Category: Australasia

I’ve got a lot of issues to catch up on now that I have access to my blog again, but one that deserves immediate attention is the issue of sexual abuse of children in aboriginal communities. A report was released on the 30th of April outlining the issue to the Northern Territory government. It seems… Continue reading Child Sex Abuse in Aboriginal Communities

It’s taken a while, but I’m finally starting to feel like I’m home. The problems of moving in seemed endless – missed calls for white goods delivery, missing boxes in the shipment, missing parts of just about everything I unpacked, missing stereo components, no signal for wireless internet, skyrocketing phone bills just to name a… Continue reading Home at last

I’ve picked up the keys to my new flat. It’s a short term got-to-get-out-and-take-control-of-my-life rental choice, so it’s bright, warm and clean. Those were the minimum requirements for enabling me to enjoy my life enough to feel confident about getting out and chasing down contracts, or potentially a new job. The bedrooms are small, but… Continue reading Sold on a flat

I spent a sunny weekend walking 26km or so from Otford to Bundeena – the length of the coastal border of the Royal National Park. I was ‘leading’ the group of five friends since I’d done the walk in parts in my school days, more than 20 years ago. Some things have changed – noticeably… Continue reading Whales off Sydney Coast

The toddler that my mate’s mother minds 4 days a week was extra hyperactive yesterday, prompting her to tell me that he had a bee in his bonnet. She then told me that there was a Lebanese equivalent and, after a pause to translate, came out with ‘He’s got a clove of garlic stuck up… Continue reading A clove of Garlic

April was a very wet month. It’s hard to believe reports on how little water we have when you see that much falling from the sky. And apparently things have improved tremendously in Port Macquarie, where my parents live, in the last few months, but Sydney is still scared. This is after I saw the… Continue reading Catchment Areas

It’s been a few days since Anzac Day, but I’ve been listening to a few songs over and over since then. Mostly I’ve had them in my head, but not in the annoying way of jingles that get stuck. These all get me thinking about war and the hardships it brings to even those not… Continue reading War Songs

Yesterday was ANZAC Day. The day the Australia / New Zealand Army Corps landed at Gallipoli – the day most of our fatalities occured. Anacdotely, I’ve heard it said that half of our fatalities happened on that one day. It may have been half from that particular battle, but either way, it’s an enormous loss… Continue reading Anzac Day

It’s been about 25 years since I’ve eaten an Easter egg. Australian chocolate isn’t the best so Mum would hide a packet of crumpets for me instead. Coming from an agnostic family, I never even knew the meaning behind the egg. That all changed over the past weekend, living with my adopted Lebanese family. I… Continue reading My first catholic easter

I was very happy to see signs alerting passersby of the aboriginal community that used to live in the area, when we were house hunting on Saturday. I don’t know how long they’ve been up, but I haven’t noticed them at all before and I saw 4 last weekend. It’s too late to give the… Continue reading Aboriginal Community