Coffee down caffeine alley

I swear, the best thing about Melbourne is its coffee!

On a short trip to Australia’s capital of cool, I managed to enjoy several wonder cups of coffee. You couldn’t just have one as there would be another super cute café that looked so inviting.

So early one Saturday in April I went on a quest to have a perfect Melbourne breakfast because if you don’t know this is a big deal in this city. 

So, I moseyed down to the area not far from Flinders Street Station where there are many little allies that house many little cafés in areas not much bigger than a postage stamp. 

First of all, I visited Il Tempo which I think offers pizza and pasta later on in the day a cross the way but is open first thing in the morning for breakfast in this hole in the wall. The muesli looked like a good option so it was that I choose but it could have been anything from their contemporary but traditional menu. 

Their menu isn’t innovative or different to any other cafés you’d find down the ally, but that is ok because it’s all about the vibe, quality and the opportunity to people watch.  

My muesli was perfect and so was my Long Mac and there was a perfect view to watch the world go past.

 

Once I had finished, I went down the ally and I couldn’t help but to stop for anthor place for a coffee. I could seriously live here as I’ve always dreamt of living about a café. Would I get any work done? No, probably not but that’s the thing with dreams, they are unrealistic! 

Anyway, until next time because I’ll be back soon to drink more coffee and dream about living above a café.

 

Conversations I'd rather be having

Recently on the ABC RN show, 'It's Not A Race', one of the questions that the panellists were asked was what conversations they would rather be having about belonging to an ethnic minority.

While I'm not claiming to belong to an ethnic minority, being disabled does place me in the minority. 

When you're disabled, there are a lot of assumptions placed on you and conversations that able-bodied people think they are entitled to have with you about your body and general existence. 

These are some things that I wish I could be talking about:

• people doing it for themselves rather than only seeing People with Disabilities within the dichotomy of 'victim or hero';
• how I can add value to the wider community rather than just the disability community and where the opportunities are to contribute;
• my other interests, I am more than a one-issue person. I am more than what is holding me back;
• what defines me and how my disability is actually not a big deal. It is not a huge part of my identity, I promise. I do have many other interests and there are many other factors that make up who I am and don't ever try to fiddle with that!!

So the next time you meet someone who is slightly different, just chill-out and treat us like anyone else.

It is not that hard! 

  

What is it with Bali anyway?

To be honest, I had never been to Bali until this week. With so many Australians it seemed so familiar and I always wanted to go somewhere new and different.

But 2017 has been busy with work, uni and sitting on boards so when Air Asia had a sale I found myself booking a ticket to Bali for a few days of rest and relaxation.

While I love adventure, I am also really tired after working a crazy schedule.

Everyone said Seminyak was amazing and it was. Just a place to sleep in, relax and indulge a little.

                                     

But what struck me was how Australian it was and how much it was geared to the Australian market. From the cafés that were almost identical the ones found at home to some locals putting on aussie accents to make us want to buy more stuff or to jump in their cab.

It just made me wonder what the point of visiting Bali if it is so similar to home. Being an adventurous sort, I kinda like going somewhere totally different and out of the ordinary. That is where I get my energy from, not to mention my joy and something that calms my restless spirit.

Would I go again?

Maybe, if I needed to recharge my batteries and relax but adventure will always take priority. It always does.

Aussie breakfast in Bali

I'm still not sure about the whole Bali thing and I am sure that Semenyak's Sisterfields doesn't help.

With its Scandinavian decor and its Aussie style, I couldn't help but get what I always get - smashed avo with poached eggs and a bit of smoked salmon on the side. Of course, I couldn't help getting a Skinny Flat White with an extra shot because this is what I always have when I go out for breakfast. 

The food was great and the staff were great. The coffee wasn't bad either.

My sister and Elle went for gold with a Bloody Mary and whatever which they liked. 

Sisterfields is a great if you want an Aussie style breakfast abroad and if you want to do the local thing then Bali is probably not the place for you.  

    

It is a wrap for Social Impact

Today, I handed in the final assignment of my Social Impact course. It has been a full-on year that tested me in so many ways and while it has been a privilege to go back to study, I am ready for this chapter to finish.

It was a four-unit graduate certificate delivered in blocks of 6 weeks over a year and designed for people working in the social sector. We covered areas such as social entrepreneurship, measurement for social impact, philanthropy and social investment as well as leadership.    

It was fantastic to learn alongside some amazing people as well as hear from amazing speakers from the Not-For-Profit space as well as from the corporate world. It was also lovely to study at UWA which has to be one of Australia’s most beautiful campuses. It was so lovely to walk through the campus each day to get to the Business School and enjoy the lovely campus.

Apart from a short trip to Bali, the next challenge is to put it into practice. A common struggle is that people come out from such experiences and want to put it into practice but organisations are run by those who haven’t been through the program and aren’t really open to new idea and are hell-bent on keeping the status quo.

But that’s going to change. Society deserves better than mediocre services, leaders and organisations. Enough excuses and things are going to change. Trust me!!