Day 45

I have now been in Australia for a month and a half and am starting to figure things out and settle a bit. I stopped couchsurfing a few days ago, and am now living at the Rooftop Travellers Lounge, a hostel in a neighborhood ("suburb") called Glebe. As nice as it would be to live in a house or apartment, the prices are ridiculous. So I am going to stay here for the next six weeks and then reevaluate the situation.

My original plan for this trip was to begin traveling around Australia at the beginning of October, shortly after my friend Hana from Germany arrives here. This would allow for us to do a substantial amount of traveling before being able to return home mid-December. However, I am finding that I have spent a lot of the money I came with (nearly everything is much more expensive here than back home) and am not making more at a fast enough rate to be able to do those sort of travels so soon. Furthermore, the 12 month visa I am here on can only be granted once in a life time, so I am realising that I should take full advantage of it. What does it matter if I gratuate from college/uni later than expected? I am young.

Thus, I am hoping for Hana to come much later and to get the opportunity to work in Sydney for at least six months, in which time I can save up a ridiculous amount of money for doing major travels around Australia, New Zealand, and all over Asia. However, nothing is certain yet so at this point I can't say I have any idea what the future holds. But I would like to stay in Australia longer than I originally planned.

As far as the job front goes, I got certification to be able to work in a bar, because as a bartender the wages are quite high. I started working this week at the Broadway Lounge, a cafe/restaurant/bar which is not far from where I am living. However, since I am just working the floor waiting tables and such, the pay is not what I desire, so I am seeking other options as well. But it is a good start for now, and I can at least live on what I am making there. Also it is a lot of fun and my co-workers are friendly.

Now, some random cultural differences I have found to be interesting:
* It is illegal to not vote in Australia, and you can be fined about US$100 if you don't vote
* You have to flag down busses, otherwise they may not stop
* Street signs are not on every block (this has caused me much confusion)
* Australia is the world's least densly populated country, with a population density of just two people per square kilometer
* Prostitution is legal and brothels are regulated in New South Wales, and there are escort ads in newspapers
* Use of the 'n' word is not uncommon among people my age
* In general, people are much more relaxed and chilled out here compared to back in the US. For example, there is less of a feeling of being rushed for time, people aren't as quick to get mad when you make a mistake, people generally seem more friendly, etc.

Comments, questions, feel free!