Staying alive in Australia

To answer the two most important questions right away:

1. Yes, I went surfing - more on that later
2. And yes, I saw kangaroos 🤩

The marsupials were quite curious during a road trip to Jervis Bay, about 200km south of Sydney. In addition to the adorable kangaroos, there are also white beaches and clear water.

Another weekend highlight was attending a rugby union match between the Wallabies (Australia) and Argentina. I have to admit that I didn't fully understand all the rules by the end, but it was definitely an experience 🤭 The fans are emotional and the atmosphere is fantastic, but like everywhere here, there is no crowding, no yelling, no heckling. It’s a family event, and fans celebrate together and just enjoy a really, really good time.

Otherwise, I also ventured out into Sydney's nightlife - but nothing too wild. Probably also because the crowd in the club was on average about 15 years younger, and it was soon time to clear the dance floor for the dynamic, young limbs 😅

Monday is Social Bootcamp Day for me here. I love it. Outdoor training with internationals from all over the world. And I’ve slowly gotten used to the intensity level 🙃

At work, my colleagues are being treated for the second time on Team Day with 'traditional Austrian dessert' 😎

Here are a couple of 'cultural' peculiarities that stand out in daily interactions with Australian colleagues:

• They love to rave or complain about the weather. They are ultra nervous and concerned about the well-being of their guests when the weather isn't great and love to start every small talk with: 'Hey, how ya doing? The weather has been amazing.'
• They have the most intense coffee culture. And I can understand it. Coffee is everywhere good and really cheap in comparison - you can get a really good cappuccino for €2.50.
• The dogs here are so friendly. When I first went running, I switched sides every time a four-legged friend came towards me, and you could see that people found it quite strange. Especially since you can't keep up with the zigzag, because it seems like every second person has a dog. The cool thing is, the dogs don't care about you as a runner at all AND they also don't care about other dogs. I excitedly shared this at work and then learned the reason: Most dogs go to doggy daycare here, which costs about the same as childcare, where they spend their day with other canines while their humans are at work. They probably do their social distancing outside of doggy daycares 😂🤷‍♀️

Now about my first time surfing in Sydney. I was at Manly Beach and to sum it up: The waves were amazing, and I rocked it 🤗

Unfortunately, the experience also had a sour undertone. Shortly after I left the water with my surf group, the beach was closed for 2 days due to police presence, beach patrol, and public announcements because of a fatal shark attack about 5km north. I was in the water at the same time. And yes, anyone who surfs in Australia should be aware of the risks involved, but that hit differently, I have to admit. Since then, I haven't gone surfing again, but I am constantly encouraged by all the surf-enthusiastic colleagues to get back on the board. Such attacks are indeed very, very rare. I'm still undecided whether I will get over that uneasy feeling and dare to try again...

In this sense: stay safe, live life to the fullest - every day!

Cheers
Lisa