When I first got back from the airport my God-daughters were awed, this is the best word I can use. I don’t think that they really thought I was really here. They were a little gun shy to start with but then as we walked the girls to school Tessie held my hand all the way and they asked if I was going to come back with mummy to get them after school, so it was only a matter of time before they got used to me actually being here and not a postcard in the mail or a parcel from the post office. I now have a little shadow in the form of Tessie and Zoe loves telling me about her day and stories from when I have been away, so this is the biggest gift of all that the girls have remembered me and that their unconditional love they have for me has not changed. Their main question are why I have to leave again and why can’t Zeme come to Australia to live instead of me going to Africa. This is a good question and the best answer I can give them is the truth and straight from the heart. I want to help people that are less fortunate than me and I feel that I can do this better in Ethiopia than what I can from here. The girls understand about people less fortunate than us as they both have a World Vision sponsor child, which Shelly and Shane organized for each of them when the girls were born. So I am just reiterating that the Ethiopian children need help with schooling, clothes and general love and that I have to be there to do that. They understand it, but oh to see the world through 5 year olds eyes is so refreshing at times.
The Elkins have embraced my return and back into their family fold. I am so lucky I have such good friends that let me stay with them for weeks at a time. The girls finished school last week, so I met some of the mums and then again on a few play dates as we drop the girls off during the holidays. Shelly proudly tells people about my 15 month Odyssey and my plans to move to Africa. The main questions I get from these discussions are what were my favorite places and what I plan to do for a job when I get to Ethiopia. It is interesting to note that everyone asks the same questions, all the time, which I don’t mind answering of course, but funny how we all 90% of the time all think the same thing. So my answer to the top travel destinations: I have put my whole Africa experience as a highlight (no preference to meeting Zeme of course). If you ever get a chance to do an overland trip in Africa, I would encourage you 200% to do it. It was life changing for me, but you certainly will not regret it, do yourself a favor and add it to your bucket list. Easter Island rates up in the top 5. This place had a magical air and a little mystery and of course the awe inspiring Moai statues. If you go to Chile, you have to add this side trip on to Easter Island; once again you will not regret it. I hate picking places that were my favorite as I had such an amazing experience on every single trip I did but at a push I am picking places where you just wouldn’t find anywhere else in the world, so my last pick would have to be Antarctica. To complete all 7 continents when I stepped onto Antarctica mainland, seeing thousands of penguins, snowcapped mountain and icebergs as we cruised by in our ship was another ‘wow’ moment for me that I will never forget. I say again this doesn’t take away from the rest of my trips but these were special ‘WOW’ moments to name a few but I had a lot more on my trip.
As for the work question, I have no idea really what I will be doing when I get to Addis Ababa. My first 3 months will be adjusting, learning a new way of life and also a new language. I will be setting up a home and hopefully trying to meet new people and make new friends. This is the plan for the first 3 months. Zeme and I will then come to Australia for Christmas and after the New Year head back to Addis for me to then start in earnest looking for a job. I am in a lucky position where I won’t have to work for the money; I don’t have to work full time, so I can look at voluntary positions, part time roles and charities. There are a lot of aid agencies in Ethiopia, so that will certainly be my first port of call and then I will just see how things go. I really have no idea on what I will do. Options are teaching English, Aid work, orphanage work, adoption agencies for the westerners to name a few things so I will just see what happens after I get there. Once I start meeting people, then your network grows and then more doors and opportunities also will grow. But I am confident I will get something and know that I will be helping people less fortunate than me and this was my whole reason for making my leap of faith with Zeme by my side.
When talking changes I am not only referring to the people I know. My local shopping centers are all looking the same. Chermside have now introduced paid parking if you are shopping over 3 hours. Brookside looks exactly the same, and this is even from way back as this was the Tippetts and my local shopping centre 15 years ago and it’s still the same from then. The road networks have changed a little. When I drove into the city last week I had a small panic moment a few times when I didn’t know what lanes I had to be in, especially on the ICB, which has changed considerably since I was last home and now the new addition to the bus way out to Chermside is also nearly complete. I visited the center where I used to work and not much has really changed there. A few shop closures (including my store) but new shops have opened and time keeps on ticking. When I left for my trip initially last year, Shelly said that we will always be here for you and it is nice to know that things change slowly here and I really haven’t missed out on too much at all, all in perspective of course. Nothing can replace the missed birthdays or the concerts but on a whole-home is and always will be the same. I do find Darwin like that as well, but my mum was always there, but even now a trip back there always reveals creatures of habit and not too many changes there either, so I should have known better I guess.
I attended my first Brisbane Lions home game yesterday for the first time since July 2010. I signed over my membership to Shelly’s niece in my absence so I didn’t lose my seat, but it looks like I won’t be needing that back anytime soon. But we can still smuggle me into the games and I am lucky I get to see 2 of them while I am home. I was also lucky that the Lions had a win and that I was also able to bring along David who I met on my Africa trip and has become since a close personal friend. It was great to catch up with him and reminisce on out 7 weeks together on an amazing journey. I have 2 more ‘Africa’ friends coming up this weekend for a small reunion, so it will be great to see them that is for sure.
So my first week back has been busy catching up with people and my second week will roll on the same. It is hard to actually comprehend I have 2 more weeks in Brisbane, 1 week in Darwin and Melbourne and then my last 2 weeks in Brisbane and then I am back on a jet plane again. Yikes. As the saying goes time flies when you’re having fun and truly does apply here.
For those of you I haven’t seen yet, I’m getting there. I hope to have a going away doo, maybe a lunch somewhere before I leave, so I will let you all know when I get that organized in the coming weeks. We also have a Race Day on the 21st July that all are welcome, so shoot me a message if you want the details for that.
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