I am part of a group on facebook called Melbourne Aupairs that is just filled with other aupairs in the Melbourne area. On Saturday (8/25) I drove out (for the first time, in the manual) to Amigos to meet up with 6 other aupairs. Amigos is a Mexican restaurant on Acland Street (which I wrote about in a previous post titled "Brighton, St. Kilda, Acland") which is about 5 miles / 20 minutes away from my home. I made it there with no huge issues besides a stall or two and missing my turn for the parking lot, but due to some serious driving preparation (thanks to Nikki and Louise) I knew which streets connected where and ended up making it back to the parking lot.
The 6 other aupairs were from Italy, Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, and New York. It was a little uncomfortable considering none of us really knew each other (except the girl from Great Britain and New York), we all had different accents, and the noise of the restaurant didn't help much either. All in all though it was a very nice time. I mostly talked with one of the girls from Italy and the girl from Denmark though. Most of us are with fantastic families, have been here for a similar time period, and we are all in love with Australia. The girl from Great Britain has done a lot of traveling in Australia so she is a great resource for that. The girl from New York has done a lot of tours around Melbourne so she is a good resource for that. The girl from Denmark is from a small town like me and is very even natured, so I'm hoping to hang out with her more. The food was absolutely amazing. I (as did everyone else) got tacos. I got 2 soft tacos - 1 chicken, 1 beef. The beef wasn't ground, it was actual pieces of roast beef - good quality and very yummy!!! I realized half way through the meal that the other girls were eating their tacos with a fork and knife so I looked at the girl from New York who was using her hands like me, so I figured I'd continue. My first thought was "Why are they using a fork and knife for tacos?", but my immediate second thought was "How are they using a fork and knife to eat tacos?!" I still don't know how they managed to make that work.
After dinner was over we all went our separate ways and I drove home... but not without a few first time manual driving issues. Note to Self: The hand brake has to be released to reverse without stalling. 2nd Note to Self: Don't try the same thing 3 times in a row or you will get the same result 3 times in a row - a stalled car. On the drive home I stalled the car another few times, but for the first time driving alone... I'll take it!!! I didn't get in an accident or hit any pedestrians so I would call this driving excursion a success!!! Driving the manual is definitely going to give me a lot more freedom here. Having to learn is tiring and stressful (but also fun thanks to Nikki my wonderful manual driving instructor!), but it will be so worth it. It was so nice to just be like, I'm leaving, get in the car, go somewhere, and come home whenever I wanted (which was at like 8:15, I know I know, I'm really living on the edge).
Nikki glad to know that you were able to meet up with other aupairs and connect in one way or another about your experience thus far.
ReplyDeleteI know with being a first year teacher to talk to other first year teachers and keeping in touch with friends who are in the same boat is comforting. Also I laughed when you talked about the girls eating tacos with a fork and knife. I think it may be a culture thing or just how they were taught lol cause my grandmother (my dad's mom) was taught to eat a cheeseburger and fries with a fork and knife. She has never physically touched either before lol. We have to eat it with a fork and knife when we are around her because she scolds us if we don't lol. So I thought that was funny yet cool how everyone is different.
Love ya, hope to skype soon.