End of my HPCA chapter...

Thank you to all my wonderful colleagues for making my time at the HPCA so special – I honestly couldn't have wished for a better job for my first 6 months here in Australia Xx

The Dalai Lama

I still find it quite difficult to put into words what I experienced yesterday. I honestly didn't think it would affect me so much. I'm not religious, and I'm quite a skeptical person when it comes to philosophical speeches... But I guess the Dalai Lama is just one of those people who warms your heart and makes you want to become a better person, lead a more meaningful life... I know it sounds cliché, but I really believe seeing this man was a life-changing moment for me. 

I feel ever so lucky to have been able to attend such a special event. All thanks to my wonderful colleague Linda, who gave me a ticket as a thank you present. I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to see the Dalai Lama, let alone attend one of his speeches. But I believe everything happens for a reason... Doro saw him in Nepal a few months ago, and I read "7 ans d'aventure au Tibet" while I was in Thailand, which I couldn't put down (I actually mentioned the book on this blog back in January...) 

He really puts things in perspective, in such a simple, logical way. He doesn't preach, he puts forward a message which has nothing to do with religion, it's just pure common-sense. Anybody could deliver his speech...but the Dalai Lama has such an aura, he manages to captivate an audience of 10,000 people in a way I've never seen before, yet he stays so down-to-earth and humble. His English isn't great and he mumbles a lot, but he still succeeds in getting the message across and touches people from all walks of life and all cultural backgrounds. I still can't get over how warm, charismatic, inspiring and funny he is. He just looks like a wise old grandpa you want to take home and talk with for hours and hours. The people who received his blessing on stage got so emotional, it was truly beautiful to watch.

Here's an article about the two events I attended:

http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/962-concluding-teachings-public-talk-on-ethical-mindfulness-in-everyday-life-and-addressing-a-gathering-for-tibet-in-sydney

Cate Blanchett

Katie Noonan, who performed "Never know your luck" during the free gathering for Tibet (go straight to 1:30 for the song). Incredible singer, I was blown away, she sounds so much better live than in this video...

Just one of those days I will never forget...

Love,

Laura xxx

Melbourne baby!

I went to Melbourne for a long weekend to visit my friend Eda, who I met in Sydney a few months ago. 

I found Tiger Airways was the cheapest and most convenient way to get there from Sydney. You also have the coach option but it takes about 12 hours :)

I decided to book two nights at the Nomads All Nations hostel for 25 AUD/night (http://nomadsworld.com/hostels/australia/nomads-all-nations), a 10-minute walk from the Southern Cross Station (20 minutes from the airport with the Skybus service - 17 AUD one-way; 28 AUD return). 

Eda is actually living there for free in exchange for a few hours' housekeeping per day. I met so many amazing people over the weekend, the hostel had such a great vibe, I would definitely recommend it :) Try out the neighbouring U-Bar in the evenings, that's where all the backpackers hang out, amazing atmosphere! The Deck Lounge Bar is also a nice trendy place to go to if you want to mix with "true" Melbourners ;)

My general impression was that life seems much more laid-back in Melbourne... I really enjoyed my time there, I felt right at home, people were so friendly and relaxed. All the backpackers I met who had been to Sydney previously told me they preferred Melbourne (including my friends Eda and Bero). It also seems easier to find casual jobs there (as well as cheaper accommodation!)

The weather wasn't too good and I was having such a nice time at the hostel that I must admit I didn't do much sightseeing during the three days I was there! 

Here are the few things I did get up to:

Immigration Museum (free for students, 10 AUD for others)

City Circle tram (free tram line going round the city with audio commentary)

Graffitti lanes

Federation Square

The huuuuge casino

Walk along the river at night with balls of fire going off every few minutes

I really hope to go back before I leave Australia! 

Love,

Laura xxx

The Rocks + Watson's Bay

Museum of Contemporary Art
You can access several free exhibitions, and there's a bar with a lovely view of the Sydney Opera and Harbour Bridge on the last floor (check out the wacky sculptures on the terrasse). 
I must admit I'm a big fan of aboriginal art, so this was a treat!

Billich Gallery
I spent around an hour walking around this gallery - absolutely love his work!!!
www.billich.com

Watson's Bay
You can access this harbour-side Eastern suburb of Sydney by taking the "Eastern suburbs" ferry (Wharf 4) - 11.90 AUD for a return ticket.

There are two walking paths from the wharf, both require around one hour for the round trip. From the wharf you can walk north past Lady Bay and on to South Head and see the Hornsby Lighthouse. You can also walk south past The Gap and take in Signal Station and Macquarie Lighthouse. 

Love,

Laura xxx

Heading elsewhere...

I wanted to share this article I found on cosmopolitan.com.au today. Having lived 2 years in the UK, 1 year in Spain and 4 months in Australia (already!!!), I completely and utterly identify with every single point mentioned in this article...

Why every girl should try living overseas...

It’s something we've all gotta do at some stage. But instead of saving up all year to spend a month at a time getting your culture on, have you ever thought about maybe just not coming back, for a while at least? Because there are heaps of awesome reasons why you should live overseas! In fact, here are a few good ones we can think of:

Learn about who you really are. You never really know yourself until you're thrown into a totally different world where you have to find a job, make new friends, get a place to live and basically burrow down and make a life for yourself – all on your own. At home, you know your place in the world and that makes life there pretty easy, but everything from the social code to the meaning of gestures can change between cultures.

Living overseas will throw a lot of challenges your way (at first) – even down to who you're going to party with. And how you handle everything thrown your way will teach you a lot about who you are and it'll make you a stronger person too. Plus, it'll make you grow up fast and teach you a few new skills, like how to make new BFFs.

But don't freak if it's all sounding really hard, ‘cos the truth is, it's all so damn exciting, it’ll feel easier than it is. You know when you're first in love and you can go without sleep and food and basically live on sex and air? Living in a new city has the same thrill. It’s all so new and you can climb mountains on that high. The only rule? To get outside as much as you can and LIVE.

Make amazing memories. There's little chance you're going to meet an English duke and go on some crazy escapade with him to Greece when you're stuck at home. The strange people, the random adventures… living overseas will give you a million stories you can laugh about for the next millenia.

Grow your skillset. With larger populations and very different markets, working overseas means you have the chance to expand your experience beyond what you might be able to find at home. It can also give your CV an edge when (or if) you decide to come home.

Learn a language. The fastest way to learn a culture is to jump right in and live there. So if you've dreamt of seducing a guy with sexy Spanish or mastering Mandarin, the best thing you can do is move countries.

You'll learn about what you want from life. Whether you discover you don't like surviving on Chicken Cottage in London, or you do wanna ride your bike everywhere like you did in Paris, you'll start to piece together what in life is going to give you max happiness. Do you want work/life balance like the Swedes or do you prefer to work hard and play hard, New Yorker style? You'll soon find out!

Make new friends or meet a potential foreign love. If Facebook tells you anything, it’s that your friends are way too connected. Trying to find a BF who didn't date a friend of a friend can be pretty impossible, but living overseas means you have a whole new pool of potential dates – and they come with a sexy accent too! You also have the potential to meet interesting people you'd never cross paths with at home.

Learn a new place. There's something to be said for knowing a place you didn't grow up in like the back of your hands. Whether you can navigate the winding streets of Paris or know the best gelato in Rome, you’ll be the to-go-to girl for recommendations and advice (and that can feel really good). Besides, you'll never get lonely with a bunch of peeps from home visiting on rotation too.

Learn how to be good at life. Sure, if you're living out of home you still have to pay your rent and bills, but there's a comfort in knowing your parents are a short drive away. If you're broke for the week, you can eat at their place every night, but that won't fly when there's an ocean between you and your family. You need to be a lot more organised because you can only rely on yourself.

Learn to appreciate home too. While living elsewhere can open your eyes to other cultures and different worlds, it can also teach you the art of appreciating what you've got back home. From being near to your fab friends and family to knowing all the social cues, you’ll learn to love what you have right here.

I have also been browsing through the following travel blogs which are so inspiring, go check them out:

http://lesacados.com/

http://www.wanderingearl.com/

http://www.legalnomads.com/

http://www.travelettes.net/

Love,

Laura xxx

Finding Nemo!

Doro and I visited the SeaLife Aquarium this weekend. You get a 30% discount if you book your tickets online - definitely worth it.
http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/ 

Can't wait to go to the Great Barrier Reef in July!!!

Love,

Laura xxx