3 Reasons Why You Should Live in Sydney

Every morning rain or shine, a cool breeze kicks through my window and licks the top of my head as I slowly come into consciousness. The tropical birds have been awake for no longer than an hour, but their gossip in the trees becomes quite humorous. The Sun rises steadily from the North, and by 8 am its rays have touched every road, and home. While Australia may be a mystery for so many, it’s beautiful landscape and evanescent atmosphere make it sure a fit place for many families looking to start new. If you have never experienced Australia before, here are three reasons why living in Sydney is definitely something you should do before you die.

#3 Its Australia

So you’ve watched Finding Nemo, and have maybe heard about Gallipoli, but what is Australia and why should you live there? Australia is unlike any other continent you will ever visit in your entire life. Its citizens live and breathe “Green,” the winters are extremely mild, and it’s home to the largest ecosystem in the entire world; the Great Barrier Reef. Its citizens are friendly and laid back. Politics are nowhere as complicated as the States, and Sydney is home to hundreds of the most gorgeous beaches unlike anything you have ever seen. Let’s not forget the unique Wildlife, an intense love for sport, and a small population of only 21 million people (rough estimate of Australia). Sydney is a small, compact and gorgeous city with plenty to see and do, why not take a chance and go?

#2 Pay Day!

Unlike the US and many other countries around the world, Australia’s minimum wage is around 22 dollars for the average 18 year old. You can imagine living here for a few years would definitely benefit your bank account, and for a close-to-graduating student like me, I wouldn’t mind getting my start in Sydney! I could then come home after a while to start paying off some student loans! The unemployment rate for Australia is around 5%, which means 1 million of its citizens cannot find jobs, or are applying for government aid. Of that 5%, 18% are aboriginal, while the other percentages include senior citizens, immigrants and of course the mentally unstable. Australia is such a young and innovative country; it would be a very smart idea to consider hunting for your next position here in Sydney.

#1 Why Wait?

Sydney cares about its citizens, and this is extremely evident with the government’s provisional health care system. Yes, health care is free. It’s a solid system, and unlike the US, there is no debate of its success. Its citizens also take health very seriously as well, and this is evident with the thousands of people in Sydney who are in great shape! With such a healthy choice for cuisine, it’s hard not to constantly be eating fresh fruits, veggies and seafood for every meal. Sydney provides gorgeous beaches, active trails for running and hiking, and the Blue Mountains for those interested in the beautiful Australian terrain. Public transport is the best system I’ve experienced, and with strict gun laws, safety is something Australians take very seriously. Of course the night life is great, and fashion is cutting edge as well, on par with Paris or Milan. Men should also know there is a 2:1 ratio Female to Male. Good news eh?

Altogether, there are so many positive reasons to make your way into Sydney, even if it is only for a few months. Australia is home to so many things, so it’s important to start planning for a few months so you can do it all. Start thinking about how Sydney could change your life; with cutting edge technology, cheerful people and delectable food, it’s no wonder why Australians are 6^th on the list for life longevity!

WEEK ONE

Sydney really is a beautiful city. There is so much to see and do, I’m quite thankful that I had this opportunity to live here for four months because I couldn’t imagine just being a tourist for one week!

As I mentioned in my last post, I am very much enjoying everything Australia has to offer. I want to treat this experience like a pilgrimage. I want to be so much immersed, that I will be walking and talking like an Australian by the time I get home in June! I know that is quite the exaggeration; however I hope you see where I am coming from, I don’t want to look like a tourist while I am here.

As of right now, I am living with a great family in Croydon. If you were to pass by my house, you wouldn’t think anything of it. Small, fenced in yard with what appears to be a mile long driveway. There is some bush lining the fence, and barred windows to protect from intruders ~ My first impression: I’m going to be living in a prison lol

But….looks can be deceiving. As you enter the home you are welcomed to beautiful wood flooring, gorgeous red brick, and an aroma of pasta that has been cooking all morning. The house is clean and tidy with not a crumb to be seen, and as you make your way to the back, you are greeted with a spacious back yard with pool! My roommate and I were very pleased by this grand entrance lol

My family has two kids, whom are 4 and 9, and very much like the idea of having two 21 year old men living in the house. I think my new Mom likes the idea of having some boys to rough around their kids a little bit too J

Well, to fast forward, I can safely say I can navigate my way around. I know which buses will take me to school, and which ones will lead me to the city. I also have found out that some buses don’t always follow their routes, and at times you need to get off before you find yourself farther away from home than you want to be.

I had my first spider experience Sunday as well. It was big and hungry. I tried to get a picture, but was too scared to get close. You can walk the spiders on leashes here they’re so big.  I’m positive I would have pooped my pants, if it blew into me!

On another note, I started school on Monday! I found myself with 12 other people who have a love for hip hop music and want to take it to another level. Yes, I am in a dance class. It’s hard, I can’t move the way some of these people can, and hopefully by the end, I will be in Step Up 5. I’ve found that I am completely out of my element at this school. I’m not talented in the arts, and everyone surrounding me definitely is in some way, so that is definitely humbling. I can’t “stand out” here by my talents, because they are only good back home! Haha

I finally got my number, so if you want to text me it’s 61 466 580 451

I still have a full week of classes but I feel good about everything right now! I am planning my trip to the Great Barrier Reef this weekend, and I will also be picking up my Surfboard this week too! I also was able to visit some true Australian pubs, including the oldest in Sydney, and I went to a professional basketball game! The Sydney Kings!

After the game, I went to the Paddy Market in Chinatown. You know I will be doing all of my souvenir shopping there lol But they have everything so it’s pretty sweet!

Next week I will be going to Featherdale Wildlife Park, which I will get pictures with the Koala’s and Kangaroos! I’m pretty excited!

Wish me luck!

Next week’s post will be about the 5 Reasons you’ll want to live in Sydney!

I miss you, and I hope to hear from some of you soon!

Australia in the Eyes of a Midwestern Kid

If you were to combine the City of Chicago, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Louisville from the perspectives of culture and attractions, you would have Sydney, Australia.

The city is broken up into main suburbs much like home, and its people seem to walk and talk with a certain confidence unknown to the average tourist. The buildings tower over luscious green parks and even the homeless men can be seen enjoying the golden rays of sun on a perfectly perched bench.

However, Sydney is nothing like home. The homeless all tell you to smile, because you are in Australia. The Crows sound like crying babies, and absolutely everyone looks good. I have spent four days soaking in every bit of Australia that I can, and let me tell you, I have yet to see one overweight person!

Don’t expect to even hear a siren during your stay. I was lucky enough to see a fire truck drive through the streets of Sydney, it was then that I realized that was the first siren I heard, and has been the last one as well. BTW, Fire trucks look like a red short bus.

Public transit is very nice so far. The trains are clean, the buses smell fresh, and you seriously do not need to worry about the person sitting next to you. Everyone is very friendly and approachable, and I would not hesitate to talk to someone if boredom was a factor.

Getting used to the road system is very different as well. Of course the driver sits on the opposite side of the vehicle, but they also drive on the other side of the road as well. Gas is called Petrol, and petrol is sold by the liter. 1.57 if that fits your fancy. 4 liters go to a gallon, and a tank can get quite expensive which is why I will not be driving during my duration! Lol

When it comes to Uni, Aussies don’t really stress about schooling the way Americans do. In fact, many Australians don’t see their GPA until after they graduate. In American terms, C’s get degrees. Lol The grading terms are different as well, considering the grading scale in nothing like the A-F system we have. In other words, I wish I had just gone to school here in Sydney. It takes 3 years to graduate, and all you really need is that piece of paper saying you finished your specific program of education.

Many Americans seem to have a hard time accepting the Mexicans who receive free health care, and all the benefits of being American. Well, in Australia, 40% of the population is of another culture, with most being Asian. So Asians are as to Mexicans when it comes to alienating a new country.

I will speak more about my host family as I progress, but right now I am excited to say I am staying with a great family in a neighborhood called Croydon. Croydon is a small village in the outskirts of Sydney, but fairly close to my school which is nice. The family is made up of two little boys, two cats, as well and Mr. and Mrs. Nair who are very kind. Mr. Nair is from Fiji, and Mrs. Nair is from Italy. As you can see, Italian and Seafood will be a very delicious diet J

I will not have as much internet the first few days I am here, so please give me some time to get going. I am still learning public transportation here in Australia, and I will be planning on purchasing a bike here soon too!

If you have any questions about Australia, feel free to ask me! I will be happy to find out the answer for you. I will be sharing my new phone number soon as well when I get that all set up!

Continue to follow on Facebook and Twitter and I will be posting some instagram photos soon!!!

Peace.

PS. Australian internet is terrible!!!!!!!!!

Preparation: 27 Days

Hello World,

Well, it's been a little while since my last post. So I suppose you would like to know how I am spending my time off from school.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of  hanging out with some of my  old friends, as well as my Grandma and Brother at the 28th Annual Cubs Convention. With plenty of players, artifacts and conferences I definitely had my winter Cubs fix. One of the highlights of the convention involved meeting Kerry Wood, who was my favorite pitcher growing up. Although he finally retired last year, it was great to see him still involved with the organization. With that being said, I felt that I should join his cause to help kids in and around the city of Chicago. So I applied to intern with the Wood Family Foundation! Here's the link! They do some pretty great stuff during the summer, so hopefully I can be apart of that as well. I have an interview next week, so wish me luck, and any prayers would be nice too :)
http://mlb.mlb.com/players/woodfamilyfoundation/index.jsp

While preparing for Australia, I decided to look into things to do there on youtube. Of course I found some great stuff, but then I found this...The Huntsman Spider!!! Watch this video. This is the only reason why I am getting scared to go haha 
Stupid Spider Video

As the days keep counting down, I am growing farther and farther away from wanting to do school work. This of course is not good, because it means I'm not gonna have fun the first few weeks in my new country. But, after this semester is over, I will finally be a senior! Which means that I will be done with school forever and I am definitely ready for that.

My brother and I also saw Haunted House. It's really funny, but super stupid. So if you want to have a good laugh see that! 
I also saw Django which is sickk!!! See that if you want to see the best movie of your life! lol I'm still trying to see the Hobbit. So if anyone is down. Please tell me!

I have also had the opportunity to do some extra PR work while I have been home with my High School. So tomorrow I will be conducting a focus group to get some inside Social Media information for the school. Thank you Dr. Lee, for giving me the skills for that!

With all this being said, I am looking forward to my trip and cannot wait to start living in a completely new culture. I know things will be completely different than I'm used to, however I also know that I will be making some sick connections along the way. I figured I might as well network there so at some point I can move to a nice Australian city. Feel free to join me if you would like.

Well, I hope things are well. I miss everyone at school too. I want to come back for a Komets game, so if you're down to go, let me know and I will make my way back! 

If you would like to follow my travels on Twitter you can here:http://twitter.com/mikebruce1291

If you would like to follow my pictures on Instagram you can here: mbruce1291

If you would like to connect professionally you can here: linkedin.com/in/michaelbruce3

Until next time....

Peace!