Interview time
Way back in March, the five questions meme was going around. These are from magfish. Better late than never, right?
1. Have you learned anything about yourself from your recent in-between-homes travels?
I learnt that I love travelling in an RV, at least in a country that is geared up for it. I learnt that I was more of a tidy freak than I thought I was, since not being able to find stuff when I want it is even more annoying than putting it back in the right place in the first place. This did diminish as time went on however. I learnt that you can do too much touristing, and that's it's ok to spend a night in a city that never sleeps playing cards in your hotel room. And I learnt that I appear to like hiking, at least when it's in stunning surroundings.
2. Cheese or wine?
Wine! I don't actually like cheese that much. Melted on other food, yes, infused with a whole garlic field, yes, but sitting alone on a platter with naught but some dry biscuits to keep it company? No thanks.
3. Do you look back now and wonder how on earth Peta-from-the-past was (initially) so resistent to the idea of the "quiet geek"?
Not really, I know why I was resistant. I analysed the changes in my feelings plenty at the time, and I haven't had reason to change my theories. I clearly had bad character judgement, but I was quite happily single at the time. In many ways the lack of internal pressure to make this relationship work, because I wasn't expecting it to go anywhere, meant that we were better able to communicate very honestly with each other right off the bat, and air our differences to each other, and thus work through them and find our compromise points. And it was through this communication that Will showed me many of his characteristics that I still love him for to this day: that he genuinely listens, that he really understands and "gets" me, that he adapts where it's sensible and challenges me where it's not, that we can meet happily in the middle. The quiet geek had hidden depths!
4. Skiing or sunlounging in a bikini? (I think I already know the answer!)
Can I have a good book and some beautiful views while sunlounging? Because then I'll take that. Otherwise, skiing, as just sitting in a chair for hours, even a lovely warm chair, isn't that exciting.
5. What has surprised you most about moving back to Australia?
Just how much I'm absolutely loving it. There was a lot I was afraid of, and there's substance for those fears (eg casual racism, check), but the almost daily dose of sunlight, the feeling of space and freedom, the job that doesn't have me feeling like I need to work 50+ hours a week and stress over it 168 hours a week, being able to easily spend time with my family, Will's happy and adjusting far better than I could ever have dreamed... it's just ace. I can't tell you how fortunate I feel. Not everything is perfect of course and there's some things I have a stress about from time to time, but overall I'm so much happier and content with myself than I was in London. Everyone should move to Australia.
1. Have you learned anything about yourself from your recent in-between-homes travels?
I learnt that I love travelling in an RV, at least in a country that is geared up for it. I learnt that I was more of a tidy freak than I thought I was, since not being able to find stuff when I want it is even more annoying than putting it back in the right place in the first place. This did diminish as time went on however. I learnt that you can do too much touristing, and that's it's ok to spend a night in a city that never sleeps playing cards in your hotel room. And I learnt that I appear to like hiking, at least when it's in stunning surroundings.
2. Cheese or wine?
Wine! I don't actually like cheese that much. Melted on other food, yes, infused with a whole garlic field, yes, but sitting alone on a platter with naught but some dry biscuits to keep it company? No thanks.
3. Do you look back now and wonder how on earth Peta-from-the-past was (initially) so resistent to the idea of the "quiet geek"?
Not really, I know why I was resistant. I analysed the changes in my feelings plenty at the time, and I haven't had reason to change my theories. I clearly had bad character judgement, but I was quite happily single at the time. In many ways the lack of internal pressure to make this relationship work, because I wasn't expecting it to go anywhere, meant that we were better able to communicate very honestly with each other right off the bat, and air our differences to each other, and thus work through them and find our compromise points. And it was through this communication that Will showed me many of his characteristics that I still love him for to this day: that he genuinely listens, that he really understands and "gets" me, that he adapts where it's sensible and challenges me where it's not, that we can meet happily in the middle. The quiet geek had hidden depths!
4. Skiing or sunlounging in a bikini? (I think I already know the answer!)
Can I have a good book and some beautiful views while sunlounging? Because then I'll take that. Otherwise, skiing, as just sitting in a chair for hours, even a lovely warm chair, isn't that exciting.
5. What has surprised you most about moving back to Australia?
Just how much I'm absolutely loving it. There was a lot I was afraid of, and there's substance for those fears (eg casual racism, check), but the almost daily dose of sunlight, the feeling of space and freedom, the job that doesn't have me feeling like I need to work 50+ hours a week and stress over it 168 hours a week, being able to easily spend time with my family, Will's happy and adjusting far better than I could ever have dreamed... it's just ace. I can't tell you how fortunate I feel. Not everything is perfect of course and there's some things I have a stress about from time to time, but overall I'm so much happier and content with myself than I was in London. Everyone should move to Australia.