The front gate was just a hop n skip over the ditch
The ripe age of 22.. in a Laneway in Melbourne, probably (likely) under the influence. Am I proud? No. Did I learn? Yes, just not right away.
I want to take it back to January, 2010. One of my best mates and travel companions had spent half of the year prior on a study break, cutting his teeth amongst the Australian culture, following the path of some of his siblings.
A couple of passing visits in 2009 was a sufficient amount of time to get me engaged enough to quit the 9-5 and head to the great city of Melbourne on the one way.
We were young, very uneducated, not too financially stable but well enough to navigate a foreign city on the near cheap — old enough to live the sleepless nights amongst the city lights.
I however did not know I was about to spend the next ten months completely changing my out look on life.
I worked at a “flashpackers” bar for free accommodation, there was complimentary pasta, rice and coffee, it was fair to say my diet was not exactly flawless. Discounted fruit and veg from the Queen Victoria Markets at the end of the day.
New cultures were studied, life hacks were learnt. Put your pasta sauce in over a low heat so it gets absorbed — Enrico taught me, he whom was a blonde haired, blue eyed Italian lad, struggled to get a job as a waiter in an actual Italian restaurant on Lygon Street as he didn’t look the part, something we found quiet funny.
I grew as an individual abroad that year, I met so much good people. Some of which I am still friends with today, some 15 years later. Many Englishmen on their gap year, Dutch who were interns, Germans who would drive around Australia in a Sponge Bob van, Swedish folk who were telling me their trip to New Zealand felt like home.
I met local Australians who were in town for a weekend, them alone changed my ideology on their own country. They were from different parts of the great southern land, Brisbane, Cairns, Perth, and I met some incredible people from Adelaide.
I ended that year traveling South East Asia and finishing up over in Los Angeles for 5-6 weeks before heading back down under for Christmas with my family.
Whilst I haven’t visited Melbourne since mid 2017, I would like to thank the city for creating one of the most transformative years of my life.
I thank the people I met, both Australian nationals and international visitors for helping me get out of my comfort zone and becoming who I am.
Of course, I fucked up a lot along the way, had some skewered late nights at bars I definitely shouldn’t have been at, came across some beautiful women and experimented with substances I definitely shouldn’t have tried, but it’s all growth.
Growth > learnings > development > understanding … a part I would also learn by listening to endless amounts of Wu Tang.
For anyone curious, look up the 12 Jewels of Life.. and those not to bothered, I will elaborate another time.
I thank the great RZA for lyrically helping me through the adventure that was 2010.
To the hundreds of people I met that year, thank you. I still think of a lot of you, whether we communicate to this day or not. I’m glad we turned out OK.
Fair bloody dinkum
SBG
