So, today my parents left for Spain (it's alright for some- I'm just slumming it in Australia!), and will not be contactable by email during this time. Father instructed me to phone should the need for assistance arise, but alack, my mobile doesn't seem to work in the land of Oz.
I am on my own.
Granted, it's only for two weeks, which is not a lot of time; I've been out of contact with my parents for longer, certainly. But this time I am on the other side of the world, in a country where I am still very new; where I can't just make a transfer from my savings account if I mismanage my funds, because it takes a long time to transfer; where I can't contact Orla or Moira if something comes up.
I am on my own.
I understand I'm being melodramatic and that, most likely, this fortnight will pass without incident (I am trying to kick my habit of knocking on wood- right now is an ordeal, to say the least. It's just the knowledge that, should some thing go awry (this word should not rhyme with my name, Esmond), I will have to brave the storm without parental guidance. I could fall so much further than I ever have before, but I could also soar to new heights.
I am on my own.
Time to kick ass.
Showing posts with label contact. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contact. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Our feature presentation
I come to you once more from the Rowden White, where, I've discovered, there are little signs on the desks reading 'please do not study'. I think I'm going to like it here.
Just checking in to inform you that last night I saw 'The Dark Knight Rises'; an awesome film, to be sure, but the experience around going was what I mainly wanted to talk about (however, I want to be the first to point out how much Bane sounds like Rik- 'Impossible!'). For one thing, we drove there; nearly all my antipodean peers can drive, it would seem, as their system of learning is much less strict than ours, from what I understand. I was trying to remember the last time I was in a car not driven by my parents, and I honestly drew a blank until I remembered back to the night after my Spanish exam, when the entire class went for tapas and we all drove back together, somewhat tipsy (I'm sure the driver wasn't...yeah, almost definitely sure). That was two years ago. I feel I was due a road trip with my fellows.
Also, I don't know if it's Australian cinema culture in general or just the particular screening I was in, but my word would Kermode have been appalled. Everyone was talking. About what was happening right there, in front of them, two seconds after it happened. I won't reveal the twist at the end of the film, suffice to say that mere moments after it happened, the person to my right predicted it for his mystified girlfriend. Well done you. Not. Plus, nearly everyone, including, I am ashamed to inform you, the very Australians I had travelled there with, had their phones out. One of my fellows' phones went off during the feature, revealing his ringtone to be theremin music, much to the delight of everyone, excepting myself. Guys, we've paid $11 for the privilege of watching this film- maybe we should do that instead of texting one another, yeah? Alack.
There is one other aspect of this experience I feel I should relate to you- after we all purchased our tickets, individually so as to avoid people having to barter about what was owed and to whom, I was found to be seated a row in front of all my fellows, entirely on my own. Well, I took my assigned seat as this seems to be the only aspect of the cinephile's code that it's not kosher to break in Oz, and waited and waited for others to arrive, so I would feel like less of a loser. Well, arrive they finally did; the couple who would squeal spoilers at one another once they'd already passed. I yelled a sarcastic 'Friends!' when they sat down next to me, turning to my fellows as I did.
At which point, the man switched places with his filly, so as not to be next to me.
Charming.
Just checking in to inform you that last night I saw 'The Dark Knight Rises'; an awesome film, to be sure, but the experience around going was what I mainly wanted to talk about (however, I want to be the first to point out how much Bane sounds like Rik- 'Impossible!'). For one thing, we drove there; nearly all my antipodean peers can drive, it would seem, as their system of learning is much less strict than ours, from what I understand. I was trying to remember the last time I was in a car not driven by my parents, and I honestly drew a blank until I remembered back to the night after my Spanish exam, when the entire class went for tapas and we all drove back together, somewhat tipsy (I'm sure the driver wasn't...yeah, almost definitely sure). That was two years ago. I feel I was due a road trip with my fellows.
Also, I don't know if it's Australian cinema culture in general or just the particular screening I was in, but my word would Kermode have been appalled. Everyone was talking. About what was happening right there, in front of them, two seconds after it happened. I won't reveal the twist at the end of the film, suffice to say that mere moments after it happened, the person to my right predicted it for his mystified girlfriend. Well done you. Not. Plus, nearly everyone, including, I am ashamed to inform you, the very Australians I had travelled there with, had their phones out. One of my fellows' phones went off during the feature, revealing his ringtone to be theremin music, much to the delight of everyone, excepting myself. Guys, we've paid $11 for the privilege of watching this film- maybe we should do that instead of texting one another, yeah? Alack.
There is one other aspect of this experience I feel I should relate to you- after we all purchased our tickets, individually so as to avoid people having to barter about what was owed and to whom, I was found to be seated a row in front of all my fellows, entirely on my own. Well, I took my assigned seat as this seems to be the only aspect of the cinephile's code that it's not kosher to break in Oz, and waited and waited for others to arrive, so I would feel like less of a loser. Well, arrive they finally did; the couple who would squeal spoilers at one another once they'd already passed. I yelled a sarcastic 'Friends!' when they sat down next to me, turning to my fellows as I did.
At which point, the man switched places with his filly, so as not to be next to me.
Charming.
Friday, 13 July 2012
A splash of colour
Just now, I had genuine, spontaneous contact with two people my own age. It was glorious.
They were a young couple. I was at the train station, see, near Yarra, but I didn't know the way back, having walked an overcircuitous that morning to the next station over. I overheard them discussing what they would have for dinner- he wanted a hamburger, maybe a pizza, she, fish cakes with onions (maybe making them into a sandwich- well, it takes all sorts to make a world.)
Well, they didn't seem the mugging type, so I screwed my courage to the sticking place and asked for directions. I told them I was looking for NMIT as people don't seem to have heard of Yarra House; it turns out they were walking the same direction, so they escorted me part of the way.
The girl reminded me a little of Ramona from Scott Pilgrim- a comparison she would have cherished, judging by the steampunk goggles proudly displayed atop her head. I commented on them and she was delighted to meet someone who knew what steampunk was. The man was more reserved, but he still managed to get a laugh about my obvious Britishness. He was an engineer and physicist, studying at RMIT, she a environment scientist and international study...er at Deacon. From what I gathered, they knew each other from the rural idyll they both came from. I didn't get either of their names, not that it would have helped since I don't have facebook, but I may meet them again on the public transport to which I am now enslaved.
For the sake of thoroughrority, I should say I returned to the games room last night to find the same man there. His name is Michael. He is quite nice, from what I can gather and asked me (yet again) what I wanted to watch. I noticed Back to the Future on the tivo. We watched the entire trilogy together. The only reason this does not count as contact is that over the course of six hours, we exchanged five lines of dialogue. Of course, going by this rate of increase, by Wednesday we should be married.
This is not related to the rest of this post, but I want to record it anyway- the principle difference I have noticed between Australia and the UK so far, excepting currency and accents, is the birds: the ones outside my window sound like monkeys and look like magpies on steroids. And today, as I was walking back, I glimpsed a beautiful, Macaw-like thing just sitting in a tree. It was like a rainbow had perched on the branch and I was awe-struck. I have no idea what it was, but I hope there are more of them because there is nothing like that just flying around in Edinburgh.
They were a young couple. I was at the train station, see, near Yarra, but I didn't know the way back, having walked an overcircuitous that morning to the next station over. I overheard them discussing what they would have for dinner- he wanted a hamburger, maybe a pizza, she, fish cakes with onions (maybe making them into a sandwich- well, it takes all sorts to make a world.)
Well, they didn't seem the mugging type, so I screwed my courage to the sticking place and asked for directions. I told them I was looking for NMIT as people don't seem to have heard of Yarra House; it turns out they were walking the same direction, so they escorted me part of the way.
The girl reminded me a little of Ramona from Scott Pilgrim- a comparison she would have cherished, judging by the steampunk goggles proudly displayed atop her head. I commented on them and she was delighted to meet someone who knew what steampunk was. The man was more reserved, but he still managed to get a laugh about my obvious Britishness. He was an engineer and physicist, studying at RMIT, she a environment scientist and international study...er at Deacon. From what I gathered, they knew each other from the rural idyll they both came from. I didn't get either of their names, not that it would have helped since I don't have facebook, but I may meet them again on the public transport to which I am now enslaved.
For the sake of thoroughrority, I should say I returned to the games room last night to find the same man there. His name is Michael. He is quite nice, from what I can gather and asked me (yet again) what I wanted to watch. I noticed Back to the Future on the tivo. We watched the entire trilogy together. The only reason this does not count as contact is that over the course of six hours, we exchanged five lines of dialogue. Of course, going by this rate of increase, by Wednesday we should be married.
This is not related to the rest of this post, but I want to record it anyway- the principle difference I have noticed between Australia and the UK so far, excepting currency and accents, is the birds: the ones outside my window sound like monkeys and look like magpies on steroids. And today, as I was walking back, I glimpsed a beautiful, Macaw-like thing just sitting in a tree. It was like a rainbow had perched on the branch and I was awe-struck. I have no idea what it was, but I hope there are more of them because there is nothing like that just flying around in Edinburgh.
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