JAFA

A recent post of the The Age travel blog sparked more comments than you usually see on such mainstream media. It's about the JAFA's Hmm those innocuous hard red shelled sweets/lollies/candies with the chocolate orange center, biscuit cake, or strange alien from some SciFi show I here you say. No not really it's the Just another Fcking Aussie it's the catchy little tag apparently now befalling the traveling Australian.

I would consider my self a seasoned traveler having had the experience of traveling extensively throughout South East, Europe and the USA at times thanks to some of my former employers. In more recent days I have just returned from living and working in Europe for a few years. Yes Europe not London not England yes the continent mainland EU.

My summary jist of Ben's article that we have perhaps overstayed our welcome in some parts of the world with some outlandish behavior. Hardly alone in that are we? Cancun, Ibiza, Algarve, shit any given night on Ackland Street in St Kilda the drunken rabble of English or Irish can make you shake your head. Although to date for me nothing quite matches the buck's and, yes ladies, the hen's weekend's the Brits beset on some unsuspecting eastern European city where you get more bang for your buck, no pun intended.

While I have never been referred to as a JAFA however I have had the indignity on a number of occasions, of being questioned like a member of some Al-Qaeda sleeper cell operative as I entered the UK on my Australian passport at London City Airport. A situation shared by many of my antipodean brothers similarly working in Europe. "Yes officer I am here on business , no officer I don't intended to do work in a bar in Kangaroo Court, actually have a very well paid respectable job already but thanks for the offer anyway, we are still part of the commonwealth are we not officer?"

I recall a situation while working in Zurich where my boss suggested I should get involved in the expat community activities, in particular he was making reference to the pub nights out. My response was taken with much surprise. I wouldn't socialize with a lot of these people at home so what possible reason do I have to do it while I am away. Sure call me antisocial, I prefer more selective perhaps something I learn't from the Swiss. Point being if you’re going to hang out at the Walkabout it Shepards Bush well quiet frankly that’s your choice.

Sure you may say I am part of the professional middle aged latte drinking set, so be it the choices we have made. I do still take pleasure to don my Wallabies jersey and lose my voice trying to scream over 75 thousand English men at Twickenham, a last minute victory on here is definitely one not quickly forgotten.

I don't think Ben has discovered anything new here just the reality than when something is new it's novel and fun and everyone wants one but as time wears on those little idiosyncrasies that attracted you in the first place eventually become very great annoyances and besides now everyone has one it's no so fun anymore.

JAFA ...