Australian Expats: Four Months Away From Home

Wow, I’ve made it four months a.k.a a third of the year away from home and expating it. I am so thankful everything has worked out perfectly for me. It must have been all those positive vibes I sent out into the universe. This month was a bit more work and a bit less adventuring, but I tried to get out and do as much as I could in my spare time.

Weeks 13 to 16

Well, after beginning the month by eating at restaurant two in my 80 Eats Challenge, I got offered a second part-time job! I am an Aussie Pie Galfor the Aussie Pie Guy food truck. Two Canadians and an Australian own the business, which grew from their love for the Aussie pie.

It’s been fantastic visiting different parts of the city on the truck (farmers markets, Chinatown markets, breweries and AFL games) and meeting some fellow Australians. It also works in perfectly with Starbucks. It means I’m working hard but that’s just less spending and more saving for future trips. I also went on a trip over to West Vancouver and Horseshoe Bay, which was, in my opinion, exactly how I pictured Canada to be: pine tree-covered mountains shadowing pristine waters. My friend and I had lunch by the seaside and it was perfect.

My work was super busy over Weeks 14 and 15 because of The Fair at PNE. It is a big two-week end-of-summer celebration at the PNE and Playland a block from Starbucks. The good thing about the rush was that we got free tickets to the event, so with my fellow employees, we went to check it out on its closing night. I feel it would be a great day out for the family. But we still had fun watching the Peking Acrobats, walking through the farm, sampling some Canadian delicacies and winning a Hello Kitty! I felt like I was five-years-old again when my friend won it.

I also got my second taste of Richmond, when I went to the Aberdeen Centre, the area’s mall. It focuses on supplying products, food and clothing to the Asian population of Richmond. My Asian friends from work spoilt me as we sampled A LOT of yummy food: bubble waffles, crispy chicken wings, pocky, Hello Panda, the list goes on! After a visit to the Chinese supermarket, we rounded off the day with dinner at a Vietnamese Restaurant, where I successfully ate a whole meal with chopsticks. I was very proud of myself!

Overall it has been a fun month with new friends. I feel very fortunate to have met such an awesome bunch of Canadians.