Needless to say that through all these reminiscings I have also left out a lot...... but that is not the point - half the point is to prove to myself that I can blog everyday - the other is to remind myself of all the good things that have happened in my life - with them came some bad things.. but generally it was all well worth it.
As I touched on in my previous post my Sydney years were my worst. I was so close to a breakdown, physically, mentally and spiritually... yet now I can look back and see the good things in the those years. Hey, I lived in Sydney for 2 years in a nice flat in a nice neighborhood, went with mum to the Great Barrier Reef, saw the rehearsals for the opening ceremony, went to the closing ceremony of the para-olympics, saw some track and field events, got to host some excellent people from Iceland (all athletics freaks) drank some excellent Hunter Valley Wine, ah the Aunts Shiraz... brilliant. Imagined myself in love... realised that I was bluffing both myself and the other party... Had a car that I did not have to pay for in any respect... had a well earning job, met some great people and really really really learnt a lot about human nature and all my limitations.
So... from Sydney the direction was heading North. My ex boss from Melbourne (my hero) asked me to come work for him in Hamburg Germany... What an excellent city that is! I joked with them that I was the rent a friend - I kid, well I hope I kid, I hope that he got me to Germany, not only because he knew how unhappy I was but also because I might be an ok employee up there - but I have my doubts. Nepotism exists, I know, and I should not kid myself, but I did try to be a good "controller" and given the fact that he went south after a year and I had two bosses in Germany after him I suspect that I wasn't just there for my good looks and good humour...
I loved my time in Hamburg and seriously thought about accepting the offer to stay there after my "delegation" was over (I was on loan from Australia for 3 years), during my time there I was entitled to one home visit per year (ie home to Aus) I never took them up on this - instead most of my holidays were spent in Iceland - or with Narelle who was in London, or with Bernd and Amanda somewhere in Germany... While there I was also able to play host to my nieces and nephews that were travelling around Europe or living in Iceland. Again, I had a great flat, only six minutes by train to the office, a half hour walk into central Hamburg. I also made a lot of great friends in Hamburg through work.... the Germans are reserved like Icelanders, so it takes time to let them get to know you. They are not "over the top" friendly - but when they do become your friends they remain so. Which reminds me - I really need to get in touch.
On one of my holidays in Iceland, whilst in Hamburg, I heard that the house that I lived in before coming to Australia was for sale.... well, what else was there to do but buy it - and at a bargain price... most of the relatives here thought I was crazy. The house was really badly run down and required a lot of work. But hey, why not..... I sold my house in Australia, finally putting that part of my life to rest, and waited for the future to happen... Next step, closing the circle begun in 1968 and moving back to the house that I lived the first 5 years of my life in.
I miss Hamburg, I miss my friends in Germany - but I know that I will be back again..........
1 comment:
Agreed, Hamburg is fantastic. Had the best time staying with you there, hostess with the mostess!
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