This week I’d like to take a break from my [ NICE TO MEET YOU ] video series. Partially because it’s the week before spring break so naturally everything in my academic life seems to be converging and bursting into a fiery heap, but mostly because I want to take the time to explain why I decided to pursue this project in the first place. In doing so however, I will first explain how my dubbed “unconventional,” international upbringing shaped me into the person I am today.
So… I’m Australian.
Woah. Hold up. No way. You don’t sound like it.
I know. Let me explain.
My grade-school peers most likely know this about me, but many of the people I’ve befriended at university seem shocked when they find this out. Or confused. Understandably so. Over the past five or six years I’ve almost completely lost my accent. Now I speak with an American twang, yet still over-enunciate my vowels and use the words brekky, boot (when referencing the back of a car) and keen as, like my fellow Australians do. But trust me, I’m Australian, and most definitely proud of it.
I’m also from Colorado.
Okay. How does that work? Which parent is from the USA? So you ARE American.
Kind of. Once again, let me explain.
Both of my parents are Australian. They just happened to pursue careers as professional ski instructors in Aspen, Colorado, and Thredbo, New South Wales. My parents travelled between ski seasons in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, and when I came along in 1996 they brought me along for the ride. Shortly before starting kindergarten, my family moved to Bonny Hills, a small beach town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where I ultimately spent most of my childhood. Long story short, my younger brother and I grew up living between the Rocky Mountains of the U.S. and a sleepy surf town in Australia, attending school in both countries, switching back and forth each semester. In year 11, I decided to complete my high school diploma in the USA, which ultimately led to my decision to attend the UNC and the loss of my Australian accent (please hold for a moment of silence).
I absolutely adore both my homes, and if you follow me on Instagram, you’d know how much I obnoxiously post about each of them (sorry not sorry). Memories from my childhood consist of days spent in my front yard swinging from the “Tarzan rope” (a large rope hung from a large eucalyptus tree that stretched over our trampoline); BBQs with family friends at the beach (for the Americans reading this, we don’t ever have shrimp at said BBQs); playing cricket in the park; and *attempting* to surf as well as my father. I attended my small primary school wearing a uniform, loved Fridays because that’s the day my parents would let me get a “lunch order” from the canteen, went to Physie every Tuesday and Friday afternoon, and played in netball tournaments on Saturday mornings.
The “Tarzan rope” swing in my front yard. - Australia
Riding on the front of my father’s surf board. - Australia
Colorado also provided the goods when it comes to fond childhood memories. I recall accompanying my mother and father to work every day, either tagging along with their ski classes or bothering another poor ski instructor; bundling up in 5 million layers to go outside in the snow; playing a Martian in the 2nd grade play “Buddy Goes to Mars;” attending school cross-country skiing trips or hiking expeditions; having mufti day every day; and going skiing every weekend without fail… ok maybe there were a few lazy days here and there. These memories form a mosaic of two different cultures. Though both countries possess similar customs, the day-to-day’s are entirely unalike.
In ski lessons with mum — peep the double-chin. - USA
Just enjoying the great outdoors and such. - USA
While there have been plenty of hardships over the years (those in which I have no time to go into or particularly care to do so), I acknowledge that I am incredibly fortunate that I experienced a life full of international plane trips, skiing and surfing, American apple pie and Australian pavlova, yellow school bus rides and athletic carnivals. I will always be grateful to my parents for “blocking out the haterz,” those who doubted their decision to raise their children literally between two countries. Because of their determination to make it work, my brother and I were exposed to a variety of cultures from a young age and learned early on that there are many avenues to success. I also undoubtedly caught the travel bug, so at age 14 I left my family for the first time to live in Chamonix, France, for two weeks on a cultural Sister Cities Exchange. At 16 I travelled to Bariloche, Argentina, for a month-long language immersion trip. At UNC, I studied abroad twice — in Barcelona, Spain, and for a Maymester in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, China. Similarly, I’ve gone on countless domestic trips in the US and Australia because, in my opinion, they can be just as eye-opening.
I chose to immerse myself into other cultures or travel to different parts of the United States (and Australia) to push myself outside of my comfort-zone, force myself to consider the world from other perspectives, and also have fun… duh. When we take a moment to understand the perspectives of others we allow ourselves to be more empathetic, open-minded and connected to the world around us. Understanding the stories behind people and the places they come from humanize them, regardless of the differences you may have. That’s the whole point of my [ NICE TO MEET YOU ] video series…. which brings me to Part 2 of this post…
xx Bella
( [ NICE TO MEET YOU ] - But This Time It's Me (Part 2) coming soon)