First Time Experience: Seeing a Doctor in Australia

Currently, I'm working in broccolini packing shed. What I'm doing in my job is making bunch of broccolini sticks and tie it with two rubber bands. After we finish making bunch, we need to put on the table and someone in charge will put bunches on the machine with conveyor belt and it will be cut and someone need to put supermarket tag with barcode under the upper rubber band.

Unluckily, we can't bring phones to the shed so I don't have any photos or footage with me. But anyway, not all people can do the tag because the bunches move so fast on the conveyor belt. Two days ago (31/8), supervisor asked me to do tag and I know I still cannot do that by myself. With sorrow face, I walked out from my bin and walked to the tagging place. I know someone will help me but I need to do my best anyway.

Well, I couldn't do by myself so many people came to help me. My gloves once broken and a friend who was helping me let me go to change gloves. I didn't feel anything that time, no pain, my finger was okay. Until break time, I needed to throw away my gloves and I checked my left hand index finger... I had broccolini under my nail and so deep. It was not hurt. A little bit, but almost nothing.

After I got back home from work, I tried to get rid of the broccolini. I was using nail clipper pick (?) to remove it but failed. I tried again with safety pins... but it just so hurt and too deep. I cried... and gave up.

Can you see how deep the broccolini is? 😢

What Are My Dreams?

My housemate was smoking in front of house, sitting in the bench, and then I approached him and asked,

"Do you have dreams?"

I just wanted to have conversation so I asked random question but actually I was curious also because he's almost 33 years old, and for working holiday visa holder he's quite... old. FYI, to get working holiday visa in Australia a person's age must be under 31. Maybe he applied when he was 31, and then had his 32th birthday in Australia, then this year he will be 33 years old. Not sure, though.

He said, "I want to have a shop. Like camping equipment shop or anything."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

His dream is not so 'high'. LOL. But when he asked me back what is my dream, I was confused. But I said, that one of my dreams is to experience living in many foreign countries. I lived short time in Japan before, now almost two years in Australia, and I want to live in another countries. Developed or developing, doesn't matter.

In the other day, my other housemate who doesn't speak English really well was picking blackberry next to my row and he asked me, "What do you want to be?" I don't know what does he mean, but maybe it's about dream. Then I answered that I want to be rich girl so that if I want to buy something I do not need to see the price tag, just buy and buy. Do not need to care about the price because I have a lot of money, LOL.

The hippie bag that I really wanted. Ended up didn't buy this bag. Only $29 though.

No-Plan Plan

'What's your plan after this?' is a common question between backpackers in Australia. I ask and have been asked this question so many times. Coming here, I didn't really have plans but back in Tasmania, I had.

In Tasmania, when someone asked me what is my plan, I was pretty sure I wanted to have a week or two holiday in Melbourne and then fly to Brisbane or Cairns and then go to a town called Home Hill in North Queensland. I wanted to get packing job there. And holiday for me means chilling, go shopping, and eating out in restaurants. I didn't work much in last two months in Tasmania, I chilled a lot, but since I was staying in small town, I couldn't go to cozy cafe or international food restaurants.

My plan didn't happen.

I ended up staying in Melbourne only 3 nights and my next destination was a small town named Pinnaroo in South Australia. Totally different with what I had planned before. One day before I left Tasmania, a friend asked me if I want to go to her place because the farm she was working in needed workers. I didn't think much and I said yes! I want to come. I wanted to see her also, I didn't see her for 2 months.

In Pinnaroo, I worked inside shed to sort potatoes. Sometimes the supervisor arranged us to do another job like washing bins, cleaning house, etc. The money was very good, 23.43 AUD per hour and in a week can work up to 50 hours. But I didn't feel happy there. I thought maybe because I haven't moved on from Tasmania. But yeah I haven't moved on but I felt happy when I was in Melbourne seeing and eating around. Anyway, I left after two weeks.

This time, I flew to Brisbane. My plan was chilling one week in Brisbane, go to theme park in Gold Coast, and then take train to go to Home Hill. Train is really slow and costs a lot but it's okay since I planned to stay Home Hill longer, like more than 3 months, to save money. That was the plan.

My plan didn't happen (again).

I just arrived my hostel in Brisbane, not even 15 minutes, suddenly my friend who I met just twice called me. She said she needed to leave her job and she asked me if I want to replace her to work there. My mind was like, "What? I just arrived and planned to stay Brisbane longer and now I need to work soon again?" But yeah, I said yes, I would love to work because it's really hard to get farm work with good pay. 

Then, I just stayed in Brisbane 3 nights (I even didn't have time see around Brisbane), and here I am in Gatton, around 90 km from Brisbane.

The actual is really not based on the plan. So from now on, I decided to have no-plan plan in Australia. I still have options where to go but I know I will change again. So if my friends ask me what is my plan I would answer I do not know, or I don't have plan. 

Currently, I have plan to stay here for around 1 - 1.5 months. But maybe tomorrow change that I will go to New Zealand (super random).

I talked about that I moved 4 times already this month. And a workmate next to me was curious,

"How do you manage to move?"

"How do you manage to get work?"

It's easy to move for me since I only have 1 small luggage. And about the work, I don't know I just feel lucky that I have friends who give me information about job.

My current belongings.

I'm really grateful with my life now, 😌.  ← didn't know emoticon can be italicised.

Adaaa aja jalannya...

___________________________________

Gatton, 30 May 2018

I WANT TO GO BACK TASMANIA

Getting off from the ferry, I took a deep breath with Melbourne's air. Whoaaa, it really feels different compare to air freshness in Tasmania. You need to compare, really.

I am in Ouyen, a small town in Victoria, when I am writing this post. I just checked my usage of my data (I am still on journey so no wi-fi) and 38% was for Instagram. Last year even 50% for Instagram. I think I am really addicted on Instagram. I don't post anything so much, I can hold myself not to post even more than one month, but I really enjoy watching people's Insta-stories and pictures. Anyway...

I moved a lot in Australia.

First time, I came here I lived in Perth for a month, then moved to Stanthorpe for 2.5 months, spent few days in Brisbane, then 2 weeks in Cairns, 4.5 months in Ayr, took a train Brisbane and then bus to Byron Bay, 2 weeks in Tabulam, 1 week in Sydney, did road trip from Sydney to Katherine, 9 days in Darwin, back to Sydney for 1.5 months, went to Griffith, lived 5 months in Tasmania, 3 days in Melbourne, now I'm here and going to a small town in border between Victoria and South Australia.

That even only in brief. If I mention all towns I stayed, it would be very lengthy post.

When I checked my Instagram, I counted there are almost 30 pictures I uploaded that I took in Tasmania. I only posted one picture in Ayr, and not even one in Cairns or Sydney or Darwin or Tabulam. It means I really love Tasmania a lot.

Break time!

But hell yeah, Tasmania is super good. Too beautiful, too many spots to explore, and really comfortable for living. Town where I stayed also perfect. It's not really 'country side', I mean it is a small town with no more than 3000 people living there, but it has Woolworths (supermarket), and several wonderful artsy shops and cafes.

I came to mainland by ferry from Devonport, Tasmania, together with my (now ex-) roommate. And we said goodbye to each other in Melbourne. She misses Tasmania a lot. She always texted me how she wants to go back to Tasmania and picks strawberry again and see the handsome supervisor again LOL.

Honeymoon Bay, Freycinet National Park.

Many people coming to Australia and after seeing how good is life here, they want to migrate or stay longer here. Some of my friends, also. And me, I really want to live abroad but after I arrived here, I never ever had any desire to stay here longer. Australia is pretty but too boring compared to Asian countries. I prefer Asia than Australia.

But after living Tasmania for almost half a year (it was exactly 160 days), now I want to go back there and stay longer. But how?

Marry ah?

With who ah? Sheep or wallaby?

________________________

Ouyen, May 5th 2018

I Like Your F*cking

In my house in Tasmania, there were two raspberry picker girls, one from Japan, and one from Taiwan (she left). By the way, I left already also several days ago. Anyway, we had a chit-chat one night until late. I told them about that I went to Katherine, Northern Territory last year.

"I don't like it. It's f*ckin' hot! It was like 38 -40 f*cking every day!

"Una-chan, I like your f*cking!"

Wait… what the f*ck did I hear?

…

Basically, she said I'm good at swearing. After she told me that, I did my effort to change the word f*ck to 'very'.

"In Darwin, it's f…. very smelly." Really struggled to not putting swearing words. LOL.

Back in Indonesia, I didn't really swear. I even almost never used the common swearing words like 'anjrit', 'anjir', or 'sampah.' I just didn't. Even most of my friends will say that, even the religious-looking friends, LOL. Sometimes I will use the Javanese version of 'dog' but it's really rare. Mostly I use if I'm disappointed or just in fun way. I don't know but I don't need to use those words to express my feelings and emotions.

But coming to Australia, I use swearing words like f*cking a lot. I use 'f*ck you', 'f*cksake', 'f*ck', 'sh*t, etc. I will say 'f*ckoff to my friends who annoy me or I will say 'f*ck' when I drop my glasses when picking. I also use my middle finger A LOT!

I don't know but it comes naturally when I say that, hahaha. It feels like just normal word.

I read an article that according to research, people who use bad words most likely smarter than who do not because they are more expressive and honest. I myself don't believe that I'm smart but I hope I'm smart. Hahaha, wtf. Though I know I'm not.

Ouyen, May 5th 2018

Living Cost in Australia

Is it expensive to live in Australia?

F*cking EXPENSIVE! But if you compare the living cost to money you can earn here, it's relatively very cheap.

For example, okay I'm using Big Mac index, so in Australia Big Mac a la carte costs 5.7 AUD while in Indonesia is around 3 AUD. Working in Australia as a casual worker has minimum wage 22.86 AUD per hour, so it means you can buy Big Mac by only working for 15 minutes. But in Indonesia, if you want to have Big Mac by 15 minutes work means you need to earn minimum 12 AUD per hour, and it means your monthly pay minimum (assumption 8 hours a day work and 22 days a month) needs to be, 2112 AUD or around 23 mio IDR. While minimum wage in Jakarta only around 300 AUD per month, so it means minimum wage worker needs to work 1.7 hours to get 1 Big Mac. Need to work 7 times harder! Not to mention the minimum wage workers in other provinces who may get less pay.

1 dollar Lipton Tea... Cupcake flavored.

Most stuff here more expensive compare to Indonesia. The most expensive I think housing/accommodation. I paid 164 AUD per week for 8-bed room in Ayr last year. My last accommodation was 75 AUD per week for 4-bed room in Deloraine, Tasmania. It was my cheapest bed I've ever stayed. Phone credit also expensive. It is averagely 30 AUD to get 3 GB data. Last time, I went to Indonesia I bought data-only SIM Card, it was 7.5 AUD for 19 GB. Very different! Public transport fares are also expensive. It is 4.3 AUD to take one ride of Melbourne tram, while in Jakarta, you only need to pay 35 cents to take TransJakarta busway.