I was all set to get a pretty good job in The Netherlands and work and travel there for the time being, when I decided to accept a job offer in Meekatharra, a town of 1000 people in outback Western Australia. Some people find this very strange.

To understand this decision, we have to rewind to my childhood (sorry!). My father is a builder/carpenter and in 1990 we moved from Perth to Bidyadanga (200km south of Broome) because he got a job as builder coordinator with the indigenous community there. In 1991 we lived in Nullagine (between Marble Bar and Newman) and dad was the general coordinator for the indigenous community. Then we moved down to Bridgetown, back to The Netherlands, then back to Australia and he’s been building houses but also has had project management jobs, and for quite a few years was working with disabled people (there’s a more politically correct term isn’t there?).

So he wanted a change, and I was talking to a friend who knew there was a position free in Meekatharra as CDEP coordinator (Community Development Employment Projects). Dad got that job and has been up there since July. Mum is also there and has just started work as a carer in the small nursing home.

Now they need a facilities/office manager, and I happen to have a bachelor degree in facilities management (management of buildings, vehicles, office, maintenance, cleaning etc) and experience in office management. I also have a strong interest in working with a small local company, vaguely (or not), ‘social justice’ related. It’s about creating employment for local people. There’s not much out there, and not everyone can or wants to work in mining!

So I’ve got a 3 month contract with Yulella, will  be living with my parents some of the time and housesitting at other times, and I start work next week. Just waiting for my father to come back from The Netherlands (funeral :( ) and then we drive up there on Tuesday. I will be working part time, leaving enough time to manage EnjoyPerth! (EnjoyPerth is another reason why coming back to WA made sense, and the fact that I’m definitely home here now!).

I’m excited! :D

Here some more about Yulella and Meekatharra. It was written in 2007, so things have changed a bit since then.

Yulella is a community body that oversees the local CDEP (Community ?Development and Employment Program) initiative in Meeka – as well as several outstations in Cue, Mt Magnet, and smaller remote localities in the region. It also runs several businesses in town – a very successful building company, a general goods store (also doing quite well), a mechanical services business and other business ventures that are currently mothballed – largely due to management issues. Up until a few years ago Yulella managed it’s CDEP quite effectively too. However since the change over to DEWR as our funding manager, and the change of focus on how CDEPs now go about doing the business – we have shifted from what was once a program involved in creating social change and empowerment (through good community development practices), to becoming another Job Network Provider for DEWR. CDEP no longer has a community development focus – they are now only required to manage a program that is ALL about employment goals and outcomes.

Meekatharra is a small town situated on the Great Northern Highway. It’s situated approximately 850 km from Perth, is at least 5 hours inland from the coastal town of Geraldton, and approximately the same travelling distance from the major mining town of Newman – north of Meekatharra. Meekatharra is predominantly a mining town – with a goldmining history – but is also surrounded by large pastoral leases, where the Stations in the region run both cattle and sheep. Meekatharra can be quite hot in Summer (mostly over 40 Degrees C), quite cool in winter (close to desert type temperatures and conditions), and dry for the most part – though this is subject to wet bursts depending on cyclones running down the west coast during the wet season up North. If you enjoy prospecting for gold – then Meekatharra is a good place to be.

Unfortunately I left The Netherlands as I arrived, with a family death. My awesome uncle, Piet Oepkes, passed away suddenly while on holiday in France with his much loved wife Heika. Luckily I was able to see my aunt before I left, and my father is on his way to The Netherlands as I write, to support his sister and attend the funeral. Just two weeks ago my uncle and I went boating through the canals near their house. And we have many more great memories. He left us too soon, but peacefully and painlessly.

I have just started a new flickr 365 project, taking a photo of something every day.

I start with a boring photo of where I’ve been sitting for most of the last week. But big things have been happening. Firstly I’ve been working hard on EnjoyPerth! Added a lot of new content, talked to people about all sorts of things, and have been liaising with the designer about the new design coming soon.

I’ve been following Australian politics. Frustrating to see what Labor and Liberal are focussing on, but awesome to see The Greens get a bigger following because of it. Much more to say about this, but not in this post.

And then a few days ago: I was all set to get a (part-time) job here in The Netherlands with the biggest retail corporation in The Netherlands (and one of the biggest on the east coast of the US), when my dad offered me a job. In Meekatharra, 750kms north of Perth (500kms east of Geraldton).
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He (with mum) has recently moved to Meekatharra to start there as CDEP Coordinator (Community Development Employment Projects) with an indigenous corporation that runs a number of shops and businesses there.

They need someone there to manage facilities (buildings, vehicles) and the office, and I happen to have a degree in Facilities Management and experience in office management.

I said no. Then I changed my mind 12hrs later, while sitting here chatting to my brother on msn. It’s a fixed term contract, but it’s in a field that I have interest in, in a location that I’m keen to explore and see if I could live there for a longer period in the future (or an area like it, ie outback WA). I have lived in remote communities before, but I was a child (we lived in Bidyadanga near Broome in 1991 and Nullagine near Marble Bar in 1992). I hope to continue my travelling next year!

So the last few days have been very busy organising flights and my last few weeks in Europe. I’d already bought tickets for a big music festival in Belgium on 19/20/21 August, so I’m not leaving till after that. And I’ve just booked flights to Austria and back from Switzerland for this week. I’ll be couchsurfing! And seeing the alps for the first time!

It’s been great spending more time than ever in Zaandam, where I was born and where all my relatives live. I hadn’t lived here since I was 5. Have been able to spend time with family, and visit some old friends, but not all unfortunately! I’ll be back!

I’m listening to music from the 50’s till now and there’s so much I like and I’ve never heard before (or haven’t paid attention to), I really don’t need any new music in my life any time soon! I only discovered Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath one or two years ago. I’m a running a bit behind…

I have gone through phases where I haven’t listened to music much at all, as my head is too busy, I can’t handle the extra ‘noise’. Or I just forget to put music on. And I couldn’t listen to music in my job that I had until last year.

I feel this is weird as I’m surrounded by people for which music is their life. It can be powerful for me too though. And I love going to see/hear live music, especially if there’s energy and I can be right amongst it, preferably right near the front. Yes, I enjoy getting bumped around and sweaty in moshpits.

A while ago I set up a last.fm account which keeps track of what I listen to in itunes. Interesting (for myself at least). It’s also making me listen to things I’ve never listened to (yes, all that copied music from friends…). At the moment I’ve listened to around 250 artists since signing up in March, but I have nearly 700 artists in itunes!

Photo: Alice in Chains at Soundwave 2009, soooo good!

I was planning to be here later in the year. Unfortunately I’m here early because last week my grandma, Oma Han Kloos, passed away very suddenly from a stroke, at age 78. It is difficult for us that we couldn’t say goodbye, but we’re happy she did not have to suffer through a long illness, rehabilitation or nursing homes. May she rest in peace.

This is what I have written to read at the funeral today. Translated from Dutch so a bit wonky:

I didn’t grow up with my grandma nearby because I lived in Australia from age 5 to 14, and that was of course harder on her than it was on me, her only granddaughter, because I didn’t know any better.

Of course I do have some memories, and photos. We visited Madurodam before we left Holland. And she arrived in Australia the day before my 7th birthday and brought me a doll that I still own.

But the last few years, everything changed. I moved back to Australia after living in Holland in my teenage years and seeing Oma a little more often of course.
Now we’ve become close with help from the internet.
We emailed, spoke and saw each other via video chat on skype, and both took a lot of photos and uploaded those to flickr and left comments.

With big thanks to SeniorWeb.nl and Oma’s independence. As long as I can remember she’s had to be independent. Mobile phones, programming tv and video, travelling to Australia, etc etc.

Often there are complaints that the internet creates superficial relationships. My relationship with my grandma proves the opposite, and for people separated by distance, whether it’s 24 hours in an airplane or a few hours in the car, I believe it’s a great way to stay in contact and even to become closer.

I’ve had many messages expressing sympathy from friends in Australia, who have never met Oma, but often saw her messages on flickr and facebook, and heard my stories about her. Cyber Oma was very cool!

Change is inevitable. I think Oma is a good example of why it’s good to change with the times and learn new things, and that it’s still possible at age 78.

Unfortunately change also means we now have to come to terms with the fact that so suddenly and unexpectedly, Oma isn’t here anymore. May she rest in peace.

So today I’m starting with a simple post (and even though I started this at around 9am, I’m now finishing it at 9pm, oooops!).

The books next to my bed:

Cloudstreet – Tim Winton
West Australian classic, I bought it at a second hand bookshop in Melbourne (yeah, I need to blog about Melbourne) recently for $10. I’ve only read Lockie Leonard by Tim Winton in the past, in high school. I’m really enjoying it so far, and going through it quite quickly considering how little I read when at home. I heard they’ve been filming the movie for this book, and I want to read the book before I see the movie, even though I often don’t get around to seeing movies either!

No Logo – Naomi Klein
A ‘classic’ ant-corporate movement book now, I’ve been meaning to read it since about 2002, when a class mate in uni recommended it. He went on to work for the socialist political party in The Netherlands. Maybe he still does. Got this from the library in Fremantle (I really don’t want to buy new books anymore, it’s silly). Only just started it. Trying to finish Cloudstreet now first.

A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
I’ve owned this around 5 years now, at the time I only got as far as one chapter. Now I’m nearly half way. Skipping bits of it though. It’s reminded me that I do really like science in general, but I struggle with physics.

The Worst-case Scenario Handbook – Piven and Borgenicht
Found this in a cafe in Pai, Northern Thailand and bought it (second hand). Amusing, though serious. How to break into a car, ram a car, how to fend off a shark, escape from killer bees, jump from a building into a dumpster, jump from a moving car, how to deliver a baby in a taxicab, etc. The first one, how to escape from quicksand, is written with Dr Karl (of his books and triplej fame in Australia).

My Natives and I – Daisy Bates
I want to learn more about indigenous Australian history, and I have many books to read, some of which are not next to my bed. This is a controversial one apparently. I haven’t started it yet. Bought at the West Australian Museum last year.

This is Not a Book – Keri Smith
A very random ‘book’ that wants you to be creative. Gives you random tasks to do, which often include drawing on , writing on or changing the pages in this book physically. A friend who works in a bookshop in Leederville gave it to me as for some reason it had to be removed from the shop. I nearly gave it to a friend, but he insisted I take it, as I’m always saying I’m not creative. I’ve done some of it. Really should continue.

Volunteer travellers guide – Lonely Planet
My friend Emily gave this book to me for my birthday before travelling last year. I still haven’t got round to doing any volunteer work anywhere. Several reasons. One is that I didn’t give myself enough time in south east asia. Most volunteering needs a commitment of at least a month. Secondly, volunteering would usually mean I’d be offline too much to be able to run EnjoyPerth.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
A classic that I’ve never read. I’ve never been in to anything sci fi, fantasy or space related. Started it 2 years ago, was ok. Came across it in Kmart and it didn’t have a price tag and wasn’t in their system, so they charged me $5!
Not sure why I feel I need to finish certain books that I don’t get in to when it just holds me up reading others. I guess there’s other books I have pushed on with and have really loved in the end. A recent example is ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’, though ‘loved’ is the wrong word. Woah!

In recent times, I’ve changed my thinking. I *think* I won’t be properly happy until I feel I’m doing more things with more purpose. Of course the idea of what is ‘purposeful’ is a relative thing. That’s why I’m saying ‘more purposeful for me’. For me that means being more directly involved in helping other people and doing some good for society in general. I’m not going to go into what exactly, as partly I haven’t figured that out yet. Because it needs to be things I’m passionate about and obviously I will enjoy doing.
I would get stressed about it, but these days I generally remember that I can’t save the whole world, but everything I do do, is something.

This has been coming for quite some time. But this blog post has partly been inspired by the TEDxPerth event I went to last night. (link to TED and link to TEDxPerth facebook, real site coming soon).
I learnt about Transition Culture in this TED talk by Rob Hopkins. And then we had some group discussion.
Anyway, I could talk a lot about the whole night, and I might in the future, but for now this:

We discussed reasons we’ve had in the past, not to do ‘something’:
Being judged (Hippy!)
I’m just one person, I can’t change the whole world.
I already do more than most people
If they’re not doing it, why should I?!
I’ll do something once…the house is flooded. We’ve run out of oil…etc.
Ignorance – I don’t actually know enough about a lot of stuff
And there’s probably more.

Well, as said above, times for me have changed.

“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change” – yes, yes, Michael Jackson.

I have plans that I don’t want to go into publicly yet, but here are some small things I’m doing.
I am trying to be an ecotarian. At the moment that means I’m eating a LOT less meat than I ever have (not quite managing 100% vegetarian but close. Tonight I had beef for the first time in months (I think) and regretted it, my stomach hurt, ha!), and I’m trying to shop local (see this video about Woolies and Coles by ABC’s Hungry Beast), and buy less ready made stuff. But obviously I can change a lot more in my life: slowly but surely, everything helps.
And I’m looking into volunteer work and have started by joining the Big Help Mob. Oh, and for fun and exercise and a good cause I’m doing the HBF Run for a Reason, help me raise money for Lifeline!

This all makes sense to me and I’m feeling positive. I’ve started caring less about what other people think, but not completely. I would love it if you left a comment and shared your thoughts on this with me :) And remember this was written at midnight after a long day :p

In other news…Bloggers meetup tonight (Wednesday 21 April) at the Brass Monkey in Northbridge from about 7pm. Message me for details or see the facebook page.

2009
Lived in Mt Lawley with Pat
Lived in Fremantle with Raf and Ayesh and random couchsurfers
Was a couchsurfing host a few times and a couchsurfer once in Karratha
New Years camping in Boranup, cave, and Southbound Festival in Busselton
Cleared out and cleaned the Thornlie house and handed over the keys
Outdoor movies, beach, parties parties parties (any excuse, usually dressups), drumming on the beach, endangered wildlife in the hills, circus shows, garage sales, soup kitchen mondays, Freeway Bike Hike, weekends south to visit the parents, Jazz Cellar, World Pillow Fight Day, Yanchep NP, Rock Paper Scissors World Championship Heat, Black Books, red wine, Creatures Loft…
Big Day Out (Neil Young, Cog, Mammal…), Perth Festival gigs, Soundwave Festival (Alice in Chains, NIN, Lacuna Coil…), West Coast Blues n Roots, Cog, Karnivool, RTR In the Pines Festival, The Black Keys, Jeff Martin, lots of local gigs Went on ABC720 a couple of times talking about what’s on in Perth at 6.30am on a Saturday morning
Roadtrip to the Goldfields
Quit my job of 4.5 years to concentrate on EnjoyPerth! and travel
Sold or gave away half my belongings and put the rest in storage at my parents house
Did housesitting in Canning Vale, Innaloo and Shenton Park for friends
Esperance roadtrip with Dhugal where I sprained my foot/ankle
Changed my tattoo
Roadtrip to Broome and back via the Pinnacles, Geraldton, Hutt River Province, Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Exmouth, Ningaloo/Cape Range National Park, Karajini National Park, Nullagine, 80 Mile Beach, Broome, Bidyadanga, Karatha with Raf and Doug
Officially got divorced (it’s a boring yellow piece of paper)
Made a heap of new friends and strengthened some older friendships
Backpacked around southeast asia for nearly 6 months:
Indonesia: Climbed Rinjani, the second highest mountain in Indonesia and saw lava flow from the volcano, Komodo Dragons, extreme food poisoning, lazing on tropical islands, snorkelling, good books.
Malaysia: caves, rope bridges in the jungle, snorkelling with turtles, reef sharks and nemo, awesome Indian food, jungle tour to see the Rafflesia and 4WD, a lot of whiskey
Vietnam: Vietnam War history and remnants of French colonialism (baguettes, cheese, architecture), mud in the streets from Typhoon Ketsana, met up with Emily and toured around central Vietnam, sleeper bus, sleeper train, hired a bicycle, hired a scooter, trekked through the mountains and stayed over night with a Red Dzao (hill tribe) family and did shots of rice whiskey, boat tour of Halong Bay.
Thailand: Thai cooking course, scooters, waterfalls, hot springs, Cave Lodge, awesome coffin cave, Loi Krathong, fireworks from a hotel roof, elephant conservation centre, ancient city, burmese border towns and refugees, trekking through the jungle to the best waterfall in Thailand, crazy Bangkok, lazy days with Raf on an island in the south, back tattoo, motorbike with Eric, scooter roadtrip around Kanchanaburi
Cambodia: the ancient and amazing temples of Angkor, blood tests, dengue fever, khmer rouge history in Phnom Penh
Laos: christmas in Luang Prabang with the Lapinskis, fancy french dinner, another awesome waterfall, Plain of Jars, lots of french rum at the Auberge, more awesome caves, tubing through a cave filled with water, nye in Vientiane with friends…we made it last for 6 days… More on that in the Laos post I will hopefully do tomorrow.

I could regret certain things from the past (education, work and relationship choices), but I choose to see them as learning experiences, just ‘life’, and generally I’ve had a lot of fun. Things I didn’t do and still want to do (like more travel, different ‘career’ choices’), is going to happen slowly. The main thing I struggle with is how much I want to do, and the limited time (and sometimes funds) I have. But it’s about choices, and it’s awesome I have the freedom to make these choices and prioritise.

So this was 2000 to 2009…

Major life events + education + work:
Graduated from high school in The Netherlands (2000)
Started and graduated from university in The Netherlands, a bachelor in business administration-facilities management (long story what this is, why I started it, what changed for me during) (2000-2004)
Got a car license, got a car with P (black Peugot Uno)
Moved in to an apartment with P (2002)
Married P (2003)
Moved to Perth, Western Australia with P (I’d lived in WA as a child and have dual citizenship) (2004)
Worked at G in various admin positions (2004-2009)
Bought a house in Thornlie (2005)
Started the blog EnjoyPerth!, now a proper website (2006)
Bought a rescue dog, Bailey (2006)
Divorced P, sold the house and found Bailey a good new home (2008)
Lived in various locations in Perth with friends/family (2008/2009)
Quit my job to concentrate on EnjoyPerth! and travel the world (2009)

Holidays:
Backpacked through Australia with P, WA, NT, QLD, NSW (2000)
Camping in Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and The Netherlands (2001-2004)
City trips to London, Berlin, Barcelona and various in The Netherlands (2001-2004)
Many camping trips around WA with various people (2004-2009)
Holiday with family and P in The Netherlands (2007)
Roadtrip to Broome via Ningaloo, Karajini etc etc with Raf and Doug (2009)
Backpacked around Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, mostly alone (2009)

It’s been an awesome decade. I guess the decade I’ve been most in control of my life so far.
But the other decades have been awesome too:

90′s
Lived in Kalamunda (Perth Hills), Bidyadanga (aboriginal community 200km south of Broome), Nullagine (town/aboriginal community between Marble Bar and Newman), Bridgetown (south west), Koedijk/Alkmaar (6 weeks when first back in Holland) and Rijssen. Started high school in Australia, finished in The Netherlands. Was part of a youth circus. Had pet goats, chooks, dogs, rabbits, ducks, guinea pigs and hamsters. Performed in plays. Made life long friends. Got a scooter. First kiss. Got a boyfriend. Then got a serious boyfriend. Holidayed in Perth, south west WA, Bali, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany. City trips to London and Paris. Went to my first big concert (*cough*BoyzIIMen*cough* blame my brother). Music festival (Lowlands). Night club (Lucky). First alcoholic drink (probably bessen, berry gin).

80′s
Was born in The Netherlands (82). Migrated to Western Australia (87). Lived in Graylands Migrant Centre, Maida Vale, in a campervan going around Australia, and Kalamunda. Started primary school in the campervan. Holidayed through Europe, stopovers in the Maldives and Singapore, Western Australia (and that 4 month trip around Australia). Got the two dogs I grew up with (Takkie and Springer). Learnt Dutch and English, to read and write (but not hold my pen properly). Ride a bicycle and swim.

I have other thoughts, but it’s all a bit jumbled (well, like above), but just wanted to write something down.