Month 5- falling in love, unemployment, moving to the country.

I can’t believe its already October!!! Happy Aussie Spring time!! (ps I am so jealous of everyone’s posts about pumpkin spice lattes, college football and fall weather but when Summer comes during your winter...who will be jealous then??? lol)

So we finished our roadtrip and are back in Perth which for me means looking for a new job and place to live. Gotcha was a really great job for people who are interested in sales. For me, I am too honest and compassionate to be good at selling things. I mean I empathize with the customer....which makes me terrible at my job! I can check off promotional representative and sales off the list of things I want to be when I grow up. I love love LOVE the girls I worked with but I know when something isn’t making me happy and when you only have a year in a place, being happy is the only reason to do anything.

I had to move out of the Gotcha house on Monday (which was also a public holiday) so I moved into Shiralee backpackers hostel . I (of course), was put in a room with 3 boys...2 germans and an Aussie. They were super nice, quiet and went to bed before 10:30pm (in a hostel this is a  dream come true). This was the dirtiest hostel I have ever stayed in but it was cheap and my only option for a couple of nights because most of the hostels were booked up or crazy expensive. I went into the kitchen and couldn’t find a glass for my wine...so I had to drink out of the bottle (Backpacking makes me super classy). I befriended my Aussie roomie Ben and his 2 mates. They had driven from Melbourne to Perth (Florida to California in American terms) in hopes of finding a job in the mines. You can’t throw a rock in Western Australia without hitting a guy who works in the mines or has a desire to do so. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!! People who work in the mines make upward to 200 grand a year.

 Tuesday I had a job interview with a backpacker recruitment agency to bartend in a mining town. I was really hoping to get a job there because I have friends who bar-tended there and made upwards to 15 grand in 3 months time. (ummmm yes please). BUT since I have ZERO experience they wouldn’t hire me...womp womp. I feel like I missed out on bartending in college. I spent loads of time at bars....should have been a bartender lol. 

I moved hostels on Wednesday to Governor Robinson backpackers hostel which was only a couple of blocks away from my other hostel and a couple of dollars more expensive. It was by far the nicest hostel I have ever stayed at. Everything was clean and comfortable. I was hoping by the weekend that I would have a job. Living in a hostel is quite expensive ($210/week) and although I absolutely love the environment, it is a hard lifestyle to uphold. During the day I looked up jobs on the internet, applied, called around and applied some more. It helped that every other backpacker around me did the same thing all day. I think the idea of running out of money and being real life homeless in Australia crossed my mind a couple of times because I was more determined than I have ever been to get a job this week. I had another interview with a potential Au pair family but they were not willing to pay enough money so I had to turn it down. I applied for a couple of social work jobs and even got called for an interview but it was for a live in youth worker and they wanted me to get all these certificates and such that would have costed me 400 dollars before actually giving me the job....so I had to also turn that down. I was getting really restless and beginning to really stress out when I saw an ad on Gumtree (website like craigslist...its the backpackers lifeline) for a barmaid position urgently needed in a town 3 hours away for free rent, internet and food plus a nice wage. I emailed immediately telling him that I didn’t have any experience but I was willing to learn!!!! He called me later that day saying that he would be willing to train me....so I HAVE A JOB AGAIN!!!!!! He wanted me to get there ASAP so I researched how to get there and bought my bus ticket for Monday the 8th of October (it was Saturday). Just in case you are worried that this is super sketchy...Bartending in a country pub is pretty popular in Western Australia because Perth is really the only big city on this side of Oz.

I celebrated by going out to eat in the city at La Cholita an AMAZING mexican restaurant that serves the BEST MARGARITA I HAVE EVER TASTED!!!!!!

I couldn't decide between a Dos Equis and a Margarita...so I got both!

 I also got a hair cut which is the first one I have had in 5 1/2 months.....I am really roughing it lol. 

New haircut!!! I cut about 4 inches off!!!

I don’t want to forget to tell you how much I loved PERTH. I don’t know which city to compare it to...maybe Washington, DC. 

this picture didn't turn out like I wanted. Its the city at night!
SO PRETTY!!!!!

Look what I Found Audrey!!!! It was really secret though because I never found the actual cafe!

Everyone walks around in suits and business attire and looks super fancy. You can get a takeaway coffee at every corner and the train can take you anywhere your heart desires. I went to the beach, museums, looked around shops and wondered around for miles and miles. One of my favorite things to do was watch all the street performers. There were break dancers, Bollywood dancers, magic shows, musicians, and everything in between. How could you ever be bored in a city so AMAZING?!?!? The city makes me forget that I am traveling alone....

Speaking of traveling alone I never ever ever thought that I would like doing it. If you would have asked me a year ago if I would ever go out to eat, see a movie or go on vacation alone I would have laughed in your face. Yeah right...I could never do that!

Traveling alone is AWESOME though. I never have to discuss my future plans (or make them), I can do what I love to do always ( never having to compromise), I am always on my own schedule and I can make friends when I want company. Backpacking gives you the flexibility to make loads of friends along the way so I am never truly alone but I have mastered the table for one scenario!!

So I am on my way to my newest adventure:

BroomeHill, Western Australia

Population: 700

 The town consists of my pub/hotel (where I live), petrol station, a winery/B&B, two churches (Anglican and Catholic), and a post office. I will be saving SO MUCH MONEY here!! hahaha Well I will keep you posted on my bartending adventures!!

WARNING -----> Its about to get CHEESY!!!!!

I was watching Eat, Pray, Love (for the millionth time) and the whole movie she is trying to figure out her word for herself. So after loads of pondering I have come up with my word for myself....CELEBRATE!!!! Why??? I think traveling has helped me understand the importance of celebrating life's smallest milestones. Life is sooo short and I don’t want to miss an opportunity to praise God for all the blessing he continues to rain on me every single day and truly celebrate life every second I breath. <3

Gotcha Road Trip

First roadtrip (and last) with the photography company...

We travelled 4.5 hours to Albany, WA with a trailer in tow.

  We will stay here for two weeks and then travel 5 hours more to Esperance, WA.

quick pit stop to take a picture in the flowers!!!

we all think our cottage gets 2 thumbs up!!!

The town of Albany is small but our accommodation is AWESOME! We are staying in a four bedroom cottage on top of a hill with a beautiful view!!! I have my own QUEEN SIZED BED, fireplace and large room!!!!! Its a backpackers dream come true!!! 

I am on this roadtrip with Emma (Holland), Anne Myrte (Holland), and Emily (England).  The girls are amazingly fun and we have had a great time so far. The town of Albany doesn’t really want us here and some of the Moms have even complained about us to the shopping center management. They have a facebook page in which they post racist and unpleasant things about us to other Mums in the town. They have called me the dark skinned girl or the Indian girl on their posts and called Emma the round blonde girl (she is not round in the least). The town itself is really beautiful with the beach just 1.5km away from our cottage. I have been getting up early every morning to run and it has been just beautiful to watch the sunrise over the ocean everyday!!! I really don’t love my job but the girls make it easier to deal with by being so wonderful. 

Emma is the blonde one

Emma is the boss and the mom of the group. She is super passionate about just about everything she does which to be honest, scared the crap out of me in the beginning. I am kind of surprised that I haven’t driven her crazy with my need for chaos and lack of passion for this job. She is constantly busy with things to do...which is exhausting to me but she needs to be constantly doing something. (turns out....I am okay just sitting and reading a book all day....not doing a thing at all) She cooks dinner for us most nights and has introduced me to some Dutch foods from Holland. YUMMY!!!! She is really compassionate and loving and gives me a million hugs all the time!!!!

 Anne Myrte is also from Holland but she has only been working for this company for a week less than me. She is passionate about surfing and photography...only not the kind of photography we do. lol. She has been published in magazines for her surfing photography..so she is practically famous!! duh. She is a free spirit and hippie at heart. I think I have the most fun with her because our personalities are very similar. We spend our day doing silly dances, slacking off and drinking coffee. (For those of you who knew me from working on the ship, not a lot has changed lol....) She is quitting this job as soon as we get back to Perth and moving to a place closer to the ocean so she can surf. We are bunk bed mates in Esperance and that makes us practically best friends....

Emily is the brunette, then its Emma and Anne Myrte

Emily is a English girl from Liverpool and she keeps me entertained constantly. She loves the term F*ck off and uses it periodically throughout the day...She also is confused on meal terms. She calls lunch "DINNER" and dinner "TEA" and uses "ME" in place of MY. For example: she would say "I am going for ME DINNER at half twelve". So confusing lol...She hates sand, the outdoors, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and most things I love. We still get along great despite our differences. She is a photographer but the creative abstract type that is super crafty. She is super posh and girly and I love her alot.

Look how fun we are!!! 

Together we make up a super sweet team. We have fun making fun of each other, doing random things, drinking tea or coffee and shopping and going out on the weekends.

Natural bridge in Albany

Dog rock....not joking. Its a real life landmark.

 Everything is beautiful in Albany. Just some random facts about the small town. Albany has the WORST nightclub in the Southern Hemisphere and we went there...true story...it was the WORST! Albany is known for whale spottings. I thought I saw a whale BUT it was only a rock.....womp womp

Part II of the road trip: Esperance, WA

Esperance accommodation: a trailer park cabin. ummmm NO THANK YOU!!

this bunk bed is supposed to sleep THREE people....

Trying to be happy about our trailer...

So maybe it has the most beautiful beaches EVER...I can live with that!!!

We have dined at the fanciest restaurant in Esperance, danced/sang the night away at the only night club and pub and been sufficiently creeped out by the townspeople of Esperance....successful roadtrip?? I think so!

*This was my first and last roadtrip with the photography company. I gave my two weeks notice and am currently searching for all sorts of jobs in Western Australia...who knows what is next up on the employment adventure but I am excited to see what I end up with!!!!!

4 MONTHS!!!!!!!!!

The last month was the most challenging month on my journey so far. I know that life isn’t always rainbows and sunshine and I am learning to deal with so many new things. I think thats what I love about traveling most....you never know what you are going to learn or who you are going to meet. I have a good feeling about Western Australia and month 4 of my travels. When I began this journey I really didn’t have any direction on what I wanted to do with my future and now its starting to become more clear.

 I came to Australia with the idea that I would work the whole time with a social service organization developing my skills further and that hasn’t really worked out yet....but I feel like I need to stop putting so much pressure on myself to be on this one track life. The skills I am gaining doing these really random jobs is all part of God’s plan for me. Sometime we forget how special and important we are and that our journey is unique and wonderfully made for each individual. So my goal for this month is remember this everyday. I may not be in the career of my choice but I am doing what I love most and that is traveling, learning about others and loving exactly where I am. One day I will fully understand the concept of patience and God’s timing but for now it will be a daily struggle....I am very very thankful for all the wonderful opportunities I have been given so far and I know when the time is right that everything will all fall perfectly in place!!! So here is to MONTH FOUR IN AUSTRALIA...PERTH EDITION.

New day new job!

So let me tell you about my newest employment adventure....I am currently working as a Promotions representative for a children’s photography company named GOTCHA! I work on a traveling photo set that is taken to shopping centers across Australia and try to get people in to get their children’s photos taken. So in honor of NOT making my job sound fancier than it actually is...I am working in a Mall kiosk. It is a sweet gig for short term employment mainly because they pay for travel, accommodation and have nice bonuses to work towards everyday. Every two weeks they will move me to a different part of Australia...which to me means that I still get to travel and MAKE MONEY!!! Hooray!!!!!! In my first week I have made quite a bit of money on bonuses and made a couple c of new FRIENDS!!! I would never be able to survive on a job in the mall in the U.S. but in Australia the minimum wage is about $17/hr....which is more than I have EVER been paid in the states. I still have my heart set on a real big girl job in the social services but I figured this job isn’t so bad for the mean time PLUS I can go to job interviews all around Australia (hopefully). 

So my first assignment is WESTERN AUSTRALIA!!!!!! So here is some information about my move. 

Gold coast is on the East side of the map towards the bottom
of Queensland and perth is ALL THE WAY on the West side of Australia!!

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Distance from the Gold Coast- 2254.18 miles or 3627.65 Km

 Its the 4th most populated city in Australia and home of the GREAT WHITE SHARK!!!!!!

I am living in a house with eight people. I share a room with four people (Paul from Ireland, Michael from Canada, and Peigi from Scotland). Our room is really big so it doesn’t feel weird to share with so many people. It been really fun to live in a house with  so many different people. Its really embarrassing how much I would rather live with loads of people than in a normal household. It keeps life interesting!!! Perth is amazing! Its a nice balance between big city and peaceful small town living. We went out for a night out on Saturday and had an AMAZING TIME! I met a ton of Irish people....and one Australian. I am starting to think that I am in Ireland by mistake. The people here are lovely and I really like the people I live and work with!!! Plus its a running friendly city so I am surrounded by beautiful running paths.

Look what I found on our big night out?!?!!

I promise to post more pictures in the near future!!!

3 MONTHS Y'ALL!!!!!!

WHOA......slow down time in Australia!!!! Yikes...has it really been 3 months already?!?! 

Well I haven't been on any huge adventures lately except the emotional roller coaster of finding a real Grown-up job. I was happily on vacation in Hervey Bay minutes away from getting on a bus (30 minutes to be exact) to Noosa for a 3 day/3 night canoe trip when I got a phone call from Big Brother's Big Sisters requesting an interview.......
THE NEXT DAY!!!! 

look how grown up I look?!??! haha

Uhhhhhh so in honor of being a (kinda) grownup, I packed up my backpack and got on a bus to the Gold Coast cutting my vacation 5 days short....lame. I got to reunite with my favorite Aussie Ji and sleep in MY OWN ROOM which was quite a nice treat though! I had a series of interviews that week but in the end I was only offered a job with Catholic Family Services through a recruitment agency. I was SUPER excited but the recruitment agent was not giving me much information about what I would actually be doing...so due to my inability to have patience or my incredible ability to think of a million questions I decided to pay Catholic Family Services a little visit to get more acquainted with my new JOB!!!! I arrived and surprised the pants off my new boss...she was so surprised that she had no idea who I was and hadn't received my resume yet. I bombarded her with a million questions anyway and well she wasn't amused or impressed by my eagerness/assertiveness. I left feeling like I hadn't made a great impression on my new boss but I was still excited to begin my new job in hopes that she would eventually love me. The next day I got a call from a very ANNOYED recruitment agent telling me that by visiting with CFS before my employment was finalized that I had broken a rule within the agency and would not be able to take that job. I WAS DEVASTATED!!! I literally had to hold back the sound of tears in my voice as I apologized for breaking the rules and tried to explain that it was merely out of excitement and not at all on purpose. She did not sound happy with me and told me she didn't have another position to offer me at this time. I won't lie. I stayed in bed the whole next day and was a complete mess. I thought that after three months of travel and working on a farm that my life had fallen into place....and then it all shattered into pieces.

Don't worry I didn't stay sad for long......the day after that I went into crazy mode of finding a job. I was a little desperate to make some money.....so I took a telemarketing job.
I went in for the interview without any telemarketing experience and the lady told me she liked how I presented myself and offered me a job that I would start the next day. My job was to call random people and talk them into investment properties....most people hung up on me or shouted curse words or couldn't understand my accent....Aussies like the terms "piss off or F*** off, no way mate....It was a funny job....but I really couldn't stand it for long. I lasted TWO DAYS before I quit!! I  got a call from a photography company named GOTCHA! the day I quit the telemarketing job. I would basically do PR work for them in a mall but they would pay me a base rate salary and pay for my accommodation and travel. Every two weeks they will move me to a different part of Australia and I will work in a team of 4 other backpackers!!! Don't worry I will keep you posted on how it goes!!!!!

I feel like my adventure in Australia is one big lesson after another. I am really really REALLY lucky to have so many people that love and pray for me daily. I got really homesick after all this stuff happened because I realized how much I relied on my support system to help me through those really tough moments in life. I do miss the luxury of calling my Mom to help me make everyday decisions or talking to my best friend anytime. I love traveling. I could do it forever and be the happiest person in the world....sometime I just wish my suitcase/backpack could fit more of the people I love in it to take with me. 

Here is a random day in life of Rachelle:

 I sit at the library all the time using their free internet..It has really interested people so I usually pick a spot that I can people watch...today I was approached by these women asking if they could draw my face...bahhaa I hesitated but thought ehh why not?!?! They asked me all about America, my travels and (of course) boys....I enjoyed talking to them but felt super uncomfortable because they kept commenting on my facial features. (She has really long beautiful eyelashes, See how her cheek bones are perfectly shaped) I literally kept blushing nonstop...

 When they were finished they gave me this picture. I didn't think it looked anything like me but thought its cool anyway....The ladies stopped me as I was getting up and said "you have a smile that lights up the room  and I just know that you are going to do such wonderful things in Australia and in life." 
Sometimes God gives me a pick me up in the most unusual way....

cant wait to see what this month has in store for ME!!!!!!!

HERVEY BAY 4X4 ON FRASER ISLAND!!!!

I arrived in Hervey Bay around 1:45pm via Greyhound bus. The trip was only about an hour and a half. It was pouring down rain and I realized that I forgot to call my hostel for pickup before I left Bundaberg....Catherine usually did all that. I am going to have to become more responsible...yikes! Luckily I asked a group of people waiting around if they were staying at Palace Backpackers and they were!!!! HOORAY!!!! It was 3 dutch (2 girls and a boy) and 3 English boys. When we got to the hostel I walked into my room to find 3 German boys asleep in their beds and a Dutch boy sitting in the common room. I was the only girl in a room with what ended up being 5 boys and me...another Dutch boy showed up later that evening. They were all very nice and I enjoyed hanging out with them...they were also going to be on our trip the next day. We were taken by Van to the grocery store and beer store to load up with stuff for our 3 day camping trip.

We had to meet at 6am to watch a safety video and figure out our driving groups.There were 4 cars. I chose to ride with a group of 7 consisting of 3 Dutch people (K.D, Daniel, Carolyn), two English boys (Robin and Lindsey) and a Danish girl (Fiona).


 Lindsey drove first and he was pretty safe(ish). There is definitely something that makes me so nervous about putting complete strangers in charge of my life and safety but our drivers were pretty good!! We had to ride a ferry to get to Frasier Island where we would be camping for the next 2 nights and 3 days. We had a tour guide in the front car and he  would lead us to our camp site. When we got into our car we realized that it didn't have a radio.... Guess I will be in charge of the sing along?!?!


Our first stop was to go on a bush walk. It was cloudy and sprinkling but quite warm. The walk was so peaceful and beautiful.

 I wondered all around just amazed at how lush the scenery was. After, we stopped at a bathroom to change into our swim suits to get ready to swim in a fresh spring. We stood around and played volleyball in the water bc it was way too cold to do anything else. We were entertained for quite a while. It was getting late in the day and we needed to find our campground soon to get settled in. It gets dark in Australia around 6pm everyday because its winter at the moment....weirdly early!!! We arrived at our campsite around 4pm and it was already set up with tents (thankfully). I got grouped with three German guys in a tent...the same ones from the hostel.

  I wasn't bothered being the only girl and figured we wouldn't spend much time in our tents anyway. We got out our Goon and had a drink at the beach. 

One thing they warned us about was the wild Dingos and snakes (7 out of 9 of the DEADLIEST snakes) that were all over the island...so welcoming to our new home away from home! Our tour guide told us to only use the bathroom in pairs or more and you had to take a flash light (they call it a torch), a shovel (to bury toilet paper) and a stick to defend yourself from Dingos.  Dingos look a lot like dogs but are vicious like wolves.

I thought for sure our tour guide was exaggerating...I mean it must be one of those campfire stories..right?!?!

Daniel cooked BBQ  for our group. We had a feast of hamburgers, sausages and potatoes wedges. SO DELISH!!

Daniel is in the Dutch Marines.

Then we sat in a circle in the sand and played kings cup (backpackers favorite drinking game). We Gooned like I have never Gooned in my life....

One german asked if I wanted to go closer to the ocean with him....should have known that wasn't a great idea but it was soo close...Look at the picture above of us sitting safely by the ocean...right?!?! We walked two minutes away from the camp without a Dingo stick or torch and sat by the ocean. It was super beautiful but out of nowhere Dingos were all around. I don't remember how many because I was too scared but we NOT so calmly did the exact OPPOSITE of what we are supposed to do in a dingo situation!! ( you are supposed to stand straight up to look big, cross your arms over your chest and back away slowly). We both jumped up, scream and ran back to the campsite!!

Guess our tour guide WASN'T exaggerating...

 I made a mental note to NEVER TRUST A GERMAN...Turns out loads of people feel the same way..hahah. We all just sat around and drank Goon, talked about our countries and laughed until the early hours of the morning. 

German roomies (the one in the Maroon is the one who almost got me eaten by a DINGO!!!) 

We woke up around 7:30am to the sound of music. Our tour guide wanted to take us to a place called hangover river and by the looks of us we NEEDED it bad. It reminded me of a Texas river but much more shallow. It was supposed to carry us back to the starting point but we kept getting stuck in the sand at the bottom of the river. 

Hangover river!!!

It did cure my hangover kind of...I was having too much fun racing and laughing to think about how bad I felt. We drove for a long bit to our next destination and that is really one of my favorite parts of the trip. We sang songs, learned only the inappropriate words in Dutch and had a great time. I was always fearful that our car was going to roll over because the trails were super bumpy and we kept fishtailing in the sand but we survived. 

We arrived at this natural spring surrounded by sand dunes. I talked one of the Germans to barrel roll down one of the dunes with me....it was so fun!! 

The water was super cold but we swam anyway. You had to RUN down the Dune to dive into the water!!! SOOO FUN!!!!!!

 We piled back in our 4x4 and drove to a shipwreck to take photos. The sand was perfect and the Scottish boys in our group had been bothering me about doing a flip for them to prove my gymnastic/cheerleading skills. (cheerleading is an American thing so they were impressed lol) I gave in and showed off a bit....I can hardly believe my body can still handle tumbling. 

The WHOLE GANG!!!!

We continued down the island to the Pinnacles which are colored sand kinda like clay. The aboriginal women believe that the pinnacles can give them advice and so it's sacred land.  The pinnacle didn't whisper anything to me...lol

The Pinnacle!!

We headed back to the campsite to wind down and make some dinner. Of course round 2 of Goon began soon after. Tonight's games were brought to you by never have I ever and things I never wanted to know about people....turns out backpackers are very open to talking about everything and anything in their lives which made for an interesting night. I don't know that I have ever been so baffled or laughed so much in my entire life....I went to bed pretty early that night....I mean after having a ridiculous amount of fun.

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO BARRY (MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PERSON ON FRASER ISLAND)!!!! Yes those are REAL tattoos that say CRAZY, a mustache, and he has a camel on his toe (put that one together)....He was the life of the party and always ready for a good time. I think I spent more time baffled at his lies that he continued to tell throughout the whole trip ie I am a movie star and I am from America. He is from Scotland which has one of the worst accents in the whole world...I mean they speak English but do they really??? I couldn't understand him most of the time and I would just assume it was inappropriate so my answer was always  NO THANK YOU!!!! It became our little joke. Glad I made a good impression on him. He asked me if my parents would like him and if my Dad would approve of him... Of course the answer to that is....ABSOLUTELY NOT!! hahah it was a good try Barry. He then proposed marriage to every other girl in our group. He was the funniest boy I have ever met......

The last day we woke up, cleaned up camp and got packed into our 4x4s to go to the Champagne pools. It is rock pools that are surrounded by the ocean. SO COLD!!! But definitely worth it!! It rained our entire last day!!!!  

only 7 of us got in the water the last day!!!!

We had these really cool ponchos to shield us from the rain!!!

Everyone at the very end!!! SO ATTRACTIVE after not showering for 3 days lol

Camping on the beach is DIRTY...but checkity check for my bucket list!!!

We had to ride a ferry back to Hervey Bay!!! 

So sad to leave the FRASER ISLAND!!!

BEST GROUP EVER!!! LOVED THEM!!!

TOO MUCH FUN!!