Off the Map

For a developed Western nation, Australia seems to lag behind when it comes to wireless Internet availability. Many cafes don't offer free wifi and if they do, it often comes with a 30 minute time limit. What do they expect people to do on the web in 30 minutes? I can't even make it through my junk email folder in that amount of time. So if you've been checking for blog posts or waiting on an email reply for me, I sincerely apologize for the delay.

I have to say, despite the challenges it has created for staying in touch with friends & family back home, the lack of connectivity has been refreshing. I don't have a smart phone here. In fact, the coolest feature my little Nokia phone has is a built in flash light and FM radio. Without 3G, I'm not on Twitter every hour. If I want to know what's going on in the world, I have to pick up a paper, and I turn on the news to hear the weekly weather forecast. Without constant Facebook status updates at my fingertips, I'm forced to make a conscientious effort to stay in contact with friends, whether that's giving them a call or meeting them for coffee on the weekend. I no longer waste hours of my day reading blogs, browsing Pinterest, and online shopping, which has left me time to enjoy's life simple pleasures like reading a novel or taking a stroll through Centennial Park.  

The last time I lived abroad, in Germany, I really struggled with maintaining a sense of presence. Working at a social media company and having unlimited wifi in my apartment meant I was always plugged in and aware of everything that was going on  back home. When I saw photos, updates and pictures of the gorgeous weather in Texas that I was missing, I began to develop a fear of missing out (FOMO). Things are much different here in Australia and though I miss everyone from home dearly, the lack of technology in my life has made me less homesick and able to enjoy living in the present moment.

This blog was meant to be one of my major projects while traveling. And after a two month technology hiatus, I've finally purchased a pocket wifi device which allows me up to 6GB of data usage. Hopefully I won't burn through that in one month, and I'll be able to update this blog on a more regular basis.

Flat Hunting in Sydney

After three weeks of sleeping in a bunk bed and sharing a room with seven other people, I knew it was time to move out of the hostel. Rates for the peak season had begun to skyrocket and there were loads of extra hidden fees such as wifi and the laundry machines. Luckily one of my roommates, Vicky, who had been a resident of Room 206 for nearly three months was more than keen to find an apartment with me. 

We began our search on Gumtree, Australia's answer to Craigslist. Fully furnished apartments are few and far between in Sydney, but we phoned and emailed contacts all day until we had 4-5 viewings scheduled. Our goal was to move out of the CBD and somewhere closer to the beach for summertime.  

Apartment hunting in Sydney seems to be much different than it is back home in Texas. Or perhaps it's just different because I'm searching in a big city. Agents don't lure you into a home that smells of freshly baked cookies, letting you ask questions about the plumbing and the condition of the house. Our real estate agent, Ronan, drove us to two apartments, herding us through the rooms like sheep for a whirlwind tour of the place. His comments about how the flat had three more viewings that evening and that if we wanted it, we should turn in an application and bond deposit by 9 am the next morning, made our decision a simple and rash one. There was no time to pretend we didn't like something about the place or act hesitant in hopes of getting a lower price. We sat on the steps outside filling out an application as two more girls showed up to view it. I dashed through the questions with sloppy handwriting and felt a bit queasy when I had to skip the employment section. "It's okay," I told myself. "This will motivate me to find a job." Ronan walked out of the building with the two girls and we told him we'd take it, practically throwing the applications at him. Vicky looked proud as he went to tell the other girls that it was no longer available. "Hah, we won."

The victory of beating the other girls to the flat was tainted by the daunting task awaiting me the next morning. I had to be in the property office at 9 am with four weeks rent in hand. Somehow this little expense was never mentioned to me in all my preparations for this working holiday. A $1000 bond is not pocket change, especially for the unemployed. I knew Sydney was going to be expensive, but I never could have imagined how quickly I'd run out of money.

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Even though it was a rushed decision and and a stressful process, I'm glad to have a place to call home here in Randwick. With only a 40 minute walk to the beach and a 20 minute bus ride to the city, I feel like I have the best of both worlds.