Tully, Queensland..."A Pretty Wet Place!"

Main Street in Tully, Queensland, home of the Tully Times...my future employer? Only time will tell.


Yes, this is real. The Tully "Golden Gumboot" (A town famous for its rainfall and UFOs...see below) They recently celebrated the town's...er...wetness..at the annual Tully Golden Gumboot Festival


So the job offers just keep rolling in! This morning I had an interview with the editor of the Tully Times, a very, very, VERY small newspaper in an adorable little small town called Tully in northern Queensland. We had a bit of a chat, and at the end he told me that he wants me to fly up in July to start full-time work as a journalist.

I literally haven't even applied for any jobs yet, but they somehow keep managing to find me. Must be infuriating for someone who is desperately seeking employment and finding nothing..sorry! (Especially for those hailing from my home state of Michigan, where unemployment has fallen to 14%...get OUT of there already!)

Last year, I uploaded my resume onto a site called The Brolga Project, which strives to place university students in work-experience opportunities in rural Australia. But the project was just getting going at the time, and few placements were made. Almost a year later, after the program had gotten a bit of a kick-start, companies finally got on board and began actively seeking students and recent grads to work for them. The editor must have found my resume (this is twice in one month; note to job-seekers: the power of a well-formatted, well-worded CV is unlimited, especially when circulated on the world wide web!) because I soon received a call from the managing director of the Brolga Project, who wanted to set up a teleconference with John, the editor.

That was yesterday. This morning was the interview, and at the end of the phone call I was offered the job. Again..these things are all happening so quickly! (A few short weeks ago, as you recall, I was emailed on Tuesday-->"found your resume on linkme.com.au, am keen to have a chat," interviewed on Wednesday, was offered the job on Thursday...started the following Monday.)

THE JOB:
- Journo
- Small newspaper (go ahead--google it--not online yet!)
- Involvement in every aspect of newspaper production, from finding the stories to writing, editing, formatting, advertising, photography, publishing, distribution..!
- (Can you imagine how much experience I would gain from above?)
- I asked about implementing an online version of the paper; he seemed keen for me to "give it a go." How cool of a "side project" would that be?

Tully, Queensland
- ...has a population of less than 3,000. And I thought Trenton, MI was small...
- Interestingly, the town is known as the site of numerous UFO sightings...talk about an unlimited supply of news!
- Not-so-fun fact: the town actually strives to be the wettest in Australia, citing 4,458 mm of rainfall in 2009. Babinda, Australia, proved wetter (but not better) with 4,831 mm. There goes my sunny summer days at the beach..

So now the question remains as to whether or not I'm going to take the job. One and one thing only prevents me from snatching this fantastic opportunity, and my loyal readers should already know, without question, what that one thing is..

YAMAHA. I can't leave my kids! Teaching on Saturday mornings is the highlight of my week; I still get a buzz when a bunch of 4 year olds look up at me with those adorable little eyes and belt out "DO, RE, MI!!" or when they very seriously study their keyboards for about five seconds before confidently and carefully play "fa" on my cue. I'm not ready to give up the look on my 3-year-olds' faces when I sing to them about white fluffy clouds in the bright blue sky, or the wonderment in their eyes when they look up at the ceiling to watch the fairies float above as the music "tings" along..not to mention the sheer joy they get from pounding on drums to the rhythm of marching millipedes or the proud parents that watch their kids absorb Camille Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals, listening intently to the double bass belt out the sounds of an elephant.

I can't have any of that in Tully. What I can have, however, is the opportunity of a lifetime to gain all the experience I could dream of having as a journalist. I could take this job essentially any direction I wanted, whether it be in the writing, editing, production or online side of things. The potential to help develop technology in a town that apparently lacks it is quite exciting for me, in particular. Plus, it's a new town: new faces, new places, new beaches, new things to explore, new things to do, new things to see and new adventures to be had. Change is good, right?

Then again, my teaching career isn't too shabby, either. Not only are my two current classes for next term filled up already (everyone re-enrolled) but I have two NEW classes that are filled to capacity as well! (One more Junior Music and one more Music Wonderland.) Whether it be word-of-mouth from the parents or clever online marketing on behalf of Yamha corporate--one thing is clear: more teaching would bring more happiness to Miss Mariah, to be sure.

Then again, I DID just spend $20G (ok, so I owe $20G in student loans) on a masters in Journo and Communications at a top-notch uni in Australia. If I turn down this opportunity on behalf of my music--a skill I've had since the age of 5--would that be a waste of money, a waste of time, and a waste of the past year of my life?

I think not. I know not, in fact. Because if I hadn't stayed in Australia to pursue my masters, I never would have applied for the Yamaha Job. Who knows if there were such jobs available in the states? I'm a firm believer that I am where I am today because the places I've been, the people I've met, and the decisions (good AND bad) that I've made. And if it's taken me thousands of dollars, a lot of confusion, 3 home addresses in 4 months and relocation to a country half way around the world from where I was born and raised..so be it. So what if I've taken huge leaps, giant falls and somehow managed to circle my way around right back to where I started (music)? Life's about the journey, anyway. Right?

When I started writing this entry, I wasn't entirely sure what I was going to do. Now, however, I'm pretty certain that my mind is made up.

"Tiny ants are marching, 1, 2, 3..."

Rainy Day in Sydney

[insert picture of rainy CBD, colourful umbrellas dotting dreary Martin Place as I trekk to work in the middle of yet another downpour]

[the above picture will be uploaded as soon as I find exactly 22 good reasons to capture the moment, and develop said pictures. That's right, folks, the digital camera is...confused ("lens error") and the DISPOSABLE camera is back in style. I was shocked that they made them still, but low and behold, 2 for $20! The lady at the Chemist (=pharmacy) informed me that they would be not be restocked, so "grab them while you can!" Wow-I feel old. Remember in 7th grade, when disposable cameras were the ONLY cameras appropriate for a class trip to Cedar Point? Even the summer before my freshman year of college, I must have gone through 6 disposables in 5 weeks while camping in Wyoming. They must fall in the same camp as CDs these days...old, outdated and soooo last week. Ah, technology.]




Today was a miserable (weather) day in Sydney. It chuckered down rain for the majority of the day, including but not limited to the forty or so minutes I spent walking from my house to the bus, the bus to work, work to the bus, the bus to uni, and the walk from uni to home. Literally every minute I spent outside was spent battling precipitation from above.

Work was great, however. I'm starting to take on more projects and getting more involved in the recruitment process, and I even get to use my writing heaps more than I expected. I'm a happy chappy :)

This week is a long one. Tomorrow (Wednesday) I have a media release due. Thursday an academic essay on sports and the media. Next week=NO PAPERS DUE!!! The following week, another media release due, and the week after that one exam and one large feature article must be submitted. So close, yet so far! 8 June, where are you?!

20 days away, that's where.

Livin the Dream, baby, Livin the Dream

Arvo bevvies at the Cloey Hotel



A Saturday night at the Gaff


Sooo apparently I'm not too great at this whole blogging thing :( Who has the time!? Life has been moving so fast lately; it's insane.

Generally, my life is as follows:
Work 8-5
Uni 6-8
Study, Sleep, Repeat
Saturday mornings: teach!!


Within the past week, however, things have changed drastically.

TUESDAY I received an email from the Managing Director of Sherborne Consulting. He had found my resume on a career website (who knew that uploading resumes would actually pay off?!) and wanted to have a chat. But he was looking for someone to start immediately, full time, and I still have work restrictions on my visa until 8 June. I emailed him back saying so, and he told me that he would keep me in mind for future openings. That didn't sound promising...at all. So upon the recommendation of a friend, I emailed him back telling him that I was available part time until uni was over, on the chance that he might want to bring me in for a few hours a week. Low and behold, he was keen on the idea, and asked me to go in for an interview.

WEDNESDAY I headed into the city for my interview, and I ended up chatting with the manager for an hour and a half! I knew straight away it was a good sign. The company is called Sherborne Consulting, and is located on Clarence Street in Sydney CBD. From the office (on the 8th floor) the view of the Harbour is FANTASTIC! One of the women I work with told me that she arrived early to work one morning to look out the window and spot a school of dolphins down below! Incredible. The position in question, advertised as a marketing role, is yet to be developed. The manager (John) was hoping to cater the role to whomever fills it, and so isn't quite sure exactly what it will entail.

THURSDAY morning at 9:30 am I received a phone call from John, with an offer for the job! That was fast. He even said that I could come in part time until uni starts, which is brilliant. It's a full time temporary role--3 month contract--and in a few months we'll evaluate and assess my place in the company (coughsponsorshipcoughcough) and see what happens from there. Woo hoo!

Meanwhile, I have been showing my room in Randwick to numerous people, in hopes to move to Coogee. I'm not really sure where or when this came about, but a combination of the incredibly small size, the dodginess of my landlord (don't get my started) and the disastrous state of the residence most of the time (Australians never understand when I refer to it as a "frat house," but that's often how I felt) led me to look around Coogee for rooms to rent. I have to say, everything in this regard has worked out absolutely beautifully. I found myself looking at rooms before my room was even leased out, and at some point I put up an ad on gumtree for my room (the equivalent of craigslist in Australia) and somehow, at some point, I managed to not only find a PERFECT room in Coogee but found a replacement to live in my room in Randwick. It all just, sort of...worked out.

So in a nutshell, I showed my room to a Swedish bloke (Ricardo) on MONDAY; he seemed keen enough. I went to look at two rooms in Coogee on TUESDAY, one of which I really liked (where I now live). (Then I unexpectedly had a great night out at The Gaff with some English and Welsh people I'd met a few weeks earlier...random.) TUESDAY was also the day I got an e-mail from John expressing interest in my resume. WEDNESDAY I went in for an interview. WEDNESDAY NIGHT I went to the palace for $5 steaks, and Ricardo rang to let me know that he definitely wanted to take my room and would be putting down a deposit on Saturday. THURSDAY morning I received a call from John with a job offer, which I graciously accepted.

FRIDAY I worked all day--my last day at Schenker Logistics. Lots of hugs, lots of congratulations, and lots of "call me if you need a recommendation!"s. Friday night I lesson planned as per usual, and SATURDAY morning I had two FANTASTIC lessons with Yamaha. My kids can play Hot Cross Buns!! Every week just keeps getting better and better and better and better and better. I love my kids!! (Side story: last week after my JMC lesson, I was quite violently attacked by one of my favourites, Maya, with a hug. About five seconds later, the rest of the class decided that they needed a hug, too. GROUP HUG FOR MISS MARIAH!! It....was...AWESOME!!!)

Anyway, SATURDAY ARVO did some uni work, SATURDAY NIGHT went to Coogee Beach for the last glimpse of warmish weather (dark by 6 pm, quite sad) and ended up first in the Palace, then at the Bay (big surprise, hey?)

SUNDAY morning I received a phone call from my landlord stating that Ricardo had, in fact, put down a deposit, and that he was moving in on TUESDAY. Ah! So I quickly got a hold of Troy, who had been holding a room for me in Coogee, and he was still holding it :)

Now comes the fun part. All of Sunday was spent cleaning, packing, cleaning and packing. I ended up cleaning the entire flat, because I wanted to be sure that I got all of my security deposit back. By Sunday night I had most of my closet (room) consolidated into bags and suitcases, and a mate helped me haul it down the road to Coogee in his ute (=truck). I was back in Randwick Sunday night, however, to work on a 3,000 word case study due the following day. That was a fun Sunday/first half of Monday. MONDAY I had class all day and more moving/cleaning; turned in the case study at midnight and finished up the colour news story which was due Tuesday. A few short hours later, my alarm reminded me that Tuesday morning was also the first day of my new job at Sherborne Consulting. It was a long but good first day. Not exactly what I expected...but more on that later :)

For now, let me introduce you to my new AWESOME room in Coogee. The location is AMAZING...about a block away from Woolys (grocery store), about two blocks from the Coogee Bay Hotel (this is clearly just as important as the grocery store) and hence about two blocks from Coogee Beach and the Palace. In addition, a bus stop with all major buses to the city is about 3 minutes up the road. Uni is about 20 minutes away, but with three weeks of classes left, it doesn't really matter how far away it is. My room..is..brilliant. And huge, and fully equipped with everything I could possibly need. And $30 cheaper! Woo!!!!

So I suppose I should shut up for now. Ya know, if I was a GOOD blogger, all of that ^^ could have been spread out evenly. But to honest, most of it happened within the past week!

SO happy in Australia right now. United States, it was great knowing you!

Alas, one can't have it all. It's getting COLD in Sydney. And by cold, I mean 70 degrees and sunny. Hey, that's not beach weather! And rain. And wind. And the necessity for a JACKET at night....what!? Crazy, I know. Now comes the long wait for September, when summer will be upon us once again!


As for tonight (Saturday night), I'm off to the city for dinner and drinks with mates. Living the dream, baby, living the dream!