National Holiday

The last few days have been lovely. I had Monday off from work as you know already. Tuesday at work was a relatively low key kind of day, but I was excited to go swim some laps near the end of the day in the lovely pool in my hotel complex.

I had Wednesday off for Australia Day, one of the country's national holidays. It signals the end of the Christmas holidays, and school begins on Monday for everyone. Everyone is officially back from the holidays, and the city will be booming with people (well, as booming as Sydney gets). Even the traffic here has nothing on Chicago, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because I can take the city rail when things get a bit slow. I've certainly mastered the public transportation, and I can figure out how to get to any destination using the buses, trains, and ferries. My friends are impressed that I know more than one way to get somewhere, which I think proves my abilities with public transportation. It's weird not taking a car anywhere, but it wouldn't matter since it would be weird enough to drive on the wrong side of the road here! I look at people texting in the front of a car and want to scowl until I realize that they're on what's considered the passenger side here in Australia (the left!).

Yesterday, well, that's what was considered a national holiday, so I (and most of the country) had the day off!! The day started a bit bittersweet. I received another invitation to interview at a dental school, but in accepting, I have to leave Australia a week earlier than I originally planned. I'm excited to interview, but I know it'll be hard enough leaving Australia, so leaving a week earlier is just dreadful. Anyways, after a pep talk from some buddies, I was off to Bondi beach, and it was the busiest, most crowded beach I have ever seen. No joke, it was ridiculously crowded, but I managed a close spot near the water. I tried to get some internet at Macca's (what they call McDonald's), but my battery died and there was no outlet. But the beach was beautiful and sunny and hot. I tanned well with no burning (a first for me in this country). Many people were wearing Australian themed clothes and trinkets. Some of my friends dressed up in everything Australian-related and went drinking the whole day and taking the whole thing rather seriously, but I decided to beach it up. As my friends Max warned me, "Australia day isn't what you guys think it is. It's really just a day for barbecues and beaches." And he was right.

After the beach, I made my way to the Rocks to meet up some friends for dinner, but by the time I arrived, they had eaten. We all went to Darling Harbour to get ready for some fireworks. Some people went to the bar, but I just placed my towel down on the ground with five other friends. We played cards and then the fireworks began. Most epic fireworks I have ever seen. They played fireworks to an orchestra, children's choir, and opera. I felt so classy, and the display was up-close and intense. All in all, it was a fun day. The next few days I work, but this weekend I plan on looking for a gift for my Mum's birthday. I'm going to be a bit homesick this weekend since I can't be there, but I'll make up for it by finding the most incredible gift I can, so she'll be in my thoughts all day. But really, when it's Saturday for me, it's only Friday back at home! So I'll have to be sure and wish her a birthday on my Sunday!