Dreaded Oz

2006-04-22 006i
Originally uploaded by reneenoelle.

So it's been over a month since I've posted up here, and sometime in there my rose colored glasses started to fade. I began to see ugliness here in Melbourne. Afterall, the differences between Oz and the US are far more subtle than i thought at first(what did I say about consumer culture not being prolific?? Just frequent the wrong areas to see it's fervor), and many of the differences I see are perhaps differences between Melbourne and Seattle rather than the US and Oz. However, it was good to recognize that there are things I love about the US, efficiency for one, and less passivity, there is some good that comes from our hard work and overzealousness, and then there's also how progressive the US is on gender roles(I just about lost it during the Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremonies when they decided to showcase Melbourne's love for art and sport by having ballerina's in footie club colored tutus prance from footie player to footie player who awkwardly lifted them into the air...so much for dispelling the ocker stereotype of blokey men and girlie women!). Nevertheless, I'm back to loving it here, just needed to find my footing. I didn't realize I had lost it until the other day I noticed that I felt like myself again. Not sure where I went, but I'm back. Unfortunately I have two assignments and three papers to write in the next couple weeks so you might have to wait a bit longer to get much of substance from me, but I'll try to post some more pics and write more soon. I spent this morning at St. Andrews markets, a market out in the bush where vendors sell a span of goods from organic veggies to new and used clothes, handmade soap to jewelry and crystals. We chatted in the chai tent and caught a beat in the drum circle where I took this photo and some others I'll post soon. A good day to end the week-long Easter break. Now back to work.