Ok soooo I think I've been giving this sad sad report to all of you back home. Let me clarify. Tara and I are meeting so many awesome people from all over the world...The Netherlands, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, England, Australia (of course)...and the list goes on. We thrive on meeting and hanging out with people from all backgrounds. However, we are restricting our activities and food to minimal so to save money because the job market is really poor over here for four month working visa people (like ourselves). We're trying so hard to find anything (even data entry) but it seems like everyone is saying we have nothing for ya. So that constantly keeps us stressed. Also, I've had a couple really sad things happen to me....first my camera is missing (the hazards of living with strangers in a hostel)....next a pair of sandals that I love broke (yes the ones I made my sister find for me the day before I left...sorry Juli)....but you know I haven't given up all hope that it will all turn around in the matter of minutes! As Tara says "we are intelligent, educated, beautiful, qualified, outgoing young women, who wouldn't want us to work for them?" Hahaha. Oh and Chris...the Outback means the middle of nowhere Australia like in the "Rescuers Down Under" not the restaurant...ok back to the job search!

Update

Sorry all I don't have much time to give you a proper update. Tara and I are throwing out apps like crazy. Nothing's panned out so far. Tara's really motivated right now because our options if we don't find anything will be working in the Outback or fruit picking...not exactly what we imagined. Here are some observations from our time here so far:
1. Toilets have two flush options...one for number one and one for number two
2. Everyone wears leggings here but they treat them as if they are actual pants...Tara and I are loving it..in fact I'm wearing leggings now!
3. Common Aussie lingo we've heard...."no worries" in response to thank you, heaps...as in a lot of something, and shout...as in I'll buy this round of drinks or "shout"
4. Pidgeons here are just as disgusting as anywhere else but the other common birds are very colorful and exotic sounding (freaks me out)

Job please!

Tara and I are on the job hunt. We're putting a lot of pressure on ourselves which makes us literally go crazy by the end of the day. We've adopted Starbucks coffee as way to face the day and a good laugh session at the end of the day to get over our jitters about the future. We want to stay in Sydney or possibly go a bit north to the Gold coast but we're also thinking of fruit picking?! We've made quite a few friends already in the hostel we're staying at in the heart of Sydney. Our roommates are from the Netherlands and their male travel buddies have become our mates as well. The Aussie's are remarkably friendly and authentically interested in becoming friends and knowing our stories. It is such a "no worries" culture that Tara and I can't wait to be established so we can join them!! Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and your communication with us is priceless...it adds so much brightness to my day!

On the way over

Apparently my phone case is a security blanket...haha
Tara on our 14 hour flight
Our first friend...Jeff...on the way from Minneapolis to Denver

The beginning

The beginning of the trip....saying goodbye...

Down Under Decisions

So we arrived here on a Saturday and couldn't do orientation until Monday...thus Tara and I have been tooling around Sydney...we know the same 10 blocks pretty well...in fact too well. We've seen the Sydney Bridge and Opera House, the botanical gardens, Hyde Park, took a Ferry to Manly (surf town), and experienced George Street and the craziness of China town. Our hostel mates are from Holland and think we're lame since we've gone to bed early and gotten up early both nights we've been here (jet lag). But they are very nice.. they even speak in English with us since we're American and know nothing but English....still we can't wait for a place to call our own. Which brings me to the job search....woah. Talk about overwhelming amount of info. I think retail might be it. But we're also considering going up the east coast a bit to Surfer's Paradise...the possibilities are endless. Prayer's for a job would be so wonderful and that Tara and I can make decisions together well. I have a mobile number it is....0415 714 413. This is how you use it:

How do my family & friends contact me?

1. They need to dial their International Access Number (011 for North America and 00 for UK/Europe)
2. Dial 61 (Australian Country Code)
3. Dial your Australia mobile number EXCLUDING the initial zero

If you call me it is free for me...obviously it wouldn't be free for you so check with your phone company or use a phone card.

Living it up in the Land of OZ,
Joy

G'day!! Tara and I made it safe and sound to Sydney, although we did some idiotic things along the way and had more than one potential disaster. We almost didn't board our flight to L.A. in time because we weren't paying attention...literally they said "last call for flight blah blah blah..the doors are closing" before I looked up at the time and we scrambled. Also, we didn't declare some food during immigration and Tara was attacked by a little fido dog. So we are fitting the ditzy, clueless American girl stereotype rather well these days. I have some great footage and pics already so hopefully I can get those up here too. Much love to you all and pray that our idiocy can be cured....or at least doesn't get us into too much trouble...

oh wait did I mention we saw pierce bronson (james bond) in the L.A. airport...um yeah...I could have hugged him....

Hey all! I'm officially off to the Land of Oz on Thursday, May 21 at 3:00 in the afternoon. Tara (fabulous roommate and bestie) and I arriving on Saturday, May 23 at around 6:00 a.m. in Sydney. From there we will find our shuttle and arrive at a youth hostel connected with our work abroad program. From there.....well let's just say we have a lot to figure out....adventure and intrigue awaits!! I'm not nervous (yet) but any prayers or shout outs would be much appreciated as we take on Australia for the next four months....