I'm back.

I have taken a little break from blogging. The reason behind this was changes in my life. A lot of changes. I needed some time off and concentrate on my life and future here in Australia. I finished my master degree, graduated, started a job. I also had my parents here in Australia for the first time for almost three weeks and I started to train 5x a week to become healthier and fitter. Food has always influenced my life a lot and as you know I have had a lot of problems in the past with sugar and wheat. Since my last post a lot of time has passed and I am feeling a lot better, I am working 5 days a week (which was quite hard to adapt to after being a student for a year) and Ben and I got our de facto visa approved after only 3 months. We have just been on a little holiday in Melbourne for Melbourne Cup Day. We felt like a couple that recently started dating, walking hand in hand through Melbourne trying to find the best little cafés and restaurants. The holiday was good for both of us, we hadn't been away together since christmas last year and we enjoyed every minute of it. We loved Melbourne so much that we are even thinking of moving there. I wouldn't mind for a year or two. Anyway I recently felt like writing on here again, I really miss it, so I hope you are still interested and are happy to read a little more posts from me again. Considering that I am working 40h a week now I probably won't be writing as much as I used to but I will try and keep you updated on my (now healthier) life and post some recipes again.

Ben and I at the Melbourne Cup

Family in Oz

Right now my parents are here in Sydney to visit me. I am absolutely loving it. It is the first time that I can show someone from home how I am living here on the other side of the world. Every day I show them around in the city that I love so much and spend time with them at my favourite spots. I love to be able to call my mum in the morning, and not think about the 10h time difference, invite her for breakfast and chat with her on our balcony. Even though it might sound weird to some people, we also spend time together just doing domestic things like cleaning my apartment or baking together. It is very new to me to have someone help me here and it kind of makes me sad thinking that I won't have this for very long. Life is a lot easier if you have your mother close to you, just simple things I have no idea of, like cleaning or cooking matters, are different if you can ask your mother about it. I am enjoying my time with them here right now but I also fear the moment when I have to say goodbye to them. It is going to be really hard, but right now I don't want to think about it and rather enjoy them being so close to me.

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!