2 Month Anniversary!

Today marks 2 months of me living in Melbourne! In some ways it seems like so long ago that I arrived off the plane, nervous and exhausted. At other times I can't believe how much I've seen and packed into these two months, not to mention all the people that I've met. 
In celebration of this milestone, here is a list of the top 10 things I've seen/done/eaten/love about living in Australia:


1) Eggs on burgers- I know it sounds a little strange, but almost every burger here has an egg on it along with the standard tomato, cheese and lettuce- it's SO delicious and I'm going to continue eating them this way when I return home

2) THE WEATHER!- obviously. It get's warmer here by the day and is usually quite sunny. While Melbourne experiences a lot more rain than the rest of the country it keeps all the beautiful parks lush and green, so you can't really complain about that


3) The Aquarium/Zoo-  have been my favourite activities so far in Melbourne, but that's because I really love animals- in case you didnt read me writing that 10 times in my last posting.

4) Cider- a delicious, beer like drink made from crushed fruit like apples or pears. Cider is HUGE here in Australia with many different kinds, all of which I seem to love. I don't know how I'll ever go back to being a proper beer drinking Canadian again.

5) E55- my favourite bar in the city, that oddly enough has my favourite cider and makes pizzas from scratch. It's a very chill place that plays reggae music and is filled with comfy sectional couches, love seats and reclining chairs. As well each month a featured artist puts up their work which can be purchased from the bar, so there is always something new to look at. 

Photo courtesy of my friend Kathryn

6) My program (believe it or not)- I really like my professors and the material that we have been studying. I only have 2 classes but it gives me the opportunity to get ahead on readings and assignments, which is a nice change from my hectic undergrad

7) The Queen Victoria Market- it's a very busy place where you can buy everything from an entire pig to a kangaroo rug. I usually just buy fruit and postcards but I could spend hours wandering the outside stalls looking at the merchandise, tasting the local wine and listening to the vendors call out their sales. 

8) Riding the train- In Ottawa we have the O-train with only 5 stops. In Melbourne there is a large network of trains and I always take the train going into the city. It's very relaxing to take public transit, I've always found that, not just in Australia. But the trains here are never crowded, and pass the most beautiful scenery of the river and houses in the hillside.


9) Winterfest/St. Kilda Beach- one of my most favourite weekends was now 3 weeks ago when we travelled to the city to skate at Melbourne's Winterfestival and then went to the beach all in the same day! St. Kilda is an amazing area with a fair, the beach, dozens of little shops and some great restaurants. All of us agreed we would love to live there if it wasn't so pricey and so far away from school. The area is what I though all of Australia would be like. 

10) Platypus!- You knew this was coming. Platypus which are native to Australia are so adorable and cool animals. When I saw one at the zoo this past weekend I was instantly in love :) Now how to get one home in my suitcase?

Things to look forward to over the next 3 months here?
- Trip to New Zealand!! 
- Attending Melbourne's Fashion Week
- Finishing my first semester of the my Masters