Day 297! Today was another jam packed day in Yamba! I got thrown into the deep end and started working a 9 hour day for my first shift. This is exactly what I was hoping for and I had a blast with the work they gave me. Everyone I worked with and met today was stellar and I can’t wait to see where this job and new life in Yamba takes me.

I woke up this morning at 8:30am. Not super early and not super late. I needed to be out of my room and checked out by 10am and I was also supposed to be meeting my new manager at that time to get my new accommodation sorted!

I got all packed up and ready for the day with a bit of time to lay in bed some more. I then left my room and headed downstairs to wait for my manager.

While I waited, I took a peak outside to look at the gorgeous view from the hotel into the ocean below. It was shaping up to be a very pleasant day! Not too hot and not too chilly either.

While I waited for my manager, another backpacking traveler was checking out. She struck up a conversation with me and we chatted for a bit! I can’t remember her name, but she’s from the Netherlands and traveled Vietnam, now Australia, and will finish up her travels in Indonesia!

She apparently met another work and holiday traveler that was working in a nearby Mexican restaurant… hopefully I’ll be able to meet them at some point!

Because of the power outage last night, my manager was very busy. So he told me to go grab coffee and come back. Now he didn’t know I don’t drink coffee. So I took the time to wander into town and find something to eat.

The main part of town was very much alive with brunch eaters. Instead of going to a restaurant, I went to the local grocer to see what they had. I’ll definitely need to find a way to Coles for food, but for today and until I get a bicycle, this little shop will do.

I bought myself a $1 kiwi (my first in Australia) and some cheap breakfast bars. I wanted to get some bread, peanut butter, and jelly, but the peanut butter was quite expensive for the size of the jar!

Before heading back up the hill to eat, I wandered over to where my new place was to see what it looked like from the outside. I then went to a OP shop to find some black shorts. I was told I needed them for my work shift.

I found a pair for $3 pretty quickly and then made my way up the hill to snack at a picnic table overlooking the ocean.

I did something I never thought I would do… I ate the kiwi with the skin! To be honest, even with the little hairs, it wasn’t that bad. It tasted more like a pear doing it this way.

I sat outside till around 11:30am, hoping that was enough time for my manager to be ready. He seemed ready and we were about to hop in to the van to head over, but the hotel needed to pick up some customers. They do a curtesy van for their customers so everyone can get around and home safely, which I thought was very cool and nice to see.

My manager told me to tag along so I could see the ins and outs of the process. And that we would then go to the accommodation after. But after helping some very kind people in and out of the van, it turned out my manager needed to start helping with the lunch shift. He looked at what I was wearing and said, you look dressed fine enough to work, want to just start now?

I of course said yes, so instead of starting at 4pm I started at noon!

The only problem with this was I was running off a very small breakfast. But once we started going, I was zoned in and didn’t even realize that was the case.

I don’t want to dive into too many details of the job because of the social media contract I had to sign when I was hired… but I was shown all the ins and outs of the bar operation. My main job throughout all of today was to be, what they call, a “glassie.” This is essentially a bar back and someone that makes sure the empty glasses from the table are picked up, taken back to the bar, rinsed, cleaned, and restocked.

Periodically my manager would show me how to do a specific drink or help him pour some drinks for him. He’s definitely going to try and get me up to speed for bar work, which is very nice of them to take the time to do!

The lunch shift was nice and jam packed and it was a blast! Good music was playing, nice people were coming in and out of the hotel, and to be honest, I find cleaning dishes quite therapeutic. The shift flew by and 4pm rolled around before I knew it.

There was enough of a lull, that my manager had time to take me to my new accommodation! He took me to the new place and showed me up to my room and introduced me to one of my new roommates.

Again, I don’t know these people very well and want to respect their privacy… so I’ll only show my room.

For $200 a week, this is perfect! I can’t wait to get settled in and make this my home for the foreseeable future!

My new roommates are both on the older side and apparently keep to themselves, so they don’t use the shared living spaces much. But there’s a nice big couch and tv, a screened in balcony with another couch and places to hang dry clothes, and a nice kitchen and dining table. It’s exactly what I need right now and a quick walk up the hill to work.

I didn’t have much time to settle in since I needed to be back to work in under an hour. So I made my way to the nearby bakery that I went to for lunch yesterday! It was near closing time for them, so I had the same wrap as yesterday since it was one of the last ones.

I also splurged and got myself an eclair to congratulate myself of the start of a new chapter in Australia!

After I ate, I had about 15 minutes to sit down on my bed and then it was time to head back.

I threw on my new work polo and headed back up the hill. I’m going to have some serious calves by the end of this.

I got to the hotel just before 5pm and got right to work! I was doing the same thing as this morning, picking up empty glasses, wiping down tables, etc. This was all taking me back to my time at One World Cafe back home, when I worked there the summer after my freshman year of college. I really enjoyed that job and can tell I’m going to enjoy this one as well.

Again, I wasn’t super hungry because I was so zoned into work. But in Australia, you have to take a 30 minute break. So I ordered a double burger with fries that was only $12 because employees get half off! It might not be my 80 baht quesadilla’s from when I worked at Taco Shack in Koh Tao, but it’ll do for sure.

The team tonight was super fun to work with and a live band was playing too. As the night progressed, I helped put away the tables and chairs and was cut around 10pm.

To end off the shift, I was told we get a free beer. So I practiced pouring myself one… I still have work to do, but I’m sure I’ll pick it up quick!

I set off back down the hill to my new home. It was a quiet walk home as almost everything was shut. I got home, showered, and lied down in bed, exhausted from a long, but very fun, work day.

I’m not sure what day I’ll be working next… but I made it very clear I was here to work and happy to work! So hopefully I’ll be stacking up the shifts soon.

This is exactly what I thought I’d be doing when I came to Australia! I’m super happy I found this job. I’m hopeful I can find myself a bicycle and surfboard soon so I can start making trips around further parts of town and get to shredding the gnar!

Can’t wait to see what my new life in Yamba is going to turn up!

– Elie