Just Like Riding a Bicycle

I was right; it was like riding a bicycle.  Last night ended up being not so bad, after all.  What a relief!  Sure, my shift was busy and a little stressful at times, but I dealt with it.  Admittedly, I was a bundle of nerves when I walked onto the floor and introduced myself.  It’s never easy being the new girl.  It’s even more difficult when the new girl feels like a fish out of water.  There I was, in an American ICU, scared out of my mind.  I plastered a smile across my face, but I was trembling inside.  I doubted myself.  I had grown accustomed to the practices and pace of my ward in Australia, and was certain I had forgotten every last bit of my critical care training and time management.  But, as I sat down with the outgoing nurse to take report, it all came back to me.  I remembered what questions to ask.  I understood what I needed to do.  I was able to formulate a plan for the night.  Even though I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy night, a wave of relief rushed over me.  I did belong there.  I could do the job.  It’s going to be a while before I gain all of my confidence back, but last night was a good start.

Diving Back In

The time has finally come.  After running around like a madwoman for the past week, getting physicals, immunizations, and re-certifications, I’m finally ready to go back to work.  Tonight will be my first shift back, and I have to admit, I’m incredibly nervous.  I need to lie down and take a nap to prep for my overnight shift, but I doubt I’ll get much sleep, thanks to the butterflies in my stomach working overtime.  It’s been a year since I’ve worked as an R.N. in the States, and nursing here is a whole different ball game from nursing in Australia.  Here, I’m expected to be more aggressive and autonomous.  Here, I actually have to do head-to-toe assessments, start my own IVs, chart, and truly manage my patients’ care.  I haven’t done any of that in a very long time.  I really hope it’s like riding a bicycle and all of my skills will come back to me once I’m on the floor and working.  Nonetheless, I have a feeling it’s going to be a very rough and stress-laden night.  I have to dive back in at some point, though, so I might as well do it now.  I’m just going to stay positive and think good thoughts.  Wish me luck!

Aussie Speak: Part 6 - The Final Chapter

Australian Urban Dictionary

(aka Aussie speak for Yanks)

Part 6: Food for Thought

I know, I know… it’s been a supremely long time since I’ve updated the Urban Dictionary.  I thoroughly apologize for not posting a new installment sooner, and realize posting it now seems like an afterthought.  (Sorry!)  I actually had this prepared a couple of weeks ago, but then the Brisbane floods hit, and I thought my account of that experience should take precedence over a silly list of slang.  But, after being back in the States for a week, I’ve been reminded of how funny Aussie slang can be, and knew I couldn’t let this compilation go to waste.  I’m constantly reminded of how different our versions of English are, and have even caught myself slipping a little “Aussie speak” into casual conversation.  (Oops!)  As per usual, some of the terms are pretty obvious, but I find them hilarious, nonetheless.  I hope you’re continuing to enjoy this final insight into the Aussie vocabulary as much as I do!

·      brekky (brek ē) noun, slang: the first meal of the day

e.g. – I’m starving!  Let’s grab brekky at Mackers!

·      Mackers (mak (ə)rz) noun, slang: McDonald’s

e.g. – Oh bugger!  I just drove past Mackers!

·      tea (tē)  1) noun: a hot drink made by infusing the dried, crushed leaves of the tea plant in boiling water, 2) noun: traditionally, a light, afternoon meal consisting of tea and cakes, but can also refer to any meal of the day

e.g. – 1) Would you like a cuppa tea, darl?, 2) Do you reckon I could go to afternoon tea a little early this arvo?

·      flat white (flat (h)wīt) noun: an espresso-based coffee drink, similar to a cappuccino

e.g. – G’day, mate! I’ll take a flat white, please.

·      long black (lô ng blak) noun: an espresso-based coffee drink, similar to an Americano, the closest thing to American-style coffee one can find in Australia

e.g. – You don’t have brewed coffee?  I reckon I’ll take a long black then, mate.

·      bicky (ˈbikē) noun, informal: a cookie or cracker; a biscuit

e.g. – Mmmm… I reckon we should have some bickies with our tea.

·      lollies (ˈlälēz) noun, informal: a sweet food made with sugar or syrup; candy

e.g. – I would really love some lollies right now.

·      popper (ˈpäpə) noun: a convenience beverage served in a box: i.e. a juice box

e.g. – Are you thirsty, darl?  Would you like a popper?

·      champers (ch amp äz ) noun, slang: a white, sparkling wine associated with celebration and regarded as a symbol of luxury; champagne

e.g. – Happy Birthday, mate!  Let’s have a glass of champers!

·      schooner (ˈskoōnä) noun: a tall beer glass, but smaller than a pint

e.g. – Hey, mate!  I’ll have a schooner of Toohey’s!  Ta!

·      capsicum (ˈkapsikəm) noun: a tropical American pepper plant of the nightshade family, with fruits containing many seeds: i.e. green pepper, red pepper, yellow pepper, etc.

e.g. – I reckon I’ll take some capsicum on my sandwich.  Ta!

·      beetroot (bēt roōt) noun: a herbaceous plant widely cultivated as a source of food for humans, and for processing into sugar; i.e. a beet (Aussies are absolutely obsessed with beetroot, by the way.  They put it on everything!)

e.g. – I reckon I’ll have the Oz burger at Mackers today.  I love the beetroot!

Welcome Home?

Life has been nothing short of chaos for the past several days.  It seems as though I hit the ground running last Wednesday when my plane landed at LAX, and I haven’t stopped since.  It really feels as though I’m starting from square one all over again, and have so much to accomplish to get my life in order.  I truly haven’t had much time to think, let alone breathe.  It’s been incredibly exhausting and overwhelming.  One would think that I would become accustomed to all of this, considering how often I move, but it doesn’t seem to get any easier.  I know eventually life will settle down and I will get into the groove of life in Newport Beach, but for now I just have to take it one day (and one task) at a time.

Good-bye Australia! It's Been Real!!!

Well, this is it… my last night in Australia.  After nearly an entire year of living life as an expat, I’m boarding a plane tomorrow morning and returning to the United States.  My Aussie adventure is officially coming to a close.  During these past couple of weeks, I’ve had mixed feelings about my return.  Part of me is sad; I could have happily stayed here much longer.  But another part of me is excited and happy. Even though Mouse has only been gone a week, I miss him and am ready to live with him full-time again.  I'm ready for life to resume some sort of normalcy.  Besides, California is uncharted territory and I’m ready to tackle this next challenge.  Just because I’m leaving Australia doesn’t mean I’m ready to settle down.  My life will still be full of adventures.  So, please stay tuned.  This isn’t the last you’ll hear from me.

Poor Mouse

Poor Mouse.  I was so excited when he agreed to come to Brisbane for Christmas.  It was going to be our first Aussie Christmas; our first winter holidays in the southern hemisphere.  After a lifetime of spending December swathed in cold and snow, I looked forward to such unfamiliar territory.  He was hesitant, thanks to the exorbitant tickets prices, but I persisted.   I sold him my fantasy of us lazing about the beach, drinking cold beer, and frolicking in the sand and waves.  I talked about nothing but the imminent sunshine and surf.  Finally, he caved, and I started planning.  I booked a hotel room on the Gold Coast and a campsite in Byron Bay. (At $64 per day, no less!)  After tiring of the beach, we were meant to head inland for a little mountain hiking, wine tasting, and more camping.  Of course, none of that happened.  Instead, we got rain, rain, and more rain. 

Like I said… Poor Mouse.  He flew halfway across the world to get stuck in three continuous weeks of rain.  Sure, we had the hotel room on the Gold Coast, but were stuck inside it the entire time; not exactly the sand-laden days we had dreamt of.  Our campsite in Byron was flooded.  And heading inland was out of the question; that entire region had been cut off from civilization, thanks to the heavy rains.  Instead, we spent most of our holidays stuck in the apartment, watching bad television.  And then there were the floods…  Needless to say, this certainly wasn’t the tropical paradise retreat I imagined it to be.  Mouse finally left this Wednesday, nearly moldy from all the rain, and with a bad taste of Australia in his mouth.  After all of this disappointment, I may just owe him a weekend in Mexico.

I Survived the Queensland Flood of 2011

As predicted, the Brisbane River continued to rise Wednesday night and into the wee hours of Thursday morning.  By the time it peaked around 3 am, three-quarters of Brisbane was underwater, with more than 26,000 homes and 5,000 businesses flooded.  Luckily, my friend and I managed to remain dry.  Her house in East Brisbane sits high on a hill, so it maintained a safe distance from the flood waters that engulfed houses only a couple of streets away.  We were incredibly lucky.  So many others were not.  Officials are now calling this the largest, most destructive natural disaster in Queensland history.  The images on on the news are heartbreaking.  So many people have lost absolutely everything.  As I toured the city yesterday, I was astounded by extent of the damage.  The Central Business District was a ghost town.  The Eagle Street Pier, a usually bustling restaurant district, was completely submerged.  The football stadium has become a giant swimming pool.  My old neighborhood is in ruins; our local shopping center flooded even before the river peaked.  My apartment building's underground parking lot is filled with dirty flood water.  Parts of the River Walk, where I went on my daily runs,  are totally flooded out; other parts broke off all together and were swept away towards the ocean.  I couldn't even get back to New Farm Park, as the flood waters were still too high.  And other neighborhoods were hit even harder.  In Rosalie, I saw people kayaking down what used to be a street so they could check on their house.  It was the same story in other neighborhoods, too.  I've never seen anything like it.  What a way to spend my last days here in Australia!!!

Flood Update - I'm Still Dry

Today, of all days, was sunny.  It was ironic, really.  We haven't seen the sun in weeks, and today, when the flooding is beginning to take its toll, it came out in full force.  I got Mouse to the airport before the roads were closed.  We said our good-byes, thinking that this whole "flood thing" was being blown out of porportion.  We were SOOOO wrong.  By the time I made it back to the apartment, my neighborhood was akin to a war zone.  Everyone was preparing for the impending flood.  People had moving trucks.  Helicopters were flying overhead.  Officials were making announcements on bullhorns.  Luckily, my lease was up today.  I cleared my apartment and got out just in time.  By this afternoon, the water level rose to chest-deep levels.  I've taken refuge on higher ground with a friend, so I'm safe, but can barely believe the pictures I'm seeing.  This entire city is becoming submerged.  It's astounding.  The devestation is incredible.  I hope my neighbors are OK.  The river isn't expected to peak until the wee hours of the morning, so we will be on guard until then.  For now, all we can do is sit and wait.  This certainly isn't what I expected from the final days of my Aussie adventure, but there isn't much I can do about it now.  I will continue to keep everyone as up-to-date as possible.

We're Still OK

OK. So maybe I was a little cocky before.  I didn't really think the flooding would hit Brisbane.  I saw all of the devestation in the rural, outlying areas and felt bad for everyone, but none of it really hit home.  But today, we went into the grocery store for some paper towels and entered into sheer madness.  The shelves were swept clean and people had a crazed look about them.  When we asked what they were frantic about, they answered that the floods were coming.  And they are.  Buildings have sandbags around them.  Everyone is stocked up.  We're waiting for the floods.  We're OK for now.  The river is holding steady.  Tomorrow may be a different story, though.  Luckily, I live on the second level of an apartment building.  It it gets too bad, I will head down to the Gold Coast with a friend.  So, please don't worry.  We're still OK.  I will continue to provide updates as I'm able.

This Old Apartment

Little by little, piece by piece, all of our Australian possessions are being sold off.  First, it was the car.  Then, the washing machine.  Yesterday, the TV.  Today, the refrigerator and dining room table will be gone.  I know they’re just things, but they are the things we collected to make this little apartment our home.  Now, they are slowly disappearing and our apartment is becoming no more than an empty shell.  It doesn’t seem to bother Mouse one bit, but maybe that’s because he never really considered this place his home.  I did.  So, one appliance and piece of furniture at a time, I’m saying good-bye to my life out here.

Seeing all of this stuff go, and knowing my time here is coming to a close, is incredibly sad.  Living and working in Australia was a life-long dream.  I worked hard to get here, secure a job, and obtain my visa.  For so long, this was my main career objective and goal.  Knowing that it’s nearly over leaves me feeling somewhat lost.  Now what am I supposed to do?  I guess it’s time to figure out some new goals.

On Wednesday, we turn in the keys to the apartment and Mouse flies back to the States.  I have one more brief adventure, a girls’ trip to Melbourne, but I’ll be on a plane headed to Los Angeles a week later.  I really cannot believe this is almost over.  I’m going to miss this place so much.  (Except for the rain, of course.  I’ve seen enough rain to last me a lifetime.)

No End in Sight

Another day of rain.  Another day of being stuck in our apartment.  And just when I think it cannot possibly rain any harder, it does.  Today, I saw the skies open up and dump water onto the city with frightening ferocity.  I’ve heard of small flash floods scattered throughout Brisbane and the odd street closure, but I still haven’t seen any flooding in our neighborhood.  So, for now, we can count ourselves among the lucky.  Another system is moving in, though, and this rain isn’t predicted to end any time soon, so who knows what tomorrow will bring?  All I know is that we’re not going to dry out anytime soon.

Rainy Days Really Do Get Me Down

I’m becoming incredibly anxious and antsy.  I can’t sit still.  I’ve even started picking on Mouse out of sheer boredom.  I feel like a prisoner, thanks to this rain, which just keeps coming and coming.  I’m not kidding; it never stops.  It won’t be long before I start pacing the length of my tiny apartment.  I’m slowly being driven to insanity by this constant deluge.  I don’t do well in confined spaces and am even worse when forced into laziness.  One day of veging on the couch and watching movies is one thing.  Doing the same day in and day out is more than I can handle. I’m going batty.  I try to remind myself that we’re the lucky ones.  We’ve, thus far, avoided the flooding devastating cities around us, but even that knowledge doesn’t do much to quell my crazies.  I wish the sun would come out, even if just for a little while.  I wish the rain would stop holding me prisoner in my own apartment.  I wish there were something for me to do, besides whine and complain, because, after all, we are still safe and sound.  I should be counting my blessings.

Status Update - We're OK

My phone rang unexpectedly yesterday morning.  It was my mom.  As soon as she heard my voice, she broke down into tears, which took me completely by surprise.  I seriously had no idea what could be causing her so much concern.  As soon as she caught her breath, she explained that the American news was placing Brisbane as the epicenter for the flooding on Australia's southeast coast.  I reassured her we were quite safe and nowhere near the flooding, which is the absolute truth.  We've been lucky.  Brisbane isn't underwater.  It hasn't experienced any of the flooding that has been devastating cities around us.  We, too, see the images on the news and are astounded by the extent of the damage.  Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced out of their homes and into emergency shelters.  Entire towns are completely submerged, and the water levels haven't even peaked yet.  It's scary stuff.  But it's all happening hundreds of kilometers north, south, and west of us.  We may be stuck in never-ending rainstorms, but we've managed to stay relatively dry.  So, don't worry about us.  We're OK.

Going the Distance

Four months is a long time to be apart.  Things change.  People change.  So much can happen in four months.  Even though we talked every day, sometimes even two or three times a day, we were living separate lives.  I wasn’t overly worried about it, but it did bring me pause on a few occasions.  What if we changed too much while we were apart?  What if he arrived on Christmas Day a different man?  What if our relationship had shifted in opposite directions?  Maybe that’s why I was a bundle of nerves on the days before his arrival and on my way to pick him at the airport.  Yes, I was excited to see him, but I was also scared.  The unknown is always so intimidating.

Luckily, he didn’t change and neither did we.  Sometimes that can be a bad thing, but for now it’s good.  He’s still the man I’ve grown to love.  He still has that impish grin and goofy demeanor.  He still makes my stomach flutter when he walks in a room.  He still looks at me in that way which lets me know I’m the only one he wants.  More importantly, we’re still us.  We may still get in the same silly arguments, but we also still laugh at the same ludicrous things.  We still drive each other insane, but love each other even more.  Even though we were separated by thousands of miles and were apart for way too long, we managed to hold onto whatever it is that makes us, well, us.  And that, my friends, has been the best Christmas present of all.

Counting My Blessings

I am feeling like the world’s biggest brat today.  I’ve been whining, complaining, and feeling just plain sorry for myself because of the massive amounts of rain we’ve been dealing with for the last month.  Sure, the constant wetness is depressing and we had to forgo our beach days and camping trips, but this is nothing compared to what more than 200,000 other Queensland residents are dealing with.  We are the lucky ones.  We are safe and haven’t been affected by the flooding that seems to be occurring everywhere around us.  More than 20 towns have either been flooded or cut off from the rest of civilization due to the flooding.  Cars have been swept away as roads transformed into rushing rivers.  People have lost their homes, their farms, and their livelihoods.  They have lost everything; their lives have been turned upside down.  Some towns are being evacuated, while others are hoping supplies can be airlifted in.  One government official described the disaster as having reached “Biblical proportions.”  After seeing the shocking images on the news, I can believe it.  The damage is astounding.  So, while I was worried about my perfect Christmas plans being thwarted, others were dealing with complete and utter devastation.  Just thinking about their losses helps put things into perspective.  Missing out on a couple of days of sunbathing is nothing in comparison.  Now can you see why I’m feeling so bratty?