Aussie in Aussie-land

Well this time last week I was sneaking out of the house, trying not to make any sound and wake my housemates up.  Heading to the airport to spend Christmas in the sun.

Now its a week later and I am still kinda jet lagged (however this morning I woke up at 6:50 and now my usual 2:30am so I think its getting under control). 

I am lying down in my old bed (so comfy), in my summer pjs, listening to birds out my window instead of sirens, but let me take you back through my journey home so far.

I got to Heathrow with no problems.  I was slightly early, but managed to check in straight away and as I wasn't feeling to well had to set my alarm on my phone incase I fell asleep (which I did so yay for thinking ahead).  I got on my plane and was annoyed to find out that I had a window seat when I asked for  an isle seat but then discovered that it didn't matter as I was fast asleep before the plane had even taken off.  I think the first half of the flight I was awake for about an hour (out of an 8 hour flight).  

We landed in Dubai to re-fuel the plane and even though I was getting on the exact same plane, in the exact same seat, I had to go through security checks again which is my worst nightmare.  Every time I go through the metal detectors, I go off.  I have a bangle that sets the alarms off every time.  Well that's simple enough right?  Take it off!  Well it doesn't come off.  It is stuck on my wrist until the end of time so YAY for airport security.  The last time I went through Dubai security they didn't realise this and they took me into a room to search me before realising that Oh its just the bangle.  So with a heavy heart I walked through the metal detectors.  BEEP BEEP BEEP.  But I don't know if it was because I looked so sick and tired, or the fact that it was just super busy, the guy took pity on me when I explained why it was beeping and let me go.  Silver linings.  

After a short stop over, I was back on the plane, and discovered that I now had 2 french school girls next to me and realised that the next 11 hours were not going to be fun.  So naturally I just went back to sleep.  11 or so hours later I found myself on Australian soil once more.  Only problem.  I was in Melbourne and I live in Sydney.  It was 10pm at night and I needed to wait until 6am the next morning for a flight to Sydney.  I think in those hours I went a little crazy.  I found some good wifi so that kept me amused for a while but it got to the point where I turned to photo booth on my computer to keep my amused.  It's not a pretty sight, but it those photos will be included in the video that I am making about my trip.

So I eventually get on a plane from Melbourne and get to Sydney where my sister and brother in law were waiting with a sign that they made welcoming me home.

I got back to the house, had a shower and very quickly found myself back in my car and driving around Sydney like I had never left.

I am slowly meeting up with all my friends, and it is a lovely feeling watching everyone get so excited to see you and want to know all your stories about the last year of your life.

It has been cloudy since I landed and everyone is claiming that I have brought the London weather over here with me (which suits me just fine) but I have big plans to go to the beach, the zoo (stay tuned for pictures of kangaroos and koalas) and continue my shopping adventures in the boxing days sales (wow I have spent too much money)

But for now, I am going to continue to sit under my fan, and plan where I am going to eat and shop next.

It's good to be home.

Aussie Out

xo

Read On >>>

Christmas Boyfriend Part 2

Ok so here is the truth.

He is 7 years younger than I am.

I am a cougar I know.

But there is something about him. 

He is cheeky, funny, a fool.

He reminds me of being in school and if a boy likes you, they are mean to you.  That is exactly what he does.  He walked past and gives me the finger.  He messes up my hair.  He tells me how terrible I look.  And then he will wink at me, blow me a kiss and slap my behind as I walk past.

Needless to say, I was unsure about how our first date would turn out.  

What I didn't expect for him to be so damn sweet.  

He paid for everything.  It was just going to be us going for a drink and hanging out, but he insisted on going to the movies which was fine (but kinda made it seem like a real date).  He opened doors for me and had perfect manners.  We shared a cheeky little kiss in the movies but he didn't try and shove him tongue down my throat.  We simply had a little cuddle and watched the movie.  No expectations.  Once the movie was over we went to McDonalds because everywhere else was busy, just to sit down and talk.  After chatting for a good couple of hours he hits me with this cheesy line that had me on the floor.

Him: "I've got good and bad news, which do you want first?"

Me: "Bad news"

Him: "I'm really sorry but i'm super tired so I think I'm going to have to call it a night."

Me" Thats cool.  What's the good news?"

Him" You are really beautiful."

He is the first guy to actually call me beautiful to my face and I actually believed it.

So when we tried to make plans for date number 2, we came into a pickle.  As time was limited, due to my flights, we figured the only chance we would be able to get together was at a friends farewell party.  So we agreed that he would be my plus 1 and we would sort out the other details later on.

A couple of days after that, his Dad (who also works with us #notawkwardright?) pulled me aside.  His Dad is also a security guard and looked so scary when he told me not to lie to him but did I go out with his son.  When I told him I did, he asked me if i liked him because he liked me.  He then continue to try and convince me to move up North and marry his son, because he needs a good girl in his life like me.

So you know, this was moving a lot faster than I thought it would of.

When Friday came around, i agreed to pick him up from work as he had no idea where he was going.  I bumped into his Dad, who kind of gave me a strange look of corrupting his son because he was leaving work early, and his boss, who tried to make me feel bad for making him leave work.

We got to the party and had a great night, until the next day.

I agreed to take him to work as he has a fear of the tube and I'm not mean enough to force him to figure it out on his own.  As we left each other, he told me he would message me later.  As he had no working phone, and from his actions from last year, I told him that he wouldn't but that I appreciated the lie.

Now here I am... on the other side of the world, and he is actually messaging me back.  

Stupid men aren't meant to be this hard.

Aussie out

xo

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I wasn't ready to feel sad

Well to say it's been a full on 4 or 5 days would be an understatement.

I finished up at Winter Wonderland.  This time last year I really hated the place.  I was sick and tired and going there every day was like a sentence that I willingly forced myself into.  This year however was different.  Because I had more freedom and I wasn't stuck in a token booth for 14 hours every day, I got to meet more people.  To do more things.  And gave me more chances to actually miss it.

My last day was filled with laughter, gifts and lots of hugs.

The next day was a full day.  It would of been my first day away from Winter Wonderland in 8 days.  So naturally I went there.  It started off meeting Lucinda and her friend from Sydney to watch a panto.  We went to see one last year but this was a totally different experience this year.  To be surrounded by children who didn't quite understand why I was laughing so hard at a scene in which they were talking about eating cheese cake with no topping on it which then went into a rousing rendition of "all about that base.. no topping" was worth the entrance fee alone.  That and the random 3D bit half way through the show, and having a theatre full of children singing "let it go"... I have found a lovely Christmas tradition.

After that we went to London bridge and went to a local pub where mulled wine on an empty stomach was a great plan that lead to playing a different type of wheres wally.  Basically you go on grinder and find someone close by and then try to find him.  Always a good idea when you have had a bit to drink.

After that we went to Lucindas' husband resturant and ate way to much seafood to be considered normal (but it was soooo good).  Than we headed off to Winter Wonderland.

More alcohol was drunk, games were played, rides were rode on ( flirting with the work Christmas boyfriend naturally happened), shopping at the markets was done.  It was such a fun night.

The next day was spent getting the last of my Christmas shopping done.  Wrapping presents and then getting ready for a party with my old work crew.  One of the guys is moving to Australia so it was his farewell.  But also it was 2nd date night with the Christmas boyfriend.  So once again I was not due to go back to Winter Wonderland but as I had to pick him up from work I once again found myself there, but only for 5 minutes and we were off.  He was too scared to get the tube, so I helped him overcome his fear (that's a lie - he hated it the whole time).

Once we got to the party, he thought he would be a good idea to keep buying me shot after shot which ended up me being extremely drunk, but hey it was our final chance for a date before I left the country so live it up.

The next day was my housemates Christmas.  I was tired, hungover and horribly embarrassed as I made a lot of noise coming home ( I'll leave it at that but you can use your imagination).  We exchanged presents and then I had to attempt to pack my bags as I was flying out the next day.  I half packed and then ended up falling asleep.  Later that night I was awoken by Christmas dinner.  I had about 5 bites and then ended up throwing it all back up. (Joy).  As I was feeling so horrible, I had an early night and set my alarm super early so I could finish packing in the morning.

Waking up and leaving London was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  I haven't been home in 14 months.  I am meant to be excited.  But I was sad.  I was leaving so much behind.  Even though I am coming back to it all, I just couldn't help but feel like this is the wrong time for me to go home.  But alas I packed my bags, and snuck out of the house while it was still dark.

That leads to now.   I am sitting in Melbourne airport.  So close to home, but I have to wait for my next flight to take me to Sydney.  I have mixed emotions.  I miss London.  Even sitting in the airport it's too hot.  Everyone sounds so Australian, and because I slept pretty much the entire flight to get here, I have no idea what time or day it is.  Jetlag is going to suck.

I'm hoping that once I get back to Sydney and see my family again everything will be fine but for now, I've never wanted to be back in cloudy old London town more than right now... even if I have to sleep in my crappy little single bed.

At Lucindas request I am making a video of my time back home, so I shall upload that at some point.

And there is nothing else for me to do other than wait around for another 5 hours and prepare to be sunburnt and tired.  Welcome Home to me!

Aussie Out
xo

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1989

Wow living with Taylor Swift obsessed blogger housemates, can be intense.

"Sam do the 1989 tag post"
"Sam when are you going to do the 1989 tag post?"

So lets go

1. Welcome to New York // If you could live in any city, which would it be and why?
London naturally.  I am living the dream at the moment and I am being constantly being pulled mentally whether or not I shall go back home to Sydney or stay in London longer.

2. Blank Space // What is something that everyone thinks is true about you but is actually false?
That I am a positive happy person 24/7.  I have to constantly make an effort to be happy.  I have emotional breakdowns a lot and when I do, I have to stay away from people.  I like people to think that I am constantly happy but thats impossible people.  Also I am hopeless when it comes to guys.  Charlotte had to tell me at one point that a guy was hitting on me cos I just thought he was being nice.  So I may come across as confident, but i'm just super awkward

3. Style // What is one item in your closet that makes you feel unstoppable?
One of my little black dresses.  I loves it a little bit too much.

4. Out of the Woods // What is one thing that you're afraid of?
Being alone and being a failure.  Moving over to London I had a lot of people doubt me.  "She won't last a year"  Say that to me and I will do everything I can possibly do to prove you wrong.

5. All You Had To Do Was Stay // Who is someone you wish was still in your life?
My Mum.  I would do anything just to have a chat with her, for her to sing a song with the wrong words just to annoy me, for just another hug.

6. Shake It Off // What is something you have had to shake off?
Friends letting me down.  I have a 1 strike you are out policy.  And I have lost a lot of friends because of it but believe it is for the better.  My friends that I keep are amazing!

7. I Wish You Would // What is something you'd like to happen right now?
Love... and a million dollars... or pounds.

8. Bad Blood // Have you ever had someone stab you in the back?
Of course.  But as far as I am concerned, that person is dead to me.  Serious enough for a block on facebook.  I mean business!

9. Wildest Dreams // What would you like to be remembered for?
I just want to make people happy.  So if I can make people laugh and smile, I will die happy.

10. How You Get The Girl // What is your favourite pick-up line?
I'm stealing Charlottes answer and I'm going to say just say Hi

11. This Love // What is something you got back that you never thought you would?
My sister.  We were never that close growing up.  We shared jokes and a love of movies but as we got older and she moved out of home, we became strangers.  After my Mum passed away, we were bonded once again.  Stronger than ever.  She is my best friend and I miss her every day that I'm not at home.

12. I Know Places // Where is one place you always feel safe?
My bed.  Bonus safe points if I have my headphones in listening to music.  The world around me disappears and its just me

13. Clean // What is an important lesson you have learned in life, and how did you learn it?
Don't be scared.  If something scares you... DO IT!  It's the things that scare you, that will be the most worth wild!.

Read On >>>

When it rains... it pours

1 year
12 months
365 days
0 interest from the opposite sex.

Then BAM!

I have bags under my eyes, having a shocking hair day.  I looked so bad today that as soon as I walked into work, my supervisor said "Sam are you ok?  You look terrible."

So naturally I was feeling pretty damn good about myself... NOT!

However the days events where not what I expects.  I was unexpectedly joined by my Christmas work boyfriend for lunch (we made plans to go out on an official date.  God help me)

Then after lunch,I had a customer ask me when my lunch break was because he wanted me to join him on a ride.

And then one of the workers on the ride next to me kept coming up to me every time I didn't have customers and tried to convince me to go out on a date with him and he kept telling me how lovely my smile was. (I was getting lactose intolerant pains from all the cheesy lines he was saying)

Then another man walked past and made a blow job gesture at me and then gestured that he wanted me to give him one.

So if there is a lesson that I have learnt from todays events, if you wash your hair and have little sleep.. You are irresistible.  Your welcome.

(Maneater)
Aussie Out
xo

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The best feelings in the world!

I’ve been trying to focus on the good things in life lately.  Send out good vibes and you will get them in return.  So i’ve been really appreciating the little things that make smile.

*Big bear hugs.  It’s been getting colder and there is nothing better than getting a big hug from a guy you like. Extra happy points for kisses on the cheek and slaps on the bum during said bear hugs.

*Getting to go to the toilet after holding it in for multiple hours.  I’m convinced this is literally one of the best feelings ever.

*Getting to take your bra off after a 15 hour shift.  Letting the girls free is amazing.  If they have been released and I agree to leave the house to see you (which means imprisoning them one more)… feel honoured.

*Taking off your heels after a long night of dancing.  Heaven!

*Waking up in the morning knowing you don’t have to go to work, and you can go back to sleep if you want to (And I always want to)

*Eating ice-cream when you have a sore throat.  Equally good drinking a really cold drink (water, beer, cocktail - it don’t matter) on a really hot day.

*Driving somewhere and getting every green light.  Although as I’m not driving in London, it is also amazing making the tube and not having to wait for connecting trains/ making the bus.

*Having a big night out and waking up in the morning with not only all your belongings, but also no hangover.

*Having a hot bath/shower when you have been outside in the pouring rain all day.

*Strangers laughing at you jokes and telling you how funny you are.  Laughter is my drug.

*Friends telling you how much they miss you.  This will never stop feeling amazing.

*People defending you.  Even when you are slightly in the wrong (Even better when you get rewarded with pity sympathy mulled wine)

*Getting things for free.  Sweets (i’m so British now), Churos, hot chocolate, burgers, donuts (Wow I get a lot of free food)

OK a lot of things make me happy.  These are just a few things that make me feel amazing.  Let me know some of yours!  

Aussie Out

xo

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I’m a star… in my own mind

I wish I could say I am thinking or acting this way because I’m tired, but that would be a lie.

I’m just crazy!

So I was waiting for the tube last night, listening to one direction ( cos I’m the coolest and lamest 20 something year old on the planet).

The tube arrived, and as I got on, I noticed there was no seats,  As I had been sitting down all night, I decided to perch myself against the doors that lead to the next carriage.  You know the ones that say walking through them can cause death! #yolo

As the train started moving, the wind started blowing through my hair - I was off.

My overactive imagination had me convinced that I was Beyonce or someone equally as fabulous, and that everyone else on the tube was my adoring public.

I tried my very hardest not to actually start singing or whipping my around in a Willow Smith type manner. (Although from the stares I was getting from 1 person in particular… I was fooling no one.)

If that wasn’t bad enough, later that night, I was on my last part of my journey home, walking up my street.  As I no longer had an audience, I naturally started pretending that I was filming a music video - No Hold Barred!

Lip-syncing and sassy walking up my street at 11:30 at night, I thought I would be safe.  Sadly a few of my neighbours now know that they have a crazy person among them on their street.

#NoShame #ThisIsWhyImSingle

Aussie Out

xo

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I'll be home for Christmas - Part 2

So there are a few things that I won't miss when I go home for Christmas.  But there is a lot of things that I will miss.

My Housemates.  I'm convinced that I have the best housemates.  There is Charlotte, my house wife.  She cooks me dinner, makes me tea when I am having an emotion breakdown (how very British) and who waits up for me (or at least tries to, often falling asleep on the sofas) when I am working late.  She listens to my rants and lets me ramble on about rubbish.
Thom, even though he is only home on the weekends, makes up for it with his great singing and guitar playing.  And even though he is Irish (private joke), he is all kinds of fabulous.
Nicole, who will go out and buy me ham when I can't get to the shops.  What more do you need in life?

Salt and vinegar squares.  There are just no words to explain my love for these crisps (on that subject)

Saying crisps instead of chips.  I was convinced that I wasn't going to ever say crisps but now it's automatic. (I even wrote crisps without thinking about it) I enjoy far too much pretending that I have a lisp when I say it and it's just hours of amusement for me.

The weather.  WHAT? Thats right! I'm going to miss the cold weather.  As a pale ginger in London, I am in my element.  Dealing with 46 degree days just isn't a fun option for me.  I get a lot of people asking me for directions.  I just fit in here.

My friends.  I am such a novelty for them.  "what can we try and get the Aussie to do next?"

24 hour things.  Buses, off licences.  Its a wonderful thing to be able to get places and buy alcohol at 3:30am whenever you want.

How am I ever meant to leave?

Aussie Out
xo

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I'll be home for Christmas Part 1

Last year was my first Christmas away from home.  It wasn't easy.  I was sick (too sick to eat Christmas dinner and drink mulled wine, so you know it was bad) and missing home like crazy.

This year is different.  As the title suggests, I will be back in sunny Sydney by Christmas.  But all i know is that I'm going to miss London and my London family like crazy.

However there is a couple of things that I wont miss in my 2 week holiday back to the land down under.

Foxes : Such a novelty until they go through your garbage and when you leave the house in the morning you are greeted by all the disgusting things that used to be in a bin bag but is now al over your doorstep for the world to see.

Public Transport : I'm going to be honest here.  Working in customer service has made me hate people.  They are rude and expect the world.  So if dealing with 20 thousand plus people a day isn't enough, I have to sit with them underground and watch as they don't stand up and offer their seat for people who need it.  Plus I miss turning the music up as loud as it goes and singing along to cheesy music.

My bed: It's London.  It's expensive.  I get that.  When I moved into my house it was more for the common areas (and the dog that is now gone) than the room.  Single bed? Sure!  Now all I want to do is spread out and starfish.. or even just roll over without either falling off the bed or banging a knee or elbow against the wall.

People:  Can be so rude here.  I miss just walking down the street and smiling and saying hello to the neighbours.

Lets hope when I eventually move home, I wont miss these things.

Aussie Out
xo

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Do I Look That Bad?

7:00 - Wake up, get ready for work
7:20 - leave the house.  Walk to bus stop (because I'd much rather have 15 minutes extra sleep instead of walking to the tube)
8:00 - Arrive at Victoria, wait for Lucinda and walk up to Hyde Park (get coffee if needed)
8:25-8:30 - Arrive at work  - Sign in and start work
2:30 - 2:45 - Quickly eat some food - Continue working
8:30 - 8:45 - Quickly eat again - Continue working
10:00- 10:30 - Finish work.  Walk back to Victoria
11:05 - 11:15 - Get bus back to my street (I've walked all day - too tired)
11:25 - Get home, make lunch for the next day, shower
11:45 - midnight - Bed

REPEAT

(Oh and do this every day because days off are for the week - currently on day 11 of 13)

I get that sharing this information with you means you can now stalk me but I'd like to think I'm looking alright for someone with this schedule.

However the other night on the tube, somebody physically jammed his body in the doors (he was already on the train) so that I could get in the carriage.  Once I got one that train somebody stood up to give me their seat.  I'd love to think that chivalry isn't dead but I think I just must look like the walking dead.

3 weeks to go.

Aussie Out
xo

Read On >>>

Christmas Boyfriends

Last year I got a Christmas job.

It was going to be my first Christmas away from home and I figured the best way for me to deal with this was to work as much as humanly possible.

Lets go on an adventure back to last year.  I was working 16 hour days, 6 or 7 days a week.  Trying and very often failing to function of very little sleep.

Then one day out of the blue, I was working in a booth by myself minding my own business when a security guard walked past me.  He smiled as he sung along to one of the many Christmas songs that are played on repeat throughout the day.

A couple of hours later I was joined by another person and this security guard, (lets call him 95.. because thats what his number was, and what I still refer to him as) he thought it would be a funny thing to try and scare me.  So he snuck up next to my booth and slammed his fists on my window.  Scaring the bejeus out of me... ACHIEVED!

He eventually said sorry and kissed me on the hand as a token gesture.  Then the flirting began.

I've been told before that I am oblivious to men flirting with me, but with him it was a no brainer.

Blowing kisses, flirty smiles and always trying to make time to come and talk to me.  It was exactly what I needed to get my mind off being homesick and it also encouraged me to get out of bed after only having 4 or 5 hours of sleep.

Christmas Eve was the high point.  He asked me to meet him after work and with the hopes of a Christmas kiss I went.

He seemed shocked that I actually showed up.  We exchanged details and saliva (boo yeah) and he walked me out of work trying to convince me to go to the pub for a drink.  As I had friends waiting and I am not one of those girls that ditches her friends for a guy, I informed him that we would meet up another time.

Later that night he was messaging me and phoning me.  All the right signs were there.

Fast forward to New Years Eve.  He promised me he would come and see me and chat and keep me company.  He never showed.  I was pretty sure that my work Christmas boyfriend had dumped me!

Throughout the year he would send me random messages, and would make drunken phone calls which included all the empty promises from the both of us about meeting up for a drink the next time he was in London.

A couple of months ago, I received a message from him asking if I was going to be working at Christmas again.  I told him I was but only until I fly home for Christmas.  He told me that he had no intention of coming back.

I think that really put me at ease.  As harmless as the flirting seemed, when he broke his promise and didn't get in contact with me, it hurt.

I think I had real feelings for this Christmas boyfriend, even though he wasn't very nice to me at New Years and was ( well still is) much younger than I am.

So not seeing him at work was a healthy thing.

Friday was the first day back.  It was like walking into a time capsule.  As my friend Lucinda and I arrived early, we decided to go for a walk around and see if anything was different.  Some rides were in different places, some food stalls have changed, but the most shocking thing was a certain security guard who wasn't meant to be in London was once again in uniform and working.

I felt sick.  I tried to him.  I had no idea what to do.

I managed to get through that shift without him finding me, however the next day I was found.

It was just like the old time.  The flirting, the joking, and all of the butterflies.

I don't fly home for Christmas until late December so the big question is - Do I once again have a Christmas boyfriend?  Do I want to get attached and get my heart broken?

One thing is for sure, the one day this week that I haven't seen him (how dare he have a day off when I don't have one) was not a fun day.

God help me.

Stay tuned for what will be plenty of blogs about heartache and trying to accept being #ForeverAlone

Aussie Out
xo

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I used to have a life

So I quit my job as I was going home for Christmas but I also wanted the opportunity to work at Winter Wonderland.  I worked there last year and had a great time and was looking forward to working there again.

What I forgot about is how little of a life you have.

I don't see my housemates anymore.
I have started wearing some of my clothes to bed so I can have an extra 5 minutes in bed, get up and throw up my trousers and jumper and I'm dressed.
I've had to get my housemates to buy me ham for a sandwich.

Its dire.

I am working from 8:30am until 10:30pm.

Add in travel and you have a tired Aussie.

I've gotten to the point where I'll say something that doesn't make sense and then laugh for 5 minutes like a crazy person because I have realized how stupid I sound.

So please forgive me if I don't update much over the next month or so.  I'm hoping that I can do at least 1 update a week (and I'm sure they wont be making much sense)

A very tired Aussie Out
xo

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Mean girl

I think I am a bad person.

I mean nobody is perfect.  Sure I know very well how to get my sass on when the occasion calls for it, but something came out of left field a couple of days ago.

“I think Sam hates me”

I really didn’t think that 5 words from a complete stranger could affect me so much.

If you know me and you feel that way, then I’m sure you deserve it, but not a stranger.

Let me explain.

There are quite a few job openings in my current workplace.  They have hired some people, however not nearly as many people as needed, but that isn’t the point.  There were 2 people who were put onto my team and it’s basically up to the team members to train the staff on procedures that need to be followed.  There was one girl called Kerrie who was fantastic.  Asking questions, doing everything right, involving herself in workplace banter.  Then there was the other girl.  Lets just call her “L”

L was really quiet.  Nothing wrong with that.  Maybe she was just shy.  However that was proven wrong when she was speaking and flirting with all the guys but as soon as she was back with me it was silence.

She also wasn’t listening to instructions.  I was there to help her and explain what we do and how we do it, but she was so dis-interested that it was alway a genuine shock to see her at work the next day (late of course)

When she started working with some other friends of mine, I warned them that she didn’t really care so just be careful.  She was exactly the same with them.  They had told her their whole life stories and she had barely spoken a word.  The only thing she did say was “I think Sam hates me.”

They didn’t deny it.

So now I have to work with somebody who thinks I hate them.  Which is super untrue as I don’t even know the girl.

But then to make matters worse, L is starting it get signed off so she can now work without supervision.  She approached me and said “Oh hey you need to sign off as my supervisor.  They asked me who trained me and I said Sam… wait, your name is Sam right?”

A whole week I spent with this girl, as she ignored me and everything I said and she didn’t even bother to get my name straight as she starts telling people how much I dont like her.

Well If I wasn’t Regina George before, I will be now.  

Aussie out

xo

Read On >>>

Too Soon?

As the weather gets colder and the halloween decorations are replaced by Christmas decorations, I have the internal debate about when is it too soon to start decorating for Christmas?

Normally it is a tradition in my family for the tree and decorations to be put up on the first of December.  That gives a whole month of Christmas cheer.  However last year due to living with a grinch and me working 12 hours almost every day, the tree barely had a chance to share joy in my house.

This year again I will be working crazy hours, not to mention flying for a whole day to get back home.  So when is it too soon to start getting in the Christmas season?

I have started seeing Christmas jumpers not just in the shop but on people around town and a couple of days ago, I had to try and hold in my excitement as I saw a man on the tube with red Christmas converse.

So needless to say that I felt nothing but joy when walking home from work last night, as a Michael Bublé Christmas song came on my ipod, I did not skip it like I have been doing all year, I let it play and dreamed of a white Christmas right along with him.

Christmas decorating is a very serious thing in my eyes.  Everything has to be done a particular way and it hurts me when I see bad decorations.  This led to my Mum one year testing my strange Christmas OCD.  My colour scheme on my tree is normally red and silver.  I am normally very particular about where I put my decorations on the tree.  One year as I came downstairs in the morning, sat down on my sofa and looked at my tree, I noticed something was off.

"Has somebody moved one of these decorations?  The tree doesn't look right."

My Mum then proceeded to tell me that I have a problem because she had moved one of the decorations just to see if I would notice.

What she failed to noticed is that I would never put 3 red decorations next to each other, and hence was her downfall.

Last Christmas was the first that I have been away from home.  My sister and her husband, who I was living with before I moved over to London,  are also big Christmas people.  However while they were putting up some decorations, I asked for photos and from the other side of the world, directed them on where things should be placed and in what order.  After about 3 photos however, they had it a way that I would normally do it and although I wouldn't be there to actually see it in person, just knowing that my Christmas decorations were the way they should be gave me peace.

So reading back on this I realise that I have a problem, so maybe the house decorations can be held off for a little longer.... for my own peace of mind.

Either way this year I get the best of both worlds.  A cold Christmas with my housemates (a little earlier of course) and a stinking hot Christmas with my family.  And this girl cannot wait (to fix decorations)

Aussie Out
xo

Read On >>>

Poor London

So this month I am discovering just how hard it is to live in London on a budget.  Being paid monthly hasn’t been a problem, but having to pay for my trip home for Christmas has hit me hard.

I have 13 days left until I get paid and I have worked out a budget.  My budget per day is £4 and then I’ll be fine.  Now this wouldn’t be a problem normally but it seems like everybody wants to do things in the up-coming weeks.  Drinks after work, dinners out and my farewell drinks as I have given in my notice at my job to do something different over Christmas.

Living off tinned soups and pasta isn’t something I am looking forward too.  But it’s going to make pay day all the more sweeter.

I have big plans for that money.  First things first.  Starbucks!  I keep seeing everybody walking around with those festive red cups and I need to conform to the rest of London and carry one around aswell.

Second thing is Christmas shopping.  I had plans of just buying a big bow for me to wear as I am going home for Christmas and I figure I am a great present.  Turns out the family expect a physical present.  So all the gifts for my Aussie family plus my London family.

Third thing would be to buy a new Christmas jumper.  Living in a hot country for Christmas, I never really understood the joy of a Christmas jumper.  However now, I fully appreciate a festive jumper.  The more outrageous the better!

But I shall try not to get ahead of myself.  I need to focus on soup and pasta.  Let the hardships begin.

Aussie Out

xo

Read On >>>

Travel Tuesdays Part 2

The London buses are such an iconic thing.

It's such a shame that they are either your cheap friend or your worst enemy.

As a newbie to the country, I found buses terrifying.  I didn't know where I was going or when to get off the bus.

A friend of mine and a native Londoner told me about an app that has saved my life.  It is one of my most used and and first suggestion to any new person to London.  City Mapper.

All you need to do with is app is let it know where you are, type in where you are going, and then it will give you all the options of how to get to that place.  Whether it be bus, tube or overground.

Armed with this app, I decided to give the buses a chance.  After all, it would give me more of a chance to see London.  And I saw it alright.  I just don't know if it's a good thing.

One of the first times I caught a bus by myself, I sat on the upper deck (as that was still a novelty) and was shortly joined by an older gentleman from Ireland.  I had been warned that nobody on the tube will talk to you so I assumed that the buses would be the same.  WRONG!

This man decided that he wanted to tell me his life story about where he lives and his job, all the while drinking whisky that was in a brown paper brown (cliche I know.)

Then there was a time on a night out when there was a lady on the bus singing (badly) at the top of her lungs to different 80s disco classics.

It seems to me like the tube is a silent world where you do not speak, and the buses is where all the crazy people come out to play.  Its just a little creepy after the sun goes down.

And just remember Please move down the bus

Read On >>>

Real life struggles

So I was casually on my facebook page when a link came up and I thought it was spot on.

18 Struggles Of Having An Outgoing Personality But Actually Being Shy And Introverted

Read On >>>

Travel Tuesdays

a rare moment indeed.  A whole carriage for myself

If anybody has ever been to London and caught the tube, you would know how rare it is to get a seat.  I liken it to feeding time in the African Savannah.  

There are the lions who are quick to the seats.  If you get in their way prepare for their wrath as they will push and nudge you until you move out of their way.  These lions are the businessmen who have been sitting down all day and seem to believe that the money they have paid to use the tube is so much better than the money of anybody else - and therefore, they deserve a seat.

There are the vultures who stand in certain places just waiting for those lions to leave so they can swoop down and get a seat.  These people have most likely been standing up all day and were too tired for the initial push to get a seat.  However, once they have stood in the armpit of a tall stranger who has forgotten about deodorant, for a couple of stops, they are quick to get the seat leftovers from the lions who are only on for a couple of stops anyway.  They can’t be seen outside of zone 2 after all.

The herbivores.  They are happy to stand.  They will generally stand in the middle of the carriages, or right near the end.  They don’t want nor need a seat.  Even if there are seats available and no fight to the death is necessary, they just want to use their 2 feet and stand.

If you are pregnant or injured on the tube, you are a weak animal.  The lions wont stand for you and the vultures will make a big show about standing up for you.  So my advice is to find the herbivores and stay near them as they will always offer you the seat first (unless another vulture has swooped in and “doesn’t see you”)

The tube is a jungle and its a man eat man world. 

Good luck wild life warriors, and just remember, There is another tube in 3 minutes.

Aussie out

xoxo

Read On >>>

Sing-A-Longs = Fun-A-Lot.. what?

Its the days were you don’t do much that can turn into an amazing day.

With big plans to go to thorpe park with Charlotte today, me finding out that it will be busy as fright night was still on, me hurting my knee at work the day before and how horrible the weather was, we agreed to stay in and have a baking day instead.

So armed with our coats and our umbrellas we walked down to the shops to grab our ingredients for our baking (rocky road from Charlotte and lamingtons from me).  Charlotte also came up with the idea of making cheese steak sandwiches with chips with chicken salt (the salt of Gods)

After cleaning the kitchen, the baking began while watching Bridget Jones’s Diary and discovering that we are living a slightly younger version of that movie and figuring out how much time we have left until we meet our Mark Darcy who will like us “just as we are”

Maybe it was the chocolate and sugar in the air but an impromptu sing-a-long/ dance-a-long started.  It started out innocent.  A bit of one direction.  A bit of S Club 7 , throw in some Nikki Webster and we were off.

We then got the brilliant idea of getting dramatic whilst singing into a sky remote and a febreeze air freshener bottle while singing no air from Jordan Sparks which lead to a killer dramatic playlist.

Un-break my heart - Toni Braxton

Hero - Enrique Inglesias

Against all odds - Mariah Carey ft Westlife

Without you - Mariah Carey

Make you feel my love- Adele

Bring me to life - Evanescence

End of the road - Boys 2 men

Never ever - All Saints

Things picked up after that with rousing renditions of the cell block tango, Hillary Duff songs, and then the sad realisation that I still remember all the words and dance moves to high school musical.

At this point the rest of the female housemates in my house arrived home so Charlotte and I decided to end the night with the Time Warp.

I think it is important to remember that we were both completely sober and both had a great night.  

Oh and yeah we did bake our goodies aswell.

Read On >>>

Cats are not this girls best friend

Charlie is evil... I'm convinced

Before moving into my house I have never been in a house with cats.  The closest I have been is house sitting a place that had 2 cats, but due to a cat flap, all I had to do was to refill the food and water.  Living with 2 cats in London couldn’t be any worse than that right?  WRONG!

So I am gathering together an ever growing list of why I will be forever a dog person.

The horror that started it all.  One of the cats (Charlie) had decided that after being let outside, that the only entrance back into the house was through my room.  And the only appropriate time to want to be let back inside was between the hours of 2am and 5am.  As it was summer at this point, and I had been leaving my window open, this wasn’t a huge problem.  But when I decided to close my window, Charlie then decided to head-butt, meow, and claw at my window until I let him in.  It is now a common occurrence for Charlie to cry at my window, and for me to now roll over and go back to sleep.  

We now have to close our bathroom door.  Why you may be thinking.  One of the cats (the blame is getting put on Charlie) has decided that even though he goes outside, and there is kitty litter in the hall, that he would much prefer to go to the bathroom in the bath.  After a few months of constantly closing the door, we tried leaving the door open once more.  Nope.  It took less than a week for the bath to be stinking up once more.

Speaking of the stink… WOW.  I’ve had dogs pretty much my whole life so I have cleaned up some interesting mess in my lifetime.  At no point have I had to clean up anything that smells as bad as what comes out the wrong end of a cat.  

They don't care where they go to the bathroom.  Well at least the ones that I live with don’t.  If they want to take a dump on our sofa, God help you when you come downstairs in the morning.  If they get locked in a room, prepare yourself when you open your door for a massive pile of poo to be waiting for you.  And just to spite you, if they want to pee on your laptop and duvet, get ready to buy new covers because there is nothing getting rid of that smell (believe me, Thom has tried)

When you add all of that to the evil looks I receive from the top of my stairs when I open the front door and I cannot fathom why anybody would want these creatures with all the attitude and sass in their houses.  Bring back the dog!

Aussie Out

xo

Read On >>>

My London Family

Upon moving to London, one of my main concerns was where on earth am I going to live?

I had no idea about what was a good area and what was bad.  To be honest I still don’t have much of a clue about places and when people tell me where they live I often just accept the fact that I have no idea and just smile and nod my head when they say where they live.

A good friend from home had moved to south London and when I visited her the place seemed to have everything I needed.  A large sainsburys, a wilkos, a primark -  what more could you want.

So the house hunt began.  I headed over to gumtree and searched north London.  I had found and viewed a few places.  One with an overgrown garden and a man telling me that it would be a great place for sunbathing.  I was starting to lose hope.  Then I found a house.  It was the next street away from my friend and the best thing is they had a dog.  I went to view the house and fell in love with the place.  My room is a little bigger than a prison cell but i have made it feel like home.

I’ve never lived with housemates that weren’t family before so I was in for some learning.  The house started with 3 girls, 3 guys, 1 dog, 2 cats and 1 rabbit. The tally is now 4 girls, 1 guy, 2 cats and 2 rabbits.

From pretty much the get go there was a divide in the house.  It was explained to me as day shift and night shift.  Myself and Tom were on the day shift as both of us weren't working and Jacob, Luke were on the night shift.  Charlotte was the middle man who did our change over.  As soon as the night shift came home, the day shift left.  It was like this for a while until Jacob let us know that he was moving out.

Success for the day shift.  We didn’t get along with him and were convinced that him leaving would be the best possible thing in the world.  

It is important to note that there is another female housemate that has been around since I moved in, but she stays in her room so will only be referred to as the mystery housemate.

Once Jacob moved out, we were then introduced to Nicole.  Nicole brought with her a love of photography, festivals and Dave the rabbit (who is a girl).  But most importantly, Nicole brought down the day shift and night shift.  The day shift had now taken over the house!

Charlotte and Luke (the house couple) were starting to look for a house of their own as they had the 2 cats locked in their room, so we had the potential of getting another new house mate.  But what happened instead from Charlotte and Luke broke up, Luke moved out and our house was looking to be a happy haven.

We were all getting along great.  We had huge plans for a 90s themed house party, we watched eurovision together, went to the local pub quiz (team magic for life) but then it all went downhill.

It was a Saturday night and after being awake for 30 something hours, Charlotte dragged me to our semi-local pub.  After pulling up my hood, putting on my sunglasses and falling asleep like a ninja, I decided to come home.  Nobody else was home so I dragged myself up to bed and fell into a well deserved slumber.  At 2:30am the house buzzer went off.  Assuming one of my housemates had forgotten their keys, I stumbled downstairs to let them in.  When I opened the door, 4 strange men (one of whom was 6 foot 7) were at the door asking to be let in.  “We are Toms friends”  

When I asked where Tom was they said he was at the pub, and they would told that I would let them in.  Having never met nor seen these men before, I told them no, but alas they wouldn’t let me shut the door, so being the confident girl I am, I ran upstairs to my room and locked my door hoping that serial killers were not in my house.  The next day when I confronted Tom about it, he didn’t see anything wrong with not telling me that his friends were coming over and he wasn’t  going to be home to let them in.  My day shift alliance was officially over and he turned into the enemy.  

After peer-pressure from Charlotte, Tom gave me the worst apology I have ever heard but being the bigger person, I let it be.

Fast forward a couple of weeks later, 1 drunk Tom and 1 sober me.  I was told that being an Aussie and a girl that I am sexist for being scared about 4 strange men coming to my door, that I am racist (because all Australians are) and that I am a liar (his friends said sorry apparently).  Oh and lets not forget the nail in his coffin, that horrible apology, he didn’t mean it.

Let the war begin.

I now made it my mission to make his life hell.  Playing cheesy music really loud was my personal favourite thing.  It only took a couple of weeks until I got the message from Charlotte that Tom was leaving the house and we had to find a new house mate.

That brings us to the final member of my little house family.  Thom. (Yes we replaced one Tom for another - just spelt differently)  Thom is fantastic and even though he doesn’t live here during the week, makes the weekends all the more fun knowing that our little awesome foursome will be complete on the weekends.

Why are my housemates important?  These guys will feature in blogs and podcasts.  They are also my London family and I wouldn’t be here without them!

Aussie Out

xo

Read On >>>

Shall I stay or shall I go?

So I’m really conflicted at the moment.

Before I left Sydney, I was convinced that my future was in England.  I would move here, find some amazing job, find the love of my life and live happily ever after.  Shock horror, I will soon be unemployed after quitting my job for hating it so much, I am #foreveralone, bonding with cats (shudder) and although I have made some amazing friends, I think that I’ve also left some amazing friends at home.

In making the move, more than once have I thought about packing up my bags and giving up.  Being so far away from home is hard sometimes.  I guess a part of me thought that I would be mourned and thought of like the dead (or at least an evicted housemate from big brother.)

It made it really hard to see everybody go on with their lives.  Yeah I would receive a viber message or a snapchat from family and friends but they got on with it.  I guess that made it harder.

Before leaving I had made a promise to my sister that I would come home for Christmas.  I wanted 1 cold christmas which I did last year but now with the looming thought of going home approaching, I was conflicted.  I haven’t achieved anything here in London.

Messages between my sister and I

I almost wished that I didn’t have to go home so I could get on with it, but still extremely excited to go back and see everybody again (not so excited about the 23 hour flight that awaits me)

So I finally booked my ticket home.  And as soon as I booked my tickets I was sad.  I had such hopes for London and when I have given it the chance, it hasn’t let me down.  I feel like I have let it down.  I am constantly making up excuses about having no money or being tired, when I need to remember that not everybody gets this opportunity.  So now I am thinking.  I have 1 year of my visa left.  Of course I will be coming back to London, I’m almost 100% sure my housemate would kill me if I don’t come back, but will it be for 1 more year?  

I am in the extremely lucky few, that can get dual citizenship, which would cancel any time limit that I have and to really see what this amazing city has in store for me (other than slowly taking away my accent as a visiting friend has so kindly told me.)

I guess time will tell.

Aussie out

xoxo

Read On >>>

A whinging... Aussie?

Throughout the my year of living abroad there has been some things I really miss about home.  Other than the standard family and friends of course.  

I understand that I am living in another country but that something makes it hard to keep my Aussie ways.  Here is a list of things that I fear will change me forever.

 The war between chips and crisps.

I told myself that I would never be one of those people that says crisps.  Its always chips and hot chips.  I have however formed a fondness of saying crisps because it sounds like you have a lisp and that really makes me giggle.  When I go home this is going to be one of the hardest things I’ll have to change and know that I will have to make a conscious effort to call them chips once more.  And a side note, I do not remember the last time I said tomato sauce.  I say ketchup and a little piece of me dies every time I do.

2. Doona or Duvet? That is the question.

Living with the British, I learnt very quickly to say duvet unless I wanted to be greeted with blank stares.  I still sometimes catch myself calling it a doona and I dont see that changing anytime soon.

3. Pounds or Dollars.

When I arrived I was convinced that I would never get used to saying pounds and quid.  Now it sounds foreign when I say dollars.  It has lead to some interested conversations surrounding the popular phrase “ Another day another dollar”  What must the British say if they don't use dollars? “Another round another pound!”  However that stroke of marketing genius hasn’t caught on just yet.

4. Please stand on the right.

I get it London, but do you?  Stand on the right on the escalators.  That’s fine.  But please be consistent.  If you want everyone to stand on the right, than don’t get angry if I am walking down the street on the right side of the footpath while you guys serve in and out of people and then get angry when you get stuck behind somebody slow.  This has lead me to becoming one of those people that gets angry when people aren’t standing on the right so my journeys are filled with sighs, tuts and eye rolls that I was told makes me a true Londoner.

5. Tube Trauma 

I get it London.  We all have things to do and people to see, but shoving yourself into a tiny carriage to the point that you are hugging the man in front of you because you cannot wait 2 minutes for the next train is beyond annoying.  There is no such thing as person space on public transport and every day I mourn the lost of my car which is waiting for me at home and I can only dream misses me as much as I her * Don’t think I’m crazy.  Just know that I am*

6.  I am Australian!

I’m not a criminal.

I don’t put shrimp on the barbie

I don’t wear a cork hat

I don’t ride a kangaroo around the town.

But most importantly London, even though I say somethings to make every day life easier, there is no changing that I am a true blue Aussie… and bloody proud!

Read On >>>

The start of something new

I shouldn't be scared.

I should be this confident creature.

After all, i've moved over to the other side of the world by myself.

I think it's best if I explain this from the start.

7 or so years ago I applied for a job at a theme park.  It started off as a joke from my sister who sent me the application as a joke. "You can be a carnie!" So I applied.  I was never one of those people who always knew what they wanted to do.  I loved music, I loved movies.  Not really a career when I can't sing/play an instrument or act to save my life.  I was always in a black hole.  Everyone around me went off to uni and I was lost.

So I went to my interview as a joke.  A joke that as it turns out, lasted 6 and a bit years.

"Don't make this your career Sam" I can still hear my Mum saying to me.  But I was comfortable.  I had met some of my best friends and it was a place I could be silly and come out of my shell.  People always used to tell me that I sounded great over the microphone but I never really thought anything about it.  I was more concerned in making people laugh (which is still high up on my to do list every day)

Fast forward a few years, I was on a tour of Europe and struggling to get along with people in my tour group, when one guy said something to me.

"You have a great speaking voice."

I've been hearing this for years but that was from my friends and co-workers.  Here was this guy that I had known for 4 days at this point to say something like to me.  So I had to do something about it.

Radio.  How could I have been so stupid.  I have wasted so much of my life in a job that was so much fun but couldn't be my career for my mothers state of mind.  So I did a short course and fell in love with it.  It was the one thing I was actually excited about doing.  Thinking up stories and being creative about interviews.  Everything about it.  So to completely change my life I quit my job and moved to the other side of the world.  Who would love a token Aussie in London?  It would be easy to get a job in radio right?  Wrong!

So I slipped straight back into a customer service job that I would of loved before I found my passion for radio, but now I just dread because every time I am there means less time I could be learning about radio.

So now here I am.  A year anniversary for being in London and thanks to a friend an idea has been implanted in my mind.  PODCASTS!!  I am currently working on my first few podcasts that will be made available to download on itunes eventually.  I will blog a lot more (without being forced by my housemate to do so) and just get myself out there in social media all together ( YouTube eventually when I get over the fact that I hate looking at myself)

So stay tuned because my voice will be coming to a speaker near you

Aussie Out!
xo

Read On >>>

Because 50 questions is too much!

49 Questions:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Yes from Samantha from Bewitched

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
A couple of days ago I think

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Not really

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT?
ham

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
no

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I would like to think so

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
NAH....... yes.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No chance

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?
porridge

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
no

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
I am as weak as a kitten

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM?
mint chocolate chip

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
smile

15. RED OR PINK?
red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My freckles

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My Mum and my sister

18. WHAT COLOUR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
My feet are naked right now, I know how saucy

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Snickers ice-cream

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
McFly

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE?
Green

22. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Rain, cut grass, and indoor pools

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Charlotte

24. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Mountains

25. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Rugby League

26. HAIR COLOUR?
I say strawberry blonde. Everyone else says Ginger

27. EYE COLOUR?
Green

28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, just glasses

29. FAVOURITE FOOD?
Mexican food

30. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
happy endings

31. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
The fault in our stars

32. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
white with colourful butterflies

33. SUMMER OR WINTER?
winter

34. HUGS OR KISSES?
hugs

35. FAVORITE DESSERT?
panacotta

36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
exercise = sad me

37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Computer

38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
One day

39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Im way too hip for a mouse pad

40. ANY TATTOOS?
yes, Lillies on my ankle, daffodils on my foot, Glasgow on my wrist and a star behind my ear

41. FAVOURITE SOUND?
A good song

42. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles

43. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
I've been living in London for almost a year. Thats pretty far

44. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I can quote Waynes World pretty much from start to end

45. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Sydney, Australia

46. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
London, England

47. WHAT COLOUR IS YOUR HOUSE?
Brown and White (Have to admit, I went on street view instead of walking outside to check)

48. WHAT COLOUR IS YOUR CAR?
Silver

49. ANY PETS?
In my house I have a Jack Russell (Baxter), 2 cats (Colbie and Charlie), and 2 Rabbits (Poppy and Dave)

Read On >>>