Another year another anniversary. It has been 2 years since I left place I used to call home. My previous year abroad is summarized in 2 different posts here and also here.
I actually started writing this post before anniversary, but then kind of lost my focus and thought that I have something more to say, but actually not that much.
So let's get started. What's different, what have I learned and what will happen now...
Most significant difference in OZ is that my approach to travel around was much more mature and relaxed. Even so much more that I can't actually say that I have traveled. After NZ didn't feel this urge run around and see every tree. I had pretty straightforward plan to come here, earn some dollars and move on. I have managed to achieve first part of my plan, second part is yet undecided, more about that later.
Oz started with a blast, meeting old friends and everything at first was breeze but soon after I was hit by realization that traveling is done and I am again in new random place where I have to startup up everything from zero. This was hard times and it didn't help that I had voluntarily chosen harsh living condition and had close to non existent social life. It was definitely one of the hardest character building times in past 2 years. But as with everything, it all was just temporary and things got better, a lot better.
And here is this annoying paradox, really didn't have plans here in OZ, didn't think of it much and seemed to be desert wasteland mostly. But slowly after getting more used to being here I was struck by serenity that had taken over me. Despite working on construction and occasionally having rough days when I started 4 am and ended 11 pm without any breaks. Not sure if this is just getting older, more cynical and just being content how I am, but despite all that I feel pretty happy. There used to be times when I was chasing this American dream of owning a house, car, money, business, being someone, etc. But to be frank, I just don't care anymore. Here in Oz with this first world living standards there is really no reason to complain. I have my little things going on that make me happy and do I not need all this stress to do things that I don't need to. It doesn't mean that I am not thinking about these things occasionally and that I am not making steps to improve my life, but it's not anymore something that keeps me awake during night.
Not that huge secret that these 2 years have been part of my personal eat, pray, love experience (haven't seen the movie but, meh, who cares all those stories are pretty similar). Order would be bit more different tho, pray, eat, love. Environment and people around me have affected to me grow more as a person. Am I now different or better person then? I can't be certain about it for sure but thing is that in every different place I am bit different. And now it kind of feels that here I am who I want to be. I am more relaxed and confident in my actions, open minded, eating healthier, looking fitter and all this in country what happens ta have heaps of opportunities, good weather and is ranked among top 5 countries to live in world by whatever metrics you pick to measure this.
I had never understood people who had left Estonia and were glorifying life abroad. But after a while you realise that some little things make such a huge difference. Like having good weather like 95% of time. In Estonia there is saying that Estonia has 3 months of summer and 9 months of shit skiing weather. When you live in country like this it is easy to say "Eh, suck it up you flower sun hipi" but if your wardrobe is only T-shirts, shorts, flip flops and you get that extra boost from vitamin D you end up being more like "crawl back to your dark batcave and live without sun if you want" because it actually makes difference and feels better.
I was well off financially in back Estonia and had no reason to complain but 3 fold difference in purchasing power makes huge difference. Just recently on 8 hour video call with whiskey I looked up Bic Mac Index. It takes on average half an hour of work in Estonia to earn a Bic Mac. In Oz it takes 10 minutes. And to earn this you don't need to be charge of multi million dollar projects in corporation. You can do whatever average Joe does and proper financial management it literally seems like you are not even putting any effort in managing this thing called being financial responsibilities. Tho when you expand Bic Mac Index to housing then with average salary it takes approx. 7 years to earn house/apartment in Estonia and 13 years in Australia. So there is that, tho this is dependent on lot of variables and is not that good unit of measure, but at least you can have shit ton more Bic Mac burgers while you are saving up for your own place.
Considering all this it is probably no wonder that I just submitted last weekend my application to enroll university here. Which gives me chance to apply for student visa here for another year.
There is still lot of unknown about what future brings, what I want to do, or where I end up. For first, I am not sure even if my visa will get approved just because I might have overlooked accidentally one of previous visa conditions and instead of visa grant I may end up as a fugitive. Nothing major or serious actually but I find it to be hilarious because every time I think about it renegade theme starts to play in my head and I picture myself riding motorcycle in desert and pouring water on myself from jug while being shirtless on motorbike. Yeah, that's cool, I wanna do that.
One year has gone by really fast and hopefully this visa gives me more time to think about what to do next. I don't confine myself with the idea of staying in Australia forever, but just for now it seems a good idea to stay here bit longer.
Thought I had more to say but seems life is actually that simple.
Tripped and Fell in Love
YACHT
Comments
Post a Comment