Yes... I am still alive

Hello friends and family! Well quite some time has passed since my last entry, and just as in your lives, so many things have happened and changed. Where to begin and what to talk about has actually stunted me from writing for quite some time now. With much sadness and disbelief, I am already half way through my one year work holiday visa in Australia. I can’t believe how much time has gone by, but every day my heart remains thankful and my mind in disbelief that I am actually in Australia. I love it here so much and it has truly started to feel more and more like a home to me.

With the passing of the six month mark of my visa, I have been thrown rapidly back into the world of job hunting (I have to change places of employment after six months with a company). My time at WSP Lincolne Scott has been nothing short of a blessing and I have been able to learn a fair bit about myself as well as the Australian culture. With some interesting and enjoyable friendships made I have been very thankful to be exposed to such great people - but I am ready to move on to the next chapter of this adventure. With heaps of free coffee, internet, food, and spare time, I have been blessed with many gifts and opportunities to reflect on myself and life.

The common mentality that I really hold steadfast to and appreciate is the fact that life is about relationships – we are communal in our existence and ultimately depend on one another for survival. The greatest gift that I received from working at WSP Lincolne Scott is a friendship with a woman who has inspired me, encouraged me, loved me, listened to me, and supported me. Jackie Meagher is an incredibly kind-spirited woman who just being in the presence of is peaceful. Of all the things I am leaving behind, the most difficult of these is my friendship with this woman. Jackie has inspired me to pursue risk, encouraged me in the woman that I am, and has been significant in modeling to me the kind of person I aspire to be. She has been a second mum and a constant quench to my thirsty and famished needs. Sometimes you can meet a person and know that if nothing else, this relationship was worth each decision that I made to lead me to this point. That is what my placing at WSP Lincolne Scott made me feel about Jackie.

After a quick but clear-headed decision-making process, I decided to take a position with a company known as Leighton’s Consultants. When searching on the Internet for a new position, I came across a six-month administrative assistant position in the southern part of Sydney that for some reason my eye was drawn to. I didn’t want to think much of it as I had kept faith that I would have my options be open and just know that God was going to take care of me. I was very hopeful for this position and surprised when I heard back from a woman named Liz on the same day. We made an appointment for the next day where I met with her, and then with the Shane the HR Manager of where I would be working the following day. I met with Shane, and though this was a very different position, I decided that I was going to take it.

Now with my collective time of 12 months in Australia (I can’t believe it when I think of it like that!), I have been fortunate enough to experience a lot of the Australian culture. When working in the Outback, I had a very raw and rare experience of the different characters in Australia. I saw work ethic, I saw aggression, I saw love, and I learned that you have to do anything that you have to – the job simply must get done. And for the last six months I have found myself thrown in with the business culture of Australia. I saw the people who were respectful, hardworking, fast-paced and so many other things. This time I have choice to work amongst Tradesmen (construction). If the whole intention of the one year work/holiday visa is to expose you to different elements of the culture, then I thought perhaps this would be another way of doing this. I have seen the life of the Outback, worked with the businessmen of Sydney, and now I look forward to experiencing the life of the construction and people who are involved with physical labor for a living (something I have not experienced before).

I am not quite sure yet why I chose this job – it just kind of felt right. Something that I have never been quite good at is decision making. But for some reason I am able to do this with such more clarity in Australia. I just feel like my strength in feeling if something is right or wrong is a lot more on key – Australia is a bit like my sacred place.
So I made a decision I thought I would never make… working in the suburbs!!! Ironically enough the town I am known in is Beverly Hills (NOTHING like that of the States:). I think that between working and living in the heart of the Sydney, I just needed out. I needed to meet real people. I needed to see green. I needed to sit on a train in peace and get lost out the window while thinking. So…. Instead of being crammed morning and night on a 15 minute train ride with my head resting on the man’s next to me with the standing room only and wondering what would happen if suddenly I felt sick and needed to get off the train, I have space. I have an entire row to myself in the morning with maybe two other people in the carriage with me as we are heading against traffic. I am sitting, enjoying my music, praying, reading, marveling at the reminder that nature actually does exist, and even making a phone call if I can be bothered to. It is beautiful and the space that I need in life right now! And on top of that I am only two train stops away from where my beloved Jackie lives… we have heaps of dinner dates planned.

Another blessing that has entered my life and continues to mold my friendships and activities is my church Cityside. I have never really considered myself as part of a church when I was attending. Often I didn’t have the desire to become an official member because of a specific element (could have been the teaching, music, location, or concept of community within the church that I couldn’t completely associate with), but things are different with this church. Just as like in other things that have existed for me in Australia, things just felt right. Things just fell into place. Joy and I were walking to actually catch a bus to a different church when we came across Cityside and decided to give it a shot. I have not looked back since – I am learning so much!

The people of this small congregation made up of only about 20-30 have taken me in under their wings and have actually made me feel like I belong there. I love these people – the friends that I have made have evolved my life in Australia quite a bit. For the last 2-3 months I have been attending church twice a week, meeting with an all females group one night away, and spending social time with friends outside of this as well. I am so happy. There is no judgment, there is only love and acceptance and a hope of helping one another enhance in self and relationship with God. These people are so incredibly precious to me and I know that if (ahem) I leave Australia, losing this church would be the most difficult component.

Another change that hasn’t take place quite yet but is set in the next couple day is the moving of bedrooms! Actually about two months ago the Irish couple from our house left and so many of us decided to trade rooms. Instead of Lisa and I sitting across from one another on our single beds with our knees bumping, we now had at least five feet between us, an additional mirror, and a balcony! Things have been lovely, but with the adjustment of more residents in the house we have decided to switch rooms once again. For the first time in a long time, I will have my own bedroom! Though her constant presence will be missed, we will still be able to enjoy one another daily while meeting other needs that we have at the same time.

Other fun things that have existed in the last few months are: my long weekend trip to Brisbane with Lisa (went to an Amusement Park and art galleries… it was awesome), my birthday (spoiled with many gifts and kind words from friends and loved ones in my life), I started to run again and am planning on registering for another race in the next couple of months, and attended heaps of music (ex. Yeasayer, Band of Horses, Angus and Julia Stone, The Magic Numbers, Jonsi, etc). Life is still good and I remain joyful in learning more things about myself and refining areas in my life that are long overdue.

So… what’s next? Not quite sure. I love Australia still and even more so now. There is talk of meeting up with my family in the next couple of months if possible, my sister is planning on coming to see me end of February, heaps of music festivals are coming up, keep spending time with my lovely friends, and enjoy the fact that SUMMER IS COMING!!!!! Though winter in Australia is a bit of a joke (I keep wishing that these people only knew January in Minnesota)… warm weather has always been a great pleasure and indulgence of mine! I'll say it again, I can’t just believe that I am already half way through this.

Sorry that there is not as much whit or creativity involved in this entry, I just really wanted to catch people up to date! May you all continue to love and support one another. Love you and miss you all.

xo Tara xo