upon reading it however, they said that because I had listed United Kingdom as the last place that I lived in for more than 6 months, I’m actually eligible for Medicare because Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with the UK. What? Even though I can’t actually use the UK healthcare anymore, and my European Health Card expired the day that I left the UK? I looked up the closest Medicare Centre, saw that it would be closing in a half hour, and ran over to ask them about the letter. They confirmed that I could apply for Medicare - all I had to do was get a bunch MORE paperwork ready (work contracts, house contracts, etc.) in order to prove that I actually lived in the UK. They also said that since I had already paid $140 for my two doctors’ appointments, I could bring back the receipts and claim the money back. Wow, so great! Then, I had to go a half hour in the opposite direction to the clinic and see if they could print out my receipts, which they did. I spent the evening getting all of my paperwork ready so that on the off-chance that I didn’t end up getting work on Monday, I could go back to the Medicare Centre and get everything sorted. So, if I have any advice for Canadians wanting to move to Australia: move to the UK for at least six months beforehand because then you’ll a) get to take advantage of the UK’s amazing universal healthcare and b) get signed onto Australia’s Medicare. Score!

On Saturday, I met up with a friend who I hadn’t talked to in two years. We had taught at one of the worst all-girls schools in London for about a week, had exchanged information, but never met up again after. He’s Australian, lives in a town three hours away and was in Melbourne for the weekend, so we met up for brunch in Richmond. Afterwards, we went to his friend’s house to have some drinks with his friend before they had to go to an engagement party. When it was

St Kilda Beach

time for the engagement party, Leigh said that he had written his friend to ask if it was okay that I come, and he said that it was fine. Therefore, I found myself going to a random engagement party with a guy who I hadn’t seen in two years. It was actually quite nice and everyone was so friendly, so I stayed for a few hours before I went to meet up with Alexa, Sabriena, and Nathan for dinner. I got to Alexa’s house and we had fajitas, and then relaxed on the couch. The next day, I just tried to catch up on laundry and cleaning before having to go back to work on Monday.

On Monday, I got up at the usual 5:30 to slowly get ready for my first day back after the holiday. I got to Flinders Street Station at 7:30am, walked to Starbucks, got a pumpkin spiced latte, and waited until 9 before deciding that I likely wouldn’t get any work. I then made my way back to the Medicare Centre so that I could submit all of my paperwork. I had to wait for quite awhile to get in, but eventually they got everything sorted and I got reimbursed for my previous doctor appointments. So now I officially have Medicare, yay! No more waiting until I'm dying before going to the doctor! I went home to have lunch, and then I met up with Sabriena to sit on the beach in St. Kilda. After a couple of hours, one of my teacher-Canadian friends (Hannah) showed up, so we walked to a nearby cafe and had some gelato. That night was the second of my

The Thanksgiving Crew

Monthly Canadian Wing Nights, so we headed over to Kodiak Club to meet up with everyone for wings. This time, we had a bit larger of a turnout, with about 12 people. It was still basically my usual group of friends, but it was nice to meet up with everyone! I stayed quite late so by the time I got home and was about to go to bed at 12:30, I decided I didn’t really want to wake up at 5:30 the next morning.

On Tuesday evening, some of my friends and I had planned a Thanksgiving potluck so that day, I went to the store to get everything I needed and then I made two dishes: broccoli casserole and broccoli salad (cause if you don’t like broccoli, then you better learn to fast). I then went to Victoria’s house, where there were six of us who had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner! We had waaay too much food, but it was delicious!! On Wednesday, I had set my alarm for 5:30 but then decided not to go to work that day either. That morning, I spent over an hour trying to change my flight to Asia. You see, AirAsia actually changed the airport that I have to depart from in Melbourne so because of that, I’m entitled to change my flight up to 30 days sooner or later than the actual date. I had decided that since I haven’t seen Yang, Ron, and Evan in forever, and I

Our beautiful gingerbread house

haven’t even met Max yet (for those of you who don’t know, Yang and Ron are basically my sister and brother-in-law, and Evan and Max are my nephews), I should try to fit Shanghai into my trip. Therefore, I decided that I should leave for Bangkok a week earlier (December 15) and then spend a week in Shanghai before my travels started. After waiting in the queue, I was finally able to speak to someone and change my flights. Afterwards, I went to St. Kilda to meet up with Jessica for lunch. We split some nachos and then were keen on finding some dessert. We decided to just buy a cake at the grocery store and then saw that the Christmas section was already set up beside the Halloween section. We decided to get a gingerbread house kit (cause why not?), as well as some cider, and we went to her place to make the gingerbread house while listening to Christmas carols. I now understand why they sell the kits in October - when we’d put icing on a candy and attach it to the side of the house, we’d watch it slowly start melting down until it fell off. It was actually so difficult, and we eventually lost patience! I ended up staying there until nearly 11 because we couldn’t stop visiting. 

On Thursday morning, I actually got up and ready for work, and then made my way to Flinders Street Station. I sat there for an hour and a half again and then made my way home at 9. That day, I looked at flights from Bangkok to Shanghai so that I could get that sorted. Then, I realized that I’d have to apply for a visa in order to go to China. I filled out all of the paperwork for the application, and had to write Ron to ask him for his address. I also realized that if I had gotten a visa in China before, I needed to provide photocopies of it. However, my visa from China was given in 2012 on my old passport, and I had absolutely no idea where that old passport would be. I frantically wrote my mom and sister, asking them to look in my box of “important stuff,” but it wasn’t there. I have a storage unit way out in Delisle, nearly an hour outside of Saskatoon, with all of my stuff so my parents (bless their hearts) drove out and went through as many boxes as they could in the cold, but still couldn’t find my old passport. I decided that there wasn’t much else I could do except try to submit my visa application without the visa photocopies. That evening, I had my meet-up with the sport teacher, who’s actually a Canadian from Hamilton. He decided that we should meet up for drinks at 7:30, and then he had made a reservation at an Italian restaurant for 8pm. As soon as he mentioned that he made a reservation, I wrote my friends saying I couldn’t do it. I realized how much of a commitment-phobe I am cause usually any sign of something being too serious, I run in the other direction (obviously … I’ve basically been single for 28 years). Reservations were too serious for me! However, my friends pep-talked me into going and it was fine. We had a drink before going to the Italian place, and the food was absolutely amazing! Then we went to another bar afterwards to visit some more. Actually, I talked a lot.. maybe too much. I even somehow ended up talking about narwhals at some point. And every single one of my friends has had the same reaction: “How do narwhals even come up in a conversation?!” Honestly, I really don’t know. But this girl made it happen… But yeah, nice guy, good conversation, I won’t say anything more. By the time I got home again, it was after midnight so I decided I wouldn’t be getting up for work the next day.

On Friday morning, I decided I’d try to submit my Chinese visa application. The centre is only open Monday-Friday from

Drinks at Rooftop Bar

9-3, so I really had to take advantage of not being at work. I walked to the library to print off all of my documents, and then I went to the post office to see if they could take my visa picture. However, their computer only has the specifications to take pictures for Australian passports and because the Chinese specifications are so strict, I didn’t want to take any chances. Therefore, I went all the way into central Melbourne to go to a camera shop, where they literally took my picture and printed them out within three minutes. By that point, it was 1:30pm and the office would close at 3pm, so I went back in the direction that I came in order to go to the Chinese Visa Application Centre. I got there at 2pm, took a number to queue (there were 58 people in front of me), and waited. It’s crazy how nervous I felt - I haven’t felt that nervous in so long!! My palms were sweaty, I couldn’t sit still, I was so jittery. I was watching people go up to the counters and then get turned away, and I heard one person call his friend and say that he needed their ID in order to apply for his visa. I quickly wrote Ron to tell him where I was, and I said I might need a copy of his ID. He wrote back (thank goodness) telling me he was at work waiting to talk to his manager, and he could send it to me in 20 minutes. I then saw some people photocopy their passport, so I went and did the same thing just in case. I waited for an hour and was getting more and more nervous. Literally within five minutes of me going up, Ron had sent me a picture of his ID. I was called to go up at 3pm and was turned away within 2 minutes. “Do you have flight and hotel information?” “I have flight information, but I’m staying at a friend’s house.” “Well then you need an official invitation from that friend with your full name, their address, your relationship, and they have to sign it, and then you need a copy of both sides of their ID. If you can get it quickly and bring it back, I’ll look through your documents.” I frantically started writing Ron and telling him what I needed, but he must have been in the meeting with his manager. I had to leave by 3:30 because I had an appointment that I needed to go to later, so I waited until about 3:20 and then decided to leave - I'd have to take a day off next week to come back. I walked out of the building and right when I made it to the sidewalk, Ron messaged me saying, “Give me five minutes.” Oh my goodness! I ran back and thank goodness one of the other customers let me in since the door was locked. I waited in line to use the computer (as a bunch of other people were waiting to print out their required documents) and literally as soon as I had gotten to the front of the line, Ron had sent me the invitation and his ID. I printed them out and then saw that there was only one person left checking documents. I walked up to the window and she was like, “No, we’re not taking anymore people.” I said that I was asked to bring the documents and I had them. “Fine, I’ll look at them for you.” She read through the invitation (which was in Chinese, so I had no idea what it said), checked the ID, checked my visa, and then asked if I had a photocopy of my passport. “Why yes, I do,” (thank goodness I had done that before!). “Okay, since you’re Canadian, we’ll give you a multiple-entry visa that’s valid until 2024.” “So… I can go to China as many times as I want until 2024?” “Yes.” Okay, I’ll take it. But so weird that they’re so strict about where I’m staying for one week, and then I can go as many times as I want from that point onwards. “Okay, everything is good. You can come back on Wednesday to pick up your passport if everything's accepted at the embassy.” Oh my goodness, I couldn’t believe it! It was one of the most stressful situations I had been through in a long time, and my heart was pumping for so long afterwards. Now I just have to hope that the visa will be processed! I went to my appointment (and was late by a half hour, but thank goodness they still let me come) and then I went to Alexa’s house to have a quiet night in along with Victoria and Sabriena. We were even lucky enough to have Victoria share her Canadian supply of Kraft Dinner! 

Brighton Beach Huts!

On Saturday, Alexa and I met up again that afternoon to go to a rooftop bar in central Melbourne. We spent a couple of hours there before going to a restaurant on the floor below to have Mexican food, and then we went back upstairs to have some more drinks at the bar. We even made some new friends, who we’ll hopefully hang out with again soon! We were in that building for at least 7 hours so by the time we were done, we were ready to get some dumplings in Chinatown before heading home. On Sunday, it was 28 degrees so Alexa and I met up again to go to Brighton. In Brighton, they have a famous row of beach huts, so we walked past all of them, took some pictures, and then spent some time on the beach. We also decided that we’d purchase our own Canadian beach hut but upon looking them up, we saw that the latest sale was for $326,000, which is a little out of our price range. We walked back into the main part of Brighton and had dinner before heading back home to get ready for the next work-week. This week was just what I needed after being away for two weeks, and it’s great that the summer is finally coming out. 

I was pre-scheduled to teach BIOLOGY today for the first time in Melbourne, so I was super excited about that! However, I woke up, got ready, and just as I was about to leave, my agency called to say that the school had cancelled. I then went to Flinders and waited for no phonecall, so I went to do a bit of shopping and checked out the State Library, which is absolutely gorgeous! That evening, I met up for drinks with some friends because it's one of our friend's (Sophie's) last week in Melbourne before she goes back to Vegas for school. She'll be back in June, but it's still a long ways away! Hoping I'll get work tomorrow because this is really starting to get old... Love always

Sunny Days (Michael Brun Remix) - Janelle Kroll, Michael Brun