Belonging

Belonging. It’s not nice when you don’t feel like you belong. I experienced it for around six months when I first moved to Australia, not because of what anyone was doing, just that it was an alien land with different rules and culture. It was very unsettling and there was a time when I felt almost apologetic for being here. I realised that I had to take responsibility, I had to learn new ways. I went out and learnt new areas, joined groups, chatted to people and decided to have fun. As the saying goes, smile and the world smiles with you. 

Why has this come up now? Well, I’m travelling in my car around Victoria for two weeks. Again, I’m in an alien environment, I don’t know the rules and I feel somewhat like I don’t know what I’m doing. But that’s normal for anyone doing something new for the first time. I guess this is what happens when I push outside my comfort zone in a big way. It gives me the greatest opportunity to grow, if I choose to.