Officially Integrated

For the past few weeks Matt and I have been living in Ballarat with the UCLA team. It's been so fun living with them, and I'm so grateful for the extra time in Ballarat, but it's been a little nuts spending half the week in Ballarat and half the week in Geelong. This is our last week traveling back and forth, and I'm super sad to see the team leave, but I'm also looking forward to getting back to a slightly more normal schedule... not to mention sleeping in my own bed :)

Having the team here has sent my mind reeling with thoughts, on everything from ministry to Aussie culture to even how I interact with people. I've had a lot of fun moments with them too, one of my favorites, and possibly one of the more thought provoking, happened yesterday. I don't even really know what was being said because I was kind of on the outside of the conversation, but all of sudden I hear, "Well Michelle doesn't count. She's lived here so long she's barely American... I mean, look at her, and listen to how she talks... I mean, she's practically Aussie!" We got a good laugh out of it, and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be offended that I'm apparently not American anymore, but the comment really got me thinking.

I talk about footy more than I've talked about any other sport, and if anyone doesn't go for the Cats, I'm quick to console them for going for the team they do support. I crave cuppas and take morning tea pretty seriously. If I can help it, I don't work past 5 or on the weekends. I say "heaps" and "lovely", and as I'm writing this I'm in my Ghanda trackies. And since Master Chef ended, I'm convinced there's nothing good left to watch on TV. All characteristics of a token Aussie.

Please don't read this wrong, by no means am I claiming to be Aussie, and I will always be a California girl at heart. I think I've just been integrated into the culture really well, and it happened so gradually that I didn't really notice it until other Americans came and pointed it out to me. I love how this culture has rubbed off on me, and I'm gonna be so sad to leave it when the time comes, but I'm excited to take my Aussie influence back to my life in the States. And am fully expecting people not to be able to understand me because of all the Aussie lingo I've picked up :)

Heaps of love,
Michelle