What do you consider to be the Australian Dream? Owning a beach-side home, working minimal hours for solid pay in a job you love, and being able to piss off on a holiday once a year? Living off the land and getting off the grid? Travelling the country top to bottom several times? Existing in a country free of prejudice and hatred, where Aussie larrikinism is not derived from toxic systemic issues and also there’s Reschs on tap in every pub?
Mate, I’ll put it to you that the Australian dream is, in fact, to live next door to someone who will constantly feed you. Enter your new favourite Instagram, @yiayianextdoor.
[jwplayer Zs0YsRyH]
Noted as the “girl next door” on the account’s bio, the whole thing is a wholesome perspective on the relationship a young bloke from Reservoir in Melbourne has with his older Greek neighbour, Nina. Who he fondly calls his Yiayia (which is Greek for grandma, btw.)
She feeds him homemade meals, lots of lentil soup, and routinely asks him when he’s going to get a girlfriend.
The whole account is literally videos of the bloke named Daniel (which I picked up on in the Christmas post ‘cos it was on the card she gave him) as Yiayia passes over various plates, pots, bags, and bowls of leftovers, fruit, biscuits, and fresh-made treats.
Honestly, if I lived next to Yiayia I’d have put on a solid 10kgs in the last year.
The relationship between Daniel and Yiayia is precious, and something that I think all of us that have flown the home nest yearn for; someone to feed us, love us, and crack the occasional dyed egg with on Greek Orthodox Easter.
And it’s a two-way-street kinda friendship as well, with Daniel regularly returning Yiayia’s plates and bowls with treats for her like fresh ciabatta bread, salami, and plant cuttings for her garden.
Honestly, whenever I feel a bit shitty or need an emotional pick-me-up, I find myself scrolling through this account, wishing that I too had a yiayia next door.
Truly, who needs Uber Eats when you’ve got a yiayia next door who will keep you fed for nothin?
