Settling into Sydney

I've been here just over two weeks now and have taken to the place like a UCD team to a train vestibule. Actually the house I'm living in is quite like a vestibule as there are constantly random people coming in and out although it is a little bigger. I'm staying in Bondi Junction, also known as County Bondi due to the large number of GAA shirts being sported by those of the fairer complexion as they hit the happening night spots. Sadly I forgot my favourite Dublin jersey (supported them for years y'know) and my WCBU Ireland shirt has been confined to indoor use only.

For the first week I was staying with Troy from Fire of London who's here with de Google on a permanent transfer. Luckily he had a spare room so I was able to sleep off the horrific jet lag without having hundreds of backpackers milling around.

After a week I moved to the big house near Bondi Junction and about a 15 minute walk to Bondi Beach. The house is a huge 4 living room, 5 bedroom yoke with 5 of us paying rent and a travelling contingent of at least five randomers staying every night. I have my own room with a bit of privacy so it's all good. It does lead to an awful lot of red wine though as there's always a few people having a sip and who am I to refuse?

The job situation here is much like Ireland with very little going on. I've spent the last week contacting recruiters daily, scouring the interweb for potential positions but there's very little out there. The standard line from the recruiters is that if I'd turned up last year I'd have a job within a day. Now who would want that with the beach only a 15 minute walk away!! So it's a little tougher than expected but I'm still hopeful that with year ends coming up there may be some work on the audit side of things. Otherwise it may be al the waiter or floor cleaner for a year which would be a nice little grounding. Needless to say my mum isn't too pleased that I gave up a good job in London but I'm confident what I've experienced in the last 8 months is worth a bit of job pain and sure, the recession can't last forever, right??

Socially I've landed on my feet. I stayed with Troy from Fire for a week when I got here and now I've moved into the aforementioned house with Grace "the face" from Cark, Quentin and Sinead from Waterford, Colette from Sydney and Lopez the afro'd party planner from Paris. Added to that we have Ziggy from London who used to live here staying on the sofa, Damien and Regina on the fold out couch, Caroline and Hayley who are staying with Grace, David who's also staying with Grace and Lisa the Swedish model slash waitress who's staying with Lopez. !

Added to that I've been shown around by Elayna "Phelpsy" from the Green Tortoise bus in America quite a bit. It's been great to have familiar faces to hang out with.


I'm playing frisbee with Manly twice a week which is sweet. I have a few tournaments lined up with them over the next few months as well as summer / autumn / winter league.

So that's the Sydney Story for now. I'm down in my room, about to look for more jobs before heading out to Tropfest, a large outdoor film festival. Heavy hardcore trance is pumping down from the living room upstairs as Lopez and his mate come down from a big night out. Good times really, good time :)