Bella Scipione

Jan 07 2023

It is somehow already Sunday morning here in Australia. The past couple of days have completely flown by and G and I have begun experiencing life as true Aussies. Presence has remained a key factor in our journey and is a theme we carry with us in each new adventure and encounter. We are meeting new mates, learning new lingo, and dancing to hours of house EDM music. Jesse, Michael, Callan, and Dane have introduced us to many of the important people in their lives. We feel so lucky to be a part of their fun and chaotic world.

Our original plans of attending a cricket match on Friday were changed due to weather. Instead, G and I, took ourselves back to the shopping center in search of new fits. We found so many good pieces and it was difficult walking away without spending too much time and money in each shop. G and I are proud of the outfits we have strung together and admire Australia’s spunky and creative fashion. We had our traditional pre-game photo shoot before starting our bender of a weekend.

Michael and Callan picked us up and we made our way to their friends, Charlotte and James, place. From the moment we walked in we were greeted with lots of hugs and friendly smiles. Some of the boys had even cooked up some ‘snags on the barbie’. Snags on the barbie are hot dogs, served in a piece of white bread, with grilled onions, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and any other toppings of your liking. The mates we met were fascinated by the differences in our American culture and slang. Flip-flops are ‘thongs’, liquor stores are ‘bottle shops’, Christmas is ‘Chrissy’, and what’s up is ‘doin’.

The rest of the night included sharing stories, dancing to house music, and creating new friendships that we will carry with us for years to come. G and I have often said the greatest and most rewarding part of traveling is meeting new people and enduring their culture with them organically and authentically. And while we haven’t done many of the touristy things that Sydney has to offer, we are building connections with people with unique lives different from our own. This, to me, is one of the most beautiful parts of the human experience. A special shoutout to Charlotte and James for welcoming us into their lovely home with warmness and kindness.

We spent most of our morning yesterday recovering from our Friday night. G and I slept in, ordered takeout breakfast, and watched a movie before going back to Jesse and Callan’s place to hang out and chat. After a few hours we ubered back to our studio to get ready for a night out in the city. By 9 o’clock we still hadn’t decided on a place to go, until the boys chose ‘The Beresford’. The Beresford is a night club located just outside the city of Sydney.

The DJ played a great mix of classic American and Australian songs. G and I were both impressed by the amount of Drake, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Kesha, and Rihanna the Aussie’s knew. I am always one to appreciate a good set that keeps the crowd on their feet drinking, dancing, and singing until closing time when the lights turn on. Our group made friends with other local Aussies and we all made a night for ourselves. We picked out the perfect spot near the back of the club that overlooked the dance floor and groovy DJ – it was like our own private table.

The night ended with tired feet and more crazy stories, ones I should not necessarily share on this blog. The sun has finally come out and we will be spending the next few days on Sydney’s beaches before flying to Brisbane and beginning our journey up Australia’s east coast.