While Tom is at work, I have been cruising around on my new bike to look at apartments. The city and surrounding areas are extremely bike friendly. In fact, cycling is often faster than driving due to traffic. Riding on the left side of the road took some getting used to!
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| Albert Park |
Cost of living is generally cheaper here compared to Portland, especially with the favorable exchange rate (1 AUD to 0.65 USD). However, the rental market is competitive and pricey--although I admit that I am picky and have high standards. Luckily, rentals are largely pet friendly!
While I continue pursuing work in the nonprofit sector, I picked up two part-time jobs. I start as a Sales Associate at Trek next week, which will be a fun way to expand my cycling knowledge and engage with like-minded people.
I also registered as a pet sitter for Mad Paws. My first client is a two-week house stay in northwestern suburb, Maribyrnong, with an affectionate 1-year-old kitty named Solar. Miss you, Louie!
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| Maribyrnong River |
During the evenings, Tom and I have been exploring the downtown food scene. Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines are superb; Mexican less so.
We went to our first Australian football game with Tom's coworker, April. Different than rugby, soccer, and American football, "footy" is a fast-paced game played on an oval field (cricket ground). It is the most popular sport in Victoria.
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| Carlton vs. Melbourne |
That same night, Australia beat France in the quarter-final of the FIFA Women's World Cup. The tournament was hosted by Australia and New Zealand this year. Unfortunately, the Matildas lost to England in the semi-final.
Change is hard, and setbacks are discouraging, but I was recently reminded of my initial fondness for Melbourne during my visit in 2019. Thank you, Georgia.
