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| A very shakey picture of the Melbourne skyline taken at night from the YHA rooftop lounge. |
Still I miss America and its familiarities. I am only here a few days now and I know I am still in those initial stages of homesickness, and uncertainty. As I sit here writing this it is pouring outside the window. I am in the lounge of the Melbourne Metro YHA (Youth Hostel Association), but do not let the name fool you. Just because it is called a "Youth" hostel, I have met people ranging in age from 8 to 80 staying here. Mostly, I have come to learn that staying at a hostel in Australia is a cheap alternative to a hotel. I must confess that staying in a hostel is a sureal experience. I am inhabiting a room with three others, most of which, so far, have not been as fluent in Enlgish as I would prefer. Actually, I think that defines the majority of the clientel of the hostel. Even as I sit here and write, I am hearing conversations in Russian, German, and Chinese. At first I wasn't sure if my American sensibilities could stand staying in the hostel for very long, as it is a place where I am continually out of my comfort zone. I must keep my valuables locked up at all times and I have no real personal space... but the place is starting to grow on me. It is interesting to meet and talk with so many diverse people, even if our conversations are sometimes small and carried out mostly in broken English.
My first night was a bit hectic and frightening, but thankfully my jet lag forced me to not really care as I passed out in my bunk fully dressed. My original roomates (roomates change sometimes on a daily basis) was a German and Swiss. Ironcially enough, the German had annexed two of the locker spaces for himself. As an American I was unsure if I should correct the prolblem. I assumed I would wait for the Japanese kid down the hall to attack me while I slept before I was spurred into action. The Swiss of course remained neutral in the whole thing... but very quickly things were cleared up and I was able to get my own space with very little problems.
I also did have a lengthy conversation with my Swiss roomate (who is here to attend an English speaking school and did so because he was unhappy with his job at home) and learned that I was the first American he had ever met. Apparently not many of us make down under. (This of course made me feel a bit proud and alarmed at the same time.) I did meet one Canadian today, my first North American. they seem to be more of a common sighting as I am coming to learn. However, the only other fellow Yankee I met was the guy juggling fire for money near Flinder's Street in downtown Melbourne.
Overall though, in response to many questions and comments I received in regards to the movie "Hostel," I can assure you it is nothing like that. The Melbourne Metro YHA is very clean, has excellent facilities, and most people I have met here are very friendly. It even has a rooftop lounge where you get a really awesome breeze and you can see the Melbourne skyline. It is my favorite spot to take book to and read. My only complaint is the lack of AC in the rooms themselves (it reminds me of my freshman dorm room), but life is beginning to settle into a sort of normalcy for me. I am still planning on looking for a flat or apartment, but I have realized that staying in the hostel a few more weeks may not be a bad option, especially since it is cheap.
Sounds like the Aussies have the underachiever's manifesto syndrome. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I think it's good not to set absurd expectations for yourself. I used to put a lot more pressure on myself, and I certainly don't miss those days. I'm not sure how much of it is cultural vs. personal, but I think at least a portion of it was cultural, even if I failed to acknowledge it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are adapting to your surroundings, even if you had to endure a reenactment of WWII. Maybe you'll come back to the states as a multi-lingual machine? That would be pretty awesome.
Sounds like that place is right up my alley. Maybe when you get a flat or apartment I can come for a visit :-) tony'smom may be able to get me a cheap flight. (I'm kidding, or am I?) Haha. Miss you bro <3
ReplyDeletePoint 1: The blonde hair is likely due to the ozone hole, bombarding them with radiation and slowly creating the Aussies into a group of superhuman Aryans.
ReplyDeletePoint 2: They are happy because they recognize that they are becoming superhuman.
Point 3: One should only be wary of hostels when they are packed with overly attractive women, most or all of whom insinuate they want to engage in random sexual activity with you while getting you drunk.
Point 4: Do not tangle with a superhuman Aussie murder trade organization.
Most importantly, and the only serious thing I'll say, Point 5: Homesickness will be your worst enemy. It will remove you from experiences you would otherwise regret to have missed. We're all with ya, kiddo. Immerse and enjoy.
Note: I was completely serious about all those points.
Hostels are interesting places. I stayed in one while I was over in Austria and another even here in the States when I went down to Miami last winter break. The most intersting thing about them (which is seemingly universal) is that people from all over the world seem to congregate there. Even when I was at the hostel in Miami a majority of the people staying there (just about everyone outside of our trip) was from a different country. I was somewhat privileged in both of those trips though since we were able to occupy the entire rooms with people I knew (so I didn't have to face some of the security issues you posted above).
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to read that you felt that people there were happier than people here in America. I would have assumed people would be friendlier and surely more courteous than Americans (at least from the north east...), but happier wasn't on my list. I do understand your points about pressure to succeed etc... that are a part of our culture, and maybe it's the fact that I work primarily with college students, but most of the people I know are (or at least seem) happy.
Glad to hear everything is working out so well thus far though. The view from the hostel of the city looks awesome, but sorry to hear about the A/C. My mom had asked me a couple days ago how you were doing and I could only report back that you had made it there safely. She'll be glad to hear I have a few updates.