06.27.10

The week has been long, but work is slowly getting easier. The best part is that John got a job as well. He is working as a waiter for a Mexican restaurant called Tortillas.
Mexican food has been so hard to find out here. Like I have mentioned before, Australia is closer to Asian countries so there is a lot of Asian and Indian restaurants. We have even noticed a high number of Turkish places, kebabs and so forth. America is connected to Mexico and is heavily influenced by the Mexican culture. You may love it or hate it, but man youre a fool if you dont love their food!
I have been dealing with a serious Mexican food craving since I arrived in Australia. We have run into 2 or 3 restaurants but they all seemed closed. The one that was open, didnt even look like it made good Mexican. If you walk into Mexican restaurant, you should smell Mexican, not burgers!
John would ideal have liked a job in general labor, or as a mechanic, but he is a trooper and wouldnt dare turn down a paying job, even as a waiter. He does have some food experience though. He worked through high school at Wendys and this past winter, we both worked at the bar at Boston Mills. I shared shifts behind the deli counter, with John, and the other days as a waitress. John just stayed behind the deli counter.
I noticed a new job posting at the reception desk at Dougies one morning, and told John to call. He did, and got asked to come in that night. The rest of the day we ran around making sure he had a white shirt, and I gave him a waitress 101 tutorial. Gave him all the details he would need so that Tortillas would have no idea that he really, had no waiting experience!
The best part about the job is that he even looks Mexican! He has such a gorgeous tan, and nice, long black hair. A bunch of Columbians came into the restaurant one night to ask him if he was Columbian.
His first few days were seamless, though his boss seems to be next of kin to Hitler. Oddly enough, his name is John as well. We will just call him Boss for the sake of keeping things easy. Boss is the owner, as well as the head chef. John says that when he is not busy, and just being a normal person, he is the kindest man ever, but the minute the restaurant gets busy and he is cooking, he becomes so nasty. Its become hard for the both of us to keep our mouths shut, as we would have both liked to give our nasty bosses a few words, but we digress. Just shake our heads, give out the most amazing can-do attitude and keep on keeping on.
I did catch a glimpse of John working one night when I got off of work before he did. I just walked the block to his restaurant to wait for him to knock-off (that is how Aussies say it is time to leave). He had his work t-shirt on, his khaki shorts, and the most adorable, multi-colored apron on. The apron looked just like one of those traditional, multi-colored, Mexican blankets. It just doesnt work well with a gear-head, like John, but it is humbling. John openly admitted that waiting was difficult and he gives props to those who have spent years making a living off of it.
Tortillas is a very small restaurant. During lunch they have maybe 10 tables, and at dinner, 20. The restaurant, including the kitchen, bar and dining area, is about the size of a master bedroom. There are only 4 tables on the inside, and the rest are on the sidewalk. Its not nearly as formal as Zinc, nor nearly as large. Their customers come to eat, and leave, where at Zinc, our customers normally are there to spend their evening.
Even though he has to wear a silly apron, and is slightly embarrassed that he is waiting, he gained back full power with his wage of 21 dollars an hour. 2 bucks more then mehe really likes rubbing this in my face, but I dont mind : ) Needless to say, I am so proud of my Mexi-Italian, apron wearing, waiter.

One of the best things about staying in Port Douglas, has been the people and the friends we have been making. I work with mainly other backpackers, as so does John. Most of them are living at Dougies as well.
Lisa is from Canada and is a waitress at Zinc as well. She only started a week before I did. We see each other all the time at Dougies and I really enjoy talking with her and spending our nights having a drink or to just complain about work. So far, I am the closest with Lisa, and I must say, its really nice to have a girl-friend that is just a few steps away from my tent. Its been really hard without my girls from home, especially since I cant call them or talk to them when I feel like it. Even though email has been wonderful, it sucks that you dont get an instant response. The best apart her though, is that she is from Canada. John and I hardly notice the Canadian accent anymore, having been around so many different languages, so its nice to speak to someone that reminds me of home. Secondly, she understands what I am saying. Not literally, but as far as how things are different here, or when I make a joke that really only a North American person may understand. We seem to always be on the same team when it comes to making fun of how other people pronounce things, or as far as sports go etc etc. Shes definitely been a breath of fresh air.
David is also a waiter at Zinc. Been at Dougies for awhile, and is English. He is a great worker and has helped me out so much at Zinc. All the wait staff sticks together so that we dont get yelled at by Rads or Olivia. Whenever I have a question, or need help, Dave is the person I go to. When I started waiting tables, he prompted me to make sure I was doing everything I needed to, and again, saving my butt from the rath of RADS-IVIA! I can always count to see him grabbing a beer at the Dougies bar after work. He has been great for conversation, and has always offered me and John a drink if we were close by. When he does get a few in him, he starts to make really funny jokes, and does really funny things. Normally, a pretty conservative guy, its nice to see him let loose and hang ten every once in a while.
Adam is a bartender at Zinc and from Dublin, Ireland. Love his accent, but have a hard time understand him. I find myself just nodding and laughing when he says something to me, as opposed to asking him What? a million times over and over. Lol He has only been here for a month or two, and still seems to be making mistakes behind the bar. When I get yelled at, I always turn to Adam, cause most likely, he (or Tim) is getting yelled at for something more important, and then I dont feel so bad! (haha, is that awful?) He has also made for great conversation, and has introduced John and I to some other great people staying at Dougies. He and Jessi would have totally hit it off with him is she were here, and I cant help but think of her every time we are hanging out with Adam. We dont see him around Dougies since he is always working split shifts, but when he is here, he is at the pool playing kurb ball. I dunno, some weird game where you try to throw a ball on the rim of the pool and make it bounce back. John got pulled into a game once, and he says its fun. Oddly enough, it is Adams birthday today as well. Both John and I had to work, so we didnt get a chance to hang out, but bought him a shot at Dougies to celebrate.
Sonja is the blonde girl from Germany. She doesnt live at Dougies but is backpacking as well. I am sure if she were at Dougies, we would be much better friends. Her and I started working at Zinc on the same day, so we have really clung together for support. She is still only running food and drinks because of the language barrier but has become a master at it. Every timer we pass each other at the restaurant, she is always smiling! She is such a joy to work with, and I have recently convinced her to stay after work and enjoy her comp drink (we get a free beverage after a dinner shift). She is traveling with her boyfriend, Marco, and she will actually be donating her old 4 person tent to John and I! We are so excited about this, but she seems happy to get the dang thing off her hands. We hope to set it up tomorrow. What a sweet girl she is!
Tim is the other bartender. He doesnt live at Dougies either, but close by. He has been here a little longer then Adam, and he is fromwell I dunno where he is from! I guess I hardly notice his accent as well! He is living in an apartment, which one of his roomies is Rebecca, another waitress we work with. He and Adam make some of the most incredible looking cocktails, and I am truly planning on spending a night tasting some of them. During work, Tim doesnt say much, but is very forgiving to my mistakes. After work, he is always willing to hang out for the comp-drink, and like everyone else I have been meeting, is great for conversation.
John normally gets off of work just before I do, and will join us all while we are drinking our comp-drinks. Thats the best, when John is there, cause then he can be apart of the great company. Tim and Sonja drive, but the rest of us just walk back to Dougies.
Then there is Lucia. She is from England is part German. She is a waitress, and will be training me for my first few day shifts. She is so much fun to hang and laugh with. When she has a drink in her hand, she does the funniest stuff! The one night at Douugies, she and John and I were talking. She had the day off and her and her boyfriend celebrated with cocktails. Needless to say, she was slightly intoxicated. We were all just standing there, under the roof of the outside bar, when Lucia noticed this black, tar like substance on her thumbnail. She looked at John and said, I have no idea what this is.. and showed us her thumb. We all started busting out laughing, all confused as to what just happened to her nail. We stood there for 15 minutes, laughing hysterically, discussing the possibilities as to what it may be. We finally ruled it out to be some sort of poop. Dave swore it to be bat poop, but I am not so sure. It has been the hardest I have laughed in some time. The next day at work, she was too embarrassed to talk about it! Lol. She is a hard working girl, but is so funny.
Lastly, Mick is one of the chefs. I am sure he is a local, but am not positive. I see him and some of the other chefs up at Dougies sometimes as well. He always welcomes me to work with a smile, which is such a pleasure. He makes some incredible food, which I am dying to eat, and of course, is one of the people, of great conversation at the end of the night when the staff is enjoying their comp drinks. The other chefs seem stuffy, and very uptight. Even though Mick works hard, he is always happy and kind. Its nice to know there is smiling face inside that kitchen, cause gosh knows thats the last place I would want to be working!
I am sure I will post tons of pictures of everyone, and will refer back to them tons of times. They are all becoming great friends, and I know John and I both appreciate the camaraderie.