I'll admit it. I've had a case of the "grumpies" lately. It's not easy moving countries. It's not all glamorous. I'm still trying to adjust and get my footing here. It can be difficult living in a country when you only know a handful of people. Perhaps, one has the tendency to rely a little too much on one particular person. It's hard to avoid when you hardly know anyone and all the people you meet in your hostel seem to have minimal English speaking abilities.
I've been trying to find a place to live in a share house. Mostly I've been looking on gumtree. It works like this - people with an available room to rent in their house or apartment post it - and if you think you might like to live there you contact the poster to go have a viewing of the place. So far, I've looked at 3 places, all of which I said - "yes, I'd like to live here." The response has been, "sorry, you clearly are just not cool enough and I'd rather not live with you." Sure, they normally say it a bit nicer than that, but you get the picture. Yesterday, I had an appointment to go see a guesthouse to which the real estate agent never showed up. *Insert grumpiness* Very professional of her, don't you think?
I think perhaps I've been setting my sights on "too cool" of suburbs. Too many people want to live in these super cool suburbs. Hence more people go view the available rooms and there is more competition to get to live with strangers you weren't even really impressed with anyways! I'm going to start lowering my standards and see what happens.
MORE GRUMPY HAPPENINGS: So yesterday one the cleaners comes into my room in the hostel. I am currently the only one in this room. He "cleans" the place... you know picks up garbage left by others and brushes off the used dirty sheets with his hands so they'll be clean when new people arrive. Later that day, while getting ready to go out. I notice my perfume is missing. *Now this perfume is important to me because I bought as a gift for my mother from Ireland and when she passed away this is something I kept for myself. I wear it. This is actually the only perfume I own, and I brought it with me all the way from America - so I could have it here.* I start freaking out slightly when I notice it is missing. I calm myself down - and go on a mission to find the cleaner. I find him. I ask about the perfume. He leads me back upstairs to a closet next to my room where he gives me my things. I was so relieved when I saw him pull them out. Only problem the perfume was missing! He gave me everything for the cupboard he cleared (that he thought had been left behind by another hostel guest) except for the perfume. Gum I brought from America - various hair sprays - deodorant - mouth wash - etc. But, no perfume! I asked about the perfume. He said "the lady left" I said, "no that was mine." I tried to explain to him the perfume is important, that it was my mothers. He replied, "the lady left." I tried a few more times to explain but his ability to speak English really took a nosedive, all he kept saying was something to the effect, "the lady left." So, I excused myself to my room buried my face in my towel to cry and tried to tell myself, "it's just a thing... it's just a thing... it's just a thing." After a few minutes of that. I got up. Brushed myself off - and got the heck out of the hostel. Okay okay... I still had a case of the grumpies... but at least I was trying.
TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN: Okay, friends that talk to me online from back home have probably started to worry about me and my case of the "grumpies." Not too worry friends, I think this is all just part of adjusting to a new country. Hecks, maybe even part of it is my body adjusting to a new time zone. Whatever the case, I recognize I need to get out and try harder! Make a life for myself and have that adventure. Stay positive! (Right, Dad?)
I've lived in other countries before. But, I've never bought a one way ticket. I've never not known when I would be home again. Let's face it folks, it's a lot easier to leave home and your family and friends when you know when you will see them again. I'm not saying this isn't something I can do. I'm just saying this is harder than it was before.
Cheers + lots of love to everyone back home!
♥