Noticing Things, Big and Small
Returning to a place with different perspectives
As I write this, I’m sitting on a train heading almost into the city of Melbourne to meet my son. Since my last post, I’ve experienced a whirlwind of gatherings and experiences (that no one is used to) but has filled my cup.
After getting over my anxiety of being around people on the flight here, I’ve been to festivals, shopping centres, on public transport, to exhibitions, large gatherings of family and friends, and today, my second cinema experience in over two years! It’s been interesting to notice how that initial travel here helped me to desensitise to groups of people - because I’ve noticed others here react similarly to me when I was waiting to board the first plane in Stockholm. A little anxious, a bit overwhelmed, nervous laughter - that kind of thing.
My normal routines have been thrown out the window - I haven’t journaled or done yoga, and I’m behind in my study - but I have noticed that I am feeling quite grounded and present despite the intense nature of reconnecting with the people and places here. I’m making the most of my mindfulness practices, breathing into moments as they arrive, enacting my full-body sensory receptors to ensure I embed these memories somatically to draw on in the future when I miss my loved ones, the sounds of the sea and the feel of my feet in the sand.
What have I noticed?
Being away from a place often heightens your senses to changes that you may not notice if you live there. Things like the trees growing - this was really obvious to me in both Adelaide and areas of Melbourne that I used to live. Small spindly gum trees had become tall and stately, their olive-coloured leaves thickly crowning the ends of branches. Bushes had thickened. Areas of new landscaping over two years ago have grown into well established gardens
Roadworks are still dominating Melbourne everywhere I’ve been there are significant roadworks happening - some to the detriment of the local residents as super highways are being built to save a few minutes driving, but with no thought to pedestrians, cyclists or to improving public transport. The incredible network of walking and bike paths around my home town in Finland seems luxurious. I rarely get into a car at home - a stark contrast to the hours I’ve spent in the car here already. The dominance of the car is also something that’s struck me here - there aren’t as many pedestrian crossings here as there are at home. Another luxury I guess!
I’m enjoying seeing so many different faces, hearing different languages - and I still seem to get surprised when people speak English! Despite knowing everyone here speaks English I sometimes forget and have thought, “Oh! They’re speaking English!” Then, “Oh, yeah.” In the first week or so I noticed I struggled for some English words at times - that’s gotten better although it can happen when I’m tired.
The variety of food, especially fresh food, is glorious. I bought huge avocados for AU$1 each (which apparently had gone up from .50 cents!!). I’m ticking things off my food list - such as a big breakfast at a café with good bacon, smashed avocado, and a frothy cappuccino. All day breakfast menus are something I really miss as it’s just not a thing in the Nordic region. I’m yet to have good fish and chips (only a disappointing one) so fingers crossed I can manage that before I leave. I did have some fabulous hot chips after a morning dip in the sea - worth the small detour.
Another thing I’ve noticed is I walk on the ‘wrong’ side of people - my instinct now is to walk to the right, not the left of people as I’ve adjusted to traffic flow in Finland. I guess that kind of thing is an unwritten rule but I second guess and often stop to let other people pass by me so I don’t run into them.
Despite two pretty shitty years here in Melbourne (they had a total of about 265 days of strict lockdown) people are friendly and helpful. When we looked a bit lost at the train station, several people stopped and asked if we needed help. Many have asked if we wanted them to take a group photo when we’ve crammed together to take a selfie. I don’t know whether that would happen so quickly at home. People tend not to want to engage with strangers so readily.
With less than a week remaining of my time here I’m already thinking about the next trip. Although I’m not sure when that will be, it will be sooner rather than later. I’m hoping I’ve planted the seeds for people to come and visit us too, to share with them the beautiful place I now call home.
For now, I’ll be making the most of spending time with family and friends, soaking up the sights, sounds and scents before our long flight back north, to the happiest country on earth, five years running (and that’s for another post!)
Stay well,
Lisa x
Other things
Reading
Macbeth by Jo Nesbo: this book is one in a series commissioned by The Hogarth Shakespeare project seeing works of Shakespeare retold by contemporary authors. I read The Tempest by Margaret Atwood a few years ago so grabbed this book at a free community book-swap library. It’s a good holiday read but having taught Macbeth and knowing the okay quite well it took me a few chapters to get my head around the character names in a contemporary world.
I’m thoroughly enjoying Jane Eyre’s Sisters: How Women Live and Write the Heroine’s Story by Jody Gentian Bower. Definitely worth reading if you’re interested in an analysis of women’s literature and storytelling.
Everywhere I Look by Helen Garner. She’s a well-known Australian writer, publishing fiction, non-fiction and several screenplays This delightful book is a collection of snippets or diaries and observations in Garner’s wonderful, observant style. In six parts, each section deals with events and observations, big and small. I’d say this is a must-read for anyone who writes.
Watching
I saw The Batman directed by Matt Reeves. I saw this film with my son in Gold Class, which is an experience itself! In large arm-chairs that recline with a foot-rest, we could order food and drink delivered to our seats at intervals of our choosing. The film itself was quite good - long, at three hours. I always find it interesting how different directors reinvent characters like Batman - it seems like they’re more frequently released nowadays. The standout performance was Zoë Kravitz.
Events For Women
Join me this Sunday for the final One Mind Book Club Zoom event for the book Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari. The next book to be covered in the Garden of Neuro Institute’s One Mind Book Club is Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta. Stay tuned for a reading guide.
Lovely essay about “home”, Lisa. Also: I would like that breakfast, please 😉