The (almost) Year in Review

Hey all! I know it has been a while since I tapped my adventures into the keyboard and so much has happened! I have been in this strange little corner of the world, Arnhem Land, for almost a year now and can't even begin on where to start to summarize my adventures. To start I have created a list of all the things I had never done....until I came here! Before I came to Arnhem Land I had never ever.... - driven a manual....successfully - been to a Yoga class - received a proper body massage - drank out of a chilled coconut - eaten hunted Buffalo (or any Buffalo actually!) My verdict is that it tastes like a tough cow.. - eaten Barramundi (Apparently I had not lived!) - walked on a tightrope...which I was actually pretty decent at to my surprise! - spoken Yulngu (local Indigenous language) - worked in a school/health clinic - learned Yulngu weaving using grass - thrown spears at/through broken down cars (no judgies! They were at the tip :P) - joined a walking group..... IN THE MORNING! - been camping during a solar eclipse - if you have never done this, you need to! So breathtaking. - played (more like attempted) to play a Ukelele - played beach badminton - lived in a box dungeon - let off fireworks in my backyard....or at all! - gone to a male strip show (don;t ask haha) - repaired a broken car window....by myself! (Chuffed face!) - gone 4 wheel driving and actually driven myself - been stalked by a dingo - known so much about planes, yet still understanding so little - held a close friends new born baby - made decent coffee at home (it took a while, but I got there!) - been covered in mosquito bites (people literally were asking if I had chicken pox!) - expected to live in a remote aboriginal community - been so spontaneous - understood what amazing adventures I almost missed out on if I never came - had to wait months for clothes to arrive in the post...yes, months! - needed to fly in a charter plane to access Woolies - realised how much I LOVE Woolies! - owned a bird for a pet....gosh I love him! - lived anywhere other than Queensland - had the adventure of a lifetime! While embracing and learning about all the wonderful things mentioned above, I have had an incredible learning experience overall out in Arnhem Land. I can't say I have mastered the Yulngu language (although I have a good crack at it!), I haven't solved the issue of bridging the gap between Indigenous and Mainstream Society and I can't say whether my efforts to get people to their appointments has cured the health issues present in remote communities. No, I have not stamped my mark on any of these issues. I have however learned when communicating I say so many words that aren't needed and use more hand signals now then I ever did to communicate inter-culturally. I never attempted to bridge the gap, but I do have a bigger understanding of what the gap actually is and why their way of life doesn't fit in the box of how we expect people should live it. While I never cured health issues I did listen to peoples concerns about their health and do the best I could to work with them and explain why it is so important and problem solve around cultural issues they had that otherwise would have prevented them from attending. Learning to listen and explain and understand their way of viewing the world fascinates me and while I am excited to be working in Nhulunbuy, I really miss these conversations and the trust I built with the community on Milingimbi. I was lucky and had one of the most enriching experiences and am blown away by the trust the Milingimbi people grew for me during my time there. On my last day at the clinic they literally clapped and cheered for me as I left for the last time and I teared up on my way to the airport. They also sang me a beautiful farewell song in their language that I feel so touched they let me in and taught me so much about their culture and about myself. I will never forget them or the lessons I learned there. I think the most interesting this about living remote is the heightened emotions. There are no busy cities, events or fast paced lifestyles to distract you and overwhelm how you feel. You cant just speed from one moment to the next as your emotions fluidly pass through them, without you noticing or feeling them long enough to reflect on them. Here in Arnhem Land life is different, much slower and more simplistic. Every emotion I have felt feels more significant than it did back home and I have come to realize this is an extraordinary thing. If I have a great day, or have an awesome adventure it feels better. As though you cherish the opportunity more because you know it was spur of the moment and not planned for months in advance with concert tickets on the fridge. When you make friends or feel loved, you take it all in because out here, you are so far away from your comfort zone of people who provide that and when I get a snuggle from Stuart or have a belly laugh with my new friends I am elated because there is nothing to detract from how special those moments are. I don't take them for granted that way I did when I was back home and too distracted by a million things going on in my life to appreciate how special they are. While those emotions are amazing, when you have a bad day and miss your family and friends, or when Stuart is away for days/weeks on end (like he regularly does and currently is) or everything seems to go wrong at work, these emotions are magnified as well. It is hard not to let them pull you down when you strongly feel isolated and lonely, or terrible at work and inundated and not motivated, or even when missing your family and friends and simple luxuries feels like the worst thing in the world. I persevere these moments (yes, I still have them occasionally!) with friends in the community, a walk on the beach, a good book or a much needed phone to home. Even though I can feel swallowed by my feelings they are only temporary and the benefits of my experience are most definitely outweighing the negatives and I don't deny myself the negative emotions because I think to feel, happy, healthy and sane out here you need to be emotionally present and work through each feeling because letting them all build up together would be a little too full on (white jacket anyone?). I guess I have learnt so many things here so far and have grown so much as an individual and in my relationship with Stuart. If there is any advice I can give you or anything to take away from my experience it is this: - Be emotionally present and let yourself process how you feel - Seize every opportunity - so far out here I have reflected that ever opportunity or adventure I almost said no to would have denied me some of the best experiences of my life to date - Make your own fun! You don't need restaurants, cinemas and concerts to have a good time (although I do miss those things!). - Enjoy your own company - I have had some awesome adventures just pottering around by myself while Stu was at work or away and I loved discovering things about myself and what I liked I never knew before - Be patient - it may not happen now but it will happen And most importantly, Whether in Arnhem Land or back home I have learnt life is what you make of it, so make it a good one :) Until next time... Kimmy xxx

Adventures in Pictures!

A Crazy Few Weeks In A Quiet Town!

How do I even begin to describe the past few weeks! It is hard to pick out the most exciting experiences because when you are in the middle of nowhere, every experience feels heightened and more important. Stuart hasn't had to overnight in Darwin for extended periods of time since my first stint with insanity and I now feel like I have an almost normal relationship with the smoke alarm again. I am now brave enough to walk all around the community by myself and have even managed to ditch walking outside without my dog stick!! Better yet, I have even left the island for little Gove adventures and made some friends! Like real friends!!!!

Stuart and I have been quite the social butterflies these past few weeks. We had dinner and a games night at David (MAF Pilot also based on Milingimbi) and his wife Kimberly's (yes, apparently it is mostly Kimberly's who are silly enough to follow their pilot partners out here!) place. It was an awesome night and we even were treated to home cooked pizza! I don't think pizza has ever tasted so good, EVER! We nerded up a storm and I played my first dungeon's and dragon's game. Funnily enough that is an experience I never guessed I would have out here, Milingimbi you are full of surprises! We also went fishing with them and it was so amazing sitting at the beach near sunset, waiting for the fish to nibble (even though none did). I still haven't seen my first wild crocodile yet, but the crocodile tour Stuart and I plan on taking soon should fix that right up!

I have been lucky enough to escape Milingimbi about four times on exciting little pop up trips to Gove, oh sweet sweet freedom! I must admit, it is a pretty awesome feeling knowing that if the moment strikes and the flight permits it, I can just up and jump on a plane to pretty much anywhere. It has been the saving grace for this newly regained sanity of mine. Even though all my Gove trips with Stuart to date have consisted of motion sickness, running errands (shopping, passport photo, post collection etc.) and early mornings, they have equally felt amazing and given me premise to escape the little 'box dungeon' for a little while. On one trip I had a girlies day with Kristy (Tim's girlfriend based at Gove, Tim is a twin pilot based there) and Donna (another pilot), complete with Miss Congeniality and delicious homemade banana cake! Tim, Kristy, Stu, Donna and I went out to a pub for tea and a cheeky drink. Living in a 'dry' community is great but there is nothing like a good old sip of adult 'special sauce'. Not to mention it was AMAZING to have a meal that we didn't have to prepare and cook ourselves for once. My culinary skills are nothing short of ordinary, although they are improving (well, so Stuart says...although he may just be being nice!). I can't decide if those aspects of Gove are my favourite, or that I have access to iced coffee there... while I am not usually a coffee nut, it became a guilty pleasure of sorts and unfortunately I am not on board with 'instant coffee' just yet, most like as an aspect of my 'princess nature' (as Stuart puts it!). Not sure how you can be labeled a princess when you live so remote... I have a strong feeling I may just lose that title by the time I get back home.

While the little Gove trips have been exciting and refreshing, Stuart's plane decided to start overcharging while we were flying back to Milingimbi, releasing a delightful smell of rotten eggs throughout the plane the whole way back. Gosh that smell was SO COMFORTING! ... well maybe not! Turns out the mechanic didn't put the alternator back together properly, so it was overcharging the battery and the battery responded by spewing battery acid everywhere! Needless to say Stuart was unable to fly for a few days while it was waiting to be fixed and I had the most panicked flight back home, waiting patiently to fall out of the sky. Stuart assures me this couldn't happen, but being a passenger who isn't exactly learned on pilot knowledge it is say to say I was calmly crapping myself.

Another delicious 'oh, crap!' moment occurred when I nearly hit a camp dog while driving the Patrol to pick Stu up from the airport. Now, please don't get the wrong idea, despite the rumors I like to believe my driving skills are completely sound. And, while my eyesight is questionable, I am confident in my ability to see a big black dog in the middle of the road. However this particular dog wasn't wandering in the middle of the road, he was walking alongside the road. He saw my car and must have hallucinated that it was a large cat, or he was a bit of a daredevil as he ran a mere meter in front of the car! I shouted some colourful words, braked lightly but firmly, swerved off the road, into a ditch and almost ploughed through someone's front fence. In a Western society I am aware you should never swerve to avoid an animal, however this is not a Western society. This is Milingimbi and you can actually be kicked off the island for injuring an aboriginal's family pet (including a daredevil dog prone to possible feline hallucinations that runs in front of cars). Even though they are left to roam the island and take care of themselves, their owners still want you gone if you accidentally injure/kill them. Never fear though, the dog escaped the incident without harm and cheerfully trotted away while I cursed from my ditch.

On a side note, the Patrol this occurred in is a manual, YES! A manual! Take that, everyone who doubted my ability to efficiently work a manual vehicle! I have been driving automatics for most of my driving experience and I have to say, manuals are so much more fun to drive!!! Stu took me out for some lessons a week after me arriving and there is nothing more fun than four wheel driving on red dirt and across bumps out in the bush. What a blast we had! I can't tell if Stu's expression was a frightened one or an excited one but I was having a ball! While on the topic of our luxurious vehicle (a bit of an exaggeration), the hatch window at the back of the Patrol smashed.... yet another quirky characteristic to add to the Patrol (or the Poo-Troll as Stu calls it!). However despite what you are thinking, it was Stu who was driving when it smashed ( I know, I was shocked it wasn't me too!). In his defence, the hatch window was secured to the car with a door hinge so when he went over a bump and it rattled against the car and broke, it wasn't really avoidable.

It has definitely been an interesting few weeks and I am learning more and more about myself and this incredible place as each day passes. Not entirely sure what I am in store for, but it is really exciting to live in a place where everyday is an adventure.

'Til next post!

Kimmy Xx

The Little 'Box Dungeon'

I spend so much time lounging around in the little 'box dungeon' I call home, I can't quite decide if I have come to love it or hate it. Maybe I can't decide as I know it is both. It constantly possesses dirt ridden floors, mostly to its credit I suppose, I would feel special too if I were filthy enough to resist the sheer power of a vacuum cleaner. While these super powers are a one-up for the little 'box dungeon', they are a one-down to my cleaning efforts. It is a shame the floors are so clean resistant, as I am positive they would be more comfortable to sleep on than the concrete slab Stuart and I call our bed. Good thing 

I never really fancied my spine anyway....take that spine!

Despite its flaws, once you get past the constant smell of dirt, the grimy surfaces (again to the houses credit, despite my cleaning efforts), black oven, noisy taps, numerous holes, red dirt tinged louvers and the charming vine growing in the laundry, it really isn't so bad. I particularly love the new balancing skills I am acquiring every time I walk on the front steps due to them not being screwed to the planks. You come to appreciate the personal 'high five' moment when you balance right and don't misjudge, knock up a plank and take a 'less than delicate' approach to reach the ground which results in falling on my backside. Ahhhh, so graceful!

I suppose I have an extreme 'love-hate' relationship with the little 'box dungeon'. I hate being stuck in it and love coming home to it (it has become a sanctuary of sorts in an unpredictable environment). But most importantly, I love to hate it. My little 'box dungeon' has character, spirit, surprises and dirt. While it isn't the fanciest house I have ever lived in, it sure is the most interesting.

'Til next post.

Kimmy xx

'The Middle of Nowhere'

I have dreamed a lot of things for my life like travel, love, career objectives and adventures but I never expected that those dreams would lead me to live in an aboriginal community in the Northern Territory (Australia),  in a place that is literally referred to by the locals as ‘the middle of nowhere’. Originating from Brisbane (Australia) myself, you can only imagine that what I have seen since arriving last Friday has been nothing short of a culture shock. It is funny how every moment in your life never seems to be important at the time but becomes extremely important later on, my life has contained many of these moments but to properly explain where I am and how I got here it starts with one extraordinary, ordinary moment in particular, the night I met my partner Stuart.

Now just to make things clear, please don’t think I am one of those girls so hung up on their boyfriend that their lives are driven by them and that the contents of my blog will be pining love poems and declarations, it won’t.  I love him to absolute pieces and I feel it would be wrong to detail all the adventures of my new life without at least introducing the moment that led me here. Just bear with me while I entertain my nostalgia.

It didn’t seem any different to any other Wednesday night at the time, I was 19 and in the prime moment of my life where partying at least three times a week with my friend Nicole was the conventional thing to do. It just so happens that Wednesday evenings were our night where we would get together and socialise with our friends and the less than prime subjects of our peers at a dodgy, familiar and lovable pub called the Royal Exchange (RE for short). It was in no way convenient or close to where we lived, but we loved it and made it our routine Wednesday spot all the same. We did the traditional rounds, had drinks, danced and followed our social routine that had become the bulk of our Wednesday evenings. I remember walking into a small bar inside where they held karaoke and there he was, standing there by the door. Call it fate, coincidence, religion whatever you will but I felt drawn to him and stood next to him for no reason of my own I could logically explain. He kept staring and smiling at me and 2 and a half years after I still can’t recall who said hello first.

That was it. That was the moment that sparked an indescribable number of moments that eventually led me here. While there was the more specific moment of my partner getting a job as a charter pilot in Darwin, it is the more incredible moment two years ago that ultimately led me to be sitting on a half broken couch in 31 degree heat (during Winter!!!) typing out this blog.  Moving out into ‘the middle of nowhere’  is never something I would have considered doing on my own. I have always lived within an hour of Brisbane and have rarely traveled anywhere my entire life. I lived a ‘traditional’ existence and worked a steady job at a law firm which I enjoyed and I also studied part time.

So here I am catching three different  flights over a period of twenty-four hours to get to ‘the middle of nowhere’ and was utterly exhausted by the time I landed in Millingimbi. I had heard Stuart telling me all about his experiences since he arrived here two months prior but they never prepared me for what I was really in for. In fact I don’t think anyone could. It isn’t bad or horrible here, quite the contrary, people are lovely and you have all the basic utilities available from major cities and country towns. But the environment is completely different. After coming from an organised society of road signs, fast food outlets, grocery stores and endless activities it feels like you are entering a new universe altogether. There are camp dogs….everywhere! I have been warned by some lovely local ladies to take a dog stick on my walks, although unfortunately my red dirt, grassy back yard seemed to be running short on conveniently sized dog sticks. So with ambitions of finding work and settling in, not to mention being too nervous and anxious to walk a kilometer to the shops by myself without a trusty dog stick, I put the dog stick and the ‘ominous’ walk into town to the back of my mind for a few days.

The first few days drummed past in a blur, yet with super clarity all at the same time. I was extremely sore, tired and worn out from the travelling and my para sailing accident on the Sunday before my Thursday flight (long story!). I spent my days lounging around the tiny box dungeon that is my new home (really that is the most accurate description for the house). Luckily there is a conveniently placed smoke alarm above the broken couch that somehow managed to keep my sanity alive as I stared at it while waiting for Stuart to get home from work. I spent my days cleaning, rearranging the broken furniture in my new box dungeon and putting off my first walk into town. Don’t get me wrong, I am usually over adventurous and love going out and seeing the world, but as my nerves were shot through the roof from the previous Sunday accident, I think it is appropriate to say ‘adventurous Kim’ didn’t surface too much.

After three days, the weekend passed and Monday arrived so I organised with Stuart to have him drive me into town so that I could job hunt and get myself out of this dusty box dungeon and into my adventures on a daily basis. Yes I was kind of cheating by not walking myself and having him drive me, but I still was anxious and not ready to tackle the dog stick predicament just yet. However, being the basis of someone’s personal joke that I am, Stuart didn’t return home on Monday as he had to stay in Darwin for the night. And while the joke at this point is fairly ironic and funny as I traveled twenty-four hours to be alone anyway, someone must have felt it didn’t suffice as a proper punchline because Stuart wasn’t able to return the following day either due to a broken down plane. Whoa! There it is is! Punchline!

So here I am, lonely, almost deranged, anxious and considering whether it is considered sane to spark up conversations with inanimate objects (ie. smoke alarm!) when I realised I was out of orange juice. That was when I reached an epiphany. I decided that I would rather go outside and get mauled by a dog, attacked by someone or experience heat stroke than spend another full day in the hot little box dungeon, restraining my building affection for the smoke alarm that was always there for me, WITHOUT ORANGE JUICE. You can call it deranged, clarity or insanity but whatever you call it, I called it freedom! In a movement that could only be described as a driven frenzy, I screwed the mop head off our mop and wala! Makeshift dog stick! I scrambled together an outfit, my things and a ‘devil may care’ attitude and I left the driveway. Never. EVER. Has leaving my driveway been so exhilarating!!! While it was what I would ordinarily consider an ordinary walk into town, to me it felt like the most exciting thing I have done in the past week! I spoke with the Health Clinic who were surprisingly as happy to see me as I was to leave my driveway, due to them being short on staff in what is conveniently my particular field in admin and secretarial work. FINALLY! I was catching a break! I was so happy, but it wasn’t until I went to the corner store by myself for the first time and bought that delicious, sweet, cool orange juice that I knew I had finally conquered that nagging, anxious and nervous feeling that plagued me since I got here. Well at least it didn’t afflict my ability to leave the house anymore!

In some ways I think it was good for Stuart to be kept away as it gave me the push I needed to get moving and get on with this new life of my mine on my own two feet. I am still waiting to hear back about the job and will keep you posted. But right now, I have my dog stick, my orange juice, my smoke alarm, my sanity (I think) and I know that while this life will be difficult and full of challenges, it will be nothing short of the greatest accidental adventure I never meant to have!

‘Til next post,

Kimmy xx