Anniversary
One year ago, today, an Air Canada 747 landed in Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport. One year ago today, my Canadian passport was stamped. One year ago today, I walked into the crowded International Arrivals area and waved at my friend Michele.
On this anniversary of my arrival, I want to say thank-you to some people who have helped me along, who’ve been friends when friends were needed, and given me places to stay. - Michele: She picked me up from the airport in Sydney, gave me a place to stay and one of the best jobs I’ve ever had: kitchenhand at a catering place in Sydney’s CBD.
Ben: He also gave me a roof over my head for a little while, and an Internet connection. Unfortunately, he’s looking for a job right now. If you’re in Sydney and need a really good computer person with media skills, let me know and I’ll get you in touch.
Diz, her friends and family: She’s one of the kindest, most gracious people I’ve met. She gave me a place to stay in Hobart, showed me Tasmania, and was an excellent Uno partner.
Jagg: First night in Melbn. It was 28c at 2am. I was flat broke and wondering why I ever left the pocket-sized paradise of Hobart.
Lisa and Tony: First couple of weeks in Melbn, I stayed with them out in Knox. They run an interactive media company and do very good work.
Cori: One day, there will be a whole entry about her, for the story is long and complicated. Coincidentally, she departed Australia (from Sydney) today, the first anniversary of my arrival.
Gayle and Michael: They run a guest house in Parkville, just north of central Melbn. They’re fantastic people, very friendly and kind. They made Cori and I feel very welcome, like we were part of the family.
Fleur and her insane share house: After Cori went to Sydney, I lived in an insane share house for about 2 months. That was enough. Fleur organised a very cool film festival in our lounge room. I video documented it, as well as my drunken (and surprisingly successful) flirting with a girl afterwards.
Josie and her pussycat: Josie went overseas for a holiday, and I lived in her place a few weeks with her cat and lots of ants.
Savarna, my current flatmate: Just for being all cool and stuff.
Marketcom, my current employer, for having faith in the skills of this weird guy from Canada, and doing the legal stuff to keep me in the country past the expiry of my original visa.
There are lots of others, like Josh who drove me to the airport in Vancouver, Vicki who’s storing half my stuff in her closet, the nice people in Sydney who helped me with my shopping cart full of suitcases, the train ticket checkers who decided to be on coffee break on the times I couldn’t afford a ticket… and I’m not even getting into the friends I’ve made since I’ve been here.
Coming to Australia was a great decision. It’s given me perspective, a forced change from the ruts I didn’t even realise I was in. It’s forced me to rebuild everything, reconsider who I am and what I do. It’s not so much “finding oneself” as “refining oneself”. I got rid of 80% of my possessions, and only brought along only half of what remained. It’s a forced change, exactly what I needed.
So cheers. Thanks, mates. Here’s to another 4 years.