Notable Moments in My 2024 Travels

- On the way from Hannover to Frankfurt I sat next to a Hamburg native with a Vietnamese background who was studying Theology at university. Influenced by Christianity, she nevertheless made a choice to be atheist. She described herself as happy to live in Hamburg, although some of her friends were perturbed enough by the seeming advance of fascism (see: the Alternative for Germany party) to be planning emigration to somewhere more welcoming. Anne (the name she encouraged me to call her) merely wanted to travel to a lot of places - not move to them. She spoke with longing for the colder climates of Norway and Scandinavia. Like many native Germans, she found the tropical climate of Vietnam too hot for comfort on her sole visit to her parents’ homeland. I encouraged her to keep optimistic about having lots of time to travel around the world - her time to explore was only just beginning. Anne took an interest in my blog, and read a few posts - on my abandoning of astrology, ‘Trans Literacy and Feminism’ and the poem ‘It’s time to look up’. I thanked her for taking the time to read my work, and she graciously replied that it was she who felt lucky to be seated next to a writer. 

- One day in Hannover I made my way over to the lakeside overlooking the New Town Hall, to find an inspiring installation of a floating globe atop the water. I admired the giant ball from numerous angles, pausing at an open stretch of parkland to take in the harmony of the day. There was partial cloud cover, but little hint of rain. The beauty of the natural landscape and man-made structure of the Town Hall took turns to glow in the sunshine, the wind providing ever-changing cloud formations, putting on a show. I was not the only witness - a tall, elderly man stood admiring the globe. We eventually noticed each other and instinctively drew in for a chat. He told me how he and his wife had made tracks all over the world when they were younger. He mentioned that his South African safari was memorable, if a little dramatic, what with being instructed not to leave the accommodation within the wilderness area for any reason during the night. It opened up my curiosity about the country, though I am not in the space to visit Africa at this time. The guy asked me about what brought me to Hannover, and where I was going next. He piped up that the people of Cologne were friendly, and those of Vienna as well, giving me encouragement that I would enjoy my upcoming trips there, and reviving my appreciation for the kindness of the natives of Hannover. 

A Fragment of Maastricht

During my last few hours in the southern Netherlandish city of Maastricht, I was tasked with acquiring coffee for the family. At first it looked like I might have to wait some time before the city woke up - a lone employee tinkering behind the glass of a bakery told me to come back in over an hour. But as I rounded on the main shopping street (or a very popular thoroughfare I’d noted the day before), to my delight, a youngish woman was going about the business of setting up her Dunkin Donuts shop for the day.

The night before had been a lavish spectacle of André Rieu’s making: mum and I found out he was conducting a concert 4 hours before it started. We enjoyed the soaring vocals as the sun set, and the performers shimmered in their formal wear. 

Back to 8:45am the next morning: the woman looked like a feminist, so I tried to dust off my impersonation of a northern European one with my order. Apparently I had missed the mark - she pointedly raised her head, demonstrating the kind of dignity and self-regard that came rushing back to some extent. Uncaffeinated and culture shocked, I watched her closely as she worked the coffee machine and wondered what uninspiring brews I’d be imbibing - this was an American fast food franchise, after all. We made a little more eye contact here and there as, one by one, five espressos made their way to me. (I had three of them right there, and it was the best coffee I’d had on this trip to Europe.) With each exchange a little bit of her mindset rubbed off on mine - by the time I collected the remaining two coffees, I felt reinvigorated. And it wasn’t just because of the flat whites. Something had been reawakened, which had been lying dormant. 

I fear I will go back to being a mere Australian feminist soon… but in the meantime that memory lingers on.

How Far I’ve Come

I received my first paycheque at the age of 19 or so, and the first thing I did was go into a bookstore and buy an astrology book. 

I have by now dismantled the emotional dependency on this belief system, which restricted the expansion of my worldview and put me in danger of reductive, black and white, and stereotypical thinking. When you organise people around 12 archetypes, there’s a lot of nuance that you neglect along the way. 

I came to a point where I joined a facebook group for Queer Atheists, and noticed a thread on astrology which recontextualised it in such a way as to make its lack of credibility impossible to ignore. I soon got onboard with defaulting to the things in life which were evidence-based, and found that my life improved.

I feel a greater sense of agency over my personality now. I have experimented, and continue to, with different personality traits, picking and choosing them based on what resonates with me and not what my astrological profile would indicate. I feel I’ve developed greater tolerance of personality complexity, and the way different aspects of it can be activated or deactivated based on the people I’m with, or the environment I’m in. 

Retiring my astrological imagination has also seen me improve my feminism, because astrology depends on the feminine-masculine binary, and I have found this to be a traditionalist way of approaching gender which is no longer relevant to me. I guess that’s what you can expect from an organising system which has such old roots. 

Looking back, I am proud of myself for recognising that this belief system was holding me back, holding space for uncertainty while I invented new ways of organising my thoughts, and gravitating towards people who also imagined the world without astrology. It’s been a journey, something wonderful that happened - because I cared enough about my wellbeing to reinvent myself.

Second Chances in Travel: Portugal

Sometimes a country doesn’t weave its charms around you the first time round. But if you’re willing to leave behind first impressions, question any prejudices built, and admit that you might have missed the point, that openness will likely guide you into new territory. So it was with Finland - and now, Portugal.

I paid closer attention to the people this time, mostly in the form of taxi drivers and other people on my payroll, but I had the good luck to be seated next to an intelligent and friendly local on the bus from Lisbon to Óbidos. We must have talked for an hour, discussing how only a minority of Portuguese have a rich interiority, despite their material wealth. Yet, it’s possible to find like-minded souls if you’re open to the journey - they were married to one. 

My travel companion enjoyed dancing, and the natural beauty of the beach in their hometown. They clearly have hope for the future, as they are preparing for the birth of a child. Even if rent eats up more than half their income, they still make enough to make ends meet. Visits back to Cape Verde, the cherished place of their origin, contribute to their well-being. 

What was not said but felt, was an openness to tourists and a keen eye for amiable connection. I felt better for having this encounter.

One taxi driver offered the following aphorism: “Everybody likes us.” This was not delivered with pomp, but with a steady assurance. They must have noted the frequency with which visitor numbers are increasing, and adapted with goodwill - for if you expect people to appreciate you, you tend to be appreciated.

There are many things to enjoy about Portugal, and I have only scratched the surface, but I will leave you with a portrait of a Portuguese Empress called Eleanor who married German royalty in the 1500s and displays something of the national personality profile on her face: warm, dignified, with culturally Christian values.

Excursions in northern Germany

- In Coppenbrügge, an elderly person introduced themselves to me, eager to be seen with their full international credentials: they had lived on the Costa Brava in Spain for twenty years, and picked up not only Spanish but English on the way. Their time there came to an end with the death of their husband, after which returning to the small German town of their origin seemed like the logical conclusion. I remarked that their Spanish experience was fantastic, yet the departure of their spouse was sad. “That’s life,” they said philosophically. 

- In the Museum of the city of Hamelin, I gave a well-practiced speech about having a mental health disability in Australia, and considered a pensioner who is worthy of concessions in that country. I then showed the person of substantial build but well-styled hair my Pensioner Concession card. They answered in a booming voice that I must pay the stated price, like everyone else. I saw that this was somehow important to him, as a matter of principle, so I said “No problem,” and forked over the 6 euro. I later learned that the moral of the famous legend, The Rat-catcher of Hamelin, was that you should always reward a deed well done. And the museum was indeed well done, with free coffee and state-of-the-art displays, so I consider it money well-spent.

Out and About in Hannover

This weekend marked Christopher Street Day in Hannover - a time for the queer community to come together, march around the centre of town to draw attention to their fight for their Human Rights, listen to musical performances and speeches from prominent community members, and, of course, socialise in the open while looking fabulous. 

There was a member of a Christian group providing free coffee for everyone, the opportunity to win prizes, lots of free stickers and pins courtesy of various organisations (ranging from the Social Democratic Party to the Leibniz University Queer Group to a Women’s Group [providing safe spaces for women fleeing domestic violence]). I talked to people providing support for gender diversity, as well as a group specifically for non-binary people. I was able to note that Hannover’s biggest local newspaper had a presence, but the stall was free of representatives at the time of my being there. 

I had several interesting conversations, one of which was with a person who worked for ‘Take Care’, an organisation which helps people in the aftermath of discrimination (physical or verbal). They said that they had travelled to South Korea for work, and when I asked how they found it, they felt that even though the country had worked so hard to rise economically and distinguish itself on the world stage, they had forgotten why they did it - they had neglected the finer points of what makes humans happy. (They were travelling to South Africa and Sweden next, a perk of the job.)

Sitting down to wait for the performers on the stage, I introduced myself to a cis gay man who lived in the wider region of Hannover. He had a rainbow flag on his cheek, and when I told him I was from Australia but would prefer to live in Germany, he replied that Australia would be his preference although he was yet to go there. A Greens voter, he expressed unhappiness at the popularity of Alternativ für Deutschland, and said that if the latter come to power he would be leaving Germany. 

I was invited to join the game of Quadball, modelled on Quiddich (or the game played in Harry Potter), and open to all genders and sexualities. A young cis man introduced the concept and let his cis woman colleague continue to explain how it worked - you could learn the rules through training sessions which were friendly and relaxed, and if you ran out if stamina, that was okay. The social aspect of the game was a big draw, and I found myself investigating what time the training sessions were…

And my visit wouldn’t have been complete without chatting up the cis women at the FrauenHaus (Women’s House) stand. They stood for an antiracist, antifascist feminism, providing crucial (yet independently funded) domestic violence shelter services. They told me about a feminist bookshop in the suburb of Linden, and how gathering the money themselves gave them a certain amount of freedom. It was nice to be amongst like-minded feminists. 

I should not forget that I chatted to a trade union group, the Queer Group of Leibniz University (who gave away a sophisticated rainbow-coloured pen after asking me if I knew the birthplace of Sappho), and some friendly queer women of colour who sold me a green hat with a rainbow heart on it. 

I felt like the city’s English-speaking population gave me some insight into what makes them tick, and I feel grateful for their hospitality.

Re: Knowing Your Worth

A week or so before I left Australia for the year, I encountered a person who seemed interested in being my friend. We met through a mutual friend, three former selective school members hanging out, well-travelled and keen to engage with the world on an intellectual level. 

But the red flags were there from the beginning. Upon sighting me, this person opened with: “Are you Polish?” If they had asked me, “Where are you from?” I may have been able to say, “Australia, like you,” but I felt pressured to account for myself, as it were - all the while feeling boxed in.

A conversation was formed nevertheless, between the three of us, with me doing most of the listening. Eventually I piped up about my experiences at universities, including the study of anthropology. I expressed contrition about the white, male bias of cultural anthropology, but felt affronted when the new person turned around and expressed thanks for the white anthropologists who studied Indigenous languages and recorded them in writing. (Indigenous Australians kept their knowledge and wisdom alive orally.) She claimed they were able to prevent them from dying out. I thought this was hypocritical, because the cause of those languages dying out was the white settlers in the first place - Indigenous people were killed en masse through both direct and indirect manifestations of colonisation. 

Given this unfortunate development, perhaps it was not surprising that when I floated the idea that where white people used violence in response to the people of colour they encountered on their conquests, they could have found different, more harmonious ways to relate, it was dismissed as ‘unrealistic’.

Somehow I became Facebook friends with this person by the end of the night, unable to decline politely, and perhaps hoping that things would get better from here. 

But when, by manner of continuing the conversation, I described having eclectic interests which spanned from ‘childfree women in contemporary society’ to ‘international travel trends’, the new ‘friend’ chose to reduce my lovely and far-ranging experiences into me having a possible (undiagnosed) mental health disorder. I knew for sure it was only a matter of time before I unfriended them, and, seeking to crystallise my reasons for doing so, I made a post about a matter of racial discrimination that had been on my mind.

Well, the person told me that my thoughts were ‘not worth thinking about’, which I viewed with incredulity. I value every thought that passes through my mind, because my experience is precious! In addition to acknowledging my deep worthiness, I could clearly see that I was in fact contributing to a conversation on racism which has a long history and is deeply relevant to an understanding the challenges of modern Australian society. My thoughts (and the boldness with which they challenged Anglo-Saxon white supremacy) should have been celebrated!

I will not accept people who treat me like this into my life. I unfriended the person with haste. 

I am happy now that I have the room for new friends who will appreciate the fabulous workings of my mind… because I appreciate myself on a fundamental level, and the lofty heights I am capable of.