Friendly Aussies
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Kirsten
03 Maart 2013 | Australië, Newcastle
“Once you start meeting people in Newcastle, it is like an infection, soon you will see people you know everywhere.” That is what Brendan, the guy I sat next to on my flight here and who happens to live in Newcastle by coincidence, said to me when he gave me a ride to a barbeque he invited me for. Two barbeques, one underwater hockey training and two nice days of being shown around in town and going to the beach later, that seems to be true. I’ve not even been here for two weeks yet and I’ve met lots of people, who are all very friendly, welcoming and eager to show you around and meet other new people. The fact alone, that someone you meet on an airplane invites you for a barbeque is a surprising thing. I think that we, Dutch people, like to stick to what we’ve got and hang out with the same group of people you always hang out with, because this is safe and familiar and most of all, because we are used to it. We are quite ignorant to strangers and foreigners, sometimes not even willing to talk to them or being very curt. Up till now, it seems that most Australians are more interested and very easy-going, everything is pretty relaxed down here. For example, I just shortly mentioned something about a dog and then its owner started having a nice conversation with me and every time someone notices that I am not from here, whether it be a cashier or a passer-by, we end up talking for quite some time.
Yesterday evening I ended up at some sort of party for a while, because we had to drop someone off there. I hardly knew anyone and the two people I did know where busy talking to other people. Normally when that happens, you get the “what am I doing here” – feeling, while you are standing on your own, trying not to look stupid, because everyone seems to be enjoying themselves and either not noticing or ignoring you, because you are a stranger to them. Not here though. I had no idea what I was doing there, but it seemed to work the other way around. I only seemed to attract people who wanted to talk to me or hand me a (self-brewed) beer, mostly because they didn’t know me and were curious and honestly interested.
On my trips to the beach and walks around town I wanted to take some photos. I managed to take a few, but then all of a sudden my camera decided that it didn’t feel like taking photos anymore, so it just stopped working. The problem seems to be easy to fix, but I haven’t got the teeny-weeny screwdriver I need to open the damn thing up. I’m trying to get it fixed by tomorrow or I might have to just buy a new one. Either way, anyone waiting for lots of photos will just have to wait a little longer.
Yesterday evening I ended up at some sort of party for a while, because we had to drop someone off there. I hardly knew anyone and the two people I did know where busy talking to other people. Normally when that happens, you get the “what am I doing here” – feeling, while you are standing on your own, trying not to look stupid, because everyone seems to be enjoying themselves and either not noticing or ignoring you, because you are a stranger to them. Not here though. I had no idea what I was doing there, but it seemed to work the other way around. I only seemed to attract people who wanted to talk to me or hand me a (self-brewed) beer, mostly because they didn’t know me and were curious and honestly interested.
On my trips to the beach and walks around town I wanted to take some photos. I managed to take a few, but then all of a sudden my camera decided that it didn’t feel like taking photos anymore, so it just stopped working. The problem seems to be easy to fix, but I haven’t got the teeny-weeny screwdriver I need to open the damn thing up. I’m trying to get it fixed by tomorrow or I might have to just buy a new one. Either way, anyone waiting for lots of photos will just have to wait a little longer.
-
03 Maart 2013 - 10:25
Ton En Mirjam:
Hoi Kirsty,
Voordat wij aan de skype gaan ff gekeken of je je blog hebt bijgewerkt, ... en ja hoor! Zijn we alvast up to date voordat we je gaan spreken. Geweldig dat je de Aussies als zo gastvrij enzo ervaart, dat hebben wij jaaaaaaaren geleden ook zo ervaren. Een leuk en herkenbaar stukje voor ons. See you later!!!
Pap en Pap XX -
03 Maart 2013 - 16:13
Marthe ( Journalistiekdag):
Super leuk om te lezen dit!!! Ik weet precies wat je bedoeld! Ik moet weer wennen in nederland! Geniet er heel veel van, want het is zo voorbij! Hoe lang ga je blijven? Liefs marthe -
07 Maart 2013 - 00:00
Kirsten Van Lienden:
@paps, mams, je kan je aanmelden voor de mailinglist. Dan hoef je niet telkens te kijken of er nieuwe verslagen zijn, maar krijg je gewoon een mailtje.
@Marthe: hee leuke reactie (: Ik heb van jou wat dingetjes gelezen op facebook, je moet het ook naar je zin gehad hebben, dus ik begrijp dat het even wennen is in Nederland. Ik blijf 6 maandjes werken als au-pair en hoop daarna nog even kort rond te kunnen reizen. Moet helaas terug om in September aan een studie te beginnen, too bad, I think I wouldn't mind not going back at all. Ga jij nog journalistiek doen? x -
07 Maart 2013 - 11:12
Mams:
Ik heb me aangemeld, thanks voor de tip, zo slim was ik (nog) niet!
Enne .......... denk er om dat je terugkomt in augustus, ander kom ik je halen!! xx
Reageer op dit reisverslag
Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
