Paradise | The Melbourne Art Scene

Posts Tagged ‘Paradise’

This Island of Reality

It was cold and raining in Sydney when I left that fateful day for an island in the beautiful Whitsundays hoping for a new start. Among the excess baggage I carried with me was a prized red towel, a jersey from a failed relationship, fear of people who have hurt me and most worst of all, running into the same problem to another empty feeling of self-worthlessness. But the first sight of this beautiful paradise shed away those doubts, at least as it appears to be. You can never underestimate the power of reality to seek and destroy.

The welcome letter from the company gave me an idea that this would be a different experience. Indeed, the first sight, as we approached the harbour, was a group of enthusiastic GOs waving at us for our proper welcome. In case you wanted to know, GOs stand for Gracious Organizers, to realize later that some disgruntled elements in the island would refer to as Generally Obnoxious. Anyways, the chef de village himself welcomed my arrival with a firm hand shake and gave me a warm welcome by knowing my name and designation. The smiles on the faces of the islanders, that is the GOs and GEs (Gracious Employees) shed away more of that stalker of a doubt that had pestered me since my encounter with insensitive elements of society. To my surprise, a fellow worker offered to take my luggage and carry it herself to my room. This was a very heart-warming welcome indeed, not expecting such hospitality for someone like me who didn’t arrive as a guest but rather an addition to the chocolate factory oompaloompas of the island.

A member of the cuisine team, where I would be assigned, was there to personally welcome my arrival and take me around the island. I learned later on that he was using his most prized break to do this for me. As we took a walk into the places I need to know as a new GO, everybody was waving towards our direction from afar. I turned around to see if they were referring to someone they knew from behind. There was none. It turns out they were waving at me. I could feel my bottomless pit of self-worthlessness filling up again.

Some people say that this island is Never-Never Land, or that mythical place inhabited by the lost boys who never grew old. Indeed, the lifestyle in this place is so far from reality as everyone enjoys life and the people around them unaffected by the pressures of keeping a home, having food on the table and other worries of big cities. It was a multicultural environment as well as people come from all over Australia and around the world. The only time that there was trouble in this paradise was when pirates occasionally assault the island with the corruption of grown-ups. These are times when islanders begin to compete for promotion at work, better accommodation and professional recognition. The abundance of alcohol, good times and parties also kept the islanders filled with youthful energy. Work was pretty much play. When they go out of hand, these are the times when grown-ups assault the island with liquor bans, curfews and other disciplinary actions, the most popular of which is the NBO or Next Boat Out, or simply put – You’re Fired and back to reality you go!

Yet this island, I feel, is a training ground for reality. For in this paradise, you learn to discover (or rediscover rather) yourself, acceptance of other people for who they are and deal with human conflicts which are as common as death and taxes. Most importantly, it is a place where you realize that even the ever immortal Garden of Eden has an end. And this is accepting what is to come. It is accepting reality. I will leave behind memories, both sweet and bitter, and my soul will die along with this island when it sinks to the bottom of obscurity. Ice Berg Dead Ahead!