Journey by Dawn

Kronstadt Gardens: blossoms and withers as a unique aged care facility closes in Victoria

September 3, 2019 by Aushra

Kronstadt Gardens is a Slavic aged care facility located in Dandenong, Victoria. As we know it, this is more than an aged care facility but is a central part of the Russian Orthodox Community in Australia, where families trust their loved elderly family members to care. Sadly Kronstadt Gardens, the residential part of Ruscare Ltd. will be closing October 11th 2019. The Chairman of the facility is an Orthodox priest Very Rev. Fr. Michael Protopopov, has done a […]

Categories: Australia, Christianity, Travel

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It is not us who own the land, but the land owns us: Australian Aboriginal tour Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne

August 27, 2019 by Aushra

Last weekend I took an Australian Aboriginal walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne. It was very interesting to learn about the different plants and taste tea from some; listen to stories and poetry by a local aboriginal man, and enjoy the Australian sunshine. One interesting story the man told us is about how the Europeans, when they came to Australia, introduced blankets… and in the rain they used to get soaked with water. When the aboriginals used them, […]

Categories: Travel

Light colours from the tallest Skyscraper in Melbourne!

August 22, 2019 by Aushra

The Eureka Tower – located in Southbank, Melbourne, is the highest observation deck in Melbourne and in the Southern Hemisphere. This 297m skyscraper takes you 88 floors to the top to view Melbourne life from a better distance. The blues The browns The waiting Welcoming the night The night has a lot to teach us. About silence, about solitude, about depth of the unknown world; one that we think we know during the day, but surprises us […]

Categories: Travel

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Sydney things to see for a day: Opera house and Coogee beach!

August 13, 2019 by Aushra

If you had an opportunity to visit Sydney, NSW for just a day, what should you see?! Last weekend I took a short trip to Sydney, NSW to visit my friends. With little time, we made the most of it visiting one of the most famous beaches and admiring the architecture of the Sydney Opera House. Most importantly, enjoying the time together! COOGEE BEACH One of over 100 beaches, Sydney’s Coogee beach is one of the best! Beautiful costal walks […]

Categories: Travel

Photo session: 2 Nepalese traditional dresses Sari and Kurtha

August 8, 2019 by Aushra

In preparation to my holiday in Nepal, I had a lovely opportunity to dress up with traditional Nepalese clothes, to experience the culture up close (before leaving Australia!). A big thanks for my friend Swastika @shrestha.swosti for taking shots and sharing about your culture! NEPALESE SARI NEPALESE KURTHA This time, experimenting with different editing styles, I challenged myself to find expressions of feelings. In this project I found that brightness of dress is […]

Categories: Discovery, Travel

Dandenong by night: practicing 30sec exposure photography

August 6, 2019 by Aushra

Living on the night shift schedule, it’s easy to stay awake late even on nights off. Yesterday I went for a walk to practice long term exposure pictures with my Canon 800D and 50mm pancake lens. Here is the result. DANDENONG CITY THE TRAIN STATION THE BRIDGE Some sci-fi flashlight / phone light fun! 🙂

Categories: Australia, Travel

It was my blog that found you! The joys and struggles of writing

July 29, 2019 by Aushra

I began writing this blog in August 2018, when found myself in a time in life when a significant relationship had ended. My first view and likes made me realise what a great way it is to share my journey and my observations along the way. Much better than any other social media platform I had known at that time. Humble beginnings I wanted to share the beauty of my experience of life in Australia, that even after 4 years […]

Categories: Travel • Tags: #bloggingmotivation, #strugglesinwriting, #thirdculturekids

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Becoming aware of my TCK identity as an adult. Are there more of us?

May 4, 2019 by Aushra

Finding a place to call home, is the hardest task of any TCK. By definition Third Culture Kids are children who spend a significant time of their developmental years travelling due to the work of their parents. The countries that I got to visit due to my mum’s job include Mexico (age 7-15), Canada (15-23). In my late teenage years I searched deeply for my identity, at last discovering that more than anything else I was Lithuanian (the country where […]

Categories: Adult Third Culture Kids, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel

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TIPS FOR A GREAT SELFIE PHOTO SESSION!

March 1, 2019 by Aushra

Last week I set up for a photo session at home. A lot of the results will depend on your mood and materials. Here are tips of what helped me to have fun and produce great results. THE RIGHT MATERIALS Your camera (or phone) needs to be standing about your hight, I set mine a little higher than my own standing height. I used a Canon DSLR 800D Camera with 50mm lens. My cheap tripod and a shutter button with […]

Categories: Travel

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Camping at the 12 Apostles: best way to see this natural wonder!

February 1, 2019 by Aushra

Last week I decided to rent a car and head for a drive to the 12 Apostles for an overnight camping trip. Never mind I went alone, in fact I really made the most of it! Taking the inland route the drive was about 3 hours – quite straight in fact comparing to the intense windy Great Ocean Road. Though toward the end you do get to drive on part of the Great Ocean Road as well. After reading a […]

Categories: Australia, Travel

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This is Australia part II: Immigration and Acculturation

January 29, 2019 by Aushra

Australia Day 2019 inspired me to visit the Immigration Museum of Melbourne. It was very interesting to discover personal stories of immigration, the challenges and the joys, most of which are experienced by immigrants even today. Writing this blog brings a shade of sadness because no one should leave their homeland unless they wished so, but so many leave due to impossible situations such as poverty and political chaos. But the flexibility and creativity they must develop in order to […]

Categories: Australia, Beautiful nature, Travel • Tags: #immigratiomuseumaustraliday

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This is Australia Part I: The Parade

January 27, 2019 by Aushra

This year, Australia Day was as colourful as ever, with hundreds of performers and spectators! Here are some of my captures with the Canon 800D camera and 50mm lens. In conclusion, very impressive colourful exposition! The second half of the day I spent in the immigration museum – learning about the first settlers in Australia that came from across the globe also listening to audio personal stories of people sharing their arrival to Australia journey. See my next blog: […]

Categories: Australia, Travel • Tags: #australiaday2019

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Night Melbourne: practicing long exposure photography

January 13, 2019 by Aushra

Yesterday night I took part in a group lesson for beginner photographers where we walked around the city exploring different settings of our cameras. The focus was on learning about movement and other things involved with long exposure. Here are some of the results. The city of Melbourne has so many faces. The narrow, graffiti painted streets is something you’d normally avoid, but for photography class it was perfect. I learned that in photography the creative part of making a picture is about […]

Categories: Photography, Travel • Tags: #melbournenightlongexposure, #photohclass

Orthodox Christmas : celebrating with the Russian community Melbourne (audio)

January 9, 2019 by Aushra

As the distractions of the secular Christmas celebrations died down and after the fireworks of the New Years passed, the Star of Bethlehem became brighter, shining a way to the New Born Baby, the Saviour, the Emmanuel. The one who remained with us. Celebrated by the old calendar on the 7th of January – the Orthodox Christmas time, this is where the star of Bethlehem brought me this year! And this was the only place I could have ever wanted […]

Categories: Australia, Orthodoxy • Tags: #Orthodoxchristmasmelbourne

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Good-bye 2018: Orthodox retreat in Melbourne on the Wisdom of the Holy Fathers

January 1, 2019 by Aushra

This year in preparation for 2019, I participated in a Russian Orthodox community gathering for young people in Melbourne city. The conferences were about the wisdom of the Holy Fathers of the Church. Here are some notes and photos to share of time spent together. On modernisation of the Church The idea behind adjusting the original Christian practices to modern time can be summarised by the oxymoron of ‘We have to change in order to stay the same’. However we […]

Categories: Christianity, Discovery, Orthodoxy, Travel • Tags: #fathersofthechurchretreat, #orthodoxretreatmelbournecbd

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Christmas blues: Australian Sea Life Aquarium!

December 26, 2018 by Aushra

Days off work… it’s not always easy to cope. The longing for returning to my homeland follows me throughout. So Christmas Day was no exception. After visiting a beautiful Church in the city of Melbourne I had to find something to direct my mind and heart to the here and now. I decided to visit the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. I have to say, despite being super busy when I arrived at 3pm, by 4.30pm it became unbelievably quiet as […]

Categories: Australia, Discovery, Travel • Tags: #australiansealife, #christmasinmelbourne, #homeawayfromhome

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Christmas season flowers and red red skies: I have a life that’s good!

December 18, 2018 by Aushra

This is my 5th Australian Christmas… filled with colours, smells and hard work… Building dream, saving for it and learning to enjoy every moment. At the end of the day, I have a life that’s good! Remembering Lithuania where temperatures are way below 0C at this time of year I am ever so grateful to be wearing short sleeves and taking walks in the park… and yet, in my heart I embrace those enduring the hard winters staying close with […]

Categories: Australia, Beautiful nature, Travel • Tags: #australiansummer, #dandenong, #Melbournebotanicgardens

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A scientist, a traveller, a man of courage: my Grandfather (1882-1968)

December 15, 2018 by Aushra

Today is another rainy day and I’ve looked through my shelf of books of another interesting story to share. I came across a book I have kept among my journals for many years of my travels: a biography and work of my Grandfather: Pranciškus Baltrus Šivickis. I was named Aušra Pranciška Šivickytė – in his honour and my half-brother is Baltrus Šivickis. As if that is not enough, there is also a school and a street in Lithuania by his […]

Categories: Biography, Discovery, Travel

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Third Culture Kids: what makes us different from others?

December 11, 2018 by Aushra

Children raised in cultures other than those of their parents, who for a significant amount of their early developmental years are exposed to a variety of cultural influences are known as Third Culture Kids or TCK. Technically speaking we could argue such development is a privilege due to the richness of language and culture stimulating neuronal growth and self awareness… However as the title of an article in BBC Capital News describes well: they often call themselves ‘Citizens of everywhere […]

Categories: Australia, Christianity, Discovery, Growth and Self-discovery, Orthodoxy, Travel • Tags: #adultTCK, #findinghomeasTCK, #thirdculturekids, #whatmakesusdifferent

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Rowville Caribbean Market: space to rest and get good deals!

December 9, 2018 by Aushra

Today I went to explore the Caribbean Markets, that open only Wednesdays (free) and Sundays (2.50AUD). It was quite a slow day possibly due to the cloudy weather, but nevertheless everything was running as usual. It is possible to get there by bus 901 which drops you off near the main gate. There is a bit of a walk to the pay boot, after that you can take the cable car (8AUD both ways) to get to the market itself. […]

Categories: Australia, Beautiful nature, Discovery, Marketplace • Tags: #caribbeanmarket, #discoveringmelbourne, #placetoresttowville

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Funny and cute: LOCAL AUSTRALIAN BIRDS ON CAMERA!

December 2, 2018 by Aushra

Here are some photos of birds I’ve caught on camera in Brisbane and Melbourne! *I hope you enjoyed my bid photography expo ;). Photographing birds is never easy but the results with DSLR are always so much better than with my phone! I hope to bring more goodness soon!

Categories: Australia, Beautiful nature, Discovery, Travel

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4 YEARS: best hikes photographed since my arrival to Australia!

November 30, 2018 by Aushra

Next week marks 4 years since my arrival to the ‘Land of Oz’ a.k.a. Australia. Here is a little tribute of my best memories photographed! Fyodor Dostojevski said that it is beauty that will save the world; and for sure it has been the case in mine. Despite many challenges I’ve had and continue to have while learning about this country, their customs and differences between them and the Eastern European traditions, I find huge comfort in nature and […]

Categories: Australia, Beautiful nature, Travel

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Mornington Peninsula Hot Springs Bathing: HEALING WATERS

November 27, 2018 by Aushra

Yesterday I travelled down to the south of Melbourne to enjoy a day of relaxation and peace. Here are some tips for people who seek to find solitude and healing in the hot springs. THE EXPERIENCES The reflexology walk of stones, that consists of differently sized stones covered in water in a pathway. It is a little uncomfortable bu the foot massage it gives surely stimulates blood flow! My next favourite was the cycle of hot and cold. Hot sauna, […]

Categories: Australia, Discovery, Travel • Tags: #melbournehotsprings, #thermalwaters

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AMAZING HIKES and MONASTERY visit in Tasmania: LYRA BIRD & BIOLUMINESCENCE!

November 23, 2018 by Aushra

This week I have been remembering my trip to Tasmania in 2017. I had experienced unexpected troubles in my most trusted relationship and the week traveling alone was exactly what I needed. I was amazed and surprised by such natural wonders! Tasmania, is a small island southeast of Australia. Isolated but not forgotten, I say. 🙂 Renting a car is the best way to see the parks and landscapes. THE CRADLE MOUNTAIN is located in the ST.CLAIR NATIONAL PARK. I took a 1 […]

Categories: Travel • Tags: #hikestasmania, #launcestonmonastery, #lyrabird, #tasmaniabeauty

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Rowville, Victoria: Typical Australian morning WITH AUDIO!

November 20, 2018 by Aushra

This week I am staying at an AirBNB in Rowville, Victoria, a suburb south east of Melbourne. Despite the population of over 33 thousand it feels very peaceful. It’s distinct feature are three lakes: Hill, Cogley and Sutton. Every morning I’ve been taking walks and here are some of my photos. I hope the audio will make the experience more real! Soon to come: An photographed adventure of the city of Melbourne with peaceful music A SPA retreat in Mornington […]

Categories: Australia, Beautiful nature, Discovery, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel • Tags: #amazingvictoria, #australiansunrise, #restfulmorning, #rowville

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Melbourne Port Philip Bay: BRIGHTON BEACH AND ST.KILDA PENGUINS!

November 17, 2018 by Aushra

This morning energised by jet-lag, I decided to explore two famous beaches in Melbourne. Brighton beach famous for the coloured houses by the beach a.k.a. bathing boxes. They have been around since 1862 and are used, well, for a comfortable stay at the beach (or storage). 🙂 From there you can also see the beautiful view of Melbourne and enjoy a picnic while overlooking the bay. Little blue birds came by to greet me. 🙂 St.Kilda pier is quite empty early morning […]

Categories: Beautiful nature, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel • Tags: #brightonbeach, #jetlagsurvival, #lovingmelbourne, #st.Kildapenguins, SoloTravel

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JET-LAG SURVIVAL: managing life in Australia after holiday in Europe!

November 16, 2018 by Aushra

They say there is not much you can do about it… so I thought I should make the most of it! Jet-lag is still full-on for me even a week after returning from Europe. I’m up all night wide owl eyes, energy like I could run a marathon! But it’s only 2am… by 4am I try to sleep and spend another 4 hours in bed when finally by 8am I drift to the dream world from which I don’t return until […]

Categories: Beautiful nature, Growth and Self-discovery, Impossible situations, Travel • Tags: #adaptation, #jetlagsolutions, #timezonechange, shiftwork

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Top 10 BEST PHOTGRAPHED EXPERIENCES of my trip to Europe. Fall 2018.

November 13, 2018 by Aushra

Here are some of my best photos of the trip! Visiting Lithuania, Germany and Greece was a time not only of discovering but also re-discovering after 4 years living in Australia. Perhaps the greatest discovery I had was a deeper experience and understanding that our world, despite being so diverse it is in fact very similar. That we as humans have a lot more in common than we realise; or a lot more than I realised. 🙂 LITHUANIA […]

Categories: Discovery, Monastic, Online friendship, Travel • Tags: #europetrip, #solotraveleurope, #worldheritage, Santorini

Art therapy session in Athens: THE STRUGGLE TO REMAIN CLOSE TO THE LIGHT

November 12, 2018 by Aushra

This was the first time I did a session with AirBnB events. I have to say that it was a unique experience, and the tutor/author of this activity: Chysoula was very well prepared and led the session in an engaging way. Here is the video that she made of photos that (mostly) I took with my camera Canon D800. Two of the photos (the ones of me) were taken by her. The topic I came up with by searching in […]

Categories: Beautiful nature, Creative activities, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel • Tags: #airBNBevent, #athensart, #struggletoremainclosetothelight, #wondersingreece

Exploring the crater of SANTORINI VOLCANO: an experience of a lifetime!

November 10, 2018 by Aushra

The Santorini Volcano is located in the National Geological Park of Nea Kameni, the central island in Santorini, Greece. It is in fact the newest island that has emerged only 50 years ago from the Aegian Sea, due to movements of the tectonic plates. How amazing is that?! This park is also a World Heritage cite of geological monuments. It is in this islet of Nea Kameni where this active-but-dormant volcano sleeps. Taking a day boat tour around and in […]

Categories: Beautiful nature, Discovery, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel • Tags: #crater, #volcano, #wondersingreece, #worldheritage, geologicalpark, Santorini

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GREECE, SANTORINI, PYRGOS AND THE BLACK BEACH

November 7, 2018 by Aushra

Some interesting facts about Santorini (from Wikipedia) Santorini is an island in the Aegian Sea. It is build on rock erupted by the volcano which is currently active, though dormant. The towns of Oia and Fira are known for beautiful sunsets. However today I visited the less popular town of Pyrgos and the Black Beach. PYRGOS: This little town in low season is completely empty. It was only the cats and I. Yet, I saw a few shadows of locals, who […]

Categories: Beautiful nature, Discovery, Growth and Self-discovery, Orthodoxy, Survival tips, Travel • Tags: Black Beach, Discovering, Greek friendly, Pyrgos in low season, Santorini, Solo travel

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Meeting my friend for the first time in 7 years: AN ONLINE FRIENDSHIP STORY!

October 31, 2018 by Aushra

Ina and I were both students at the Open University doing an online Bachelor Degree in Psychology in 2011, and since then we have remained in contact. I have recently come to see her in person and spend some time here in Germany to meet her and her family. Here is a shared blog of our friendship over the years via the email and the What’s Up phone app. Online study groups Ina: During the study years it difficult to keep up […]

Categories: Discovery, Online friendship, Technology/relationships, Travel

Photographed experience of my hot air balloon flight over Trakai, Lithuania

October 27, 2018 by Aushra

Here is photographed the process of preparing and flying the hot air balloon over Trakai, Lithuania. It was an experience beyond anything I ever had. It was smooth, unlike I expected and an amazing guide. I highly recommend http://www.orobalionas.com. It was an unforgettable, heart melting experience. I had never seen my homeland from such perspective. I hope you enjoyed seeing it too! Please like and subscribe with your email for weekly blogs to be sent directly to your email. If […]

Categories: Beautiful nature, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel

Vilnius, Lithuania: history that shines in the present

October 13, 2018 by Aushra

It has been a few days since my arrival in Vilnius. The most shocking factor so far has been the amazing colours of the changing leaves as they prepare to fall, giving way to the winter season. It is a blessing beyond compare, to be here at this time of the year. GEDIMINAS CASTLE In the early 14th century, Duke Gediminas was travelling with his army here decided to camp near this hill for the night. During that night he […]

Categories: Australia, Discovery, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel • Tags: Faith, Gediminascastle, hikes, Hillofthreecrosses, history, lithuaniainthefall, present, vilnius

Nothing to fear: Preparing for an exciting 1 month of travel in Europe!

October 5, 2018 by Aushra

Some trips are life-changing, others are forgotten. But when travelling with an open heart and curiosity, one never returns the same. In a few days I am heading off to Europe for a month, visiting three amazing countries. Luggage almost packed, the rest stored in boxes. The journey begins… I must admit the hardest part is to get going. Just like with everything else, changing a job, changing a home. Back when I was studying in Canada, I remember our […]

Categories: Australia, Discovery, Growth and Self-discovery, Travel • Tags: #couplestravel, connecting, Engaging, Preparing, Schema Theory, Schemata, SoloTravel, Travel of a Lifetime, TravelTips

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Finding casual work in Australia: tips for creative people

September 25, 2018 by Aushra

My 4 years in Australia have been filled with ups and downs, in particular when it comes to finding stable work. Here are some tips to find casual employment and types of jobs that took me a lot of creativity and insight to find. Before finding work it is critical to make a good CV in English. Even if it takes a week to put together all essential experiences relevant to the roles – it’s the only way. Get free […]

Categories: Australia, Growth and Self-discovery, Survival tips, Travel • Tags: Discovery, findingemployment, Immigration, Psychology, Sharing, Tipsfindingwork

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Third Culture Kids: growing in a world unknown by parents

September 8, 2018 by Aushra

The term Third Culture Kid (TCK) refers to children who grow up in cultures other than the one of their parents. The challenge is that even the parents are not able to assist their kids making sense of the experiences of the new culture, because it is new for them too! In the modern world, this is a frequent scenario as the means of transportation are as affordable and accessible as ever. When it comes to balancing family and work, […]

Categories: Travel

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