The Australian Working Holiday Visa: Explained

April 26th: This time last year, I was on a plane to Sydney, Australia. I've currently been busily cleaning out my apartment to move out in a few days and I couldn't help but come across all the souvenirs, pictures and other things that brings back all of the memories of my time there.

I'm not sure of the exact reason why I chose to go to Australia (sunny weather! endless beaches! surfing! great barrier reef!), but a friend had shown me a youtube video of a guy who backpacked across Australia for a year, and it looked so cool I knew I wanted to do it as well. For some reason I can't find the English version of the video, but here's the German version of it: Ein Jahr Australien

For anyone thinking about going to Australia on a holiday working visa, I definitely recommend it. While I never stayed the entire year because of uni, my time there was definitely some of the best months of my life. Before I could go and party endlessly for four months (I lead quite the life I know), there was of course all the "responsibilities" such as getting a visa, applying for a tax file number, getting an Australian phone number, and bank account, etc.

I compiled the following list for anyone embarking on this awesome journey.

Europe!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post! It was definitely the most difficult decision I've had to make in awhile, and after thinking about it endlessly, I've decided that I'm going to stay at my current job. I want to move to Europe next year, so I guess some things just have to be sacrificed to make that happen. Of course, even with my decision made, I'm still disappointed that I don't get to wear a cute uniform, and have my summer resemble a Britney Spears music video...

...however, I'm in the process of planning out a EUROTRIP in June! I have a bunch of friends I'm excited to see there, and no summer will ever escape me without some exciting adventures!

nytimes.com

So far the countries I've planned are France, Germany and Switzerland... and possibly Denmark, Austria, Norway and Italy.

If anyone has been to/live in these countries feel free to post your thoughts below! My exams are also finally coming to an end, so expect regular blog updates starting next week!

This or That?

Have you guys ever been in a situation where you have to make a really difficult choice in choosing between something? Sometimes it's easy like choosing an ice cream flavour (buy both, then go to the gym), or choosing between a cute boy (date both but don't let the other find out), but every once in awhile, there comes a situation where money or hidden love text messages just won't solve...

I feel really conflicted. I know I've been talking constantly about my exciting new job as a flight attendant, which starts in May, but I feel like I'm starting to have some doubts. A month ago, I was hired at another company and I've been getting large paychecks that I really enjoy (who wouldn't?). The hours required for each job conflicts with each other, which is forcing me to choose between one or the other. It's a pretty tough call. What do you guys think?

Flight Attendant job 

Pros:
- I get to be in the travel industry
- I'll have lots of exciting stories and get to travel a lot this summer
- I'll meet lots of amazing people
- It's something I've been excited for, for a really long time
- it's an opportunity not many people get
- will look cool on my resume
- I had to go through a lot of interviews to get this job!

Cons:
- I have to go through 6 weeks of training before I'm officially hired to fly
- I heard that training consists of a lot of tests and I'll need a 90% to pass, which can be quite challenging (Also if I don't pass, I'll be out of a job this summer!!)
- Still have to pass a language test, and while I can speak conversational German, the more airline terms they use in the test, the more likely I'll fail
- Significantly less pay
- layovers might be too short to actually see the city I'm in
- I might not get those exciting flights I want to Europe, and instead get stuck with domestic flights
- Because it's a summer job, I'll have to go job hunting again in September

Current Job

Pros:
- I can easily work over 40 hours/week
- good pay
- Customers can be frustrating, but pretty laid-back work environment, managers and people I work with are nice
- I get to set my own breaks and lunch time
- will have enough money to pay back all my student loans and have enough to move to Germany by next April (when I graduate!)
- with the amount of extra money I make here, I can just book a flight and backpack across Europe for a few weeks this summer
- Also went through a lot of interviews to get this job!

Cons: 
- I'm not a big fan of this industry
- no traveling in the job requirement
- a lot of customers don't speak english which can be frustrating
- have to wear an ugly t-shirt
- weird customers who hit on you (although I can probably say the same with the FA job)

The lesson learned is of course to only apply to one job at a time from now on, and to stop wearing short skirts to interviews.

Guest post at "A Home Away From Home"

http://www.curiouswines.ie

Jenna at A Home Away From Home asked me to write a guest post for her since she and her boyfriend went on a weekend road trip, so of course I was happy to help her out! I love reading about her adventures in South Africa, which is a country that I've definitely fantasized about living in many times...

I think it all began when I became really close friends (also former roomie) with this girl during my time in Chicago, who grew up in Johannesburg. Her father owns a huge company there, and she'd use to tell me her stories about the international school she attended, her Monica Bellucci look-a-like best friend, her hot German lawyer boyfriend, her awesome job as a translator, how the weather is always so warm and sunny....Needless to say, I've put it at the top of my countries to see list.

Anyway, if you're in need of some packing advice (summer vacation is almost upon us!), check out my post (as well as Jenna's blog!) here.

How to Buy Playboy Magazines in Germany

So I've been practicing for my upcoming language test and I've recently bought a German exercise book. Usually I not a fan of language exercise books, but this one's surprisingly entertaining and quite useful.

My favourite line they teach you is:

Fuehren Sie auch Magazine mit Fotos? Playboy, zum Beispiel? Es ist nicht fuer mich, es ist fuer meinen Großvater. 

Which translates to:

Do you carry illustrated magazines, too? Playboy, for example? It is not for me, it is for my grandfather. 

The moral of this post is that anyone looking to buy said illustrated magazines in a German speaking country should memorize that line. Other than that, exams start next week and I've become a zombie. See photo below (although judging from the photo, I seem very content with being a zombie).

The Summer To-Do List

Mmm...Yogen Fruz

Hey guys, sorry for the lack of updates lately. It's the end of the school year, and I've been swamped with readings and essays (the perks of being an english major). Exams also start next week so that should be...fun. I will definitely have regular updates again in April though, and talk about exciting summer related things!

Also, a special thanks to Rita for the blog award!

Speaking of summer, I always find this the best time to make any resolutions as New Years resolutions never last until the end of February. For good reason too - 8am in the middle of a blizzard doesn't seem like a good idea for that proposed daily jog even though on New Years Eve (usually thanks to the influence of alcohol) it seemed brilliant.

I tend to find making resolutions pretty boring. If anyone ever asks, my yearly resolution is always "to become rich and famous by starring in an asian pepsi commercial." (Hey- it's a lot more likely to happen than those 8am jogs)

During the summer, these resolutions are so easy to keep since you're practically forced to go to the gym everyday if you intend on going to the beach, and obviously everyone loves the beach (unless you're a vampire). Summer also means lots of ice cream dates, skimpy clothing (good for rekindling old romances, starting new ones or having affairs), and extra free time allows you to go find enlightenment or the meaning of life or whatever in some third-world country.

In any case, I prefer keeping a "to-do list" rather than making resolutions. Here's what's on my summer to-do list this year!

Cleaning out my closet
Since I'm moving out of my apartment at the end of April, this gives me the perfect opportunity to donate the majority of the clothes I have. I really like the idea of living minimally and less clothes means I can conveniently fit it all in one suitcase, which is perfect for traveling. (Actually, it's mainly an excuse so I can go buy some pieces I've been eyeing at ZARA).

Write your own "Eat Pray Love" -esque travel memoir in 5 minutes!

onlinemovieshut.com

Have you read Eat Pray Love a million times? Do you dream of writing your own travel memoir but don't know how? Luckily I did all the hard work - you just have to fill in the blanks below. After that, click "read more" and fill in your answers in the corresponding blanks (similar to Mad Libs). Et voila - you're very own best-seller in the making! Share your stories and don't forget the most important question - who's going to star as you in your big Hollywood
movie adaptation?

Fill in the blanks:
1. verb ending with "ing": ____________
2. a spiritual figure: ____________
3. noun: ____________
4. job: ____________
5. country in europe: ____________
6. country in asia: ____________
7. another country in asia: ____________
8. mode of transportation: ____________
9. re-write your answer to #5: ____________
10. language: ____________
11. nationality (plura): ____________
12. food: ____________
13. article of clothing: ____________
14. re-write answer to #6: ____________
15. place of worship: ____________
16. An American: ____________
17. retail store: ____________
18. re-write answer to #7: ____________
19. number: ____________
20. noun: ____________
21. country: ____________
22. nationality: ____________
23. year in the future: ____________