Lessons from Down Under

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Stepping into the Land Down Under was in many ways a leap of faith. A new place, and my first time overseas. I figured I would just pretend I did not know English and quietly amble by. But many times, I've had to look at fear in the face and tell it to step aside so I can get on to where I wanted to go and experience Australia at her best.

Letting go of my many fears was the best souvenir I am bringing home. Like the calm Sydney Harbour, I have learned how it was to go with the flow and to fully understand what they mean when they say "No Worries!"

It is a awesome event when dreams finally come true after years of waiting. I am pretty happy I stuck around for moments like these when there were times I did want to walk away. A little faith does reward you beyond your wildest dreams.

Stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing the unknown was definitely worth every risk and even every discomfort or pain. Facing your fear and insecurities seems to be the hardest part, and then the rest becomes as easy as a winter breeze.

I've discovered this while learning how to snowboard at the Snowy Mountains in Perisher Blue. God knows how many times I fell down and how painful it was, at one point falling down so badly and hitting my head (thankful for my helmet), waking me up out of my wits and thinking, dear God, that really hurts, but quietly lying there on my back and seeing the beautiful Australian blue sky, I felt grateful I was there, and I began to sit up grasping pure snow with my freezing hands.

There is simply nothing to do but not give up, stand up again, clutch the snowboard, walk uphill on my "moon suit" and ride again...until finally you get down that hill without falling down! and experience the relief conquering your fear of falling, by embracing the reality that you will fall down. Strangely enough, the less I feared falling, meaning - the moment I accepted the reality of falling and that it was alright to do so (after all it's part of learning) - I began not to fall and managed to balance my self on a snowboard for a perfect downhill slide. Amazing. Accept your fear, release it and you find your balance.

Perhaps it is the first and the last time I will ever go snowboarding but I will never forget the lessons it has taught me. I take to the advice of Ewan McGregor in his book the Long Way Round: Part of the adventure is to try. If you fail , then that's fine. As long as you have given it a good chance.

You never do fail as long as you learn your lessons well. From this once-in-a-lifetime snowboarding experience I am taking one simple but crucial lesson home, "Always look where you are going," this is the very first instruction our snowboard teacher gave us. Where your feet-strapped snowboard goes is where you are looking. I figured the same goes in life, where you set your eyes on is where you will most likely end up. So perhaps it is best to be keenly aware at where you are looking. And if you don't like where you are headed, why don't you change your direction by looking somewhere else? A place that calls to you... the way Australia has called me to explore her world.

It was fun going through the touristy places in Sydney such as well known landmarks like the Sydney Opera House. I was grateful to have had a chance to conquer my fear of heights by climbing the 134-metres Harbour Bridge courtesy of fellow adventurer, historian and "magician" Adam (who had the uncanny ability of getting freebies while leading the way to secret portals where we can get inside some of Sydney's famous spots for free by using his charms). At about 46 metres (the height of the Statue of Liberty all the way to its torch), I found myself in the middle section of the Harbour Bridge and felt my knees buckle while walking a narrow section where down below you can see cars whizzing by in the early evening. One cannot forget the heady feeling on top of that world. It's dizzying but exciting at the same time.

It's like you want to crawl the whole way through and get it over with. But we had to continue walking, grasping at diagonal cold steel bars until we get to the top where the Australian flag is perched. It was raining and lightning was all around us, but the fear slowly faded away upon seeing the city of Sydney and its suburbs lit like stars in an inverted sky. These are times you were glad you had persevered. It simply was magical. Our Bridge Climb leader tells us that kids are the best climbers because they never complain and all they say is woohoo!!! They have no idea about "fear" and they just savor every moment in wonder and a spirit of adventure.

Back on land and on another day, I remembered how it was to be a kid again while visiting the Sydney Aquarium and seeing a replica of the Great Barrier Reef with the large and endangered Grey Nurse sharks swimming about unaware of their human visitors outside their glass cages. Again, had to overcome that weird anxiety of the glass breaking in and we would be swimming along with them. Perhaps, that would not be scary after all. Seeing these great fishes was a sight to behold, the next best thing to seeing them in their natural habitat. I believe that they are well taken cared of here...Australia after all is big on conservation and taking care of their environment. One thing I noticed about Australia's domesticated animals (dogs and cats) is that they are so free and friendly, and not aggressive unlike the animals back home who are a bit feisty probably after having to cope with the difficulties of life in a developing country. I figured that if you weren't afraid of having no food or having to compete for food, and having your needs taken cared of by a loving family or an an efficient government, both animals and humans, will have no reason to feel defensive or aggressive because they already feel secure?

Or perhaps, that is just me thinking too much... I did find time to think more and sit in two of the classes of Aadrik at the Australian National University in Canberra, reputedly the premiere university in Australia. It amazed me that I could just enter the university and sit in and pretend I was one of their students. And realized I could never bring in someone inside my own university without he or she going through security and having his/her bags checked. The general trust the land gives to its guests here is simply overwhelming and I felt really free.

Winding down the last three weeks, I must admit I was enamored by the beauty that is Sydney but amidst its glitter and glamour, it was in fact -- the quiet walks in the Sydney suburbs to ride the train on my own, the bicycle ride along Canada Bay to see the inner Sydney harbour with Adam, the deep and meaningful conversation along Collaroy beach in North Shore with Kate, the walk at alternative artist's haven in Newton with Inky, Ads and Clark and the delightful meals inside the homes of Aadrik, Winey and Rorie while getting to know their families -- these were the very simple but more valuable moments I will be taking home, beautiful memories I will be pondering on until the next adventure beckons.

Today, I am most likely to agree with playwright George Bernard Shaw when he said: "I hate it when I feel at home abroad." And don't you just hate it when you have to leave so soon. But travelers must always keep moving on, and there is always a next time. Perhaps, it is not the end but only the beginning of many wonderful journeys ahead over and under.

What's great is that, I am no longer afraid. And that all it took was a little faith... faith in the kindness of strangers and friends, faith in your self, and faith in Someone up there who takes care of your every need.

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