Australia Day

It's Australia Day on Friday 26th January, a public holiday and a day to celebrate who we are as a nation.  I'm very proud to call myself Australian and became a citizen in 1992 after moving here with my parents in 1978 as a snotty little 10yr old. 

We 'moved back' to the Mother country in 1987, which ended up being a complete disaster as things had changed so much and it was next to impossible for my parents to re-establish themselves, despite living and working there for almost 40 years.  Even then, despite  packing  up all my wordly belongings, I always intended to return to Oz .  I'd been to primary school, high school and college here, my friends who had shared lots of good and bad times with me were here, my LIFE was here.  I saw our time away in '87 as a chance to travel and catch up with family, do a lot of shopping  and check out the English guys (I was only 19 after all) :)

As it turned out we arrived there in March 1987, my parents and their furniture (!) returned to Australia in May 1987 and I returned in June after the U2 concert at Wembley Stadium.  If not for that, I would have returned to Australia with my parents. 

I missed Australia's openess, the sun, the familiarity, the ease of life.  I missed being able to get up on a sunny Saturday morning and drive with my friends to Salamanca Market and spend the afternoon sitting on the grass being stupid.  I missed the noisy cockatoos and parrots in the trees, even the damn wallabies that jump out in front of the car on a hot, dry night.  So I returned. 

England is a fun place to visit, especially when you have extended family there.  I was born there and spent my early childhood enjoying feeble summers and frosty winters but also holidays to France and Spain, only a hop, skip and jump away across the Channel.  I certainly have an allegiance to England, but I no longer feel at 'home' .  I'm still a tourist, albeit with plenty of places to stay but still living out of a suitcase and sending postcards  'back home'.

I have been back to England 2-3 times since to see my beloved grandmother and family but have always felt at ease and a little relieved to board the Qantas jet to bring me back home. 

I hold both an Australian and a British passport (thereby avoiding the damn customs queues at both ends!) but I am Australian.  My children are Australian and I'm glad they're growing up here. 

Comments

[Stephanie]

Happy Australia Day Sue. I feel it in my heart when reading your post how sincere you are to your country. Have a wonderful day.

[Hannah&boys]

I'm with you Sue!!! I've only been back once and for that my heart yearns to see the Mother Country. But Australia will always be home to me. My Dad, who lives in Tassie, said once upon a time he wanted to go back to live but now he's found his niche...in your neck of the woods! He loves Tasmania and will never leave. I would love to take the kids back to England to show them where I spent the 1st 5 years of my life - one day. Will be thinking of you on Friday.

[Kelly]

Very nice post!

[Rae]

I really enjoyed this entry!

[Cayla]

You write very well.