I awoke early my first full day in Australia. I heard the sound of the birds outside and could not sleep from curiosity. Kookaburra say what? I am not usually a morning person, so when jet lag gives me the gift of being awake at unreasonable hours I take advantage: I watched the sunrise cast light on Perth CBD (“central business district”) across the Swan River. After a quiet morning wifi-ing at a cafe–where I took my first step toward employment by applying for my Australian Tax File Number–we got to work and moved house from Victoria Park to the new digs in Fremantle. “Freo” is a seaside village, historically a port town and now a southern pleasant southern suburb of Perth known for easy going cafe culture. Some of the buildings display delicate and colorful wrought iron facades that remind me of New Orleans.

Fremantle town hall plaza, with free wifi!

Pretty buildings….

The town overlooks the Indian Ocean, with a few beaches I’m sure to frequent this summer. The strong ocean breeze, nicknamed the “Freo doctor”, is a constant presence that howls past my house daily. Downtown’s Cappuccino Strip is littered with pubs, cafes, and shops. Nightlife looks lively. I feel lucky to have landed here. Particularly in this household. I’m staying in my friend’s beautiful townhouse that has a view and a healthy stream of houseguests. The new furniture has been built, we’ve developing house rhythms, and are preparing for Thanksgiving and a housewarming party. It holds promise to be a pleasing place to live.

Sunset from our new “Terrace del Sol”, looking down to the Indian Ocean.