
Russian and Ukrainian Hitchhikers, What Could Go Wrong?
On the side of the road, I noticed hitchhikers with large backpacks. I was driving too fast and passed them. Then my gut told me to go back and see if I could help them with a ride.
On the side of the road, I noticed hitchhikers with large backpacks. I was driving too fast and passed them. Then my gut told me to go back and see if I could help them with a ride.
I had a great conversation with a bar tender about debates. The guy explained that if he is debating someone and they resort to name-calling by using “ists” and “isms,” especially early on in the debate, he stops debating them. He told me that it’s useless because they’re arguing at a fifth-grade level.
There are a lot of things to do in Melbourne, so I spent two days exploring St. Kilda, the famous Penguin Pier, Museums, and of course, a hidden bar.
I explored Melbourne after meeting up with an old coworker. I visited the war memorial, the botanical gardens, the zoo, and the mall. I even explore the nighttime city lights and a food truck festival.
Melbourne has a fun bar scene, many of them being, “secret.” In one case, you pull a refrigerator door inside of a sub shop and it opens to a hidden bar. The library was a beautiful piece of art too.
Melbourne quickly became one of my favorite cities with its street art and charm. I went on a walking tour and learned some history, like naming a swimming pool after a prime minister who drowned.
Tom, the homeowners son, took me to Halls Gap for a day of hiking. I saw my first wild kangaroos and Tom taught me all about Australia while we discussed the hazards of online dating.
While in Ballarat, I checked out the gold rush town set up and went deep into an old mine. I also attended a church and had to deal with getting some medications from the U.S.
Being my first time in Australia, I had to get used to several things, like the slang. It was off the charts! There were more differences between the U.S. and Australia than I realized.
The homeowner of the house I was sitting for had some passionate opinions. She said the key was to attack the argument and not the person. Calling someone names, like a misogynist, isn’t going to help your case. It will only push them further into their belief system. Even though we both got animated at times, we had respect for each other and were able to have a discussion and not an argument.
I flew from Singapore to Australia to start my first house and cat sit in Ballarat, an hour and a half from Melbourne. It was my first time in Australia and my first time house and pet-sitting.
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