Packing it up

Australia and the US share similar histories. In the grand scheme of things, we are young countries. We do not have centuries of protecting our land and people from warring neighbors. We were founded by white Europeans determined to crush indigenious people. The expanse of our land is vast. Waves of immigration have shaped our populations and diets.

And in many ways, my time in Sydney and Melbourne has felt familiar. There are no cobblestone streets leading to decrepit castles here. Many people have cars. The cities sprawl and lead to vast suburbs with big houses. There is no lack of good Italian or Asian food. I see Weber barbeque grills on many apartment patios.

But Sydney is distinctly different than say New York. It’s cleaner & safer. The people are much more friendly, and don’t carry that grim determination of bustle and rush that American’s tend to have.

And of course there is the lovely accent, the backward driving and those pesky doorknobs, which I’ve narrowed down to possibly being an attribute of this cool old brownstone Liz lives in.

New cities and countries are always measured with the “how much would I like living here” stick? I think Australia would feel most like home, which puts them pretty high on the stick.

While I barely had any time in Melbourne, I think I would prefer it over Sydney. It’s smaller, and has a pronounced streak of community around art and music that is specific to the city. Like Austin, but bigger! Though Sydney has miles and miles of swimmable ocean beaches, which is awfully tempting.