Exciting Things...

My first few weeks in Australia have flown by. I've started working Mondays and Fridays doing data entry (part of the study I'm also doing my thesis on) so today I spent a full day at work. It's pretty mind-numbing stuff -- copying number after number into excel spreadsheets on a tiny laptop. I'll be glad when it's over! In the meantime I'm waiting for data to be sent to us so that I can start my analysis.

Last weekend my friend Leah (and her new fiancee, congrats!!) moved in to a house just a few blocks away from me. She was kind enough to loan me her bike (that used to belong to our friend Ina) to use this semester. On Saturday I got brave enough to take it out, and managed to find my way over to campus. It's actually a pretty nice bike ride, most of it along bikeway that is boardered by bushland and parks. Perhaps someday I'll be fit enough to ride the bike to and from school without soaking myself in sweat...one can dream. I'll post pictures of it on here soon.

Today brought me two nice surprises. This evening, as I was making my dinner I kept thinking to myself, 'geeze, something smells really good!' This soft scent of flowers kept wafting through the windows, and for some reason it took me awhile to go investigate. When I finally walked outside I realized what I'd been smelling:

Jasmine! Oh my goodness...all of the bushes that line the veranda outside are Jasmine bushes, and they just started blooming tonight! I wish I could post the scent on here...I immediately cut a bunch of blooms and brought them into my room. They smell divine!!

My other surprise is the result of an earlier surprise this week...a visit from my friend Jess who graduated and moved back to Canada in December!! Luckily for us, she flew all the way back here to interview for medical school at Bond University, so we get to see her again. We went back to our old watering hole, Batavia, last week, and tonight she told me that I had to go get some of her favorite ice cream. I followed instructions and came home with a pint of Homer Hudson Chocolate Rock ice cream...and wow...I can't believe I haven't had this before! It was on sale (a sign, perhaps?) and is the richest, most heavenly smooth and delicious chocolate ice cream I've ever had. I mean, look at this:

It's like eating tar!!! Definitely satisfied my chocolate craving for the night. Now I can go to sleep happy :o)

Last, but not least, I just want to stick a little something about my friend Jody on here! You guys remember her, right?? She graduated and went back to Canada in December, where she has enjoyed spending time with her family and has started to search for the right job. Meanwhile...you may have seen in the headlines that Tourism Queensland recently created a new position, The Best Job In The World, as caretaker of the Great Barrier Reef Islands. This is a dream job that they're also using as a marketing tool, pretty clever if you ask me! The caretaker who is selected from all of the applicants gets to live in posh accommodation, explore the Great Barrier Reef day in and day out, and gets a pretty hefty salary too ($150,000 for 6 months!). Jody, who I think has the perfect personality for the job, just uploaded her video application! Take a peek and give her 5 stars, because she definitely deserves to make the shortlist of candidates:

http://www.islandreefjob.com/#/applicants/watch/sRWMX8nDtYs