Life in Emerald and as it is...

Now here I am writing in my ensuite bedroom in Emerald over afternoon tea, reminiscing with my blog songs as usual for me to write further~ 

On this day itself, as it is I found myself awoken around 1.30pm having re-slept after a brief morning interval. The life in Emerald as it is now copies the same exact feeling I had 3-4 years ago, when I was here as a student. A luxury life of serenity in a fully-furnished quarters where I can sleep, study, entertain and reminisce nicely in a new set environment. But just this time, aircon is not functional and too this time in addition, I own a tv in my bedroom and a car for travel.

Apart from the joy of being in a new town, place and working crew, the experience for the past couple of weeks may have probably been a bit dramatic. I have set out the expectation of the possibility that I'd be inundated from the start when I was given the post to Emerald in the beginning of the year, when it is Queensland's wettest season. 

And surely it did, the rain kept pouring along one fine day which led to the total disruption of the local telecoms, voiding of the use of mobile phones, landlines nor any form of internet. In that pre-evening, I found myself looking at the shelves of our favourite grocery store Woolworths, completely empty with no bread, milk or veges. It was hilarious.

Fortunately, Emerald was spared and it was sunny straight the day after. Ironically, the waters which flooded 80% of the city 2 years ago, diverted itself to the south-east causing huge problems to Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Ipswich and Brisbane. I lived on and set up Bigpond to my new accommodation and was shared by Shane, the other relieving resident from Nambour. It's just a blessing with my lifestyle, loving the idea of being organized with housekeeping- putting washed shirts into shelves, switching on the tv and playing Naruto as I surf the internet on my lappy. Really life with internet makes a lot of difference. 

Oh did I mention my pull-up by the police 2x just for random breathe test around my resident's neighbourhood; once night, once daylight back-to-back. The 2nd time round was when I was commuting back home from work & found myself turning into a junction, whereby a police car was about to exit from. And out of nowhere, after having advanced a good half a Ks ahead, the same officers car chased up from behind with the siren light. What a strategy lol! As expected, I passed the test coz I hadn't drunk at work~!

Work~ is fun and passionate. The SMOs here are just lovely bunch of people to get along with. In Emerald, it's a small hospital, so you don't only get medicine but obstetrics, general surgical, paeds & emergency all in one. 

As I work in the ward, I found myself learning a broad variety and not only that, with passion as the SMOs are willing to teach and quiz you in every way. You get weekly education sessions and teleconference from QRME. I actually find myself more lively and involved than I was back in Mental Health, where sad to say... it's just mentally torturing in light of the lack of interest working in that field. Here I can apply knowledge and fix people.. really fix people.

My gf has returned to Brunei safely, leaving behind all the awesome memories she had in New Zealand. Despite that, she seems to be enjoying every aspect of it, traveling down to the city almost everyday as yet (as she is a village girl who met a city boy). As Chinese New Year approaches, the idea is to get used to a nice pre-dinner I guess by myself as it has always been for the past how many years? I don't even know when is Chinese New Year lol..

As every new year has it's own resolutions, mine stems upon the commitments I've envisioned upon over the near next few years~ and I guess.. it can only be simple and just. I've grown to the extent of being an adult and taking responsibility of things to my own accord; and I know I'm capable` =) In short, this is likely the final year I will be in Aussie and in this year, it's all about the completion of the year as a resident. And I'll make this year worthwhile and sweet` :)

Believe or not, I've actually pre-ordered Naruto Storm 3 in EB games in this new Emerald 'Stocklands', can't wait for it. And yes.. we have a mall here in Emerald, which wasn't here a few years back. I'm just exaggerating here in terms of its size, but least they do have Big W, Woolies, Sanity, a news agent and Cotton-on, but failed solely on not having a single cafe. I'm yet to visit Fairbairn Dam here, and yet to book my tickets for return back home this April. Looking forward to footy late this night. With this, I end my Emerald post~ and wishing everyone a wonderful night ahead.

- keith