Border security

When I first moved over to Europe, I would make an effort to see Test cricket matches in an Anglophone pub. But long gone are the days when I could sit on a couch for five days to watch a Boxing Day test. 20/20 is an abomination to the purity of the game, which I would not watch.

Waking at 4.30am in the morning to see an Aussie Rules final in a pub is not working for me anymore, especially as my team have failed to make the finals in 15 years.

Trying to follow Australian politics is slightly depressing as Australian news websites generally seem to value scandal over substance, or any interesting analysis is hidden behind pay firewalls.

What I really used to enjoy was the monthly BBQ and drinks session for Aussie residents at the local Australian embassy. After 9/11 however, these were ended. The embassy said this was for security reasons, but I suspect that the cost of supplying some 70 Australians with imported Australian meat and beer became prohibitive.

And frankly, judging by the parade of drunken parliamentary delegates on travel junkets that joined us each month, the event became slightly embarrassing for the ambassador.

These may seem frivolous and small aspects of remaining in touch and of little value, but they are somewhat important when far away.

But as a new country, defined mainly through its immigrants over the past 200 years, it is unclear what one is searching for when away to hold on to as an Australian.

I see us everywhere though. I don't mean chance meetings with Australian professionals and experts, who seem to turn up everywhere - I was once on an internal United States flight between to small towns and still happened to sit next to a scientist from Canberra.

I mean I see us everywhere in other nationality traits.

We have a healthy disrespect for authority that is always refreshing, just like the French.

We appreciate time off and holidays, like the Spanish.

We have an appreciation and place a lot of value on nature, just like the Norwegians.