>> Friday, December 3, 2010
Well, the semester is over. I’m officially on summer break. Sounds weird starting at the end of November, right? But there it is. Classes have ended, I’ve turned in my final assignments, and now I have two months off.
Of course, the amount of work I’m doing won’t really diminish during this break. It’s actually increasing, but just shifting focus. During the semester I was working on my new book, for which I’ll turn in 30,000 words as my thesis in May, in addition to a creative writing seminar and a course on Young Adult Fiction. During the break I’ll continue working on the new book, but I’m also completing a rewrite of Franklin and the Magic Malfunction for the editor I’ve been working with. I’ve got tons of work to do on both, but it’s work I’m happy to be doing. This is why I came to Sydney, and I’m so blessed to be able to be doing it.
I’m also working as a hostess at a restaurant up the street from me. That’s worked out really well; it’s a great restaurant, I love the people who work there and have made friends with a lot of coworkers, it’s only a ten-minute walk from my apartment, and I’m actually making a good bit of money. Pay is generally much higher in Australia; minimum wage is $17 per hour! Tipping isn’t customary here, so pay for people who work in hospitality is dependent on wages rather than on tips, as it is in America.
I’ve done some fun summer things as well. The weather is pretty fickle—some days it’s sunny and gorgeous, then in a flash it’s gray and rainy—but it’s worth it for the times we get that sun. You have to be careful here because it’s so strong—there’s a hole in the ozone. I use 30+ sunscreen on my face every day and on my body whenever it’s going to be exposed, but I’ve still gotten a lot of sun.
Last week I had a beach barbecue with friends. We cooked chicken sausages, veggie burgers, and kangaroo meat, which is delicious. It’s funny though—we had actually gone to a small wildlife park and fed and played with kangaroos on Saturday! I think this may be the only country that eats their national animal. The kangaroos were sweet and gentle, although they did get pretty excited about the grass I was feeding them (you buy it there for a dollar a bag) and one young one stood up and put his arms on my shoulders at one point! When they’re crouched down you forget how tall they are! There was also a mother kangaroo with a baby in her pouch, but its head wasn’t poking out; it was in there upside-down, with its feet sticking out at weird angles. I couldn’t get over that—how can he breathe like that? There were also koalas, emus, kookaburras, peacocks, dingos, and tons of other animals in the park--all so close you could touch them.
That was a gorgeous day. We also went to some beaches south of the city near a suburb called Cronulla and had a picnic in a park.
Hope you’re well. I miss you and think of you often.
Love,
Meagan
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