our first wedding anniversary.

We're no longer officially newlyweds! Here are some fun things we did to celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary:

brunch.

fro-yo (yes, St. Kilda has a Menchie's!! haha)

drinks (not pictured: giant outdoor beanbag chairs)

a walk along St. Kilda Pier

visiting the Melbourne Solar System Trail

close-up of the sun sculpture

cheers to one year of us!

It's been a pretty crazy first year of marriage, I guess. Lots of change, many adjustments. And I think we still like each other.

CK

(p.s. this was my anniversary present to Ben - a cover of our first-dance song.)

first trip back to seattle.

On the plane ride back to America, I jotted down a few thoughts about heading home for my first visit to Seattle since Candice and I moved away last November.  At the time I was feeling very excited, a bit nervous, and also sad since Candice wasn’t with me to share in the experience.  I hoped it would be a great trip full of laughter, lots of time with family and friends, and that it would be a time I could truly appreciate and cherish.  I also hoped that the weather would be as I knew it could be during this time of year, as there’s nowhere better in the world than Seattle on a beautiful day.

Well I got my wish regarding the weather; it was perfect every single day.  I was able to see so many iconic and beautiful places with sunshine and blue skies: Pike Place Market, Whidbey Island, Ballard, Edmonds, and La Conner to name a few.  I saw the 12th man everywhere I went and people tossing footballs at the beach (instead of punching or kicking a footy ball).  It was a beautiful reminder of the best parts of Seattle and why it will always feel like home.

I had some wonderful days with friends and family, a few highlights that included an afternoon wandering around downtown Seattle with family, spending the day with my best mate Randall for his wedding, a trip to visit my grandparents with my Dad, happy hour with some great friends and old co-workers, and my belated birthday celebration with more family!  And in case you’re wondering, yes I did get lots of Seahawks Superbowl Champs gear!

congrats, Randall!

visiting Grandma Sally

three generations of awesome.

hanging out with dad and Romeo!

photo credit: Somer Kreisman

FaceTime with Candice during my birthday party!

Amare loves boating and selfies!

But as I expected, the trip went quickly and it was much too short.  There were so many people I was able to see, but it was also hard for me to truly enjoy many of the moments as I was conscious of the fact that it was my only time with this person until my next trip home, which isn’t likely to be anytime soon.  New friendships have been difficult to form for both Candice and I in our new home, and there wasn’t nearly enough time for me to get my fill of all the great friends I have in Seattle.  I was also reminded of the friendships I share with my old co-workers in Seattle and how we spent a lot of time hanging outside of work.  My co-workers in Australia are great and very friendly, but there’s been no real social time with any of them outside of work, which will hopefully change when we move to our new office in the city this summer.  It also probably doesn’t help that I’ve literally been on the road since March and hardly ever see my co-workers.

On the plane ride home I felt full and encouraged.  Despite the short visit and not having enough time to spend with anyone, it was a blast.  I hadn’t felt so known or comfortable in my surroundings since we left Seattle in November, and it made me realise how important friendships and family are in defining who we are and what makes a place feel like home.  I’ve known a lot of people that find Seattle to be a depressing place because people aren’t always the most friendly or welcoming (or because they happened to travel there during the nine months of the year where the sun doesn’t come out).  But for me it is a place where I am completely comfortable because of all those people whom I love that live there.  And perhaps I would never have realised or appreciated that had I not moved away.  Or like this quote says that Candice sent me:

“Why do you go away?  So that you can come back.  So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors.  And the people there see you differently, too.  Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” 

― Terry Pratchet, A Hat Full of Sky

Thank you to all my friends and family that welcomed me back with warm smiles, big hugs, and even a few tears.  I can’t wait until we are together again. 

BK

the last five years.

Five years ago, on the long drive home from a day trip to Portland, Ben and I made a decision - we were going to date, exclusively and seriously. Sometimes people call this a DTR conversation: Defining the Relationship. Some see it as smart and necessary (being direct can prevent misunderstanding and confusion) or kind of dumb (relationship progression should happen naturally! also DTRs are like, totally for middle schoolers). But for us, it means that we made a commitment to each other. One of many, but it was the first, on August 15.

Year #1 was tough. We had our ups and downs, our moments of "do I really want to be in this relationship?" and the inevitable doubt that occurs when negative layers of a significant other's self are revealed. But at the end of the year, we were happy, we were committed, and we were determined to keep going.

We continued to celebrate August 15. We took short trips, had nice dinners, watched broadway shows and beautiful sunsets. It was our special day, and I loved acknowledging it. Some people thought we were silly for elevating a day on the calendar for such an insignificant event. Others asked when we'd finally get hitched. We were just happy to be together.

On our third dating anniversary, Ben took me out on a boat rental on the most beautiful day of the summer. He stopped in front of Gas Works Park - the location of our first date - and gave me a question and a ring. There are no photographs or videos of this moment, but it lives on in our memories. I said yes. And on August 15, another big commitment was made.

Our first wedding anniversary is coming up, on August 31. We had a great day - it was special, it was beautiful, it went well. But it wasn't completely about us. It was about us and others. Sometimes it was about the melding of various families and communities, other times it was about compromise and logistics. Our wedding day was about legal commitment, acknowledging loved ones, and was a beautiful theatrical event. We will remember the date, celebrate it for what it is, and will refer to it on official paperwork. But for me, the 15th will always be more significant. It's the date we made our true, genuine commitments, and is a date that's 100% ours - no fuss, no drama. 

The 15th celebrates a long car ride to Seattle. 

Years of seemingly small but special memories.

And a boy and a girl on a boat, 
in the middle of a lake,

just a moment, 

just us.

I am all for celebrating that.

Happy 5 years, Ben.

CK

(dis)orientation week.

Not gonna lie, my first week of grad school was pretty overwhelming. Seven years away from academia, plunging headfirst into graduate-level study in a different country... lots of new things to learn, both in and out of the classroom.

But first, let's talk about brushtail possums? They're all over campus, like American squirrels. They're adorable. But when you're expecting to see squirrels, they look like... demons.

squirrel...? AHHH! awww?

squirrel..? EEEK! awww?

Anyway, here are some other slight adjustments I've been making to university life in Melbourne, so far:

tutes.

I know that Australians abbreviate everything, but I did not realise the extent to which they do so. For example...
Many of my classes have a 1 hour "lecture" (a large class taught by the main professor) and a 1-2 hour "seminar" (a small class taught by either the same professor or an associate). During my first lecture, the professor began talking offhandedly about "tutes."
"Mine is on Wednesday - what tute are you registered for?" whispered one of my classmates.
I broke into a cold sweat and frantically whipped out my class schedule.
"Twos? Tues? Toots? What? We were supposed to register for something else??" I tried not to shout, or cry.
My new friend pointed at my schedule. "Oh nice, yours is on Thursday!"
He was pointing at the seminar I had registered for.
Apparently: Seminar = Tutorial = "Tute"
...Why??


first in, best dressed.

I received an e-mail from a student group, giving away ten free tickets to a popular museum exhibition. "They'll be going quick, come to the office to pick up your ticket - first in, best dressed!" said the message. I was a tiny bit interested, but I knew I wasn't dressed very "nicely" - sneakers, no makeup, messy ponytail... The tickets went quickly, apparently to ten well-dressed students. It wasn't until I was sitting in one of my seminars tutorials tutes that I heard the professor say "...'first in, best dressed,' or 'first come first serve,' whatever you'd like to call it..." and realised that no, "first in, best dressed" doesn't involve dressing up - it just means that I need to show up. Ugh.


being chinese.

I've been "Chinese" my whole life, even though I was born and raised in the States. In the US, I feel like Asians particularly have a hard time being 100% American - they're always "something else," which can be illustrated by the enlightening question people often ask: "no, where are you really from?" So I've gotten used to saying I'm Chinese, just for simplicity's sake.
Anyway.
Here in Australia, I am not Chinese, not even if I tried to be - which is refreshing, in a way. There are TONS of real Chinese people at the university: Chinese people from China, who speak Chinese (not Chinese-American people from Jersey, who speak in sarcasm and Buffy quotes). My Chinese classmates are friendly and very smart, and I look just like them. So when I speak in class, everyone turns to stare at me like "what a peculiar Chinese accent..? oh wait! that's definitely Canadian."


being american.

There are other Americans at the uni, and I'm always very excited when I meet them. I totally feel a sense of "you're from home? LET'S BE BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!!" and that has yet to actually happen. But I'm usually the only American in my classes. Which means that during serious group discussions, I end up being the solitary, authoritative voice of... US politics. Yay..?

grammar.

In one class, I began taking notes on a professor's expectations about "grandma." It took me a few sentences to figure out that they were actually talking about "grammar."

It's going to be a long semester.
But I'll be okay.
Maybe.

CK

The Run Melbourne half marathon.

Last July, I ran my very first half marathon, after completing a handful of shorter races within the previous 8 months. I had an awesome experience - it was the peak of a beautiful summer, I felt very prepared, and my solitary sprint to the finish was one of my favourite memories of 2013, possibly ever.

See Jane Run half marathon 2013

A few months ago I decided to sign up for my first Australian half marathon: part of The Age Run Melbourne, a large city celebration that starts and ends near the iconic Flinder's Square. This would be a very different experience than the See Jane Run half marathon, which was a small, mostly female crowd, with the tagline "I run for chocolate and champagne!" (which I now know are the two things I crave the least after a 2-hour run - but it's catchy advertising.) I was nervous to attempt 13.1 miles again, in a much larger field, and without much time to build my milage back up to the double digits. But I was excited for the opportunity to race in Australia, and in our new city. Training was tough, but also a great way to explore some of the towns we stayed in over the past few months: particularly Metung, Lakes Entrance, Portland, and Donald. 

Late July in Australia can be pretty cold and very windy, and Melbourne is known for its extreme weather fluctuations, often within minutes. Training in our neighbourhood was pretty intense, with the wind providing an excellent opportunity for natural resistance-training. However, the day of the half marathon was surprisingly beautiful, relatively not-cold, and pretty much the perfect conditions for an Australian winter race. 

me in my pre-race throwaway clothes. also, pretty much what I used to wear in middle school.

a beautiful day to run Melbourne!

Ben wasn't sure if he'd be able to watch me run, due to his work schedule - but he was able to make the trip, since Shepparton is only 2+ hours away (as opposed to six). It was so nice to see him after two weeks alone! He came home on Saturday evening just in time to watch me carbo-load, and then woke up super early with me the next morning. We walked from our apartment to the starting area with seconds to spare, but because I'm not the fastest runner in the world, I was perfectly content to line up at the back of the final starting wave. 

off I go!

there were hot air balloons at the start - so cool!

lap 2

the final stretch!

done!!

The event was well-organised, even with the huge turnout (not only was there a widely-attended half marathon, but also popular 5k and 10k events as well). All the hard-working volunteers were very friendly and helpful, as were the crowds of people cheering for us on the sidelines. Bands of all genres were stationed a few kilometres apart, playing upbeat songs to help move us along. And there were a few fun, creative touches along the way, such as colourful inflatable air dancers lined up against a bridge, and bubble machines blowing delicate spheres of soap into the crowd of runners. The half marathon course itself had a few gradual uphills and downhills, and was two laps around the central business district - slightly tedious, but running the same parts twice prepared me for what to expect in terms of pacing, hills, and water stops during lap 2.

I ran strong, did not get run over by a kangaroo, and was able to shave almost three minutes off my personal record! I was very, very happy. I was also very cramp-y after this particular race, and spent a decent amount of time clutching various limbs and making unattractive sounds of agony - next to a busy children's playground, of course.

4044th place - VICTORY! haha

The expo and finisher's area were all very well-attended by various charities and sponsors, handing out freebies and fundraising for various causes. Marvel was actually the sponsor for the children's race held the previous day, and some of my favourite superheroes were at the finish line to pose with children - and older geeks like me.

swoooon!

the expo

Runner's World had an awesome photo background to pose in front of... :)

In my limited experience, I've noticed a few differences between US and Australian road races. Distance measurement, for example. While some races in the US are measured in kilometres - the 5k and 10k of course - anything above a half marathon is measured in miles: 13.1, 26.2, etc. Australians (and other countries that aren't Liberia and Myanmar, I believe?) use kilometres to measure all race distances. So, instead of running 13.1 miles, I ran for 21.0975 kilometres. This sounds way more impressive, but was also a bit of a mental challenge on the course. Obviously the distances are the same, but running past the number "13" marker meant that I was a bit past the halfway point (kilometres), instead of " yay almost done!!" (miles) - and that was just sad.

Runner's World provided some pacekeeping bracelets in kilometres, thankgoodness!

my "13.1" fridge magnet means absolutely nothing here.

The cost of registering for an Australian (at least, Melburnian) race is pretty comparable to prices in the US, but without the numerous "perks" I've grown accustomed to - such as on-course nutrition (plenty of water and a few tables of electrolyte, but no energy gels or chews) and participant t-shirts. In the States, almost all races give out fun shirts with registration (often regular cotton, sometimes a nice technical fabric), which most people don't wear on the course - they save them for the post-race celebration, or for wearing with pride in the months and years afterwards. In Australia, most races don't give out free t-shirts - instead, runners can choose from a variety of technical gear for an additional $40-$60+ AUD, and purchasers are encouraged to wear their new swag on the course. There are a few exceptions - some races give out free shirts to the first x amount of people who register, and some full marathons provide a finishers shirt to those attempting the big 26.2 (or in Australia's case, 42.195 - yikes!). Not a huge deal, just an expectation-adjustment. And yes, race medals are still given out to participants for many races. Yay!

I'll actually be participating in two more races of varying distances this year - one in October (the Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival) and another in November (The Sunday Age City2Sea) - and am definitely looking forward to more Australian running experiences. Special thanks to Ben for making the trip home just to see me run, and for taking all the nice pictures of me on the course! Especially since my official race photos aren't all that attractive (I look like I'm being chased by a dinosaur - so adorable!).

post-race bliss

Overall, I had a great time at my first Australian half marathon! Thanks, RunMelbourne for putting on an amazing event - perhaps I'll see you guys next year?

CK