Elsja Down Under

It’s Official November 16, 2010

Yesterday I received some exciting things in the mail. I suppose they technically came last week… but Andrew had to get to the post office to pick them up for me since I can no longer do those types of things now that I’m a working girl. So what did I get in the mail you ask? I got two very official documents.

1. My permanent residency notification. I am now a full-fledged permanent resident of Australia!! This means I can get a full driver’s license (as opposed to the temporary one I had that has now expired… don’t worry, I can still legally drive on my US license) and in two years I can apply for citizenship.

2. My new social security card that reads “Elsja Hancock.” Nearly three months after our wedding, I have officially become Mrs. Hancock. Now I just need to get a new passport, change all my other official documents and practice my signature!

These were two great silver linings to a rainy Monday. Oh, and I also became an official member of the gym near my work. As much as I don’t want to pay to exercise, I really have no time in my day to work out unless I do it right before/after work or on my lunch break. Getting home at 7-8pm every night is not conducive to keeping up the motivation to exercise.

What a very official way to start the week!

A New Adventure October 23, 2010

Well I’ve already shared my iPhone joy with you all but I did mention that there were a few other exciting things going on as well. The biggest news in the last few weeks is that I got a new job!! I do have to admit that getting this new job is a tad bittersweet. I have worked for my current company for nearly six years now and for the last three I’ve been able to work from home, part time. I’ve been able to fly back to the US any time I wanted which usually meant that I was able to see my friends and family at least 3 times per year. Plus, since I worked from home, I was able to spend a lot of time with Andrew.

With this new, exciting adventure also comes a massive change in my lifestyle. It’s hard to imagine only seeing my friends and family once a year. It’s hard to know that I won’t have even half the time with Andrew that I usually have- especially since he seems to always work on weekends lately. Even with those realizations, I know the job is going to be great and it will give me something to call my own here in Sydney.

I’m really looking forward to my new adventure and to learning new things. I feel like I’ve found a job that matches my interests perfectly and so I truly feel that I will enjoy going to the office every day. I’ll have a long commute but 20 minutes of relaxation on the ferry every morning isn’t a bad way to start that commute.

So what will I be doing? I’ll be working for a boutique marketing agency in Darlinghurst and I believe my title will be marketing and social media coordinator. I’ve been reading as many articles and newsletters on social media lately as I possibly can and they are all so interesting. I’m really looking forward to learning as much as I can about this rapidly growing industry. I start in two days so I’ll fill you all in with what it’s like once I start!

Wish me luck!

My iPhone Makes me Happy October 18, 2010

It was a very happy happy day last week when my wonderful new iPhone came in the mail. I didn’t waste any time getting it all set up and I just can’t tell you how gitty this little piece of technology has made me. So far I definitely have some favourite apps. These include:

1.  Trip Planner – this little gem gives me all the ferry and bus schedules… amazing I tell you!
2. Google search – who doesn’t love the ability to search for things by simply taking a photo and/or asking a question? If you don’t have this app- get it! Asking a verbal question is SO much easier than typing it all out.
3. Foxtel- Ok so I haven’t actually used this yet but I absolutely love the fact that if I’m out for the night and realise I’ve forgotten to record my favourite show, I can just push a few buttons on my snazzy little phone and like magic, my show will be recorded and waiting for me when I get home.
4. Mobileme – yes, this is a ridiculously expensive program but I do believe it is worth it! Mail, calendar and contact syncing is pretty important to me so I’m loving this application.

What are your favourite apps??  Oh and speaking of contact syncing-  I’d also like to mention that while in the process of setting up my beautiful new phone, I was able to clean out all my contacts which just so happens to be # 15 on my 101 list. Who would have known that buying an iPhone would help me to achieve one of my goals? Win win!!

Stay tuned for more things that make me happy. There have been several over the last few weeks and I can’t wait to share them all with you!

Optus Customer Service: so far so good… October 5, 2010

Watch out world, I’m FINALLY getting with the times and becoming the proud owner of an iphone! There was a bit of a dilemma when we were trying to decide which provider to use so I did what I do best… I analyzed everything. I asked friends for recommendations on Facebook and Twitter, I called friends who have iphones, I created a massive spreadsheet that included a comparison of four different providers (roughly 2-3 plans per provider) AND I spoke to representatives for Telstra, Optus and Vodafone either on the phone or on wonderful online chat.

So Friday the Optus online chat guy told me that if I ordered my iphone online, I’d get it in 3-5 days. Not bad considering Vodafone said I’d have it in 4-6 weeks!! (Another bonus point for optus!) After consulting with Andrew on Saturday, we decided that Optus was the way to go. Telstra was a close second but only because Ben and Mike gave them good reviews. To be honest, Telstra’s plans are rubbish! Vodafone has some of the worst customer service known to man so I was not too sad to be leaving them. I didn’t hear much about Virgin so I just decided to not waste my time there.

I promptly went online to try to order my phone. I went through the entire ordering process only to have the “we are processing your order” message stay on the screen for about 5 minutes before it timed out. I  tried about five more times before sadly giving up after I received a  message saying I needed to call customer service to provide more info. Well, I couldn’t do that because they are closed on the weekends. Not only that… it was also a long weekend due to the holiday so I had to wait THREE days!! I told Andrew I felt like a kid on Christmas who just got a really cool toy to play with but my parents forgot to buy batteries.

FINALLY this afternoon I was able to call to speak to someone. Well, the not-so-helpful customer service rep quickly dismissed my request and said “you couldn’t order one because we are out of stock.” That’s it. No explanation, no estimate as to when they would get more… nothing. Any question I asked was practically ignored and he simply said he couldn’t help. I was deflated. I don’t understand why they had so much stock on Friday and NONE after a weekend where NO ONE could have called up to order one.

You are probably wondering why I think Optus has good customer service after this guy was such a tool. Well, I just refused to just accept his answer. I noticed on the Optus site that I could “Tweet” my customer service question or request. So, I did… and I got a response right away. I was pointed in the direction of a site to enter my query, so I did… and I got another response right away.

Then a guy name Julz called me and after speaking to him and another guy, Craig, I was promptly set up with a new phone plan and my brand spanking new iphone 4 will be here by Friday. I’m so excited.

I’m so thankful for the latest trends in using social media as customer service. No longer do we have to sit on phone forever with our questions and complaints. I just sent a quick little message and my questions were quickly answered. Good job Optus (just get rid of that first guy I spoke to)!!

Now Vodafone– there’s a company with a pile of crap for customer service. I had to call this morning to deal with a pretty major technical  issue and I was on the phone with the idiots for about an hour before my issue was FINALLY resolved. I will NOT miss them.

Wedding Pre-Party September 12, 2010

When I traveled to Amanda and Stephen’s wedding back in February, they hosted a little pre-wedding get-together before the actual big day. After attending the little shindig, I decided it would be a great thing to do for our wedding. Seeing as how 95% of Andrew’s clan had never met ANY of my clan, we thought it would be appropriate to round up the two groups, throw them together with some beer, pizza and a pool and see what happens.

Well I do believe it was a great success. I think the Aussies loved drinking out of the famous red cups that they always see in movies and I think they appreciated the lessons in the fine art of flip cup (p.s. the girls RULE over the boys).

And what did the Americans gain?? Well… they got to see just how crazy all the Aussies are! They witnessed first hand the reason why my drinking of wine with dinner has gone up tremendously since I moved to this country.  The good ol’ American s’mores were a fantastic finale to the night for everyone!

Even though I was a bit stressed (and even cried) at the party… (hey, I was getting married in 2 days, I was extremely emotional), I think the party was a perfect idea!  A big purpose of getting the groups together was to create a more social environment for our actual wedding night. If all the groups mingled before the big day they were more likely to mingle a bit more on the wedding night, right? Well that’s exactly what happened. I think the pre-party helped to make the wedding an even better night for everyone.

**I’d like to dedicate this blog to Shannon and Dougie Henderson and to Shawn H. to thank them for their “sponsorship” of this party. Shannon’s Candy bar and the Henderson hospitality (even when people were puking on the side of their house) were amazing and greatly appreciated. Shannon’s vodka soaked gummy bears –  which let’s be honest, really tasted like fruity vodka goo –  were “enjoyed” by all. Shawn and Oggi’s pizza supplied us with lots of DELISH pizza (that I still pretty much think about on a daily basis) and some great kegs of beer. To you all, I am eternally grateful! **

A Brand New Journey March 11, 2010

In case you have forgotten, I’d like to mention one more time that I’m going to AFRICA on Saturday. I’m really getting excited now. One more full day of work and then we’re off.

I was telling Val yesterday that this trip seems really strange. In the last 4 years I’ve flown from LA to Sydney and back again probably 12 or 13 times. I know the flight well. I know the exact desk I need to go to for check-in. I know the gate I fly out of- it’s always gate 8 or 9. I know all about the extra security procedures at gate 8 and 9. I know the exact length of the flights. I know how many movies I can watch. I know that if I try to start a movie right when they are serving breakfast, I won’t get to watch the entire thing because the entertainment system will shut down before it ends. I know the usual flight numbers I might have (QF 12, QF 8, etc.) I know that my flight will always leave around 11 or 1 (or possibly 3 depending on daylight savings). I can estimate the weight of my heavy bags and even when they are CRAMMED full, I know they will still be under the maximum weight. I know I will usually arrive around 6:30 or 8:30 am in LA. I can calculate the time zone difference in 1.2 seconds.

Like I said… I KNOW THE FLIGHTS WELL!

I know NOTHING about our flight to South Africa and it’s a weird feeling. All I am aware of is that we leave around 10:30am. I have no idea how long the flight is. I don’t know when we arrive. I don’t know exactly how many hours behind they are. I am basically putting all my faith and trust in Andrew to tell me where to go and when to be there. It’s such a strange feeling to be flying on a long international flight that is heading AWAY from LA. It’s strange and very exciting at the same time.

In two days I will show up to the airport and board our plane at a different gate.  I will fly over the Indian Ocean for the first time. I will be stepping onto a new continent, one my toes have never touched. I will explore two new countries. I will see wild mammals, great white sharks and beautiful scenery. I will climb mountains and ride boards on sand dunes. It will be a brand new journey full of first-time experiences and adventures and I can’t wait!

2009 Review January 5, 2010

Looking back on 2009, I’m filled with happiness and sadness. For a lot of people, 2009 was one of the toughest years they’ve had in a long time. I had to watch a lot of people around me suffer and struggle so I feel VERY fortunate that Andrew and I actually had a good year even through all the chaos of the world. We did a lot of fun things and reached some really big milestones in our life and for that I am truly grateful.

Let’s look back on some of the great things that happened in 2009.

***

Andrew got promoted to captain

My parents came to visit and we had an amazing time

Amanda and Stephen came to visit

Andrew and I visited California

We went snowboarding

We got engaged!!

We bought an apartment

Andrew and I both turned 29

A few of my best friends got engaged

I was able to be back in California for Thanksgiving

Andrew and I went to Perth for Christmas

Of course there were a bunch of little great things that happened as well, but I thought I’d just reflect on the major ones. 2009 was a big year for us and I hope that 2010 will be even better! Best wishes to you all for a happy new year!

Happy Birthday Fiance October 30, 2009

Ok, it’s a little late- but I’ve been busy. Wednesday the 28th was the only day I will every get to say Happy Birthday to my dearest fiance. Next year I’ll be saying it to my wonderful husband. This week Andrew turned 29 years old. That means after a month and a half of being older than him, we are finally the same age once more! We celebrated his birthday last Friday with some of his pilot friends at a restaurant called Waqu. It was a miniature degustation menu filled with all sorts of seafood and beef. Luckily they also had a vegetarian option as well. There were 15 of us in our own private room and everyone brought some wine and good conversation. So then we celebrated again on his ACTUAL birthday at Soprano’s in Mosman. Deeeeelish pizza and good friends (plus Andrew’s brother Paul and girlfriend Veronica) made the night a really good one. We even got Andrew a free piece of cheesecake and a shot of limoncello to celebrate his old age!

I’ve been waiting to post this blog because I wanted to upload pictures to go with it. Yeah, well… I lag. Finally I decided to forget the pics and post my blog anyways. If I keep waiting, you might not have anything new to read for like a month and by then the birthday would be WAY over. That’s no fun.

For Andrew’s birthday I decided to get him tickets to this ghost tour thingy in Manly. So last night we went on the tour of the old Quarantine Station.  It was really quite interesting but unfortunately I did not see or hear anything weird. I’d LOVE to see a freaking ghost. The guide told us all these stories about things they’ve seen or heard on the tours there, but what did we see? Nothing!  What did we hear? Nothing! Pretty bogus. I was hoping to see some freaky crap but unfortunately there was nothing worth noting. Probably a good thing though, Andrew might have freaked if we actually saw something supernatural. There was one time where I definitely saw this shadow moving around off in a building far away. Everyone started looking and we were all super excited until we realize it was just another tour group passing through. Oh well.

Do you want to know what the best part of the whole week was? Well, it was GREAT spending Andrew’s birthday with him (as you will recall, we didn’t always get to see each other on our birthdays due to a little something called the Pacific Ocean) but the most EXCITING part of the week was when I decided to try my ipod out just ONE more time today. I wanted to listen to some tunes while I cleaned the house. Well, I put my ipod on the speaker dock and much to my amazement, the little apple symbol appeared and then so did my music.

It’s a MIRACLE!

My ipod has risen from the dead and I’m so happy. I had a super busy/stressful week at work but Andrew’s birthday and my ipod miracle made it all worthwhile. The bottles of champagne and wine tonight with friends helped as well. But my bitchy ass whore neighbor did put a bit of a damper on the night. I’ll have to vent about her later. Stay tuned  for that one.

Until then, goodnight and happy birthday once again to my wonderful love. XO

Did I Mention… October 5, 2009

…that Andrew and I bought an apartment?

We’ve been in the process of buying the apartment since December 08. It was only completed in August and the last few months have been HELL in terms of settling. I’ll spare you the details but I think the words “bank bureaucracy” can sum it up nicely.  I didn’t even tell most of my family about the place until this last month because I was too worried it wouldn’t work out for some reason. But it did!

So time to cross #47- Own a Property- off my 101 list! WOOHOO!

 Oh and while I’m at it, I’ll cross off a few more that I’ve accomplished in the last few weeks:

#68- See another big production musical/play on stage. I saw Wicked last month with some of Andrew’s family and it was great. Honestly, as good as it was- I don’t think it was AS rave worthy as some of my Wicked obsessed friends back home made it out to be. Awesome story line and great music, but Miss Saigon is still my favorite.

#91- Get an Aussie Driver’s license. This one had actually been deleted from my list because I didn’t think it was possible. Technically you need to be on Aussie soil for 6 months (without leaving) in order to legally get one. Or… you can just let your American license expire and then go to the RTA with your fingers crossed and hope they give you one anyways. Luckily, when your overseas license expires, they DO give you one. Too bad the picture sucks ass.

Two Years September 26, 2009

Two years ago today I arrived in Australia for good. I packed up, shed a few tears and got on that plane so I could head over the ocean to be with the boy that I love so dearly. TWO WHOLE YEARS! It really has flown by.

So what better way to celebrate my 2 year anniversary than to partake in a popular Aussie tradition… I headed to the races. I’ve always wanted to go to the races but in 2 years, I still had never been. I must say a BIG BIG THANK YOU to Audra who was fabulous enough to make it possible for me to attend. What girl doesn’t love getting dressed up and spending the day in the sun drinking champagne? Ok, I’m sure plenty of girls don’t- but I do! I even put one of those fancy schmancy fascinators in my hair- although it took me awhile to figure out how I was even supposed to put it on.

Yeah… so anyways… I’ve never gambled on horses. And guess what happend today when I did?

I WON!

AHHHH I WON SO MUCH MONEY!

I bet $3 and won $960!! Yes, that’s nearly A THOUSAND dollars from a $3 buck bet!! WOOHHOO

HAHAHAHAH YAYAYAYAY

Today was the best day EVER! 

Happy 2 year anniversary to me! YAY!

Happy Birthday to Me! September 10, 2009

I really wasn’t looking forward to turning 29! I think this is the first birthday I did not care about AT ALL. It just kinda creeped up on me and then bam! there it was, I was 29. I knew Andrew had to work on my birthday as well, so that was even more the reason to not care. BUT… little did I know that Andrew had changed his flight so he could take me to a REALLY nice lunch. He planned it all on his own and it was wonderful. We went down to Wolfie’s in the Rocks. We had a great view of the bridge and the Opera House!  We enjoyed some delicious bread and I had spinach ravioli while Andrew had crab gnocchi. A birthday lunch just wouldn’t be a birthday lunch without a couple of glasses of champagne. It was perfect

Since Andrew had to work that night, our friends Kris, Tess and Alex took me out to dinner at Soprano’s in Mosman. I had yummy pizza, good wine, great company and even had chocolate cake with a sparkler. It was a really nice dinner!

AND THEN… if that wasn’t enough, Andrew’s brother Paul and his girlfriend Veronica stopped by with more wine, a cupcake and some chocolates.

My blah birthday that I wasn’t looking forward to ended up being GREAT! I’m glad to have such good friends here who didn’t want me to spend my birthday night alone.

My Dreams Have Come True August 9, 2009

“My dreams have come true” were the exact words I used when I called my best friend in the middle of the night to tell her that Andrew and I got engaged. It just spilled out of my mouth and it couldn’t be more true.

When I was younger (like teenager young) I used to lay in bed at night and pray for a boyfriend or at least for a boy to like me. Pathetic I know. Not many boys ever did, but I did have a few boyfriends. Of course none of them were right for me. Several of them were great people, but they were just meant to be with someone else. I was meant to be with someone else. I was meant to be with Andrew. I should point out that I do not believe in soul mates. I think it’s a bunch of BS… but I do have to believe there WAS something special that brought Andrew and I together. There were just too many obstacles that COULD have gotten in our way- but luckily they didn’t. Even the Pacific Ocean couldn’t keep us apart!

So on Friday, August 7th- Andrew proposed and I am SO happy. It was the best feeling ever- I only wish I wasn’t so shocked so maybe I would remember it more clearly!! I know several of you have asked for a story- so here it goes.

I had been sitting around in my grungy clothes and nappy greasy hair all day while I worked. In the late afternoon, Andrew asked if I wanted to go for a walk. It was beautiful weather outside and I was feeling quite lazy and knew I should get off my butt, so I said ok. I put on some workout clothes, put back my greasy hair and did NOT bother to put makeup on. I looked horrendous.

We walked down to middle head (a place we do walk to from time to time). It was starting to get a bit windy as we got down there and Andrew seemed to be in a rush to get to somewhere. He blamed it on the impending bad weather. My thoughts were “if it’s going to rain, why don’t we just go back?” But I followed him anyways.

We got to this little secluded point that overlooks the entrance to Sydney Harbour and I sat down. A few seconds later he asked me to stand up. That was my first hint that something was up. Why was he asking me to stand? Then he took both my hands in his, that was my second clue that this was not just a normal walk. I can’t remember word for word what he said due to my shock, but it did include “I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Then he got on one knee, pulled a box out of his pocket, opened it and said “will you marry me?”

I was NOT one of those girls that forgets to say yes. I said yes immediately and gave him a big hug. I didn’t cry- I think I was too shocked- plus if you know me, you know I don’t cry easily unless I’m really frustrated or PMSing. I did forget though that he needed to put the ring on. So he told me to put my hand out so he could slip it on. As he did he said “size 6″- it was cute, like he was confirming that he bought the right size. It fit perfectly and I love it!!

Then Andrew surprised me by pulling out 2 mini champagne bottles and some glasses out of his backpack. We sat and enjoyed the moment as the sun was going down and the clouds were rolling in. He called a few people and hearing him tell others that we just got engaged actually made me tear up a bit more. It was so weird to hear it!

Once the weather started looking really bad, we decided to head back. We had quite a trek ahead of us and it started raining on us and the cold front came in so the temperature dropped and we were freezing!! We even started running at one point just to build some body heat. We finally made it home and I got to call and wake up my mom & dad, my sister and my best friend.

They were ALL so happy and so excited!! None of them seemed to mind that I woke them up at 1:30 am I think my favorite reaction of that night was from my niece- because it was just so sweet. I found out the next day that when my sister got off the phone with me, she went and kissed Emma (thinking she was sleeping) and said “I love you.”  Emma said “I love you too.” So Bronwen’s reaction was “you’re awake??” She figured she’d tell her about us so she said “guess what? Pilot Andrew is really going to be your uncle now.” Emma’s reaction… “I love Andrew.”

I love him too Emma!!

It’s Raining Americans May 4, 2009

Did I mention I have some visitors here? The lovely Amanda and super cool Stephen arrived yesterday morning bright and early. It was really fun going to bed at 4am the night before and then hearing my door buzzer go off at 7:30am. But, as soon as I heard Amanda’s voice on the other side of the intercom I was no longer tired. I’m so happy to see my friend and her awesome boyfriend.

Yesterday we went straight out to explore a few key areas of Sydney. We took a ferry from Mosman to Circular Quay and then walked around there and had lunch at a cute little cafe in the Rocks. Then we walked to Darling Harbour and had a look around there. It was packed since DH is celebrating its 21st birthday.

Interestingly enough, another girl I know is here from the US as well. Deena is here with her boyfriend and they are staying near Darling Harbour. When we were walking around I thought “it’s too bad she doesn’t have a phone I could call, we could try to meet up with her.”

Well, it didn’t really matter anyways because as we were standing in the information center looking at some brochures I heard  “HI” and we all turned to see none other than Deena herself standing there in the exact center looking at the exact brochures at the exact same time. How weird is that?

It’s cool to have some friends in town. I know I just had my parents here and that was great- we were able to go do and see so much that I don’t normally do on my own. But my parents don’t exactly like to go out and drink and dance- so it will be cool to get to do some of that later this week.

Seriously… with all the people I know visiting Australia (not all here for me of course but visiting Sydney, nonetheless) I feel like it’s raining Americans! I’ve known 7 different people who have been here just in the last 3 months. It’s great to get to get out and do stuff with people from back home. It was also great eating at my favorite Thai place last night… yum!

Today we hung around our neck of the woods. We had brunch at Balmoral, walked around the beach a bit, nearly got attacked by swarming seagulls, saw some kookaburras and then walked back up the hill to come home. Of course we were super hot when we got to the top of the hill (since the weather has been beautiful today) so the only real solution to solve our heat and sweat issues was to stop and have a few drinks at the convenient pub near my house.

Now it’s nappy time for Amanda and Stephen and I’m going to go chop up guacamole ingredients for our Mexican fiesta tonight!

I would post photos, but I left my camera in my purse… which I left in Andrew’s car… and he’s at work. So for now, you only have words to read and no pictures to look at.

Until next time…

(which may be awhile since I’m too busy having fun with my friends)

Birthdays and Earth Days April 21, 2009

First of all, happy happy birthday to my dad

Secondly… Happy Earth Day for tomorrow. I really don’t celebrate Darth Day. How does one celebrate anyways? Pick up trash/rubbish? Plant a tree? I do think we planted trees when I was a kid in elemenatry school. Maybe I should learn to be more earthy… but until I do, let’s just celebrate with some funnies, shall we?

 

 

 

 

�

April Showers April 3, 2009

There’s that old saying “April showers bring May flowers, blah blah.” Well… in Australia, April showers don’t bring flowers. Because May comes right before the start of winter and everyone knows the prettiest flowers typically come in Spring and Summer.

ANNNYWAYS…

So if April Showers don’t bring May flowers in Australia, what DO they bring?

They bring Amanda and Stephen!!!

I’m so very happy that my friend Amanda decided to come on a spur of the moment trip to Australia with her boyfriend whom I’m very excited to meet for the very first time! And they’re coming in less than a month!

I like to send my friends and family back home nice little emails from time to time pointing out how totally cheap it is to fly to Australia at the moment. Unfortunately, most people just say “wow that’s a great deal” and then move on with their life. Oh well, I know “VERY CHEAP” is still not cheap enough for everyone. Understandable. Except for good ol’ Amanda. She actually did realize that this IS a great time to come and she did something about it!! Way to take initiative!! She sent me her itinerary today and she’ll be here from May 3rd through May 10th. It is a short trip, but it’s SO much better than no trip at all.

Now I have more itineraries to plan, and conveniently since my parents were just here I have lots of ideas!