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| Here's our picnic at hanging rock: apples, mandarins, cheese, avocado, crispbread and coconut water |
Sunday, July 1, 2012
From the archives: Hanging Rock Hike
From the archives: Greens Bush 14K Hike
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| On our way to Greens Bush in the Mornington Peninsula |
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| Pit stop: I'm slowly learning how to drive in Australia. I feel like my fifteen year-old self with my learner's permit again. Start me off on the winding country roads! Good thing Justin is an excellent driver, both here and in the US. |
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| In the thick of it |
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| Kanga trails |
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| Here's a mob of about fifty kangaroos, from a distance |
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| I love all wild animals, land or sea. I really could spend hours just waiting and watching for animals. I've spent years refining my craft, hiking in spots around the world. We were about twenty-five meters away, when I saw a small rustle in the bushes. Then, I spotted two little furry ears. We crouched down low and carefully stalked this little wallaby. We were able to get about three meters away from him and he didn't seem to mind it. |
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| As always, whenever we go to the MP, we visit the sea. It might have something to do with growing up in Minnesota, but being around water has a very calming and centering quality for me. |
From the archives: Thailand April 2012
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| Around Bangkok |
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| Mango with salt and chilis |
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| Rental pants for the Palace |
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| The world's largest reclining Buddha |
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| Street food... mmm... |
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| An afternoon in Sukhothai |
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| Little alters |
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| Thai iced tea |
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| Travelling around the mountains of Chiang Mai in a songthaew |
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| Spending the night in the mountains |
Hello again!
How on earth did three months go by without an update? Youch! Sometimes Facebook or texting is just so much easier, a quick update here and there. I find that making the time to organise everything and to sit down and write on my blog can be a Sisyphean task, only due to the fact that my to-do list (in both school and life) has been so long, as of late. Apologies.
Anyway, I have made it out alive and will attempt to catch you all up... again.
Uni
Oh boy, this past semester! Truthfully, it was pretty stressful, with a lot of major projects due nearly at all the same time. Throw those deadlines in combined with my personality (Type A, for those who've never met me IRL) and I'll tell you that these past few months were a bit nerve-wracking. However, like most chronic worriers, everything turned out just fine. Also good: I didn't even break out in hives this time! Ha ha! The focus now for these next 24 months will be my research and dissertation: no more classes. Luckily, I'm certain I can create a much more amiable schedule now, especially since I will not have class until 8:30PM three nights a week. Well, that and I can focus on my main topics of interest: youth aggression/violence and feminist poststructuralist theory.
Living Arrangements
We are moving soon. When? Where? I don't exactly know. Places get snatched up pretty quickly in Melbourne and good spots in particular are gone in a flash. We've been spending the past few weeks going to apartment inspections. We need to be out of our current place at the end of July. We found a place that we really love in St Kilda, a bayside suburb which is a twenty-minute tram ride from the CBD. Hopefully all goes smoothly when I go to the real estate on Monday morning to turn in our application. Fingers crossed!
See you soon?
Travelling to the United States from Australia is not cheap. As a matter of fact, the two countries are more or less geographical opposites. If you figure out the reverse coordinates from Minneapolis, the point is actually located in the ocean, midway between Australia and Antarctica. However, we've fallen upon some good fortune in regard to airplane tickets. J needs to return to Minneapolis for business. We figured that this was the perfect time for me to visit as well, since we'd only need to pay for my airfare. So, in exactly six weeks, I will be in Minnesota for two and a half weeks, after a thirteen month absence. I am so excited to see everyone and very excited for some warm weather.
It's always somewhat of a strange feeling to return to the US after spending significant time abroad though. Even though I'm currently living abroad for the third time in my life, the same feelings and emotions always seem to return when I touch down in the United States. I will have to think about if/how I would like to elaborate this feeling more on my blog. Even the greatest of writers can be misinterpreted when issues of nationalism and cultural criticism (using this term here in a purely analytical sense, which implies that critique does not necessarily have negative connotations) are brought to light. This is precisely the reason that I will not engage in debates on Facebook and other online forums. I'm certainly very happy to have face-to-face discussions about any topic in the world, but I feel that when such debates are introduced to the virtual world, tone and emotion are lost and it almost always ends in people feeling angry and frustrated. I just don't want to create any potential drama through misinterpretation of my statements. I'm certain that fellow expats and former expats know exactly what I am talking about.
Anyway, I'm gonna really, really try and post more in the future (I know, I know... you've heard this before!) But again, as I've previously explained, most things now have become quite commonplace for me. I will really try though to come through for you guys. Promise. x
Anyway, I have made it out alive and will attempt to catch you all up... again.
Uni
Oh boy, this past semester! Truthfully, it was pretty stressful, with a lot of major projects due nearly at all the same time. Throw those deadlines in combined with my personality (Type A, for those who've never met me IRL) and I'll tell you that these past few months were a bit nerve-wracking. However, like most chronic worriers, everything turned out just fine. Also good: I didn't even break out in hives this time! Ha ha! The focus now for these next 24 months will be my research and dissertation: no more classes. Luckily, I'm certain I can create a much more amiable schedule now, especially since I will not have class until 8:30PM three nights a week. Well, that and I can focus on my main topics of interest: youth aggression/violence and feminist poststructuralist theory.
Living Arrangements
We are moving soon. When? Where? I don't exactly know. Places get snatched up pretty quickly in Melbourne and good spots in particular are gone in a flash. We've been spending the past few weeks going to apartment inspections. We need to be out of our current place at the end of July. We found a place that we really love in St Kilda, a bayside suburb which is a twenty-minute tram ride from the CBD. Hopefully all goes smoothly when I go to the real estate on Monday morning to turn in our application. Fingers crossed!
See you soon?
Travelling to the United States from Australia is not cheap. As a matter of fact, the two countries are more or less geographical opposites. If you figure out the reverse coordinates from Minneapolis, the point is actually located in the ocean, midway between Australia and Antarctica. However, we've fallen upon some good fortune in regard to airplane tickets. J needs to return to Minneapolis for business. We figured that this was the perfect time for me to visit as well, since we'd only need to pay for my airfare. So, in exactly six weeks, I will be in Minnesota for two and a half weeks, after a thirteen month absence. I am so excited to see everyone and very excited for some warm weather.
It's always somewhat of a strange feeling to return to the US after spending significant time abroad though. Even though I'm currently living abroad for the third time in my life, the same feelings and emotions always seem to return when I touch down in the United States. I will have to think about if/how I would like to elaborate this feeling more on my blog. Even the greatest of writers can be misinterpreted when issues of nationalism and cultural criticism (using this term here in a purely analytical sense, which implies that critique does not necessarily have negative connotations) are brought to light. This is precisely the reason that I will not engage in debates on Facebook and other online forums. I'm certainly very happy to have face-to-face discussions about any topic in the world, but I feel that when such debates are introduced to the virtual world, tone and emotion are lost and it almost always ends in people feeling angry and frustrated. I just don't want to create any potential drama through misinterpretation of my statements. I'm certain that fellow expats and former expats know exactly what I am talking about.
Anyway, I'm gonna really, really try and post more in the future (I know, I know... you've heard this before!) But again, as I've previously explained, most things now have become quite commonplace for me. I will really try though to come through for you guys. Promise. x
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Busy as a Bee
I think I could start another blog and call it "My Doctoral Days."
However, I'm quite certain the blog would consist of only a title and no entries, for three years, due to neglect.
Right now, my time is wrapped up in completing various assessments (as I only have a couple months of coursework left, then it's all researching/analysing/writing all the time). My biggest hurdle now is narrowing down my thesis (dissertation) topic and typing up the thesis proposal, which consists of fifteen page, single-spaced document explaining what I will be investigating and how I am going to go about doing it. It's due mid-June. I got time. Currently, I am busy "reading the topic," which means that I am getting my hot little hands on every journal article and book ever written about girls and aggression in the classroom.
Truthfully, I think going to graduate school is more stressful than working. Thankfully, I can concentrate on school full-time and not have to work at the same time. This is huge! The majority of the candidates (over eighty percent) at the university work full-time and go to school part-time.
I try not to get too bogged down on such stress. I focus on the good. This is an amazing opportunity I have been granted. My supervisor is out-of-this-world wonderful. My cubemates are so friendly and offer so much moral support. I can do this!
Mid-semester break is coming up soon. At my university, the semesters are twelve weeks long, as opposed to the fifteen/sixteen week long semesters found at many American universities. I'd say the workload is the same, it's just crammed into a shorter time period. Although, beginning in July, semesters will mean nothing to me. Doctoral candidates here are expected to work year-round, but they are also expected to take four weeks of vacation each year, so that's good.
Anyway, we are headed to Thailand for a week and a half on Wednesday. I look forward to relaxing and getting reenergized. It is much needed!
However, I'm quite certain the blog would consist of only a title and no entries, for three years, due to neglect.
Right now, my time is wrapped up in completing various assessments (as I only have a couple months of coursework left, then it's all researching/analysing/writing all the time). My biggest hurdle now is narrowing down my thesis (dissertation) topic and typing up the thesis proposal, which consists of fifteen page, single-spaced document explaining what I will be investigating and how I am going to go about doing it. It's due mid-June. I got time. Currently, I am busy "reading the topic," which means that I am getting my hot little hands on every journal article and book ever written about girls and aggression in the classroom.
Truthfully, I think going to graduate school is more stressful than working. Thankfully, I can concentrate on school full-time and not have to work at the same time. This is huge! The majority of the candidates (over eighty percent) at the university work full-time and go to school part-time.
I try not to get too bogged down on such stress. I focus on the good. This is an amazing opportunity I have been granted. My supervisor is out-of-this-world wonderful. My cubemates are so friendly and offer so much moral support. I can do this!
Mid-semester break is coming up soon. At my university, the semesters are twelve weeks long, as opposed to the fifteen/sixteen week long semesters found at many American universities. I'd say the workload is the same, it's just crammed into a shorter time period. Although, beginning in July, semesters will mean nothing to me. Doctoral candidates here are expected to work year-round, but they are also expected to take four weeks of vacation each year, so that's good.
Anyway, we are headed to Thailand for a week and a half on Wednesday. I look forward to relaxing and getting reenergized. It is much needed!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Musings
As expected, my blog posts have become less and less frequent. The longer I live here, I often forget how my home culture differs from my adopted one. Therefore, I continually overlook things and don't really stop to notice the difference. Everyday life is pretty routine, so I guess there's no need to document it.
To give just a silly example of me not paying attention to culturally differences: Yesterday, an American friend on Facebook posted a picture of her Starbucks Venti Iced Latte. I took a minute to really stare at it. The cup was HUGE! I don't even think that you can get a 24 ounce coffee drink anywhere in Melbourne. I haven't yet visited a Starbucks here (there are only about four in the metropolitan area of over four million people), but I know from my other extensive international travelling that typically, an American Grande size (16 ounces hot) is everyone else's Venti size (whereas American Ventis are 20 ounces hot). In the majority of cafes here, you never need to specify the size of coffee you want because there is only one size.
I really look forward to our first American visitors (which should take place sometime this year). I can't wait to see their reactions to everyday Australian life. I love those moments when visitors point out what is different, then I need to think, "Oh yeah! I guess that is different! I had totally forgotten!"
We've been here for over seven months now. [Side note: if I cumulatively add up my time here from 2001 and now, I've spent an entire year of my life in Australia!] I still love it and don't really ever get homesick. I certainly have no reservations regarding staying indefinitely. Again, I always miss my family, friends and certain constant components of American culture (stores remaining open until 10:00pm, proper Mexican food, competitive pricing on goods, affordable health club memberships...), but I never feel like I want to board a plane and hightail it to the U.S.
I've got a little more than a week to go until I return to school. I'm really looking forward to my next semester. It's been a great summer, but you can definitely feel that fall (or autumn, as it is called here and in the rest of the world) is in the air. I'm ready. I'll try to post more too, okay?
Later. xo
Lucky
Australia Day was January 26th. This particular date marks the arrival of the First Fleet from Britain in Sydney. The national holiday is filled with festivities.
Our first Australia Day holiday was filled with friends (both Australian and Brazilian), food (both French and Chinese), street art, meditation, a skateboarding exhibit and beer (in no particular order). While all these activities stand out, the most memorable thing from that day for me occurred in the span of five seconds or so.
For those that know me well, you already understand that I am an avid people watcher. Put me in a group, I'm the slowest walker. The last one there. I'm busy observing everything. It's constant. I enjoy being around people and have found that everyone has got a story to tell. The best part of travelling, or even living in general, is experiencing the people. No question there.
While my friends and I waited at the corner of Flinders and Russell Streets for the crosswalk to light up, two beautiful, young men caught the corner of my eye. The men that had grabbed my attention were clearly Sudanese refugees. If I had to guess, I'd say that they were both in their early twenties. Their clothing was functional and modest, smiles radiant. One of the men wore a baseball cap with the colors of Australia. The other had a bandanna with the Southern Cross on it. Both men held Australian flags and seemed to be headed to Federation Square for the celebrations honoring Australia. Walking past these men, I nearly began to cry crossing the road.
Can you imagine?
Honestly, think about it for a moment. Really pause and reflect on the following idea:
Can you imagine the feeling of seeing your country torn apart by an extremely violent, seemingly never-ending war, right before your very own eyes? Can you imagine having to flee to a refugee camp, unaware of if and when you'll be able to escape, continually wondering and worrying about your family and friends? Can you imagine starting a new life somewhere far away, perhaps with or without your loved ones, watching your home country from afar, while awaiting peace?
The men I passed by were clearly proud to celebrate their residency in Australia, one of the world's most welcoming, safest and most-developed nations. I still can picture their wide grins in my mind. I began to think about how they got there. I wondered what life was like for them before Australia.
Can you imagine?
I believe that as humans, we continually relate to others' experiences through the lens of our own, whatever that may be. I began to think about all the petty, completely irrelevant things in life that I complain about: the tram being five minutes late, my new shoes giving me blisters, running out of coffee while getting ready for work, etc. I know we all do it, but I really want to make an effort not to. Understanding how good I've got it constantly proves to be a work in progress. I continually resolve to work on this more and more each day.
To everyone living in a developed nation, absent of extreme poverty, famine and war; take a minute to think about how lucky you are. Most of the world's population can only dream of these conditions. We've got it pretty good, I reckon.
Our first Australia Day holiday was filled with friends (both Australian and Brazilian), food (both French and Chinese), street art, meditation, a skateboarding exhibit and beer (in no particular order). While all these activities stand out, the most memorable thing from that day for me occurred in the span of five seconds or so.
For those that know me well, you already understand that I am an avid people watcher. Put me in a group, I'm the slowest walker. The last one there. I'm busy observing everything. It's constant. I enjoy being around people and have found that everyone has got a story to tell. The best part of travelling, or even living in general, is experiencing the people. No question there.
While my friends and I waited at the corner of Flinders and Russell Streets for the crosswalk to light up, two beautiful, young men caught the corner of my eye. The men that had grabbed my attention were clearly Sudanese refugees. If I had to guess, I'd say that they were both in their early twenties. Their clothing was functional and modest, smiles radiant. One of the men wore a baseball cap with the colors of Australia. The other had a bandanna with the Southern Cross on it. Both men held Australian flags and seemed to be headed to Federation Square for the celebrations honoring Australia. Walking past these men, I nearly began to cry crossing the road.
Can you imagine?
Honestly, think about it for a moment. Really pause and reflect on the following idea:
Can you imagine the feeling of seeing your country torn apart by an extremely violent, seemingly never-ending war, right before your very own eyes? Can you imagine having to flee to a refugee camp, unaware of if and when you'll be able to escape, continually wondering and worrying about your family and friends? Can you imagine starting a new life somewhere far away, perhaps with or without your loved ones, watching your home country from afar, while awaiting peace?
The men I passed by were clearly proud to celebrate their residency in Australia, one of the world's most welcoming, safest and most-developed nations. I still can picture their wide grins in my mind. I began to think about how they got there. I wondered what life was like for them before Australia.
Can you imagine?
I believe that as humans, we continually relate to others' experiences through the lens of our own, whatever that may be. I began to think about all the petty, completely irrelevant things in life that I complain about: the tram being five minutes late, my new shoes giving me blisters, running out of coffee while getting ready for work, etc. I know we all do it, but I really want to make an effort not to. Understanding how good I've got it constantly proves to be a work in progress. I continually resolve to work on this more and more each day.
To everyone living in a developed nation, absent of extreme poverty, famine and war; take a minute to think about how lucky you are. Most of the world's population can only dream of these conditions. We've got it pretty good, I reckon.
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