Meaningful Rituals are Rooted in Place

In early November, after exams have finally come to an end, the Australian National University campus where I teach quickly becomes deserted. While students return home to be fed and pampered, it is time for us academics to get back to writing and enjoying the queue-less car parks, libraries, and cafes. It won't be until the latter part of January that thermometers will soar to 40 degrees Celsius―on occasion prompting kangaroos to come down from the nearby hills in search of water―but by November temperatures will have already begun to rise. The leisurely pace and warm weather coincide with a sudden drop in the price of tropical fruit, chemists putting out their sunnies(sunglasses) and sunscreen displays, and nearby beach shops exhibiting their surfboards like national flags. Before long, decorations of red, green, and silver will adorn the local surroundings, because, after all, it's almost Christmas.