Apologies for the Delay...

Jobs: 1 (Hooray!!)
Weeks since Bollywood as left: 2 (Hooray!!)
# Near death experiences in past week: 2 (hmph..)

I have not been able to keep up with my blog - our internet was down for about 3 weeks, thanks to Bollywood. His departure was nothing short of major drama. My real roommate, Kat, returned at 7am on a Sunday and called me so I could let her into the apartment. As I was going to get here, I saw Bollywood in the living room drinking red wine (at 7am!) with a suspicious female. I'm 90% sure she was a prostitute. I smiled as I slowly realized that he had no clue Kat was returning that day. When Kat came in a discovered the disgusting mess that he had in her room, she completely reamed him out. Not only had he not paid Kat any rent money, but he has also stolen $100 from her. It was so funny to watch him getting in trouble for using Kat's room as his personal brothel in front of his lady friend - I had to wake up Kerr so she could hear him getting in trouble. It was one of our finer mornings.

Both Kerr and I are now employed. It happened so quick. I met up with a friend of my Dad's who was able to set me up with a temp agency. I met with the temp agency on a Monday and 24 hours later, started working. I'm working at the corporate office of one of the major banks here. I guess I can describe my job as doing clerical work. Basically I forward emails all day. I'm usually done with my actual work at about 9:30 am so I spend the rest of the day helping people in my department with odds and ends. I have no idea how they came to the conclusion that my position requires a full time worker. But I'm trying not to lead on that my work only takes me 30 minutes to complete because I want them to extend my contract.

So my first near death experience was walking home from the train station the other day. I got stung by something (no idea what) and realized that it possibly could've been one of this country's killer insects. The only have about a million. I've recently learned they even have a killer snail - that would be an embarrassing way to go if you ask me. Anyways, I spent the entire walk home, keenly aware of how I was feeling and praying that one of my limbs wouldn't go numb or I would get dizzy and pass out. I think if I was laying down in the street in this neighborhood, any passer byer would simply step over me and ignore the fact that there was a lifeless body on the ground. Fortunately, it didn't come to that point.

Our other near death experience happened the other night as Kerr and I were walking home from a shopping center. All of a sudden this SUV comes tearing down the road and stops immediately in front of us. Out jumped four guys in bullet proof vests and automatic weapons and run to a car that was 10 feet away from us. One of the guys opened the driver side door and all four pointed their guns at the dude in the car. They then realize that they were aiming at the wrong guy, jumped back in their SUV and sped off. The whole time Kerr and I were paralyzed, gripping each other in a scared and rigid embrace and not sure whether to run or duck from the rapid fire that we thought was about to ensue. I called the police station when I got home and the operator told me they were "just running drills". If that was in fact the case, then I find that completely inappropriate. The poor guy they aimed at must have pooh-ed his pants. Anyways it totally ruined the evening for poor Kerry who had finally found Goya Black Beans at the shopping center after 3 months of searching.

Anyways, will make an honest effort to blog more frequently. Toodles!

And the Bollywood Saga Continues

Jobs: 0 (are you surprised?)
# of Tootsie Roll Pops consumed in last 4 days: too many
# Days Left with Bollywood: 12 (ughhh)

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone had a lovely celebration and has a blessed new year!

My friend, Kathryn, from UF came into town for the holiday. She goes to grad school in Melbourne and has an Ozzie boyfriend. Kerry and I played tour guides for 4 days and took them to the opera house, the bridge, Manly beach, Bondi beach, etc....unfortunately it rained almost everyday they were here. We were lucky enough for the rain to hold of on New Years Eve Day where we went to a park with a good view of the bridge and fireworks. Strangely enough there were no Australians there. There were people from Scotland, Ireland, America, and even Iceland. Needless to say no one could understand each other but after a few champagnes, dance was the universal language.

Our situation with Bollywood continues. And yes, it is a situation....
We've learned this kid has no reservations about anything. We came home on New Years to discover that he drank a bunch of booze that our guests brought (how embarrassing for Kerry and I) and he ate a bunch of our Tootsie Roll Pops (imported from America). The next morning I caught him trying to be sneaky and use my laptop and then a few minutes later asked me for $60. He told me that he needed money to be wired over and he was out of cash. I told him that I wasn't able to help him out and good thing because he ended up going to the Cricket match and gambling all day. I think later he must have thought I was annoyed because he walked into my room and told me I looked like a hand model. I'm not sure if that was supposed to be a compliment or what. I just looked at him blankly and he walked out singing some Mandy Moore song. Oh and thats another thing, he calls Kerry "Mariah Carey" and me "Mandy Moore" and is constantly singing the musical stylings of each artist. Clever, no?

Here was the kicker though. The other day he went and asked Kerry if we had any extra toilet paper (fortunately we don't have to share a bathroom with him. If we did I think I'd move back to the hostels). Kerry, excuse me, Mariah Carey responded that all we had was the one roll we were currently using in our bathroom (which was true). I later am using the restroom and go to grab the toilet paper only to discover that Bollywood had stolen our single roll and took it to his bathroom. All I can say is that he is lucky I only had to wee.

Other than Bollywood, things are good. Our social lives have improved, we have discovered the little gems on our street (the $1.80 chocolate croissants at the bakery downstairs and the Chinese dollar store that sells paper towels for half price as the super market), we have found the perfect beach amongst rocks and cliffs, and we've discovered we can watch all our American shows on iTunes. It is down to the nitty gritty for job searching now. I'll keep you posted!

PS : Bollywood also makes kabobs at 7am - an unruly scent to wake up to each morning.