09.03.10

Hmmmm, well I'm proving impressively bad at keeping regular updates. The main reason recently has been due to the lack of access to the internet, which I hope will improve in a couple of weeks or so.

Quite a lot has changed over the last month or so. I had pretty much decided that it was not working out here in Bunbury, and was psychologically preparing myself to come home. I was planning on enjoying the rest of the summer here, earning a bit more money, then doing some travels for a month or so before heading home. But how things have changed!

Taking a scenic flight over Bunbury

Essentially I was made an offer which made sense for me to take. I've been rejecting the Project Manager role for a while, but after considering many factors I decided to take it. The job prospects at home are still not great, and I would most likely have to go back to admin which in all honesty I'm tired of. I've established myself and now have a job offer which would give me much better work experience and equip me with some excellent skills, which is more appealing than going home and starting from scratch. In addition, I'll get paid about twice as much as I would get at home, so financially it makes a lot of sense. However, there's still the issue of family and friends who I do still miss a great deal, so I'm looking at doing this for a year then reassessing. That's the plan....

Hamelin Bay

So my job. I will be overseeing projects which could involve a variety of tasks. I'm getting a fair few new domestic connections, i.e. connecting a high voltage power supply down a pole into the ground into a 'mini pillar', ready for an electrician to connect into. Or, a pole may need to be replaced and the field crews need to suspend the live power lines aside while the pole is taken out and a new one put in. So I will get a 'Scope of Works' from Western Power (national power supplier) with each task that needs to be done, and I organise the field crews, subcontractors, and book Western Power representatives when we need them to arrange a power outage. I am dealing with the customers and manage the finances on the construction side. It is only a small part in the whole chain in a way, but it's the hands-on part. I'm getting to grips with the basics first, then the jobs will grow in complexity. However, one of the main reasons I was brought in is because of my admin skills, which, rightly or wrongly, is increasingly dominating the workload. There's a heck of a lot to learn, but we're going to look at job roles and responsibilities and see if they can be better managed to suit our strengths.....

 

Now, some of you may be thinking this is a bit out of the blue. I've never shown any interest in electricity (as I've never had it), but I started to look at the job in terms of the role and responsibilities, and the fact I would be learning something completely new, pretty much from scratch, which does actually interest me. Plus I'm incapable of saying no to a challenge which, yes, can be a bit of a problem sometimes.

Chatting to Higgins on Skype!

Aside from work, I moved out of Tilly's place. Essentially it wasn't working out, we didn't really have much in common at all, and we had different lifestyles which clashed. So I house-sat for a work colleague who was in South Africa for 3 weeks, and now I'm looking for my own place to live. It's quite exciting in a way, it'll be my first abode to myself, but unfortunately a lot of places are unfurnished, so I'm looking at having to buy all my own furniture. A bit of a pain, but it would be nice to feel like I have some of my own things around the house. I've had limited internet access at work, but need to get a place soon and set up because I do feel like my digital limb has been amputated. I'm fond of it and miss the regular contact with home and friends/family abroad.

Talia checking out the meeting of two oceans

Oooh, and another perk of the job is that I have a company ute (very Ozzie, I know!) – it's a great bit Toyota Hilux 4x4 (it gets tricky down the dirt tracks, especially in the rainy winter – I know, not what I came to Australia for, but I'll grin and bear it this year and see how it pans out). But it means I get to go exploring! There are still so many places I haven't seen yet so I'm looking forward to heading out to various parts of the state. I've just been on a little roadtrip to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin lighthouse which was great (above - where the Indian Ocean meets the Souther Ocean), see the photos! And the other day I went up in a little plane over Bunbury, it is a pretty place from above :)

I've taken a month off from the Dolphin Centre, I've been working 10-15hr days for the last 10 weeks (bar one) and it's taking its toll, so I'm having a rest!

And finally, I have however booked my flight to come home for 3 weeks in May, and return 4th June. I'm then back on 18th Dec for Christmas. I know, this is very advanced planning for me, perhaps the most I have ever done, but I am adamant on Christmas with family this year. Looks like it may be in a chalet in France with some skiing over New Year – very excited already!

24.01.10

Ok, so the day after I last wrote, I got to the DDC and what do you know, there's no supervisor so one of the vollies nominated me. I had to smile, so I got the usual mini meeting sorted and everyone doing their jobs, then grabbed the Supervisor manual and gave myself a run down of what I was supposed to be doing! All went well, and I've been doing it for the last 3 Saturdays, but the usual supervisor is possibly back next week so my stint looks to be short and sweet! All good though, I'll still be a regular vollie on the Sat morning, give up the Sun afternoon shift and give myself time to enjoy the weekends a bit more! Haven't really seen much of the surrounding area so need to change that :) Having said that, I've just got back from Dunsborough, a beautiful spot just down the coast. We checked out the lighthouse, visited a winery (Margaret River is a top quality wine region) and then hit the beach! Great way to spend an afternoon :)

Aside from that, I'm still working (quite a lot recently, over 50hrs this week!), I've actually been made Senior Contracts Administrator - I'm officially the longest serving admin member, with my (all of) 2months service! There were only 2 staff before - the one I replaced originally, and the second quit just before Christmas. We are now a team of 4, and ironically one of the newcomers used to run a successful business, but she's come in as a Contracts Administrator and I'm senior to her, which she doesn't like at all.... I guess I've had longer to prove myself, but then again, she has been struggling with the admin tasks. Work-wise, we're still getting back on track and I'm working on getting us running smoothly by preferably mid Feb, but definitely by the time I leave! (Feb/March).

So yes, I've given my notice. Post Transfield....well, I'm still working on my plans, but nothing concrete yet. However I am moving out of my current house to somewhere more central and closer to the beach! Will be happening in a couple of weeks, really looking forward to it!

08/01/10

OK, so I haven't been very good at updating this blog, mainly as I've felt it's not been all that necessary. It was essentially created to keep the non-Facebook-affiliated family members updated, but in actual fact over the last month or so we've all been in quite a lot of contact through the joys of Skype, and I've not been too bad at emailing! We now have weekly international Skyping sessions with family members all over the UK, Geneva and here. I got to 'see' family on Christmas and Boxing Day which was great! So along with FB most people are up to date on my comings and goings :) But maybe there are a few others who may be missing out....

So, in the last month we've of course had Christmas, so there have been a few parties and festivities. I spent Christmas Day at the Dolphin Centre with other family-less volunteers, and we had a merry time (Ken brought in some rather tasty punch) on the beach swimming with the dolphins and enjoying a fry up on the bbq. Also managed to squeeze in some pancakes with fruit and ice-cream - yum!

How my family looked to me, and vice versa, during our Boxing Day Skype chat!

I have also volunteered to get involved with a research project, so early one Saturday morning, I got up at 4.15am to cycle up to the centre to jump on the boat for a 5am launch. We combed a section of the coast for about 7 hours, and one of the most impressive sights was with the first pod we saw, with one dolphin (believed to be Comet) playing football with an octopus. Thrilling to see! Not sure when I'm next out, just volunteered to help out with fin-matching (identifying which dolphins have been seen to analyse movements and behaviours), which is time-consuming, but very beneficial.

One thing I love about this place, which is a big reason for coming, is the opportunity to just get up and go and do something outdoorsy, in the warm sunshine and beautiful ocean. Last weekend my friend Trav called me up and asked if I fancied heading out on the kayak, to which I obviously replied yes! So off we went to Peppermint Beach about 20mins away. It was a gorgeous day and the sea was reasonably calm, but during a dip I soon felt the sting of jellyfish, and noticed I was amongst a swarm of them. So that was the end of my swim! In the end we just paddled out, then lay back to bask in the sunshine as the current took us back to shore, where we'd paddle back out again :)

I'm still working at the same place, it's been an extremely hectic time with an unorganised and disruptive move, but we're getting back on our feet, slowly but surely. It's better in that I feel we're getting somewhere, but it's been a heck of a struggle and I've put a lot of time into getting things sorted. Fortunately I have a great boss who has noticed and appreciates my effort, and in return has given me a good amount of responsibility. He's throwing money at me to stay, which is of course flattering, but if it's not what I want to do long term then there's not much point trying to stay. I'm probably going to finish end of Feb/Mar, but will see. Still, I'm making some good contacts! I'm still not entirely sure I'll be staying in Oz too much longer, but, I'm still giving it a bit of time. Might as well enjoy the sunshine while I can, even though I'm gutted to be missing such decent snow at home! I imagine most people are over it by now though ;)

OK, it's 2252, WELL past my bedtime! I wake around 4.30-5am every morning due to the cockatoos that congregate in the aerials above the houses here, so I have been pretty exhaused over the last few days. Back at the dolphin centre tomorrow, I've been asked to become a supervisor, but I guess it all depends on if I'm going to stay or not....

Happy New Year to you all :)