The Daily Pinch

Moving to Australia pretty much changed my life. It's funny when things you dream of come true.

Just like the day I passed my final exam. Or the day I graduated. Crossed the street and had a cup of coffee. Just like any other day.

It hits you later on. And then you kind of forget what it felt like. Especially nice things, which sucks, because you remember the bad ones a long time.

Waking up every day to the song of parrots puts things in a different perspective. Days may be long, hard and too hot, and weekends may be busy, cloudy and too short. But I remind myself – not every day, but whenever I can – of where I am and what I do.

I saw this new series on the TV, and it made some feelings stir up inside me. This incredible awe and cluelessness, respect and admiration...

I walk on the same sand people walked on 50,000 years ago. I work with some of the last people to have walked out of the desert, I learn new ways – but the ways that have been present for tens of thousands of years.

Makes you think of your high school history lessons, doesn't it? It makes me remind (and keep reminding) myself of my new life...

Google it, watch it, share it.

Mooro/Goomap

As I started writing a bit about Australia, as well as a bit about Aborigines, I thought it might be good to write a tiny bit about Perth.*

Even though it's not considered the favourite city amongst Australians (and those who move to Australia), I actually think it's quite nice. Maybe my initial unfamiliarity is to blame, but I like the fact that it's big enough and small enough at the same time. You can find everything you need and still not have your toes stepped on by five million people. There's concerts all the time and it's not being skipped over (which is often the case with Zagreb), and at the same time it's cozy enough to have this laid back vibe.

Anyway, Perth got its name from the home of Sir George Murray. He was born in Perth, Scotland, and was the Colonial Secretary who at that time represented Perth Shires in the House of Commons. It was the colony's first Governor, James Stirling, who later wanted to honour this man and thus named the city after his hometown.

The city's Aboriginal name is Mooro or Goomap. Before the Europeans colonised the area (in the 19th century), it had been inhabited by the Whadjuk Noongar people for over 40,000 years, according to evidence by archaeological findings on the Upper Swan River. These Aborigines occupied the southwest corner of Western Australia, living as hunter-gatherers. The wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain were particularly important to them, both spiritually, featuring in local mythology, and as a source of food. Rottnest, Carnac and Garden Islands were also important to the Noongar. About 5,000 years ago the sea levels were low enough that they could walk to the limestone outcrops.

The area where Perth now stands was called Boorloo by the Aboriginals living there at the time of their first contact with Europeans in 1827. Boorloo formed part of Mooro, the tribal lands of the Yellagonga. It is one of several groups based around the Swan River and known collectively as the Whadjuk. The Whadjuk were part of a larger group of thirteen or more tribes which formed the south west socio-linguistic block known as the Noongar (meaning "the people" in their language), also sometimes called the Bibbulmun.

The first documented European sighting of the region was made by the Dutch Captain Willem de Vlamingh and his crew on 10 January 1697. Subsequent sightings between this date and 1829 were made by other Europeans, but as in the case of the sighting and observations made by Vlamingh, the area was considered to be inhospitable and unsuitable for the agriculture which would be needed to sustain a settlement (even though the present-day city lies on the mouth of the Swan river, close to the Indian Ocean and offering incredible protection and connection).

Although the British Army had established a base at King George Sound (later Albany) on the south coast of western Australia in 1826 in response to rumours that the area would be annexed by France, Perth was the first full-scale settlement by Europeans in the western third of the continent. The British colony would be officially designated Western Australia in 1832, but was known informally for many years as the Swan River Colony, after the area's major watercourse.

On 4 June 1829, newly arriving British colonists had their first view of the mainland, and Western Australia's Foundation Day has since been recognised by a public holiday on the first Monday in June each year. Captain James Stirling, aboard the Parmelia, said that Perth was "as beautiful as anything of this kind I had ever witnessed". On 12 August that year, Helen Dance, wife of the captain of the second ship, Sulphur, cut down a tree to mark the founding of the town.

It is clear that Stirling had already selected the name Perth for the capital well before the town was proclaimed, as his proclamation of the colony, read in Fremantle on 18 June 1829, ended "given under my hand and Seal at Perth this 18th Day of June 1829" by James Stirling Lieutenant Governor. The only contemporary information on the source of the name comes from Fremantle's diary entry for 12 August, which records that they "named the town Perth according to the wishes of Sir George Murray".

Beginning in 1831, hostile encounters (classic...) between the British settlers and the Noongar people – both large-scale land users with conflicting land value systems – increased considerably as the colony grew. This violent phase of the region's history culminated in a series of events in which the British overcame the indigenous people, including the execution of the Whadjuk elder Midgegooroo, the death of his son Yagan in 1833, and the Battle of Pinjarra (south of Perth) in 1834.

By 1843, when Yellagonga died, his people had begun to disintegrate after having been dispossessed of the land around the main settlement area of Perth. They retreated to the swamps and lakes north of the settlement area including Third Swamp, known to them as Boodjamooling. Boodjamooling continued to be a main camp-site for the remaining Noongar people in the Perth region, and was also used by travellers, itinerants  and homeless people. By the gold-rush days of the 1890s, they were joined by miners who were en-route to the Goldfields.

In 1850, Western Australia was opened to convicts at the request of farming and business people looking for cheap labour. Queen Victoria announced the city status of Perth in 1856. Australians are still known as Cons (Convicts) to lots of people around the World (especially Poms, as the Aussies refer to the British).

On 19 September 2006, the Federal Court of Australia brought down a judgment recognising Noongar native title over the Perth metropolitan area, in the case of Bennell vs. State of Western Australia [2006] FCA 1243.

To explain it a bit better, Native title is the recognition by Australian law that some Indigenous people have rights and interests to their land that come from their traditional laws and customs (which the organisation I work in provides services for). Native title rights and interests may include rights to:

• live on the area
• access the area for traditional purposes, like camping or to do ceremonies
• visit and protect important places and sites
• hunt, fish and gather food or traditional resources like water, wood and ochre
• teach law and custom on country.

Native title rights and interests differ from Indigenous land rights in that the source of land rights is a grant of title from government. The source of native title rights and interests is the system of traditional laws and customs of the native title holders themselves.

Perth (pronounced as /pɜrθ/, for those who can handle the IPA) is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia, with an estimated population of 1.83 million living in the Perth metropolitan area (more on Perth's population in future posts).

The first areas settled were on the Swan River, with the city's central business district and port (Fremantle) both still located on the river. As Fremantle was the first landfall in Australia for many migrant ships coming from Europe in the 1950s and 1960s, Perth started to experience a diverse influx of people, which included Italians, Greeks, Dutch, Germans, Croats, and many others (but I'll write more about that later).

The city's population increased substantially as a result of the Western Australian gold rushes in the late 19th century, largely as a result of emigration from the eastern colonies of Australia. During Australia's involvement in World War II, Fremantle served as a base for submarines operating in the Pacific Theatre. An influx of immigrants following the conclusion of the war was followed by a surge in economic activity as a result of several mining booms in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with Perth becoming the regional headquarters for a number of mining operations located around the state. As part of Perth's role as the capital of Western Australia, the state's Parliament and Supreme Court are located within the city, as well as Government House, the residence of the Governor of Western Australia.

Perth became known worldwide as the "City of Light" when city residents lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting the earth on Friendship 7 in 1962. The city repeated the act as Glenn passed overhead on the Space Shuttle in 1998. Perth came 9th in the Economist Intelligence Unit's August 2012 list of the world's most liveable cities.

*Info and photo taken from the Internet...

The big move

People who know me, who've heard about me move, or are simply interested in knowing more, often ask me how come I decided to take the step.

That big step.

Even when I decided it was time to apply for jobs abroad (which was an idea for a long time), people were both supportive and sceptic at the same time. That has proven to be even more obvious when the situation started developing and certain opportunities started arising.

People who welcomed the idea of me looking for abroad were surprised by the fact that I a) got a response, b) had an actual interview and c) got offered a position. After a couple of false alarms (because I've been offered positions, but nothing came through), people tended not to react as excitedly as the first couple of times.

I guess people get excited and happy that someone got a job, but due to the heavy situation that's currently going on, people have lost enthusiasm. And even though some were really happy for me, I guess that shadow of doubt didn't really think it was going to happen. That's what happens when you keep finding yourself in a gutter, which was starting to happen to me after looking for a job for almost two and a half years.

After being offered a position, I was a bit more careful with getting it out there. People were already suspicious enough and I didn't want to be the boy who cried wolf over and over again. It got out there and people were sincerely and openly happy.

I accepted the position, started dealing with the paperwork, gathered all the necessary documents, applied for my visa and started planning my move when I got asked if I was really going to go through with it.

I guess it's that shadow again. Everyone would like to get away, change the situation they're in, and finally start living the life that they crave. Some people may have doubted me and my determination, and maybe even thought I would never do it when the time came.

But I did it. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying I'm a miracle maker. Many have taken the step (or maybe I should use the term jump) and there will be many after me, when it was way harder and when there was no jets and Skype and cheap phone calls.

Nevertheless, it's not easy. Hanging around people who've moved a lot makes it easier. It makes me realize that people around the world do it on a regular basis, that moving is not such a big deal after all, and that I have to focus on the benefits and not the lacks of it.

A lot of people ask me how I'm doing, whether I'm going out or hanging around at home, what I find nice and what creeps me out, if there's really all those snakes and sharks, and how I cope with the heat. The problem is I can't boil it down to a sentence in the chat window, nor in a short group or copy/paste e-mail.

Maybe that's where this blog actually falls in, as my window to the world, as the salvation from all the endless repetition. And maybe that'll make things easier.

I do miss my friends, I still need time to adjust and, if not get get used to things, at least not find them weird. The come-back-from-work-have-dinner-lie-on-the-couch life is freaking me out a bit, but I'm getting out there. Parties, beach runs, lunches, home visits...

I'm getting there...

Yours sincerely,
Newbie Lost Dork in Oz

Note: This just came out during my break at work. I hope no one gets offended by the sudden avalanche of thoughts...

About Perth

First of all, I have to mention that I'm sitting on my bed with the laptop in my lap, hoping it will give me some warmth. Nine degrees in Croatia is definitely not the same as nice degrees over here.


Secondly, I was going to share some information about Perth, which I heard from people or read in various guides. So, here goes.


Perth was founded in 1829 by Captain James Stirling as the Swan River Settlement (Swan river is the one that central Perth is situated on), who - unlike the Dutch - found the newly discovered land attractive.


But before him, Indigenous Australians lived here, arriving from the north about forty to sixty thousand years ago. They have lived peacefully and in concord with the nature up until Australia was occupied by Westerners. Classic story.


I say occupied because Indigenous Australians consider the discovery to be the start of their doom. They have been placed into camps, the land was taken from them and they were pushed to the brink of the society, drained by killings, alcoholism and disease.


But let's keep it on the sunny side, shall we?


Perth is said to have the best weather in Australia and even on the globe ("Perth has the weather California thinks it has."), which puts it high on the list of the most desirable places to live. Up until fifteen or so years ago it has been a cosy little city, but it's getting busier by the second.


During the history, its position enabled it to develop rapidly. The Swan river enabled transportation, while the curvy river meander protected the city from the Indian Ocean. Strangely enough, the English found it more suitable for convicts, who they kept sending down here during the mid 19th century.


Once gold was discovered around 1890, the population exploded and the city and its surrounding were filled with arriving workers, which made Perth as the colony's trade capital. Fremantle (where I went for lunch earlier today) had its port upgraded to cope with the increasing demand and it has kept its architecture untouched even today.


The discovery of various types of ore pushed it even further along the road of development, so that today some of the biggest mining companies have their offices located in Perth (of course, the ones with the most money have the biggest buildings).


Offering attractions ranging from water parks and zoos to buildings that make music and numerous parks and museums, it seems to be the perfect place for young professionals and fresh families.


Let's see how that goes...

Vis

This is where I'm going to this weekend.

I slowly (but steadily) started panicking about leaving in seven or so days, and realized I could really use another short break, just to keep my mind from racing.

Many people expect me to hang around here, but it just seems too hard. So I figured I could go visit D, who's gone there last week to work. Even if it's only for the weekend, it will surely be great.

I've had plans to go to Vis for years now, but being a student and usually broke, I was always denied the opportunity. This will therefore be the perfect opportunity to roam the island a bit, hang out with D and say our final third-luck-is-a-charm goodbyes.




Here's some info on the island, copied from here, just because I'm too lazy to write...

The island of Vis is the most protruding Croatian island with an area of 90.30 km2. The channel of Hvar separates it from the island of Hvar, and the Biševo channel from the island of Biševo. It is approximately 60 miles away from the Italian coast. The island has three mountains stretching across it, and between these mountains are karstic fields. Hum has the highest altitude (585 m), Sveti Duh (563 m), and Mali Hum (514 m). Here's a map of Vis.

The first people settled in Vis in 3000 B.C. They were of Mediterranean background. In 2000 B.C. they were pushed aside by the Illyrians which formed their own government in the fifth and sixth century B.C. The Sirakuski tyrant of Dimitrij the Elder in approximately 397 years B.C. established his colony on Vis and its settlers expanded their influence towards the central-Dalmatian islands. The Illyrian king Agron I and queen Teuta, who where defeated by the Romans in 219 B.C., threatened the authority of Vis (Issa). Since then Issa has acknowledged the authority of Rome.

After the downfall of the Western Roman Empire (year 476), Vis at one time acknowledged the authority of the Goths and then the Byzantines. The Croats started settling in Vis in the seventh century. Vis was occupied and destroyed by the Venetians and under Venetian authority from 1420. With peace in Campoformio in 1797, Venice hands it over to Austria, and after peace in Požun in 1805 it comes under the French who fortify it. In March 1811, the English fleet struck a hard defeat to the French-Italian fleet and occupied Vis.

By Regulations of the Vienna Congress of 1814, it was returned to Austria till 1918 when it was occupied by the Italians. In 1921, by the Rapal Contract, it belonged to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenians. In 1941 it was occupied by the Italians under whose government it stayed until the capitulation of Italy in 1943. After this it became the military-navy base of the Partisan army in socialistic Yugoslavia, Vis was closed to outsiders because of its strategic position (this regulation was terminated in 1989) and the entire island was turned into a large military fort.

But this isolation, however difficult it was for the inhabitants of the island of Vis, placed Vis among the favorite destinations of the entire Mediterranean when Croatia became independent. Beautiful beaches, preserved nature, ecological agriculture and preserved traditional architecture are unique advantages of thisunique island.
The locals are into agriculture, fishing and tourism. The coasts of the island are sloped and separated. To the west of the island is the Komiža bay and to the north is the Vis harbor. Vis has always been an island of fishermen and winegrowers. Komiža on the island of Vis is considered the cradle of fishing in the Adriatic, and in times gone by, the Komiža fishermen where well known in all Mediterranean harbors as experts in their field. Today the Fishing Museum in Komiža shows the famous history of the Vis fishermen.

Monastery in Vis town is said that the first grape vine in Dalmatia was planted by the ancient Greeks and that it was planted on a Vis field. The most famous authentic white wineis definitely the famed Vis Vugava, which you can try in numerous restaurants and cellars on the island. The Greek writer Agatarhid said that the wine from Vis was, compared to all others, better.

If we add to this unique historical, cultural, and natural heritage the beautiful crystal clear sea, stunning hidden beaches, bays and islands, kind hosts and comfortable accommodation in private houses and apartments, it is clear why Vis is the favorite tourist destination for those visitors who want to try the unique and almost gone authentic Mediterranean environment and way of life.

We invite you to visit Vis island, and we are sure you will never forget it!