Lesson 37

 

Hello from Australia, my bunnies!

There’s an elephant in this post today – and despite its loudly roaring trump (sorry!) trunk, I’m trying everything I can not to be brought down by its massive impact.

So, let’s resume regular programming and pretend that the American economy isn’t already falling down, let’s pretend that women across the world don’t feel like feminism has been set back 100 years and let’s pretend that the American President has no control over the world as a whole.
Please, Lord, let someone in Obama’s administration change the colour of the big, RED button to hide it in plain sight.

I’m in Australia.
It’s a country.
It’s also a continent.
Not sure if you’ve heard of it…
Some people refer to it as “down under” because it’s at the bottom of world maps.
Ha!
The hilarity!
Those people are so funny that they often use jokes about everything being “upside down” to make sure we know how backward everything is here.
Oh!
The wit!
It makes my sides hurt from laughing.
CLOSE UP OF MY DEADPAN EXPRESSION.
Anyway, as I say, I’m here.

And, in two or three days (depending on which timezone you’re in) the Tash-tacular (as dubbed by Sir Partytown – a good friend of mine) hits the stage.
Or the bima.
I do my show, is the point.
How’s it going to come off?
Great question.
I have no idea.
At this point, I may just decide to follow the impeccable lead of the newest elected world leader and go off script for an hour – inciting and inspiring chants and screaming fanatics.
Sorry, I went political again…

In the meantime, I have so far seen three of my nieces, visited a friend and two of her three kids and spoken with many other friends and family to announce my arrival.
It’s been lovely!
My eldest niece (at 13 years old) is already a good head taller than me – and continues to grow.
My friend’s youngest bub is now six months old and is the sweetest of cherubs to be seen!
It’s made it clear – that thing that we all understand intellectually, but dismiss emotionally – that, although we may expect everyone’s lives to wait for us, they most definitely do not.
I could visit for three months and there still wouldn’t be enough time to catch up with everyone, spend enough time with all of the growing children I love or while away enough time by catching up on the variety of Aussie TV I’ve missed out on (I like to keep my finger on the pulse, people!).
But I can’t spend three months here.
No matter how many people ask, I can’t just stay.
Also, I don’t want to.
It’s not that I want to be away from everyone, it’s not.
It’s just that I quite like my life in the UK.
I like the different pace.
I like the little chunk of life I’ve carved out for myself there.
Sure, it’s equally frustrating in many ways (to being in Oz) and it’s mildly annoying that it costs so much and takes so long to come and visit people I miss, but it’s where I live now.

I expected that this trip would be somewhat emotionally jarring.
I expected that it would hit hard that this place is no longer my home – everything would be familiar, but not quite as I remembered/pictured it.
I’ve only been living in London for three years, so in many ways that still feels foreign to me also, so I expected to be left feeling a sense of loss or uncertainty about my place in the world.
I know it’s very early days here (I landed about 30 hours before writing this post), but, so far, I don’t feel that at all.
The places I’ve been and seen are just as I remembered.
I still know my way around.
I do keep almost saying “pounds” instead of “dollars” – but I haven’t done it yet.

The people have grown/aged/changed slightly, but they’re still my people.
The shops may have changed hands/window displays/products, but they’re still shops.
The cafes and restaurants may disappoint me by no longer offering my favourite meals, but that happens in London too!

And so today’s lesson is this:

No matter what crazy times the world has ahead, no matter which country we are forced or find ourselves living in, we can make ourselves a home and a life.
We are amazing, resilient creatures.
We can overcome obstacles and be strengthened by them.
We can stare challenges in the face and come out on top.
And we can always be a support to each other – whether we’re physically by each other’s side or not.

#yourewelcome

#theremaybeanotsosubtlepoliticalundertonetothislesson
#imsoscaredforourworld
#iwillnotstandbyandletthingsturntoshit
#imexcitedtobeinaustralia
#ihadtwocheesymitescrollsforbreakfast
#someoneelsecankeepthejetlagthough

Tash Tells Tales
Saturday November 12 @ 7.30pm
Leo Baeck Centre for Progressive Judaism
31-37 Harp Road, East Kew, 3102
Tickets are $25/$15
Bookings at www.trybooking.com/MBZQ or on 9819 7160
Or by cash at the door