Something blue...

Ok, I have to admit that I am in love with the new trendy nail polish colours (like mint and blue). I might have said that I don't like them a few weeks ago, but now that I have seen some girls with awesome looking nails in the shopping mall, I changed my mind. Yesterday I got myself one of the new colours - and absolutely love it on my nails!
I am also very busy preparing our new visa. It is more work than I thought and even though I want to hand it in at immigration next week, there's still a lot of forms to fill out. I am still waiting for my police checks from the UK and Australia and I am praying every day that they will arrive on time. My medical check is done and I am also waiting for the results in the post. I am getting a bit nervous but according to Ben we should "definitely" get the visa with all the evidence we are providing. Let's hope so!

Filled Strawberries

Ben has had a hard day at work, so I decided to surprise him with a dessert tonight - Strawberries filled with Banana and Cream. Look how delicious they look, I am so excited! I know he'll love it, it looks so nice and I am sure they'll be divine! Here is the recipe:

What you need:
* Strawberries
* about one big teaspoon Vanilla Yoghurt depending on how many strawberries you have (I used natural yoghurt and added some vanilla syrup)
* a small banana or half a banana
* half a teaspoon sugar
* flaked almonds

What you do:
Mash a banana with a fork and add the yoghurt and sugar.
Cut out the middle of the strawberries, try to let a thin wall.
Then fill the strawberries with your banana yoghurt.
Decorate the ends with the flaked almonds. DONE!

Bastille Day Weekend

Last weekend was just crazy even though we were home no later than 11pm Friday and Saturday. I met up with some friends from Wollongong on Friday and on Saturday we were invited to a house party. An amazing house party! It was Bastille Day this weekend, so my French friend invited us to celebrate with her and her housemates. We brought cheese and wine and chatted over some French finger food before we started some cultural influenced dancing and singing. After a few hours we were trying to have one or more french words in each conversation, and I can tell you all the wine helped. It was a great idea to have a french party and I am thinking maybe I  should have an Austrian Party in October when the Austrian's celebrate their national holiday. I haven't had a crazy going out weekend yet, but maybe for the better considering all the money a night out in Kings Cross costs. I have been saving quite a bit of money the last weeks, which I need because I am going to Splendour in the Grass at the end of next week. A music festival in Byron Bay, about a 10h drive from Sydney. So right now I am saving up all my spare money so I can enjoy my time up there.

Graduation is coming up

Today I got my uni results and my graduation date. Thank god it is in the time frame my parents are here! I was so nervous about that. I don't understand how universities only release their graduation dates a month before. How are international students supposed to arrange travel and accommodation? Well I couldn't wait any longer because I didn't want my parents to pay a fortune on their flights to Australia (considering it's already so expensive to get here). I was lucky! Someone must have heard my prayers to put my graduation date in between a two week timeframe! So now I can't wait until my parents are here, I can start counting the weeks now - 4 in total, and start organising everything for them. It's weird to think of tourist attractions in Sydney now that I am so used to just living here! Good thing is, after one year I know about amazing places to take my parents to and I can't wait to simply show them what my life down under is like!

These pictures were taken during my lunchtime run, isn't it amazing where I live?

Flowers and a new flatmate

Last week Ben and I were walking to the beach. On our way home we walked past the little corner shop that always has those nice flowers at the front. Suddenly Ben goes: "Wait, I gotta get something real quick" and leaves me standing at the front before I can even say anything. Then he comes out with a bunch of beautiful flowers. This is what I like about this guy and it's these little things that make me like him more and more!

Last night I looked at the flowers and saw this little fella in there! So cute! It must have been hiding in the closed poppy flower, because I haven't seen it until the flower opened up! I took it outside today, I don't think it was too happy about being in our living room!

Lunch time Workout

Yesterday was such a nice winter's day that I decided to go for a run to the third furthest beach. I was surprised that I could handle the distance without having to stop a million times. I had some water at the beach and watched people for a little while (some were swimming in the ocean, just watching them gave me goosebumps!) before I ran back to Bondi. I hope the weather will be nice again soon, when it is cloudy and rainy I just can't get myself to work out! Apparently it is the coldest time of the year right now, so from now on it can only get better! This cold is giving me a hard time, especially after coming back from boiling hot Austria a few weeks ago! I shouldn't be complaining about 16°C in winter though, especially when there's days like yesterday.

3 weeks (2)

Here is a little list of things I did in Austria - I think the best point is the weather (I can't believe it was only 8 degrees this morning here in Australia!)

* BBQ's in the evenings in the garden and chatting til 1AM
* Party with my best ones
* Watching TV with my besties and talking until we realise it is 1AM and all of them have to work that day
* Spontanious meet ups and mocktails in the afternoon
* Going shopping with my mum (including grocery shopping - I love to buy food I can't get in Australia)
* 33 degrees celsius
* Vienna - during the day and during the night
* supernatural experiences in Vienna
* Valentina - (almost) every single day
* traditional confirmation of my littlest cousin
* being out til 5 in the morning and forgetting that I have to be up at 9am
* realising my little cousins were out longer than me (but don't look even close as tired as I do!!!)
* meeting up with my family and cousins, talking for over 3 hours at the restaurant until the waiter gives us "the" look
* watching the progress of my little niece learning to walk all by herself and realising that she is able to do that now all by herself in just 3 weeks
* going for walks with my mum at 10 at night
* cuddling my 13 year old dog fearing it is the last time I see him
* going on a night field day and walking 12km in the dark being guided by my friend's cutest sausage dog
* 34.5 degrees celsius (!)
* being able to buy half a litre of the most delicious raspberry punch for 5 euro
* watching the EM with the boys and learning about soccer ("what I should have known already!"
* having the comfort of just calling my friends and them being there for me anytime
* having a late flight home so  I can spend my last day with my family
* getting upgraded on my last flight and enjoying all of it
* secretly crying and pretending to sneeze while watching "Warhorse" on the plane

3 weeks gone like the wind

I can't believe that those 3 weeks were over so fast. I have been home in Austria and I enjoyed every minute of it. There were no blog posts as every moment I lived there felt so natural and not made for the blog. I spent lots of time with my little niece and my sister, in fact almost every day. I tried to fit in as many friends as possible into my timetable and was out and about as much as possible. I also needed a day off - from people or visits and things to do, so I went to Vienna by myself and went window shopping. That day off felt amazing, it was a warm summer's day and the best was the feeling of not being rushed or thinking what do I have to do in an hour.

I also had to say goodbye to something very important to me: my iphone. Someone stole it out of my bag including my wallet. And that happened on my third day in Vienna. Why has nothing like that ever happened to me in Sydney? Last time I was home in November they stole money out of my purse too and I have to say I am one of the most careful people when it comes to watching my bag. (Living in the dodgy parts of London taught me so). After getting told that I have to "watch my stuff better and how can this even happen?!" by the man ordering my new driver's license ("Yes Sir, you know I lost my iphone on purpose because I love paying a ridiculous amount of money for a new one because - as a student - I have loads of it at the moment. Seriously, give me a break.") Well that was just in my head, in fact I said with an understanding face: "I know, I need to be more careful."

Other than that I had a great time back home and so you get an idea too, I'll post some iphone pics (the few I have left after my phone got stolen) in my next post with some details about my trip. To start with, here you can see the beautiful town I grew up in.