My Daily Gratitude posts are past due! I will begin with gratitude for remembering to start writing them again! I am grateful to be in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; it's a dream come true and a goal achieved! In fact, upon consideration, what I am living is a dream! Here am I, unshackled. I can do what I want, which is what I am doing! I am living in a country that is safe and sane, and after experiencing both America and China, I am truly grateful to be out of both! I am grateful for the clean air and clean streets, clean water and clean food. The people here are so nice and polite--I keep waiting for these mannerisms to halt, but it seems their attitudes of openness and welcoming and courtesy are both endemic and long-standing. I am so grateful to be here in Melbourne and get to experience this culture! I am grateful to have discovered a new lifestyle which I get to experience for a while. Who knows how long? Once my income stream starts flowing again, it might be years! I'm so grateful to have learned about the caretaking opportunities! Travel without the expense of accommodation and the time and freedom to write and relax are only a few of the benifits! I get to explore new countries and cultures and get free accommodation in exchange for taking care of property or pets. It seems like I am the one receiving the greatest gift in this arrangement. I'm grateful for all the delicious foods and conveniences that were missing the past year-and-a-half in China. Actually, China has a lot of conveniences, but it's a trade-off because so much is given up in return (freedom, clean air and water, etc.). I had yogurt for the first time recently. Who would ever think that a person could be thrilled at the taste and feel of yogurt in their mouth? Well, you can! Melbourne is uber multicultural and the cuisine is fantastic! I can attend Bikram yoga again! I can ride my bike without the fear of being attacked by aggressive idiots. I can walk everywhere and not inhale cigarette smoke. I can take the train, tram, or bus all over the city-- and the vehicles are clean and the people don't shove or become rude. Smoking is not allowed in the train station (or inside anywhere and in many public spaces) and it's not an overcrowded mob of people spitting, pushing, yelling into their phone, or smoking! I lm so grateful that I inhale fresh air and flower perfume for hours each day instead of being choked by air pollution, vehicle exhaust, and cigarette smoke! Springtime is incredible in Melbourne (seasons are opposite to the other side of the world) with so many varieties of flowers abloom! The colors and scents are delightful. I left China as fall and winter were approaching, and arrived in Australia as winter ended and spring began! I am grateful to inhale the sweet smell of greenery and blooms instead of cigarettes and exhaust (this can't be said enough!) It's also quieter: even the traffic noise on busier streets isn't an overload to the ears. In fact, this city of 5 million seems like a small city or large town because most of the buildings are less than 5 stories, which lets so much sun in to shine down upon the streets and sidewalks. The buildings downtown are detailed by modernity, brightly colored, and attractive to view, instead of hard-angled, uniform blocks of grey and brown that block out all the sun and fresh air.
Melbourne is a beautiful city and I am so grateful to be here!
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iGallivant... needs radical self-care! Getting a start on 2019 early, with a new self-care plan! Archives
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