Rachel Dyer attended the recent AWNY Annual Morning Tea at the Australian Consul-General’s residence in New York. She shares her reflections as a newcomer to the group:
On an unseasonably chilly spring morning on Monday April 30, I walked through a quiet tree-lined street, an almost hidden oasis, tucked away on the Midtown East side of Manhattan.
Wrapped in 1000 layers to protect myself from what had become known as the never ending winter, I walked briskly with an overzealous smile to my very first AWNY event: the annual morning tea.
A recent Aussie transplant of no more than two weeks in the Big Apple, I felt very privileged to have been asked to join such a wonderful event. Hosted by AWNY’s Patron, Berry Fanning at the Australian Consul-General’s residence, I immediately felt at home when I came out of the elevator and was surrounded by the chorus of the all too familiar Aussie accent.
I spent the morning meeting so many intriguing woman from all walks of life who had made New York their home. Some for just a few months, others calling this incredible city their second home for years. As I indulged in copious amounts of lamingtons and scones with jam and cream, I listened to the stories of these remarkable women, their love for this city and how their support for one another through AWNY has made life here a memorable one.
This left me excited to hear about the upcoming AWNY events that were shared by the AWNY committee members. I was astounded to hear about the plethora of activities, from hair styling tricks and tips to picnics in parks to “speed-dating” for new members (this was aptly clarified to mean “speed meet and greets” for new members with current members).
Even though I have now lived in the US for almost five years (saying goodbye to sunny skies in LA to the unpredictability of New York weather), I didn’t know one person in this city before I took a giant leap of faith. It was a huge gamble but I feel so lucky to have been welcomed into such a great organization and look forward sharing the Aussie camaraderie at AWNY.
AWNY | Australian Women in New York 