A Different Sydney

Here in Sydney we are all taking an Australian history class. This class has already been quite enlightening. Who knew that Australia was so much more than a penal colony or that it still struggles with defining its past and supporting its native cultures today? I certainly did not.

The stories and facts I am learning in class are interesting and relevant, especially with the recent passing of Australia Day, but I recently had the experience of talking to a man who reminded me that there have been many years in between the history we study and the city today. There are people still living who have known a different Sydney, Australia.

On Wednesday we had the option to wake up early in the morning and travel to an area in North Sydney called Spit. We then started on a 10 kilometer trail towards Manly Beach. The views were splendid, and though the foggy weather restricted a few views, I was thankful that the mist kept me cool. At the end of this walk we had the option to grab some food or hop on the ferry home. I, being the indecisive human that I am, initially wanted food; however, I quickly decided I would just grab something to go and head back to shower and rest before class.

The rest of the group heading home had already boarded the previous ferry, though, so I waited for the next one. Maybe this was just me trying to feel McDreamy-esque, but I was excited to sit at the front of the ferry and take it all in for myself. When I walked outside, the light rain and wind seemed much harsher, so I considered heading inside... Then an elderly couple asked if they could sit down on the bench next to me.

I never got the man’s name, but for the purpose of this post, I shall call him Jim. He looked like a Jim. Jim initially began the conversation by pointing out my goose bumps. As previously stated, it was quite cold, and I had been on a long walk; so, I had shorts and a work out top on. I laughed and said it was definitely the coldest I had been since arriving in Australia. He then asked what brought me to Sydney, so I told him that I was here studying abroad and had only been here about two weeks.

I think Jim got a bit excited to encounter a youngster like me, new to Sydney. He immediately started telling me about his children – he has two who have travelled to the US, but none have been to Tennessee. One is “chasing a nursing degree” in Queensland, and one graduated from UTS (a technology school very close to our apartments here). He knew of Memphis, though. He and his wife even told me about an Elvis festival held here in a small Australian town. They seemed to think it was hilarious, people dressing up like the king – I don’t disagree, but I can appreciate the connection to my hometown.

Jim went on to explain to me the various areas that we passed while aboard the ferry. He was born and raised in Sydney, so he was full of information. He explained that where there are now apartments and homes close to the coast by the wharf, there used to be a fishermen’s village made up of tents and cottages. Where the expensive sailboats now float, there used to be lots of little fishing boats.

He pointed out a nude beach, named several monuments I had not even noticed, and showed me where the seemingly random buoys actually marked an ocean reef that boats have been damaged by. Then he told me about the ferry we were on. Several years ago, the government tried to introduce new state of the art catamarans to replace the old clunkers. They were designed to cut across the waves and go much faster, more efficiently. They were a huge failure though. “They just couldn’t do it, they had to go back to the tried and true. They’ve been using these boats we’re on now for about thirty years,” he said matter-of-factly.

Tried and true. He’s seen the new and he’s seen the old. Not the very old – not the native civilizations, not the convict societies, not the gold rushes in Eureka, but the building of the Sydney Opera House, yes. The introduction of the harbor as a cruise ship port, the movement from fisherman villages to million dollar condos, the rapid urbanization of North Sydney, all yes.

Jim really put things into perspective for me. I travel around this city amazed by how clean, organized, and sustainable it seems to be, but I never really think about the years it took to build this great city. I have realized that we often take for granted the things we have and the accomplishments of those who came before us. Now, when I get on a train or ferry or wonder what it would be like to live in one of those multi-million dollar homes, I will think of what came before. Isn’t it crazy that one simple chance conversation can put one of the largest cities in the world and many years of progress into perspective so quickly?