9 Superficial Things I’ll Miss About Australia (No, it’s Not the Weather!)

But the weather ain’t half bad, just sayin’

It’s a truth universally acknowledged by a certain resident of Kansas that there’s no place like home. There are just some certain comforts that make you feel safe and secure, and while many of these are now available thanks to globalisation, there are a few silly things about Australia that I know I wistfully think of when back in Ol’ Blighty. Let’s get listing, shall we?

• The Size of Avocados – Being a part of the avocado lovin’ family that I am, this is *quite* a significant thing. Avocados in  Australia are deliciously bloody huge, creamy and ripe. On several occasions in the past I have had the misfortune to buy several avocados in England that have proceeded immediately from rock hard to completely rotten, totally bypassing any edible stage. This is important, you guys.
• Availability of Great Coffee – Look. It’s a lot better in Kent on the coffee side of things now, then it was in 2010 when I first came here. There are still many crappy tearooms selling crappy dishwater style coffee, but you can actually get a flat white here now, Lord be praised. But it’s just not quite as easy as popping down the road to Mooba, Lawley’s or Milkd, like I could in Perth. Heaven is a coffee flavoured place on earth. That’s a song, right?
• Grill’d & Jus Burger: 

Click for Source – Chi (in Oz)’s Photo Stream

 

Don’t know if there is much more I can say. Burgers. Delicious delicious burgers. Chunky chips. Before you say it, no, I         don’t live in London and no, Byron Burger is just not the same. Suitable replacement suggestions very welcome indeed.

• Cheap Public Transport – The People of Perth might disagree with me, but public transport is sooooo much cheaper there than in England. In the Motherland there is no such thing as a grace period, meaning you need a new ticket  every time you jump on the bus. For a non-car-owning citizen such as myself, this becomes rather problematic. Terribly interesting too, don’t you agree?
• David Jones Foodhall – I’m not saying that there is no equivalent in England. There is. It’s a tiny little shop known to the locals as Marks & Spencer, the greatest English shop of them all. But M&S is missing one crucial thing in my book, which gives my beloved DJ’s the advantage. That crucial element is the World’s Greatest Sushi Bar. I don’t know what it is about David Jones Sushi, but it’s bloody delicious and quite cheap really. It shall be missed.
• Frosty Fruit Icy Poles – Also known as quite a depressing icy pole if you’re a normal person, but the WORLD’S GREATEST SWEET TREAT when you’re trying to watch what you’re eating and are desperate for some kind of cold sweet treat on a hot Australian Summer’s day. It’s the little things you miss, you know?
• Tax Returns – Stay with me here guys. We don’t have to do these in England, but in Australia if you earn over X amount (I’ve forgotten how much because it’s been too long since I had a proper job :-/) you need to do a tax return, and if you’re lucky, it ends up that the Government owes you money and you get a nice little deposit into your bank account. A form of enforced savings, if you will. Luckily I’ve never had to repay any tax, although I know people who have, and that’s not fun in the slightest. But when I was saving for my travels, I worked three jobs and paid a lot of tax, and ended up with a $4,000 refund waiting for me come tax time. Thanks very much!
• No Electric Showers – Just typing out ‘electric shower’ makes me go a bit funny. Water pressure in Kent is technically known as ‘a bit shit’ and so if your bathroom is on the first floor or above you need an electric pump to get your shower on in the morning. In Australia I had the full force of outback water blasting me in the face every day, and by golly I’ll miss it. My English shower feels like a combination of being spat and weed on at the moment, and let me tell you, it’s not as fun as it sounds. Unless you’re into that sort of thing. I’d also like to point out that in England you’re not allowed so much as a powerpoint in the bathroom (you are in Australia!) but you can have an electric shower? MADNESS.
• Knowing How to Do ‘Life’ Stuff – Now this isn’t quite as superficial as the rest, but it’s something I’ll certainly miss. When you’re a local or a native citizen to a country, you end up just somehow knowing how life works, as if you’d picked it up by osmosis throughout your life. When you’re an immigrant, you forfeit that knowledge and so it just takes you that little bit longer to work stuff out. How to get a driving license, why you need a TV license, who pays council tax, what the hell council tax even is, who can vote and where. Having lived here for a few years, I’m much better than I used to be, but there are still times where I feel like a stranger, and I make the odd misstep. But I guess that’s life!

I returned to Rochester at about 9pm on Tuesday night, and it was incredibly surreal. I haven’t yet quite consolidated the fact that I’m back in my own house, with my own cats and my own fiancé. I haven’t yet begun to miss Australia too much, although I’m prepared for that to hit me when I am least prepared, as I’m sure those of you who have travelled will recognise.

The End of Twenny Fourteen

I love him.

My Mum, Me, Mr H and my sister. My Dad was also there, but I have my eyes spectacularly shut in the photo with him, so Papa, I’m afraid you miss out.

 

If you’ve snuck a peek at my Instagram account over the last week or two you may have noticed that a *rather* special chap has made a reappearance in my life. That’s right folks, I’ve just had two quite fabulous weeks here in Perth with none other than Mr Hello himself. Our year of the dreaded LDR was ended at disgusting-o’clock on the 18th of December.

We’ve spent two weeks gazing longingly into each others’ eyes and being unrepentantly loved up, celebrating his first ever Australian Christmas (the heat, OH THE HEAT), and more importantly, spending some quality time at the beach. It’s been delightful, truth be told. We even managed to have a relaxed engagement party last night at Matilda Bay.

I’m due to head back to the UK in three weeks, and so now that Mr H has made his way back to the cold before me, it’s time to knuckle down and get to packing (how I loathe the word). I’m excited to return, but also experiencing a strange kind of emotion…almost as if….I might….miss living in Australia? It’s absurd, really, considering the fact that I have more or less spent this year wishing I was back at home in Kent, but now the time is very nearly upon me I find myself rather reluctant to leave. The heat I can take or leave, and yes I am well aware of what a terrible Australian that makes me :), but it’s really the people here that I will miss dreadfully. Which is exactly what I said about leaving Rochester all those months ago. I guess the heart and head get used to living wherever they find themselves to be.

It’s been a wonderful Christmas. It’s been an amazing 2014. Here’s to more of the same and better next year.

My Weekend Has Been Spent #6

• Technically starting the weekend on Wednesday morning, when I hopped on a plane at an ungodly hour and flew to Melbourne.
• Being greeted by my Mum at the airport
• Seeing my Mum’s new fancy house – they’ve just bought it and it’s magazine worthy. Think modern with a Scandinavian mid century twist. Yeah. That’s good, isn’t it?
• Scraping a couple of hours’ kip in Mum’s spare bedroom. Ugh. There’s a difference between early starts and early starts.
• Trying not to get carsick on the way to the airport
• Boarding a teeny tiny plane to Sydney.
• Reaffirming my feelings that flying is not scary for me, just incredibly dull.
• Landing in Sydney and heading to my friend’s work to drop off my suitcase
• Realising that Sydney was ridiculously humid. Oh my god, was definitely not expecting that after the mildness in Melbourne.
• Realising that hair products do actually work. Normally my hair would end up like Marge Simpson’s at the tiniest whiff of humidity, but it stayed perfect until I got drenched later in the day.
• Having pizza and wine time with a dear friend that I haven’t seen for ages. (Love you K!)
• Waking up and wandering into central Sydney.
• Spending a couple of hours in David Jones, my favourite department store in the world. It’s like an Australian version on John Lewis, and believe it or not they do the best sushi I have ever tasted. It’s slightly better in the Perth store though!
• Realising that a lot of Sydney is modelled on an English style of architecture. Think terraced housing, the Museum station above and big Selfridges style department stores. It was quite comforting in a way.
• Heading the Museum of Contemporary Art. I was a little bit…underwhelmed I have to say, which is a real shame. One thing I adored though was a digital installation called The One Hour Laugh, which was simply a video of four women in somewhat ridiculous get up, trying to make each other laugh. I found myself grinning like a loon and giggling along with them. Very cheering.
• Despairing of the fact that coffee is cheaper in Sydney than it is in Perth.
• Wandering around the Docklands, and catching views of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Heading inside the Opera House, but just missing out on a tour.
• Catching a view of a statue I have hereby named Mr Tumnus in Hyde Park.
• Popping back to Surry Hills to see Belvoir St Theatre’s charming show A Christmas Carol. 5 Stars, would recommend. It was the most delightful reimagining of the story. Let me tell you, I get LOADS of Dickens in England where I live, which I rarely enjoy, but this was something truly heartwarming.
• Catching some zzz’s back at my friend’s house.
• At last completing my Sydney mission – putting in my application for my first ever Polish Passport at the Consulate. This is the only place in Australia where you can do it, which is a bit annoying for us west-siders! I was expecting it to be difficult, but the assistant was totally lovely and helped me out when my non-existent Polish became an issue!
• Flying back to Melbourne to spend the actual  weekend with my Mum’s family. There was a German Shepherd mask involved, but I don’t think I could explain that even if I tried.
• Catching another plane back to ol’ Perth.
• Praising everyone who could possibly be praised for the fact I could lie down in my own bed.

 

I was incredibly lucky to have left Sydney before the terrible events in the Lindt cafe unfolded. It was a tragic event and my heart goes out to all those touched by the cruel actions of a deluded man. 

Un/Ravelled.

Going Down:

An overwhelming inability to work solidly for more than 10 minutes at a time. Just as I progress into the hardest four weeks in all of my studying life. Thanks brain, it’s so great of you to come to the party like this. You’re also being tremendously helpful with your obsession with iPad games and staying up to 1am consistently. Honestly, what is my problem? Severely need to get my A into G, but this is looking less and less likely to happen. May or may not turn my late-semester stress levels up to 11. JOY.

I have been running (yes, running!) semi-solidly for five weeks now. Long enough that I can see improvement in my runs, but sadly not long enough that the poor, tender skin on the soles of my feet have been able to sufficiently harden up against the blight of the blister.  I am absolutely covered in the damn things, which makes me want to refrain from running to let them heal, which also makes me feel like a total wimp. Dilemma. What to do, oh wise internet? Send me tips etc, for running bliss. Sadly there has been no discernible change in my weight, which is now at an all time comfort-eating high. Ho hum.

My bank balance is at a near-ruinous level once again. No comment.

Going up:

I have had at least three rather delightful conversations with teacher recruiters for the UK, which is an oxymoron if ever I have heard one. I’m feeling decidedly positive about my work prospects, and in fact it seems like my return to my adopted home will in fact happen, despite the general never-ending-assessments feeling that has swept over me regarding uni work.

My first assessment for semester 2 came back with a (totally unexpected) fantastic grade. I am particularly delighted, because I was close to tears about it, practically from the moment we received the task sheet. I don’t, however, hold any high hopes for my latest effort.

I have a JOB INTERVIEW on Thursday evening for a teaching position next year. It all feels a little unreal, but it’s in the diary so I guess I better buck up my ideas and get preparing. Funnily enough I am having no trouble planning things for next year, which probably says something about my state of mind. My mother used to say ‘don’t wish your life away Sam’; rather good advice which I have faithfully ignored for approximately 15 years.

It’s all happening, so it seems, at HSGS Headquarters. But it’s a damn struggle, so many threads to keep track of. How’s life treating you?

Gettin’ all Sentimental

Well folks, it happened. I left the comforting bosom of my home for the last four years and high tailed it back to Perth, Australia. I’m heading back to uni, and while I’m still settling back in and before I work out how many of my old friends are still here, I’m taking advantage of the solitude and firing this little baby back up.

I also bought an iPad on route, and although it’s not the greatest to type on, I’m totally bloody obsessed and using it as much as humanly possible.

My friend Annalise once said, having moved interstate, that when in Sydney, when she referred to ‘home’ it meant Perth, but when in Perth ‘home’ was Sydney. I feel the same way, to a certain extent, although my first 12 hours back in Aus was filled with that lovely, warming, comforting welcome from family, and so I hadn’t felt too out of sorts. After eights hours kip and what I hope turns out to be a mild case of jet lag, I’m feeling the distance I’ve come, and hope that I can manage the tiny heart pain I feel from not being amongst my pals in Kent.

I think I’ve mentioned on here before how frequently I’ve packed up and left everything behind in my life. Primary school, secondary school, uni and first real job were all in different cities, the last one was even in a different country. It’s a pattern I don’t want to continue indefinitely, because it can be painful  and isolating to the same extent that it’s exciting and refreshing. But here I am starting my new career back in my hometown, having left the life I created once again.

I wept as we flew into Perth, seeing the vast sky I told everyone about in England, with the phrase ‘I loves a sunburnt country’ repeating in mind. I can’t remember any of the poem past that, but it was enough to make me bulb semi-silently in the plane cabin. Although being away from England is strange, it’s a joy to be back, it truly is, if only for the weather! 

But actually, it’s not only the weather, already I can see that. It’s being able to sit next to my dad in the car and not speak, not because we don’t have eighteen months to catch up on, but because we’re so comfortable with each other that we forget we’ve spent so long apart. It’s having coloured money again, and knowing once I get a job, that I’ll be paid fortnightly, not just the dreaded once a month. It’s being a local, not a foreigner. It’s knowing the lay of the land inherently, and not having to google map everything.

It’s going to be a strange old year, busy and challenging. Let’s see if I’m up to it.

I Took a Break…

I did. The last fortnight has been wonderful and hard, and challenging far beyond what I had expected. In short, our plans for Wales fell through. I guess we were just too remote and hadn’t planned enough in advance. It was a tough decision to move on, but thats what we decided was best.

We’re now staying with the BF’s sister in Kent, until we find a place of our own. She’s being wonderful and lovely and unbelievably generous. I like being here, but I miss all of the things I had, and gave up, back in Perth. I had a job that paid well, a house I was both affectionate of (is that even correct grammar?) and familiar with, and a student priced Smartrider. Cheap as.

As it gets colder, I realise more how truly far away I am. I want to go home, but more than that I wish I had been outrageously successful here. I wish I had found it easier, so that I would have been more sure that I was meant to be in Europe.

I’m feeling pretty low, but I’ve literally brought this on myself (and the BF) and I want to see how we pull through. We’ve just got to.

Making Plans…

The BF and have decided to move to a small town in Wales. It’s so unbelievably picturesque around here, and in that regard the decision was easy. But there have been other things that have made this decision a difficult one.

We’ve both lived in cities for a long time. I’ve gotten used to just hopping on a bus and going wherever I want. Getting whatever I want easily. It’s not like that here. There aren’t cool vintage shops, or swing dancing classes or even cinemas close. That troubled me.

Until…

(jokes)

We went for a walk just before sunset last night, and we came to a conclusion that was basically “fuck it”. We’ve got two, glorious, responsibility free years here, and we’re going to live wherever we want. If nothing happens here, we’ll make it happen. It was a very liberating thought. So, drumroll, if you will…..we’ve decided to cross this:

with this:

and creating a Spring Outdoor Film Festival! We want to keep it pretty small to begin with, and we’re thinking about having it over a weekend, showing three films. I want to have it in a field, really casual, so people can bring a picnic and a blanket and just enjoy being outside.

I really want to feel part of a community, and I think that if we make things happen – we’ll get there.

We’re both going to use our arts know-how and harass the general population into action. They’ll come and they’ll damn well enjoy it!

Flickr images from wexnercenter and akademy’s photostream respectively.

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

I’ve met some wonderful people here. It’s amazing how a day can seem a week and a week can seem a lifetime. In such a short space of time, I have more wonderful friends than ever before. AND I have a room in Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid and London. Not to mention the occasional yurt in Llanidloes.

It’s such a struggle to say goodbye, though. It almost feels timeless here in rural Wales, and having little connection to the whole crazy world, and our “real” lives away from here. When one of us leaves, it makes a hole. New people come, but it’s not the same. It will get better, as the new people become less new. Then the process starts all over again, until you’re the one that’s leaving, the one that’s leaving the hole.

I hope we stay in touch. But if not, we always have that wonderful week where we were anyone we wanted to be.

My Weekend Has Been Mainly Spent #2

• Cycling into Llanidloes
• Utterly regretting the decision to cycle
• Cursing my borrowed bicycle with every ounce of my being
• Giving up dairy
• Taking up butter and cheese (but not milk)
• Enjoying a coffee and sharing a slice of cake with The BF at the Great Oak Café
• Discovering the Great Oak Bookstore
• Watching Cranford
• Taking a mammoth walk
• Slipping down the hill and putting my hand in the only patch of nettles to be seen.
• Bribing Matilda the calf with milk, so she’ll let me put her halter on
• Getting repeated headbutted by a stubborn calf
• Reading “The Pursuit of Laughter – Essays, Articles, Reviews and Diaries of the Most Controversial Mitford Sister” by Diana Mosley
• Having a most delightful bath
• Feeling happy when I see the clock and it’s only 8:55pm

What did you do?

My Weekend Has Been Mainly Spent #1

• Discovering Edinburgh’s National Library
• Discovering Scotland’s National Museum
• Going on a tour at the Museum – realising I adore old gents who are enthusiastic about the Neolithic period.
• Making and eating roast chicken and vegies
• Making good use of my new Chanel compact!!!! Thanks to The BF for that one
• Watching Gavin and Stacey
• Wishing I could do a Welsh accent
• Missing my family
• Reading Architecture and Beauty books in Waterstone’s
• Avoiding all the flyerers in Edinburgh
• Thinking about working on the farm we’re going to in about a week
• Wondering where we want to live after September
• Kind of wanting a job
• Knowing better than that.