world nomad

last couple of days

So I finished orientation last week on a hilarious note - a panel of students talking about sex and relationships in the U.S.A! Apparently due to state law we have to discuss safe sex... well it was pretty funny anyway. There was this one chick who was just so upfront and declared she loved her slutty image and just loves sex... with a lot of people.

Anyway... moving right along. Friday night I went out with Kris and Miriam (guy who works in the hostel and his friend) to a gig in Oakland to see a band called Origami... from Melbourne. They hooked up in Melbourne and there really is only one Aussie in the band but we can claim them as our own and they have been played on Triple J with the song Frisco Disco. This place we went to was in Oakland, which is kind of like the big ghetto zone in the bay area. It has a big gang problem and people get shot... but this place was nice and quaint. It was a quiet place and there was less than 40 people who rocked up for the gig. I have developed a little crush on the lead guitar player and Kris has a crush on the bass guitarist so we think we will now stalk them. It also helps that there music is quite good.

I keep thinking about how strange and intense relationships are when you are travelling and how you do things that you wouldn't normally do when you are in the daily grind of your own city. For example I made friends with this top guy called Nigel from Canada and we spent a whole night going out to an awesome theatre show, getting Indian dinner and clubbing out in the Castro and it feels like we have been friends for a long time. We got in a cab with some strange people from the Castro and we thought we were going to go home but the strangers decided they wanted to go this club called the ENDUp - so we went with it and did.

Knowing people and making friends in this town will make a stay here more enjoyable. I suppose that goes for any place you are in but especially when you are a tourist in a whole new town. Because I have a different accents, and Americans love accents I have scored 2-4-1 tickets, drinks, food, lifts home, free entry to clubs... which is awesome on a budget and the bonus is that you also get to make friends.

Okay for the next part I jump around so bear with me... It was random on Saturday day because I ran into my Austrian friend Victoria at the hostel and she took me for brunch at the restaurant she works with another guy called Eran from Israel. I learnt a few things about Israel and their military system and got to chow down on some wicked French cuisine. The restuarant had the most amazing croissants because the chef was actually from France. I also had a really nice garden salad and Dijon dressing and tarts for dessert, followed by a mocha coffee... so nice to start the day. Thank-you Victoria my darling! Then I wandered into the Haight Ashbury. Jumping back - the other day at the concert Miriam got me to write something on her shoes, so of course I was a smartass and wrote my phone number and "call me"... and it worked. She and Jane were out and tried getting in contact with me and my number was on her shoe... so it works! We hooked up at Haight St and it turned out Miriam was on her way in with Jane and decided that day was the day she was going to get her tattoo done. So Jane and I held her hand the entire way through. I have some photos and will upload them later. The guy who did the work was hilarious and turned around and was saying, "gee, this is strange doing this sober." He was a great guy and did a really good job. It has been something I have wanted to do since high school but never had the guts, but I am thinking about it again... we'll see. There are a few more piercing I want done before I get a tattoo... but San Francisco is about one of the best places in the world to get it done. Anyways, I digress... After Haight Ashbury I came home to the hostel and found two Aussie girls who had a really shit time at this huge club so I told them to jump in a cab with me and I'd take them out for a fun time in the Castro. We went to this place called 'The Cafe' which is a gay and lesbian bar and it also attracts stright people as well, but not many. The cover charge is a mere $2, the drinks are $4, and the music is fantastic. The only problem is you will never get more than 2cm space around you and that is if you are lucky. Dancing is so funny at a place like that, the gay men dirty dance with the girls, the girls are secular, the straight people are confused or teasing and the tourists are in shock... it's great for people watching. We got home late and I didn't get into my bed until 4am AGAIN!

So I woke up this afternoon at 5pm... My body was screaming at me for sleep and so I gave in to it. I found Miriam and went for dinner at the pizza place across the road and stuffed ourselves with veg pizza and calzones... mmmm calzone. We were practically falling over from being so stuffed so we went for a walk down to the tackiest and funniest place in San Fran called Fisherman's Wharf. I got some local chocolate and this stuff called Salt Water Taffy which goes off or like some of the northern Californians say, "It's hella awesome." I saw the sea lions on pier 39 barking and fighting and then hung off the side of the cable car back to union square.

So here I am now posting listening to Triple J streaming hiphop show and delaying going to bed since I have slept so much. School starts officially on Tuesday and I just want to work and play because it's been a while since I have had to write an essay or attend a lecture. I'll get back into the swing of it soon enough and it helps that the campus is so beautiful!

Anyways, I am back to surf the internet. Hope you are all having a wonderful time in Aus... and enjoying the weather cause it's still really cold here and I don't think it's going to change anytime soon.

Luv Robyn!

posted by Mai @ 2:53 AM