My Trip to OZ: Melbourne & I

Someone recently asked me, What is the one thing you would ask for if you had one day to live? My answer…forgiveness. You can figure out for yourself how this ties in with the rest of my story.

As a child of about seven or eight years of age, I can remember disappearing to the neighboring street for hours in hopes of catching grasshoppers. More than one vacant lot existed back in those days and most were overgrown, which attracted both the hoppers and the flyers-nicknames I assigned to both. Their very names are a dead giveaway in terms of the obvious differences, but the flyers also happened to be quite a bit larger. Clearly the flyers were much more difficult to catch since they could leap into the air and fly several feet before landing. I will never forget their black and white wings and their grayish bodies. Catching a flyer was like finding a pot of gold!

My preteen and teen years shared the same tone as my childhood. Some of my fondest memories include traversing a ridge of wooded hills that wrapped around a large portion of our neighborhood and eventually gave way to homes. The house I grew up in was about eight doors down from one side of that ridge. I can’t count the number of times that I wandered those wooded hills. Mostly I explored alone, but to be honest, until this very moment it never even occurred to me that I was nearly always solo. Each time I hiked through those woods I discovered something new and fascinating. I stumbled upon countless small water holes and each held an endless number of frogs and tadpoles! Fascinated, I sat along the steep banks and just watched them go about their frog business. Even on family vacations, it was just a given that I would be absent for several hours each day as I explored the natural beauty of our destination. Alone, but by choice, and not requiring any person to share the experience.

Somewhere along the way childhood slipped away and I grew into a young adult. Almost simultaneously, I forgot how fulfilling it was to just aimlessly meander about and still be comfortable with myself and my surroundings. The fascination with nature and animals that I remember were replaced with a need to fit in, or even to standout. Hanging out with the right people and spending a night out on the town took the place of catching grasshoppers and watching frogs in the middle of the woods. It became more important to be seen, appear attractive, and earn as much money as possible, in order to be seen and appear more attractive. (Yes, I meant to say it that way) Miracles of nature still occur and the serenity I once knew and enjoyed in those woods is still available, but I joined the ranks of the shallow and I soon found myself unable to see the magic around me.

This trip to OZ reopened my eyes and rekindled a feeling buried deep beneath a pile of adult nonsense. Although I will never get over missing the people in my life who matter most, I am relearning the magnificence of nature and actually looking forward to my long walks alone each weekend, which I spend exploring my new location. I literally head out for hours on end and just aimlessly walk through parks and nature trails. Along the way I catch glimpses of my childhood that bring a tear to my eye, but most of all I rediscovered a piece of me that has long been in hiding. I no longer feel the need to belong to anything, since I realize that I inherently belong just by virtue of being born into this world. Fitting in doesn't matter much to me either. I would much rather fit in more time. That is, time to take in all of the beauty thats surrounds me, which I somehow stopped doing many years ago. To that end, my remaining free time in OZ is earmarked for living again.

Lots of people ask me, What is it like in Melbourne? Well, there aren't enough hours in the day to write about how great this area is, but I will do my best to give a description as seen through my eyes.

The city is clean, and I mean super clean! Even with a population that hovers just over four-million people, the streets are safe and the litter is minimal. The city’s downtown, or Central Business District (CBD) as it is known, is easy to navigate and teeming with action. It would seem that each turn brings something new to offer in terms of cuisine, coffee houses, or craft beers. The CBD is famous for the many alleyways, and each offers its own uniqueness that keeps this guy wondering what to expect next. I am constantly amazed by the lack of police presence on the streets. Coming from America, it is just natural to see police patrolling neighborhoods as a deterrent to crime. Patrols aren't the norm here. In fact, unless you are at a train station or a major interchange, you will be hard-pressed to find the police. If you need them, you call them. Even still, there is a relatively low crime rate and a real sense of safety no matter where I have ventured.

Almost a quarter of Victoria’s population was born overseas, and Melbourne has a significant number of Asians, Greeks, Lebanese, and Italians. It is definitely a multi-cultural city and a great place to people watch. Speaking of which, my favorite place to people watch is on a tram. Melbourne has the world’s largest tram system and it connects virtually every piece of the city. If you cant find a tram to get you somewhere, there are trains, buses, and nearly as many cabs as New York City. Let’s just say that public transportation is easy and plentiful. If you enjoy the performing arts you will love Melbourne. The city is referred to as Australia’s cultural capital and there is plenty to see and to experience in the way of art, theater, etc. The cost of living here is high, ranking fourth highest in the world, but the city will satisfy even the most finicky of taste. Whether you are a city dweller or a nature lover, Melbourne has you covered. It is no wonder that Melbourne has been voted the most livable city in the world every years since 2011!

There are a few oddities associated with Australia though. English is the official language, but sometimes I struggle to understand the Ozzie version. I put together a short list of words (or phrases) that I have grown accustom to hearing since I arrived. There is no doubt that I missed a few, but you might get a chuckle out of my list and their accompanied meanings.

Each day spent in this country finds me reconnecting with another piece of myself that I somehow lost along the way. This journey has been one filled with emotions of every type, and I am glad to have traveled this road. I am blessed with this opportunity (THANK YOU ELECTRONIC ARTS!), and I am equally blessed to have shared it with the people who take time out of their days to read my ramblings.

HERE (requires passcode 2011) is the original version of my video that will take you along as I explore Melbourne. You will need a passcode, which is 2011. The song reminds me of someone that I hold close to my heart. Even though this person isn't with me, they are still present during all my journeys. If the link doesn't work, the secondary video is HERE. More than once I have written that I enjoy exploring alone, but what good is life’s experiences if you can’t share them with those that you love!

You will find a few recent pictures just below my list of funny words & meanings.

Until next time…

THE LIST

Arvo: afternoon

Bikkie: cookie

Bikie: a motorcyclist

Bities: insects that bite

Bogan: white trash/hillbilly

Bonzer: awesome

Bottle Shop: liquor Store

Brekkie: breakfast

Bush: a place without concrete/wooded area