All I Can Do is Wait

Guess what else?! 5 days until Jesse arrives!
He is currently in Florence with his madre – how awesome is it that she flew to Italy to visit with him for the week?? I hope they are able to find some relatives and explore all that Italy has to offer.

I’m quite excited, but also quite nervous. We haven't seen each other since February 28 (described in post "The Goodbye Cruise".

I hope he likes the apartment I chose for us, and I hope he still likes me. I hope I didn't screw everything up. I hope he likes Surfers Paradise, enough to live here for two months anyway. I hope he doesn’t think poorly of Australia given everything that has happened. And that it’s cold. I hope things haven’t changed too much over the past four months…I have a lot of regrets. I fear him meeting some of the more beautiful, more trustworthy girls here, and liking them more than me. The model type that he is used to and deserves. Likewise, I fear him getting here and hating everything about me and this land. Geez, I didn't mean this post to turn so sullen.

Guess all I can do is wait.

My PARENTS are coming!!

My mom and dad booked their flights last week to AUSTRALIA!! They got a super awesome deal on Qantas and fly here July 13-28. July 13-16 they are visiting Sydney, and then flying into Brissy July 16. We will tour the Goldie then drive up to Cairns via the Whitsundays. Details to be sorted after ma gets back from her cruise with Kati.

It's like Gainesville meets Miami

Upon returning from Asia, I continued on my mission to save money and find an apartment. I still haven’t officially quit the bogus job, I just haven’t called them yet to tell them I’m back…it’s been five weeks now since I last talked to them, so I think they get the hint that I’m not coming back. The party tour job is going well: I’m making enough to pay rent, food, and put heaps into savings each week. It’s not easy and quite annoying at times, but…it’s a job. And it’s somewhat rewarding going on tour and seeing the people you sold to having a great time (including making out with a person of their choice)! Haha. Oh Surfers Paradise…it’s like Gainesville meets Miami.
As for the apartments, Gary let me rent his spare room in Miami, QLD, for a few weeks until I found a place of my own. I searched endlessly for three weeks; I think I’ve seen every apartment available in Surfers Paradise by now. But alas, I finally made a decision and found the one! And they accepted my application (after having to show much proof that I can in fact afford it). I just moved in this morning (Sunday, June 13). It’s a studio apartment, steps from the beach and nightclubs (work), has a resort style pool (with diving board) and hot tub, gym, game room, and came fully equipped with linens and kitchen supplies. The only thing that really distinguishes it from a regular apartment is that there is no oven or washing machine. But they even let me have it for only a 2 month lease! And I’m good at stove top cooking anyway…the only thing not having an oven inhibits me from doing is baking – which is probably a good thing seeing as how I’ve gained way too much weight. Pics are online, of the apartment, not of my gained weight.

That’s about all I’ve been up to since Asia…going to work, looking for apartments, sleeping, and reading. And a lot of eating, unfortunately. And no exercising. Any motivation you can send me to exercise and not eat everything in sight would be appreciated.

It’s cold outside…I have to wear jeans and a hoodie all the time. At night I froze while trying to sleep (the window wouldn’t shut in my room)…water is too cold to even want to attempt surfing or swimming. Lucky for the heated pools though. I feel like Christmas should be arriving soon…but it’s merely June. It’s a very odd feeling. Maybe now that I’m done apartment hunting and don’t have a commute anymore, I can start enjoying my stay a little more.

Asian Persuasion: China

From Seoul, I flew immediately to Shanghai for SIAL. This won’t be a long post: bottom line is that I need to go somewhere else in China to decide if I like it or not. Shanghai was nice at first sight, yet when you get down to it – it’s full of pollution, rude people, and scam artists. I did a lot of shopping – it’s very cheap once you talk down the price (it seems every store you could barter, price tag or not).
I had a run in with some scam artists…who pretended to be actual artists…I won’t go in detail, but lets just say that Chinese police could care less about tourists, and will fully support the scam artists. Whatever. After that ordeal I ended up scamming a scam artist by bartering with them for a “Coach” purse for 150 yen (they asked 800 at first), lawl. Kati has yet to receive it but I’m positive she’ll like it.

As far as SIAL is concerned, I was pretty nervous about working a show alone. I set up the day before the show started, and there were even scam artists in the exhibit halls, trying to get you to rent their supplies and furniture for the booth…I don’t think they would have actually brought the supplies though after taking the companies money. Needless to say, I didn’t buy from them and instead had the USA pavilion leader rent the stuff I needed. I generated heaps of leads for the company, made lots of industry friends, and as a result, ended up coming home with a whole extra suitcase full of free giveaways from my new found friends, including foods like marshmallow popcorn, caramel pretzels, wine, tequila, and Chinese artwork.

I already miss airplane meals. Again, KOREAN AIR wins!

I must say though, I was glad to leave Shanghai and get back to Australia – the land of kind people (until they hear I’m from America). As we flew over Australia, I was stoked to be on English-speaking turf again with beautiful water surrounding the big island.

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