A Change of Plans

    I suppose to start this blog post off, I should first apologize for the lack of blog entries that past few weeks. Things have been quite a whirlwind of ups and downs and trying to figure everything out. And the biggest obstacle I have faced up to this point has probably been realizing I need to to let go of my expectations from coming to Australia and be willing to readjust my plans.
    I initially came to Australia with the idea that I was going to move here. I would find a place to live, and a job, and maybe a nice group of Australian friends and I would make a semi-permanent life here for the next twelve months. I never intended to be a backpacker, nor did I pack with the logic that I might be lugging my stuff all over this massive country. I picked Sydney with no rhyme nor reason (it was always Sydney vs. Melbourne and Sydney has nicer weather so that was the final deciding factor) and I didn't think it really made a huge difference which city I was in. I was going to be in Australia so there was no way I wouldn't love every part of this country.
    When I first showed up to this hostel in Sydney I was terrified. I didn't know a single person, it seemed like everyone was settled into a group of friends, and I had no idea what I was doing. And as I slowly gained more confidence, met more people and settled into Sydney I started to feel more comfortable. So comfortable in fact, that I have been living @ the same hostel for a month now. And while the city of Sydney never stole my heart (definitely not the way Rome did), I was so intent on making Sydney work out the way I wanted it to because I just couldn't stand the thought of showing up in another new city and not knowing a single person again.
     Four days ago I hit my one month mark of being in Sydney and I have come to the realization this city is not quite working out for me the way I want it to. Finding an apartment seems impractical unless I want to live with ten other backpackers crammed into a two bedroom apartment. There seems to be more of an abundance of backpackers and immigrants then there are Aussies. And most importantly I think I have just found myself in a rut here in Sydney. So I have come to the conclusion that it is definitely time for a change of scenery.
    In one week I am going to be leaving Sydney and heading down to Melbourne. Due to a small SNAFU with my hostel booking (combined with a huge music festival the weekend I arrive) I had to add a little adventure to my trip before I actually stick around in Melbourne for awhile. So before arriving in Melbourne I will head over to Adelaide and do a two day tour of Kangaroo Island followed by a three day trip along the Great Ocean Road which goes from Adelaide to Melbourne. After this trip I will arrive back in Melbourne where I have a hostel booked and will see where it goes from there.
    I do need to find work sometime in the near future, so finding work in Melbourne would be ideal. However, I don't want to go to Melbourne with any expectations this time. I'm not going to show up and immediately figure out where to work and where to live. I think my first priorities need to be getting a lay of the land, figuring out what Melbourne is like and just letting myself figure out if I really like the city. If I do love Melbourne, then I will stay for awhile, work a bit and hopefully find a flat that is cheaper than living in a hostel. And if I don't like Melbourne then I am just going to move on to another city. Lucky for me, Australia is a massive country and I have no doubt that there's a city for me here somewhere that is just waiting for me to fall in love with it :)