Wednesday 15 May 2013

The Great Land of Oz

It only seems fair that my next post lists what I am looking forward to once I arrive in Australia. Lately I have been laying in bed at night thinking of things I will be able to do, see, places our family can visit, tastes I will be able to experience again. Over the years I have forced myself to put these pleasures out of my mind since they were always out of my reach - but soon I will be able to indulge in them once again.

Things I look forward to:

  • My family - being able to spend holidays and weekends surrounded by family and friends. Watching Oscar play with his little cousins and having a support network when we need it - this is our main reason for leaving Canada. 
  • Sydney Botanical Gardens - spending sunny days there with a Sydney Morning Herald and a picnic while staring at the glistening harbour, gawking at the 1000's of bats and admiring the hundreds of tropical, indigenous and introduced plant species in the most serene and beautifully orchestrated setting.
  • Passionfruit - a hard come by and expensive exotic fruit in Canada, often dry and bitter by the time it makes it's journey from (most likely) the Caribbean or Central America. I can't wait to drizzle it over my my fruit salads and flavour my frosting and desserts with it's sweet tang and trademark seeds.
  • (Of course) The beach. Nothing beats the South Coast's clear turquoise waters and white powdery sand. I can't wait to be able to actually swim comfortably at the beach and not be freezing even on the hottest day of summer (no offense Atlantic Ocean - but you are one chilly mother). Those free gas outdoors barbeques are a bonus too - take note Canada!
  • Australian meat - nothing like an Aussie Snag or a lamb roast. It will be so nice to go to an actual butcher again and not the supermarket for my meat. Hooray that chicken breast is so much cheaper in Australia too - a possible $5.00AUS a kilo instead of $20.00CAN.
  • Taronga Zoo - so excited to take my hubby and son there!
  • Road Trips - we are a family of roadies. Our favourite thing to do on weekends is to drive around with the wind in our face, coffee in hand, letting the road lead the way. We love the great conversations that evolve in the confines of the car and on many occasions we have found ourselves hours away from home when we only intended on getting a coffee down the street. We love exploring old and new places and Australia will bring us fresh road to travel on and new towns to discover in all directions.
  • Higher wages - enough said.
  • Not having to pay for oil and heating costs. It is very expensive to live in the northern hemisphere. Oil is not cheap and it costs $1000's per year to heat our furnace which supplies warm air and hot water year round. 
This list could go on and on, which is a good and comforting thing. I could include a whole grocery list of items I have missed like shapes, custard, devon and cherry ripes but these are just the cravings of an expat.

All in all there is much to look forward to, a smorgasbord of new activities and adventures lies ahead for us. For some moving or even visiting Australia is a dream come true, our family will be lucky enough to call both Canada and Australia home.

The Big Decision

So after 5 or 6 years of teeter-tottering about whether or not to leave our life in Halifax and start fresh in Australia, roughly 3 months ago we finally made the absolute decision that it was best for our family if we move. This is a huge and scarey thing to do, but it will be all for the best. Although there are so many things to look forward to down under, I will miss a lot about Canada, after all, I would have spent the majority of my adult life in this country.

Things I will miss:
  • Four distinct seasons- the circle of life.
    I actually think I will even miss real winter- nothing like a stroll through fresh powdery snow or watching it fall from my window, it brings such stillness and peace, and oh my the colours of fall!
  • Tim Hortons. I thank Timmy Ho's for my coffee addiction and love of bagels. It is not going to be the same starting my day without a medium double double with milk and an everything bagel toasted with herb and garlic cream cheese and tomato - but I'll survive!
  • Cheaper brand name items. Being close to the States has it's benefits - such as affordable cosmetics like Revlon (my foundation is $15.00CAD and $45.00AUS) and Maybelline (my mascara is $5.99CAD and $15.00AUS). Runners are also a lot less in North America, like NIKE and Reebok. Needless to say I will be stocking up before I leave on all my favourites!
  • The big beautiful houses. Halifax is full of gorgeous 18th and 19th century architecture - usually wooden brightly painted multilevel monstrosities, some with turrets, big bay windows and balconies. A 100 year old house in this city is considered common, however, many have been completely renovated inside. The possibility of my owning and living in one if these marvels is so much more in Canada than in Australia, where the cost of something even resembling their greatness would be astronomical compared to here. Square footage in North Americas is also more generous compared to Australia, I will miss the domestic space. The whole Maritimes is scattered with so much history of lives before ours, about how they lived and what their lives were like - I will also miss being connected with so much past.
  • My neighbourhood. I will miss my West End neighbourhood. Although I dislike my actual house, I have felt spoiled by my location and proximity to everything I need. In less than 5 minutes by foot I can be at a major supermarket, a liquor store, large mall, Walmart - pretty much every amenity I need. In the opposite direction in less than 5 minutes by foot I can be at 3 different parks with wonderful playgrounds, tennis courts, ocean views and walkways (which we frequent almost daily with our energetic toddler). It also boasts huge oak and maple lined streets, with lane-ways connecting the sub-divisions - which my family and I often find ourselves wandering through, all year around. My neighbourhood is very safe and convenient and we all will miss it.
  • The medical system. Here in Canada I have completely free medical coverage. Any time I go to the Doctor, a specialist, the hospital, I never leave with a bill. Ultrasounds and x-rays are covered too. My family has been lucky enough to land the best medical practice and Doctor ever. We never wait for an appointment, the receptionist know us all by name, we can see a Doctor the same day we need to - couldn't ask for better service. Our family's Doctor is fantastic. She is more like a family friend and we will miss seeing her and having her treat us. Not sure if this level of hospitality is available, but hopefully we can find a similar situation in Australia.    
  • The Dollarama - as silly as it sounds, you don't realize how much you save shopping here until you can't anymore. I rely on the dollar store for so many things from zip-lock baggies to oatmeal goats milk soap (best we have ever used) but there is no such thing as a true $1 store in Australia. There are discount stores, but you can't get much for $1. You would think being so close to Asia this wouldn't be the case. 
I am sure there will be more - after-all Halifax has become my first home. So many important things have happened to me here rather than my birth country.This is where I lived in my first house, bought my first car, got married and had my first child. We will be back but are excited to start the next chapter - somewhere with more opportunity, family and sunshine.