The Plunge Down Under

Banned from Oz

"I think you need to write another post about being denied entrance to Australia for three full years," said my frustrated husband a couple of nights ago.  "Milk it for all it's worth."  

I didn't agree with him at first.  The truth is, it is a very sore subject, and one that I haven't felt like writing about.  I told him that I hadn't felt this kind of rejection since I was banned from the table with the cool kids in junior high.  I know it's not rational.  It's not as if I am being personally rejected by my own peers. It is the same hopeless feeling, however.  I am a tiny cog in a massive bureaucratic machine.  If the officials go by the rules (and Australians love their rules), they won't let me in no matter how passionately I beg (or blog).

How to Spend a Snow Day in Pittsburgh

"What exactly is a snow day?" an Australian friend asked me recently after reading my post about the joys of winter life in Pittsburgh.  

It hadn't occurred to me to explain the term, although it should have.  A snow day happens when school is canceled due to winter weather conditions.  It is something that both teachers and students (but not necessarily parents) greet with delight.  For some reason it is far better than a scheduled day off school, possibly because of its unpredictable nature. Students feel like they have cheated the administration as they celebrate their undeserved holiday.

Down with Winter! Three Cheers for Summer!

"Worst is Winter!" according to the sign I discovered on my son's doorway yesterday.  "Boo in winter.  Fun in summer. Who is With Me?!!!!!!!!!"

"We are all with you," I thought, as I smiled over the liberal use of exclamation points.  Indeed, with round two of a viral illness striking our family one by one, perpetual snow and ice to clear from the driveway, and temperatures hovering around zero degrees F, we have had more than our fill of winter this year.     

On Repatriation: Books to the Rescue

It would be hard to overstate the importance of books in our family's life throughout the past year, a year that for us has been dominated by the move from one hemisphere to the other.  Our favorite books have been a constant presence through months of tumultuous change, heartbreaking good-byes, difficult adjustments, and unsettling surprises.  Last night, after our eleven-year-old coaxed me to read an extra chapter out loud to her before bedtime, I began to consider the multitude of ways that books have helped each of us through the repatriation process, both individually and as a family.  I came up with the following list.

Coming Soon to Australia? Not So Fast ...

Please let my mom come in!

The application for my visa to visit Australia over Easter was denied over the weekend.  The other five members of my family sailed through the process, usually a painless one, but not me.  Not this time.  When I called up the Australia High Commission located in Ottawa, Ontario yesterday to inquire, I was told that I have been banned from Australia for a period of three years.  No exceptions ... unless I can show that someone in Australia has an emotional need for me to visit.  At least that's how I interpreted the response from the first visa officer with whom I spoke.

On Immunity by Eula Bliss: A Review

 

The first time I remember hearing about the anti-vaccine movement was in the years 2001-2002.  We had recently moved to England with two toddlers, so vaccine appointments were very much a part of my life as a mother.  It had never occurred to me to question them, and I was fascinated by the clamor in the U.K. for single dose vaccines.  

Top Ten Things to Know About Melbourne

Recently a reader contacted me for advice about an upcoming move to Melbourne.  It reminded me that I wrote an article for a contest over a year ago with my top ten tips for visitors to Melbourne.  I never actually published the full article on my blog, so here it is.  Rereading it makes me want to go to Melbourne all over again!

Insiders’ Guide to Melbourne: Top Ten Things to Know Before You Go 

Three years of passionate exploration have convinced my family that Melbourne is indeed one of the great cities of the world.   In addition to the expected world-class shopping malls, department stores and historic landmarks, Melbourne boasts a series of unique laneways and arcades that are filled with al fresco eateries, cafés, street art, galleries and hidden boutiques. Numerous green spaces add to the beauty of the city. 

If sports are your passion, Melbourne hosts an astonishing number of major sporting events throughout the calendar year.   This truly vibrant city also makes an excellent base for exploring nearby treasures such as the Yarra Valley wineries, the stunningly beautiful Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula and Dandenong Ranges.

Compiling a list of must see places in and around Melbourne can be done easily with the help of guidebooks and online resources. What is more difficult is figuring out ahead of time the inside information that will help make your visit or your move to Melbourne a success.  Before you book your plane ticket, here are ten things you should know.