Our First Aussie BBQ

We heard a stand-up comedian describe an Aussie BBQ, saying if you invite 15 people, you buy 15 sausages, 15 slices of bread, and 48 slabs (cases) of beer.

Well, our first Aussie BBQ was actually hosted by Europeans, so maybe it doesn’t quite count, but we did have an excellent time, even if we were the only people to show up (remember, Aussies are notorious slackers). Kevin and I made a pact to accept every invitation we receive while we are here, so we said “absolutely” when his coworker Karen invited us over on Saturday night. Karen is a British accountant/programmer, and her husband, Martin is an analytical chemist from The Netherlands. They have been here over two years and consider Australia to be home, with no plans to return to colder climes.

Because Australia imports much of its professional talent, we have found that our situation is extremely common. We have already met dozens of people who have left their homelands in search of adventure and opportunity, some with property in limbo, some with no intention of returning, some already looking forward to their next destination. We met a Canadian family whose two year sabbatical turned into a sixteen year, five country odyssey. I can’t even think about that right now, but there is some comfort in being surrounded by people in similar circumstances with shared frustrations and observations…like what we are doing is not so outlandish after all. However, being Americans, we are a distinct minority.