I've Been Everywhere, Mate
Recently my niece sent my daughter Flat Stanley for a project at her school. Flat Stanley spent a few weeks with our family traveling around Australia. I came across the original version of the I’ve Been Everywhere song and thought It’d be great to include it in Flat Stanley’s adventures because of the strange sounding Aussi place names. While researching the song, I ran across a Texan version. So, for my own enjoyment (and hopefully yours too), I’ve embedded versions of I’ve Been Everywhere from my two homes – Australia & Texas.
Now, did you catch the name where I spent each summer and school holiday as a kid? – Telephone, TX
And what about where I work each day? – Dandenong, AU
Read MoreEmotional Economics of Globalization
My daughter has a nice big globe sitting on her desk. When I venture in her room, I frequently sit on her desk and spin the globe. Over the weekend, I was sitting on her desk chatting and unconsciously spinning the globe. I stopped the spin near my home town in Texas. I jabbed my finger there and had a good look.
I grew up in a place where you spend most of your childhood thinking of ways to get the hell outta there. Well, here I am sitting on a desk on the opposite side of the globe. On the side of a mountain near Melbourne, Australia. Saying “G’day Mate” and driving on the wrong side of the road.
I now find myself often thinking of the family and friends back in my hometown. I think that it wouldn’t be so bad to be back in that little town again. I think that I’d love for my children to grow up with their cousins, aunts, uncles, second cousins, and … hell, basically everyone in the town, close to them.
But, we’re still here. On the other side. What keeps us in the land of parrots and animals with pouches? It’s hard to describe. I think it’s lifestyle, career, my wife’s parents in Sydney and … money. It’d take a wad of cash to move and re-establish back home. And … there’s something about living in the land of Oz. Something magical that I just can’t describe. Maybe it’s a a real fantasy land for a fella from a small town in Texas. I dunno. One day, I’ll go back home. Until then … I’ll be Down Under.
