I have been in Australia for 7 weeks. In my last blog, I summarized some of the places I had visited such as Sydney and Melbourne and reflected a bit on my travelling experience as a whole, up until that point anyways. But now, I’ll discuss in more detail things that I have noticed, opinions I have made, and lessons I have learned. First off, I like to talk about one of the most unique places that I have ever been…Surfers Paradise in The Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia. I am currently based here living with two of my best friends from Oz, Ty and Bec. When I initially came to Surfers, it was on a Friday and I essentially just partied the entire first week after I arrived. Why? Because that’s all people do in Surfers. I remember feeling like I was in some sort of ridiculous and dramatic reality television show like Jersey Shore. I never intended to stay here long, but it worked out that way. It’s a very flashy and superficial place where everything is based around appearance. A lot of the guys are juiced up with big muscles, tattoos and tans that scream “I’m a douche.” As for the girls, the majority of them have breast implants, hair extension, fake eye lashes, fake nails and even lips injections. It’s actually more uncommon to see a girl without fake boobs than not. And if they don’t have a pair yet, chances are they are saving for one and will have them in one year’s time. I think Surfers Paradise is somewhat comparable to Vegas. There isn’t much authenticity in this place. People here are so concerned with how they look, that they don’t often think about who they are as a person. That doesn’t seem to matter as much. I think it’s quite easy for conform in a place like Surfer’s. It’s been known to swallow people up, but I refuse to be swallowed. However, I still have to remember that everybody is different and while I may not agree with this, some don’t see any problem with it and it makes them feel better about themselves. I try to remind myself that everyone has a story, so it’s not fair to judge a book by its cover, as cliché as that sounds.
You might be wondering why I would stay and base myself in a place like this? Well, even though there are things that go on here that I can’t relate to and some things that I will never fully understand, I do have quite a good set up that makes living here pretty great. First off, as I said before, I have Bec and Ty and a good group of friends that don’t fit these stereotypes, and we all have a blast together. It’s safe to say that there’s never a dull moment in our crew. Also, I live in a nice apartment with a pool in the back and I’m only a 2 min walk from the ocean. In addition, I have a waitressing job at a night club that is providing me with spending money until I find something more sufficient, which is conveniently located across the road from our place. Moreover, the weather is amazing here. It’s hot and sunny basically everyday so we can always enjoy the beach. And, whatever I need (bank, grocery store, restaurants, shopping center, internet cafe) it’s all in walking distance. So that might explain why I am still here.
I reckon that I will stay in Surfers for a while longer, but will eventually move on to Brisbane. Brisbane is a city approx 45 minutes from Surfers, so still close enough to visit the Goldie and everyone in it. I’ve explored Brisbane a couple times and I get a really good vibe from it. Also, there will be more job opportunities for me there. It’s exciting starting out in a new city. It means new challenges. What’s also exciting is that my boyfriend Jack is joining me in December. He’s coming back from Canada, so we’ll be taking on a new city together :).
The next few weeks will be consists of more work, beach, travel, apartment hunting, and job hunting etc… I will keep you posted when some more invigorating news rolls around. Thanks for reading! Ciao!
