Everything Australian

I drive down the road, and I think about what it would be like to drive the on left side of the road. I see an Outback restaurant, and I think of the Australian Outback. I watch the TV or listen to the radio and the voices seem to say the words "Australia" and "kangaroos."

Everything reminds me of Australia.

Any word that starts with "A-U" makes me, for half a second, think it is going to say "Australia." I go for a walk, and I wonder what the weather is like. Any accent makes me think about Australia slang. My mom went to Sea World, and instead of asking how Shamu was, I wanted to know if she saw any animals from Australia: sharks, jellies, crocs, etc.

The watch I'm wearing: What time is it in Australia? A whole day ahead?

The little money I have in my pocket or purse: What is Australian money like? What's the exchange?

The plug on my hair dryer: I will need an adapter, eh?

The food that I eat: What food will I be eating in Perth?

The buildings in Ogden and on campus: Perth's city lights are going to be beautiful...!

Everything! Everything! EVERYTHING--- reminds me of Australia! :)

I leave, exactly, one month from today, by the way. I'm really excited, if you couldn't tell!

Waiting for Something: clips from my journal

I was feeling pensive one night while writing in my actual journal. I had some interesting ideas and I thought I'd share some of them with you.

October 4, 2007

I have been thinking a lot about... my wait to go on a mission. I got my mission call (you may recall) on July 17, 2007. I thought once I got my mission call it would only be a few weeks, a month at the most, before I left. Instead, I do not leave until... the END of November. When I found out [I was going to Australia] the first day, I didn't think much about [the wait]. I was mostly thinking about Australia!--- It seemed so incredible! (It still does.) Now that I have been getting used to the idea of Australia, I realized (or, rather, am feeling) this long time before I go. It's a long time to wait, almost five months. (I mean, it's long, but its going fast at the same time... lately it feels like forever away.)

And I've been wondering--- what am I waiting for?...

I have been speculating and wondering if there is a reason for why I have to wait to be a missionary. Perhaps there are people who I need to meet so I can touch their lives, and I am waiting for them to be ready for me to make a difference in their lives. (Or visa versa) [Maybe I will be touched by certain people, and I am waiting for the timing. Maybe I am waiting for the perfect companion...]

Or maybe (and too) I am suppose to learn a valuable lesson before I go. Love? Heartache? Courage? Assertion? Strength?... Patience?... Maybe I'm waiting for the snow?...

I feel like I'm waiting for something, that's for sure. But what? I just get sick of waiting. I want to be a missionary now. Why am I not in Australia?...

There are 50 days, by the way until I go. It sounds like a lot; in fact, that is what Mac said when I told him how much longer I have. But it really isn't. I'm glad I don't have to wait too much longer. I am excited to be a missionary. At times I'm scared, nervous and I don't know if I can be a good missionary; but most the time, when I think about it, I feel excited, and I can't wait for MY turn.

Uluru

Australia is amazing. It has so many wonders and the rest of the world seems to neglect its existence. Perhaps it is because it is so far away; or maybe it is because the island/ continent itself is so isolated. Bill Bryson says,

The fact is, of course, we pay shamefully scant attention to our dear cousins Down Under---not entirely without reason...Australia is...mostly empty and a long way away...;as an economic entity, it ranks about level with Illinois. Its sports are of little interest to us and the last television series it made that we watched with avidity was Skippy. From time to time it sends us useful things....Above all, Australia doesn't misbehave. It is stable and peaceful and good.... But even allowing this, our neglect of Australian affairs is curious. (3-4)

Even though we pay very little attention to Australia, or (to better put it) do not appreciate the country to its potential because we're so far away--- I believe each of us has always, secretly, wanted to go there. Not one of the many people who I told I am going to Australia on a mission has made a face of disgust; oppositely, in fact, everyone has been very excited for me. I can tell that some of them are jealous. Why shouldn't they be? Though overlooked at times, Australia is an amazing place. It is pretty neat, to say the least, that I get to go--- for a year and a half!

Why does the world pay so little attention to Australia? It is truly a beautiful place, and a wonder. Take, for example, Uluru, aka: Ayers Rock. "The thing about Ayers Rock," Bill Bryson says, "is that by the time you finally get there you are already sick of it. Even when you are a thousand miles from it, you can't go a day in Australia without seeing it four or five or six times---postcards, on travel agents' posters, on the cover of souvenir picture book---and as you get nearer the rock the frequency of exposure increases...." (255). Bill Bryson continues to say that even though he had seen pictures of it and even though it is, in reality, just a rock, he was---nevertheless!--- enraptured by it. He couldn't take his eyes off it.
In his own words:

And then you see it, and you are instantly transfixed....I have discussed this since with many other people, nearly all of whom were left agog in a way they could not adequately explain....It is exactly what you expected it to be.... It does feel weird. Quite apart from that initial shock of indefinable recognition, there is also the fact that Uluru is, no how you approach it, totally arresting. You cannot stop looking at it; you don't want to stop looking at it. As you draw closer, it becomes even more interesting. It is more pitted than you had imagined, less regular in shape....You realize that you could spend quite a lot of time---possibly a worryingly large amount of time; possibly a-sell-your-house-and-move-here-to-live-in-a-tent amount of time---just looking at the rock, gazing at it from many angles, never tiring of it. (256-7)

I have become accustomed to thinking about the idea of going to Australia. I sometimes feel like Bill Bryson on his way to Uluru who was sick of the rock before he even got there. I feel exhausted from talking and thinking about being a missionary and saying that I am going to Australia has become so mundane.

But when I really sit down and think about--- I mean really think about it!---I'm in awe. I'm like Bill Bryson staring at Uluru, unable to move his gaze. I cannot stop thinking about Australia: kangaroos, crocodiles, and all of its many interesting creatures; Perth's beautiful sky scrapers; its beaches, bluest of blue waters, and breathtaking sunsets....

Murphy is probably right, but it's good to have Bill back in my life

My sister was right. (I bet she will love to hear that. She says that her favorite thing to hear is "You were right!") I love the book In a sunburned country by Bill Bryson. I bought it and read it when I first got my mission call to go to Perth, Australia, per request of my fabulous sister.

I read it with an insatiable urge to learn all I could about Australia. (I've talked about the book several times on this blog.)

About three or four weeks ago, I misplaced my copy of Bill Bryson's book. The problem is I like to read where ever I go; I take my books with me.... everywhere, meaning this book could be ANYWHERE. I haven't found it yet. And... it's silly, but I miss it. I miss quoting it, reading it, having it with me. I get attached to the books I read and really enjoy. I especially found this book interesting and engaging, probably because I am going to Australia.

I finally broke down and bought it again. According to Murphy's law, I will probably find my lost copy. (lol) I will have TWO copies of In a sunburned country by Bill Bryson. I don't care. It's good to have Bill back in my life.

In celebration of having my Aussie book back I would like to quote something from the book:

Even without arriving fresh from an incident of criminal excitement, Perth is a cheery and welcoming place. There is first of all the delight in finding it there at all, for Perth is far and away the most remote big city on earth, closer to Singapore than to Sydney, though not actually close to either. Behind you stretches seventeen hundred miles of inert red emptiness all the way to Adelaide; before you nothing but a featureless blue sea for five thousand miles to Africa. Why 1.3 million members of a free society would choose to live in such a lonely outpost is a question always worth considering, but climate explains a lot. Perth has glorious weather, good-natured weather---the kind that sets the postman to whistling and puts a spring in the step of delivery people. Architecturally Perth has no particular distinction--- it is a large, clean, modern city: Minneapolis Down Under---but its sharp and radiant light makes it a beauty. You will never see bluer city skies or purer sunlight bouncing off skyscrapers than here. (275-6)

I think I would LOVE to meet Bill Bryson. I wonder if I will run into him on the streets of Perth somewhere, walking with a little spring in his step, whistling and admiring the city's tall sky scrapers. I am excited to go to Australia. Having this book again has reminded me how much I am. It's good to have you back, my old friend Bill Bryson! :)

Australia slang

While google-ing today, I found a fun list of slang words from Australia. Some of them are pretty silly. I don't know if I'll hear any of them when I go, but they're still fun to read. Jasmine, one of the Perth RMs I met with last week, said she had a companion from Delaware and she would make a list of all the words that were foreign to her with their meanings so she could understand the people. I'm not really worried about not understanding the people. I'll get used to the accent, I'm sure. (Maybe I'll even pick it up.)

Anyway, here is the list I found. Now, if you want to sound Australian, you can. And you and I can talk Australian if you want. I'd like to try a couple of the fun ones out. Happy reading!

"Don't know what we are talking about, be prepared and know our slang at least you won't look like a drongo.

* Ankle Biter - small child
* Arvo- afternoon
* Back of Bourke - middle of nowhere ... also called 'beyond the black stump'
* bail out - exit leave
* Banana Bender - person who resides in Queensland
* bludger - lazy person not working
* Beaut - fantastic, wonderful, the best.
* Billy - Pot of Tea
* Bingle - motor vehicle accident
* Bizzo - business bloke - man, guy
* Blowie - Blow Fly
* Blue - fight (have a fight/blue)
* Bluey - Bluebottle jellyfish
* Bogan - unkempt slack messy person with low education
* Bonzer - fabulous, great, cool, ripper
* Bugga- bad luck, oops
* Cark it - to die
* catch ya later - Goodbye
* chick - girl, woman
* chook - chicken
* chuck a wobbly - lose ones temper
* Cozzie - swimmers (NSW ) Also Known as Togs (QLD) and Bathers (Vic, SA) depending on the State. Also can be called Budgie smugglers is the case of male speedos.
* Cobber - friend, mate
* Coo-ee - hello (outdated) can be yelled out when looking for someone in the bush or can be used as a negative adjective, e.g. There's nothing within coo-ee of here
* Croweater - A South Australian
* dead horse - tomato sauce
* dead set - genuine,
* real dob - to tell on
* Dole Bludger- person who lives of solcial security and does not make any effort to get a job
* dinky die - genuine thing
* dole - government payment to people who dont work
* Do your Block - lose your cool (temper)
* dob - to tell on
* Drongo - idiot, stupid person.
* dunno - "I don't know"
* dunny - Toilet
* Earbash - to talk non-stop
* fair dinkum - true, real, honest
* fair go - give us a break
* galah - noisy person acting like an idiot
* Good on ya - good job
* g'day - hello, have a good day
* goon - really cheap alcohol, particularly very cheap cask wine
* grog - alcoholic drinks
* have a geez - to have a look (at something)
* hicksville - outback country town
* how are ya- greeting, warm welcome
* iffy - questionable
* knackered - tired, exhausted
* hooligan, idiot or troublemaker. Generally associated with someone who commits mindless acts of violence or destruction
* larrikin- usually used in an affectionate way. A larrikin is a trouble maker, but a harmless or loveable one
* joe blake -snake
* lemon - useless faulty thing
* lob in - visit someone
* loo - toilet
* mozzies - mosquites
* muso- musician
* No worries - its not a problem.
* Oodnagalabie - very far away, isolated, see also Back of Bourke and Whoop-Whoop
* pike - to quit or back out of something you said you would do
* p*ssed - drunk
* p*ssed off - annoyed and angry
* plonk - wine (usually cheap wine)
* ratbag - idiot
* ring in - foreigner also some one not invited or that should not be there
* ripper - great, cool, fabulous
* rooted - stuffed, tired, exhausted
* Sandgroper - Person from Western Australia
* she'll be right - everything is okay
* Sheila - woman
* shonky - not to be trusted/doesn't work properly
* Spunk - good looking person, adjective = spunky
* stubbies - short work shorts for men / small bottle of beer
* take the p*ss - make fun of, ridicule
* tall poppies - successful people... Tall poppy syndrome is the desire to undercut those who are more sucessful
* thingamajig - an item or thing
* too right - i agree
* true blue - true, real
* tucka- food
* thongs- flip flops, rubber sandles (the underwear is called a g-string here)
* Hoo-Roo - Good-bye
* whinge - to moan and complain
* whoop - whoop - outback
* wowser - boring, conservative person
* yobbo - unintelligent/crude person usually male
* youse - means you (plural)
* your Shout - your turn to buy a drink"

g'day, mate!

The first time I heard of Perth was July 17, 2007--- the day I got my mission call. The word "Perth" sounded funny to me, almost like a cough. But I knew where it was. I had a map. Besides, Australia isn't too hard to find.

Telling my friends that I was going to "Perth" was exciting, though the word "Perth" still sounded like a foreign place.

After reading Bill Bryon's book--- which I still cannot find! If anyone has seen my In a sunburned country, let me know asap!--- the word "Perth" sounded less foreign to me. I was able to feel more familiar with the country, just reading the book. I have learned a little geography: I can tell you where Adelaide is in comparison to Melbourne or Alice Springs; Queensland in comparison to Sydney, etc. The book gave me a feel for the country.... But, in a way, Australia didn't seem all that real to me. Not yet anyway. It was more like a far away adventurous place that would be cool if it were only real.

Keith Urban gave me hope. Australia must exist if this really cool country star came from there...!

Today, the idea of going to Perth and being a missionary seems real, actually obtainable. And it is because I was able to talk with three very cool returned missionaries. They all served in Perth around the same time. It was fun to watch them reminisce about the mission, talk about their friends and the people they served. They showed me pictures and answered my questions. One of the return missionaries tried to scare me, but the other two assured me that I would be safe. I wouldn't even see a crocodile and I would get used to the spiders: if I left them alone, they would leave me alone.

Here are a few of the things I learned from them:

* I should learn to say "g'day, mate" correctly (people say it to each other all the time).
* I will probably mostly be in the city; they send the Elders to the Outback more than the Sisters.
* I won't see a Croc, except for in the zoo.
* Although I will probably use a bike, if I have a license, I have a high probability of getting a car.
* I should buy "sunnies," which are sunglasses. I can also wear a visor.
* I'll see TONS of kangaroos, anywhere there is good grazing.
* I will get to visit the temple often; in fact, it is right next to the Perth Missionary office.
* I will most likely be transfered to the Southern part of the mission, rather than the North.
*They call Burger Kings "Hungry Jacks"
*There is no real root beer in Australia, so it is very hard to get a root beer float.
* I'll have access to e-mail, but it will be very limited, only a 1/2 hour a week; and I can only e-mail immediate family members.
* "Flats" are apartments.
* I should buy flow-ey skirts so I can ride my bike. (One of the returned Sister missionaries told me how to hike up my skirt to ride a bike.)
* They eat a lot of lamb and fish.

I actually learned a lot more than that, but that gives you a taste of the things that we talked about. We could have talked all night. The more we talked the more excited I got and the more questions I had for them. Also, the more we talked, the more THEY got excited and the more they thought of stories they could tell me.

It was a very neat experience, and--- like I said--- it makes it seem like Perth is a real place. It really does exist! And I'm going there! Soon--- I'll be able to say the word "Perth" and it will feel like home to me....

Perth Australia temple

There IS a temple in Perth!--- I wasn't sure if there was a temple in Australia. But there is! Isn't it beautiful? I don't know if I will be able to go to it--- probably not very often, but it is nice to know that there will be a temple where I am going. I can't wait--- by the way--- to go through the temple and recieve my endowments. I'll be going in the next month or so (in Ogden, Utah temple).... I'm really, really, really excited. :)

And I'm very, very happy there is a temple in the area I will be serving in.

Confidence to Serve

I'm not getting married. Not now, anyway. I'm going on a mission!--- Seriously, I am. I don't understand the confusion that is, apparently, floating around from family member to family member, friend to friend. I'm not marrying my boy friend. I'm not getting married right now. I'm going on a mission!

I guess I can see where there is a little confusion. I hang out with him a lot. Yes, yes. And I am in love. (I've never been in love before. It is exciting, breath-taking and fun!...) But we don't hang out because we're planning on getting married. We don't even expect to be boy friend and girl friend when I get back from Australia. (At least, I don't. Whatever happens will happen, I suppose.) The only thing that we are certain about is that we are best friends... ALWAYS!

It's interesting how, in general, you begin to acquire traits from the people you hang out with the most. Hanging out with my boy friend/ best friend has helped me to acquire some very cool, interesting traits. Along with a long list of things, the biggest, and probably the most helpful, I'd have to say, is CONFIDENCE.

Being his best friend and knowing that he loves me gives me this... huge.... super-power like confidence in myself that I never thought possible. I've always been a little shy, afraid to speak up. Now I feel like "shouting from the roof tops!" as Rascal Flatts would describe it.

I've always been a cautious person, afraid to try new things: experiences, challenges, food, etc. I think about all the possibilities of 'what could go wrong!' and I generally scare myself out of doing it. Not anymore. I'm not saying that I'm totally out of control and I do crazy things for the heck of it. But I am willing to try new things. I'm not afraid!--- Why should I be when I know my boy friend/ best friend is right there, loving me and supportive of me trying new things? Even when he isn't right there, holding my hand, I don't feel afraid. When I got some shots, for example, he wasn't there with me. I was--- let's face it--- deathly afraid: all of the possibilities of 'what could go wrong' started to scare me a little; but I was wearing his hat and I knew that he wouldn't want me to be scared. So I wasn't.

I am feeling confident: in my looks, words, work, abilities, talents...! And I am confident that I am going to be the best missionary I can be. He was once a missionary, you know. And he was great! Perhaps if I hang out with him enough, he will teach me the secrets to a successful mission. "I want to make you proud," I once told him. He smiled and said, "I know you will."

I want to!! I want to!!... I want to be a great missionary in Australia! I want to be brave... because Australians aren't afraid of hardly anything... (maybe crocodiles). And I want to be confident: not afraid to say hello to someone new, know that I have something worth saying, able to bear my testimony with confidence....!

I am going on a mission!!! yeeeeeessssssssss!! :)

According to Bill

Bill Bryson wrote a book called In a Sunburned Country. It isn't the only book that he wrote, but I think it is probably my favorite. Not that I've read all of his books, but this one is about Australia, so I'm a little biased.

My sister suggested the book to me. It was one of the first things she said to me when I told her that I am going to Australia. "Read this book!" she said. I bought it and have been reading it since. It is a book of Bill Bryson's impressions and experiences in Australia. He is a very good writer, and I'm loving the book.

According to Bill Bryson,

Australia is the world's sixth largest country and its largest island. It is the only island that is also a continent, and the only continent that is also a country....[and] is the only nation that began as a prison....It has more things that will kill you than anywhere else. Of the world's ten most poisonous snakes, all are Australian. Five of its creatures...are the most lethal of their type in the world. This is a country where even the fluffiest of caterpillars can lay you with a toxic nip, where seashells will not just sting you but actually sometimes go for you....If you are not stung or pronged to death in some unexpected manner, you may be fatally chomped by sharks or crocodiles, or carried helplessly out to sea by irresistible currents, or left to stagger to an unhappy death in the baking outback. It is a tough place... (6)

And this is where I am going on a mission. :)

Bill Bryon also says this:

Let me just say right here that I love Australia---adore it immeasurably---and am smitten anew each time I see it....The people are immensely likable---cheerful, extrovert, quick-witted, and unfailingly obliging. Their cities are safe and clean and nearly always built on water. They have a society that is prosperous, well ordered, and instinctively egalitarian. the food is excellent. The beer is cold. The sun nearly always shines. There is coffee on every corner. Rupert Murdoch no longer lives there. Life doesn't get much better than this. (10)

Those quotes I've just shared with you are simply in the introduction. He goes into more details, obviously, as he travels the country. Reading this book--- this is where I feel like I am on Reading Rainbow--- has made me realize two things, if not more:

1- Australia is dangerous.
2- I'm gonna have a blast!

I CANNOT wait until I go to Australia. It is as simple as that. I love reading about it, watching shows about it and its animals and people and I simply cannot stop thinking about it. I believe wholly that it is where I am supposed to go. And I can't wait.