Moving countries in my thirties taught me many new things.
In that decade of my life, I was enthusiastically open to learning new things while knowing that it was OK to get things wrong or to look silly.
Thinking my years of cognitive behavioural therapy and practiced mindfulness had made me consistent in my behaviours and cured of all my problems was a misconception. That is obvious now but I was a very sure 30-something.
I left Australia and any baggage I had.
The thing with baggage is that planes transport it to your destination along with you. They have several whole carousels waiting for you on the other side — domestic or international. It is never lost in-transit unfortunately. There are hidden fees.
When I arrived in the US, certain things that had plagued me in Australia did so there too (minus that eucalyptus scent).
It took me a few months to realise that there was one common Damana-nator.
Damana Madden 