So much to 'ketchup' on! Or should I say 'tomato sauce' on...?

I know it's been a whole week since I last posted... it's been a bit busy this week!  Several things to update everyone on.  These include: job hunt, visa issues, boyfriend, upcoming exam, entertaining Aussie-isms.  Shall we begin?

First of all, the job hunt.  I did get a second interview with Lululemon, and they were soooooooooo positive!  They wanted to hire me so so so badly, however due to my visa restrictions it would mean that they would only have been able to hire me for 6 months, and they just couldn't validate hiring someone for that short a period, only to have to go through the same process in another 6 months to refill the position.  However, they did tell me that they wanted to keep in touch and consider hiring me for the holiday season (November thru to January!).  Also, they asked me to let them know if anything changes with my visa, so they could hire me right away!  As I said, positive, yet still a little sad because I didn't get the job :(  Other than that job, I've contacted one of Kim and Brian's patients about working as a bartender at a golf course near McLaren Vale.  I'm also going to contact a bunch of different wineries in the McLaren Vale area to see about doing labour out there!

Second topic: visa issues.  I've just found out the regular way of going through the whole permanent residency thingy has changed, so I guess I'm going to be a pioneer for new chiros coming over to work in Australia!  Have emailed the government and am going to call them when Kim and Brian come back, just in case they're a little more up to date with things going on over here too.  I'll keep everyone updated there!

Third topic: upcoming exam.  Yup, I leave tomorrow (Tuesday the 24th) for Sydney to write my skills recognition exam.  It looks like there are 7 or 8 of us writing at any time.  It's all spread out nicely too... as in, over the 3 days.  Day one is all radiology and radiography.  Day 2 is the 2 2-hour papers (1st paper is neuro/ortho, 2nd paper is diagnosis).  And lastly the Friday is technique for 15 or 30 I believe, followed by a 45min VIVA panel where we go over a case with a set of examiners, and I don't actually have to do any of the tests on them, but I would just have to talk through what I would do for my history, physical, what my diagnosis and differentials would be, then a treatment plan.  Should be fun!

Fourth topic: Aussie-isms.  Haha, I keep hearing things thinking, what on earth does that mean!  Some of the obvious are ones that I didn't really expect to hear over here but I guess it would be as cliche as someone hearing 'eh' in Canada!  G'day is a common greeting I hear while walking the doggie :)  Red pepper is in fact capsicum here, and dinner or supper is referred to as 'tea'.  Not the drink, just the action of 'having tea'.  Teehee!  Or should I say, 'tea-hee'!  Reckon is another popular term used here... as in, I reckon... (I would say so).  Some are Aussie-isms that I just won't repeat here on the internet, hahaha but they're rather entertaining!  Lee, if I've missed any of the other ones that I make fun of you for, can you add them in a comment and explain what they mean?  Please?  Yippee!

Which leaves me with the fifth topic: Boyfriend.  Can I call him that?  Is there any kind of required time-frame before that title can be applied?  Meh, boyfriend it is :)  What a spectacular man I have been lucky enough to find here!  His parents are complete gems, as is his brother and sister-in-law. His father, Gary, plays guitar, and even has a violin (which I broke the A-string on when I was trying to tune it... whoops!!!!!).  His mother, Judith, is just about the nicest person you'll find!  She and I were talking 'baking' the other day... I may have to show her a couple of things... one being pumpkin pie!  Down here they use pumpkin in a savoury way, NOT in a dessert way.  Hahaha, a certain someone was making fun of me for talking about pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin pie.  Well, I'll show you Aussies how delicious we can make squash taste!!!

Lastly, I met the most important people in Lee's life... his daughters!  It was the 6th birthday of his eldest, and so we got to go to an indoor playground (similar to a place called Busy Bodies back in Oakville... Carter's 2nd bday was spent there!).  Well, most of you know just much of a big kid I am, and so I had a blast! Easy to say I was just as happy to climb and slide and spin and jump like the rest of the kids.  A few of the parents there said to me, "sometimes it's fun to be like a kid, hey?"  Hahahahaha they probably just thought I was being a big kid for the sake of the girls but nope, that's just the way I am!  YAY indoor playgrounds!  After that we went back to Lee's place, had pizza and cake, and had a ridiculously good time playing on those birthday horns or birthday blowers.... you know the ones that curl out and make a sick-duck sound?  That's the ones!  I was able to prove that you can blow 4 of them at once and have quite a harmonious sound.  Lee proved that he could blow one out of each nostril at the same time, and his eldest proved that you could in fact blow one out of the nostril and one out of the mouth at the same time.  She sure showed her dad, who didn't think it was possible!  Muahahaha!  I think it's fair to say though that a good time was had by all.  At least I HOPE it was a good time had by all!  If Lee's parents had any notion that I was a very sophisticated and mature person before this past weekend, I'm sure that's all gone down the drain now... hahaha!  BUT how can you resist wanting to laugh so hard!  WHAT A WORK OUT!

Okay, must study or someone will have my head :s  Actually, multiple people would have my head :s

xoxoxoxoxoxo Dr. Canuck