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Kalbarri National Park, WA

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Whale watching in Exmouth, WA

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Shell Beach, WA

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35. Perth

I flew into Perth just two days shy of my one year anniversary in Australia. Much like on that first day, I found myself foggy-eyed in an international airport. I got to my hostel, checked in and set out to explore. This time around, I was much more successful - I don’t fall asleep at 4:30pm.

I drop in to a free tour at the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) and afterwards bought myself a Smartrider transit pass. I walk around Northbridge, an area where an established Chinese community is fending off hip nightclubs and bespoke bicycle cafes. Vintage stores and hummus parlours slowly peter off walking up William Street.

Enter through Nail Salon, Northbridge, 2018.

The following day I walk around the CBD, through the London arcade to Elizabeth Quay. I made my way over to Kings Park Botanical Gardens and learn there’s a wiildflower festival on. In the park there’s a bridge made of plexiglass that suspends visitors above the treetops. I try and fail to not spend money in the gift shop.

Wildflowers, Kings Park Botanical Garden, Perth. 2018.

Blue boat house, Perth. 2018.

On the anniversary of my arrival in Oz, I wake up early and head to the blue beach house, an Instagram staple. There’s a couple having a photoshoot for their pregnancy announcement. A tour bus pulls up as I leave. I hop to Cottesloe beach, a primo-fancy community. There are dozens of surfers in the water. In the afternoon I take the train line to Fremantle and see the harbour in full swing. I find a shop that sells clip-on earrings and buy a pair. I stop for late lunch and check out the WA Shipwreck Museum (free), which I can’t recommend enough. The Batavia shipwreck is on display. It had been underwater for three hundred years before being excavated. Australia was once known as New Holland.

The WA coastline was a mysterous blank part of the world map when all of Canada had been charted out.

On Sunday, I set myself a challenge. I’ve noticed when I’m walking new places my nose is buried in my phone. I write and follow instructions for a 5km walk. I discover City Farm Cafe, an organic inner city farm beside the freeway. I share my walk with dozens of families and pets out for stroll in the sun. The new bridge to the footy stadium just opened and tradies are working. People are taking pictures as they cross the bridge for the first time. I lose my jumper. I call my dad and we talk about quokkas. I walk to the Perth Mint and watch a gold pour. I find the City Library, one of the best public library spaces I’ve seen. I buy and make dinner.

The largest gold nuggets in the world have been found in WA. The largest single piece in existence was found by a man going for a walk who thought his metal detector had broken. The largest nugget ever was discovered by a kid running and tripping over it sticking out of the ground on his family farm.

I spend Monday cursing about this hostel not having Wifi. I go for a quick walk to Mary Street Bakery for donuts and detour through Hyde Park to listen to a podcast. I call my dad. I post interviews on my blog with some key people from the past year.

Mary St Florist, Highgate. 2018.

On the 18th, I go swimming in Beatty park in one of two outdoor pools. The weather has warmed every day since I’ve been here. I go to a wood fire Italian place for lunch. Table for one? I do some window shopping. In the evening I book a last second ferry to Rottnest Island.

Rottnest island is beautiful. The water is a clear, bright blue. In places the waves roll like moving mountains; in others it trickles into shallow pools. At my first beach stop I realize every penny for the flight here was worth it. I try to take a photo with a quokka. I see fur seals bobbing in the water. I see skinks and Ofsprey nests and Comorans. My final hours I spend at the Bathurst lighthouse. I don’t want to leave.

Thursday I wake up early and head to the library. I brainstorm and have an inspirational conversation with a friends out traveling to Broome. I have fish and chips at the beach. I send a letter at the post office. I have a caramel-fudge Sunday from Macca’s.

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34. The ones with the interview 5/5

Name: Glenn, my Dad

Age: also a hard question

Dream occupation: do you have to be paid for it? I would say fatherhood.

Current occupation: Public servant

What have you learned/what do you know about keeping in touch with family abroad? How amazingly convenient it is compared to what is used to be. When I was younger (ugh) it was a big deal, you know, it cost money and letters, and time, it was a hassle. Unbelievable how convenient it is today. Because it’s all about communication when people are abroad.

What are some of your travel goals for this year? New Zealand and Australia. I’m looking forward to the cruise.

Recent song you listened to: Something on the radio, probably Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself over the course of this last year? (Doesn’t have to be travel related) Not travel related, but how easy tiling is. I did the kitchen and it’s a lot of work but it’s not hard.

Do you feel there’s stigma about traveling abroad and taking time to travel? No. Go places that are interesting for personal growth and development. If you’re going on a trip to lie on a beach for year, that’s not growth. Meeting people, creating networks, that’s what it’s about. In terms of whether or not it’s dangerous, it’s dangerous to walk down the street in your own town, that can’t stop you. There’s risk in traveling when you aren’t aware of your surroundings or doing things you wouldn’t normally do.

Last words and thoughts: Go swimming. Have fun. You’ve got to have fun, otherwise don’t do it. Most people can’t afford to travel when the cost of education and being swamped by billls and the cost of living. If you can afford it, do it. Do things that push you. Go see a marsupial that smiles at you. Learn to surf.

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33. The ones with the Interviews 4/5

Name: Lia Richardson

Age: 24

Dream occupation: Writer, artist, planner. Or movie location scout

Current occupation: unemployed

What have you thought about your year in Australia? I enjoyed parts and not others. A year is a long time to be somewhere and not enough time to do everything you want.

Did you accomplish what you set out to do? No, I did not accomplish what I set out to do when I left Canada, and I am completely okay with that. I realized my mantra to “press pause” and “try to find myself” in Australia was actually pretty unhealthy and really I was just running away from myself. I needed to confront those same issues when they followed me here and needed to feel that discomfort to move forward.

What are some of your goals for this year? I still think I need to push myself to be uncomfortable more often. I still want to see a lot and I need to sit down to make it happen. Seeing Western Australia and New Zealand are for sure at this point. And to work towards getting my career started.

What’s one thing you learned about yourself? I like myself in Australia. The women wear dresses here and I’ve given myself that space to be and feel more feminine. People are straightforward when you talk to them and they let themselves get angry which I appreciate. I learned I get caught in ruts and tangles in my head about how things should be. I learned need to push myself a lot to make changes, but when I do it’s in a big way. And I’m a little afraid of my own potential and I’m afraid of failure.

Recent song you listened to: The Dead South - Boots

Do you feel there’s stigma about traveling abroad and taking time to travel? I reckon there is. Coming into this second year I could feel some resentment if I was someone else looking in. Traveling is a trade off. Do you want comfort and stability, with a mattress only you’ve slept on and a cafe or bar where you’re working through the menu, and coworkers to gossip with at work, or do you want to wake up early and go on a hike in a landscape you could never dream of? Some people can balance it pretty well but I find I enjoy living in places.

Last words & thoughts: Cheers to another year!

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32. The ones with the Interviews 3/5

Name: Natasha

Age: 24

Dream occupation: this one got me stumped. I would like to say something like hiking trail guide but then I miss my office work.

Current occupation: consultant, municipal finance

What have you learned/what do you know about keeping in touch with friends abroad? I thought I’d be harder. Technology sure does make it easier (as does a phone plan with lots of data) but snail mail is awesome too.

What are some of your travel goals for this year? The remainder of 2018? Just Paris and Iceland. For a full year? I have to figure out a honeymoon!! Ideally Galapagos, but realistically anywhere would be great! Preferably with a beach!

Recent song you listened to: I’m gonna love you - Meaghan Trainor

What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself over the course of this last year? (Doesn’t have to be travel related) I can do stuff! There’s been lots of auditing recently and turns out I’m capable of stuff! Renovations, wedding, new job, buying big important stuff - I can do that! It’s been a year of growth and responsible stuff.

Last words and thoughts: Miss you! Try all the vegan places for me!!

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31. The ones with the Interviews 2/5

Name: Bianca Trelle

Age: 23 (soon to be 24)

Dream occupation: Freelance graphic designer

Current occupation: currently grafting trees in Tasmania

What have you thought about your year in Australia? What haven’t I thought about? Family. Friends. My goals and accomplishments. My dreams. My goals. My fears. My future career.

Did you accomplish what you set out to do? In some ways I definitely did. And in others, I accomplished things that I never thought of.

Recent song you listened to: You’ve Got the Love - Florence + the Machine

What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself? Oh man. I think the main thing I’ve learned about myself is that it’s okay to put yourself first sometimes, and that’s what I’ve been doing.

What are some of your goals for this year? I’d really like to visit some new places in Australia. Continue pushing myself and living out of my comfort zone. It’d be nice to land some sort of design job, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Do you feel there’s stigma about traveling abroad and taking time to travel? I think that a lot of people think it’s scary or lonely or even dangerous to travel abroad, but it really is the exact opposite. You know, you meet so many interesting people along the way… even when you’re not trying to. And when you’re in a hostel or in an airport or on a bus, you are anything but lonely. And I think if anyone has the opportunity to travel abroad, or travel of any kind, do not hesitate for a second! Take the leap and go somewhere!

Last words & thoughts: I left Canada a year ago thinking that I’d be here for 365 days and that’s it! End of journey. End of adventure. Back home I go… I never thought I’d be completing farm work, applying for my second year visa, and getting ready to set out on new adventures with you girls. This wonderful land of Oz has officially captured my heart!

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30. The ones with the Interviews 1/5

Name: Candelaria

Age: 24

Dream occupation: some sort of international planner that gets to travel the world and work in planning all over the place.

Current occupation: None, travelling for the next few months, yayyy

What have you thought about your year in Australia? Amazing. I’ve gotten to see most of the places and things I’ve wanted to see (Uluru, I’m coming for you next year), met so many people and made new friends, finished the dreaded 88 days and have had a blast through it all.

Did you accomplish what you set out to do? Yes and no. No because one of my goals was to get a job in my field and I have not done that yet. Yes because the main reason for coming here was to live abroad and travel and that’s what I’ve done.

What are some of your goals for this year? This calendar year? Or the next year in Australia? If so then to get a job/internship in planning.

Recent song you listened to: Men at Work - Down Under

Do you feel there’s stigma about traveling abroad and taking time to travel? No, not really. So many more people now are doing what we did and taking time travel and experience other countries. The older generations sometimes don’t think it’s the best idea but I don’t think there’s stigma with people of our generation.

What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself? I don’t know how to sit at home and do nothing for more than one day. During farm work we lived in a very small town and when we had two weeks off work I almost went crazy with nothing to do. In Bianca’s words, “I need to learn how to do the chill.”

Last words & thoughts: I miss my original roomies Bianca and Lia and we need to meet up again ASAP!!!!!

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29. A Portrait of Adelaide

Welcome to my mini Adelaide gallery. Here are some of my favourite shots and moments on my recent trip. It was difficult to choose a theme to focus on for this experience - solo traveling and loneliness; wayfinding, legibility and bus rapid transit; small towns, crystals and cappuccinos - the list goes on. I ultimately settled the takeaway from my trip was the theme of creation. From the emerging baby animals and astounding local art, inspiration was in the air and Spring with it.

I will say though, there are so many benefits to traveling in the off season. Australia in August is more lush and approachable without the heat. My tour groups were  small and I was able to accomplish everything on my list (and more!). South Australia has a lot to offer and I can’t wait to go back!

Remarkable Rocks, 2018.

The Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island are a 1.5h drive from Adelaide’s CBD. A granite formation on an island mostly made from limestone and crusted sand dunes, the rocks are a remarkable anomaly. Created under immense pressure, the site is a massive, natural-made playground. There was a lot of joy (and danger) walking among these rocks on the top of a sheer cliff. Just don’t get thrown over by a selfie stick.

Sea lions, Seal Bay, 2018.

Sea lions are adorable with their golf balls sized eyes and long whiskers. Easy to see why they’re nicknamed sea dogs, they love sleep and lounging. They are awkward on land, but can run faster than we can if they want to. This particular colony of sea lions is endangered and heavily protected. Their population continues to shrink at 1-2% per year due to heavily polluted waters, fishing industries and a long gestation period. Mum and pup above, a group of females having a lie-in below.

Koala & baby, Hanson Bay Sanctuary, 2018.

Taken at one of the few places where you can consistently see wild koalas on Kangaroo island. These little guys love living at the very tops of trees (I have many photos of blurry, furry, sleeping bums) which makes them difficult to see. Koalas eat eucalyptus, and sleep for 22 hours a day so it was pretty lucky this mum and baby were active when the tour was there.

Two-bit Villains , Adelaide Arcade, 2018.

Sitting in the former ballroom of this historic arcade, the ambiance was interesting to say the least. My journal notes, “I can’t help thinking, maybe the millennials aren’t blameless after all. This soda shoppe has opted for full-on hipster, complete with old typewriter, golf lawn flooring and wicker furniture. I’m sitting between an old radio, records, and tiki torches. At least the owners aren’t trying to take themselves too seriously in this grand old ballroom.” It was so tacky what they made of it. Amazing cream soda though.

Adelaide Sunset, 2018.

Taken from my hotel room, beautiful pastel clouds on my last day in Adelaide, creation in its final moments.

Glenelg Memorial, 2018.

This pavilion and square were beautiful. Adelaide could set records for its cleanliness and amazing beaches. So many people were out enjoying the water (and rowing!) along with dogs and families lounging on the pier.

Adelaide has a population of around 1.3 million people. Traffic was really light and it was straightforward to get around on public transit, minus the lack of advertising for the free bus loop. You can reach Glenelg from Adelaide on the only remaining tram line in the city, making it easy and accessible.

Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty Summit Hike, 2.1km in, 2018.

This was one rewarding and hard hike. It didn’t help that I walked to the base of the mountain before the actual hike (7.5km already), so it was one hell of a workout. The small bump on the hill is a tiny lighthouse, which was my final destination. This hike took me 2.5 hours roughly with all my pauses, and I took a bus on the way down haha. I was proud of myself at the summit.

In total, I walked 27km over the course of two days. I wore my new balance running shoes (not sponsored) and they were slippery on the hills and tough incline. My hat goes off to the mountain goat seniors who were practically skipping ahead of me on the trail. Also don’t fuss about carrying too much water, you’re gonna need it.

Selfies, 2018.

I traveled by myself so I took my own photo thanks.

Admiral’s Arch, 2018.

One last shot of Kangaroo Island. I took a day trip and saw all the highlights in the same day. As a single person, this was ideal because I didn’t have to hire a car and still got to see everything. I could see this tour being stretched out for two days for sure, but this worked for me.

I also did a wine tour of the Barossa valley (no question why there aren’t good photos from that day) and I’d recommend staying in the valley and doing a hop-on, hop-off tour up there. I had never done bus tours before, let alone bus tours by myself, so two one-day tours were a good place to start for me. I also did a fair bit of exploring in the city, in North Adelaide, Norwood, Rundle St East and the Entertainment area.

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28. A word

I wanted to jump on here and write a post about appreciation.

I appreciate a lot of people and things in my life right now. If you tapped me on the shoulder a year ago and told me how much happier and connected I feel, I would’ve had a difficult time believing you. I wasn’t expecting to learn lessons on the other side of the world about friends keeping track of time differences, or the value in putting aside time to chat. I didn’t think I’d learn to like cappuccinos as much as I have, or how I would decry how slow the postal system can be!

In truth, I feel much more fulfilled and less stressed. That’s a relief. Coming to Australia was the right step for me, and I don’t regret having traveled. Some days are hard when I miss friends and family, but I think these links and aches are reminders that a phone call, message or a quick photo are in order. I’m confident in my friends living beautiful, fulfilled lives, and this distance doesn’t change our friendship. To friendship & family love 💜

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My Farm Work in Oz - Here’s a summary of my experience working on a farm! First time for everything, including editing a video. Thanks :)

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26. Restos with Gusto

When you live in a small town, you find ways to occupy your time. For me, it was easy - friends and longtime acquaintances know that I like to eat (don’t we all) and I dove into food. These reviews showed me I’ve eaten out a lot, but I don’t regret it. There isn’t much to splurge on out here, so it’s good to make the best of it.here we go:

McDonald’s, 12/22 McLennan St

$

Always entertained going to Macca’s between the cliquey employees, bulldog manager and cast of characters, I mean customers. Wifi’s alright and the food is quick. Watch out for the snakes in the parking lot though.

Mooroopna Pizzeria & Wine Bar, 86/88 McLennan St

$$

Grabbed a parma with Julie here on a Thursday because Bill + Beats was closed! Was pleasantly surprised by the portion size of the chips (fries) and had the Nutella gelato for dessert. Good place for watching sport apparently. Type of place with plastic menus and you have to ask for water. Casual with lots of people in hi-vis (neon construction) clothes.

Bill + Beats, 106 McLennan St

$$

Eaten here several times for brunch, very consistent good quality food. Real gem of Mooroopna, never disappointed. Their dine in chai latte is delicious, as is their coffee, treats, their own take on avo on sourdough with poached egg and muesli, and of course, the pancakes. Have yet to go for dinner but I’m sure it’ll be great. The only critique I have would be if they were more daring with their flavour combos, but hey.

Thai Coconut, 66 High St

$$

Straightforward, fresh Thai food with no surprises. Beautiful dine in plates do reduce portion size but still very filling. Roti and peanut satay is divine. Chicken stir fry is spicy, pad thai comes with just the right amount of bean sprouts. Pad Siew is soft and crunchy all at once. One thing is the laughable numbering on the first page of their menu, but I still wish they did delivery. Would eat again, though I do feel like the owner has rushed us out after 8:30 on a Thursday both times we’ve been.

Fryers Street Food Store, 53 Fryers St

$$$

Oh Fryers. I wish I could fit you in my pocket and take you with me. The decor, wine store, cheeses and walls lined with gourmet spreads steal me every time. Been here for breakfast, coffee and takeaway treats. The Siracha poached egg portion I had could have been bigger, but I’ve heard the pancakes are yum. I will fight someone over the last slice of fudge cake in the display. Oreo cheesecake and English cheese were well received. Planning my next trip and seeing the same waitress who always seems to be there. Good coffee.

Aanagan, 67 Fryers St

$$$

This Indian resto is an offshoot from a Melbourne operation. My butter chicken came with green onion. Questioning the authenticity of this place. New, also overpriced.

Bonjass, 276B Wyndham St

$$

My most recent culinary crush. The sticky date pudding with homemade butterscotch sauce is to die for and the gnocchi could inspire you to quit your day job to write a sonnet type of good. I can’t say enough about the high quality of food that doesn’t belong in an empty restaurant. Every person should find a new place like Bonjass, reserve a table and fend off other diners when this place takes flight. But get in line, because I’m first. Also very affordable for all food made in-house. Tucked away up a flight of stairs with lots of wood accents and a balcony for sipping wine in the summer. Did I mention they do an eighties night?

Degani, 12-13/8025 Goulburn Valley Hwy

$$

Chain restaurant in part of a mall. Wasn’t impressed by the Parma and found the eating area to be quite cold by the windows. Bruschetta was good. Would give it another go but a little far out of the way for me.

Brother Pablo

109 Fryers St

$$$

Bought the worst medium sized cappuccino of my life for five dollars. Took two sips and chucked it. Nope. Milky crap.

The Vic Hotel, Corner of Wyndham and Fryers Streets

$

Feel like setting the kids loose on a play structure? Feel like gambling while they play? And walking out of the restaurant to use the toilet? Also there’s $15 deals and very average food? You’ve come to right place if you’re an ambitious grandparent or worn out babysitter.

Aussie Hotel, 73 Fryers St

$

I can’t begin to start on what an average place to eat this is. But it also can’t make up its mind. Either get bigger TVs or replace them with art, everyone is squinting and not paying attention. And there no ambiance or music. Try to sit in the original part of the building or outside if you can. Also the “Mexican bean salad” is none of those things and should be removed from the menu.

Flanagan’s Irish pub, Corner of Wyndham and Fryers Streets

$

Best place to watch sport on a projector screen or worry about why the tables are sticky. I did both.

Lemon Tree Cafe, 98 Fryers St

$$

I feel like everyone in here for brunch is living their best life and files their taxes. They’re wearing athletic gear after a morning yoga sesh post run coming in for their weekly orange juice catchup. Seriously good food, always packed and the service is rushing to get the food out. Great coffee. Everything here is delicious and well plated.

Noble Monks, 120/126 Maude St

$$

Been here for brunch and dinner. Alright coffee. I got the caramel banana hotcakes and couldn’t finish them they were so large. I thought they were delicious but heard other reviews that they can be dry, so a bit of a hit or miss situation. Dinner is a similar story. Their bruschetta is $11 for one piece of toast cut in half. The lamb curry was far from it and read more as a lamb stew poured over rice. I think this is a good after work drink and aps type of place, but shoot for the morning if you want to eat here. For perspective, at prime brunch time you can still walk up and grab a table whereas at Lemon Tree there’s a wait. Monks is finding its way methinks.

Mahal Green Olive Indian Restaurant, 189 Coriol St

$$

This is authentic Indian and as such it takes a while to get to the table, but it’s cry-over-your-breakup delicious. Would eat again if I don’t want to feel my face (or anything else) from the unapologetic spiciness. Also the Bollywood videos are brilliant. Don’t think I’ll find anything better than this.

Cafe by the Little Gourmet Food Company, Wyndham St

$$

The thing with little places like this is a lot can vary day to day. My first visit I got a lemon slice, bacon and egg roll and cappuccino and had an amazing time. Came back a month later and the roll had changed its bun and lost its insides, cappuccino was average and I can’t honestly say I want to go back and be disappointed again. My first time here on a Monday was so good! Just let me love you. Don’t change. Very charming storefront, decor and outdoor set up. Sad they close Sundays and the patio can be noisy from the road, though the hedge does help.

KFC Shepparton City, 465 Wyndham St

$

Probably the biggest and most ornate KFC I’ve seen, food is consistent with the brand but the corporate architecture is unreal and slightly disconcerting. Hi-vis and short shorts a-go-go. Flagship retail location.

Pizza Hut Shepparton, 525-535 Wyndham St

$

I filled out a customer review on their website for this experience. I can only give the benefit of the doubt and assume it was the teller’s first shift like ever, but it was also on the entire team. Floor was wet, tables and chairs were sticky and the food was bad. Also there were no rubbish bins. Pizza Hut-put-putted no thank you.

Peking City, 98 Wyndham St

$$$

This Chinese-Australian restaurant is a delightful surprise in a place like Shepparton. Reminded me strongly of Ruby’s back in Ottawa. Easy to spend a lot of money quickly but it’ll be worth it, maybe. My Singapore fried noodle the second time was dry and the rice was crunchy, but I believe this was a bad night for Peking. Again, not consistent food. More testing needed.

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25. Reasons to wash your fruit

So you’ve been feeling guilty, finally went to the store and bought some produce. Good on ya. Maybe you saw someone’s instagram post of their brunch overflowing with berries, or read up on the benefits of kale and swiss chard and caved. Either way, you’re sitting there scratching your head about how to eat all this fresh food before it’s too late. Well, hopefully you heed my advice in this listicle and always, always take a second to wash your fruit and veg before you eat it. Based on my own experiences working in a food warehouse, here are ten key reasons the very least you could do is run your fruit and veg under some cold water first before diving in. Seriously, it’s the bare minimum.

1. We don’t wash our hands.

This one is workplace specific. If a warehouse values quality control, they’ll pay their workers the time it takes to wash their hands before the start of their shift and after eating breaks. Some places do require hand washing, even changing hairnets and gloves each time you leave the work station. But mine doesn’t, and with exception of a couple of “employees must wash their hands before returning to work” signs, it’s not enforced. Hopefully workers are also wearing gloves, but skip to #6 if you’re leaning in to this one.

On a greater scale, the picker who took that fruit off the tree likely wasn’t near a washroom the whole day. Just think about that for a sec. I’ll leave the rest to you.

2. Your perfect pear was beside a rotten one.

When your perfect pear gets picked off the tree, it’s immediately out into a bag and then a larger crate with all the other pears. That means all pears, small, large, bug bitten, and rotting are all up in each other for long periods of time. For those that remember biology, fruits give off gases that help ripen the bunch. This is helpful for the ecosystem in your fruit bowl, but in reality, I see so many rotten and maggotty pears they’re no longer fruit. So your perfect pear is probably covered in rotten pear bacteria. It’s mouldy blue and gross.

3. It was frozen.

All fruit that’s not in season but somehow still sitting in your local grocery store was frozen. Sorry for the surprise! Yeah, it might not look or feel like it, but the majority of the pears I’m now working on are straight out of the freezer. Sometimes fruit is frozen again after for easier transport. But anyway, the fruit is coated in a special coloured preservative before being locked away for months before being sorted for an order. And yes, it can affect taste and texture. Mmmmmm.

4. We use pesticides on everything.

Part of the packing process is giving all fruit a chlorine-pesticide rinse before they go out for shipping. This helps prevent fruit fly infestations and wipes away low level surface dirt. Fruit also needs to be washed at certain pH markers for it to be considered safe for consumption, and adding acids help with that.

5. Food contamination

Part of the “washing hands” food safety thing is reducing chances for food contamination, among other things. So if I have peanut butter or eat something with lactose in it for lunch and properly wash my hands, I’m not triggering an allergic reaction for someone around the world, or introducing new bacteria into another ecosystem far far away. Environmental contamination prevention is why we have to careful about taking leaves off on some orders. But again, it’s not always enforced. Food contamination is the same reason why we can’t wear strong perfumes and deodorants to work. Do people do it anyway? Of course they do.

6. We sometimes don’t get gloves anyway.

I got a pair of latex-free gloves my first day, threw them out at 5pm thinking we’d get new ones for the next shift. I was never given a new pair. I’ve bought my own gloves since then, but most people are wearing the same disposable gloves every day. Enough said on that.

7. Spiders and creepy crawlies

For the arachnophobes and bug haters, you can’t control what may have crawled on your fruit prior to it being picked. Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes, but if the thought gives you chills, just wash your fruit.

8. Fruit & veg aren’t that clean to begin with.

Gotta love fruit, it’s a product of the earth and the tree that bore it. It was exposed to rain and wind and good dirt. Sometimes the fruit comes down the conveyor belt still smelling like manure and compost. Can’t complain too much on this one - it’s the most obvious non-industrial reason to always wash your fruit and veg. Good dirt begone!

9. Machine’s not that clean either.

The machines that handle your fruit and veg aren’t scrubbed down to their core at the end of the work day. My workplace gets pretty close and personal with the cleaning but there’s no way every part of the machine is entirely hygienic.

Also remember #4 about how we use pesticides to control pH? Yeah, the tank where pH is tested and where all the pears are dumped in before being packed is only emptied once a day. So the pears at the end of the day are in the dirty bathtub water of aaaaallllll the other pears. Yummy right?

10. Fruit is handled by a lot of people.

A lot of people are behind the fruit and veg you see at the grocery store. Everything you see has been vetted, selected and ordered for that store and price point. So while not every fruit you see in the store is ‘perfect’ there are lots more that never make it to the shelves for cosmetic reasons.

Some of the people that definitely have touched your fruit and veg before you are the fruit pickers, two tiers of packers, quality controllers, and the people who actually pack the shelves. That doesn’t take into account the entire chain of production, but at minimum three or four people have touched each item before you did. So wash your fruit and veg folks.

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Happy mother's day Mom! I love you and I'll talk to you soon. xoxo

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24. Purpose

One good thing about my job is the endless hours give you a lot of time to think. When I was sifting through hundreds of wet pears the other day, I spent most of my shift thinking about purpose. As my lovely coworker Julie constantly reminds me, you’ve got to remember why you’re doing this because otherwise, she grimly says, you might not make it.

My current job is to push pears on a conveyor belt half a foot forward and to make sure the machine doesn’t jam approximately every forty seconds for ten hours a day. I also pick out the rotten, squishy, bug bitten pears. I see pears the size of cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and as round as oranges. They can be white, orange, red and brown, but all of them smell like chlorine. Needless to say, it’s also very, very repetitive.

Julie’s mantra has me thinking. My purpose right now is to get my visa for another year in Australia. Every morning when I wake up, my purpose is to get ready for work so I can succeed. I practice this every day by eating good food, laughing, listening to music, making an effort to talk to friends and fam at all hours of the day. My world at this packing shed is very small, and it’s worth mining all the good out of this experience so I make it through the next two months.

And I can do it. Saving up, planning my next adventure. Making an effort to maintain the friendships in my life, be creative.

When I decided to come to Australia, I told myself I had a year to figure out exactly what the hell I wanted to do with my degree and my career. The question “what is my purpose?” daunted me. I thought pressing pause on my life and moving around the world might help. But with each passing week in Oz, I panicked. I still hadn’t decided what I wanted to do and I wasn’t making any personal progress on why I came here.

Until the lovely Julie started saying several times a day, remember why you’re doing this. And I was left alone uninterrupted for hours afterward. Remember why you’re here.

What’s your purpose? The visa. With the added joy of saving lots of money. For Ryan. For the experience to travel, to give yourself time. For the visa. For the visa.

By the time I graduated last May, I was on autopilot. I was fed up with planning and school. My Grandpa passed away as soon as I started my job back at the city. I was miserable and had no motivation about anything really in my life. All I had going on just sort of ended.

My life right now isn’t like that. My current job forces me to put one foot in front of the other. At the end of the day, I’m mentally able to walk away from work and focus on the next thing, which is a big improvement over my other jobs that left me a giant ball of stress. Now, I can focus on myself.

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23. Farm work

Perks about farm work and living in the country:

Fresh air

Simple accommodation & simple lifestyle - the ultimate in minimalism and self care

Stars 🌟

No sucking up to middle management

$$$

Lots of time to think and reflect on things

Close to everything in a ten minute drive, (if I had a car)

Downsides to farm work :

Long hours and tired body

Limited internet and entertainment

Literally no privacy or space to make a phone call

Loud, wet workplace

Can't be a minute late ⏲️

Communal everything

Having to go to bed early (night 🦉)

Don't have a car