There is almost nothing I anticipate more than the changing of seasons in Perth from hot weather to cool. Technically, there are four seasons, but in reality, I think there are three. These are: cold and rainy, absolutely beautiful and stinking, bloody hot. During summer- that's December through February, it's stinking hot. Stinking hot can start as early as November and it can be stinking hot even into April. Today is the last day of March. Today, it was breezy and cool-ish. There is a chill in the air of an evening and thoughts turn toward the antipation of Winter activities...like wearing pants.
Even the birds are happy. You can hear it in their songs. I don't know all my Australian birds, but the Kookabura is unmistakable. Today, I was over at my mother in laws house and the Kookaburas were laughing themselves silly. The other birds around took their lead and there was a full orchestra of birdsong within a few moments. The combination of a light breeze and that lovely birdsong put me in a state of perfect bliss. The birds know that the earth around here is headed for a season of renewal- out of the brain burning heat and haze to a place of cool clarity which will hopefully include some rain. My youngest son wouldn't remember being an infant in Oregon, but when he sees clouds, he says to me, "I just LOVE these days". A child after my heart.
I have heard references to people's lives having seasons and I just love that. Isn't it true? We have seasons full of new life and joy and seasons which are sad and full of loss. Lately I've equated a season of loss with intense heat and haziness. When we are young, life is full of promise and we see seasons of potential. When we are older, we have seasons which can be characterized by loss, but in there I'm sure there is also a sense of promise that those seasons won't last forever. That's the lovely thing about seasons both in nature and in life...every so often they change and there is hope and promise in that.
No matter where you are in the world today, I hope that you are enjoying both the season of nature you are in as well as the season of life you find yourself in. If not, take heart that change is just around the corner.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Where are you from?
When I'm out and about doing my work thing here in Perth, or I meet someone for the first time, often people ask me, "Where are you from"? Since I've been living in Perth for almost 11 years now, sometimes I tell them I'm from Mullaloo (my suburb) just to play with them a little bit. Then they look at me funny and say, "No....I mean where are you FROM"? People here don't usually try to guess whether you are from the US or Canada because apparently sometimes this is a touchy subject. Go figure. Anyway, when I say I'm American, they usually tell me really good stories about the time that they visited the US-usually LA or New York.
In my office, many of us are "transplants" here. Frankly, you wouldn't move to the most isolated capital city in the world unless you had a good reason.
My friends here are from all over the world and I find it fascinating. In a single day I can speak to people who were raised in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, India, China, South Africa, Singapore, Canada, and the Netherlands. You can imagine the variety of perspectives you can get on just about any topic! Even the way we describe things is different. Here, I use the lift and go to the loo. I have a coworker who tells me I'm "pure dead brilliant" and calls me "poppet". I put petrol in my car. I ring people on my mobile and I go to the newsagent to buy lotto tickets or a paper. We don't have much ketchup, but we do have a lot of tomato sauce.
For all the differences between us, all of us have something in common, no matter where in the world you came from....we are all getting older. People older than we are are getting older too! That's a gift! Really!!
Given than that I work in community aged care, it makes me think a lot about this ageing thing. What types of support and services will I want when I'm older? What will my parents want? How can I make a difference now to what is available for all of us later? Where in the world has really good supports and networks for older people? How can we make those work here?
I'm just curious....does this ever cross your mind? Do you know of some really fabulous models for ageing, anywhere in the world? Have you had a particularly good or bad experience with aged care for a relative? Drop me a comment and let me know what you think. I'm multilingual in American and Australian, so I'll be able to work out what you're saying. :)
In my office, many of us are "transplants" here. Frankly, you wouldn't move to the most isolated capital city in the world unless you had a good reason.
My friends here are from all over the world and I find it fascinating. In a single day I can speak to people who were raised in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, India, China, South Africa, Singapore, Canada, and the Netherlands. You can imagine the variety of perspectives you can get on just about any topic! Even the way we describe things is different. Here, I use the lift and go to the loo. I have a coworker who tells me I'm "pure dead brilliant" and calls me "poppet". I put petrol in my car. I ring people on my mobile and I go to the newsagent to buy lotto tickets or a paper. We don't have much ketchup, but we do have a lot of tomato sauce.
For all the differences between us, all of us have something in common, no matter where in the world you came from....we are all getting older. People older than we are are getting older too! That's a gift! Really!!
Given than that I work in community aged care, it makes me think a lot about this ageing thing. What types of support and services will I want when I'm older? What will my parents want? How can I make a difference now to what is available for all of us later? Where in the world has really good supports and networks for older people? How can we make those work here?
I'm just curious....does this ever cross your mind? Do you know of some really fabulous models for ageing, anywhere in the world? Have you had a particularly good or bad experience with aged care for a relative? Drop me a comment and let me know what you think. I'm multilingual in American and Australian, so I'll be able to work out what you're saying. :)
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Things are different here!
Over the past decade, many people have asked me, "Why did you move to Australia"? There would be lots of good answers to that question, I suppose, and it just depends on the context. Other parents would understand if I told them I moved here to let the kids be kids longer, or that living in a sunny climate was good for kids because they could be outside. Work mates who know me well would understand if I said I thought the type of work I do is full of opportunity in Australia. People who are married to partners from other countries understand if I say I came because my husband is from here. All of these things are most certainly true, but the thing that drew me here most strongly, and continues to keep me in love with this place is, it's different here.
When I say it's different, I mean it's really different from where I started in Portland, Oregon.
Oregon is cold, Perth is hot. Oregon is green. Perth....not so much. Oregon has beautiful rugged coastlines. Perth has white sandy beaches and the surf patrol people in their iconic hats. Perth has kangaroos, and colourful birds. Ever seen a pink and grey bird fly through your backyard? How about a bright green, blue and red one?
Yes, these things are different.
What is also different is a strong sense of community that comes through in Australia. America certainly has this in places as well, but I feel it most strongly here.
But it makes me wonder....if there is such a strong sense of community and it is so different, why are people still isolated, and why is the Australian government having as much trouble as the rest of the world in trying to figure out the best way to "care" for older people over the next few years?
I have some ideas and some things I'd like to explore. I hope you'll give me some of your ideas and we can explore this together. Hopefully One day we can all say the same thing about the place we call home...it's different here!
When I say it's different, I mean it's really different from where I started in Portland, Oregon.
Oregon is cold, Perth is hot. Oregon is green. Perth....not so much. Oregon has beautiful rugged coastlines. Perth has white sandy beaches and the surf patrol people in their iconic hats. Perth has kangaroos, and colourful birds. Ever seen a pink and grey bird fly through your backyard? How about a bright green, blue and red one?
Yes, these things are different.
What is also different is a strong sense of community that comes through in Australia. America certainly has this in places as well, but I feel it most strongly here.
But it makes me wonder....if there is such a strong sense of community and it is so different, why are people still isolated, and why is the Australian government having as much trouble as the rest of the world in trying to figure out the best way to "care" for older people over the next few years?
I have some ideas and some things I'd like to explore. I hope you'll give me some of your ideas and we can explore this together. Hopefully One day we can all say the same thing about the place we call home...it's different here!
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