Australians - a group on FW?

[yarra]

Hi Aussies, If you see this post. Are you interested in identifying yourselves as Aussies in this forum. I know there used to be an Aussie group, but as far as I know it doesn't exist any more.
I'm Ellen, from Melbourne. Any other Melbourne folk on FW?

[Deb Porter]

Hi Yarra. Go for it.

We did have an Australian neighbourhood until early last year (along with a lot of other neighbourhoods ... separate forums for each part of the world). We decided to get rid of them because they were actually stopping people mixing, but individual threads are fine (as long as everyone still mingles together).

Love, Deb (who is from sweltering Sydney)

[yarra]

Thanks for your reply Deb. I agree about not being 'exclusive' in mixing on FW. I'm just curious as to who on FW is a 'local.'
I hope you soon get some cool weather up there. Yesterday was an all-time record I believe. The only time we experienced that sort of high temperature was on the terrible Black Saturday of 2009. We've had some 40+ ones this year, and lots of 35+ ones. Not nice!
Eastern Aus is in a bad state weather and bushfire wise. But I pray that in all this, people will turn to the Lord, and also see his love displayed through people.

[Sparrow]

They used to call me a Quasi Kwassie on that thread because I'm from the U.S. but lived with Chrissy (a FaithWriter) for a month in Australia and was a regular on that Down Under thread of Aussies and Kiwis.

[jerseygirl]

I only wished I was from Australia especially during my oh so lovely (not) Arizona summers. I am new to Faith Writers but not new to writing -- a level ll and would love to have a buddy; a person that I could give and share mutual feed back with as well as pray for one another. I love to pray! I write primarily poetry but also do some devotional writing. What kind of writing do you like to do? I am wondering what the time difference is between where you are and where I am? My mom and step dad visited your lovely country as well as New Zealand a year ago by ship and loved their excursions. I know this is dumb and I am sure you probably have, but have you ever seen one of those cute koala's up close and personal? I can't believe I just asked that. Have a blessed week. Jerseygirl

[helen1975]

Hi everyone,

I am an Aussie from Adelaide. I really love the idea of having a 'local' group, as well as joining in with others from around the world.

I must admit I've been AWOL of late; going through several "storms of life" all at once, so my creative energy has been redirected to maintain critical life support systems (if you're a Star Trek fan you'll get those references ).

I am hoping to be back into it all again really soon; I miss the involvement in FWers.

Blessings,

Helen

PS: Don't know if this will work, but here's a link to some pics on my FB profile of us meeting a koala just before Christmas. XO

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =3&theater

[yarra]

Hi all who've replied,
Thanks! I haven't got around to looking here for a little while. To Jerseygirl - yes, I have seen a koala up close and personal, and patted one at one wildlife park. Generally they don't let people pat them though. I've also seen them in the wild. Cute and cuddly? Well, I don't want to disillusion you, but I believe they are scratchy, and they make very unpleasant noises at night. I've heard them when camping in a tent. But, none-the-less, they are very, very cute.

Re a buddy - I don't think I can commit to being anyone's buddy at this stage as I don't think I'd have the time to do it well - too many other things on the go.

Helen: I think you've told me before that you're from Adelaide. Is that right? Do you ever come to Melbourne?

Amy: We welcome any quasi-Aussies to be almost Aussies. Where in Australia did you spend some time?
By the way, today, 26th January, is Australian Day. So, HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY! We had a barbecue, and pavlova for dessert. Very Aussie!
Ellen

[Shann]

Hi Yarra. Go for it.

We did have an Australian neighbourhood until early last year (along with a lot of other neighbourhoods ... separate forums for each part of the world). We decided to get rid of them because they were actually stopping people mixing, but individual threads are fine (as long as everyone still mingles together).

Love, Deb (who is from sweltering Sydney)

I must admit Deb, I'm not crazy about hot weather. Before I got sick, I used to get so cold, then when my body started fighting the pain made my body fight it( plus I gained tons of weight) and I said I'd never complain about being cold again. Though this week has been hard. The temp has dropped below zero everyday this week (Fahrenheit not Celsius) and I struggled to keep the house above 55. So I'm a teensy bit jealous.

And I know you're looking to see who lives in your neck of the woods ( or do you say neck of the outback? I'm sorry that was bad ) but you can always pop into the Pacific Coast Rest Stop or the Southern Porch. They are both smaller groups where the people are like a close family and the rest of FW is the wonderful extended family who you work really hard to stay in touch with. You don't need to live on the Pacific or in the South. I live in Western NY and pop into the Rest Stop every day. I'm an oddball
The Rest Stop people are a tad wackier than others which is why I fit in there:-) So feel free to pop in as well as starting an Aussie thread.

[Sparrow]

Amy: We welcome any quasi-Aussies to be almost Aussies. Where in Australia did you spend some time?

I was in a smaller town a little outside of Sydney. I got to pet a koala, too! It felt very much like sheep wool, surprisingly. It was very greasy and curly.

[yarra]

Sparrow/Amy, They are great photos of you with the kangaroo and the koala! Yes, you definitely qualify to be a quasi- Aussie!

Shann, It sure sounds cold where you are. We've seen some photos of extreme cold in Northern Hemisphere on our news, while here in Australia, we have had extreme heat in parts - south eastern; bushfires also in south eastern Aus - some very bad, and now extreme flooding in the tropical north eastern area - Queensland, where they've also had some tornadoes. And down here, in the south, we haven't had rain (apart from a few spots) for over 2 months.

If only we could email a bit of warmth or cool, or rain! Keep dropping into the Aus thread and hopefully you'll feel a little warmer!

God bless, Ellen

[jerseygirl]

Hi all who've replied,
Thanks! I haven't got around to looking here for a little while. To Jerseygirl - yes, I have seen a koala up close and personal, and patted one at one wildlife park. Generally they don't let people pat them though. I've also seen them in the wild. Cute and cuddly? Well, I don't want to disillusion you, but I believe they are scratchy, and they make very unpleasant noises at night. I've heard them when camping in a tent. But, none-the-less, they are very, very cute.

Re a buddy - I don't think I can commit to being anyone's buddy at this stage as I don't think I'd have the time to do it well - too many other things on the go.

Helen: I think you've told me before that you're from Adelaide. Is that right? Do you ever come to Melbourne?

Amy: We welcome any quasi-Aussies to be almost Aussies. Where in Australia did you spend some time? That must have been neat to pat one especially since they don't normally tolerate that well. I have heard that they aren't too cuddly in person but the are totally cuddly! Thanks for your honestly on the buddy thing... I think I have some prospects plus just reading the good writing on the site has helped me to zero in on honing some things. Take care and God Bless...
By the way, today, 26th January, is Australian Day. So, HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY! We had a barbecue, and pavlova for dessert. Very Aussie!
Ellen

[jerseygirl]

Yara -- So cool that you got to pat a koala because I had read that most of them have a "prickly personality" with people. Thanks for being candid about the buddy thing, I think I may actually have a few prospects and in the mean time reading the writing of the different entry levels is really helping me to zero in on some things and hone my writing a bit. Helen -- Thanks for sending that link to me so I could hopefully look at that pic of you and your family with the koala at Christmas. When I clicked on it, it said that the link could no longer be found or something to that effect. Sparrow -- Thank you so much for sharing your pics. The one of the baby koala was quite adorable. I am really glad I asked the question now. Thanks to one and all and God Speed!

[Sparrow]

Sparrow -- Thank you so much for sharing your pics. The one of the baby koala was quite adorable.

Glad you liked them! I think that koala was actually an adult. They are fairly small. But I may be remembering wrong. That whole trip was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I went to stay with a FaithWriter, Chrissy, actually, as she was waiting for back surgery and needed some extra help. Then on the weekends her husband would take us around sightseeing. I got to see the Sydney opera house from different angels than you usually see in the pictures and all sorts of things. But I think one of the best parts was that I was just living there. Other than some weekend visits, I wasn't really doing tourist things. Just living life and going grocery shopping and to doctor appointments and church and getting the real experience of life in Australia.

[yeggy]

Just found this thread, Yarra.

When I finally got through the issues that were stopping me getting onto FW the first place I went to was the Aust/NZ forum and was dissapointed that it had gone.

No idea it had got clicky (sorry can't spell it the correct way, too lazy to look it up). A

nyhow I do miss it as we are, compared with the US contingency, such a small mob and it's easy for me to miss who is who and doing what.

So, I used to live in Darwin and now live in Dubbo in Central NSW.

[yarra]

Hi Yeggy, Sorry I haven't replied to your post earlier. I haven't been looking at the forums much and have been pretty busy with lots of other things. But, it's good to meet another Aussie here. I've been to Dubbo only once, a few years ago when my husband and I drove from Melbourne up to Coffs Harbour, through various towns including Dubbo. I live in Melbourne.
I think it's interesting to find out who else on FW lives in Australia, so thanks for your reply. I'll try to look here a bit more often! Ellen