Sydney, 16 April 2017
This Sunday, a friend of mine asked me to accompany him to go to Morisset, a small town near Newcastle, New South Wales. I agreed since I didn't have any plan yet to spend my Easter holiday. We were going to see wild kangaroos in Morisset wildlife. He said, "Don't forget to bring some bananas because kangaroos love them so much". So in that morning before departing to Central Sation, I packed some bananas from dining hall.
We met at platform 10 of Central Station, where the CCN (Central Coast and Newcastle) train taxied. It was 8.30 in the morning and the train would depart at 09.15. The sky was so blue and clear, and the breeze was cool, the temperature showed 15 degree of Celsius. The view during the trip was so beautiful. We passed the east coast of Australia which remains me to south coast of Indonesia; hilly and beachy. It took almost two hours to arrive at Mosrisset station. The Morisset Park is about 5 km from the station. We can go there on foot, by Opal bus (one bus every hour), or a shuttle car (one every 15 minutes) for 3 dollars each person. We decided to go there by shuttle car since it is much quicker.
The park seemed to be very small (compared to Blue Mountain or Royal National Park), and it is part of a psychiatric hospital. There is a large open space surrounded by small pine forest. We walked into the forest and we were welcomed by at least three kangaroos. We had a chance to interact closely with one of them, which is so gentle. I gave her a banana and she liked it so much. But then more and more people came and those kangaroos seemed afraid of them. They run into the deep forest. We're waiting for them quite long but none appeared.
While we were waiting for herd of kangaroos to come out from their hiding place, we sat on the grass under the pine shades. People also seemed bored and they just sat like us. We ate our lunch that we brought from home, while we talked so many things. I was personally not too close with my friend whom I went with, but the conversation opened up more and more his other side. He's generally a quiet guy and looked serious. I would say, his personality is more or less similar with me. He's also about the same age with me.
We started our conversation about how we make up our English accent. I said to him if I can speak English quite fluently when I speak with Indonesian friends or non-English native friends, but I can suddenly become a dumb and mess my English when I speak to English friends. He theorise if I feel comfortable to speak English with non-English friends then I could speak quite fluent English to them. While, I probably feel pressurised when I have to speak with English friends, since I am probably afraid to make grammar and pronunciation mistake which actually makes my English worse.
The park seemed to be very small (compared to Blue Mountain or Royal National Park), and it is part of a psychiatric hospital. There is a large open space surrounded by small pine forest. We walked into the forest and we were welcomed by at least three kangaroos. We had a chance to interact closely with one of them, which is so gentle. I gave her a banana and she liked it so much. But then more and more people came and those kangaroos seemed afraid of them. They run into the deep forest. We're waiting for them quite long but none appeared.
While we were waiting for herd of kangaroos to come out from their hiding place, we sat on the grass under the pine shades. People also seemed bored and they just sat like us. We ate our lunch that we brought from home, while we talked so many things. I was personally not too close with my friend whom I went with, but the conversation opened up more and more his other side. He's generally a quiet guy and looked serious. I would say, his personality is more or less similar with me. He's also about the same age with me.
We started our conversation about how we make up our English accent. I said to him if I can speak English quite fluently when I speak with Indonesian friends or non-English native friends, but I can suddenly become a dumb and mess my English when I speak to English friends. He theorise if I feel comfortable to speak English with non-English friends then I could speak quite fluent English to them. While, I probably feel pressurised when I have to speak with English friends, since I am probably afraid to make grammar and pronunciation mistake which actually makes my English worse.
He then found an evidence if a same person can be two different personalities in two different circumstances. For example, his friends probably think if he is introvert, but in another chance, he can be so talkative. He becomes quiet and be more a listener when he feels uncomfortable with the circumstance. He feels afraid to make a mistake, and as an introvert, he needs a validation from people if he does a good job. It is probably because his environment rarely appreciated his work and often humiliated his failure. While extroverts don't need the validation from others. They are comfortable with their mistakes, but then it makes them to work all out and people do not pay attention to their mistake.
Then I asked him why he would be worried about what people think about him. I said to him that from this year on, since I am now 30 years old already, I promised to myself to be happy and would not listen to what other people say. He then said it is not as simple as that. He said if he was left by his father since he was baby. He didn't explain more the cause-effect relationship of it. If I may draw a premature conclusion, probably the similarity of our background makes us having the same personality. However, he's a devoted Muslim that never misses a single prayer, while I officially have lost my faith to my religion.
Since the roos didn't appear even after we finished our lunch, we decided to walk to Macquarie Lake near the park. unexpectedly, we met a lot of roos along the way. It was actually easy for us to lure them to come close, but a group of people always came close to us every time they saw we had roos with us. And it makes all the roos run away. I was so annoyed with those people!!! At the lake, we met a very nice and friendly Australian family. I just wondered and asked them whether or not a croc lives in the lake. My question was answered with a hug and welcome greet from them. I felt so loved and welcomed.
The sun was low and we went back to the car park for the shuttle car to take us to the station. On the way back to car park, we saw so many roos filling the grass field once it was empty. A stranger showed us how roos are actually super friendly, and yes they actually are! I am so amazed that he can touch the roo without making him run away. I wondered if he is actually a roo whisperer. I thank him to make us possible to have great pictures with kangaroo. I saw so many kids were playing with roos on the grass field. We assumed the roos are out from their nest when it is shady or when the temperature is cooler. So next time we go to see kangaroo again, we make sure it is not scorching hot day.
Since the roos didn't appear even after we finished our lunch, we decided to walk to Macquarie Lake near the park. unexpectedly, we met a lot of roos along the way. It was actually easy for us to lure them to come close, but a group of people always came close to us every time they saw we had roos with us. And it makes all the roos run away. I was so annoyed with those people!!! At the lake, we met a very nice and friendly Australian family. I just wondered and asked them whether or not a croc lives in the lake. My question was answered with a hug and welcome greet from them. I felt so loved and welcomed.
The sun was low and we went back to the car park for the shuttle car to take us to the station. On the way back to car park, we saw so many roos filling the grass field once it was empty. A stranger showed us how roos are actually super friendly, and yes they actually are! I am so amazed that he can touch the roo without making him run away. I wondered if he is actually a roo whisperer. I thank him to make us possible to have great pictures with kangaroo. I saw so many kids were playing with roos on the grass field. We assumed the roos are out from their nest when it is shady or when the temperature is cooler. So next time we go to see kangaroo again, we make sure it is not scorching hot day.
