shoes for college

While I was staying with family in the Southern Highlands of NSW, we went to the local show (or fair).  There were a number of stalls which I stopped to look at that had fair trade and post-slavery made products.  There's quite a range out there these days.  What I did buy were these fantastic sandals.  So inventive but with a great story behind it.  As the slogan says, "Every sandal has a story."

"Sseko (SAY-ko) Designs is an ethical fashion brand that hires high potential women in Uganda to make sandals to enable them to earn money through dignified employment that will go directly towards their college educations and ensure they will continue pursuing their dreams...We believe that every woman has a dream. When she is given the opportunity to pursue those dreams, we are collectively walking towards a brighter and more just and beautiful world."

The people at the stall also passionately told me how often the Ugandan women finish high school and don't get the opportunity to go to college.  The women Sseko employ for a short period provide not only income to save for college but also bring in people to speak to the women to inspire them and help guide them in their choices for further education.  I love the support these shoes provide...and not just to me!

Sseko sandals are bought in two parts: the sole and the ribbon.  The sole is well made and has elastic loops to thread the ribbons through to tie the sole to your foot.  This, along with the huge choice of ribbons, allows for a whole assortment of styles from the one pair of sandals.  Ingenious!  So far mine are fairing very well and I'm very happy with the quality and the feel.  And since I'm living in Sydney, there's lots of opportunity to wear them--even in the middle of Autumn.  Below are some of the styles I've tried.  The Sseko ones you can learn how to tie from their site but the other ones are my own twist.  I bought the red ribbon at the local show stall along with the soles and the floral ones I made from fabric I had and the black ones are just a length of lace ribbon I bought.  The ribbons I made I added extra length for easier wrapping of my chunky feet.  I want to buy another Sseko ribbon with a pattern though. 

Sseko also have other items for sale and you can also find out lots more from the Sseko Designs website.  If you want to buy some in Australia you can try this website.

Quality in product and ethics.  Bonus.

change change change

I'm someone who likes to settle into a groove.  I like being comfortable and knowing how things roll.  I like having the same ol' friends whom I know well and who know me.  It's therefore a little strange to realise how much change has happened in my life since I moved out of home ten years ago.  In that time I've not stayed anywhere for longer than two years and I've only done that twice.  I've lived in three different countries and visited a dozen more and I've had at least 15 different jobs.  And certainly there has been a lot of changes in myself and who I am as a result.  Hopefully it's been mostly positive growth.  A bunch of these changes were unexpected exits from the path I was cruising along on and some quite sudden.  My summer has been an interesting season of change.

About a week or so after my last post I was told the family were moving to Bali to help set up some stores in the airport there.  My 12month contract suddenly became a lot shorter.  They were a delightful family and it was a little sad on my part but an exciting adventure for them.  I had a month to pack up and move on.  Early December I said goodbye and my lovely big brother picked me and my load up and drove me off to his house a couple hours out of Sydney in the Southern Highlands.  The week I moved in with them was the week they were moving house so there was lots of cleaning, carting and entertaining their youngest to help out.  I did squeeze in a birthday treat for my sister-in-law and took her shopping for the best part of a day with intense chocolate themed afternoon tea.

I then went to Canberra for a two week stint as a trial for a job.  This family sought me out and practically tried their best to persuade me to come which is an interesting way to be offered a job.  Twin 6yo boys was  a bit of change after years of under 5 care.  I actually found I missed little kids.  Canberra is a lovely place though.  Quite relaxed and filled with nature.  Half the time when I was driving places it seriously looked like I was driving through country.  I also got to catch up with a lovely couple I met on my Scotland tour and then ended up living close by them in London.  We went together and saw the house which had the Guiness World Record for having the most Christmas lights on a domestic property.

After two weeks I finally decided to take the job (such a torment to myself to suggest a two week trial which I then had to make a decision at the end of when I usually give myself a month to settle into a new job) and returned to the Southern Highlands for a much anticipated family Christmas.  Unfortunately my sister and her family couldn't make the 12hr drive up but I was so delighted to share Christmas with the rest of my family again after two years away.  With four family groups totaling thirteen people we organised a basic meal plan for the week and a helping duties roster.  It was fun going shopping with the women, celebrating Christmas with an indulgent lunch and opening presents together, having a family beach day (enjoying real beaches in hot weather but not so much the scoring a bad sunburn), relaxing and dressing up and playing games to celebrate the arrival of the new year.  I camped out the longest with my big brother's family since my new job didn't officially start until 20th January.  I got to watch (and explain some) cricket with my nephews, draw with my nieces, celebrate the youngest's 2nd birthday and treat them to movies as well as typical hanging out stuff.  I also particularly enjoyed the evenings with just the adults talking and watching shows like "The Long Way Round".  I also used my brother's car for an overnight trip to Canberra to move my stuff in and went to watch England play the PMs XI and finally got to see England win after a dismal performance all summer.  A week after that quick trip I headed back there to begin my new job.

School kids are a bit different to work with.  I've not previously looked after only school aged children before either.  I missed the cuteness of toddlers and older children are more intelligent and knowledgeable in their objections to follow directions.  I found it challenging though for the most part it was quite ok.  It was lovely to sit by the pool while the boys swam and call it 'work'.  I was in Australia's capital city for Australia Day and watched the firework display from Capital Hill where parliament go about their business.  I explored the city during school hours visiting parks and shopping centres and watching the amazing work of the glassblowers and got myself set up and started meeting people only to find out two weeks into this new job that the parents realised they didn't really need a live-in nanny.  I worked two more weeks before I packed up again and used the family car to move back in with my brother.

So I began the mentally arduous task of searching out a new job.  For a while I seriously considered going to New Zealand since I wasn't locked into life here and I don't need a visa and it's one place I'd quite like to visit.  I even applied for a number of positions.  After receiving the same advice from a few different agencies that it's unlikely I'll get a job until I'm there to interview in person, I decided to look in Sydney again as I didn't have the funds to stay long in NZ without an income.  So perhaps in the near future I'll get there.  In between the job hunting I took the time to enjoy being with my family.  I took my two year old niece out to a playcentre and bought her fairy bread and I took the boys to the International Cricket Hall of Fame (The Bradman Museum) and we got to see Carberry's bat that strangely just snapped in two during a match. The boys learnt how to play Age of Empire 2 and my S-i-L and I managed to link our computers up to play together (we even had multiple evenings after the kids were in bed where we played too).  I had some great chats with her during the day while the older kids were at school too and I got to see the Mainly Music group that they started up in the area.  My 2yo niece loves music and dancing and gets right into watching Playschool on tv too laughing, repeating things and jumping about when they do.  I also got to see countless drawings by my older niece that are increasing in talent and experimentation as well as hear her incredibly natural singing talent on the odd occasion and be there for her 14th birthday.

 Towards the end of another five week stay with them I had a week of drama in the decision making department after an interview I had in Sydney.  It felt like it would be a good job in a number of ways but there were a few things I just wasn't sure about. But after talking it over, thinking it through, praying about it, and further talks with the family I felt good about it and said I'd be happy to take the job.  I then had to wait a couple more days before I was officially offered the job and I spent a final week in the Southern Highlands before packing my bags again.

And that brings me to now.  I'm two weeks into my new job and so far so good.  I think personality wise I fit pretty well with this family.  They have two boys 5yo and 2yo and mostly it's just before and after school.  The 2yo goes to daycare three days per week so I have him for two full days.    I have a sweet hub of my own scoring the top floor bedroom with ensuite and balcony.  Below was this morning's view toward the Pacific Ocean just beyond those hills and Sydney city is just a little way to the right over the iconic Harbour Bridge. It's still early days but it's also been the best start to a new job that I've had. I'll just live the moments that come and see how the rest rolls out.

moving on

Yep.  I'm home as declared in the previous post.  After a three month stint at my parents bludging, enjoying family, catching up with friends, playing games and looking for work I had emptied my bank account and moved onto my credit card when I packed my bags to move on.

I had planned since before I left the UK to not set up the next stage of my life in my hometown.  For one, I struggled greatly when I fell into my post-adventure rut after my year in the USA and I wanted to make sure that didn't happen again.  I believe there was more to it and I'm still dealing with stuff but there was definitely a deflation after an excitable year away.  So I had thought enough to keep some adventure happening this time around.  For two, I needed to keep exploring myself and stretching myself.  I decided to head to a big city for the ease of finding nanny employment and also for the opportunities to try new things and explore my art skills.  I further decided to make sure I was still nearby family after missing their company for the last two years.  So to continue my adventure in this fashion, I brought my packed bags to Sydney late June to begin my new job and move into the next stage of my life.

Starting somewhere new is something I always find particularly difficult being an introvert and not a currently well-balanced one.  I really have to push myself and regularly step out of my comfort zone.   I gave myself the space to settle into my new job.  As a live in nanny this requires a couple of months for me to feel completely at ease and settled.  New kids to understand, plus the parents, the local area, the routines and how it all works on top of all the "me in a new place" stuff.  I started working three days a week which was a nice, relaxed lead in to a new job in a new city.  Come September it moved up to four days as agreed.  So I work caring for two small boys who are 3.5 years and 1 year with the older one going to daycare two days a week.  It's already been a delight to see how the 1yo is changing and growing.   He's just started walking in the past week or so and now has about eight teeth all grown while I've been here.  The 3yo, who I don't spend as much time with, is well, three years old.  When he's tired he drives me nutty and some days I feel like I'm a broken record with "Get off your brother"  "Let him go".  I find him a bit of a challenge as he's the most requiring interaction child I've cared for.  Unless he's watching tv or playing the computer he generally has to be in the same room as me.  Not what I'm use to.  But all in all, it's pretty good.  Kids grow and the family is a good family to work for.  And we do some fun stuff too.  The family are pretty easy to live with.  It's quite a relaxed atmosphere granted the energy of the kids.  They also gave me the masterbedroom so I have my own big room with tv, en suite and private balcony. It's great to have my own space within a shared house where I also work.  The hours are pretty good working 8am-6:30pm Mon to Thur with a long weekend every weekend.

It's lovely to have some family just a simple train ride away out in the Blue Mountains and it's fantastic to escape the city there.  Since I'm not really a city girl.  I love being able to hang out with family from time to time and would more if I were closer.  I've still been able to get back to Victoria a few times in the short time I've been living in Sydney and I'm quite glad for that.  Another trip booked in for early November. 

Life is rolling along here.  However, I'm still in a bit of a limbo state. This job is a 12mth contract and the mum has already mentioned future ideas for when the youngest boy is a little older which doesn't include such full time nannying.  It's quite possible I will only be needed for the year meaning I need to make the most of this twelve month period to figure out what I'm going to do next.  So I've got some serious thinking and exploring and sorting out to do.  That being said I've signed up for some classes to continue exploring art and simply trying to broaden myself.  I'm really enjoying doing more art and excited about some fabric stamping and screen printing classes I have coming up.  For increasing my knowledge and understanding I'm going to a World Religions class to hear about a different belief system each week and I've signed up for a seminar that looks at how to be your best self through things like personality and understanding how you function as an individual and learning styles and such.  I also might sign up for a charity run which I have never done before since my jogging has been much improving.

Hopefully this year will be an interesting year with lots of growth and expansion.

 

returning home

And so my UK adventure was coming to its end.  

I trained back to London from Chester and stayed my final night in London repacking my bags to contain all that remained that was mine.  Monday morning, 1st April 2013 I swiped my oyster card and rode the underground train through the city's tubes for the last time.  I boarded the plane--a massive double-decker kind--at Heathrow Airport and farewelled England, tossing over various experiences of my time of living in Kensington and travelling all about this corner of the world in my mind and tucking them back into the treasure trove of memory space.  We lifted off and my homeward bound journey began.

Roughly 24hrs of travel with a stop over in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I entertained myself with movies, sleeping and enjoying the airplane food.  (Yeah, I get a thrill to receive the little containers of goods and finding out what's inside and it usually tastes quite alright too.  At least on Malaysia Airlines.)  I got a buzz to finally touch down at Melbourne Airport, stepping out for the first time in two years with Australia beneath my feet the air filled with the homely Aussie accent.  There are plenty of Aussies around London but the part that intrigued me most was hearing it come from the staff, not just the accent but the mannerism of Australian style too. And then those stainless steel doors...  The stepping through, pausing slightly to quickly scan for familiar faces and deciding randomly which side to step to so you don't block the doors.  And then....   "Kelly! Kelly!"  A familiar voice turns my head and I quickly spot waving arms.  Family.  In the flesh.  My parents there to pick me up.

Ah, family.  I missed them a lot.  I missed most of all just being able to hang out with them.  Not doing anything in particular; just chillin' and chatting and laughing; just being with them.  It was great to catch up with all of them in the following month.  The adults don't change a whole lot in two years but little kids do.  The most definite, biggest changes I had to catch up on were the two new members of my family.  It was a joy to meet my two new nieces for the first time at 7mths and 15mths.  The littlest instilling new titles on my younger brother and his wife.  It's been fun to see them in their new roles as parents.

It's been great to have the time again to visit my brothers and sister and their families and to spend time with my 9 nieces and nephews.  I'm also ever grateful to be able to live with my parents while I have no income.  April was a month of catching up including a trip to Sydney where my older brother and his family live.

I found it strange that it didn't feel strange to be back in my hometown.  Everything was so familiar and despite a few changes about, I found myself feeling almost like I'd never been anywhere...except for an amazing store of memories I now have.  Lives have changed more.  There's been some moving house, a number of weddings and a swarm of babies born in the time I was out of the country.  It's been fabulous to catch up with just about all my friends and just spend time with them again.  It's been good to return to my home church and the home group that I love.  They are some terrific people and I enjoy our discussions.

A month of travel; a month of visits and catching up; a month of looking for work and bumming around.  I'm ready for my next adventure; just this week secured and the cogs put in motion.

Next stop: Nannying in Sydney, New South Wales.

marching round the UK

The details are growing vague.  With travel, catch up blogging and flopping into my home country--catching up with friends and family, relaxing and looking for work--this post is about an adventure I now had practically two months ago.  The recollection won't be so detailed.

After making it back into England via the Eurostar, I met up with my friends at the house I had been living in London.  They'd arrived the day before from Australia.  Maree was back for round two of adventuring having a few months back home with family and she'd brought her friend, Katie, along for the adventure.  They were beginning a four month stampede around the UK and Europe and I was spending my final week with them.  That weekend was a relaxed, chilled weekend with Maree and Katie adjusting to the new timezone and me organizing some of my stuff, repacking for the UK week and doing some job search stuff. 

Saturday night I met up with my friends from round London for a final hoorah before I nicked off home.  We went to Evans and Peel Detective Agency.  In 1920s/30s style the hidden pub was a fun and quirky place for  a drink.  I buzzed and said I had an appointment and we were let in and filed down the stairs to a little office.  There the secretary asked why we'd come and, having read about the pub and its entry process, replied that I had the feeling that something or someone was following me lately (my visa being up) and that I'd brought witnesses with me.  She then asked each one of my witnesses to share their information and each one gave some minor description...except Prue who started spouting Gruffalo features. Ha ha.  I think I was the only one who got it.  The secretary said she was glad we'd come and said if we'd just like to go in a take a seat and have a drink she'd fetch the sketch artist.  Would have liked to have seen that sketch.  She pulled a book and the book case swung open revealing the bar.  It was all done up in the same era and had a really cool atmosphere with my kind of music playing.  We were led to a table that had old theatre seats along each side.  We spent the evening chatting and trying the different cocktails.  There'd been some rave about the cocktails but I think everyone there found them to be decidedly strong and not so wonderful.  The idea and atmosphere was great but the menu was a bit of a let-down.  They had quite a selection of drinks but of the four or five that I tasted I didn't particularly like any of them.  It was good to hang out with lovely people I'd shared some of my UK years with though.

Come Monday morning Maree, Katie and I were backpacked up and riding the train north.  The further north we went the whiter it seemed to get.  London was cold and it had even snowed but it hadn't settled.

We were in York about midday and we walked into the centre of town and managed to find our hostel which was superbly located and warm and wonderfully decent.  We met up with Maree's relative who's been living there for ten years or so and he took us to a specific pub where we had lunch together.  I tried the pigeon pie.  It was funny watching Maree while I ate it.  She refused my offer for her to taste it.  Ha ha.  It wasn't terrific but satisfied my hunger without making my tastebuds squirm.  Our own personal guide then walked us around York telling us all sorts of interesting information about the place.  We did the periodic stops in coffee shops and pubs to take a break from wandering around in the freezing cold.  He walked us around the city walls and took us to different sites and showed us various buildings telling us a little about the history.  We even went back to his place and met his family and had a drink with they dropped us back in the town centre.  We spent Tuesday and Wednesday doing our own wandering around--sometimes together and sometimes on our own.  We went on a boatride, went to a museum (partly coz we were tired of being cold outside), went to a movie, and went out for tea each night.  Most evenings we hung out in our room watching tv, interneting, reading or whatever.  And sleeping on our uncomfortable mattresses.  York was quite amazing to walk around though.  It's so old style and still has the feel in the town centre.  Crooked buildings, Tudor influenced buildings, little doorways, pokey places, cobbled twisted streets, massive impressive cathedral--in the gothic architecture of course.  There was lots of interesting shops about though too and the more common department stores on the outskirts.  I spent one afternoon wandering around the shops by myself and quite some time in a little wool shop I found.  One night Maree and Katie went on a ghost tour...it's apparently a pretty haunted place.  They missed the one they planned to join coz they got there and realised they hadn't taken their money with them and so did one that wasn't so good.  On Thursday morning we were off to catch the train again.

With a bit of ticket drama coz Maree lost her ticket just after I gave it to her (thankfully I had the purchase printout with me which helped) we made it to Chester on the trains we'd booked seats on.  We then had some rental car drama since the rental place where I'd booked the car hire wouldn't hire it out to us without the pink slip that goes along with the British licence (I'd forgotten about that) and proof of address like a bill or something.  I no longer had an address in England AND I was a live-in and never paid bills so I could in no way prove this.  Frustration.  We went across the road to another place but being Easter weekend there was nothing available.  In the end we tried Hertz which was a short walk away and they were able to rent us a four wheel drive for only a little more than we were going to pay for a small cheapo at the original place.  Phew!  The main point in going to Chester was so we could spend the next day driving around the top of Wales so this haziness of our plans came clear again.

Friday was a lovely sunny day, still cold but sightseeing is much more pleasurable when the sun shines.  Driving west of Chester we were almost instantaneously in Wales and then arriving at our first destination--Llandudno.  We parked and wandered into town and found a coffee shop chain for an average cuppa.  We stopped by the tourist information centre for a while before just doing our own bit of wandering down to the pier and along the shore before we got too cold and just decided to get in the car and go driving again.

We went on to Conwy and wandered along the fortified walls and had a look at the castle from the outside.  As we made our way down to the bridge for some good castle shots we passed by some knights and such.  They were filming a little sword fight.  After our photo stop we went back toward the castle and there was a little square that was dressed medieval where the knights now were.  There was also a display of live hunting birds.  Then we got back in the car and headed on to Llanberis.  Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, is nearby and there's a train that takes you to the top.  The thought of the view from there was enticing but we were all disappointed to find out that the train was closed because of snow and ice.  We looked around the tourist shop at the station and I bought some little dragons for my two new nieces I was soon to meet.  We thought about going on the other train that was working though we just missed one and would have to wait an hour.  It just went part way around the lake and back.  So we went walking instead.  We found a track that led us up beside the railway and kept going until we reached the waterfalls the sign had declared was this way.  The scenery along the way was quite beautiful.  The chill and the sunshine gave it a fresh glory, sharp and raw.  Heading back to the car we decided to move on.  There was another place I'd looked up to visit.  Another bit of namesake.  We stopped in Beddgelert and Maree and Katie were instantly turning toward the cafes and I had to convince them to come with me to find the spot I was looking for.  The grave of Gelert.  I've heard the tale before and it's not quite certain that it's true.  It's a bittersweet story about a faithful dog called Gelert.  You can read the story for yourself here.  We also met an old man scooting along his dog for a walk, oldie-scooter style.  He stopped to chat with us.  It was Good Friday and he said he'd been up since 5am making 250 hot cross buns to hand out.  Pity we'd come here late in the day.  He had a good old yarn with us.  We then made for the cafe and had our afternoon tea and scones that was wonderfully satisfactory.  Then back in the car for a long, adventure across the mountain tops toward Chester.  At another time of year I suspect it would be quite a pleasant drive and even when we did it the view was splendid.  However, being so much snow around, and that it had crept onto the road and partly taken over the lanes, left us with one car-width track down the centre most of the time to drive along.  It did get interesting when we met another car coming the other direction.  There was a couple of adrenaline rushes.  Eventually I pulled in at a pub because I needed a toilet break.  But it didn't wake me up enough and so Maree drove the rest of the way.

Saturday Maree was not feeling the best and decided she just needed to chill so Katie and I went venturing into another part of England.  We didn't have a plan.  We pretty much just picked a direction and drove.  I think we actually selected somewhere on the sat nav.  I like the idea of being spontaneous but it's a bit hit and miss.  You may find something spectacular and have a fascinating adventure or you may just wander aimlessly just filling in time. We did more of the latter.  I don't even remember exactly where we went.  Just south east of Chester.  We chose one little town to stop at but there was pretty much nothing there so we went to another.  We found a tourist info centre and chatted with the lady there for a while and decided to try a nearby hill that might have nice views.  We stopped in at Kelly's Bakery--just coz.  But the selection was poor and neither was it that great in quality.  We found the hill and started driving up it but it was as bothersome with snow as the drive across the mountaintops the day before.  Only a little more residential.  We couldn't see what the lady was talking about with getting to the top so we just took some photos by the road side and headed back to Chester.  We had to get the car back by early afternoon anyway.  That evening we went round the corner to a comedy club and were able to get tickets for that night's show.  I've never been to a comedy club to see live comedy acts before.  I'm usually a bit hesitant when it comes to comedians.  Unless you know what they are like.  Some are just completely vulgar and call it humour.  We saw three comedians I think it was.  One was a bit below par in my books but the other two weren't bad and they definitely drew some laughs out of me.

Sunday was Easter Sunday and while Maree chilled again so Katie and I walked into town for a tour of Chester.  About as interesting as a lot of town tours I've taken and not so delightful when you're cold.  Chester's hub is pretty to see though with all it's interesting, old-style architecture complete with wonkiness.  Maree met us in town for lunch and we ate a delicious Italian meal.  We then went easter egg hunting which was quite difficult.  We managed to find one little store that was open and had some form of chocolate egg.  We walked the streets a little longer and then back to our hostel where I packed my bags and wished them well on the rest of their journey.  As for me, I headed to the train station, my UK adventure about to wrap up.