| WEEK 1 |
G’day
from down under! |
We know you have all anxiously been awaiting tales of our journey
so far, so here is a rundown of what we did during our first week. Saturday we arrived, weary from the fifteen hour flight, yet teeming with excitement for what the coming weeks held. We were met by Rob, the Program Manager from GED, who will accompany us for the majority of the trip. After a quick zip through Sydney by bus, we arrived at our “home” for the next three weeks: Mary Andrews College, a dormitory of Sydney University. All of us spent the morning unpacking and fighting to keep our eyelids open, and after lunch took a stroll through our neighborhood of Newtown. Sunday we got our first real taste of the city on a bus tour, which took us to key landmarks like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge to help us get our bearings. School started Monday with the first of several lectures introducing us to Australian history and culture. Learning took on a new face on Tuesday when we went to Tranby Aboriginal College. This cooperative college for indigenous students with its weaving circular paths and classrooms was a perfect setting for learning. Our three teachers, Oomera, Cleonie, and Alan were all amazing—willing to share personal experiences and answer our probing questions. For most of us our first day off, Wednesday, was spent at the library, downtown, or the beach. We went back to Tranby on Thursday to hear about Aboriginal spirituality, ceremony, and social law. Friday was our first introduction to natural history of this unique land, and also to the contemporary arts. And because this is experiential learning, we had a field study at the Sydney Opera House on Friday night. Black Chicks Talking was a profoundly revealing tale of four Aboriginal women struggling to find their place in a modern society. The weekend was free of scheduled activities, which enabled us to explore the city on our own… check with your respective adventurer for all of those juicy details! -Darcy |
| WEEK 1 |
Reflection/Impression
Journal Entry |
G’day!
The following is a reflection of sorts that represents one persons
thoughts, namely mine (Nicole), of a group experience. |
| WEEK 2 |
Public
Journal Entry, Recap Jan. 20th-26th |
Wow
this week was action packed! The highlights of this week based at
Mary Andrew’s College in Sydney were as follows: On Monday Rob Elvish our trip coordinator and biologist presented a short and concise lecture on Australian terrestrial biota. Terrestrial biota I learned was the taxonomy, origins, and special factors of Australia. From this I now know a bit about the unique animals, such as the kangaroos, found throughout the country. Next we boarded a private bus for a trip to the natural history museum known as the Australian Museum. There we had an extensive tour which highlighted Australia’s ancient and extinct reptiles, birds, and mammals. From this tour it is clear that European contact devastated much of the native wildlife known as ancient terrestrial fauna. Tuesday was interesting, but exhausting since we had five events. The first was a lecture by Ursula Prunster on the evolution of non-indigenous Australian art. We learned that Australian art was much like other works during the era. The major periods we examined were the colonial period, the Heidelberg School style, and Australian Impressionism. Although I have never been a fan of impressionism I was interested by the Australian style because it depicted amazing landscapes of the outback. After a break for lunch we then traveled to the biggest art museum in Sydney known as the New South Wales Art Gallery. (Incidentally for those of you new to Australia such as myself, NSW is the state we are in.) At the museum we viewed the actual paintings we viewed earlier that morning in our lecture. In short, the paintings were spectacular because we saw them in there actually size (typically large-scale) and the landscapes came to life viewing them first hand. Next we attended a dance and didgeridoo performance. This was invigorating and entertaining not only because the performer was talented, but also because he clearly explained the construction and physics of the instrument. From the first note it seemed to finally set in that we were in a very different place- the land down under. As a word of caution to all neighbors and parents back home the boys on the trip look forward to practicing they’re newly made didgeridoos when they return home. The afternoon consisted of a lengthy lecture and tour of the Yiribana Gallery, which focused on Aboriginal art. The most important facts I learned from the lecture and show is there is the complexity of the subject matter and skill required to create these paintings is much more than meets the eye. Wednesday was a free day so check with your traveler to see what they were up to. I was in the library for a bit and then headed to my favorite beach so far- Coogie. On Thursday Rod Mason of the University of Sydney delivered a lecture titled “Connecting with the Land” The subject was about the history and culture of the Aboriginal people. Given the mere fact that the Aboriginal people are the oldest living civilization in the world his lecture was quite comprehensive about the people of the Sydney region, significant sites to them, and how they used their natural resources. Friday we returned to Tranby Aboriginal College for two lectures. The first was about the impact of the European occupation on Aboriginal people. The two lecturers, both aborigines, discussed their people’s displacement from the country, cultural destruction, health complications, enforced resettlement, and particularly the enforced family separation known as the “Stolen Generation”. For an excellent understanding of the issues I highly recommend viewing a film titled: “Stolen Generation”. After a short break for tea and fresh air the same lecturerers discussed Aboriginal Australians in contemporary society. The major topics in this lecture were the 1976 referendum, social welfare, and accommodations in the justice system, cultural identity, political activism, land rights, and recent national reconciliation. On Sunday we wrapped up the week with a trip to the “Survival Concert”. The concert, which consisted of performers, booths, and music accompanied by dance pertaining to Aboriginal culture. The significance of the event being on January 26th was on the same day most non-native residents were celebrating the arrival of European settlement. Clearly this event organized by aboriginal groups represents a politically charged message, which everyone should individually consider. Post Script: For all of you back home I think we are all having an amazing time with much more to come. To my parents and friends I miss you all and remember to send letters and packages. Although, Sydney is an amazing there is no place like San Francisco. -MILES MULCARE, January 29, 2003 |
| WEEK 2 |
Impression:
Royal National Park |
The day got
off to an early start as we made our way to the Royal National
Park in the southern outskirts of Sydney, the hustle and bustle
of the city slowly dissipating as we moved further into the forest.
Our tour guide, Rod Mason, was an aboriginal who was ready to
give us knowledge. “Knowledge,” he explained, “isn’t
in a book. It’s in your life experiences. It’s shown
in your scars. Your scars can’t be scribbled over or erased.
They show what you’ve been through and how you learned from
it.” |
| WEEK 3 |
Recap: Bulletin from the land down under. |
|
The last couple of weeks have gone by in a blur of constant activity.
The thirtieth of January was our last day at Mary Andrews College
(MAC). One of our previous lecturers, Richard White, returned to
brief us on the history of Australia’s roles in war from Sudan
to Afghanistan. We were given a comprehensive look at the alliances,
politics, actions and national attitudes to militarism that have
shaped Australia’s past. Richard mentioned a “tyranny
of distance” as being a possible reason for Australia’s
eager participation in wars. Considering the current state of affairs,
this information was particularly applicable. |
|
|
WEEK 3 |
Impression: Kings Cross |
| Kings
Cross is the red-light district of Sydney; a place mentioned by
the tour guides only long enough for them to discourage you from
going there, suggesting that the only reason anyone would go there
is to get drugs or prostitutes. It has been my experience with cities
I’ve lived in and visited that the “bad” parts
of town are often some of the most interesting, pretty, lively real
parts of town; thus I felt I couldn’t leave Sydney without
paying a visit to Kings Cross. While I enjoy experiencing “shady”
areas, I’m not stupid about it, so I went in broad daylight,
with a friend, and carrying only enough money for a light snack.
Taking the bus east from Hyde Park, I expected to be whisked away
to a dirty, run down area far from the city center where people
were lying unconscious on the sidewalk with needles sticking out
of their arms, from what I’d been told. Instead, I found a
pleasant commercial district like many others in the city, a short
walking distance from the park. Hopping off the bus, I saw nice
architecture, functioning businesses, clean streets and people going
about their daily routines. There were a larger number of strip
clubs and sex shops than other areas of the city, but nothing shocking
to a person coming from Portland. Also, I understand that there
is a new needle exchange/safe shooting room operating in the area,
but I didn’t find this location on my tour. A program quite
controversial among Sydneyers I hear, but quite progressive in my
eyes, the safe shooting room probably explains why these nice city
streets weren’t littered with the unsightly presence of unconscious
junkies. There was a pleasant park in the center of the district,
where I stopped to smoke a cigarette and draw a picture of a bird
eating out of a rubbish bin. Unlike the other parts of Sydney, notably
the George Street/Rocks/Circular Quay areas, where everyone looks
like a model and is uptight and in a hurry somewhere, Kings Cross
was laid back, with more normal looking people buying their groceries,
sitting lazily on a café terrace, or just relaxing in the
park. It was actually one of the more comfortable parts of Sydney
for me, where the people and buildings didn’t glitter with
the plastic fakeness of wealth and tourism. The worst thing I saw
while walking around was some policemen harassing two homeless-looking
aborigines. After walking around and taking in the sights for a
while, my friend and I stopped in a small, kind of alternative-looking
(my friend is a vegan) café for a snack and a drink. The
café was quite small and dark, with a limited menu; we soon
discovered that its main business was not food or beverage. There
was a guy sitting in the corner with the shades pulled who would
have visitors every few minutes who would sit down at his table
and exchange cash for small Ziploc baggies. This is the shadiness
of Kings Cross, I thought to myself in part excitement and part
nervousness. After a while, the guy came over and asked if we wanted
to buy some weed; we politely declined, and he sat down and talked
to us about his rugby training and his cousin who plays college
basketball in the states. After a few minutes of having pleasant,
coherent conversation with him (he obviously wasn’t a junky
either, disappointing, but reassuring), another “customer”
came in for him and we got up to leave. When we walked out of the
café, we noticed that there was a large police station about
2oom away, interesting. So Kings Cross was both what I had hoped
it to be and not; it was the more real and interesting, yet fairly
safe area I have come to expect of “bad” parts of town,
but it wasn’t the shady, dangerous and thrilling experience
I had kind of secretly hoped for. |
WEEK
4: INDEPENDENT TRAVEL |
| WEEK 5 |
Recap:
Reunion in Brisbane |
On Sunday
we all reunited in Brisbane at the GED office (our new base for
lectures) and anxiously awaited the meetings of our new “families”.
We were then all whisked away to see where our homes would be
for the next few weeks. On Monday we were all back together for
a grand tour of Brisbane and some of the surrounding areas. Mount
Koot-the was particularly beautiful and we enjoyed the scenery
over plates of nachos and other delicious tea-time snacks. After
our tour, we headed off to the Queensland Museum for a highly
informative tour by Olivia Robinson, a friendly and super energetic
lady. She showed us the “back room” where tons of
cool Aboriginal artifacts were stored and we also got a glimpse
into the past while browsing through some beautiful pictures of
Aborigines and their homes. Tuesday’s lectures were on Australian
multiculturalism and the history of immigration in Australia.
It wasn’t until 1972, when the first labor party was elected
into office, that multiculturalism was seen as a positive thing
and plans were made to encourage it. Wednesday was a free day
spent in the library, exploring the city, or hanging out at the
“beach”-a small swimming pool-like lagoon with sand
scattered around the edge for a beachy feel. The not so attractive
men in tiny speedos added to that feeling as well. On Thursday
we learned all about the management of Australia’s natural
resources-especially salinity, a major problem in Australia where
parts of land are full of salt and nothing can be grown on them.
For more info on that, ask your kid or friend. Thursday night
we attended a hilarious play at the Optus Playhouse called, ‘Cosi’.
It was about a young director in the 70’s who is faced with
the task of making a play with six residents of a mental institution.
The cast was highly entertaining and kept our bellies shaking
with constant laughter. On Friday we learned a bit about environmental
issues in Australia. Though we may tend to think of Australian’s
as being more environmentally aware, we found out that Australia
has the highest extinction rate of mammals in the world! It seems
like Australia and the U.S. have very similar environmental issues
and problems and are even using similar methods of management,
Australia just has far less people destroying stuff. With the
weekend upon us, everyone scattered to find what Brisbane had
to offer this adventure-thirsty group of scholars. |
| WEEK 5 |
Impression:
Homestay |
Arriving
at my homestay, I really didn’t know what to expect. But when
Susan, the mother of the family, picked me up, immediately started
talking with little pause, absentmindedly turned down a one-way
street, and informed me that the children were already calling me
“Stephy”, I knew everything was going to be okay. I arrived at the spacious home and met the rest of the family. Susan and Phillip are incredibly loving parents who are very involved in their children’s lives. They are extremely laid back and manage to keep the house fairly unchaotic in the midst of four kids, a visiting Yankee, a dog, a cat, a horse, and chickens. Alice is the youngest. She’s 9, the age of sweetness before the pre-teen years strike. Archie is 12, the movie buff. He loves Eminem but still fears the dark. Matt, 15, the shy teen-ager. Tom is 17. Though unable to speak and confined to a wheelchair, he has a passion for cricket and a smile that instantly wins your heart. There were the usual things to figure out once I arrived—how to do laundry, when can I use the phone, what to do with my dirty dishes. And there were some differences from my life in the U.S. to get used to as well. No napkins at dinner, always drinking from a glass that’s 4 inches tall, eating meat pies without having a clue as to what that grey filling is. And Bugs. Bugs inside the house. Big ones. A horse that grazes right up to the back porch. Vegemite. And of course, cricket. What luck that the World Cup of cricket would coincide with my stay here. I never knew a sport could have so many rules or last so long (traditional matches last 4 days). Sometimes I feel completely on the outside of what’s going on, like I’m watching a t.v. sitcom of a family’s life, and it would be absurd and impossible to join in. And then other times I feel like the fifth child, like when they tease me when a boy calls or by singing “I Wish they all could be California Girls.” And it’s definitely a change to have younger siblings. Teasing, questions, occasional crying fits, more questions. Is Brittany Spears popular? Is it humid in New Hampshire? If we go to war, will Congress have to vote on it? Is Kentucky a dangerous state? What’s with Michael Jackson? Do you talk about me in your journal? And of course, do you like Bush? You are supposed to be all knowing of American culture, geography, and politics. Sometimes I know, sometimes I just don’t, and sometimes I make it up a little. I hope they never meet anyone from New Hampshire. These people have been so open and accepting of me joining their family, even though it’s only for a short period of time. And because of them I will leave Australia better educated regarding culture, family life, and of course, on the rules of cricket. -Stephanie K. |
| WEEK 6 |
Recap:
North Stradbroke Island |
| Monday
morning, we once again met up with out beloved biologist Rob Elvish
for a two day excursion to North Stradbroke Island. He and his two
sons, Mark and Nick, were waiting for us at the GED office, where
we piled into an old van with a new stereo. Rob drove us to the
coast and onto a ferry across Moreton Bay to the sand island we
were eager to learn about. Once we arrived in the town of Dunwich
at the University of Queensland’s Research Station, we were
given two lectures by Rob on just about everything there is to know
about the sand islands of Australia’s east coast. While slightly
amused at the overheating projector that befuddled their father,
Mark and Nick were much more keen to play cards and fool around,
inviting some scolding from Rob, a man who we didn’t think
would ever raise his voice. Our afternoon activity was a low-tide
walk through the Myora Springs mangrove forest and mud flats on
the bay side of the island. After Rob scared us with tales of shards
of broken glass slicing open our ankles while we sunk into the mud,
we first made a stop at the local bait/tackle/dive/snack shop to
purchase ankle-high dive booties. After emptying our wallets and
stuffing our feet into soon sweaty neoprene, it was time for the
mud. Mark and Nick tempted a few people into a mud fight, which
led to some more scolding from Rob, who definitely was opposed to
the idea of being hit by a flying lump of mud. Working our way toward
the coast, we attempted to avoid the deep spots by stepping on pointy
shoots sticking up through the mud from the mangrove roots. However,
sinking up to mid-calf in the sulfur-rich mud was common, and while
fun for some, and absolute horror for others. When we emerged from
the mangroves onto the beach, we were all amazed at how low the
tide was and how much land had been exposed. We looked into the
pools of sea water, finding toad fish, cowries, and various other
creatures and plants. We then looked up to see an army of soldier
crabs hurrying along the sand, but they dug themselves into holes
by the time we reached them, ignoring Rob’s previous warning
of deadly animals by running across the sand. In the slightly deeper
water we found lots of sea cucumbers among the sea grasses, and
once Mark showed us how they squirt water when you pick them up,
we had a bit of fun throwing them around. They at least were returned
to their homes, unlike the cowries that were boiled that night to
be made into jewelry. |
|
| WEEK 6 |
Impression:
North Stradbroke Island |
| Our
weekend on Stradbroke Island was one full of challenge, learning,
and laughs. It started out with the 14 of us, Rob and his two children,
the tiniest bus ever, and a ferry ride to the island that lasted
about 45 minutes. It was nice to just stand on deck, close your
eyes and enjoy the breeze. I didn’t know what to expect when
we first arrived. We were just there to study sand and water, how
hard could the weekend be? We settled into our rooms and began our
first lecture on the geology and hydrology of sand islands…It
was nice to have our old program manager back to lecture us again
– he can make anything more fun with his dry wit and enthusiasm
for the subject matter. Our second lecture on sand island vegetation
was just as interesting…The real fun, though, began after
lunch when Rob realized that we had all come completely unprepared
for the activities planned for us for the next two days. None of
us had brought towels or reef shoes for walking in the mud and sand…Ooops…
Rob was just a little perplexed. |
| WEEK 7-8 |
Recap:
Brisbane Study Time |
Our seventh
week in Australia is one to be remembered, considering that it
began with Tom and Mary surprising us with an unsuspecting trip
to a nearby island where we snorkeled in crystal-blue waters,
fed wild dolphins, and swam with dugongs. |
| WEEK 7-8 |
Impression:
Brisbane Homestay |
I like
Brisbane. Being a cute, small, and clean city Brisbane reminds me
of home. Most anything is within walking distance and between the
brewery for the local beer, XXXX, and the south bank, there are
some colorful spots in the city. But, of course, the true underlying
nature of a city is hidden in the suburbs, in the homes of the people
who populate the city. My homestay family included, Lele, a mother of three teenage boys. An emergency situation arose shortly after I arrived, so a 16 year old Japanese student was thrown into the mix for good measure. Finally, add a friend here or there and dinner with six teenage boys and one bewildered American boy was not uncommon. Though I must add out of sincere adoration; I loved my mum’s cooking. Like any good Australian family, they love their rugby. While the habit of standing up and yelling, “You Wanker!” at the referee for a bad call has yet to rub off on me, I have begun to understand the enthusiasm and pride they hold for their local and state teams. It is not unlike our “grid-iron” as they call it. I am glad Lewis and Clark requires such homestays. It is a great experience. Getting invited into a family like this is kind of a once in a lifetime thing, and while I have met many people on trains, in bars, and at rugby games, I think the best conversations I have had have been with Lele while she cooks dinner. She has lots of stories and in insightful understanding of what makes Australia tick. Finally, I must add that I am infinitely amused that many Australians can pick an American out of a crowd of people. I am not used to being the one with the accent especially since this has sort of become my home. -Davy |
| WEEK 9 |
Recap:
Lamington |
Another Monday morning rolled around, but I doubt any of us had
trouble rolling out of bed just a little bit earlier than usual—we
were heading off to the rainforest! After farewells to our families
we loaded onto the bus heading south out of the suburbs and up the
winding road to Lamington Plateau. We spent a little time erecting
our tent city before the Robs took us on short introductory walks
in the forest. Our old pal Rob Elvish told us about some of the
animals we would be looking for during our stay, and our new pal
Rob Kooyman the botanist gave us a brief overview of all the “promiscuous”
plants of this unique sub-tropical ecosystem. After our talks we
gathered gear for our first field study. Rob E. showed us how to set up mist nets to catch some of the small birds that live in the understory of the forest. We left them tightly rolled up for the night and headed back to camp for a scrumptious dinner and a delightful sunset over the mountains. Next morning we were up bright, or actually dark, and early to go out and catch some birds! We opened up the nets, waited patiently while Rob E. explained how we would retrieve and record all the information about the birds we would catch, then place bands (little nametags with number codes) on the leg and release them. Then the fun began when we actually had some birds in our nets! We managed to collect data on 7 birds: white-browed scrub wrens, yellow-throated scrub wrens, and Lewin’s honeyeaters. It was something special to hold those little wonders in hand, and then release them again to go on their way. After breakfast, we split up into two groups for our next project: surveying rainforest and eucalypt forest structures. Armed with measuring tapes, compasses, klinometers and our trusty program books, we set out taking in depth notes about every aspect of our little 15 x 15 m plots of forest. From soil types to tree species diversity and richness, and canopy structure, we were trying to get complete profiles of the two different types of forest ecosystems so we could make accurate comparisons in our first field presentations that afternoon. Davy and Stephanie K. had a little incident with the Jumping Jack ants (a special Australian breed that hops around on spindley legs, and you guessed it BITES leaving a quite painful welt!) That night we traded our measuring tapes for torches and went on an escapade seeking out all the nocturnal critters high in the canopy. We had some extraordinarily good spotlighters, so we were lucky to see brushtail and ringtail possums, and sugar gliders! We got to sleep in Wednesday morning so our minds would be sharp for our group projects on trophic relationships. We split into three groups to look at spiders, fungi, and poo. Well, looking at poo was the best way to study the pademelons—small wallabies that would invade the grassy campground each night to eat. That afternoon we regrouped and gathered some sweet potatoes, bacon, and small mammal traps and headed off-trail once more to set up our third field project. Another marvelous meal and we headed to bed so we’d be rested for another early start. Thursday- the day Gore-Tex failed. Fortunately for this drought-plagued country our group has a knack for dragging some of the Portland drizzle around with us… and what sort of trip to the rainforest could be complete without a little rain? Geared up in raincoats and ponchos, we headed out to collect our traps. We had two brushtailed possums, a few bush rats, and a giant grasshopper (obviously giant, since it set off a mammal trap!) Our fearless leader Rob E. showed us how to get the animals safely out of the cages and into bags so we could sex and weigh them without getting bitten or scratched. We were all really excited to see the animals up close and to learn about these special Australian creatures, despite the fact that most of us were getting soggy. The remainder of the morning was spent organizing data from our trophic relationship projects into poster presentations. After lunch, our new favorite insect gal Melinda Laidlaw took us out to set up our insect traps. Now, realizing that trapping insects may seem a little strange, let me explain a bit. Rainforests are famous for the diversity of life they contain, and thousands of the invertebrates are still unidentified. Our goal was to capture as many bugs as possible so we could get a feel for the great range of life in our small area. We set up pitfall traps, dug out holes with collection containers in the bottom to catch the insects walking around in the leaf litter on the ground. We shook trees and caught the little buggers as they fell out of the branches. We also used a large butterfly net to sweep along the leaves—may I just mention that Travis developed a technique that would earn him an Olympic Gold if tree sweeping were an Olympic sport, that is… And since we didn’t get enough of the bugs during the day, we went on an awesome night hike to catch some night crawlers and bioluminescent fungi! In addition to lots of millipedes and centipedes, we got to see a whole cliff full of glowworm nests. Their little blue lights twinkling behind curtains of glassy string were stunning. Then we went on a spider hunt for the venomous funnelweb and trapdoor spiders. It was very exciting to lift up the little clay doors covering the trapdoor spider’s hole and see the glossy black spider waiting to pounce! We all slept well with visions of creepy crawlers dancing in our heads… The next morning we had a conference room at the resort nearby so we could plug in a microscope and check out all the cool bugs we had caught in the traps overnight. Who would have imagined THIS crew would get so excited over bugs? And Elishia was even bold enough to let our captive leech have a feed on her leg… slurp! After our stellar presentations on the various projects we’d been working on all week, we had the afternoon free to explore the treetop canopy walk or hike down to see some waterfalls in the valley. The rain let up by Friday morning, so we packed up camp in the sun. As our bus pulled out of the campground, this traveler had mixed feelings—torn between wanting to stay and explore the wonders of the rainforest, and wanting to head out on new adventures. -Darcy |
WEEK
9 |
Impression:
Lamington |
“The
eyes can be windows that look into boredom or peek into infinity.”
C. Castaneda The World is so full of magic and wonder! We just spent the week playing in the rainforest at Lamington Plateau. I can hardly begin to describe the experience. When I reflect on the experience I know how I feel, but I don’t know how to translate these feelings into words. A smile forms on my lips and tears of joy and life well up in my eyes. My heart races a little bit faster, my body, mind and spirit are lifted even higher and I am wholly overwhelmed in the most beautiful way. I started to think of the rainforest as a microcosm for the world. There is so much life in the rainforest, so much mystery, beauty and magic. After the first day or two of clear skies and comfortable temperatures the rainforest began to live up to it’s reputation. It began to rain and it continued until it started to clear up the last evening we were there. It was so beautiful. Some folks say rain is miserable, cold and a yucky kind of wet, but I believe that life is what you make it and things can only be horrible if you let them. I AM IN AUSTRALIA!!! I AM IN THE RAINFOREST!!! I AM ALIVE!!! I HAVE NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT. The people of Iraq are worried about bombs dropping from the skies…Rain is nothing to whine about. Rain is life, rain is to be praised and honored and respected. One night, the rain began to stop just in time for us to go for a night hike with Mel, one of our professors. Mel was helping us trap invertebrates and study them. We set out after dinner with torches (flashlights) and plastic carry-out containers to trap any interesting creatures we may have found. As I reflect on this hike now, I am trying so hard to find the best way to communicate the magic of this experience in words. The rainforest is so sensual. The sounds, smells, touch, sights and even taste of the rainforest are intoxicating. The sounds of rainwater dripping and life rustling in the vegetation, the smell of life after a few days of good rain, the feeling of cool mud splashing against your ankles as you walk, the taste of crisp air and the visions of our mother Earth intoxicate those who enter these great forests of magic. When I am in the rainforest I feel as though I am staring into the very soul of our great Mother Earth and she whispers to me in the howling of the wind and she kisses me on the cheeks with the cool moist air. At one point, as we journeyed through these forests of our Great Mother’s soul, we came across a patch of beautiful, large white mushrooms that wrapped themselves around the trunk of a large dead tree. They were huge and many. Mel suggested that we turn off our torches and, as the darkness began to embrace us, the mushrooms did not fade in the darkness, but were glowing brightly. It was…well…(deep sigh)…amazing. When I close my eyes now I almost cannot believe the memory myself. We continued to walk on and we found ourselves exploring spider webs, hollow trees in which we could stand and look up to see bats, and so much more. Eventually, we crossed a bridge, hiked down a little ways and turned off our torches again. There, in the darkness, a wall of glowworms greeted us. It was like a wall of stars rising from the rainforest floor. We turned on our torches again, searched and captured insects. We found millipedes, centipedes, hard shell rollie pollies, spiders and so many more beautiful insects. Before leaving this magic place, we turned off our torches once again and we just stood quiet together and listened to the sounds of the forest. WOW!!! Pure magic. So now I return to a point stated earlier. Indeed rain should be praised and honored and respected. In fact all things we feel cloud our sunshine filled days should be praised, because if you can look beyond the darkness there is always sunshine, there is always beauty lurking in sadness, dancing in boredom. Without rain what would the rainforest be…Rain is essential for there to be life. The same can be said about darkness. In my last journal entry I mentioned recognizing our surroundings and embracing the world around each one of us. But what happens when we don’t like what we find in our surroundings? What if we can’t find the magic in the cold wet rain? Don’t give up, look closer, try a different angle and you will find the beauty. I understand I am talking about the rainforest, but take something as simple as broccoli. Many people dislike broccoli greatly, but have you ever really looked closely at a piece of broccoli, have you ever thought about the magnificent nourishing powers of broccoli. Some of the best things about life we don’t recognize until it’s too late. Even if you still don’t want to eat broccoli maybe at least you can see the beauty in broccoli, the life in rain, the sunshine in darkness. Sending thoughts and energy of love, magic, monkeys hula hooping, health, girl scouts in sombreros, elephants doing cartwheels and sunshine always, -Nicole P.S. For all of you beautiful folks back home I feel it important that I tell you now that I have found the sunshine in vegemite. Hehehehe P.S.S. No worries! Australia is deadly* and it will be hard to leave, but I will see you all soon. “Life is not the end of the rainbow, life is the rainbow.” - Liz Johnson, senior Birri Gubba woman from central coastal North Queensland * Deadly is one of my new often-used adjectives, which equals something along the lines of, awesome and amazing. hehehe |
WEEK
10: INDEPENDENT TRAVEL |
| WEEK 11 |
Recap:
Rubyvale, Carnarvon Gorge, and Biloela |
Whoa,
back!! Man, we really aren’t having any fun. On the 21st of March your favorite students, a professor and his wife, rendezvoused in the train station of Rockhampton (Rocky is Aussie speak). We had just spent our second free week in assorted locations soaking in the sun and drying out our sodden hides after our week in Lamington. We were herded out of the station and on to a bus driven by none other than our buddy Shane, who we had met before at Lamington. We loaded our bounteous gear and set out for Rubyvale. After a scenic journey through the middle of nowhere, we arrived at Rubyvale. Or so they told us. Some were skeptical upon learning that the two buildings we had passed on our left were the extent of Rubyvale’s central business district. Little did we know what we were in for. Ah, once again we erected our trusty canvas tents, cozy for two. After a hearty meal, some of us were ready to hit the hay, the others, the bar. The next day we were up bright and early, a number of us holding less than generous opinions about the native fowl. An underlying feeling of excitement seemed to be the rule among the gathered campers. Today was Mission: Jackhammer. We were all eager to descend into the bowels of the earth and try our hand at sapphire mining. The previous night we had divided into teams according to upper body strength. Of course, some good-natured ribbing ensued over the collective strength of the female vs. male population. Arm wrestling was threatened but, at long last, we came up with a list. WE divided up with one group of seven to tackle mining while the others observed the more refined, and slightly less dusty, cutting process. Those of us to descend donned a number of extremely chic white hardhats. Properly outfitted and sexy as they come, we went underground. Our guide and long-time miner, Peter, led us around his home away from home. We blissfully became aware of the decline in temperature and the pleasant atmosphere. However, nothing could compare to our first encounter with a jackhammer. Davy, in particular, used the opportunity to showcase his glistening brawny biceps. Lady killer! The rest of us also proved to be adept miners and we didn’t want to leave our work. Fortunately, there were more good times in store for us. We observed Max cutting a sapphire and we sifted through the results of our efforts for precious stones. A raffle determined the ownership of two cut stones and the rest of us were given a bag of sapphires with at least one viable for cutting. Later, we took a walk around the sprawling “town” of Rubyvale. To our surprise, we discovered a house made of beer bottles. As enterprising college students, we immediately identified this as a potential craft project. Then we took to the bar for a little bit of local food and culture before heading off to Carnarvon Gorge. We meandered even farther into the heart of Australia to Takkaraka campground. Tents were pitched and eager students congregated before hitting the trails for a hike up Boolimba Bluff. The signs said that physical fitness was recommended for the climb. After having hiked up the 900+ step trail with my peers, I can say that it was not a pursuit for the faint of heart. The view over the gorge was worth the heart palpitations though. The next day we were given a lecture by ecologist Rhonda Melzer, on fire regimes and their effects on Australia’s flora. Our projects for the week, two in number, gave students an opportunity to appease their curiosity about kangaroo social hierarchies, ant feeding habits, and forest ecology. I can personally vouch for the fact that each and every one of us can tell you how a mother kangaroo keeps her pouch clean. Thanks Rob! The rest of our days were filled with hiking through the gorge, searching for an elusive platypus, roasting marshmallows, and pushing Brisbane Bus Lines’ dodgiest production ever. We are now well versed and certified in the fine art of bus pushing. Come departure time, we found our way hampered by a lack of bitumen (asphalt) roads and wet conditions. Fortunately, Takkaraka had a backhoe around for such eventualities and we were towed up out of the gorge. Unfortunately, after the backhoe departed we found ourselves once again bogged in the mire. With faulty radio connections we were left with little option but to send out a backhoe reconnaissance party. Luckily, Darcy and I had been training hard for this kind of life or death situation and were ready for the challenge. We put on our joggers and hit the ankle deep mud in fine form. Forty-five minutes later we met Peter on his backhoe and found out that the radio had kicked in three minutes into our marathon. Oh well, we were given the fabulous opportunity to ride on some heavy machinery with a charming local. Whew, with that accomplished, we continued on to Biloella. We stopped in Rolleston for a brief rest and some of our number were pulled in by the “Pure Country” advertising of the cattle town and bought some priceless souvenirs. Ah, Biloella or bust! We arrived to a late meal and hit the hay in preparation for a hard day among the cattle. To the delight of many of us, myself included, a new shipment of prime heifers were due to arrive on the station. That is how a bunch of greenhorn dudes were given a chance to inject, dehorn, and brand a small herd of Brahman mix cattle. I can still smell the singed hair…. Even the veggy eaters among us were able to get their brand on and have fun doing it. Yeehaw! -Elishia |
| WEEK 11 |
Impression:
Rubyvale |
Rubyvale…What
can I say? The mining was great, but the flies drove me clinically
insane. It was a small town with four main corners of “downtown”.
One had a café, the next a local bar, the third had the place
where we were camping, and the fourth? A big plot of land. When we got to Rubyvale, I thought to myself, “Oh, this will be a nice place to stay.” And it was a quaint town with truly nice people… And then I got off the bus and had fourty flies chillin’ on my back in 10 seconds flat… The next morning began our one full day in Rubyvale. WE began by taking a walk to the opposite “end” of town to the jeweller’s store. WE looked at all the beautiful stones, learned the sapphires aren’t just blue but a range of blues, greens, and yellows, and signed forms that said should we die, we could not sue… Damn, I was excited…Afterwards, we took a bus ride half a mile down the road (Why?) to the mine where we would get the chance to use jackhammers and picks – now we were talking! WE split up into groups and my group got to watch as Max (a very nice man who taught himself how to cut stones) cut a sapphire. Little did we know that Stephanie K. would win that sapphire in a drawing later…Bitch…Max taught us what angle was optimal to cut a sapphire (45∞) and showed us his polishing technique. All the while the other group was underground in the mine jackhammering and picking away, gathering 10 buckets of dirt. When they got back, it was my group’s turn. WE climbed down into the mine, walked down a small tunnel, and stopped in front of a hole in the wall with two jackhammers and a pick. My hands were itching to get a hold of that jackhammer…We took turns, and let me tell ya – we all looked pretty damn cool. Put a jackhammer in anybody’s hand and all of a sudden they look like a stud, go figure. I was surprised at how difficult it was to use the jackhammer – not that it has ever looked like a walk in the park. But after about 5 minutes of it you were basically throwing your arms up to get the jackhammer to the wall – it was like they turned to jelly… Our group ended up mining 17 barrels of dirt – yeah, that’s 17 to 10 my group. The dirt from the two groups wsa gathered together, sifted, and what was left was spread out on a table for us to pick through and find sapphires. Let me just say this: WE are vultures…The minute they spread out that dirt we were on it looking for the motherload…WE came up with a pretty good lot. What we found was split up amongst us and thanks to Shannon and Dana – The “eagle-eyes”, and the efforts of the rest of the group – we all got a pretty fair share. It then became up to us to decide if we wanted to have the stones appraised to see if they were worth having them cut – and I think all of us had at least one. I really enjoyed the Rubyvale experience. It was amazing to see and be a part of the process of miningfrom beginning to end. I mean, most people will never get a chance to be a part of something like this and I did it in Australia! How amazing is that? I must also give props to Rubyvale for teaching me that if you stand stil long enough, you could technically be overcome with flies and driven slowly insane…Now that’s amazing. -Stephanie S. |
| WEEK 11 |
Impression:
Carnarvon Gorge |
On our third
full day at Carnarvon Gorge we went on a 22-kilometer hike, our
longest one to date. We gathered at the beginning of the trail
at 9:00 that morning, lunches packed, water bottles filled, hiking
shoes donned. |
WEEK
12 |
Recap:
Heron Island |
After
our stint as stockmen and women at Kroombit, it was time for some
marine biology at the Heron Island reef. Before we could get there
however, we got to spend Sunday afternoon in a trailer park outside
the coastal town of Gladstone. To get to the town cost $10 in a
cab, and once there we realized just about everything was closed,
save an ice cream/internet place. Our accommodations were things
called Camp-O-Tels, which were made of plastic and canvas in the
shape of a space ship. Monday morning, we took a motorized catamaran across the channel to Heron Island. It could not have been a nicer day to be on the water-smooth as glass and only a slight breeze. They even let us out on the bow of the boat, where the resort guests sipped champagne from plastic glasses and we research station students drank from our Nalgenes. It was amazing to look at the sparkling blue water, with the only waves coming from our boat’s wake. The green patches, which indicated a reef under the surface, were everywhere, with sand islands poking out every now and then. We couldn’t wait to see what our destination would look like, but were sorry for the perfect boat ride to end. That afternoon, we had an introductory snorkel right off the beach in the harbor. Before you all get visions of a huge port, let me explain that the Heron Island harbor consists of one jetty (what we in America call a dock) and about five boats, all of which are less than forty feet long. The only big vessels were the catamaran, which comes once a day, and a barge (that we never saw) that comes once a week with mail and food. As for our snorkel, we couldn’t see much as the water was a bit stirred up and murky from the day’s water traffic, but we did see a giant loggerhead turtle, a wobbegong shark, and Gus the Queensland Grouper (he’s about seven feet long!). At low tide the next day, we went for a “reef walk,” where we joked about making t-shirts proclaiming, “I killed part of the Great Barrier Reef.” Our marine biologist, Jeff Kwik, was quick to assure us that the coral we were walking on, and thus killing, would grow back in about two weeks, and we had nothing to worry about. That evening, walking back along the beach after watching a gorgeous sunset from the jetty, Darcy and I were lucky enough to stumble upon the first green turtle hatchling emerging from its nest. We stopped and watched the eighty or so baby turtles erupt and scurry towards the water. It was absolutely amazing. When no more were coming out, I moved a rock that was blocking the small hole, and there were two more hiding behind it. One immediately came out and went straight to the water, but the last was a bit of a runt and was slightly lame, having to rest a bit before working his way to the water under the watchful eyes of his human onlookers. Wednesday morning we had our first snorkel off of the research station’s boat. We went to the Wistari reef, across a narrow channel from the Heron reef. It was about a five-minute boat ride, much shorter than we were anticipating. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much sunlight as the morning was a bit overcast, but all of the fish were amazing. Back at Heron reef, the boat let us off at Shark Bay, where we swam to shore in maybe two feet of water looking at cow-tail and shovel-nose rays. Some of us were even successful in catching and holding on to some baby shovel-noses! We had another snorkel off the boat on Thursday afternoon, and after Jeff’s lectures on how to identify the many kinds of reef fish, we were anxious to get in the water and try out our new skills. We went to The Bommie, which is actually a general term for places where the rock and branch corals rise up from the bottom almost to the surface of the water. As soon as we got in the water were surrounded by huge schools of pink Hussars (snappers) and all sorts of Damselfish, who were forming a “wall of mouths” to feed on the organisms in the incoming tide. Also abundant were Parrotfish and wrasses of all sizes and colors. Some of our group also saw a big manta ray! The trickiest part about the Bommie was that if you popped your head out of the water to get your bearings or clear the water out of your mask, you were immediately swept by the tide without even noticing. This resulted in a lot of quick finning back to get back to where we were supposed to be. Around nine o’clock that night, the majority of our group went for a second snorkel in the pitch black of night. The group swam out of the harbor to an old wreck just beyond the jetty, and I hear it was awesome. I wouldn’t know, as I couldn’t bring myself to plunge into the dark water, and spent the forty minutes lying on my back on the jetty watching the stars. They saved the best snorkel spot for last. On Friday, our second to last day, we once again loaded into the boat and were off to Blue Pools, a slightly longer boat ride than the others. This place was gorgeous! It was alive with all kinds of corals, and tons of fish. We even saw white and black tip reef sharks, that were at least six feet long-very exciting for me! I never before had been close enough to know that sharks have skin that shimmers in sunlight, did you? On the morning of our last day, we presented the two projects we’d been working on during the free week, during which we dealt with a bombardment of difficult questions from our biologist Rob Elvish. I think we all learned to look at our data very carefully before stating what it shows. The early afternoon was spent cramming for our Natural History exam, which began at three o’clock. The exam was split into two sections, terrestrial and marine, and we had an hour and half on each section to answer four questions, none of which were easy. That night, we celebrated the completion of our second exam in true Aussie fashion, complete with a BBQ feast. We had a fun time throwing bottle caps and corks, as well as a few carrot sticks, at each other, then decided it was time for the boys to put on collared shirts and closed toe shoes and the girls to put on their sandals, in order to enable us to be dressed appropriately to infiltrate the parallel universe of the Resort bar. We tried to watch the resort guests (a convention of immunologists) attempt the limbo, but were shooed away by the staff, who told us it was “a private function.” We then turned to the giant chess set, but we couldn’t escape the infectious tune of “jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack go under limbo stick,” which was played roughly one hundred times in a row. Our festivities were a great way to relieve the stress built up from earlier in the day, and also to end our week in paradise. -Lindsay |
WEEK
12 |
Impression:
Biloela |
What
do you see
when you think of Australia? Images of the Outback painted in tones
of gold and red? A kaleidoscope of tropical fishes wandering the
Great Barrier Reef? Today I saw rolling hills and green pastures
of buffalo grass speckled with an occasional eucalypt of a small
herd of cattle. Lochenbar Station in Kroombit Park, just outside
of Biloela, is a working cattle station and just another aspect
of Australia we had a chance to experience. We spent the day in two groups. While one group explored the far reaches of Kroombit’s 10,000 acres in a 4x4 truck another group went on a horseback ride, strolling along paddocks of buffalo grass and through a creek or two. In out tour of the ranch, we learned what kind of cattle they raise, what water systems the use to hydrate the cattle, how they brand their newly arrived heifers, and Darcy learned the ins and outs of jumping out of the car to open gates. On our horseback ride we just mozied along and took in the scenery, having to stop occasionally when our horses decided to eat, because the first group wore them out. Then a bit of exciting news came out way: a new load of heifers came in and after seeing them unload in the morning, we were ready to get our hands dirty and brand them in the afternoon. Being the first G.E.D. group to brand while at Lochenbar Station, we needed to prove ourselves. Each of us had a job to do, opening and closing gates, herding cows into chutes, inoculating the heifers and piercing their ears with tags, and, of course, branding the cattle, a task that nearly everyone had a chance to do. My job was to cut tail tags until I cut my finger and lost so much blood I feared for my life. We branded till dusk and as the sun set we finished up, covered in dirt and filled with the memories of our day in the life of an Australian cowboy. We drove home as the last bit of light disappeared over the grassy horizon and ate a well-deserved dinner on tables that were literally large logs. Although people don’t usually think of cattle ranches when they think of Australia, the cattle industry plays a big role in Australian culture and our time at Lochenbar Station has left fond memories in our minds and splatters of cow blood on our shoes. Yet, perhaps the best part of the cattle station is getting meat at every meal. Lochenbar Station, Dana salutes you. -Shannon |
WEEK
12 |
Impression:
Heron Island |
Heron Island
is approximately 800m long and 300m wide, too small for there
to be cars on the island, but surprisingly, big enough to support
two entirely different universes. The Heron Parallel Universe
Syndrome is immediately apparent on the boat ride out. The bottom
level of the boat has straight-backed chairs and some tables arranged
in lines, and is to be used by research station affiliates. The
top level of the boat, on the other hand, has deep semi-circular
couches, a private balcony, and glasses of champagne, this level
is to be used by guests at the Heron Island Resort. You can easily
identify which universe people on the boat are going to; smaller
groups of well dressed and quiet tourists contrast with larger
bunches of scruffy looking students singing oldies while laughing
and giggling. Upon arrival, resort guests go to the resort universe
on the northwest corner of the island, and research guests trod
barefooted to the research universe in the southwest corner. The
research universe consists of a hodge-podge of assorted buildings
hidden in the pisonia trees and connected by sandy walking tracks.
The resort universe contains many larger buildings connected by
lit brick paths. Shoes are required in the resort universe and
disregarded in the research universe. It’s also an hour
later in the resort universe. We spent our six days in the research
universe alternating between listening to lectures on the life
of the island and its surrounding waters, and scampering across
the island and finning through the water to observe and interact
with those life forms. Moving as a herd, or in small groups, we
explored the island and reef at all hours of the day and night,
gleefully sighting and playing with a myriad of creatures we were
now familiar with from our lectures. In addition to this independent
research, we also conducted two formal experimental research projects,
the results of which we presented on the last day. Following our
old furry friend Rob and our new friend Jeff, we picked up sea
cucumbers and gastropods, tackled and handled rays and sharks,
observed baby turtles hatching and dashing for the ocean, dug
through bird mounds to pull out the chicks, and stuck our heads
in the crevices of coral looking for critters. I think it’s
safe to say that we all learned a lot about coral cay island and
reef ecology from both the lectures and our hands on experiences.
All this time, as far as I could tell, people in the resort universe
were relaxing on the beach, sipping cocktails by the pool, or
doing some light recreational snorkeling and/or reef walking.
I’m sure that these people were enjoying the island as much
as we were, but in such a different way. I didn’t think
it was possible that land mass of less than a square kilometer
could contain two separate world and offer two very different
experiences, but it can and does at Heron Island. It is particularly
interesting when the two worlds collide, as when we would trek
over to the resort bar occasionally in the evenings. Some of the
inhabitants of the resort world gave us dirty looks, some asked
if we knew where they could find any pot on the island; either
way, it was obvious we were from a foreign planet, and the trans-universal
interactions were always a bit awkward. |
WEEK
13 |
Recap:
Nungeena |
Our
second to last week of the trip was at a Women’s Aboriginal
Center named “Nungeena”. Although we arrived to Nungeena
close to mid-night Sunday night we already knew the events and surrounding
would be amazing in many ways. Sunday night was a half-moon so under
it’s light we saw several major rock out croppings surrounding
us in all directions- it reminded me of America’s Badlands.
- But instead we were in the Glass House Mountains just outside
of the Brisbane. Monday began bright and early with a meeting and discussion with Lizabeth Johnson. Liz in a very comprehensive introduction told us about her childhood and her life’s interests related to Aboriginal life and history. In her discussion she outlined her main goals for the week were make us aware of her efforts to make cultural heritage alive in her and other communities, various performing and visual arts we would participate in, and her responsibilities as a native title mentor / representative. The main activities were divided into “Women’s” and “Men’s” business. The men’s activities consisted of making a didgeridoo(from a raw piece of wood), a ceremonial belt and accessories for the final dance, and various activities in prep for the final ceremony on Friday night. Since the men and women’s business was strictly divided from my outside observations their main activities were making their clap sticks, grass skirts for the final dance ceremony, and for some making digging sticks. Some activities we all worked on were painting the group’s todem mural, practicing the combined songs and dance for Friday’s ceremony, and learning from Liz and others various parts of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal culture. Specifically by informal discussions during our “Men’s” and “Women’s” business we learned about kinship, social family structures, story telling, old bush crafts, and even the gender specific rolls for food gathering and preparation. Friday wrapped up the week with the completion of the “Men’s” and “Women’s” crafts and a final rehearsal of the “traditional welcome ceremony” we were practicing. By mid-day we once again separated into men and women groups to prepare the foods and various other parts for the evening ceremony. The men dug a fire pit for the evening meats and vegetables to be cooked while the women prepared these items in a foil and banana leaf wrapper. After the hole was dug and the fire began we remain separated in our business groups and talked around the fire until around dusk. At dusk we then dressed or actually undressed into our ceremonial belts and accessories, which also included painting our bodies in traditional body paints known as “ochre”. After waiting for the women the welcoming ceremony began with the familiar didgeridoo drone and various clap sticks. The songs and dances we learned over the week went without a hitch and everyone literally was dancing and singing to a level I have never seen. The ground was shaking! After the welcoming dance a ceremony dinner followed shortly by literally unearthing the meat and vegetables the women prepared for pit. Dinner was excellent and the evening and mood of the ceremony continued late into the night. Saturday we left shortly before noon for our last location: the Kindilan Conference Center. Check with your traveler for more details of the “Nungeena” week. -Miles |
WEEK
13 |
Impression:
Nungeena |
|
We
arrived at Nungeena in the crisp blackness of midnight, still defrosting
from the long bus ride and searching our way thankfully towards
already pitched tents. Nungeena Aboriginal Culture Camp was the
last stop of our program and I’ll have to admit exhaustion
and giddiness for program completion had set in. To make it worse,
we were still recovering from a nauseating, salt water spraying,
barf-o-rama, g-force happy, two and a half hour catamaran ride from
Heron Island six hours prior. Prospects for a happy week were doubtful. Luckily the next morning presented itself in an entirely new light. We awoke surrounded by the serene, cool beauty of the Glasshouse Mountains and were welcomed by a friendly group of Aborigines. From that point on, we all knew that it would be an enjoyable week, not to mention delightful relief from discovering lovely bathroom and shower facilities. Our days at Nungeena passed by at a nice leisurely pace, but somehow it was all over in a flash. Liz Johnson, “Aunty Liz”; her brother, Uncle Sel, her daughter Peta, and grandsons’ Jacob and Andrew welcomed us in that place and basically shared themselves and their traditional lifestyles with us for the week. We had a great time doing hands-on projects all in preparation for a celebration, the corroboree, on the last day. Each of us carefully selected a totem, an animal, plant, or mineral, representing something significant about ourselves. We painted our totems on a collaborative mural; clap sticks, digging sticks, and didgeridoos. I was amazed at everyone’s creativity and the care, time and effort each person put into making their instruments, tools, and accessories. [And just a side not for family and friends: Don’t even think about touching any of these artifacts. They were made so tenderly that any harm to them would cause definite death.] [Side Note 2: In the case of didgeridoos, DO NOT TOUCH. You may become impregnated. Davy is already responsible for 36 potential children.] The best part of the week was learning songs and dances with the arrival of musicians and dancers on the second day. After dinner, we watched Uncle Country, Derek, Eric, and Will perform a welcome ceremony for us, mimicking the sounds and movements of a variety of animals, including birds, kangaroos, and goannas. I laughed when Uncle Country said our group would be performing those same songs and dances in just three days. The next morning was our first attempt. Our song and dance started off loud and confident but quickly faded. “GURING INANAmi hmm hmm mmm mmm la la guring lala lala.” Yea, basically pathetic. Real pathetic. Imagine that scene with a couple of offbeat leg and arm jerks and spasms mixed in; it was fabulous. But no worries, right-e-o, by corroboree we had it down and we looked and sounded hot! While I thoroughly enjoyed the dancing and singing, the most memorable part of Nungeena was the people. I learned a lot by watching, laughing with Aunty Liz, painting next to Uncle Sel who would quietly smile, and joining into rowdy card games of garra with the guys at night. It’s only been two days since saying our farewells to the Nungeena mob but I speak for us all when I say they are missed dearly. While we did spend an incredible week learning hands-on about Aboriginal culture, I think we should remember that we touched upon only a tiny fraction of Aboriginal life. We had a good time, for us we had a lovely, awe-filled experience. But like Aunty Liz said, "It's not all fun." I don’t think any of us can come close to truly understanding what a real Aboriginal experience is like or understand who they are in such a short period. We barely talked about the injustices and hardships of racism that Aborigines have endured since the beginning of European settlement, but I’m sure that its impact hangs heavily in each of their lives. Most of us left Nungeena in awe, in awe of Aborigines, and yearning for more knowledge of Aboriginal culture. It was an unbelievable week. However, we must not forget that for us to have had such a great experience learning the fun cultural traditions of Aborigines, there has been equal or perhaps even greater amounts of pain, bitterness, and struggle for these socially persecuted people to maintain their cultural identity. -Dana |
WEEK
14 |
Final
Impression |
First
things first—this semester was one I will remember for along
time. My rationale for going on the trip was that doing it through
the school rather than as a tourist would provide a once in a lifetime
experience, and I was right. There was so much we did that we may
never have the chance to do again. In a lot of ways, every second
of our stay in Australia taught us something new, be it about the
rich culture of the land down-under to something about ourselves
we did not know existed. Fourteen travelers making their way through
a strange and sometimes harsh land; we did well and are better for
it. Personally, I found the field studies to be the best part of this trip. We learned a lot about the country from the lectures, heaven knows they were necessary to understand what we saw in the bush, but no lecture can compare to marching through the dense rainforest of Lamington or standing on top of a huge ancient engraving at Royal National Park. It often blows my mind when we see some of those fascinating things. I am so unaccustomed to seeing relics and land that are so old that I struggle to comprehend it fully. I anxiously await our last big adventure—going home. After 4 months of learning to live in this strange land, I can envision myself using aussie slang at home and confusing everyone around me, or scaring them to death when I drive on the left side of the road. -Davy |
WEEK
14 |
Pioneers
Down Under |
We found ourselves
in Brisbane reunited Our next adventure
took us to an island called Stradbroke In the Lamington
rainforest we encountered some rain In Rubyvale
mining for sapphires left our arm muscles in pain In the Carnarvon
Gorge we had to push our bus On the way
out things went kinda slow At Biloela
we branded cows asses At Gladstone
we arrived to a trailer trash park While I was
stuck in the hospital for days In Nungeena
we learned Aboriginal culture, song and dance Once we reached
Kindilan the air seemed a bit hazy We brought
rain to this country every place we went -Jessie |