Terrorism didn't disappoint. The prof is incredibly witty and well-humored. Not to mention Chris and I sat with a new friend, a pretty girl from Nevada who studies in DC. Did I mention her name is Scarlett? What a great name, especially for a femme fatale or beautiful sinister woman. My roommate had to go home for the weekend to work but he was kind enough to accompany me to the super market, which I can now thankfully find by myself.
Wow the pub crawl was rowdy. I can't piece together all of the finer details but when they start a pub crawl at 4:00 pm you can imagine just how quickly things can get wild. The crawl began at the Union pub on the college campus and then moved to Naughton's. From there we went to Prince Alfred's, where I wish we would have stayed longer because I bought a pot (jug) of beer almost as we were leaving so I had to give most of it away. Queesbury completely sucked because it was too crowded and bright. I waited so long to get a drink that I outright gave up, not to mention most of my close friends went to get food so I was stranded making awkard conversation with kids I hadn't bonded as well with. Public Bar was pretty awesome and I met up with my Swedish friend Filip. He was talking to an American girl Cara and she gave me a free pint of beer. After we got to talking Filip bought us all a drink as well. Two debts I will repay soon, likely at the Swedish colony's house party on Friday. Wish I remember Bev and Mick's better, other than splitting another jug with my dutch friend Fleur (visiting her in Amsterdam next summer) and seeing more friends get here. At 9:00 PM we split for Turf, the pub right next to the village I stay at.
Turf is where the shit got out of control. And yes, I know sometimes I get a little out of hand. Turf normally draws a crowd but I had never seen it as busy as it was. On the way in Matteo and I made the executive decision to say fuck the bathroom and pissed in the alley. Young men in Melbourne. We would later find each other again, say we had to pee, and return to our spot. Memories of Matteo's spirit and his easygoing tendencies that so resemble mine will last quite some time. Quite a good friend I've found.
The evening progressed and before I knew it I was back to my usual routine, with the girl I can't get out of my mind. After some good talks and some better kisses I made my way inside to split what would be my last jug of the night. After finishing the jug outside I set my coat down inside and ran into some friends from my college. Before I knew it I was dancing with one and that quickly escalating into some drunk kissing, also quite enjoyable. This particular girl is of great interest to me because of the way we've come to know each other and both of our social encounters and reactions with each other. I can't help but think I see something when she looks me in the eyes. Who knows. Maybe we'll be friends? Maybe more? Maybe nothing? I guess we'll see.
No stranger to small groups and the way word spreads like wildfire as soon as that ended I had to tell the girl I'd been dating. She was extremely understanding and mature and didn't seem to mind at all. Perhaps that comes with being 23? At any rate the way she handled the situation made me like her more and hate myself...I suppose admiration is a doubled edged sword.
The conversation progressed and we had "the talk." This is where I wish I had shut up and told her to talk to me about it tomorrow. When I'm drunk I truly believe my normal charm and charisma are present, but they really aren't. What we did settle, from what I remember, is that right now she isn't up for a relationship but it is still in the cards...who knows what I want by the way...Her reasoning is what bothers me, though. She is afraid of falling in love here and having to lose that love when we head back to our respective countries. To me if you have a good thing going and you have a chance for love you go for it and let it happen, because when you're older you are going to look back on what you've done and realize you should have taken the fucking leap of faith into unknowingness and see if you come out with something beautiful. Foregoing the good for fear of the bad, especially when you've been given a chance like we have, is reasoning that disappoints me greatly. At any rate she said she needs time but wants to be with friends for now, which is fine. At some point we both began tearing up, although I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm living a real life romantic tragedy, an opportunity I'm extremely grateful for. Or maybe it will work out. Hopefully we will continue to hear the music when we see each other. If not, life goes on-for better or for worse.
So a quick recap of the highlights...I bonded with my Italian brother by peeing in an alley twice, kissed a girl from my college who only seemed interested in talking to me once I saw her in the Melbourne airport (I saw her in the NZ airport and was ready to strike up a convo but she averted her eyes in typical fashion), and had a beautiful Finnish girl tell me I was the one but she couldn't fall further in love with me for fear of the pain when we went home and inevitably had to break up. Thursday nights have never been better.
Well shit that was really long but also the most eventful night I've had here, in college, maybe even ever as far as I remember. I can't describe the way I feel. It is a mixture of happiness, confusion, and indifference. It's almost as if now is the most free I'll ever be and I think I'm realizing it's time to make the most of the opportunities I have here-not that I haven't been doing my best. My feet feel light and I feel like I need to get outside. I think I'm going to take a long walk down Elizabeth street. Alone. Fuck it, maybe I'll even go to McDonald's or some shit. I haven't been there in years. I still find it disgusting but I've never felt this way before and for some fucking indescribable reason I want to go order a Big Mac and sit down and eat it alone.
Until next time
a Daniel Rosales that has never felt quite like this
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Oh and a special thanks to Miranda
I need to thank Miranda for saving me from the aggressive Australian girl at Eurotrash on Tuesday night. You played the part of my girlfriend wonderfully but I couldn't be more happy that we are friends. I tip my glass to you Miranda Emanuel. Really now that's all.
WTF mate
Seriously why doesn't the gym here have a sauna or hot tub? For the ridiculous membership fee it really should...This comes as a huge disappointment.
On a lighter note today is my first Terrorism lecture. Couldn't be more excited about that, especially because I know some cool kids are in the class with me.
Last night was pay the time at Turf Pub for dinner. For $5.10 I got a decent buttered chicken meal and spent a good two to three hours kicking it with friends and making some new friends.
I've already found some great places to run. The Princes Park and Royal Park are my personal favorites but when I'm only up for a short 30 min run or so I run from the village around the Uni perimeter and back. Most of the people here seem to keep fit-I have yet to be the only one running around a park or the Uni when I'm out.
Tonight is the pub crawl. I really should let my body rest but the first week of classes is over and I have a free day Friday. Circumstance is conspiring against me to exacerbate my alcoholic tendencies. Surprise Surprise.
I've made a solid crew of friends thus far. Saturday the Swedish guys are throwing a bash at their new house that I can't miss for the world. Tuesday we went out for Chris' birthday to Turf then Eurotrash, a rather exciting but expensive bar. Two shots of Jaeger for the birthday boy and myself ran me $18.00. Completely worth it regardless. I've bonded well with the Europeans, Canadians, and Americans. I find my Italian friend Matteo to be the most entertaining person, and he and I can carry on conversations about music, the arts, women, etc etc until one of us has a class or engagement.
I can't believe how easy the Australian banking system is to use. Everyone is so friendly. Perhaps I simply nail the role of a young confused American male and they take pity on me. Regardless of rhyme or reason I will dread going back and dealing with BoA upon my return.
On a lighter note today is my first Terrorism lecture. Couldn't be more excited about that, especially because I know some cool kids are in the class with me.
Last night was pay the time at Turf Pub for dinner. For $5.10 I got a decent buttered chicken meal and spent a good two to three hours kicking it with friends and making some new friends.
I've already found some great places to run. The Princes Park and Royal Park are my personal favorites but when I'm only up for a short 30 min run or so I run from the village around the Uni perimeter and back. Most of the people here seem to keep fit-I have yet to be the only one running around a park or the Uni when I'm out.
Tonight is the pub crawl. I really should let my body rest but the first week of classes is over and I have a free day Friday. Circumstance is conspiring against me to exacerbate my alcoholic tendencies. Surprise Surprise.
I've made a solid crew of friends thus far. Saturday the Swedish guys are throwing a bash at their new house that I can't miss for the world. Tuesday we went out for Chris' birthday to Turf then Eurotrash, a rather exciting but expensive bar. Two shots of Jaeger for the birthday boy and myself ran me $18.00. Completely worth it regardless. I've bonded well with the Europeans, Canadians, and Americans. I find my Italian friend Matteo to be the most entertaining person, and he and I can carry on conversations about music, the arts, women, etc etc until one of us has a class or engagement.
I can't believe how easy the Australian banking system is to use. Everyone is so friendly. Perhaps I simply nail the role of a young confused American male and they take pity on me. Regardless of rhyme or reason I will dread going back and dealing with BoA upon my return.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Better late than forever
Hello all
This is a blog I am making primarily for my family while I am away in Australia. Traveling is nothing new to me but for the sake of sharing pictures, experiences, and stories instantly rather than over the phone or some other expensive and time consuming medium of communication I've thrown caution to the wind and I'll open my experiences to anyone bored enough to read up on my travels.
I've got a lot to cover as I've been here since the 13th and I've only gotten around to setting up this blog (I blame the outrageously amazing nightlife of Melbourne and two O weeks for my latency).
Flying in from Auckland, NZ to Melbourne I sat next to a pretty young Australian girl whom had just finished visiting relatives in NZ. As we got to talking I learned she was my age, lived in Melbourne, and her name is Jayde. I think I am to meet Jayde Thursday to chat. Her name and phone number are displayed above my computer as she was my first Australian acquaintance. I'm a real sucker for novelties.
The most profound thing happened while on the flight, and for once it was completely unrelated to girls or really people at all. A man by the name of Derek Shearer, a phenomenal DWA professor I sought advice from before departing for Australia had given me a book The Best Australian Political Writing. In that book I read the most profound poem. The poem was written into an article on Global Warming, but it dealt with looking for the silver linings in clouds, a poetic perspective taken time and time again on life that has mystified me since the time I read it. The poem goes as follows:
Look for the silver lining.
Whene'er a cloud appears in the blue
Remember, somewhere the sun is shining.
And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you.
The article, entitled Sunny Side ended with another poem dealing with silver linings
A heart, full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life
Moments later we began our descent and reality hit again. Time to cut the poetic bullshit, I was in Australia.
The first night I met up with some fellow American exchange students. We all arrived at the same time and all lived in the RMIT village so we figured we might as well stick together-safety in numbers sort of thing. We set out to explore Melbourne and I failed to buy a tram ticket but rode anyway-a really easy way to get a hundred something dollar fine apparently.
O week carried on and I learned everything I needed to in order to ensure my survival. The Melbourne Welcome Program took us all over the city and gave us the basics on how to use trams and trains, which was reassuring. As usual, I was hypersocial and met and forgot a surfeit amount of names. The details of the week blur together but every night involved some sort of drinking activity followed by new friends, which entails new phone numbers and new Facebook friend requests. I suppose this is what being social is.
We would go to the zoo and the footie game. Essendon Bombers v Bulldogs. Sadly Essendon (I cheered for them as they were Red and Black-Albuquerque Academy colors) was blown out of the water by the Bulldogs. My sorrow wouldn't last-following that we went to a bowling alley and drank the night away.
The weekend came and went (far too quickly thanks to drinking) and we were thrown into another orientation, the RMIT Village O week. Before that, though, I met a girl. I'll keep the details on the hush for now but if its an enduring thing (thus far it is) you'll hear more about her in the future. It was for residents of the RMIT Village Old Melbourne only and featured a week of themed parties, pub crawls, and general debauchery all too typical of Melbourne.
Following RMIT O week I went to St. Kilda's beach with my aforementioned female interest and had a phenomenal day. Even for Melbourne in the winter it wasn't terribly cold and flip flops and jeans were perfect for the sunny beach. I took a few snaps of some dead jellies I saw and sent them to Dan Pondella asking if he knew what species they were. In his untouchable fashion he replied "no idea. not a jelly expert. the only good jelly is a dead one. come see me spring semester upon your return." Dan Pondella is quickly becoming one of my heroes. Seriously though.
The day ended with some incredibly memorable kisses in a gazebo in a park just off of the beach of the park. Melbourne thus far has been a charm.
This week classes began. I've had two of my four and I missed my Monday class-not because I couldn't physically make it but because I switched into the class on Tuesday. Unfortunate but not the end of the world. Tomorrow I have my Terrorism class which I am indescribably excited for.
Whew what a mouthful. They won't all be that long. More to come soon.
This is a blog I am making primarily for my family while I am away in Australia. Traveling is nothing new to me but for the sake of sharing pictures, experiences, and stories instantly rather than over the phone or some other expensive and time consuming medium of communication I've thrown caution to the wind and I'll open my experiences to anyone bored enough to read up on my travels.
I've got a lot to cover as I've been here since the 13th and I've only gotten around to setting up this blog (I blame the outrageously amazing nightlife of Melbourne and two O weeks for my latency).
Flying in from Auckland, NZ to Melbourne I sat next to a pretty young Australian girl whom had just finished visiting relatives in NZ. As we got to talking I learned she was my age, lived in Melbourne, and her name is Jayde. I think I am to meet Jayde Thursday to chat. Her name and phone number are displayed above my computer as she was my first Australian acquaintance. I'm a real sucker for novelties.
The most profound thing happened while on the flight, and for once it was completely unrelated to girls or really people at all. A man by the name of Derek Shearer, a phenomenal DWA professor I sought advice from before departing for Australia had given me a book The Best Australian Political Writing. In that book I read the most profound poem. The poem was written into an article on Global Warming, but it dealt with looking for the silver linings in clouds, a poetic perspective taken time and time again on life that has mystified me since the time I read it. The poem goes as follows:
Look for the silver lining.
Whene'er a cloud appears in the blue
Remember, somewhere the sun is shining.
And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you.
The article, entitled Sunny Side ended with another poem dealing with silver linings
A heart, full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life
Moments later we began our descent and reality hit again. Time to cut the poetic bullshit, I was in Australia.
The first night I met up with some fellow American exchange students. We all arrived at the same time and all lived in the RMIT village so we figured we might as well stick together-safety in numbers sort of thing. We set out to explore Melbourne and I failed to buy a tram ticket but rode anyway-a really easy way to get a hundred something dollar fine apparently.
O week carried on and I learned everything I needed to in order to ensure my survival. The Melbourne Welcome Program took us all over the city and gave us the basics on how to use trams and trains, which was reassuring. As usual, I was hypersocial and met and forgot a surfeit amount of names. The details of the week blur together but every night involved some sort of drinking activity followed by new friends, which entails new phone numbers and new Facebook friend requests. I suppose this is what being social is.
We would go to the zoo and the footie game. Essendon Bombers v Bulldogs. Sadly Essendon (I cheered for them as they were Red and Black-Albuquerque Academy colors) was blown out of the water by the Bulldogs. My sorrow wouldn't last-following that we went to a bowling alley and drank the night away.
The weekend came and went (far too quickly thanks to drinking) and we were thrown into another orientation, the RMIT Village O week. Before that, though, I met a girl. I'll keep the details on the hush for now but if its an enduring thing (thus far it is) you'll hear more about her in the future. It was for residents of the RMIT Village Old Melbourne only and featured a week of themed parties, pub crawls, and general debauchery all too typical of Melbourne.
Following RMIT O week I went to St. Kilda's beach with my aforementioned female interest and had a phenomenal day. Even for Melbourne in the winter it wasn't terribly cold and flip flops and jeans were perfect for the sunny beach. I took a few snaps of some dead jellies I saw and sent them to Dan Pondella asking if he knew what species they were. In his untouchable fashion he replied "no idea. not a jelly expert. the only good jelly is a dead one. come see me spring semester upon your return." Dan Pondella is quickly becoming one of my heroes. Seriously though.
The day ended with some incredibly memorable kisses in a gazebo in a park just off of the beach of the park. Melbourne thus far has been a charm.
This week classes began. I've had two of my four and I missed my Monday class-not because I couldn't physically make it but because I switched into the class on Tuesday. Unfortunate but not the end of the world. Tomorrow I have my Terrorism class which I am indescribably excited for.
Whew what a mouthful. They won't all be that long. More to come soon.
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