Out the front of my home but it's not "my home."(And yes, i'm getting a haircut on Friday)
At 2 a.m this morning i was standing in the arrivals hall at Melbourne Airport waiting for the doctor to make his entrance. For those who don't know the "doc" is Michael, my mate who came over to Honkers a year and a half ago. He had just spent 2 months in Ireland on a locum (basically a chiropractor for hire) and was really looking forward to coming home. I myself seemed to get the impression that he didn't take advantage of the opportunity given to him over there but that's going by my own way of seeing things plus not knowing what it's like to travel in Europe first hand. I'm not judging his choices but just saying that my perspective is different to Mike's on this issue. It was a learning experience for him and that's fantastic. I'm happy that he is safe and back home and i can catch up with him more from now on. Whilst i was waiting for him, Michael's mum and his girlfriend Beth came and met up with me to greet him.
As you can expect the two most important woman in his life were looking forward to seeing him again as was i. During the time i was waiting for him i was looking around at all the other people in the hall waiting for their special someone. In a moment straight out of the opening shots of "Love Actually" there were tears and hugs and kisses for the people that came through those doors. When Mike came out i was glad that he was alright and he was glad to be home. He was really glad. During the afternoon (as in today) Mike and I had a few drinks and talked about catch up stuff and life. He surprised me a little by saying that he would love to own a house in the East of Melbourne (the nicer side of town). This took me back as i thought to myself "Wow he can really see himself settling down here."
Which leads to my reason for this update. Each of us has to find our own 'home.' Sure we have our families and friends where we grew up but i don't see that as my 'home' because i didn't create it, i was fortunate enough to become a part of my fantastic family. I love East Keilor and the fact that the people i grew up with around the suburb still talk to me whenever i see them at the local supermarket or walking the dog around the streets. I love the house i grew up in and the wonderful wonderful times i have had here but with that experience i know know myself that this isn't my 'home.'
If you think this is a whole "oh he want's to settle down" type of vibe you are wrong. The point i'm trying to make is that Mike feels in himself that Melbourne is home for him and that he would love to travel again only as a holiday. I'm the complete opposite and i with my time in Asia i have come to the conclusion that i can't just be in a place for a holiday and not try it out. My time overseas has opened up my perspective on life and that Melbourne at this time in my life just doesnt feel like home anymore. I'm still searching for my own 'home', the place where i can leave the world behind and find my own safe haven. It may end up being Melbourne, Manchester, Marseille, Milan or Manila but i know my 'home' is out there and until then the search continues.
To me, your home is something you create. You feel it deep down in your being that this is the place you want to be and look forward to coming back to. I have yet to find that place but i'm looking forward to finding it and if i ever do i'll be so damn lucky.
4 comments:
well i hope that after some more extensive travel you are able to gain a better persepective as to where you eventually feel you belong so to speak. it may be that after seeing more places and travelling around you will be ready to return back and ready to make melbourne your home again. but you will never know if this is where you untimately want to be until you go in search of other wonderful places!
till then see you on the train bogan!
oh and by the way study is going crapola at the moment i just bought a dodgy calculator from the local crap store called "shop addiction" ($6- bargain!) i need it for my exam and i just took it out and it plays music everytime you press a number aghhhhhhhh can it get any worse!!!!!!!!!!
Well pudden, you know I feel the same way. Even though I am still in Australia, I still feel like I am travelling and I am glad I did this. But you'll always be a 'Melbourne' boy. I know that when I first meet people here, the first point I make is that I'm from Melbourne..that gives me an 'expat' type of identity and I love being foreign(and believe me living here is like living in a totally different country trust me). Until then, enjoy the ride babe...can't wait til you get my pressie it's so cool!!
Well pudden, you know I feel the same way. Even though I am still in Australia, I still feel like I am travelling and I am glad I did this. But you'll always be a 'Melbourne' boy. I know that when I first meet people here, the first point I make is that I'm from Melbourne..that gives me an 'expat' type of identity and I love being foreign(and believe me living here is like living in a totally different country trust me). Until then, enjoy the ride babe...can't wait til you get my pressie it's so cool!!
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