T.I.A: April 2008

Haven't had much time to add some thoughts to this blog. No, i haven't given up, I have just been out of routine for awhile.

My Dad and Mum:
They showed up and stayed for about 2 weeks with us. Hi Mum. We have finally acted like tourists and visited some of the sights of Alice with them. We did not get to all of them for you big city slickers who think this is a small town (population 26 000, swells at the weekend for football). (On football, I feel like a celebrity out here, I appeared on NITV playing in the lightening carnival at Easter time and the kids saw me on TV, so that helps the credibility.) We have a Coles AND a Woolworths, a 5 cinema complex AND we are awaiting the grand opening of Target. I will be styling it up very soon in Alice I can assure you. Places of note that we visited will follow and when you, yes YOU come to visit, I will gladly take you where you want to go, and gladly enquire of the tourist operator, "Excuse me, what price for locals?"
You will still have to pay top dollar, but you will be safe in the knowledge that I will either get in free, Belinda or I will get in free, or the boys will get in free. Hey, YOU will get free accommodation when you stay with us!

Places of note so far-
The Flying Doctors Museum. An excellent first up visit. The best coffee in Alice, a good tour, albeit a bit brief and led by someone of European persuasion (I am in Australia aren't I?...oh no, am I becoming a redneck?), and Kurtis and Elijah pretending to fly a plane in the flight simulator, which Kurtis managed to land. This was one place I did not invoke the "locals" tag. It is not fully government funded (lousy government) and still have to run heaps of fundraising bashes to keep it flying. Obviously the fat cats in Canberra will never need the services like us outback folk.

The Ghan Museum and The Road Transport Hall of Fame Museum. If you are into trains and marvel at the fact it took over 100 years to build a track between Adelaide and Darwin, love Kenworth trucks and road trains (mostly 3 trailers, lots of wheels, and a whole lot of grunt) and buses and tractors and cars...then this is a sure stop and you will love the fact Kurtis and Elijah really really love this attraction and will hound you to take them there.

The Todd Mall Markets: Belinda loves the markets (every 2nd Sunday) and so do the boys. I go. However, I love going to the Free Trade stall and talk politics and the benefits of free trade. Yes, I have bought free trade coffee from East Timor and Kurtis and Elijah have bought some wire insects from South Africa. Lousy big governments of the world...Cancel the debts you mongrels...Workers of the world unite.

I have had a brief pause in my blog entry writing tonight....Just pulled out another one of Kurtis' teeth.

The Telegraph Station- no visitor could go past a visit here. It is the whole history of the place and explains it a bit better than I could. I know not everyone is a history buff, but YOU should visit this fascinating place. The explorers were either genius', heroes or lunatics I think. You are in the middle of nowhere, there is a dry river that flows maybe once or twice a year for a couple of hours, flies, heat, and now the cold!!! And yet , this became such a major outpost for communication for Australia and the world.

I haven't said much about my Mum and Dad seeing it was one of the headings. This is really a test to see if my family actually will read this.

We have become yearly pass holders to the Desert Park. Sir David Attenborough said it is one of the best zoos in the world. All desert creatures, but a worthwhile visit.

I have recruited well. Tammy Wolter (ex NCC teacher...yes, i was HER boss), is teaching at our sister school at Yulara (Uluru), a pretty tough place to work and you need to see if you can get her email address to encourage her for the term contract she is on and to read her emails...puts my blog to shame. I have told her I will steal some of her stories. Just got a text from her tonight. She nearly had an eye poked out by a student with a piece of wire...and these are girls! We will have to have a debrief this week. It was good to catch up with her and have her stay with us for 2 nights. We hope to visit her soon at The Rock.

Life at Yirara goes on for me. I had a great term really. This job has stretched me beyond measure and it has been just what I needed. Is it out of my system? I don't know. There are days where I do want to just pack it in and come back to Brisbane. But it is as if God tells me to take a good look at myself and grow up and toughen up. The kids are not hard...they are tiring. Think of a Kurtis or Elijah type thinker or attention seeker, but in a 13 - 17 year old body. The relationships I have built are fantastic. These kids are fun and so full of life, good sense of humour, huggy (read earlier blogs), but they (the relationships) are not really long lasting. You can look at the photos on the page and look at how happy the kids look (even with me there!!), but many of those kids have not come back. I don't think I will have ex students of Yirara on msn, myspace, facebook, or talking to me on the phone in years to come. I remain idealistic and hope that this will be the case, but the reality is different. On the fellas side of things, we topped 110 at one stage in Term 1. Term 2, we might top 50 by tomorrow or Wednesday (of week 3!!). Out of those 50, about 10 or so are new kids as well. For many, they have done whitefella school for the year. But, even here, there are so many opportunities that Yirara gives, but school is not for every kid and there needs to be more opportunities. I have taught long enough to see the shift in schools with the rise of Vocational Education as a major, if not THE major drive of a school. Only 30% of kids ever go onto Uni..it is not the be all or end all. Academics are important, but not that important as to stifle someone. If you are looking for a change any ex students of mine, come out here and work. There are HEAPS of jobs out here. Get some life experience in a different culture, earn good money, then go back and do Uni and inspire your churches, youth or young adult groups.

A cultural shift and attitude shift needs to happen in the aboriginal and Alice community, the bureaucrats and politicians need to get out here more, and definitely a shift in attitude by some of the locals is needed. Again, the problems here are HUMAN problems (drunk driving, violence, crime), not just aboriginal problems. I saw 3 whitefellas walk out of Woolworths with cartons of beer today, but I can assure you, the drinking problems of the whitefellas out here rarely gets mentioned, I didn't hear much "tut tutting" by onlookers or will I read in the local paper about whitefellas at the races and their drinking problems.

This is good reflection time for me and hopefully more over the next week while Belinda is still in Brisbane. I miss her...and Elijah. Kurtis and I have not killed each other yet, but this has been good for us as well.

Nightmare for Federal side
Aussie Rules
SOUTH proved to be a defensive nightmare for Federal to win by 13-goals at Traeger Park on Sunday.
It was a blue and whitewash, led by Sean Cusack, who taught Federal a lesson in AFL under the eye of new South coach Richard Hayes.
South had control of the match from the start with Cusack causing Federal headaches.
South's skills were far more superior andthey had the ability to convert through
Cusack-ahd the team's forward line.
The catch cry across the park was "Kick it to Cusack" while the former Federal player racked up 13 goals before heading to the bench to have a well-deserved break.
The final score saw South win the match by a huge 117 points.
Cusack said he will be fit for the Rovers game this Saturday after pulling up with a few blisters and sore legs.
Cusack said: "We appointed a new coach in Richard Hayes who has been in the club for decades.
"He's a good bloke, very well respected throughout the community and he's got one from one.
"We'll get two inclusions this week, Charlie Marr and a fella from Brisbane by the name of Russell, which will be good for the team."

I did play and we won by 85 points!!! Mum and Dad have been out here so I had the whole family come and watch me play in the ruck and walk (hobble, limp...whatever) off the field in the 4th quarter with cramps! I was named as second best player for the match, much to Belinda's surprise.