leaving Europe in two days' time
Always the same tune,
Relief, regrets, vague longings,
Few variations.
One moment of happy "Australianness" while watching the Olympics BMX final and cheering when the silver medal was won by one of my son's mates.
Several despondent moments listening to left-wing women of my generation, most of whom have no religious beliefs, as they firmly stated that gay marriage is "an absurd notion" and that children of gay couples have more problems than children of straight couples.
Several small delights: sipping a variety of aperitivi in a variety of cafes; buying two grown-up daily papers every day; reading in libraries that were built in the 17th century (and now have computerised catalogues); riding a bike alongside the (overcrowded) beach and enjoying the sun and the movement; looking at most of the Italian heterosexual couples I know and thinking about an Italian saying which can roughly be translated as "better on your own than in bad company".
Relief, regrets, vague longings,
Few variations.
One moment of happy "Australianness" while watching the Olympics BMX final and cheering when the silver medal was won by one of my son's mates.
Several despondent moments listening to left-wing women of my generation, most of whom have no religious beliefs, as they firmly stated that gay marriage is "an absurd notion" and that children of gay couples have more problems than children of straight couples.
Several small delights: sipping a variety of aperitivi in a variety of cafes; buying two grown-up daily papers every day; reading in libraries that were built in the 17th century (and now have computerised catalogues); riding a bike alongside the (overcrowded) beach and enjoying the sun and the movement; looking at most of the Italian heterosexual couples I know and thinking about an Italian saying which can roughly be translated as "better on your own than in bad company".