Be Mindful. Be Present. Be Happy.

What does one do when unemployed?  For some, they may get stressed, worried, frantic...but for me, I bloody well will enjoy it!

Yes, I am looking for work but I also know what I want in a job.  Or perhaps it is that I know what I don't want as well.  I am being picky when selecting which organizations and roles I apply for so that leaves me currently being sans work.  If I need to work in a cafe for awhile, I absolutely will.  But in the meantime, I am honestly in one of the most wicked cities I have ever visited and I am going to live it up to the fullest.

The past month has been full of friends, food (and so much cheeeeese), bikes, swimming, wine and heaps (yes, I am speaking Aussie these days) of inspiration!  If there is anything I have learned since India, it is always to surround myself with positive people.  Positive energy is contagious but negative energy can have effects as well.  I try to turn the negative into positive but sometimes it just drains my own spirit.  Therefore, I have sought out those people that are naturally upbeat, that make me laugh, that spark my creativity, and those that I can just be my (very open) self around.  As a result, the past few weeks have been dinner parties, comedy shows, bike rides, swimming lessons, painting, yoga-ing, dancing in the streets, and just a whole lot of laughs.  Thank you to the awesome people I have met!

And now, I have been asked why am not teaching yoga right now - isn't that what I set out to do?  The answer is simple: I am still developing my own practice.  While I felt so much passion and love teaching my classes at my training, I personally want to learn and develop more.  I read an article the other day about the best jobs for people who love to travel.  A yoga instructor was on it.  The pro is that the demand is high but the con is that so are the number of inexperienced teachers entering the yoga world.  I will agree with that.  To me, yoga is not just about teaching a class; it is about teaching and inspiring a way of life.  While I am confident that I could teach a killer Baptiste-inspired class (thanks to the wonderful teachings of my yoga teacher, Brenda), I would not feel right without the appropriate training and a lot more knowledge. I am eager to take more courses on various styles and anatomy/physiology but of course this is going to take time and it will be something I work on over the next few years.  But while I am not actually teaching asana classes, I sometimes feel that I am sharing a yogic way of life anyway.  It's about taking the energy off of my mat into my daily life and if once a day I can inspire, spread a little peace, or make someone smile, then I have achieved what I have set out to do.

"The future depends on what we do in the present."  ~ Mahatma Gandhi ~

Emma, Jason and I.  The three of us met in Dublin three years ago and here we all are again in Melbourne celebrating St. Paddy's and both Em and Jason's birthdays again.  This just shows how amazing travelling is. You can meet people from all over the world and it doesn't matter how much time has passed but you have that one city or that one adventure in common - and you are friends for life.
  

Easter Sunday.  Myself, Alex, Pants, Belle and Karen.  Belle cooked us an amazing dinner!  Being of Ukrainian heritage, I wanted to contribute some traditional dishes that my family always enjoys at Easter time; however, my Paska (a sweet bread centerpiece) did not turn out!  I tried three times and it failed every time.  I do believe it was the yeast in combination with my oven :(  BUT I did make nalysnyky (crepes with a dill and cheese filling) and they were a great success!  Oh, I might have introduced the vodka shot tradition too...

My new bike!  So as I was saying about enjoying my unemployment in Melbs...this is a big part of it!  As most may know, I am participating in the Melbourne Ride to Conquer Cancer in October but I also developed a love for cycling from my Ride last year.  Life just wasn't the same without being able to cycle.  Cycling is awesome exercise, a great form of meditation at times, a great tool for networking, and just pure fun!  Cycling has brought me to some fantastic people here in Melbourne and it will definitely always be a big part of my life.

Check out my Ride to Conquer Cancer Personal Page

Home Away From Home

They say there's no place like home...well as much as I love my family, my friends and British Columbia, I have found somewhere that feels like home as well: Melbourne.

The past couple of months (holy, time flies!) have been really fantastic.  As soon as we returned from Bali, I started working at Melbourne's Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.  Yes, that's right - the Ride is here!  It's the first year in Melbourne and second year in Australia and it's having a great response.  I was working as a Ride Guide "recruiting" riders and aiding registered riders with their fundraising and training.  I say "recruiting" because what the job really entails is telephone sales to interested people.  Anyone who knows me, knows that this would just not fly in the long run....eight hours a day on the phone.  Where is the challenge?  Where is the creativity?  As much as I enjoyed speaking with riders (being a past rider myself!), my motivation decreased with the ongoing pressure of meeting quotas.  Ohh, the ongoing debate of quality vs. quantity.   

Melbourne's Ride Guides!  Niamh, Tracy and myself.

I explored further opportunities within the company including a Volunteer Coordinator but sadly, the nasty politics of the (virtual) office took over.  I know what makes me happy and this was not it. 

The people I worked with directly in the Melbourne office are all amazing.  Niamh (pronounced Neve), Tracy and Nathan (my manager) - much love!  I have much respect for the Ride and what it stands for.  The fundraising model they have created is brilliant and I really did learn a lot about how an event of this magnitude is put together.  Also, now I get to ride in October (see my personal page here)!  One more bonus: the friendships cultivated.

I said that Melbourne has felt like home and a big reason for that is the people I have met.  It seems that the friendship network keeps growing.  It started with Dev and Christian and meeting their friends, then meeting the friends of their friends, and so on.  Everyone is so open, friendly, and welcoming.  In fact, Dev's friend, Pants, was moving here from the UK so being two people new to the city and needing somewhere to live, we decided to find a flat together.  We are living in a highrise just outside of the City Centre (ten-minute walk) in the Southbank suburb.  It's very convenient to all the necessities and my favourite stop(s) of the week - the market.

View from our flat.  Melbourne sunsets make each evening wonderful!

My first cricket experience at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) - probably my last too!  It's no hockey!

A night out in Melbourne.  Myself, Damian, Pants and Jason crossing the Yarra River.

So while I look for the next opportunity, I am also exploring Melbourne, hanging with friends, and mind-mapping some aspirations (and working to make those happen).  I have made some awesome connections and great friends in the past three months and life in Melbourne continues to be exciting.  I know there are great things to come - the crow in India was absolutely right :) 

Melbourne: My home away from home.

Tracy taking me on my first mountain bike lesson.  Now I get why Sheila and Stacey have 3+ bikes! Bikes are so fun.   

My first spill. Brush yourself off and try again!  I had a blast and can't wait to get back on the mountain!