Happy Thanksgiving!

The Aussies don’t celebrate Thanksgiving with a holiday as we do. Its spring now, not fall harvest, and they didn’t have Pilgrims.

But I'm celebrating tonight with a stuffed roast chicken (turkey's not common) dinner. I have much to be thankful for. 

Just being here in Australia is enough, but… 

I give thanks for my health and that of my family including my parents who are still doing well in their seventies.

I give thanks that my daughters are happy in their careers and lives. 

A day doesn't go by that I don't appreciate the sacrifice they and Keith made in allowing me to be here this year. 

I give thanks for Keith’s commitment, patience, love and support that I feel even though he’s half a world away.   

I'm grateful to all the people who have offered me support and friendship here in Australia.

And, I give thanks to you, my friends, who have kept in touch through e-mail, Skype and this blog.

Only in Australia

Here are some sights from my Saturday trip to the city that you won't see in Canada.

Dig player

Birds of different feathers (Gallahs, Lorakeets and Doves) flock together

Bronze Pigs

South Australian 'Crystal' Opals

The church or the roses?

A Gallah sticking his head out of a Gum Tree

Lamingtons

The first time I ever tasted one of these goodies was at my going away party. My friend Gail, who'd had them because her sister lives in New Zealand, made a "whack" of them, some even gluten free. No small feat!  When we left the party I wished that I had brought a few home with me.  They were delicious!

A Lamington is usually a creamy white cake, covered in a thin layer of chocolate icing and coated with flaked coconut.  But sometimes inside is a chocolate cherry cake, and sometimes they’re covered in raspberry instead of chocolate icing and coconut and even sometimes they’re split in the middle and filled with thick cream. 

 Any way is delicious. 

Bottle Brushes

It is spring here and everything is in bloom, which is not good for those of us with allergies but nevertheless the city is beautiful. Some people even guerrilla garden, planting flowers on the boulevard.

These trees are on boulevards in my neighbourhood. Their common name is bottle brushes and that’s exactly what they resemble. I felt one to see if could act as a brush substitute but it was too soft.

Tour Guide

It’s just past 6 months since I landed in Adelaide. Long enough to get to know this place.

A woman from China arrived in the student room on Tuesday with not much knowledge of English.   Several of us agreed to show her around. So, last night I took her by bus to the city and to some of the sites: Festival Centre on the River Torrens, the South Australian Museum and Art Gallery, and Rundle Street – which is the downtown shopping district. She motioned that the city is small and snapped photos on her IPhone. 

Susan wih the 'pig' on Rundle Street

We headed over to Central Market and Chinatown. Susan came alive when she could speak Chinese to other people at the bakery and grocery store. It was nice to see her excitement.

We met up with some other students for dinner, one of whom brought her Malaysian-Chinese sister-in-law.   Rose was able to converse with her and share with us more information on who she really is.   

It was Carol-Anne’s (another Canadian) first time at the market too and she was thrilled with all the wine and cheese and fresh produce.  

Rose and Susan - coincidentally both really named  'Sue-Ken'

 It was a fun night for everyone and I realized I’ve gained something else while being here, I know this city pretty well.

Threads

Now having said I am un-lonely does not mean I’m alone. More than ever I realize the importance of connections to other people and communities. I wouldn't survive here without my local and international connections, especially to friends and family in Canada.

A colleague from Britain and I often sit and discuss our experience as temporary residents in Australia. We are the ‘other’ here. We sort out our experience by talking about it. The thread that brings us together forms our bond.  

We find those threads and bonds by reaching out to people and communities for love, support and to fulfill ourselves and our mission on this earth. 

“We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return as results.”

Herman Melville