Big News!

So, the photoshoot was as I thought. Free everything but rediculous expensive photos. So in the end we can pick out one 5x7 for free. haha. But the experience was super fun and I am glad that we went and did it. We had a free stylist session where she talked about what we wanted to wear and what we could use for backgrounds and poses. Then I got my hair and make up done by another hair and makeup stylist. She did an amazing job on my make up! and the she touched David up a little bit. Our photographer has been to London to do film and photography. She was very nice and funny and wanted to know so much about Canada. She was very helpful as when it came to poses I was very indecisive! All in all it was a super fun!!! We took some amateur pictures after.....hahaha.

So now, the big news, I thought I should tell my parents before putting it up in a blog as they may have heart attacks! haha. But I have decided that I am going to apply for my second year visa. I finally got approved to teach and have had an opportunity to get some day to day work for a couple schools in the area. So. September 16 David and I will be taking the Indian Pacific Train (click on that to see the website) all the way to Perth. This is a four day journey but you get to see the beauty of the Outback! So excited! Then on the 20th we will take a train from Perth to another part of Western Australia where a lady that we will be working with for the next three months will meet us. In order to obtain your second year visa here you need to do three months of season work.

There is a program here called WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms). So you stay a week or up to a month on a farm with a family and you work for them for free and they supply a place to stay and food. In return you get to see a remote area of Australia that is probably amazing and beautiful and the perks of living with that family. In the end, this lady can sign our papers for 3 months of seasonal work for our three month visa.

The name of the place is Regans Ridge. It is an Olive Grove with 23,000 olive trees. So we will do the work from picking the olives to the process of turning them into oil to putting them in bottles, labelling them and selling them at a market. There are also some sheep there that we will help maintain. We will be working 4-6 hours a day about 4 days a week. On our days off she will drive us to Perth where we can do whatever touristy thing we like.

The plan is to come back after our 3 months work there and spend Christmas with friends in Sydney. Then take off to New Zealand for a few weeks and then head back home to start teaching when school starts.

It has been a stressful, brain is full last couple of weeks trying to figure out what I should do with the next year of my life. Especially after I started working in a classroom. I really wanted to come home to be with friends and family but I really wanted to stay here more and have some cool teaching experiences over here in Australia (and the weather of course....I sit on my balcony in the warm sun as I write this on a WINTER?! day?!)

Anyways, there is my big update,

Holly