oh melbourne

Yes I'll be presenting my paper at the conference in Salzburg in Oct-Nov :) the paper will be published as a book chapter, which means I've secured ONE scholarly publication. Which also means I can't go to Italy as originally planned, and then I'll have to go to the UK earlier than expected.

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For now, hello from Melbourne!!! where it's my third day that I can't stop smiling my happy smile. Returning to Melbourne, I fall in love with this city all over again. I remember landing in Melbourne and instinctively looked for the sky. And it was grey, a glorious Melbourne grey, right in the middle of its grey winter, accompanied by that cold.. a colder cold, a cosier, a kinder cold. And I know I’m back in the city that I love. 

I feel so happy to be back...

What is it about Melbourne? Is it the stubborn memories of those times long past, those early wintry walks to uni and aimless scorching summer in the shade? Is it its laneways and old stones and desultory chapels? Is it its cafes and coffees, cakes and pastries? Is it the artistic air? Is it the trams? The friendlier people? Is it just Melbourne? 

I’m putting up at P’s institute, and it’s an absolutely fantastic place to stay. I love the huge bay windows in my room that let in light right onto the bed. Sometimes while lying on my pillow, right above me is the moon, sometimes full, always surrounded by stars. This place is like a sanctuary for troubled souls, and I feel completely at peace here, all light and all quiet.

In fact I was thinking of going back to Sydney, pack everything up, rent a car, and drive it all down to Melbourne. But a few hours after my arrival, I was asked by a lecturer to tutor three classes for him next semester. Which means I'll have to abandon my capricious plans to escape to Melbourne, and stay put in Sydney. Which also means I'll have 75 first-year undergrads as my students, and I get to play teacher again. *evil laughter*

I'll post pictures soon, probably next week when I return from P's farm: looking forward to spending a few days in the middle of nowhere with no telephone and no net and just the good old peace, quiet, and solitude with a good old pipe-puffing professor.