I'll Have a Job Interview with Brunetti's on Top, Please.

     So, to start the day off right, my alarm went off at 6:45AM, 45 minutes earlier than I had set it. I spent the whole morning whilst prepping myself for my much dreamed of interview trying to figure out how that happened.

"I didn't set that alarm. The only one there last night was set for 7:15AM. Hmmm..." I thought as I powdered my face (que The Twilight Zone theme music).

     Only after I turned wifi back on - for the time being my family only gets a certain number of GBs per month, we must be conservative - did I find out why. Turns out my mom somehow was able to get past the security of my passcode and change said alarm settings. Sneaky. She noted this in a message to me explaining that she did so, because we needed to leave for the train by 8:15AM (we didn't leave until 8:20AM) and proceeded to map out in chronological order just where I should be and at what time to be promptly due for my interview.

     My blessed little brother, Leo, was my escort around the city for the day. Upon arriving at Flinders St. we took a tram to Collins St. and then proceeded to walk back and forth from corner to corner, point to point until we figured out where right bus-stop was. I don't know why they call them buses, because some of them look like and run on the tracks EXACTLY like a tram...but, what do I know??
     We hopped off the bus and as I watched my brother turn down a street that looked like it was the beginning of an infamous mug and murder scene, he assured me that this was the street. Sure enough it was. It wasn't all that dark and scary, but it felt to me to be farther off the grid than I expected. It looked pretty empty to the place you would find an office building.

Bacio (pronounced "Ba-cho"). Chocolate Hazelnut,
with REAL hazelnuts in it! Bascially the best flavor EVER!!

     I looked up to find a golden "Ballantyne St" secured to the brick walls of the buildings as we continued to venture this road that I still felt surely was too far off the grid for anyone to find. Then to my tender mercies blessing I looked up to my right again and found the numbers of the address painted in gold (for being an empty street there were a lot of golden things on it) on a large glass entryway.

     The foyer was entirely bare except for a large bold red framed mirror that hung on one wall (it basically WAS the wall it was that big). The first thought that came to my mind after wondering if it really was the right place was, "The possibilities for interior design here are endless!" and I was in a dream as my mind went off on all the fresh, chic, modern touches I could use to transform this barren foyer.
I looked around the corner at the reception desk - which had the best radio station ever playing - but no one there. My only companions in the room were a pile of magazines, a personal information sheet to fill out, a fellow applicant waiting for her interview and a giant, black, San-serif font "Z" attached to the wall above where the receptionist head should be.

     As it turns out the excitingly perky (she was awesome!!) interviewer was playing double-duty as the receptionist and interviewer that day. She greeted me with the biggest smile and the interview was totally awesome! Actually, it didn't even feel like an interview. That's how you know it went well, right? It was awesome and it didn't feel like an interview? We just talked, and it was so fun!

Chicken Pesto Sandwich from Brunetti's. Honestly, delicious! Though I was really surprised with how much olive was ON the bread and coming off on my fingers than was IN the sandwich.

     I skipped my way out the door, and Leo and I went off to Brunetti (seriously, the BEST Italian bakery in the world!). I treated myself to a crispy chicken pesto sandwich and a scoop of chocolate hazelnut gelato. Yes, I think it's safe to say today was a success. Yay!!!

Cheers,

Jess

A Purple Swamphen, a Creek, a Bunch of Bread, and a Pelican

Today could have turned out to be as uneventful as the day before, but I chose to venture out into the burning heat to toss rations of bread to some Australian fowl.

     After humoring my baby brother's eagerness to play at the nearby park, sliding down a zip-line, and bouncing on this see-saw like attraction it was time to feed the ducks. Ha, quite funny as there were hardly any ducks at all. The majority of the birds near the creek were actually purple swamphens. Beautifully unique with creepish-ly long talons and violet bellies.

Cute lil' guy, isn't he?

     While all intentions were directed at the birds, they were unfortunate to have to share their delicious bits of bread with these tiny minnows that would swim up and begin to nibble on what had already been thrown in the water. Sorry swamphens, you were just too slow for those guys, I guess.

Could decided if they were more beautiful
 or threatening looking.

     What I was most excited by was the sighting of a couple of pelicans on the way to the creek. My hope was granted satisfaction as on the way home another stop was made by the large pond (lake? that end of the creek? whatever, it was huge) where they were spotted. A first glance it seemed as though they had gone, but not to worry, they returned. What an interesting creature. A little scary-looking while at the same time beautiful.
     They were not fond of the bread at all, however they did their own scavenging for dinner. Quite cool to watch them eat. They don't chew at all, they just gulp those fish down! They call them tuna shots...ha.

     Another day in Australia and...oh! I have my first interview for an internship on Friday! Whoo-hoo! Not all hope is lost!

Cheers,

Jess