Graduation

Well I've officially graduated from a Bachelor of Arts and the University of Melbourne! I actually finished last year but was in Brazil so missed the ceremony. I majored in Anthropology which was really interesting.
Even though I looove singing I'll definitely miss studying and uni life.

Keep in touch

I just thought I would share some other places where you can follow what I'm doing.

FACEBOOK:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Melanie-Jade/80078441684?ref=ts

TWITTER:

www.twitter.com/mel_jade

MYSPACE:

www.myspace.com/meljademusic

Check them out if you want to! I update this site more regularly and in more detail but the others are more interactive.
See you there!

South America

Well I'm back in Melbourne from my trip to South America.
It really was the most amazing experience ever. The main reason I went was to do some volunteer work with kids in Brazil but I made sure I had a little time to travel before hand to see the rest of the continent.
I spent my 21st birthday and new years eve in Buenos Aires, went sandboarding and Inca trekking through Peru, stayed with a local family and toured Bolivia, spent a day sleeping at the border stuck in Chile, loved every minute, every steak and every Malbec of Argentina, lazed on the beach and drank cocktails in Uruguay, partied at Carnival, hang glided and hung out at the beach in Rio de Janiero and finally went up to Salvador de Bahia to do my volunteer work.
In Salvador I worked in a Favela with underprivileged kids who I really fell in love with during my time there.
I had a class of 6 and 7 year olds who, though a little wild at first, really turned around and became angels! Hopefully I taught them something or at least just gave them a little extra attention that they needed. The worst thing in the world was leaving these kids! I didn't realise they would have such a big impression on me but, though I will always adore Melbourne, I definitely left some of my heart in Brazil!

My 21st Birthday

Well I'm actually not 21 just yet but as I will be on a plane to South America on my real birthday I had my party a little earlier. I drank cocktails all night and it was good to have so many of my friends in the one place. I got a new video camera for my birthday so I will be taking some videos in South America to put up here too.

Zuza Launch

Last night I went along to the Zuza Store Launch in Melbourne Central which was fun. I was working as a photographer for this event which was crazy because crowds kind of make way and pose for you wherever you go and people introduce themselves to you haha.
It was a really cool event and once I'd got my shots I put the camera away and just had some fun. There were lots of delicious cocktails, canapes, make-up goodie bags and free airbrush tattoos. There were also some harajuku girls so I couldn't help but to come out from behind the camera and get a polariod with them. I guess old habits die hard...hehe.

Photography

Well since I have been in front of the camera I thought it was about time I got behind it!
I've always loved photography and used to bug my sister to be my model hehe! I also did computer graphics and Photoshop studies so I figured that was enough to get me going.
Haha I gave my baby sister cat eyes!
Let me know what you think!

Peach Tree

Haha ok I admit I am a bit of a plant nerd! One day I ate a delicious peach and decided to grow a peach tree.
I put the pip in the fridge for a few months and planted it in a tiny pot labeled 'Future Peach Tree'. I was SO excited when it actually sprouted and had to keep transferring it into bigger pots.
Then this spring it blossomed! Gorgeous pink blossom! It was getting to big for it's pot again so I transferred it to the ground and now it has tiny furry buds which I hope will be peaches!
It is my baby! Haha!

Brazilian Orphanage

Well I'm so excited because I have booked a trip to South America! I am going to volunteer with kids in Brazil. It's something I've always really wanted to do and hopefully I will be able to continue doing similar things for the rest of my life.
I'm going with a program called Cross-Cultural Solutions.
I spoke to mX to do an article for them and was really excited to talk about why I wanted to go and everything that I wanted to do in Brazil, but the person interviewing me just kept repeatedly asking me about hair straighteners and my 'fave celebs' which was really not the point! Haha! Well anyway the article made me sound like a bit of a bimbo so that was funny but a bit frustrating at the same time.
Another article published in my local paper made me sound like a real goodie goodie wanting to save the whole world. Haha! Well I do want to save the world but I think I'll have to take it one small step at a time...
What I really want to do first is be a good influence on the kids so that hopefully they wont enter into cycle of violence and use any education we can give them to get ahead.
Well those interviews taught me a lesson in the media for sure! Be careful what you say because people will present you in whatever light they want to!

Dolphins!

What an awesome summer! I was so excited because I got to swim with the Dolphins at Sea world in Queensland! That has been my dream for ages!

Playboy Mansion

Classic! Me and my friend won a trip to the Playboy mansion! HAHA!
So in preparation we spent a few hours watching that hilarious mansion show, donned our pink bunny ears, annoyed the entire plane with our pink bunny ears and set off for West Hollywood baby!
I dragged my friend into every Victoria Secret store we passed, visited Disneyland, shopped on Sunset Boulevard and got accosted by a sleazy Jack Sparrow lookalike and various rappers. Oh yeah, and we went to the Playboy mansion for a day!
We got picked up in a limo, got jumped on by Kendra's dogs, had lunch, fed monkeys, met some scantily clad girls, met some flamingos (I was so excited about the Flamingos), and got a nice tour of the mansion. Fun! Our tour guide was one of the playmates but she was surprisingly down to earth and not vapid at all.
Well it was an experience that's all I can say!