Stronger than Cold Weather

Cold seems determined to spend a season at least in this portion of land despite the recent sunny mornings. I don't remember when it was the last rainny day. During the previous month I have been working at a inconstant pace while I received several job offers. That's how it goes sometimes. 'This is my month!' I told myself. Most known mates are back to their mother towns and, not surprisingly, I'm more concerned about making my way in this removed island.

I feel more confident and able to speak English but I sometimes feel Spanish is necessary, as a outlet, to express my feelings. 

It's early to understand all is happening around me because, at present, I get on learning new things everyday and not always they goes by enough slow to get them properly.

This is a big country compounded by a mix of nationalities, so there are many people in my same situation, learning English and trying to get a great reason to live or spend more time here. They work hard day after day to upgrade and leave behind their current positions because many of them work in areas without connection with they studied to

I see there is a fierce daily challenge in the city as if it grew at two speeds. On one hand Australian versus second generations of migrants who talk English perfectly and develop qualified jobs. On other hand migrants who are from undeveloped countries and able to work for over 12 consecutive hours each day at any price in the most extreme case. They don't have any competitor in certain areas opposite workers who are losing their jobs because they aren't as productive as those former. I'm referring Asian people, but students are also becoming the new cheap labor cost because they generally must work to pay their living cost.

The disappointment or desperation to get an appropriate job which allows to save money is what makes most students leave this country when they finish their study. But there's another hidden reason, the nostalgia of the family and friends.

Cold reminds many of us there are important people wanting us to return back home. Whether or not they are close to us we will enjoy a beautiful sunrise tomorrow.

Interview with Gareth Morris, teacher of English at Brisbane

Gareth Morris is an English teacher in Brisbane for over five years, but  he has previously been teaching in Japan and Taiwan. He is from Shrewsbury (United Kingdom), the same town where Charles Darwin was born. Probably if Evolutionary Theory explained the capacity to survive of the humankind depending on the rate of happyness Gareth will be adapted to Brisbane. His love is shared among this city, his girlfriend, sports, and open spaces.

Q. Along your experience as a teacher, could you tell me where the students more disciplined are from?

A. Japanese are the most hardworking students. They always do their homework before the following class. If you have a look here (library) you will see most of students' nationalities are from Japan. That´s the best indicative.

Q. What´s the biggest handicap you have found to teach English?

A. Grammar and vocab is always difficult to be taught, above all in the lowest levels of English.

Q. Shrewsbury, Tokyo, Taipei, Brisbane... What’s your favourite city to live?

A. I choose Brisbane, because of its lifestyle, the quality of the weather, the opportunities to do outdoor activities or the simple fact of breathing fresh air.

Q. Tell me, which romantic place or places of Brisbane would you recommend to the newcomers?

A. The Cliffs in Kangarro Point, next to the riverfront, are an ideal place for a picnic with champaigne and smart cheese.

Q. Do you prefer Australian or British gastronomy? (Suggest a Restaurant of Brisbane)

A. Australian cuisine is more modern than British. 
It´s a fussion of Asian and Western style cookery, which I like more. Tukka* is my favourite restaurant. It´s located at West End. In Tukka you can eat Australian and native food, for example, emu, cocodrile, kangaroo, berrish, seeds...

                                                                    *Tukka is a distorsion of “tucker”, which means  food in Australian slang.

Q. Human being tends to associate cities with smells and sounds. What sounds Brisbane to?

A. For me the sound of Brisbane is the sound of the wild animals like the possums and kookaburras.

Q. What´s the most you love about Australia?

A. I love watching sports, and in Australia it’s possible to attend matches almost every weekend because it´s accesible and cheaper than in my country. I like watching football, rugby, criquet, tennis, horse races...

Q. Which 5 adjectives describe better an Australian?

A. Lucky, noisy, agressive, accepting and funny.

Q. Why would you stay in Australia?

A. My girlfriend -she was the main reason to travel to Australia- and the high quality of life are enough reasons to stay here.

Q. Why would you leave Australia?

A. If  any member of my family got sick I would come back home obviously.

Recommendation to newcomer students

Get outside and leave your residence, go to the beach, do barbies, explore new natural places... 

There are many pending places to be known.

“The Sound of the Birds is Undoubtedly Connected to Brisbane"

Arturo López comes from the same country that the writers Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes or the international rock band Maná. Probably it’s enough to guess he’s from México, where the gastronomy is inevitably linked to chili, tortilla, guacamole and nachos. But it´s also a place well-known due to the beauty of its beaches, the hospitality of its inhabitants and three most popular drinks: beer, mezcal and tequila. It´s not a bad choice to make friends, but I promise it wasn’t necessary to do this interview.

Q. When did you start planning your trip to Australia?

A. The trip was’nt a new idea since I intended to travel to Australia 5 or 6 years ago. In that moment I was studying at university International Trade and after being graduated I held a Master in Logistics. For that reason I didn´t take my trip until now.

Q. On having United States so close to México, what boosted you to fly so far away from your hometown?

A. I could have decided United States to learn English, it only takes 8 hours by car, or Canada, where I have already been, but I was specially interested in living a different experience which I’m having in Australia. In particular, I chose Brisbane because its population size is closer to Ciudad de Querétaro, where I comes from, than Melbourne. I don´t have a keen interest in living in big cities.

Q. In what way the learning of English will be good in your daily life?

A. Currently English is highly demanded by companies. For instance, I held a bad position in my previous job because I wasn’t able to talk good English.   

Q. Each city has a caracteristic sound to be associated with. Which is the sound of Brisbane?

A. The sound of the birds is undoubtedly connected to Brisbane.

Q. What 5 adjectives define an Australian?

A. I would say they are tolerant, rude, honest, two-faced and sometimes agressive.

Q. Will you be able to suggest a restaurant to eat Mexican food?

A. I recommend Guzmán & Gómez, although it isn´t a traditional place to eat authentic Mexican food.

Q.What´s your favourite pastime?

A. Living in West End I love strolling along the river bank at night while I’m listening music and getting relaxed.

Q. Why would you stay in Australia?

A. I would stay here because this is a country where you can earn good money working a few hours. There is a radical contrast in comparation with México.

Q. What would you love doing before leaving this country?

A. My unresolved matters are to know more Australian people and visit big cities, such as Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns.

Q. Is Australia a country to come back?

A. Not for me, I´m more interested in knowing other countries.

A recommendation

If you want to know the traditional Mexican culture I recommend you to visit the old historical area of México, a unique place to be visited, where emerges the most modern part of the city mixed among historic buildings.