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Well I am now well and truly settled in my home away from home, El Paso. Study/life goes on as usual here, have just finished midterm exams and we are now heading toward final exams in 7 weeks time, can't believe how fast the time has flown. My job here is still pretty full on, but I've found my footing well enough. Now I don't freak out so much when people ask for career advice or tips on their resume and I can now usually bulls*** my way through it pretending I know whats going on!
The past 4 weeks have been so hectic, and the best fun of my life. My darling girl Emma arrived here on the 22nd of September, the same night as Nicoles boyfriend Adam arrived from Canada. Now wasn't that a fun ride to the airport. Nicole trying to distract me with the MOST abstract game of I Spy I've ever played. At one stage the clue was A F. It took a good 10 minutes of guessing until I finally gave up, only to find it was "Air Freshener" which was practically impossible to see with only the corner of it poking out behind a newspaper. She claims that it worked but nothing helped to distract me from the excitement of seeing Emma. We had a lovely reunion as did Nicole and Adam and we went back home for them to meet the rest of my El Paso family, Vikki and John.
That weekend was massive, went out on the Friday night to a local bar and danced the night away and then backed it up the next night with a Mexican party.
During the weeks it pretty much consisted of me going to classes and work, Emma staying in bed, and then me coming home to find our whole apartment clean and my bed made. Amazing. Haven't made my bed in over 10 years, what a novelty and what a housewife. But seriously, Emma did a lot of touring around El Paso and went to a few museums, the El Paso Zoo and also came to a few of my classes and distracted me! I think she's seen more of El Paso than me quite seriously!
On the second weekend Emma and I stayed at a hotel downtown to see a different area of El Paso rather than the UTEP campus. Emma also watched her first college football match and it was a WAY better game than the first one that I saw, but we still only made it until half time. The following night was the AFL grandfinal which we watched at another one of my Australian friends Esmat's house on a huge projector screen. We had all of the other international students join us who all had no idea what was going on but enjoyed it none the less. Half time snacks included hot dogs, which wasn't quite the same as meat pies or sausage rolls (WHICH by the way they dont exist in America. I have been craving a sausage roll for 3 months now its actually killing me!!) but we made do. And thank god Collingwood lost, could not have handled Vikki and John's glee - the poor things were the only two supporting Collingwood, we got everyone else on the Cats bandwagon!!
The following weekend Emma and I went on a roadtrip just the two of us to New Mexico. We went via that amazing Mexican restaurant in Mesilla again, El Comodore, and it blew Emma's mind, as well as mine again! So good. We stayed the night at Elephants Butte National Park near the lake in our stationwagon hire car, oh the comfort of it. Man was it cold. But beautiful sunset and sunrise made it all worth it. We left earlyish and came home via White Sands National Park (Google it, trust me) and saw some of the most spectacular scenery I've ever seen in my life. The whitest sand dunes you can ever imagine, blue skys all around, in the middle of the desert. The sand is surprisingly cool, as its so white that it reflects the sun. An amazing place it really was so beautiful.
And so begins the most crazy week we've had here yet. On Monday (10th Oct) I was contacted by Nicole (my roomie) 's mum Robyn as it was Nicoles 21st coming up on the Thursday the 13th. She wanted us to organise lots of surprises for Nicoles birthday, a task which Emma took on with brilliance. Honestly best party planner I've ever come across I've really scored there. Emma went to the malls (30 minute bus ride away) and bought: 2 helium tanks; 200 baloons; streamers, tablecloths, napkins, 21st banner, party poppers and god knows what else. She then organised an amazing cake, huge bunch of flowers, made a spectacular photo board (with baby photos we got send from Nicoles mum) and pretty much set up the whole party. Not before we embarrassed Nicole in class on the day of her birthday by making a powerpoint presentation with naked baby photos, taking in a cupcake and balloons and making a fool out of her in class. We were then in a shambolic frenzy trying to set up the decorations in our apartment. Nicole was supposed to be going to the airport to pick up Adam, giving us a window of about an hour to set up. Adam (who knew he was the decoy) then alerts me that his plane is delayed by 2 hours. Oh s***. It resulted in me running back from class early (to avoid bumping into Nicole asking me what I was doing), hiding behind cars, John, Emma and I hiding out in Johns apartment blowing up the helium balloons, Emma forgetting some of the decorations in our apartment so sneaking back into the house while Nicoles having a shower, Vikki taking Nicole up to buy some food while we frantically set up the apartment. It was so stressful but so worth it to see the look of shock on her face, priceless. We had a huge night that night with a lovely dinner, speeches, dancing and drinking. All before my 10:30am midterm exam the next day which I'm sure I absolutely nailed. Or failed. One or the other.
Straight after my midterm; VEGAS BABY!
Me, Em, Vikki, John, Nicole and Adam all piled into our huge rental car/truck to tackle the 13 hour drive. I drove the first shift and easily had the best music selection of the whole trip (John may contest this, he did sit there with his headphones in. Whats wrong with Snoop Dogg, S Club 7 and "I've had the time of my life" being played back to back really??). We were allowed one song veto per driver and I do believe I was only vetoed twice. Everyone else got vetoed 5 times. Winner.
Anyway the novelty of the roadtrip wore off pretty damn quick. After thinking we kept seeing the Vegas lights each time we turned a corner/got to the top of a mountain (it was like a mirage I swear), we finally arrived exhausted and grumpy to Vegas at 2am, which soon changed because we realised we were in Vegas yay! John crashed while the cool kids went out exploring the Vegas strip until 5am. Fair effort off 4 hours sleep and a long ass drive.
The following day we set off to explore Sin City, and it is just that. I cant say that I really liked the place. Yes it was pretty, yes it was fun. But something didn't sit right with me. It really makes you realise all that is wrong with the world when there is such an excessive and money fuelled place such as Vegas, and an hour (probably even less) out of Vegas people are living in dilapidated trailor parks in the middle of the desert. Not to mention developing countries too. I didn't even want to gamble because I really didn't want to contribute to that lifestyle or economy.
Anyway it was fun for the novelty of it all and to be able to check another tourist icon off the list, but I don't think I'd feel the need to go back in a hurry.
Emma and I had a very emotional farewell at the Vegas Bus station which was really hard for the both of us. The car ride home was quite depressing and her loss was felt by all as she really has become a part of our El Paso family. Only just over 9 weeks and I'll be home and we can have another lovely reunion back in Melbourne for good.
Until next time...
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