THAT’S NOT WESTERN SYDNEY

Image: Jeno Kin (@jeno.kim)

Have you ever had that weird discussion where someone was trying to one-up you of how West they lived in Sydney.

‘What part of Sydney are you from?’ or ‘What area are you from?’, or even ‘Watchu reppin’?’ (just kidding, no-one here says that). When you get asked this age-old question, what do you say? For some people it may be a very simple answer: Eastern suburbs, Northern beaches, North shore, Inner-west, Western Sydney, The Shire. What about all of us living in between? In the nook and cranny suburbs?

I live in a suburb wedged between the big city council areas of Ryde and Parramatta, and I would always need to finesse my answer accordingly. For my Uni mates, who were predominantly from around the city and the East, I would tell them that I live towards the West, ‘near Ryde’. For other friends from Western Sydney, I would say I live ‘near Parra’. This is a dilemma that many other people can relate to I’m sure. And to think this was all just a harmless attempt at better relating to whoever I was talking to.

At an age where I am constantly meeting new people, I’ve gotten into a habit of saying that I’m from ‘out West’, and usually that would fly. Since I studied in central Sydney, naturally most of the people I met lived closer to the city. After many encounters like this, I was almost on cruise-control, spouting that I was from ‘out West’ left, right and centre. However, one particular encounter jolted me back to reality. ‘Me too!’ she said, ‘Where about?’ she continued. At this point, you can imagine that bolt of hot, blue lightning that occasionally comes crashing down in my hemispheres. It was a fifty-fifty decision, and I was on the clock. A bead of sweat dropped down its own slippery slide against my temple as I finally answered after what felt like an eternal pause) ‘Near Ryde’ I answered. I regretted my reply immediately, as it came out in slow motion almost dribbling out like a pathetic bumble. ‘THAT’S NOT WESTERN SYDNEY! she roared. “I’M FROM PENRITH’. I should have said Parra. 

Be wary not to have to same brain-fart as I did. You have been warned!  

So, how West do YOU live in Sydney?