Nearing the End & Approaching a New Beginning

At the time of my last post, I had just settled into life in Vaucluse with my great new host family - Rob, Danika, Bella, & Charlie. Lots has happened since then, so I'll try to briefly fill you in on what I've been up to in my final 3 months on my Work and Holiday visa - but read ahead for my exciting plan to return to Australia !

My birthday in Australia was a smashing success - cementing some new friendships with my closest au pair friends & mixing Al's & my friend groups, which led to a regular group of guys & girls to go out together on the weekends. In addition to dinner out, I went to the Darling Harbour fireworks then to watch a German soccer game, then spent a Sunday afternoon at a trampoline park & brewery - it was a weekend well-spent.

Passport Pandora charm that Mama mailed me for my birthday !

Thai food & BYO - the weekend standard

Great friends made my birthday amazing - Quentin, Al, Guy, Anna, Kieran, Jenny, Maddy, Maggie, & Anna (+ more not pictured)!

Sleeping on the train...thankfully Al made sure I got off okay !

Fireworks at Darling Harbour during Vivid 

Hanging out with 18 Germans to watch the Hamburg soccer game

Pub snacks & beer flights at Rocks Brewery

Exploring Graffiti Tunnel on Sydney Uni's campus

Vivid at Sydney Uni with Tan !

The last weekend in May was one for cashing in on Christmas presents, as Al & I went to the Ben Howard concert (his pressie to me) & also climbed the Harbour Bridge during Vivid Festival (Christmas pressie to us from Irene, Georgette, & Shara) !

Ben Howard !!

Fun concert - not as much old stuff but still an amazing artist !

Thanks Irene, Georgette, & Shara for our awesome gift !!

Silly at the tallest point on the Harbour Bridge, overlooking the Opera House during Vivid !

Going into the Australian winter, I settled into a familiar routine with my friends as well as Bella & Charlie. The group of my mates & Al's quickly settled into a routine of going out together on the weekends, & I have had free time during school hours to meet up with girlfriends during the week.

Thai food in Newtown with the crew

Swinging over the Opera House/Harbour Bridge !

O Bar drinks with the girls & a Harbour Bridge view

Beach Road Hotel for the first State of Origin game

Morning run with Jenny & Bear down to The Gap

Vivid display in the CBD !

Nielsen Park lunch with the girls

Hermitage Foreshore Walk

CBD from Vaucluse

Lovely little Milk Beach

Pregaming in Kieran's office

Good times on Oxford St

Al's footy match

Sunday Funday when Monday's the Queen's birthday !

Silly Anna hahah

The Office Crew

Sunset at Rose Bay ferry wharf

I also have been after as much extra work as possible, as I have spent all of my money in Australia & didn't need to come home bone-dry. I have begun babysitting regularly for a couple families, doing odd jobs for a single mother a few suburbs away, & doing some extra hours ironing & babysitting for my current host family.

With Bella & Charlie, we have all become closer, & I am really enjoying spending time with them. I've learned a lot in a short time, & I see them liking me & looking to me as a "big sister" more & more, which is great. Some of my favorite moments (& when I feel most appreciated) are when Charlie asks to play handball with me or asks if we can play a game (even when it's a time he's technically allowed electronics...that, to me, is success!!) or when Bella loops her arm through mine & wants to chat about boys or friends at school (becoming more frequent as she trusts & likes me more). Over school holidays, we got to do all sorts of fun things like go to the park, have playdates with friends, have a picnic on the beach, eat frozen yogurt, bake, & more. For the last week of school holidays, the family vacationed in northern Queensland, so I had the week free to pick up extra work (& ended up working long hours every day & saving heaps).

Additionally, several weeks ago, my host dad offered to help me get situated to come back to Oz on a student visa (taking a business course for three hours on Saturday mornings) if I can continue to au pair for them for a year or so. I was absolutely floored, flattered, & excited, as I hadn't thought coming back so soon would be an option. There have been a lot of details to iron out but I was keen to accept because I am really happy with the Southwells, in Sydney, & in Australia. I didn't have an immediate plan for when I come home, & I am coming home with very little money to get me started on any path at all (& all in Australian dollars now, at that!). By coming back to Australia, I will be able to continue my care for Bella & Charlie & be a constant for them (rather than getting accustomed to new au pairs every few months), spend summertime (& every season of the next year & more) in Sydney with the Southwells, & try to earn extra money during my free hours, as much as I can under the terms of my visa. Rob even offered to help me to try to find some part-time work in his accounting office, hopefully doing some marketing/PR work. I of course wanted to make sure Sadie was taken care of for the next year & first looked into bringing her to join me in Australia, as Rob had said she was welcome to stay. As it turns out, air fare is nothing compared to the cost of a 10-day quarantine upon arrival plus a process of vet check-ups in the U.S., some of which must be done six months prior to arrival in Australia. My mom has offered to continue to watch Sadie, however, so we have agreed that Sadie will stay in the U.S. with her; I know my three-week visit will be far too short with her & the rest of my family.

So that said, I am down to under two days left in Oz for this visa but with plans to spend a three-week holiday at home in August (part of which will be in Utah/Arizona with Olivia & Nate!!) before returning to my au pair job here in Sydney, with the addition of a business course & on a student visa. Since my time will be so sort, I will try to see as many friends & family members as possible & will be eating my body weight in Mexican food & Chick Fil A. My kids are excited that I'll be able to bring some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans back to them as well as some obnoxiously American foods/toys.

I am really excited to come back to Australia, & I hope to use my time here to make back some of the money I've spent so that I'll be better-situated to start "a real job" when that day comes. I can't wait to relax at home with my family & get recharged before heading off again to the adventure of the next year & a half.

Thanks to ALL of my friends & family for your love & support during my last year abroad, & I hope to see as many of you as possible while I am home, before returning to Sydney at the end of August !

Until next time,
Alli Hogan