The Beginning of My Gatton Life

I was in Pinnaroo, South Australia.

That time I was confused because my feeling was bad there... just bad... and I really wanted to move from there. As I always follow what my heart tells me, I planned to go toward north to Queensland. Three places that I had in my mind were Caboolture, Gatton, and Ayr (or Home Hill). The first one, it is famous for backpacker to go there but many bad news heard -scam, low pay, etc. Second one, I had no idea at all but I heard from Indonesian fellow he worked there, and that's all the information I got. And Ayr, I was there last year and I knew some good farms, but I was thinking I didn't want to return to place that I had been before.

Anyway, I bought ticket from Melbourne to Brisbane. I didn't have any detailed plan, no friends, and I was thinking to spend some relax time in Brisbane for one week or two since I moved 5 times in a month in May 2018. F*cking tired! I need pamper myself, spend money, drink coffee in chic cafe, eat fancy food, without thinking about work, said myself. I took a long bus journey from Pinnaroo to Melbourne, spent night in prayer room in airport, and then flew to Brisbane. I booked three nights stay in a hostel close to Roma Street Station not knowing what to do next.

Not even one minute after arriving my 10-bed hostel room, an Indonesian friend called me. It was her first time to call me. She asked me if I wanted to work in Gatton, a town 90 km from Brisbane, in a farm she was working. She said the work is good, good pay, and inside shed (it means I don't need to darken my dark skin). Broccolini packing. And she also said I need to come there soon. Really, God never let me to spoil myself. But I have booked hostel bed three nights already so I said I would come in next three days.

I was confused...

but I felt lucky in the same time.

I just arrived f*cking Brisbane and I got job without looking for it. No effort at all. It feels like destiny.

I spent two days in Brisbane looking around city and visiting friends in Caboolture. I had an ex-roommate in Tasmania called Man and that time she was working in a strawberry farm in Caboolture. Later she would come also to Gatton and became my roommate again, 😏. I visited Man and she cooked many food for me, lemon chicken, stir-fried beef with broccoli, and (failed) Japanese-style omelette. 😬 It was so good and she also gave me many snacks I like.

Food Man cooked for me. The girl in picture is Gina, a friend who worked in the same farm also in Tasmania.

With Man, when she was still dark kissed by sun.

Gift from Man! She knows me so well.

Back to Gatton's job.

So my Indonesian friend said that she was working to a contractor not direct to farm. Basically a contractor is like the third party who provides workers to the company, or this case, farm. The contractor is an Iraqi guy called Alex, who she said is a really nice guy. 😔 She asked me to call him just for confirming. I called him and talked a lengthy sentences and what he answered were just:

"Come."

"Okay. Come, come."

That's it.

Okay, I'm coming!

On my way to Gatton.

Was so happy seeing Alex has washlet in his house... but it's not working wtf. 

That time was May 28th, I arrived his house and the house looks so old and shabby. Looks like a haunted house. I met him and other housemates and all of them are Japanese. I was so happy since I speak Japanese so I can improve my proficiency. But just the house feels so negative, dark, and smell of smoke (because all people inside house smoking). I saw a letter on the table showing the contractor full name. I searched on Google...

and the results didn't made me glad.

I was shocked and I knew...

I need to be careful with this contractor guy. 

🤣🤣🤣

(to be continued)