Doing it tough, waiting for a visa

The last month has been surreal. A blur of countries and new experiences... and, thanks to a Consulate in Geneva I haven't even reached my 'destination yet'! But thanks to that same Consulate, I have had the most wonderful opportunities to explore :-)

I spent a week near Lausanne in a dark room lit by the glow of powerpoint presentations in briefings, and recovered over the weekend with bbq's on the shores of Lac Leman and picking wild raspberries and strawberries at Rocher de Naye. 

The following week was more intense logistics training, so I recovered with a trip to Annecy in France, then down to Turin to visit a friend. 

The following week I finished up bits and pieces of homework and took an extended break to the nearest beach, which was Genova in Italy! Im afraid the beaches back home left these ones for dead, so I took to hiking through the Cinque Terre National Park instead. Just breathtaking.  The visa didn't come on its expected day so I stopped over in Milan on the way back...and now I'm back near Lausanne with plenty of time free to a good home!

the meadows of Rocher de Naye (Switzerland)

 View of Lac Leman form Rocher de Naye (Switzerland)

Lac Leman (Switzerland)

 Markets in Annecy (France)

 The canals of Annecy (France)

 Cycling around Turin (Italy)

 Turin

 The harbour in Genova (Italy)

 Genova Harbour

 Vernazza- a town in the Cinque Terre (Italy)

 The beach at Monterosso in the Cinque Terre

 Corniglia - the third town in the Cinque Terre

 Milan Train station (Italy)

 The Duomo in Milan

At the centre of the fashion capital- Milan

Airport update

What a blur the last few weeks have been!
Firstly - no jelly beans for the 4 jabs I had because I wasn't allowed to eat anything an hour before or after the fizzy raspberry flavoured dose of Cholera I had to take :-( poor me.

But everything else has run miraculously smoothly.  Finished up at work, possessions either packed to the sea container, packed to go with me or sent to the Op shop, lots of eating and drinking things I may not have the opportunity to enjoy for a while and LOTS of friend catch ups.  Never enough time and always heaps more people I'd love to see, but I think I did pretty well given the time.

I discovered that the problem with coming to love a place and its people- the problem with having a place to call 'home' is that its so heartbreaking to leave! I've felt so much peace about this journey but the bubbles of grief have been intense.

And now I sit at an airport in the Middle East, with flights being called in Arabic, observing the range of women's attire appropriate for this part of the world. Wondering how much 'life as I know it' is about to change.  Looking out across the tarmac to the white dust fog that blows off the desert and sits above the water, reducing the early morning sun to an outline of an orange globe... and yep, it feels pretty surreal.  Thankfully Im on my way to Europe for a few weeks briefing first. Time to sleep. Time to settle and consolidate.

another 'Jellybean' adventure

I'm baaaack...with the beginning of another 'Jellybean' adventure.

Yep, I had to book my travel vaccination appointment with a different clinic today because it's been so long since I traveled proper (round the world doesn't really count- cos you can get away with no jabs) that my usual clinic has shut down!  But I'm sure the new place will have jellybeans...surely...

So, I've signed another 2 year contract to follow my dreams, but its not Africa this time- it's central Asia. To be honest the country isn't one I've ever particularly wanted to visit...in fact I've never felt the urge to visit any of the '-istans'.   But the job. Managing food security projects in rural areas, making a real difference in peoples lives, using all this ridiculous privilege I inherited simply by being born- to sit, and listen and learn, and perhaps contribute something- even just an idea - to fan life and hope into flame.  That's where I'm happiest and that is opportunity I am taking.

My mind is full of all the things I need to do and pack and prepare; forms to fill in and tickets to book, end of financial year reporting and project handovers at work, tax...I think longingly of all the books I haven't made time to read.
My senses are full of noticing.  Noticing the way the majestic karri trees reflect the morning sun after rain like streaks of silver.  Noticing my last drive down a certain road, the way my dog gets so excited greeting me every evening...soaking in my planting sites, the sound of frogs, the damp cold air- what will they look like in 2 years?...what will I look like in 2 years? Indulging my every craving. Adrenalin means I can eat everything in sight and still lose weight. I take advantage.
And my heart is full. It is hard to leave, but perhaps harder for those left behind. Some understand, some don't. Some give their blessing with a tear- others ask 'what the f?" I don't like disappointing people. I don't like leaving, but I know when it's time.  I know the danger.  I'm the one trying to think up 'proof of life' questions after dinner.  The danger I will face is soberingly real.  The loneliness that I will face is soberingly real...but the potential!
which is probably why,with 2 weeks to go, I'm in spending my evening in the kitchen, baking chocolate chip cookies- the flavour of my childhood, feeling like a child...
in anticipation...
of the world.

Gratitude

I am reading a beautiful book called 'One thousand Gifts' that a friend gave me as  a graduation present. It was so timely, because my new years resolution (which I'm increasingly coming to believe must become a way of life) was 'to maintain an attitude of gratitude'.  I get pretty grumpy about life sometimes.  From the poverty I've witnessed in my life, I find it really difficult to work in a beautiful holiday town where beautiful people swan in to spend lots of money on their picture -perfect holidays - leaving their holiday houses and toys to sit, un-used for the other 50 weeks a year.  They drive and dress and act like they own the town and I... can get very self-righteous and have had some very uncharitable thoughts about them. So much ugliness comes from the sense of entitlement....and I've come to see gratitude as the antidote.
Then I came across the following few paragraphs.
Variations on a theme.

'I know there is poor and hideous suffering, and I've seen the hungry and the guns that  go to war. I have lived pain, and my life can tell: I only deepen the wound of the world when I neglect to give thanks for early light dappled through leaves and the heavy perfume of wild roses and the song of crickets on humid nights and the rivers that run and the stars that rise and the rain that falls and all the good things that God gives. Why would the world need more anger, more outrage? How does it save the world to reject unabashed joy when it is the joy that saves us?  Rejecting joy to stand in solidarity with the suffering doesn't rescue the suffering.  The converse does.  The brave who focus on all things good, and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents that bring fullest Light to the world. 
When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows. How can this not be the best thing for the world? For us? The clouds open when we mouth thanks.' pg 58

I live in a ...well... rather bogan town. Think - a bottlo that constantly has specials on EB and Jacks, dirty white work utes galore and a proud logging heritage. And once a year we get together for a 'Cherry Harmony Festival'.  Strange name eh?  It seems to be named to draw the City folk in. To me it screams: 'we have cherries and we promise we won't f'ing hurt you'. 
Anyways, cherries and harmony or not, the whole main street gets closed off and filled with market stalls and food vendors, they have fashion parades, cooking demo's, dancing comps and cherry pip spitting competitions,...and the best bits- the red car parade and log chop events.
One of my most favourite things to do is to buy deep frozen choc dipped strawberries on a stick, settle down on the grass under a shady tree and watch the State log chopping competition.  For me, life really doesn't get much better than that :-D
so- here are a selection of pics from last weekend!

 I assume this was the 'lady' of the festival? she was so graceful :-)

 Live music...

 oooh yeaaaahhhh... nice arse....

 su-weet!

 Yipee! happy me happy me...the rest of the world no longer exits...

 ummm... my view of a not so nice...umm yeah. On the up side- he came second in the State championship

:-D

Tree climbing

Yeagerup Camping

I am ashamed at how long its been since I last posted...but I have finished my study and now have time!! Time to sleep in in the morning, to cook proper meals, to walk to work, to catch up with friends, to blog again AND to go camping. Yes Karijini was over a year ago and it's been too long between escapes- so this weekend 4 of us hopped in a 4wd and went camping at a nearby national park. Surpisingly nearby, and surprisingly beautiful!

The sand dunes overtaking the forest

4 chicks brazenly entering 'bogan boys' territory

Exmouth and Cape Range National Park

SO after a week in Karijini, we headed over to Exmouth and spent a few days in the Cape Range National Park. Unfortunately, like all camping this far north, the length of stay was determined by the quantity of supplies ie food, water and gas we could carry...It's also advisable to book ahead for this park because the camping spots are limited, tightly managed and in high demand. Next Time I'll pack for a month :-)

Karijini part 2