Melbourne Updates!

It’s already the end of my fourth week of classes, I can’t believe it! That means I’m already 1/3 of my way through my classes here. Crazy. I also haven’t made a post about actually being a student since classes started, so here is my attempt at an abridged version of the best/funniest things that have happened in past four weeks!

Brunswick Street

Updates:

Karaoke: One of the first weekends after classes started we decided it was time to embrace the karaoke. I had only been once before in Singapore on a college trip and it was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done. This was the same set up where you rent a room to yourself and pick all the songs to go on your playlist. There were probably twenty of us there, but I felt like I was the only one singing, and I do not have the finest vocals. I was not the one requesting the songs either (I tried to steer clear of the machine because the one time I touched it I accidentally turned the song in the middle of Chris rapping to Eminem and he got a lil’ upset). I lost my voice by the end of the night, but it was worth it. We want to go again, but next time we’re making a playlist ahead of time.

Nutella/Tim Tams: As if chocolate wasn’t already enough of a weakness, now I have these two items to worry about. I never really liked Nutella until now, probably because I hated all nuts except peanuts and thought Nutella had a strange aftertaste. But now that my fine palette is growing and I actually like nuts, Nutella is suddenly really delicious. It is probably for the best that I recently discovered my love of the spread because the amount I ate just last week is semi-disturbing. I eat it on toast (plain or with peanut butter), I dip pecans in it, I eat it straight from the jar. Basically, my Nutella jar is contaminated, so I don’t recommend anyone else eat it (all for me!!). Then there’s Tim Tams, the most glorious chocolate “biscuit” ever created. Some Americans are even saying it is better than the Oreo. Gasp! I don’t really even qualify it as a cookie though because it is covered in chocolate as well, so basically it’s like eating a candy bar. Or I guess I should say a “lolly.” I once smuggled five Tim Tams out of a free luncheon. We might need to stage an intervention. What really needs to happen is a fusion of these two glorious chocolate confections. Nutella Tim Tams. If I am the first person to think of this, that’s just sad. Get on it Tim Tam! You would make bank. I would be broke.

My favorite street art in Fitzroy

Street Art Tour: I walked around Brunswick street in Fitzroy (a highly hipster area) one day and wandered off onto the side streets and into alleyways to find pure gold. My mission of finding lots of cool street art (see last post) is probably complete just from that one excursion. There was graffiti everywhere. I actually began to feel like it was one of my first days here again when I took so many photos of just buildings that I had to shut it down. Every piece of graffiti I saw was pretty amazing, so I had to restrain myself. The best part of this adventure though was the street performer I passed who was making a scantily clad marionette drop it low and shake her booty in the air while he sang a sort of Broadway version of “Baby Got Back.” It was the most bizarre/hilarious thing I have witnessed, and I really wanted a photo or video, but I was also slightly terrified and alone. I’m really sad there’s no evidence.

Broken Phone Night: Last Saturday I went out with a few friends and we were planning on having a casual night (even though I kept singing “I just wanna daaaaance” from the David Guetta/Rihanna song, because really all I wanted to do was dance). The bar we wanted to go to though was closed for a private event, so we wandered a bit and somehow ended up at the Toff and Rooftop Bar again. They were playing the strangest disco-esque mix of music so some of my friends ended up leaving, but Becca, Chris, Christian and I attempted to stick it out (because we just wanted to “da-aaah-aaaah-ance”). After probably another five minutes though we’d had enough and decided to leave. Becca and I went to the bathroom and Chris and Christian went to the bar. We then could not find them at the bar and decided to sit down at a table and wait. Mistake. Random guy comes out of nowhere and sets his drinks (yes, plural) down on our table and says, “I’m not being creepy (note: never a good way to start a pickup line), but I’m tired of looking for my friends so I’m going to set my drinks here.” Pause. “What are your names?!” Then this guy proceeded to introduce Becca and me to all his friends several times and kept trying to buy us drinks. When Chris and Christian appeared again, they somehow ended up getting free drinks out the situation, so they were pleased. This guy was determined though that he was going to take us to a footy game and grabbed my phone off the table (apparently to give me his number? I don’t know) and then somehow dropped my phone into his drink. Bourbon ‘twas the death of my wonderful phone. Didn’t realize anyone under the age of eighty drank bourbon. I’m still not sure if my phone can be fixed or not, it’s complicated (not to reference the Denise Richards show). Lesson learned: never leave your phone exposed/within reach of an extremely drunk man who is hitting on you. Other than that it ended up being a really fun night, especially the Mackers after party. Mackers is their nickname for McDonalds…I may never call it McDonalds again. It’s so fun to say Mackers! Christian decided to try and buy them out of all their soft serve as revenge because the other times we’ve been they haven’t had any. He walked up to the counter and said, “Please tell me you have soft serve.” The man didn’t say anything, but started typing in the cash register, so then Christian decided to order four. For himself. Of course halfway through his first cone he decided he couldn’t eat them all, so he gave one to Chris and me. It was super funky tasting. The best quote of the night was after I pointed out that the soft serve kind of tasted like butter (really though, FUNKY) to which Christian replied, “No, this tastes like victory.”

Everyone here is named Tom. Or Tim. Tim Tam Tom.

After trying Australia's version of Mexican food

Cooking: I’ve been trying to be more adventurous with my cooking since my lovely family sent me a recipe book and I’ve suddenly fallen in love with food blogs. It’s been going pretty well, except for the time that I legitimately churned up butter while trying to make whipped cream. Of course this was not my fault, it obviously comes back to Australia’s lack of whipping cream and my $10 hand blender that can only be used for one minute at a time or it will overheat and possibly explode. Between the mysterious power of the hand blender and letting the cream sit there every few minutes waiting for the blender to work again, a super freaky consistency resulted (sort of like cottage cheese). I really liked the flavor though (I put cardamom in it, so fancy), so in an attempt to not waste food, I thought maybe I could freeze the lumpy substance and make ice cream. After a few hours I sampled it and was disturbed by how much the slush tasted like butter. I made the mistake of giving it a second taste and immediately threw the container into the sink and ran water over it. The slush melted away and on the bottom there was a yellowish, hard substance. I made butter. I felt a little nauseous after that, but now that I’ve tasted Mackers soft serve, maybe I really did make ice cream! I’ll never know. Other highlights: a girl started a grease fire in the Village. Thank god it wasn’t me. I also took a cooking class and they taught me how to make spaghetti bolognese. Even amateur hour over here knows how to do that. But they did compliment it a lot, so apparently I’m good. I am getting better with practice, I  just kind of free style the recipes half the time and hope it turns out ok, because when I’ve tried to be too ambitious, it hasn’t turned out too well (i.e. butter experience).

With my roommate Emily on St. Pattys

I’m almost 21! My roomie just turned 18 this week. Makes me feel old. Oh and yes, I have a roommate now, as of two weeks ago. I was by myself for a month, which meant I had to adjust slightly to shared living space again, but it’s been great. My original mystery roommate cancelled apparently (I finally asked on the first day of classes where the hell she was and they were like “Oh…yeah…she’s not coming!” Thanks for the heads up.) Then I get a call one day at 9 AM and they tell me my roommate is moving in that day. Again, thanks for the warning! I had to go all Martha Stewart on the place in a short amount of time. But I am really happy that I finally have a roomie! She’s Aussie and she’s awesome. That is all.

School: Guess I should mention that too? I like my classes for the most part, although my class about Australia has the most monotonous prof ever. I definitely enjoy the fewer class hours per week. Mostly I am enjoying the wide array of coffee options on campus.This city isn't messing around with their coffee. One stand called Kere Kere lets you decide where you want the proceeds from your purchase to go (to the owner, or to one of three others causes). Friday afternoon is the time to go because a highly attractive worker gave me a free pumpkin jaffle (toasted sandwich) because they needed to get rid of them. When I picked up my coffee he said, “Wait. I have something for you.” I was like WHAAAT who is this beautiful man? And then he presented me with a free sandwich. Stuffed with pumpkin. And onions. It was love at first sight (and bite). Maybe his name is Ben. Not sure, but I do know that I will be there on future Friday afternoons for my free jaffle.

Yesterday I finally worked up the nerve to go into one of the two coffee shops that I have heard have the best coffee in Melbourne. One of the hosts from the Melbourne Welcome program had told me to go to the “coffee shop with the chairs on the ceiling.” Surprisingly, Google searching that was pretty easy. Last time I found it though I just kept walking because I got intimidated by the level of hipsterness. Yesterday, though, I just went for it. It was cold and raining and I needed some caffeine. I was actually pretty anti-hipster with my J.Crew tee and sweater on, but maybe it was my slightly dirty hair and converse that gave me the courage. Anyway, at first sip, I was like “Eh what’s all the buzz about?” But, as I kept drinking, not gonna lie, it was pretty glorious. Smooth is the best word I can think of to describe it. Smooth as butta (I've referenced butter so many times in this post, I'm starting to think I should have involved it in the post title). I was too intimidated to ask for skinny milk, so that could have contributed to its tastiness. I am a pretty recent coffee drinker, so I can’t give a final word on it, but I enjoyed it! It’s called Brother Baba Budan and it’s down Little Bourke Street off of Elizabeth. I also discovered that it is owned by the same people who own the other coffee shop I have heard is the best in Melbourne, Seven Seeds. Makes sense! I will be hitting that up next, it’s right by uni!

Photo cred to Rose

Last night the Melbourne Uni exchange student society had a river cruise party. When I bought the ticket I thought, "Oh this will be a classy affair with cocktail dresses!" No. The theme was anything BUT clothing. ABC is a typical college party theme, and yet I have never actually been to one until now. I wasn't sure how into it people would get so I only made my costume an hour before out of a trash bag and duct tape, which I must say, I did not plan enough time out for that. Luckily it managed to stay together all night. People had really good costumes though! I normally go all out on costumes too, tisk tisk. Next time I will show them a Rafiki level outfit. We got a lot of strange looks last night as we trammed down to Fed Square to get on the boat. I just waved at everyone who was staring. The trash bag also turned out to be multi-functional because it doubled as a poncho in the rain. Keepin' it classy. 

I have booked my Easter Break trip to New Zealand! I am incredibly excited; there are so many cool things to do there. Time to get adventurous. Tentatively on the agenda, depending on funds, scheduling, and my nerves: ziplining and tubing through a glow worm cave, glacier hiking, bungee jumping in Queenstown, hiking through the Fiordlands, and probably seeing some scenery from Lord of the Rings (although I’ve never actually seen the movies. For shame!).

Is this real life?

This weekend I am going on a camping trip with the Uni Melb Mountaineering Club to the Cathedral Ranges. We were supposed to go to Wilson’s Prom, but as of a few days ago it is closed due to flooding. The rain here is getting ridiculous! And the locals love to point out that they were in a drought up until now (translation: “sucks for you!”).  I actually have never been camping. I slept in a tent in my backyard for an elementary school birthday party and also on a football field for an overnight charity event. Real rugged. Hopefully I have what it takes haha. Updates on that trip soon!