SCUBA

SCUBA is short for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. I've wanted to get certified since my sister and I went snuba diving with the sea turtles in Hawaii years ago. Snuba is similar to scuba in that you are completely submerged but the air tank is on a raft on the surface instead of on your back.

I'm getting my PADI certification with True Blue Dives over three Thursdays at the local beaches in the eastern suburbs.

Dive #1: A snorkel dive just to get (re)acquainted with the concept of breathing while your face is in the water.

Biggest Challenge: Relaxing when breathing.

My brain goes into the annoying, although appropriate, habit of trying to not let me die. Breathing in while your face is underwater goes against that idea logically. I could hear each ragged breath. The first breath was a timid trial and the second actually brought air to my lungs.

Scariest Moment: Swimming next to jellyfish.

First they are difficult to see unless you are right next to them. Second they have translucent trailing pieces that can hurt you. My Australian friends love talking about all the things that can kill you in this country but in a calm relaxed manner. In fact, I bring up box jellies or snakes purposely just to see their faces light up with pride. I'm adding the jellyfish lake to my list of places I want to visit. Nothing like facing your fears to help move past them.

Most Enjoyable Moment: Realizing how much easier it is to swim with flippers.

Dive #2: Scuba Intro Unlike other scuba certification classes, True Blue Dive takes you right into the ocean, no pool time.

Lesson #1: How to assemble all the pieces of the equipment and how to carry 70 pounds on your back to the shore.

Lesson #2: Hand signals.

Lesson #3: How to clear our goggles and regulator while submerged.

Lesson #4: How to move up and down without relying on the BCD. The buoyancy control device is a fancy vest attached to the air tank that can fill or deflate.

Scariest Moment: The first breath after clearing the regulator while submerged.

After a bit, my brain almost ignored the "Don't breath underwater" rule. But after taking the regulator out of my mouth, letting it fill with water, putting it back in my mouth, and clearing it, my brain reinstated the rule. Each and every time.

Funniest Moment: Getting into the ocean

We had to get our flippers on while standing in ankle deep water (knee deep when the waves hit) while also balancing on rocks with 70 pounds on our backs and then make it past the submerged rocks that kept coming out of nowhere and into the open ocean. I got stuck on more than a few rocks. Ocean +6 Jen +1. I gave myself a point since I did technically make it to the ocean even though my execution was a bit awkward.

Most Enjoyable Moment: Petting a shark.

Some might think that this would be the scariest moment but he was only about three feet long and I stayed away from the teeth. Then we followed him to an overhang where there were four more larger sharks just hanging out. They eat shells not people so as long as our fingers didn't end up in their mouths it was okay. Sharks are coarse like sandpaper not slimy like fish. And I'll admit the fact that I'm more scared of jellyfish than sharks is a bit odd.

At this point I don't think Scuba will be an obsession but check back with me after dive #6. I want to get certified so I can go to the Great Barrier Reef with some friends. Plus, no matter where I am in the world, when the desire to scuba hits me on a whim, I can just go.

Walkabout

A walkabout is an Australian rite of passage for Aboriginal men. It may originially have just been a trip across the Outback for boring reasons such as business meetings but it has come to be viewed as a spiritual trek. When you go out into one of the most unforgiving environments on the planet, it becomes spiritual.

The concept of the walkabout remains in Australian culture. Teenagers and young adults are encouraged to travel, to "walk about" the world before they come back to Oz. The term 'gap-year' is used quite frequently, and while not a strickly Australian concept, it is something that is looked upon favorably here.

There is something about this country that stays with you. Everyone I spoke to about Australia before moving here said they wanted to spend more time here or wanted to come back for another visit. Two of my friends who did a wilderness excursion into the outback with NOLS, talk about it fondly, like it happened only last year. It is a country that leaves it mark on your heart. Yes, that might seem a bit melodramatic, but if you've ever been here... you know.

I'm on my own walkabout. I have no idea where I will be in a year or what path to take. There are still so many options that I am stuck in a Paradox of Choice. I can't figure out what ice cream flavor I want much less figure out my future. And this too is part of the process. I've come to realize that intentionally creating my life applies in spite of the uncertainty, now more than ever.

The topic of failure has come up a lot in conversations, blogs I follow, and the constant whirl of thoughts in my head. As a generation we don't know how to fail. Everyone gets trophies in sports; teachers can't write in red pen.

But real self esteem comes from knowing when (not if) you fall on your face, you have the strength to get back up and try again. In those moments it's about whether I give up or get up. I'm learning when to quit things that aren't good for me and when to persevere. I'm learning how to balance the desire for financial security with the motivation to fully experience this country. Years from now, no matter where I end up, I'll be sharing stories from my walkabout.

Festivals

Australians love festivals. Each one is promoted heavily and attracts thousands of people. In the past 3.5 months I've been to the aroma (coffee) festival, the winter festival, the "Art and About" festival, the Brazilian festival, and the night noodle markets at the food festival. Next week I am going to the Fringe Festival.

The highlights of the festivals for me have nothing to do with the festival itself but the people I went with. I don't really like trying new food and I hate coffee and I refuse to spend $40 to skate around a really tiny portable ice rink. But I do like trying to get more free samples of chai latte, developing a whole documentary on homelessness in Australia, forming a circle under a tree because enough tables aren't available, or trying to imitate the samba.

Visas

I’m a little overwhelmed by the visa process. Hopefully by writing it out and sharing in my blog I can gain a little clarity.

(Found this sign near the Kings Cross fountain. Accurate picture of how I feel right now)

Recently, I’ve been going to a lot of networking events and immigration lawyers. While I have been working, I haven’t been hired at a job that can lead to sponsorship and the ability to stay in Australia after June 2012. Fellow Americans seem to fall into four categories: They are here on a Work and Holiday Visa and only plan on staying a year, they are a student, they or their spouse work for an American company that moved them here for 6-18 months, or they have been here more than four years before the immigration policies changed. It seems difficult to find a sponsored visa once here. It may have something to do with the first question on every application being “Are you an Australian citizen or permanent resident?”

Basically, I have four options:

1. Option A Work and Holiday Visa: I can approach this year as a sabbatical or gap year. Filler jobs are easy to get and pay surprisingly well since Australia has a living wage versus a minimum wage. I can take the whole year, travel around Australia (scuba!), NZ (absailing!), and the little known country of Vanuatu (volcano surfing!) then move back to a random city in the US and start again.
2. Option B Student Visa: Because the US has such strict immigration policies, I cannot stay longer by working at fruit picking, nor can I take a single course at a time to get a student visa. I would have to be a student full time for at least two years. I don’t have the money or desire to get another degree.
3. Option C Employer Sponsored Visa: I can work at filler jobs while applying to companies that may provide me with a temporary (4 year) employer sponsored visa. This would allow me to stay in Sydney, hopefully doing something I love. It isn’t easy to get. Employers and the specific job have to qualify based on a select list. Companies don’t like to have all their inner workings reviewed by the immigration office. Not saying it is impossible, just highly unlikely. If it doesn’t work out, option A moves into effect.
4. Option D State Sponsored Visa: Because I have my MSW, I can qualify for a state sponsored visa. This area of immigration has changed drastically in the past few years, even just within this past year. When I applied for my initial visa a year ago, an MSW gave me a lot of points on a skilled assessment test, helping move my application along. By the time I moved here, however, social work was removed from the Sydney SOL (Skilled Occupation List). Therefore without an Employer Sponsored Visa I cannot stay in Sydney. In order to get a State Sponsored Visa, I have to be sponsored by the Western Australian government, who just added social work to their SOL yesterday. It is an expensive process but would allow me to stay in Australia an additional three years.

I have to make a decision soon to start the appropriate visa application. Unfortunately I cannot pursue both option C and D at the same time. I have to choose a path. Do I keep trying for an Employer visa hoping to beat the odds? Or do I go for the more expensive State Visa which has a better chance of success but I would have to move to another city just as I’m finally hitting my stride in Sydney? Or do I just drop it all and take the easy way out, the gap year.

…

…

…

I still have no idea. Bummer.

Slang

I've met people from all over the world, drawn to each other by common outlooks on travel and adventure. Often conversation trends towards accents and slang words. Endless time can be spent repeating each other trying to echo the accents.

Most Aussie slang can be understood by taking off a syllable or two and adding an 'o' or a 'y' to the end of the word. Apparently, according to my friend A.H. this is the same style as the Cockney slang. Must be something related to the prison background. I have yet to figure out if this is something that shouldn't be brought up or it should with pride. I'm sure there is more but because so much of conversation is actually non-verbal sometimes I don't pick up when slang is being used because the context is clear.

Some slang I've easily adopted:

'Oz' Pertaining to the land of Australia

'Aussie' An Australian, also a way of doing things that is distinctly Australian.

'No Worries' It doesn't matter, also used as you're welcome

'Ta' Thank you. I love this one because it sounds so similar to 'Tea Da' how I used to say thank you as a child.

'Roo' Kangaroo

Kiwi Someone from New Zealand

Sunnies Sunglasses

Others I've heard:

'She'll be apples' It's okay. It will work out.

'Seppo' An american. Insulting. A nickname for Americans is Yankee which can be shorted to Yank. That rhymes with septic tank and shortened to Seppo.

'Arvo' Afternoon

'Relo' Relatives

'No dramas' The younger version of 'No worries'. Slang of the slang as it were.

'Ranga' A redhead. Short for orangutans.

'Squib' Coward. Something those of us in the SAAG Meetup (Sydney Action & Adventure Group) group refuse to be.

'Middy' A drink of middle size.

'Maccas' McDonalds

'Bottlo' Liquor store

'Chips' french fries in the States

'Westie' Someone from the western suburbs. Insulting use: uneducated, not classy.

'Fair Dinkum' genuine

'Footy' Either Rugby, Australian rules football, or soccer. I have no idea which.

'On ya mate' Not sure and didn't ask. Seemed sarcastic.

'Jumper' Sweater, sweatshirt, light jacket, or cardigan depending on what is needed.

'Servo' Gas station

'Loo' or 'Dunny' Toilet

'Knackered' Tired

To easy Said when taking someones phone number or answering any kind of question

Blow'n A blow in, a commuter or someone not from the area

Ones I'm waiting to hear:

'Beano' A celebration

'Chinwag' A conversation

'Jingoes' surprise

'Rack off' Go away

'Billabong' Watering hole

Frustrations

I've hit the six week or 7-mile slump. I realize the frustrations I'm facing now are a part of the journey. In a transition as drastic as the one I've made, disappointment and struggle should be expected. Many things have flowed so easily in this experience, from getting a visa to finding a place to live, that I forgot to be on guard for moments of "Oh crap, what exactly did I get myself into." It doesn't mean this was a mistake. I am still mid-jump like the picture my dad took, unsure of how the landing will be.

I called it the 7-mile slump because it feels like when I was running the marathon. At mile 7, the initial hype and excitement were gone as were the supporters. It was just me, the pavement, and a long field. I felt the same way when I first moved to NYC. Around week 6, the thrill is diminishing, but the social network hasn't been fully developed yet. I get out as often as I can for meet-ups, ballroom dancing, and just to take in the sites. But meaningful relationships, take time. And time is the one thing I don't know if I'll have.

Right now the job market is difficult for an immigrant. Many jobs are open only to permanent residents. Catch-22, I can't become a permanent resident until I've lived here for a few years. While my job provides enough to live here and even have a little fun, it isn't something that can lead to a longer position when my visa expires. The thought of having to potentially move somewhere else and rebuild a network... again... sucks, plain and simple.

Is it worth the risk of making real friends given the uncertainty about the future? When I.S. and I started dating, the plan was already in place to move to Australia. Was it worth dating knowing I would be leaving in a few months? The answer is absolutely. Without that risk, I would have missed out on an amazing relationship with an equally amazing guy and not had all the fun, support, and laughter the relationship brought. So even if I leave in a year, being willing to invest in friendships is always the better option.

So that is where I am. Aside from the ambiguity I'm having a blast. I have fun people, beautiful weather, and kangaroos, what's not to love. This whole experience is about creating the life I want. That takes a bit of work, a few tears, and a little flexibility. Here's to landing on the other side of the crevice I jumped. And if not, at least having some pretty flowers and a story to share wherever I do land.

Settled

Settled… or not. One of the biggest things I knew before starting this adventure was to have plans but allow them to be fluid and change as necessary. If I had had time to write last Friday I would have said that I was completely established in Sydney. Perhaps this was too big a feat to achieve in about two weeks. Within the past week a couple of things have shifted. But I’m not stressed about it. In fact, this whole process has still been surprisingly easy. In many ways I feel like I’ve been in Sydney for much longer than three weeks. I am working, meeting new people, living in a nice apartment, and can navigate the basic transportation system. I don’t know what the future holds, if I’m staying here or moving again in a year. But I can deal with that another time. For now, this is completely where I need to be and I am so happy that I took this chance. There have been a few moments of home sickness, especially when I was away from Sydney, disconnected from even the smallest contact with friends and family back in the States that I miss. There have been moments of utter contentment, especially when the weekends are nice. What I have not experienced in any way is regret.

Some of the things I’ve been doing:

Climbed the Pylon lookout of the Harbor Bridge. The real climb over the bridge is $200 so I’m going to skip that one. Once you’ve jumped from a plane, being tied to a bridge just doesn’t have the same thrill. There have been over 200 proposals at the top of the bridge. Apparently, it is only 60% effective as a proposal spot. The problem: if she says no you still have to walk down the other side tied to each other. The lookout, however, has some beautiful views.

Saw the Sydney Opera house and the Royal Botanical Gardens. Tried to see the view from Sydney Tower and was told by the desk lady that she just couldn’t let my group in because we were not dressed nice enough.

Saw the aquarium and wildlife park. Platypuses (Platypi?) are smaller than I expected, koalas are super cute, and I got as close as I need to a crocodile and a shark, until I go shark diving of course.

Went to the capital of Australia, Canberra. It is a terribly boring city that will be celebrating its 100^th anniversary in two years. On the way I saw a city advertising a population of 150 people, one fifth the size of my high school graduation class. The 10 year anniversary is coming up this year. When did I become an adult?

Saw my first real life kangaroos in the wild. Actually ran outside my hotel in the cold morning air and wanted to chase after them, and when that couldn’t happen, found myself imitating their hops. Maybe I’m not such an adult.

Went to see an aboriginal tree carving exhibit at the state (NSW) library.

Found an apartment, had an apartment party with my new friends plus a bunch of people I met when they showed up at my door with the previously mentioned new friends. Then moved into a nicer apartment.

Joined an ultimate freebie team.

Chased a person dressed up in a duck costume around the city with forks and plastic bags for no apparent reason but to have a blast with a bunch of other crazy people.