Being an Australian. Yesterday it was Australia Day. Traditionally we celebrate with bbqs and beach days, but this year the weather totally washed us out. It has been raining almost constantly for a couple of days, and in Australia - that means flooding. No dramas where we are but it has been a major buzz kill for me. I have felt totally removed from the celebrations.
I stayed home, did some cleaning, contacted school books, watched new episodes of some of my favourite shows with my husband, and had burritos for dinner. Just a regular rainy day and not a sausage or steak in sight.
It didn't stop me from thinking about what it means to me to be Australian though. I love my country. I am so incredibly grateful for being blessed to live in freedom and safety, with a, for now, stable economy. To be able freely to choose so much of my life - my career, my education, my faith.
I was watching a humourous debate last night on "Is there such thing as being too Australian" - and if there is such a thing, what it actually means to be Australian. It reminds me of my year 11 (or 12) oral on a similar topic. There are a few iconic Australianisms - our self decprecating humour, "tall poppy" syndrome, beer drinking culture, our belief in mateship and our generosity to help others. But Australia's strong mutlicutural heritage means being Australian has so many different flavours and I love that.
My grandparents are Russian and came over after World War II, after being in a German prisoner of war camp, in search of a better way off life, because they didn't want to go back to oppressive Russia.
To me Australia, is the land of opportunity and new beginnings.
Happy Australia Day!
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