My old life

Some days I miss my old life more than other days.  All things familiar, all things that hold some memory or value to it. 

I caught up with an old friend through facebook this week.  It was such a thrill to be connected with her.  To hear her story and her successes the last 15 years.  Yes, it’s been that long since I lived in Melbourne Australia. I left in 1994 to go to Sydney and in 1997 I left for America. She shared what she had been up to.  Her highlights, her achievements and her new life.  I guess in many ways I’ve done the same, I’ve had highlights, achievements and a new life but a part of me still misses the familiar.

I miss the pubs, the mates stories, the Aussie humour.  Aussie’s know how to spin a yarn and tease a mate to the point of tears of joy!  If you were to do the same in some other place it’s thought rude, or just odd.

I miss the familiar.  I still can’t get used to the fact that school starts in September.  September is when the footy ends not the start of school.  Mate give me a break.  And even though I love to burn a wood fire at Christmas I prefer the choice of slapping a raw prawn on the barbie! I love the fact I can talk in rhyming slang or drop a word that my mates totally get, rather than having to explain it to some new cobber I’ve got to know.  I cringe when someone says ‘you have an accent’.  My dry Aussie humour will reply with “and you don’t?”.  Fair crack of whip, we all have accents.

So yes at times I lament and wish for my old life where all things were familiar, where food is how I know it to be.  Where Corn Syrup is the number one first ingredient.  Where Vegemite is thought to be a normal first food.  Where you can give a child to sip a beer without being worried you’ll get a law suit.  Where you can go to a pub and cook your own steak.  Where Fish and chips are on every ones mind Friday night.  Where pies are served at a football game.

I’ve lived with revolving door friends but in America I tend to live with friends that never invite you to there home for dinner, where your a novelty, where you have to work with them to be a friend.  Friendships here are an odd thing sigh…

Yes some days my old life seems more normal.  As or perhaps it’s about