Sarah L Fann's Guestbook



3rd March 2016
Kukubara

Kukubara
Dear Sarah The name of this bird is KUKABURA.
25th March 2011

Sarah these markets look amazing! Angie
25th March 2011

Good tip!
Hi Sarah, I am planning to visit Melbourne in the near future and thank you very much for the tip on the sunday art market, am keen to check this out, happy holidays Angie
23rd March 2011

So awesome!!!
I love lighthouses and that one is really beautiful. Well kept. Did you get to go up in it? You are so lucky to have those experiences. Looks like a place I would love to go. Thanks for the updates!
22nd March 2011

Cool
Loved the pictures and the way that you describe Melburne journey. You have a knack for that, you know, Beautiful country and glad to see that great smile of yours. Leslie
18th February 2011

Awww, felt bad for you dropping your sweet potato. I remembered debating with a friend if we should buy those 600 yen grilled sweet potatoes, when we visited Nara. Yummy but very pricey potato I may say.
From Blog: Visiting Nara
11th February 2011

Office bags
I appreciate your post, I have book marked this internet site so ideally I’ll see much more on this subject in the foreseeable future! office bags
8th February 2011

Yup - back for Yasi sadly
Yup. I was back on Tuesday - I spent a week in Japan since the flights are so cheap from here. I've been updating the blogs since then - but the dates on the blogs are from when I was actually there, not the day i published them. :)
From Blog: Visiting Nara
8th February 2011

Picture-Close Feeding
Glad to see that Fulbright vest finally met up with some weather that would make it useful to you!! You are actually back in Aus. now aren't you? These blogs are playing with my head. Cheers Kate
From Blog: Visiting Nara
5th February 2011

re:Hi
I'm from the U.S., but I can hold a basic (very basic) conversation in Japanese and I am currently living in Australia. Bit of a Nomad right now!
From Blog: Kyoto
2nd February 2011

hi
that was a frightening experience...u r actually from which place.
From Blog: Kyoto
26th January 2011

I'm a diver
I found your blogs today and enjoyed them. Can't wait to read more and see some photos!
From Blog: First Flight
23rd November 2010

Insightful
Hello Sarah. My focus is sexuality. These roads of gender, sexual orientation & identity that supposedly run parallel have always intrigued me. The divergence (or intersection) of these roads has only recently been moved into the spot light. The way we raise our children, whether it be "boy" or "girl", blue or pink is supposed to be the end all determinant for ones sexuality. It is completely understandable for one to assume you're lesbian, as anyone that deters from this norm is thought to do so for a reason of sexual orientation. When these gender characteristics and stereotypes we know so well and apply so casually are challenged, it is only natural to think something is "off". Slowly but surely, as people are exposed to all different types of traditional gender rule breakers, we will see a change in their perceptions and assumptions. Surround yourself with open-minded people like yourself and grit your teeth - all in good time. Have you found any research regarding the perception of sexual identity & orientation in Australia? I did a quick search and couldn't find anything off the bat.
22nd November 2010

Thanks for the comments
Thanks to everyone who has responded to this. DISCLAIMER: I love my Aussie friends even if I am tired of the "Is Sarah a Lesbian?" issue. It's toned down with the friends I hang out with everyday. However, it's still an everyday issue and when I realized how it was affecting me I decided to articulate my opinions and experiences. In the States, you would usually ask someone about their sexual orientation as a last resort. Because asking if someone is gay implies that you think they are gay. If you wait and gather more information you can usually find out without having to ask, and thus coming across as judgemental. However, I see nothing wrong with being blunt and open - and I usually turn these "are you a lesbian?" events into oppurtunities to discuss differences in gender roles which lead them to question my sexual orientation. IF they will here me out - usually they go silent which I learned long ago is a bad thing.
22nd November 2010

very well said
Im very surprized that your having this issue at all.... Im very confused with the importence of your sexuality at all not that its really any bodys business any way... But Im very proud of who you are and your beleafs in general and as your mother I know that you speak your mind and have never been afraid to speake your mind or what you beleave in.....Thats what I love most of you.... you care for others and you speak up!! Now that this has been addressed maybe they will let you get back to why your there in the first place .....go get them tiger......and not the tiger sharks lol love you!!
21st November 2010

we're all lesbians
Hey Sarah, I can't apologise for people asking questions. The typical aussie is, I think, a bit more forward and blunt than people from most other countries, so when people ask you about your sexual orientation, they most likely want to know more about you, and you can answer them or not as befits your mood and how closely you want to get to know said person. But what I do think is ordinary is that aussies disbelieve you when you answer their question. Tell them to bugger off. I hope it is an artefact of a small sample size, but sadly it quite likely isn't. I hope it doesn't taint your view of all of us. (p.s. we use "ordinary" to mean "shit house" or "bad" in australia...)
19th November 2010

Maybe Man-O-War after all
Um, well. There is arguments among those who went. Some say Man-O-War and a few say bluebottles. If they were bluebottles, they were very large bluebottles. If they were man-o-war they were relatively small man-o-wars.
18th November 2010

Bully for you!
People think all kinds of stupid stuff because you don't hew to their small-minded expectations. To this sort of thing I say, "Bah Humbug!" You seem to be saying the same thing, too! Good for you!
17th November 2010

OMG I must be gay to! LOL
I have short hair only because it is easier to take care of and I don't have time to mess with it all the time. I love wearing t-shirts and jeans and once in a great while, I like dressing up. I don't care to wear panty hose because they always need pulled up or they snag. I tried walking in high heals to a concert one time in the casino. I had to take my shoes off and walk back to the car. Those things hurt! I also love to fish, I like baseball but can't really hit the side of a barn anymore. I like hiking. I never did sports in school. I wish I was pushed to at least try them. Not into the rough games though. I did learn about football because that is what one of my kids were into. I also loved four wheeling. I loved playing in mud and with matchbox cars and building roads and I played with Barbie and GI Joe. Ken was too whimpy. I also played house with dolls. I think I grew up a well rounded person. I think boys should have dolls and girls can play with cars if they want to. They are fun to make roads for. You can find women attractive but acting on that is what determines where you stand. I like men. Men can make you say it is men like you that make women want to be lesbians. Again, it is if you act on that or not. I have men friends that I value and I have women friends that I love to death. I hug them, tell them I love them and that is because I want them to know that in case some day they are not there. That is just how I am. I consider them family. Maybe their culture is not used to telling the same gender they love them unless they are a family member. Keep being you Sarah, you are one of the bravest women I know. If your friends there doubt you, show them this. Oh yeah, there are women race car drivers here, does that make them gay?
17th November 2010

I would!
But I imagine 99% of the things in Australia would not appreciate sudden 10C weather. BTW, I still think 10 degrees is T-shirt weather.
From Blog: Diving Safari IV
15th November 2010

i say, "long live the humidity!" I am soo jealous to hear about the weather you have and wish it was like that here. haha. Instead, I'm stuck with the 50's (for now) and it's only going to get worse :'( wanna trade ;)
From Blog: Diving Safari IV
29th September 2010

your so in you elament
hello honey just wanted to say wow again and to say your a natural looking ocean woman and diver.... love the blog thanks for sending me the links its ez for me that way lol..... much love mom
From Blog: Overcoming Self
29th September 2010

More photos
You can see all my photos from Australia here: http://picasaweb.google.com/sarahlfann/
From Blog: Pacific Plunge
26th September 2010

Actually, I saw it both times
I actually saw it on dive one and dive two. It just only swam up to us on dive 2. You should read the note about it on facebook. Good dives this weekend, will update. Love you!
From Blog: Overcoming Self
23rd September 2010

sharks...ooh fun
Just finished reading this last post and it made me smile in that "I'm having a parental moment" kind of way. It's not often that friends can be genuinely proud of one another but there is no better way to describe the feeling that brought a smile to my lips. I'm happy that you're happy and look forward to hearing about your challenges and adventures. It's an addiction and awesome kind of anticipation. Don't know if I've said this yet but thank you for being an awesome person and sharing soo much of yourself without asking for anything in return. I know it's a feeling and kind of thing that will only grow and get better with time. As for the other bit, I read the comment below your dive picture and I would bet hundreds of dollars that you were bummed that you didn't see the shark on the first dive and out-of-your-mind-happy when you saw it on round 2. Your partner on the other had has ALL OF HIS NORMAL DEFENSE MECHANISMS in place and was scared enough to pee his very expensive, rubber britches. haha
From Blog: Overcoming Self

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