The Yank and All Her Needs

So, I feel like I eat a lot. Like a lot a lot, and I think it's ok because I'm working so much, but I feel like I am going to eat Nat (who I live with) out of house and home. So I buy a lot of groceries. There are a few things that we as Americans eat that isn't so popular over here in OZ. First, cold cereal, probably one of the biggest staples in the American diet, plus I'm a college student, it's what we eat. I miss the who aisles dedicated to cold cereal that hold everything from the super sugar choco-loco bombs, to the healthy bird sead that people like Kendall eats. Anyways, I miss my Lucky Charms/Marshmallow Mateys and bliss in a bowel Cinnamon Toast Cruch, and how can I live with out Life cereal? Not too sugary, not too cardboardy. Here at Woolworths the local grocery store we like to call Woolies, it has Rice Crispies aka Rice Bubbles, corn flakes, Milo Cereal that is pretty good, and heathy never know how it's going to taste cereal. Not a lot of choice.

I've made a list in my journal of food that I am going to bring back from the states when I come and visit it includes cereal, marshmallows, ketchup, and ranch dressing. Who knows if the will let all the come through customs, but I'm American and I need American food every now and again.

Moving on, some of the people that I've met here call me a Yankee or Yank. What the? Who does that? It's the weirdest thing to be called a Yankee, but I've started to say, 'Sorry, I'm a Red Sox fan'. That puts a confused look on some and others who know what I'm talking about pipe in something about the Dodgers or something. ya... no.

I need ideas for some easy dinner meals, possibly good for summer time or even salads.

xoxo-Lena

OZ Post #1

Well I can't say that the blog will be updated that often while I'm in Australia. I have access to the internet only a couple times a week for short amounts of time. But I'm here and it's hot once again. I'm working as usual and it's hard work. My muscles are growing. Say hello to the mountains for me.

lena

Tibby

I love Sisterhood, and today I totally felt like Tibby.

I had work today even though we aren't open. We are getting out new shipment of stuff tomorrow so we had to get the whole store ready for it. That means getting to use super cool gagets to mark down items. The first one was the scanner. It's this strange gun type looking thingie that scans the bar code and tells you what the price of the item is. Then I take the next thinga-ma-bobber and set the dial switches to the right price and cha-ching I get a price sticker. This is where Tibby comes in. In the movie she is using one of these do-dads and she stickers her own head. That's what I feel like doing some days. Especially during markdowns.

I think I have a part of all the girls from sisterhood:
Lena: Have my own adventures, shy around boys, keep to myself
Tibby: A little rebellious at times
Carmen: I've got the cantina blood and not afraid to stick up for myself
Bridget: Spunk and love of life

Friends Can Be Poopy or is it Poopie?

AHHH! I'm stressing about packing for leaving! I am a packing fanatic, but I'm over my head in this one. After the last post's list of everything I need to bring, and starting to pack, I don't know if I'm going to have enough room. Some how in my mind I figured everything would just fit and I'd have space. It's turing out that I have a lot of stuff. I'm pretty sure everything with all fit, it's just going to be a tight one.

I leave on January 1st! AKA 13 DAYS!!!

18 Polos and Counting

Finals are done meaning I have my cup of freedom and I am going to drink it all! And now that finals are over I can starting thinking about the most important thing in my life right now, going to Australia!

To start off I've starting organizing and half packing my stuff. I have a lot to take with me this time and I hope I can manage it with two 50 pound bags and one carry on. This will have to hold all my stuff:

Saddle, 2 saddle pads, girth, breastplate, bridle, front and back jump boots, front and back cross country boots, 4 polo wraps, 2 sets of sable wraps, 4 stable bandages, fleece cooler, lycra sheet, lycra hood, 3 helmets, tall boots, rubber boots, event watch, braiding kit, 18+ polo shirts, 9+ breeches, show coat, 3 show shirts, stock tie, paddock boots, half chaps, s/s shirts, l/s shirts, couple dresses, jeans & pants, shorts, socks, undies, swimsuits, jacket, sweaters & sweatshirts, 5ish pairs of shoes, hats, toiletries

I think that's it. I don't know how I came to accumulate all this stuff. I mean I'll use all of it, but it is a hecka lot of stuff! The thing is if I have to cut back on stuff it's going to be my clothes, hahaha! But I can always buy clothes there. I just feel bad leaving all my clothes behind. It's hard.

It's also hard packing for a whole year of clothes. Having something for every season! And to top it off I'm going to the completely different season we are in now. I can pack light, but this is a whole different extreme because I'm packing for living, not for traveling.

I am getting a little sad too. Leaving things behind. Having to pack up stuff and leave my room all organized like no one lives in it. I keep catching myself just looking around at my room, my room I'm going to leave behind.

The sadness also spreads to missing my fam. It's going to be a long time with out them. My nieces, nephews, brothers, and sisters are going to be different in good ways when I get back from my adventures. I wouldn't pass up my opportunity for anything, but it's going to be probably one of the biggest if not the biggest life changing experience.

Out There, There's a World Outside of Yonkers

As of 8:36pm Mountain Standard Time I am approved for my Australian Visa good for 12 months abroad! I am so excited and nothing can top that this Christmas, except for maybe that pretty Lettia saddle pad, or perhaps a shiny new dressage saddle, but I mean other than that nothing can top this! Having my visa means there is nothing holding me back and I need to start packing my trunk!

xoxo
Lena

Billie JEAN!; I Dream of "JEAN'-ie

So work was really tough for me today. (I work at Gap PS). I had to watch a training video then try on every style of Gap Jeans. It was really challenging. There are so many choices from the Always Skinny to the Sexy Bootcut, and then there is the Long and Lean and Curvy, then it continues with the Perfect Bootcut and Real Straight. Just so many decisions I couldn't pick my favorite. (Insert Sarcasm Here)

But on a serious/excited note, I think I have narrowed it down to Real Straight and Curvy. All the jeans are amazing because they don't poke out at the back which is the problem I always have with jeans. They have this revolutionary "yoke" in the back to fix that problem. Inquire for more details. But wait there's more, the seam on the side of the leg is also made in a way that it "makes your legs go on for miles" or so the training video says, but it is really slimming. I am hooked. Now I just need to go get a pair, probably after my first pay check. And if you ever want to go shopping with jeans call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me. I'm just so ecstatic about these babies! Though I am promoting, it's all out of love for the Jeans!