Melbourne: In Case of Brunch, Coffee and The Need To Love Again

The month was September and my daughter Dia just turned 4 months old. We arrived on the 18th where the airport wasn't entirely packed, and the weather wasn't particularly humid. Everything was set to excite the six of us who traveled together for the very first time: Me, Gempa, Dia, and our best friend Aji, his wife Nares, and their daughter Kenes. Who doesn't love Melbourne? With their infamous brunch and specialty coffee and a lot of different ways to say "breakfast"? Well, I did, once. A couple years before I met Gempa, Melbourne was one place on earth I thought I would never visit again.

Until my thoughts were proven inaccurate: I ended up visiting Melbourne again, and again, and again.

MELBOURNE, TRAVELclaradevi handriatmadjaNovember 21, 2019Melbourne, Australia, Brunch, Pastry, Holiday, Family

Becoming Mom & Dad

I SWEAR I WILL NEVER BE LIKE YOU!"

That, ladies and gentlemen, was my old mantra. The tantrum-like, anger-based, usually-comes-in-screamings kind of mantra. Every time I had a fight with my mom, or couldn't stand arguing with my dad; the mantra will do its job: to give me the winning feel of the happening war. I will either shout the line out loud or whisper it in verbose mode, silently by the heart. I never liked the adult attitudes they were giving me. All the rules, all the advice, all the harsh criticism. You sure can see how I looked like during teenage years: the geeky bookworm personality combined with a trendy side-job as a young announcer in one of the biggest private radio network in my hometown. An easy-going smart-ass who think she knew everything. Of course I won't listen to my parents. I won't listen to anybody. In fact, I don't think I even listen to myself…

LIFEclaradevi handriatmadjaMarch 3, 2017Parents, Family