Aussie-fied

I AM now a fully fledged Australian citizen. And for three reasons ... I've "grabbed pizza for tea" on the beach, am the daily wearer of flip flops and I've taken the plunge and had the plug changed on my hair straighteners. Now, that latter point alone shows REAL committment to my new country.

No more hunting round the suitcases for one of the travel adapters. I can now plug in and go like the rest of my Antipodean counterparts.
Although the hairstyle I'm currently sporting maybe a little shortlived. The combining results of a sea breeze and the bright sunshine are wreaking havoc on my once sleek locks. No longer does my barnet lie all tamed and straight. These days it's stuffed under a baseball cap and only gets attended to every two days.

I'm adapting well to my new surroundings. We've been in the country just two weeks and are making steady progress. It's a long process putting down roots but we're getting ours slowly.
What is unsettling still are the state's bushfires.
A smoke haze surrounds Victoria's suburbs, blown over from the countryside breakouts. I've had countless texts from the UK mocking me of my time of arrival in the country and our Aussie friends tell us we couldn't have arrived at a worse time. But I don't think we could have timed it better.

The states' coming together has opened my eyes as to how giving these people are. In the face of adversity, they extend the hand of friendship to those who need it most - those whose houses have burnt to the ground before their very eyes and only by the grace of God are alive to tell the international tale.

A whole heap of cash has been raised already to help these families get back on their feet. All the big companies are playing their part by donating a share of their profits and even community groups are pulling together with their "Sausage Sizzlers" to bring in the coinage.

It's going to be a lengthy task but these people will pull through this terrible time. That's what they do best... look after eachother with a "naaa worries" attitude and a continuous smile on their face. Love it.