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.
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!
