Xtina in Oz

So, for those of you who are not aware, I am not a coffee drinker. Never have been. Never liked anything that tasted of coffee - coffee ice cream, chocolate covered coffee beans, nada. However, working in a cafe in Melbourne, where coffee is a way of life, I decided I might need to try and wean myself onto it. First of all, coffee here is not remotely the same as coffee in the states. Whereas at home, most coffee drinks start from a base of plain black filtered coffee, here it starts with an espresso shot. If you are like my mom, and like your coffee strong and black, in Melbourne you need to order a "long black" - and you'll find you probably need at least two of those to satisfy your normal coffee quota. If you like milk in your coffee, that's a "flat white." Then there's a latte, which is an espresso shot with steamed, frothy milk. The difference between this and a flat white is still somewhat vague, but I think a latte is stronger and frothier. Mos...

Good morning America! I come bearing gifts - well, photos of some recent adventures. As promised, I took my camera out with my new bicycle and we went for a ride on the beach.

 I'm sorry it's been ages since I wrote - time gets away from me here in Oz! Well, things on the job front have changed quite a bit, and I wouldn't be surprised if they continued to do so, but here's where I'm at for now: Slow Down! @ Harley Court didn't do the boom business they hoped to in the first couple of weeks, and I became a casualty of that. Just not enough hours to go around when people aren't coming in to eat. So I had about $47 in my bank account, and set out on a desperate job hunt for about a week and a half. But, fear not, all is well now, and I have not one but two jobs! The first is working at a cafe in Melbourne's CBD (central business district), The Terrace. It involves 6:30 am start times, the occasional room service order for the neighboring hotel, and pretty great hourly pay! So I get up at 5 am at least 3 times a week and go to work until 11 am, come home, take a nap, and then have the rest of the afternoon and evening free! ...