G’day everyone. Not sure if the word has made it through the series of tubes that is the internet yet, but I got a job. I started almost a fortnight (yes, they use that term here!) ago. It is strange to be working again, since most of you know I’ve been relying on my sugar-momma since the end of last year.

Anyhoo, I’m working at a hospital, which is going to be an experience. More specifically, I will be supporting the data needs of the Pathology department, which is conveniently located right next to the morgue!

Jobs in the public health sector here include something they call salary packaging.  Basically, it is a way of reducing your taxable income by using pre-tax money for certain things.  Those certain things appear to be just about anything! You get up to $9,000 for “living expenses” and then you can do an almost unlimited amount after that for “Meals and Entertainment” – meaning eating out or drinking out.  We are going to get our money’s worth out of that one for sure!

My stop for the hospital is right near a school.  I am thunderstruck every morning when I see the boys in the AC/DC uniform (jacket, shirt, tie, SHORTS).  Which reminds me, AC/DC is playing here a couple days after my birthday and I should buy tickets!

We saw an ad today for a Pizza Hut pizza that had Four’n Twenty Meat Pie crust, so it’s good to know they customize their terrible pizza ideas here too.

I had my first tram offloading this morning which reminded me of home which reminded me of the blog and how all the handelblog fans out there must be clamoring for a new post. So for your edification (ha!) here are some random observations.

I’ve been in Melbourne for about 7 weeks now and got called on picking up the lingo for the first time. Some words and phrases seem to have wormed their way in without my consent! I find myself calling things “lovely” and saying how lovely it was to meet someone. I also plan on getting to things “straight away” and I can’t remember what I used to say instead. Other things like “How’re you going?” make so little sense to me that I don’t know how to answer them much less use them myself. I am not going anywhere? anything? anyhow? I am doing quite well though, thank you very much.

My tram commute has many similarities to my metro commute of yore including the aforementioned offloading – boo! – but it has its own new and exciting challenges too. For one thing, there are many different tram types and this isn’t old vs new metro car stuff. Some of the trams are ancient and little more than a bus on a track. Other trams are fancy and conjure up memories of The Simpsons Monorail. The seating configuration varies drastically (pics to be posted later) and if you are on anything but the very newest of trams, don’t count on knowing when you are at your stop. They don’t announce most stops, the maps don’t include all stops, and the stops are tiny for the most part so no big sign poles let you know where you are. Fortunately, my tram route mostly runs the newest trams so I’ve only missed my stop once or twice.

I’ll leave you with a couple of things that have been hard to get used to…

People here are supposed to walk on the wrong side (left) and most do, but a stubborn bunch holds on to walking on the right side as though that is the absolute correct thing to do. This is more than just the chaos of walking in a crowded place, this is everywhere – running trails where I’ve seen people run along on the right, move to the left when someone approaches from the other direction and then they go straight back to the right. Sigh.

Service industry workers, waiters, bartenders, etc., are paid a decent wage here and do not expect tips. To compare prices to the US, you have to think about what something cost with tax and tip and I never thought about the whole cost of things that way. I feel like I’ll be a better consumer when I return. No more fooling me with your artificially cheap prices! That said, I think eating out might be more expensive here. I’m just not sure.