YP's Take White Night

Steve and I had our first day of school last week - we both got called in for our first Australian supply teaching job. And so, at 6.30 am we stood on the curb, waiting for the bus and had a friend snap this pic of us, just like Mum used to do on all of the “first days” that came before this one. Only this time, we weren’t kindergarteners who dressed themselves in all of their favourite colours and who had bows in their hair and sticky remnants from breakfast smeared on their cheeks. Oh no, this time – we were prepared.

With briefcases shouldered, we looked every bit of the Young Professionals (YP’s) we were aiming to be. Every detail, down to the eco-friendly travel mug, was in place as we hopped on the public transit to play teacher for the day.  It ended up being a smashing success and I feel as if our teaching career in Australia is starting to gain momentum. We have high hopes that it begins snowballing into a frenzy so we can afford to do all of the wonderfully touristy stuff we want to do down here – and of course, buy all you guys at home lots of souvenirs!

After reintroducing ourselves to the working world again, the weekend delivered some time for the -tions!  (Namely: celebration, relaxation and restoration). Melbourne had planned White Night – a festival of sorts that ran from 7pm – 7am. I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that it’s in the family of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, among other cities worldwide that host a similar fête.

It was a party of mass proportions. Think; house party with no walls and everyone in the world is invited. Streets in the CBD were cordoned off, bands were playing out under the stars, light and art were bouncing off everything. Public buildings, like the Art Gallery, were open for public roaming, and many participants enjoyed some adult beverages waaaaay past last call.  In a massive oversight, both Steve and I forgot to bring the camera downtown, so you’ll have to do with these pixelly thumbnails from my cell phone and your own imagination to fill in the gaps.

 

We returned home at 7am, just as the sky was leaking daytime and crawled into bed. At noon we woke up and ordered pizza for breakfast – the life of a real YP.