Ruby Shoes and Where They Take You

There's no place like home....There's no place like home.

Words I think perhaps everyone in western culture knows. We say words like these all the time.  I'll be home for Christmas, Home is Where the Heart is, etc.  Everyone has a home, and that home helps us to stay grounded as we spread our wings and explore the world, whatever that path might look like.

Growing up in Spokane, many of my friends couldn't wait to get to the next step, away from Spokane, away from home. I was never one of those kids.  I was happy with Spokane, I love my friends, family and just about everything about it.

Aparently God had other plans for me.  First to Indiana for Valpo.  I recieved a wonderful education, despite my typo filled blog.  I met some amazing people, who I am thrilled to have in my life, and have so many memories I will cherish forever.  Throw in some summers at camp, full of friends family and unbelievable growth in my own personal faith.

Then, it was off to Tacoma. Tacoma was a hard place for me. On paper my job was perfect, and my congregation was full of wonderful and supportive people who I miss dearly some days. Despite this, I think that the first couple of years in ministry are difficult. Everything in Tacoma seemed like a battle.  Yet, I learned so much about myself, and I grew up a lot.  I made some great friends, had many important professional and personal milestones, and gained confidence that I could do what I put my mind to.

One day out of the blue, I applied for a job in Australia, one thing lead to another and now I am here. I have found so many adventures, friends who I feel like I have known forever, and a very special someone, who makes everything seem easier.  Everything isn't a battle here, and I feel a bit like I know what I am doing most days.  Here it's the small things that throw me off, the littlest thing might seem impossible, but it always gets done.

 As I dropped my Mom off at the airport the other day, I was sad to see her go, yet as I drove back to Bundy it felt like I was coming home.  I have had many homes over the years, and for me I think that at the end of the day, the people in your life make your home.  They don't have to be in the same house, they can be continents away, but they help you to stay grounded even as you fly, and the ruby slippers may just be a fabulous fashion statement.

Traveling Domestic, Internationally

Well I am currently sitting at the airport on my way back from a weekend in Sydney and a conference in Newcastle  and what a trip it has been.
To start with I got to go through security with my shoes on and a full water bottle!  Small victory I know.  I had never really thought about how different countries would have different ways of going about security.  I know that things were very different in Indonesia, but somehow I expected Australia to be the same.  It’s not.  People looked at me like I was crazy for having my liquids out in a plastic bag.
Another fun fact, in Australia, airlines feed you!  Nothing elaborate mind you, but at least a muffin or a sandwich depending on the time of day.  They do not however seem to have sodas, you are stuck with tea and coffee.
Each time I travel in Australia I am struck by the level of hospitality I encounter.  People I have never even met picking me up from the airport and from the platform of the train, letting me stay in there homes, feeding me and the like.  While for the most part I like this expected level of hospitality, I can actually find it extremely overwhelming at times.  One of my hosts in particular on this trip made me feel this way.  I think it makes me feel like I am being chaperoned, and I find that off putting.
That being said, my weekend in Sydney was incredible.  My host there was the perfect balance of hospitable, but I also had the chance to do some exploring on my own. Sydney is a lovely city, lots to explore and do. The opera house is incredibly majestic sitting out on a point, and it’s tiled.  The Royal Botanic Gardens are massive.  There is a nice bled of new and old buildings, and some beautiful and massive shopping centers.  I got to ride trains and ferry’s and spend lots of time on foot.  It had a similar feel as Chicago to me, but I love Chicago, so I was a fan.
There are so many things I miss about living in or closer to the city, the food being one.  I got some amazing Greek food, Thai food and Starbucks while there; a nice blend of familiar and variety. I love that there is always something to do in the city; whether you want a museum, markets to wander through, a ballet to attend or just a new place to walk with a street musician to listen to.
I don’t miss the buzz and the noise though.  When I first got off the train in downtown Sydney, I can only say I was overwhelmed.  I was also overwhelmed when I ended up on the wrong train out of Sydney and experienced a 6-hour delay. In Sydney there were people everywhere, and people all seem so inconsiderate, very concerned for their own needs and not looking out for others.  The city can be such a lonely place. I hope someday to move closer to a city, but I think as much as I enjoyed my trip, I was most glad to leave the concrete jungle.
I think that I have started the journey to become a bit of an Aussie.  I found that especially when traveling people didn’t ask me where I was from after they heard my accent, and lots of people asked me for directions.  Or perhaps my accent just seems less out of place in the city.  I did have to laugh at the fact that I bought a green and gold Australia sweatshirt and had so many people ask what sport I represented Australia in.  My response of course, was tourism.  It just made me chuckle that a $20 sweatshirt had people convinced I was awesome enough to compete at national level athletics!
 Well that’s all for now.  More later.

Wipers, Indicators and Olypmics. Oh my!

So yet again it has been a while since I have posted.  I seem to find that life in Australia, is just starting to feel normal, and not quite so bloggable.  Then when I remember that I am living in Australia, and you are not, I decide I might have something to share.

Let's start with my trip home.  It was totally wonderful to be home and see everyone.  It made me feel like I was grounded again.  Like things were familiar again and like perhaps things just hadn't changed so much with out me.  Yet when it was time to leave, I was ready to go.  My life is not at home right now.  People I care deeply about are, but they have lives in the states, and I don't.  I have a wonderful life here in the land of OZ.

Although I will admit there was some reverse culture shock.  Mainly while driving.  The entire time I was home, every-time I went to turn I would attempt to turn on my blinker on whichever side of the steering wheel I was about to turn. This pattern continued for about 2 weeks after my return to Australia.  I must say it is a bit alarming to have your windshield whippers start unexpectedly.

My other big culture shock as of late has been watching the Olympics.  I have not seen any non-Australians compete in anything but swimming. As Australia is not very good at gymnastics, or diving I am finding it is like the Olympics aren't happening. If I paid for my tv coverage I could watch all the medal events, but as I don't I am stuck watching lots of swimming, rowing, field hockey and equestrian events.  I did see part of one beach volleyball game and a bit of basketball. The announcers are great, but I don't even see the non-australian competition.  It's a bit too much green and gold from this view.

Well that's all I have for now.  Please comment if you have anything you would like to me write about, and I will try and post sooner next time. 

Heading Home...and how to get there...

Wow it has been a while.  Life is as crazy as ever.  Since my last post I have celebrated my birthday, had many adventures, and had to put a blanket on my bed to ward off the now cooler nights.

My Birthday was amazing!  I had a wonderful weekend in Brisbane for Rotaract training.  I spent time with friends, who spoiled me with wine and chocolate cake, went to the XXXX factory, where I saw how they make lots of beer (Australians drinks lot's) and just had a generally good time.  Each time I have been in Brisbane it has been raining, which makes it remind me of Seattle, but I don't like it quite as much.  I spent my actual B-day in Bundaberg, where I received lot's of cards, emails, facebook posts, calls and flowers as well wishes.  My host family had me over for dinner, where Rachael the 4 year old wished me happy Birthday about 25 times.  It was perfect. 


Life here has been really good in general.  I am starting to be able to cook again with out messing everything up, grocery shopping isn't quite so overwhelming, church feels familiar and homey again and I feel like I am starting to get into a routine with things.  I have switched over to medicare and Australian drivers license.  I have friends. I have been spending lots of time at the gym, and when I am not there I tend to be working on something for Rotaract or talking to a certain someone.  So I guess I really do live here. 


In a week I head out to visit home.  Before I go I will be spending 4 days at camp, which is good because my productivity seems to be weening every day, especially considering the gorgeous 75 degree weather. I have my tickets printed and my travel insurance purchased, and souvenirs all packed away. 


I am excited but also nervous. I am afraid I won't want to come back, I am afraid it will make me feel even more homesick.  On the other side I am worried that it won't be as great as I remember in my head, and that I will be disappointed and not refreshed.  That I will find that I have changed too much and don't click with my friends or family.  Silly I know, but I can say that I am at least very excited to find out one way or another how it goes.  
<3 Beth

Settling In

Ever since my arrival it seems that everyone wants to know if I am "settling in."  My response has been a consistent yes, but I always sort of wondered what exactly they meant. I think that now, three months after my arrival I am finally starting to understand what they mean, and I am not sure that I like it.

Settling in has meant many things.  The first of which seems to be finding a house, and getting everything unpacked to a place where it gets to stay.  My suitcases are hidden away, and I have stuff in cupboards and shelves around the house.  Although my bed is incredibly uncomfortable, it is still a home, and more than that, it is my home.

Settling in has meant major purchases in this country.  The first of those has been a bike, followed by a car, and hopefully shortly a lawn mower. Some of the little things signify settling in too.  Such as needing to buy toothpaste here.  When you go on vacation, you take it with you.  You don't buy nail clippers because you don't have time to both loose the ones you brought and have your nails grow long enough that you need to purchase new ones.

Settling in  has involved getting involved with activities outside of work.  When people take 6 months trip for a mission trip or whatever, they go for a purpose, a task and that is what they do.  Here, I have come to work in a church, but because I am here for so long I have become involved with a Rotary Group, which I am now Vice-President, a Tennis League, and am hoping to join the Bridge Club. I am setting up a life.

Settling in means having to host people for meals and parties.  I know this seems like an odd thing to say, but in my first month or so here, I received many invitations to meals and BBQ's, which was wonderful.  Now that I am "settled in" I get to invite people my direction.  My home.  What's more, I actually have people to invite.  I have 10 people coming over for a Cinco De Mayo party on Saturday, not only am I hosting, I have a circle of people to host!

Settling in has also meant making commitments here in Australia. As I realize that I am going to be here for a while, I can't just stall my life; I have to live my life like I would anywhere else, and part of that includes commitments and attachments.  The most significant of these commitments is that I have made in starting to date Marc here.  It means if I just run off, someone might just care.

Settling in has been great.  It has given me routine.  It has helped me to feel like I am on my feet again.  I feel like I have found a part of me, that I didn't even know I had lost while in Tacoma.  I have found an energy and a happiness, that I realize now was most certainly gone.

Settling in here is also one of the scariest things I have ever done.  It means I am starting a life, a full and happy one, somewhere very far away from home. Far away from friends and family who mean the world to me.  From the people who have supported my life and made it even possible for me to have to confidence to step out on this adventure.  It makes me homesick in a way I have never been before.

So for those friends and family reading this, when I say I miss you, I really do mean it.  Even with all the adventures and great things here, even if I stay here for a while, know that I couldn't be here without you.  Without your support you've given me to help me be the person I am today, and without the constant support while I am here I couldn't settle in.  So keep calling, keep sending mail, emailing and posting on my facebook, I sure do appreciate it!

A Few of my Favourite Things

First off, Tim Tams.  These are a cookie, or as the Aussies would say, a biscuit like an Oreo on chocolate crack.  It is two chocolate biscuits with a chocolate filling in between, and then dipped in chocolate.  They are so amazing.

A close second in the chocolate world is Cadbury Marbled chocolate.  This is a mix of milk and white chocolate marbled together, with a hazel nut praline filling, which is fabulously soft, but not creamy.

I have also found a new soda to enjoy.  It has a variety of names, but it is sort of like carbonated lemonade.  Sadly it doesn’t have caffeine and does have calories, unlike the must missed diet Pepsi, but it is still quite enjoyable.

Meat pies it turns out are also amazing.  They have a million types, but I am a traditional girl and like the beef pies.  They are pretty much beef and gravy in a pie shell.  They make a great, and cheap, lunch when you forget yours at home.

I have also discovered a love of roasted sweet potatoes.  Now I can’t say whether this is a pallet change, or if the Australian sweet potatoes are better.  I do know that I have not developed a love roasted pumpkin, it still grosses me out.

Along the non-food lines, the weather here is unbelievably beautiful.  We are now in what is considered fall, which means 80 to 85 degree sunny and not so humid days.  This is the type of weather where you feel like a part of your soul might be dying as you sit inside, and then you remember there are several months of it to follow, and you realize that this might just be paradise.

Also the hats here are fabulous.  Everyone has a hat!  I need to get a hat, preferably pink with some sort of kangaroo on it.

I have a new Australian TV show addiction.  It’s called Dance Academy, and it is a really overly dramatic soap opera about a group of 18ish year olds studying to be professional dancers.  It is on every day too!  What’s not to love?

BBQ’s.  I have been to 4 BBQ’s since last Thursday.  The Australians, being the social beings they are, just invite people over, or to the beach and you all bring your own food, and just hang out with people while you eat.

The people here have been so warm and accepting. It helps everything be more of the glorious sort of adventure, and less like the movie Behind Enemy lines. J

Exceeding the posted limit

In Australia most roads have a speed limit of 60 or 80 KPH, at least around town.  They also have speed cameras.  If you get caught by one of these cameras going 1 kilometer about the speed limit, they post you a ticket.  Don’t worry I have not received one of these (even with my new zoom-zoom Mazda 2).  So then you may ask why am I telling you about speed cameras?  Well, I am irritated that these cameras leave no room for human error; they have no margin and no human compassion or mercy.  What happens if they put one on the bottom of a hill, or you get distracted for just a second?  There is no person to whom you can explain your mistake you are just punished. I don’t think this would usually be so striking to me, but having just moved countries, and switched jobs I have made a lot of mistakes, and I am so thankful for the mercy that I have received. 

For instance, a few weeks ago I moved out of my host home.  I loved staying with my host family, but I felt it was time to move out so that I could start what will be my normal life.  So I found a house share situation and I moved.  2 days after I moved in, one of the two housemates moved out, leaving me with one housemate who was never there.  In the two weeks I lived there, I saw him once.  Now when you consider the fact that there was no pre existing relationship, it just made the house seem empty, but not empty enough where I felt like it was mine, and that I had free reign of the place. So I moved out.  I appreciated that he understood that it was not a good place for me, and that Leah, my new housemate, kept faith that I wouldn’t do the same thing to her. Now I am living in a house that I love, with a housemate whom I consider to be a friend.  I am close to work and I am in town, so I am close to everything I need. In moments like these I am thankful for mercy and the chance to fix my mistakes. 

I also can’t help but wonder if there is some sort of speed limit on life. In the last month I have moved twice, bought a bicycle, and a car.  In the past 2 months I have started a new job and moved countries.  Yet somehow I feel like I have been here forever.  I feel like it has been ages since I have seen my friends and family, and I miss them terribly.  A part of me feels like I am home, and another part feels like home is a million miles away.  I feel like there have been so many changes in my life, and like my feet aren’t really grounded anywhere.  I can’t help but wonder if it is possible to move too quickly, and to violate some sort of internal speed limit, I can’t help but wonder if I can go to fast and accidently run into a wall.  Sometimes when I wake up it feels like I have, like my system can’t handle another emotion, but my engine still seems to run and get me through.

I was running errands the other day, and I took the scenic route home.  Literally the street is named something or another scenic drive.  As a drove, I wondered what it would mean to take the scenic drive in life.  I think that many Australians have mastered that.  There is just a different pace to life here.  It is really hard to try and explain. It is not that everyone is late for things, or that things don’t happen in an efficient manner.  It is just that people seem to go about life differently.  They are early to bed and early to rise.  Most of the shops close at noon on Saturday until Monday morning. Things just move differently. Some people say it is the weather, some the sea air, and others say it is just because Bundy is a country town.  I like the pace they have set here, and I hop that I am making sure to slow down and enjoy the experience, not going so fast as to miss out.

Red Solo Cup

So I have decided that it is a funny thing to be living in a foreign country. 

The particularly funny thing about Australia, is that you don’t always remember until you look over to the car next to you and think “Why is a dog driving that car!?!?!” or any number of similarly ridiculous thoughts.   It is an exhausting thing though, when all the little things take thought.  Things that used to be simple, like making chocolate chip cookies, are suddenly a major math equation.

While all of these adjustments make for the adventure, I think the funniest part so far for me, has been how fascinated people are by me, and American culture.  In Australia they broadcast most of the major US television shows, movies and music.  For many people, this is the only real exposure they get to American culture, which is a little horrifying really.

For smaller kids, like the grade 5 who I was talking to yesterday, this means that everyone in America is famous.  She was so disappointed to find out that I didn’t know any celebrities.  My junior high aged kids all think I sound like various different movie stars, I think being compared to Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory is my favourtie thus far.

For the teenagers, they do not understand why in so many TV shows American teenagers are drinking.  I have had many questions from adults and teenagers about  the culture of alcohol in the United States.  Like whether or not they ID people, what is our drinking age, what are our drinking and driving laws, and why college kids in the US drink so much.  My particular favorite question was whether red solo cups are actually used.  Because in all the movies and TV shows, and now songs, all the parties use red Solo cups, and people want to know if we really do.

I hope that I can fairly represent normal Americans, but it is very strange to explain our culture, and our media.  I have even had people ask me about why we have so many elections, or why it takes our government so long to make decisions.

Perhaps the really strange part is that to them I am such a novelty.  People have so many questions.  People will come up in restaurants and ask me where I am from.  That and the newspaper interviewed me just because I am American.

Yep, living in a foreign country is a funny thing.

Walking on the Wrong Side of the Road

Well I have now been in Aussie land for almost 2 weeks.  In a way it feels like I have been here forever.  I have successfully learned to drive on the opposite on the opposite of the road with out cringing each time I pass a car, I do however still have think before I make any turns.

I started work last Wednesday.  So far they have kept me pretty busy.  I am planning one of the confirmation groups, which has 10 kids.  (The other group has 9, but I am not really working with them).  I am working on developing a church website, working to get youth group up and running, and this week giving the children’s message.  I was installed last week, which included receiving an Aussie Bible, which is a paraphrased version of a couple Psalms, Proverbs and the Gospels.  It is really hilarious! I have spent lots of time in meetings and dinners just learning about the people, the history and what people want youth ministry to look like here.

I will have to post pictures of the Church soon it is really neat.  It sits about 400, and seems to have endless storage, and a belfry.  The people are all really nice.  Last Sunday my battery died before church, and on Monday morning I had 3 different people call to make sure it was working.  I am currently driving a 1999 Holden Beretta.  It doesn’t have a radio, power windows or locks, or air-conditioning, but as I am just borrowing it until I get a car loan and vehicle sorted out, it works just fine.

I am definitely starting to feel the culture shock a bit, as I start settling in and realizing that this isn’t vacation.  Looking for my own place to rent has contributed a lot to that feeling.  I am just starting to feel a little exhausted by everything that I am taking in, from work to just life in general, as great as it is there isn’t much downtime for my brain to process everything. 

The conversions are one thing that really gets to me.  I can’t think about things in metric units yet, so I feel like I am doing conversions a lot.  I have to a little bit with language stuff as well, although only to a small extent.  The seasons being backwards, and figuring out what day and time it is at home make my brain hurt a little too.

So there is my ever so brief update, more to come soon.  If you have any questions, please comment and let me know, I’d love to fill you in on whatever you’re interested in hearing about.

Never Smile at a Crocodile

Wow!  I have been in Australia for just a little over 24 hours.  I already feel like I have so much to process, and update you all about.

The adventure started out as a whirlwind from the moment I checked in at the airport.  Despite being two and a half hours early due to flight delays it was already apparent I would not make my flight.  So instead of flying to San Fran I headed to Denver and then LA.   LA may truly be the world’s worst airport, but that rant is for another time. 

After a very frustrating experience at LAX I get to my gate, find out I have been upgraded to Premium Economy and am on a flight with the Scotland Rugby Team.   So I fly in my seat which has so much room I can stick my legs straight out in front of me, onto a fabulous foot pillow, and they will just continually give you wine.  Before taking off they played the safety video, which may just be worth the flight on Air New Zealand.  The video was set to a jazzercise class, and features members of the New Zealand rugby team (who knew so many people cared about rugby?)  and informs you that even the cool electronic devices have to be off during takeoff.

In New Zealand I was delayed over an hour because I Kiwi got onto the plane, and somehow hid itself in the Cockpit.   The good news is that the flight information board informed you to relax until 25 minutes before your flight, so I wasn’t at all stressed.  After switching a to a week old 777 I was finally headed on the last leg to Australia.   I got to skip the customs line, and don’t know why, and then met Greg and Pam, my ride. 

My Time in Australia this far has been such a whirlwind.  The people have been amazingly friendly and do all talk really funny. J In some ways I am struck more by the things that are the same, than those are different.  Although I cannot begin to tell you all the little things, here a few things I have noticed:

Australia has Targets, dominos, McDonalds, KFC and Shell Stations

Everyone eats with forks in there left hands

I don’t know if the toilets swirl backwards, because they don’t swirl!

Chicken is cheaper if you buy it cold.

The food is very simple, but amazingly tasty!

Driving on the wrong side of the car isn’t as tricky as you might think, but crossing the street is.

The weather is not nearly as warm as I expected, but I am totally comfortable in shorts and a tank top.

When I write next it will be all about Bundaberg and more about the people as well, but for now I must head to bed.  I will be waking up and taking Cameron to school.  He is the eldest child in the house where I am staying, and 100% adorable.  He is the most stereotypical Australia Child I could imagine, and he pretty much thinks I am the coolest thing ever. 

Aussie Term of the week:  Sitting out like a shag on a rock.  If you can guess what it means, with out googling it, you win a gold star!

Anticipation

It is finally snowing!  I have been in Spokane for almost 3 weeks, and the whole time I have been wishing for snow.  Ironically, it started snowing in Tacoma days before it did here.  I really love snow.  I think that it is beautiful and peaceful, and I find it has a huge impact on my emotions.  These last 3 weeks, I have felt restless and bored, and now I feel at peace and reflective.

It's a funny thing getting ready to move your entire life to to another country.  My two do list was two pages long.  Slowly but surely I cross things off the list.  Now, with each thing that gets crossed off I am more and more anxious to go.  Excited for this next chapter and all the adventure it brings.

Equally as strange, is cutting all the ties from your life that existed before.  Trying to explain to your old job, that you don't still have information for them with you since you no longer work for them.  Or facing the fact that many of the people you see now, you won't for a significant amount of time.  Saying good-bye has never been a strong suit of mine, and to have to say goodbye to all those closest to me, both friends and family, leaves me with a heavy heart. 

At this moment I do know that if Australia brings me half as much happiness of the snow I have been so longing for, it will be worth it!