Spring Time

Let's take a break from talking about Sydney shall we? Because of my laziness/tiredness when I was there I didn't post anything so now I have to do catch up.

But I am here, in Toronto, now- where Spring is happening.

The weather since I have been back has been really quite wonderful. There have been a few days of rain, but not that many. On the whole it's been sunny blue skies and crispy temperatures.

I first moved to Toronto in January, it was very cold and snowy. Delightful, really. And Spring came in March that year. My next year, Spring came much later- May, and I realized that the advent of the New Year, in the rest of Canada, does not mean that Spring is around the corner. Spring generally sets in on Vancouver Island, towards the end of January, so New Year is sort of like the end of Winter. But for the rest of Canada New Year signals the beginning of the deep freeze, the dark days of Winter that loom ahead. It's a lot to get your mind around.

And Spring, well that can come slowly, as it is doing this year, or it can come quickly, like last year. Spring started around the 2nd week of May- and by the end of May it was full on Summer. You could be out walking one day and notice that there wasn't a trace of Spring anywhere, no leaves budding on trees, no pussy willows whistling in the breeze- just barren winter landscape. And then- and I kid you not- three days later the trees were almost fully leafy and tulips were up it is unbelievable.  And then the heat kicked in.

Spring this year is hanging out on the regular, at a medium pace. So when you go for walks- as I have been doing these past few days, you can see the beginnings of the leaves on the trees- there are these beautiful yellow bush thingys that I really should learn the name of because I like them quite a bit. But they had so much colour to the streets. I don't think I'm above suggesting them to my landlord for the front, or perhaps out the back where I can see them from my living room window.

On my walk today, the birds were out- I saw some large Hawks or Eagles, a very yellow bird, a very red bird and some birds that COULD be bluejays- I'm not sure since I've never seen one. Clearly I need a book on birds. 

And the sky! I have very rarely seen a bluer sky than I do here, it's such a beautiful contrast to the red brick houses.

Ahh Spring! A time of hope, new beginning, the promise of the heat and headiness of Summer.

Michelle in a Stranger Land- Part 2

There are some pretty nifty things about Sydney- it's very beachy. I am at heart a beach bum and some of my happiest and most peaceful moments in Australia were at the beach.

Living in Toronto that is one thing I do hunger for- the ocean. I'm not sure how to corrollate living near the ocean and having all the wonders of a big city on hand.  Part of me hoped that Sydney would provide that for me, but it wasn't meant to be.

There are somethings about Canada/Toronto, North America/New York City that I am unwilling to part with. Really efficient mass transit is one of them, I don't think it's a secret that the transit in Sydney is pretty bad. And having to travel through the city every day was enough to set my teeth on edge-Literally. I spent most of my time on the bus gritting my teeth and wishing everything would explode, because then, at least, I would be off the bus.

Efficiency in general seems to have a lower priority in Australia- which is fine- I guess. But that just makes me feel uptight and I have realized I quite like being the relaxed one in my city relationships. I think it has to do with its proximity with Asia- where there is a buddhist- it will happen... eventually... attitude and you have to go with the flow.

As someone who has struggled with the notion of patience all her life, this was a bitter pill to swallow. I am sure there was/is a great lesson to learn from all of this- but HA HA I am not only impatient, but stubborn and I refuse your lesson universe- this time.

But what about the goods? The positives? The yeah let's do THAT again. Alright eager readers- here are THE GOODS.

The beach- oooh the beaches are sexy and delicious and the water is warm and the surfer boys are hawt. Even on mass transit you are only an hour max away from a great beach at any one time. I hit the biggies, Manly, Bondi, Coogee- Coogee being my fave I think. Although having a drink at the Bondi Beach Bar was pretty wonderful.  I spent a couple of fun times at Coogee- one night out with Deb and her friends drinking vodka in the sand and late night swimming and then some even later night dancing.

Australia Day- which I feel happy to have been around for, was spent at Collins Beach a little bay in Manly and that was just awesome. Great people, delicious picnic food and plenty of swimming. I might have burned a little, but it was worth it. 

A side note- Aussies are much more like American's than they are Canadians- which isn't a bad thing, they are out going and a proud people and really think they are the shit. I did NOT wear my Kiwi pride t-shirt in Australia. (even though I wanted to- go All Blacks!!)

The People: the people and friends that I had and made here are great. I really do miss hanging out with Pili Pie and Deebs and meeting the group of friends they have made there. Interestingly I made friends of my own and they were all from Melbourne- I think they are just a friendlier breed. I will say that Karen and Xanthe- who are amazing and wonderful- are from Sydney, they may be the execptions that proves the rule, but I'm a better person to have known them.

Deebs- Deb is human prozac. I mean she's not insanely happy all the time, but pretty close and you can't help but being really happy when you are around her. She is absolutely the most positive up beat person I have ever met in my whole life. And she likes art! A pocket friend of the highest order. Plus we have the same shoe size so FINALLY someone I could share shoes with!

Pili Pie- Pili is awesome- how else can you describe her? Fashionable, tasteful, good singer (as I found out), generous to a fault. Without a doubt the best times I had at the publishing company were when Pili and I shared an office (and would sneak off with LeMar to the lake for "lunch") and it was so nice to spend every day time with her. She and Clif (who through the 2 degrees of separation that is Van. Isle-we went to school together) let me live in their place in Glebe for cheap cheap. I've had instances of living with couples that makes me want to run in the other direction, but this was not so. They are awesome- awesome flatmates.

Jenn with two n's- The most fun and wonderful Aussie I have met. I just really super duper love her. She taught me the saying "prawns" and introduced me to her super fun flatmates as well. Really I just want to package her up and bring her over to Canada so she can hang with the cool kids here! (pictured with Matti)

The sour cream- it may seem a bit weird, but this sour cream is just unreal. It's like crack- cow crack. I would do ANYTHING to get this stuff over here. That's right- ANYTHING.

Pineapple Lumps- technically a Kiwi delight, but everyone knows that Aussies appropriate all things Kiwi (until they screw up)- hello Russell Crowe. Imagine pineapple mallows covered in a thing layer of chocolate. Just waiting to make love to your mouth. If coffee is unavailable for marriage, I think that Pineapple Lumps are my "Settling Soulmate"

And we'll leave it there for now- next up... MELBOURNIA

Michelle in a Stranger Land-Part 1

What indeed can I say? What stranger land can you possibly think of than Australia?

Where the sun is hot, the animals are bouncy or poisonous- or a combination of bouncy and poisonous. The beer is watery, the wine is good- the ocean is warm and the vegemite is free flowing.

I'm just back from a three month stint in Sydney, as I am sure most of you know my grand 2010 plan was to move to Australia, and then it wasn't and just as quickly- it was. I was on a three month, let's try this out and see type of situation.

I had many posts written, and abandoned during my time there. Three months perhaps isn't enough time to suffer through the culture shock and get to just enjoying things. I've heard a year is about necessary, but I'm impatient and I wasn't waiting around for a year. Toronto beckoned!

So with a bit of distance between me and the land down under, I think I can post about it finally.

I arrived, sans my luggage (I have bargain shopping mojo at the expense of my travel mojo) in the dead heat of summer. And I mean HEAT. You have not experienced this kind of heat before, the oppressive mugginess of a billion degree heat.

Coming from -25 with wind chill and the dry dry blast of Ontario cold to +30 with at least 85% humidity is shocking to the system. SHOCKING.


On the whole I was ill prepared for the culture shock. I thought, oh well- I've lived in Britain, Australia is always touted as this quasi North American type of place. Well. Not so much. I can only give my eternal thanks to my friends Pili and Deb for trying to deal with me, not throwing me into the ocean and commanding that I leave immediately.

Pili's enfianced told me he was enraged for about a year, because let me tell you- Australia is much different to the world we live in. There are things that are just "different" and it definitely made me realize what a spoiled little first world cookie I am.

Now there is no way I would have made it through the three months without Pili and Deb. I have known these two crazy cats for years. I met Deb during Uni- we both worked at the SUB and we both were doing an undergrad in History in Art. My first real job after graduation I met Pili and we suffered the endless slings and arrows of the self publishing world.

Deb moved to Australia about 7 years ago and Pili followed 2 years later. Since they didn't know each other at the time, I took it upon myself to create more awesome in the world by introducing them to each other.

They have created a little wonderful bundle of ex-patness in Sydney with other Canucks, Americans, Armenians, Brits and who ever else you can find. The one thing about people in Sydney is they aren't very friendly. I'd had this perception of Aussies as being these ridiculously friendly lovable folk- but it's all area dependent I suppose. It is hard to crack into the Sydney crowd (much like it is hard to meet friends in Victoria). But what did I care? I had friends already!

A lot of the trip has been/was a blur. I definitely didn't do as much as I could have done- I will admit to spending a lot of my off time sleeping. It had to be done. I'm too old at this point to work ridiculous hours and have a social life.

That could be the one thing that Sydney taught me- maybe it is time to settle down. Maybe this gallavanting around the world has to stop and I need to focus and pony up a little bit. I'm still unsure of that part- but it was on my mind.