Why Australia?

My response is, "Well, why not?" But before I start blogging about this country I now call home, let me explain what brought me here in the first place. It all started with a dream about koala bears and kangaroos. They are being slaughtered and eaten alive by hungry carnivorous Aussies so I must make it my life mission to save them...Ok seriously, I am not big on animals so couldn't really care less even if I did have that dream. But I did meet a bunch of fun-loving meat-pie-eating never-without-a-beer-in-hand Australians when I was working in Tokyo (see pics). Throughout most of 2006, we worked together, ate most of our meals together, spent countless late nights partying or singing karaoke together, explored Tokyo together, practiced our Japanese with each other, and lived in the same apartment complex (some of us even lived on the same floor creating a very collegiate dormitory environment). It was a gray, melancholy day when I left Tokyo and had to say goodbye. Since then almost everyone else has left Tokyo one by one. A few remained, some returned home, while others looked for job opportunities in cities around the world.

After a year has gone by, swiftly if I might add, as Justin and I were thinking about where to start our next adventure, my best Aussie pal Ben informed me about a new Work and Holiday visa that President Bush just passed in October (well I guess he did something right). This new visa allows Americans to live and work in Australia for up to 12 months. I submitted my application online and was approved within a week. Even though I had never stepped foot there, I knew it wouldn't be too difficult to adjust. At least this time around language lessons won't be necessary to get around. Since Ben would also be returning home to Melbourne after a year in London, he has generously invited us to stay with him at his house. That's when we decided that when ski season ends, we would pack up our bags and move to Melbourne where we will settle down, get a job, visit friends in Sydney and Perth, backpack around the outback, and explore New Zealand where Lord of the Rings was filmed. Still no luck with the job thing, but this weekend I am being initiated into my first AFL game (Aussie rules football) aka "footy." Oh goody! Hey that rhymes.