One of the big culture shocks so far has been my job hunt. On Monday when I arrived home I stood in line at Centrelink (our local welfare organisation) to register for NewStart, a job seeker's allowance. For the first time in a long time I found myself in a line full of unemployed people with unpleasant body odour and grubby clothes, not as an observer but one in the same position (my clothes were clean though and I hope I didn't smell!). It was an interesting experience and one that made me realise, perhaps, how snobbish I've become being a white skin in a land that respects that fact. It was a great reminder though that everyone is important, regardless of background or current circumstance, and I have no place in being prideful.
Yesterday I had a typing test when registering with a temp agency and was stoked that even without my glasses and reading from a sheet of paper (not how I'm used to typing) I was above 65 WPM.
Today though was the greatest shock to my system... the Australian Government will pay me for 12 weeks while I don't have a job, without needing to commit to a job hunt or applying for a certain number of jobs per week. With all the bad things we hear about governments this was a fact that made me recognise how fortunate I am to be an Australian.
It was an interesting time this afternoon, even aside from that astounding fact. The first of two interactions was chatting to a bloke sitting next to me at Mission Australia for about 15 minutes. who was from, shall we say, quite a different background. His name was Stephen, a homegrown Toowoomba man, late 20's early/30's who has no desire whatsoever to get a job: a good conversationalist whom I admit I'd be more than happy not to meet again. Not that he was unpleasant, more so that he was intrusive, perhaps he was just gregarious, but I was uncomfortable. His grandmother was a missionary for 25 years and this past week he went to the Seventh Day Adventist church where there were a lot of nice people, but said its been a long time since he's met anyone decent. He encouraged a younger man (who had a job and was waiting for his partner) who he was familiar with that there wasn't enough crime and that the dole was great.
It was fascinating that he asked during our conversation if I was religious or not. I replied that while I wasn't religious per say (a term that can be defined as "bondage") I was a Christian. I was intrigued by the interaction which followed this, especially with the other bloke saying as he left the conversation and the building that Jesus really wasn't in to religion either, just look at the sacking of the temple. Made me take a step back and very thankful for the work of a few friends that reach out to street kids and the less fortunate in Toowoomba whom I'm fairly sure might have had some impact on this young man's life. Stephen, with his opinionated statements, was apparently open to reconsidering his views... he commented on Jesus committing suicide, and conceded that suicide and sacrificing your life (as one might for a mate in war) were two different things, and maybe the thought was wrong... anyway - it was an interesting dialogue.
The second stranger I had a lot of interaction with was my Advisor, Cherie. Early 20's with a 9 month old child she was eager as anything to learn and find out what I've been doing, how it affected me and why anyone would want to live in a strange place not earning money. While the questions she asked were personal (some incredibly so) I didn't feel confronted as I did when Stephen asked similar ones, or perhaps even when friends would. Our last interaction was when I drove back to sign a form she forgot about and we chatted about all manner of things from pubs to clothing envy - she liked my skirt (under AUD2) and I liked her shoes (a "bargain" for AUD75!!!! ouch!).
I mention these things for the fascinating observation that I can communicate with local people once more. It's novel, and can have its downside, but it's also great.
I do want to blog on my final weeks in Hong Kong, and hopefully won't leave it too long, but did want to share these reflections whilst they were fresh.
P.s. Isn't my niece beautiful??!??
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