I've been back from Australia for a month. This blog was created to share my Australian experience with you and I think it's time to close it down. I will now switch all my blog-creating-energies to my professional blog, Have Hands Will Travel.
But before I go, what have I learned from this past year?
Australia is more different and more alike the US than I expected. Culturally, they hew closer to their English roots than I expected. Tea, meat pies, humor, sports, values -- they're all more like England than the US. But when it comes to social struggles and where they will be in 20-30 years...I think we'll see more similarities with US culture.
Australia has a love/hate relationship with the US -- love what we can do for them and love that we generally like them but hate the way we can overwhelm their culture with our culture. They really do hate that.
I've said it before (to the consternation of my Australian friends) but I'm saying it again -- Australians have a borderline alcoholic society. Is everyone an alcoholic? No, but way too many people drink way too much and the general culture still isn't ready to face that head-on. So, don't ever take on an Aussie in a drinking contest! ;)
Americans will never conquer the Australian accent. The closest we get makes us sound like Canadians. I think Aussies have a secret extra hinge in their jaw.
I love Brisbane. I know that's not a view widely shared by the rest of Australia or even large swathes of Brisbanites but it's a sweet little city and damned pleasant place to live. I miss it.
The sun is as fierce as they claim it is there. They all say it's the "hole in the ozone" which I don't think is true but I have actually felt my skin sizzle there! It's disconcerting to say the least.
Aussies really truly are more laid-back than Americans. That's not just a rumor.
I needed the last year to gain some valuable perspective on myself and some key relationships. I learned, in reflecting on those key relationships, that I was probably the one that was going to have to change.
Walking away from my life and my business for a year gave me a freedom I still carry with me. I now know that I can walk away and it will be OK.
God bless whoever invented Skype.
Even 30 days into my re-entry into the hurly-burly world of Washington DC I can hold a small oasis of calm that I didn't have before I went to Australia. I call it the "she'll be right" corner. :)
America has a natural energy and drive that is core to our identity. It has its downsides but it does define our culture and I mean that as a compliment. We are curious, we are experimenters, and we still believe we can find a solution to most problems. We may be utterly deluded in that but it's a beautiful delusion to be lost in.
Writing full-time is so much more work than I remembered it being! On the other hand, I'm still a pretty good writer.
Thank you Australia (and Jeff and Alcatel) for a beautiful year.
Thank you to each of you who kept up with me through this blog. It made a difference to know people were reading it and it warms my heart, now that I'm home, to hear people mention something they saw in the blog.
Good night.
