Originally Posted By: Walking I had the devils own job detaching. It took years. In the end I accepted a job in a remote Aboriginal Community in the outback, 3000km away from home and lived as the only non-indigenous person in a 4th world cross-cultural economy for 18 months. I was 400km by dirt road from the nearest regional town and 1500km from the nearest reasonable coffee. No cell-phone coverage, limited satellite cover and a completely dry (no alcohol)area - so there was no risk of drinking and dialing!! As a form of detaching - self imposed exile is right up there!!!
WOW! Did you keep yourself entertained swatting flying insects?
Lol ...
There were a LOT of insects and some of them were pretty big ... but no. It was a pretty amazing job so I was busy (that's what GAL is all about no? keeping busy so your mind isn't wallowing in divorce and exes and stuff)
for the first little while the kids entertained me - they were constantly around, checking me out and reporting back to their families what the mitg cjuyk (white girl) was like.
Then the woman took me under their wing and tried to teach me the Dreamtime stories. They taught me how to hunt and gather (fish, turtles, turtle eggs, wallaby, bush plants and medicines) and how to deal with cheating husbands ("you flog that woman he went with, you flog her good one - then you give that cheeky husband back to her - that's all she deserves, no good man, just run-around-used-up husband one").
When the women had taught me their way, and the community agreed I knew enough about their way, then they let me talk to the men - who taught me about lore and let me teach them about (what they call) "white-fella way".
There was very little time to wallow in self pity - although I admit to a few Saturday evenings when the Countrymen were dancing Corroborree and I locked up in the airconditioned donga when I wrote a bitter letter or two to the ex ... fortunately the mail only left once a fortnight so there was little risk of actually posting one!!!
V
Never make someone a priority, who makes you an option.
