Wednesday, December 5, 2007
You can take the man out of Australia, but...
Yes, if you're wondering, I slept in my Akubra hat last night.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Last Call from Down Under
Well, the Australian election has ended, and my trip is soon to follow. I'll be flying back to Sydney tomorrow (Dec 2) and flying back to the States on the 3rd. I haven't quite entered into the reflection mode as I have been truly living in the "moment" post-GSE. I have seen some of the most spectacular natural areas Australia and New Zealand has to offer. Simply put, life's been good, that is, until I get my credit card bill in a few weeks. But it'll be worth it. I've had a truly remarkable trip and experience in Australia, met some tremendous folks from Down Under, developed a great friendship with my GSE teammates, and needless to say, look forward to catching up with everyone upon my return. Ya know, I don't even know if anyone is still reading this, but I really want to take this experience to the next level, whatever that may be. Climate change, in all it's overwhelming complexity, seems solvable now. And I suppose it's not so much the level of 'change' we actually accomplish, but whether we actually try. And difference is not so much of a matter of degree, but a matter of fact. "Where ordinary people do extraordinary things..."
Steve
Steve
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Final Thoughts
Today is my last full day in Australia as I am flying out of Canberra in less than 20 hours. This past weekend, we have enjoyed attending the District 9710 conference in Canberra and reuniting with what I now consider to be old friends. We also were given the opportunity to meet the team of Australians who will be travelling to Indiana in April 2008 and I am confident that they will have as great an experience in District 6540 as we have had in their country.
I mentioned this in the presentation we gave this morning at conference and I just thought I should share with all who are reading this blog a few final thoughts:
At the beginning of my trip here, I really felt kind of lost. I had never travelled overseas and have never been away from my family and friends this long. Our first few days here, I was seriously questioning whether or not I had made the right decision in applying for this program as I was extremely homesick. But after being here for 4 weeks, it is with tears in my eyes that I am leaving. I have enjoyed every moment of this exchange and will never forget the experience. The Rotarians that have guided us through this journey have been more than willing to ensure our time here was enjoyable and have opened their homes and hearts to us in a way that I could have never imagined. And even though I may be returning to my family back home, I really feel as though I am leaving two others in my teammates and new Aussie friends.
And finally, I cannot wait to share this experience with Rotarians and others in D6540 upon my return home. I have learned so much about Rotary in the last month and can only hope that I will be able to give as much of myself as those here and around the world have to spread the mission of Rotary.
I mentioned this in the presentation we gave this morning at conference and I just thought I should share with all who are reading this blog a few final thoughts:
At the beginning of my trip here, I really felt kind of lost. I had never travelled overseas and have never been away from my family and friends this long. Our first few days here, I was seriously questioning whether or not I had made the right decision in applying for this program as I was extremely homesick. But after being here for 4 weeks, it is with tears in my eyes that I am leaving. I have enjoyed every moment of this exchange and will never forget the experience. The Rotarians that have guided us through this journey have been more than willing to ensure our time here was enjoyable and have opened their homes and hearts to us in a way that I could have never imagined. And even though I may be returning to my family back home, I really feel as though I am leaving two others in my teammates and new Aussie friends.
And finally, I cannot wait to share this experience with Rotarians and others in D6540 upon my return home. I have learned so much about Rotary in the last month and can only hope that I will be able to give as much of myself as those here and around the world have to spread the mission of Rotary.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Midterm Report
Berry-Gerringong
November 8, 2007
The trip is moving rapidly forward. 10 more days….
I have seen another part of the world, and in fact, another part of Australia, most will never see. We started our exchange in Australia’s capitol, Canberra, and then travelled north to the spectacular vistas of the Southern Highlands in and around Berrima. We then ventured south again, through Canberra and on to Cooma where towns, once lost to the “Scheme” and flooded valleys, are now exposed due to the “drought.” Carrie and I conquered, or better yet, experienced, Australia’s tallest summit in gale force winds and subzero temperatures. And yes, Australia has snow! And then back up to Canberra and the Woden Club, the US Embassy and Parliament, the museums, the ‘planned’ city, politics, and wine. We then ventured east to the coast, to Mollymook and its ineffable marine environment. And now Berry.
As good spirited as I may seem, I am lost. Or better yet, I am finding comfort in the unknown. Australia is home to more than one million species of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. The island, which is the size of the continental U.S. mind you, claims to have over 900 species of eucalypts and of these, only 2 (at most 5) are endemic outside of Australia. I walked the escarpment rainforests just outside of Berry with three botanists yesterday, and attempted to learn all the species by scientific and common names in less than an hour. Needless to say, my feeble mind was instantly overloaded, and when I awoke hours later, I found myself eating raw oysters, crabs, prawns, and other various unknown sea creatures. And if you’re wondering, yes, I had a few glasses of wine. When in Rome… I mean, when in Gerroa…
My general midterm thoughts on Australia are as follows: 1). Australia is an ancient land with ancient, human interaction and influence. 40,000 years of firestick farming, in addition to its relative and long-standing geological isolation, has shaped Australia into one of the most marveled, unique and justifiably distinctive environments on earth. 2). Australia’s Rotarians, more specifically, our host clubs, are truly outstanding people. I have made many friends here in Australia, and feel quite privileged and honored to have done so. I am indebted. 3). We, the American people, still have a good friend in Australia and we should do whatever possible to recognize and thus maintain this friendship. I feel America is rather insular at times and may not fully comprehend its international status. I value what the Australians think and feel about Americans. I value what France thinks, too, but that’s for another time. With that said, the American people need to collectively acknowledge and value the global society in order to fully spread goodwill and understanding. Outside of sampling a few more wines, I think this is my newfound mission in life.
Vocationally speaking, the trip has been very good to me. I have fostered a greater awareness of the environmental movement through many of my visits and conversations, and discussed in depth the concepts of sustainability, bushfires, waste management, resource management and natural areas restoration. I am pulled toward indigenous affairs for reasons known and unknown. And somehow, I will need to make sense of the aforementioned, which I’ll save for poetical prose in the final report.
Cheers,
Stevie “Baby” Barker
(Long story and one best told over a cuppa, or better yet, a glass of Australian wine. Or two...)
November 8, 2007
The trip is moving rapidly forward. 10 more days….
I have seen another part of the world, and in fact, another part of Australia, most will never see. We started our exchange in Australia’s capitol, Canberra, and then travelled north to the spectacular vistas of the Southern Highlands in and around Berrima. We then ventured south again, through Canberra and on to Cooma where towns, once lost to the “Scheme” and flooded valleys, are now exposed due to the “drought.” Carrie and I conquered, or better yet, experienced, Australia’s tallest summit in gale force winds and subzero temperatures. And yes, Australia has snow! And then back up to Canberra and the Woden Club, the US Embassy and Parliament, the museums, the ‘planned’ city, politics, and wine. We then ventured east to the coast, to Mollymook and its ineffable marine environment. And now Berry.
As good spirited as I may seem, I am lost. Or better yet, I am finding comfort in the unknown. Australia is home to more than one million species of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. The island, which is the size of the continental U.S. mind you, claims to have over 900 species of eucalypts and of these, only 2 (at most 5) are endemic outside of Australia. I walked the escarpment rainforests just outside of Berry with three botanists yesterday, and attempted to learn all the species by scientific and common names in less than an hour. Needless to say, my feeble mind was instantly overloaded, and when I awoke hours later, I found myself eating raw oysters, crabs, prawns, and other various unknown sea creatures. And if you’re wondering, yes, I had a few glasses of wine. When in Rome… I mean, when in Gerroa…
My general midterm thoughts on Australia are as follows: 1). Australia is an ancient land with ancient, human interaction and influence. 40,000 years of firestick farming, in addition to its relative and long-standing geological isolation, has shaped Australia into one of the most marveled, unique and justifiably distinctive environments on earth. 2). Australia’s Rotarians, more specifically, our host clubs, are truly outstanding people. I have made many friends here in Australia, and feel quite privileged and honored to have done so. I am indebted. 3). We, the American people, still have a good friend in Australia and we should do whatever possible to recognize and thus maintain this friendship. I feel America is rather insular at times and may not fully comprehend its international status. I value what the Australians think and feel about Americans. I value what France thinks, too, but that’s for another time. With that said, the American people need to collectively acknowledge and value the global society in order to fully spread goodwill and understanding. Outside of sampling a few more wines, I think this is my newfound mission in life.
Vocationally speaking, the trip has been very good to me. I have fostered a greater awareness of the environmental movement through many of my visits and conversations, and discussed in depth the concepts of sustainability, bushfires, waste management, resource management and natural areas restoration. I am pulled toward indigenous affairs for reasons known and unknown. And somehow, I will need to make sense of the aforementioned, which I’ll save for poetical prose in the final report.
Cheers,
Stevie “Baby” Barker
(Long story and one best told over a cuppa, or better yet, a glass of Australian wine. Or two...)
Friday, November 9, 2007
Cultural Exchanges
Kim and I are finding out that Americans and Australians are more alike than different.
Example Number One: Americans get pedicures. Australians get pedicures.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
In my defense
I just read Kay's post about the fly and I really feel the need to defend myself. Yes, I admit that I stood there laughin while she choked down the fly but what was I supposed to do? I can't think of anyway that I could have helped her. Plus, she's the second person on our exchange to have gotten a little extra protein by eating a fly and I jut figure that my time may come....I'm just trying extra hard to keep my mouth shut!
Moving on! We've been in Berry for 2 days and we're settling in nicely. I did get moved again but this time it was all worked out before I had goten unpacked and had nothing to do with me. Frank and Lynne are really neat and they are such a nice couple. Jessica and I are both staying here but are rooms are on different floors so we each have a little bit of space to ourselves.
Today we spent the afternoon at the Berry Bowling Club enjoying the Melbourne Cup festivities. Jess was lucky enough to win a door prize and I won a small amount for placing a bet on a horse that placed! It doesn't matter much that it was only $1.80....I still won! :) Tonight we went over to Steve's host family's home for a barbie and we're getting ready for our vocationl day in Berry on Wednesday. I'll be spending more time with people working in the justice system and will let you all know what I learn about Austrlian courts!
Moving on! We've been in Berry for 2 days and we're settling in nicely. I did get moved again but this time it was all worked out before I had goten unpacked and had nothing to do with me. Frank and Lynne are really neat and they are such a nice couple. Jessica and I are both staying here but are rooms are on different floors so we each have a little bit of space to ourselves.
Today we spent the afternoon at the Berry Bowling Club enjoying the Melbourne Cup festivities. Jess was lucky enough to win a door prize and I won a small amount for placing a bet on a horse that placed! It doesn't matter much that it was only $1.80....I still won! :) Tonight we went over to Steve's host family's home for a barbie and we're getting ready for our vocationl day in Berry on Wednesday. I'll be spending more time with people working in the justice system and will let you all know what I learn about Austrlian courts!
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Fly
As Kim and I were walking down the streets of Mollymook Beach, I experienced the most traditional of things if you live in Australia. While I can't say that it tasted like choock (chicken), I can tell you that it was the most disgusting feeling in the world. Can you guess??? I swallowed a fly!! Yes, the nasty horrible pests of Australia. It actually flew up my nose! I gagged, I coughed, I spit, trying to get it out. But, no avail. It went right down! I really thought I was going to toss up my cookies. All the while, Kim was laughing and not really helping me any.
We just back from the Melbourne Cup festivities. I wore a hat because ladies always wear a hat to the races. I borrowed one from my hosts, Robyn and Jim Stanger. They are a lovely couple with 2 daughters. Both are in "uni". Heather is 21 and Maryn is 19. Heather is student teaching near her home and I was able to meet her last night. Lovely girl! We watched "Pimp My Ride" together and just laughed at how crazy that show is.
At the Melbourne cup festivities, there were several awards given out for best hat, best tie, and also a a door prize. Jessica was the lucky winner! She even drew her own number! (I think it was rigged). Tonight we are going to Graham and Barbara Smith's home for dinner. So, in just a few minutes, I will be helping Robyn make a dessert! My specialty I think!!
We were also able to see Minnamurra Rain Forest today - and it was raining. The rain has followed us everywhere we have gone. The Aussies are very happy that we've brought rain with us, I'd prefer the rain to stay away although the area is so dry, that they really do need the rain.
I'll post more later...
We just back from the Melbourne Cup festivities. I wore a hat because ladies always wear a hat to the races. I borrowed one from my hosts, Robyn and Jim Stanger. They are a lovely couple with 2 daughters. Both are in "uni". Heather is 21 and Maryn is 19. Heather is student teaching near her home and I was able to meet her last night. Lovely girl! We watched "Pimp My Ride" together and just laughed at how crazy that show is.
At the Melbourne cup festivities, there were several awards given out for best hat, best tie, and also a a door prize. Jessica was the lucky winner! She even drew her own number! (I think it was rigged). Tonight we are going to Graham and Barbara Smith's home for dinner. So, in just a few minutes, I will be helping Robyn make a dessert! My specialty I think!!
We were also able to see Minnamurra Rain Forest today - and it was raining. The rain has followed us everywhere we have gone. The Aussies are very happy that we've brought rain with us, I'd prefer the rain to stay away although the area is so dry, that they really do need the rain.
I'll post more later...
Melbourne Cup Day
Sorry for the lapse in writing. We didn't have Internet connection during our weekend retreat. Kim and I are now staying with Frank and Lynn de Graaf in Berry, and Frank owns an IT company. I didn't realize how much I missed fast, wireless Internet.
A quick recap. We spent two days in Canberra. I got to visit the National Library and meet with people at ALIA, the Australian Libary and Information Association. I'm interested in learning more about some of the Interlibrary Loan programs being used in Australia. Because of the remoteness of some of the people requesting materials, the National Library is doing more scanning of materials and sending them electronically straight to the patron.
For our weekend retreat, we stayed in Mollymook, right on the coast. The house was amazing; we were the first people to stay in it after it was remodeled. I have to admit, I vegged out a lot, taking naps and reading.
Now we are in Berry, and today is the Melbourne Cup, the most important horse race in Australia. In fact, in the state of Victoria (where Melbourne is located) and the Australian Capital Territory (home of Canberra), it is a holiday. At 2:00 pm, the country shuts down. Bets are placed, hats are worn, and beer is consumed. We will be watching the race at the Berry Bowling Club. We've been hearing about this race since we arrived, especially since the equine flu has been going around Australia and it wasn't known if the race would even be run. I'm glad we're here to experience some Australian sports culture.
A quick recap. We spent two days in Canberra. I got to visit the National Library and meet with people at ALIA, the Australian Libary and Information Association. I'm interested in learning more about some of the Interlibrary Loan programs being used in Australia. Because of the remoteness of some of the people requesting materials, the National Library is doing more scanning of materials and sending them electronically straight to the patron.
For our weekend retreat, we stayed in Mollymook, right on the coast. The house was amazing; we were the first people to stay in it after it was remodeled. I have to admit, I vegged out a lot, taking naps and reading.
Now we are in Berry, and today is the Melbourne Cup, the most important horse race in Australia. In fact, in the state of Victoria (where Melbourne is located) and the Australian Capital Territory (home of Canberra), it is a holiday. At 2:00 pm, the country shuts down. Bets are placed, hats are worn, and beer is consumed. We will be watching the race at the Berry Bowling Club. We've been hearing about this race since we arrived, especially since the equine flu has been going around Australia and it wasn't known if the race would even be run. I'm glad we're here to experience some Australian sports culture.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
"Walking up" Mount Kosciuszko
Yesterday, we took a nice journey to Mount Kosciuszko (yes, that's spelled right; the Indiana county is spelled wrong!), the highest mountain in Australia. We took a chair lift to this beautiful cafe overlooking the mountain range and up to the summit. After eating, we all thought, "We have our cold weather gear, we can make it up the mountain! Allen told us our gradmother could do it!" So off we went.
Now mind you, we didn't start this little trek until almost 1:30, the waitress told us it would take us 4 hours to get to the top and back if we took our time, and the chair lift closed at 4:30...you do the math. So off our team went! Steve bolted up the mountain and never looked back, not even realizing until he was almost at the summit that "wormy" Carrie (all in fun ) was following behind him. Jess and Kay made it to the lookout (about 2 kilometers from the cafe) before deciding to head down, while little old me made it about 1/2 a kilometer before turning around. Now, when I was planning this trip to Australia, I really believed it would be warm...not so much on top of a mountain! The temperature was 1 degree Celsius with a wind chill of -10....that's 14 degrees in our language people!! Needless to say, it was a cold day and we took the night off from our official Rotary duties last night.
And, my host Colin is one funny guy...I have started to create list of "Colinism's." Just to give you an idea: messy = drunk; wormy = skinny; old cracker = old person (sheep lose their teeth when they get older and the call them crackers...); and Mackers = McDonald's. I'm going to keep my list going and will share more later :)
Now mind you, we didn't start this little trek until almost 1:30, the waitress told us it would take us 4 hours to get to the top and back if we took our time, and the chair lift closed at 4:30...you do the math. So off our team went! Steve bolted up the mountain and never looked back, not even realizing until he was almost at the summit that "wormy" Carrie (all in fun ) was following behind him. Jess and Kay made it to the lookout (about 2 kilometers from the cafe) before deciding to head down, while little old me made it about 1/2 a kilometer before turning around. Now, when I was planning this trip to Australia, I really believed it would be warm...not so much on top of a mountain! The temperature was 1 degree Celsius with a wind chill of -10....that's 14 degrees in our language people!! Needless to say, it was a cold day and we took the night off from our official Rotary duties last night.
And, my host Colin is one funny guy...I have started to create list of "Colinism's." Just to give you an idea: messy = drunk; wormy = skinny; old cracker = old person (sheep lose their teeth when they get older and the call them crackers...); and Mackers = McDonald's. I'm going to keep my list going and will share more later :)
I've finally posted in Cooma!
Wow, what an amazing, hectic, fun filled week and a half! Australia is truly an amazing country with beautiful and friendly people. Every Rotarian that I have come into contact with has been extremely gracious and very attentive to our team.
I know I am backtracking a bit since everyone else has posted, but let me tell you my perceptions since day one.
We arrived in Canberra after a very hard flight over the Pacific Ocean. The seats were so cramped that it was hard to ever get comfortable. Unfortunately, I had a rather large woman sitting next to me and she kept sitting on me!!! I'm not joking!! So, I tried to move over towards the other side, but kept getting in the way of the people walking up and down the aisle. Just glad to be off the plane. We were greeted by most of our host families. It was a welcomed sight.
I'm not going to bore with all the details, but I was extremely concerned about not having Steve's luggage when we arrived. So much so, that I didn't sleep at all the first night. Luckily it came in and he's good to go.
We were able to see parts of Canberra and the Jerrabomberra Host families treated us like royalty. I stayed with Tony and Megan Rolfe - lovely people and Tony deserves a ton of kudos to pull everything together at the last minute.
On Monday, we were off to the Southern Highlands where again we were greeted with two wonderful Rotarians, John Macpherson and Rob Hurdwell. Wonderful chaps! I can't begin to tell you all the places we saw. I stayed with Barbara McKern and Bob Barrett. Lovely people and Barb was the President of the Berrima District Club. We gave three presentations in two days - Bowral-Mittagong, Berrima District and Moss Vale.
I'll post more later, but everyone has been wonderful and have exceeded our expectations so far.
I know I am backtracking a bit since everyone else has posted, but let me tell you my perceptions since day one.
We arrived in Canberra after a very hard flight over the Pacific Ocean. The seats were so cramped that it was hard to ever get comfortable. Unfortunately, I had a rather large woman sitting next to me and she kept sitting on me!!! I'm not joking!! So, I tried to move over towards the other side, but kept getting in the way of the people walking up and down the aisle. Just glad to be off the plane. We were greeted by most of our host families. It was a welcomed sight.
I'm not going to bore with all the details, but I was extremely concerned about not having Steve's luggage when we arrived. So much so, that I didn't sleep at all the first night. Luckily it came in and he's good to go.
We were able to see parts of Canberra and the Jerrabomberra Host families treated us like royalty. I stayed with Tony and Megan Rolfe - lovely people and Tony deserves a ton of kudos to pull everything together at the last minute.
On Monday, we were off to the Southern Highlands where again we were greeted with two wonderful Rotarians, John Macpherson and Rob Hurdwell. Wonderful chaps! I can't begin to tell you all the places we saw. I stayed with Barbara McKern and Bob Barrett. Lovely people and Barb was the President of the Berrima District Club. We gave three presentations in two days - Bowral-Mittagong, Berrima District and Moss Vale.
I'll post more later, but everyone has been wonderful and have exceeded our expectations so far.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Cooma
Cooma is good. Australia is good. Australia's beer is good. Australia's wine is even better. To be honest, I haven't been writing much. Rather, I've been living in the moment rather fully and trying to comprehend, understand, learn, and experience to the best of my cability. For those Rotarians reading this, thank you. GSE is a tremendous program, and I surely would not be here, amist Aussie and eucalypt, if it wasn't for your support. Cheerio,
-s
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Aussie Kids and Teens
So far, two of us have stayed with families with children living in the homes. Steve stayed with the Cuppitts in Berrima, and they had three boys. The youngest thought that because he was from American, he would be a gangsta, complete with a glock. He wanted to spend the week with his grannie because he thought the American gangsta might have a gun. The middle son asked my if my car had hydrolics on it, and I had to admit that my car doesn't even have working air conditioning at the moment. He also asked if I could rap. And they both asked us if we played Grand Theft Auto.
I am staying with the Sutcliffes' in Cooma, and Ian is 19 and John is 15. (Their daughter, Carrie, is working in Guam.) The drinking age here is 18, andI had to admit it was strange watching teenagers play golf on PlayStation 3 and drinking some Victoria Bitters (a great beer, by the way). They truly are normal teenagers. They eat their mum out of house and home, they pay air guitar, and are a lot of fun. I am glad to have the experience of seeing how Australian kids and parents live with and love one another.
I am staying with the Sutcliffes' in Cooma, and Ian is 19 and John is 15. (Their daughter, Carrie, is working in Guam.) The drinking age here is 18, andI had to admit it was strange watching teenagers play golf on PlayStation 3 and drinking some Victoria Bitters (a great beer, by the way). They truly are normal teenagers. They eat their mum out of house and home, they pay air guitar, and are a lot of fun. I am glad to have the experience of seeing how Australian kids and parents live with and love one another.
Movin' on down...
So we left Bowral Friday morning (with tears as I'm really going to miss John and Virgina) and made our way to Cooma. It is a pretty smal town south of Canberra. We were met by the local club's President Cheryl and one other Rotarian and his wife. I was supposed to stay with this man and his wife but, unfortunately, it was not the best fit after one night (for those who know how bad my back is, the bed was EXTREMELY uncomfortable) so I ended up moving to stay with Cheryl and her husband Colin (who is also hosting Kay, my team leader). They have been great people and I just enjoyed a great dinner of lamb and vegetables (first time I've ever had lamb...very tasty!)
Over the past few days, we've seen some great sights including Nattai National Park in the Berrima District (had a great time laughing with our escort, Rotarian Allen) and saw some of the most beautiful sights. We then had a GREAT dinner at the Surveyor General Inn in Berrima, Australia's longest continuously licensed inn. We cooked our own steaks on a grill and I partook in some local wine :) Our first night in Cooma, we attended a mayoral reception with the mayor (duh) and some local dignitaries and other Rotarians. I have to say that after Steve gave his introductory speech, I really felt bad about the fact that he is our only male team member and Carrie and I decided not to pick on him as much...not sure how long that will last though ;)
Our first full day in Cooma was today and we spent most of the day driving around and seeing Lake Eucumbene and Adaminaby, a town that was basically covered by water once a dam was built and then moved to a new location (pretty interesting story but I won't get into the details right now.) Tomorrow we are going to the Fest of Poetry, followed by a historic train ride. Then Sunday night we will be having an early Halloween Party! We figured Sunday would be the best night since we will have "official" business at a Rotary meeting on Wednesday.
Finally, I have to stay the highlight of our day was when we were out driving and we saw some more kangaroos in the wild. Kay, Carrie and I got out of the bus and walked to within 20 feet of them! We saw a mom with her joey in her pouch and also some males that other actvites in mind. Let's just say that we witnessed some "rooting" going on for those that speak Australian ;)
Over the past few days, we've seen some great sights including Nattai National Park in the Berrima District (had a great time laughing with our escort, Rotarian Allen) and saw some of the most beautiful sights. We then had a GREAT dinner at the Surveyor General Inn in Berrima, Australia's longest continuously licensed inn. We cooked our own steaks on a grill and I partook in some local wine :) Our first night in Cooma, we attended a mayoral reception with the mayor (duh) and some local dignitaries and other Rotarians. I have to say that after Steve gave his introductory speech, I really felt bad about the fact that he is our only male team member and Carrie and I decided not to pick on him as much...not sure how long that will last though ;)
Our first full day in Cooma was today and we spent most of the day driving around and seeing Lake Eucumbene and Adaminaby, a town that was basically covered by water once a dam was built and then moved to a new location (pretty interesting story but I won't get into the details right now.) Tomorrow we are going to the Fest of Poetry, followed by a historic train ride. Then Sunday night we will be having an early Halloween Party! We figured Sunday would be the best night since we will have "official" business at a Rotary meeting on Wednesday.
Finally, I have to stay the highlight of our day was when we were out driving and we saw some more kangaroos in the wild. Kay, Carrie and I got out of the bus and walked to within 20 feet of them! We saw a mom with her joey in her pouch and also some males that other actvites in mind. Let's just say that we witnessed some "rooting" going on for those that speak Australian ;)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Heaps of Kangaroos in the Paddock...
Australia. There is absolutely no similarity between the Aussie bush and Indiana farm country. I did plenty of Australian research, of course, but I soon came to the revelation that reading about something is not quite the same as experiencing it. And that simply knowing of something is not the same as living it. The Aussie bush is a strange and unfamiliar environment, and as surreal as it may sound, I feel strongly drawn toward it. Sad to say, I will only have 6 weeks to gather an impression of the bush. Some might say that is plenty of time, but keep in mind, Aborigines have (had) an accumulative and collective land knowledge spanning 40,000 years. For now, though, I will simply leave with the mention of the prodigious Eucalypt and its benefactor, Fire.
We were welcomed fully in Canberra, which was only to be built upon by our stay in the Berrima District in the Southern Highlands. The Aussie Rotarians are absolutely fantastic people. I owe heaps of thanks to Sue and Paul for their hospitality and welcome in Jerrabomberra. Allan, Kathy and the kids are amazing. I feel as if I go way back with Jake, the Cupitt’s family dog. Safe to say, the scourge of the introduced rabbits has one positive upshot: Jake will forever be entertained in chasing and thus harassing these pesky of pests.
I simply wanted to check in and let folks know that as is well. I do have to say that I’m very impressed by my American cohorts. Each one lends a certain unique quality and degree of professionalism in representing District 6540, and I feel quite humbled to be in their presence. Or as they would most dutifully point out, “shadow.” It’s all good nonetheless.
Cheers,
Steve
Australian Libraries
Yesterday was my first day of professional visits on my trip. My first stop was to the Bowral Public Library, which is part of the local shire (probably similar to our township) library system. Sandra and Roxanne, the assistant manager and the IT director respectively, spent some time talking to me about Horizon, computer literacy in their population, and showing me the New South Wales library legal wesbite. All the libraries in NSW have the same legal books, and the website cites chapters and pages on its website. The state library also tells public libraries when to weed legal books and what books to buy as statutes change. It is a great system. (I will post the website later.)
I also went to the Oxley College school library. It is a private school with grades 7-12. One of the things that struck me most is the no matter where you goof in the world, kids will goof off in the library.
Today, my highlight was attending the Donald Bradman museum. He was the Babe Ruth of cricket, and his childhood home was in Barrima, the town where we attended a Rotary meeting today at noon. Oxley first team was practicing on the wicket outside the museum, and they let Kay and me take some batting practice. Australians love cricket, and while it is a very difficult game to grasp, I can understand their enthusiasm about their sports teams. I will post some pictures of Kay and me with the Oxley boys later.
I also went to the Oxley College school library. It is a private school with grades 7-12. One of the things that struck me most is the no matter where you goof in the world, kids will goof off in the library.
Today, my highlight was attending the Donald Bradman museum. He was the Babe Ruth of cricket, and his childhood home was in Barrima, the town where we attended a Rotary meeting today at noon. Oxley first team was practicing on the wicket outside the museum, and they let Kay and me take some batting practice. Australians love cricket, and while it is a very difficult game to grasp, I can understand their enthusiasm about their sports teams. I will post some pictures of Kay and me with the Oxley boys later.
G’day!
Okay....so I've been in Australia a total of 5 days and can't believe the things I have seen and the people I've met! I spent the first 2 days in Jerrabomberra, a suburb of Canberra but in the state of New South Wales. The first day, my hosts tried their hardest to keep me awake by visiting Black Mountain, Parliament House, and then hosting a barbie for me with some of their friends. I finally got to be around 9 p.m. (after being awake for 36 hours) and got a good night's sleep. I had to work hard to get on Australia time! (which for you Hoosiers is 14 hours ahead!)
Sunday morning I went to mass and then had a brunch at my host family's home with another one of my team members. It was pretty good and I tried Vegemite for the first time...YUCK! Now I can say that I've tried but probably will never again! Our team then got together for the first time since arriving and took a driving tour of Canberra. We then had a quick meeting to prepare our exchange and then attended another barbie at my team leader's host family's home. There I tried Pavlova, an Australian dessert that was great!!
Monday, I took my first ever train ride that lasted 2.5 hours and brought us the small town of Bowral, in the Southern Highlands. It is absolutely beautiful here! We are in the mountains and it is such a change from the flatlands of Indiana. We were taken on a quick tour and went to a few lookouts to see a panormic view of the towns we will be visiting until we leave Friday.
On Tuesday, I went on my first vocational exchange and met with representatives from TAFE (Technical and Further Education Center) which somewhat resembles our community colleges but it still very different and a satellite campus of the University of Wollongong in Moss Vale. We also went to lunch at an English pub in Burrawang and tasted a few local beers....now I'm not a beer drinker but these were VERY GOOD! One thing I've learned is that Australians are big into beer and wine so all you lushes out there, visit Australia some day!!
Today, we visited the Berrima court house, a historical site that is no longer used. It is a beautiful sandstone building and was fascinating to be in. We also visited the Book Barm and had morning tea (this time, hot chocolate time for me!) We then gave our second presentation to the Berrima District Rotary Club and got to meet quite a few fascinating people. I can't get over nice everyone is being and how they are pretty much all welcoming us into their lives. This afternoon, we visited the Don Bradman cricket museum. Don Bradman is one of the most prolific cricket players of all time and grew up here in Bowral. There was a local high school team practicing on the field and Kay and Jessica took their turn practicing hitting the ball. It was hilarious!
On a more personal note, I'm settling in nicely with my current host family. John and Virginia are great people and I think it was kismet that I ended up staying with them. Virginia had a spinal fusion in November of 2000 (5 months after I had my 3rd surgery) and they also have a Golden Retriever named Sammy! I think he could tell immediately that I am a dog lover and has been at my feet since I got here. Kind of feels like home but no one will EVER replace my baby girl Belle.
Write more later....
Sunday morning I went to mass and then had a brunch at my host family's home with another one of my team members. It was pretty good and I tried Vegemite for the first time...YUCK! Now I can say that I've tried but probably will never again! Our team then got together for the first time since arriving and took a driving tour of Canberra. We then had a quick meeting to prepare our exchange and then attended another barbie at my team leader's host family's home. There I tried Pavlova, an Australian dessert that was great!!
Monday, I took my first ever train ride that lasted 2.5 hours and brought us the small town of Bowral, in the Southern Highlands. It is absolutely beautiful here! We are in the mountains and it is such a change from the flatlands of Indiana. We were taken on a quick tour and went to a few lookouts to see a panormic view of the towns we will be visiting until we leave Friday.
On Tuesday, I went on my first vocational exchange and met with representatives from TAFE (Technical and Further Education Center) which somewhat resembles our community colleges but it still very different and a satellite campus of the University of Wollongong in Moss Vale. We also went to lunch at an English pub in Burrawang and tasted a few local beers....now I'm not a beer drinker but these were VERY GOOD! One thing I've learned is that Australians are big into beer and wine so all you lushes out there, visit Australia some day!!
Today, we visited the Berrima court house, a historical site that is no longer used. It is a beautiful sandstone building and was fascinating to be in. We also visited the Book Barm and had morning tea (this time, hot chocolate time for me!) We then gave our second presentation to the Berrima District Rotary Club and got to meet quite a few fascinating people. I can't get over nice everyone is being and how they are pretty much all welcoming us into their lives. This afternoon, we visited the Don Bradman cricket museum. Don Bradman is one of the most prolific cricket players of all time and grew up here in Bowral. There was a local high school team practicing on the field and Kay and Jessica took their turn practicing hitting the ball. It was hilarious!
On a more personal note, I'm settling in nicely with my current host family. John and Virginia are great people and I think it was kismet that I ended up staying with them. Virginia had a spinal fusion in November of 2000 (5 months after I had my 3rd surgery) and they also have a Golden Retriever named Sammy! I think he could tell immediately that I am a dog lover and has been at my feet since I got here. Kind of feels like home but no one will EVER replace my baby girl Belle.
Write more later....
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pictures So Far
The black man in the tan suit in the back of the photo is Seal. I couldn't get a shot of Heidi Klum, but one of the flight attendants told her to stay beautiful.
This is the first Rotary couple I stayed with in Jerraboberra, Cathy and Colin Hobbs.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Our Journey
We all met at the Ft. Wayne aiport at 2:00 pm EST. We were bumped to an earlier flight, but because of weather conditions, we did not leave for Chicago until 3:52 pm, 22 minutes behind schedule of our original flight. We landed in Chicago about an hour later. The flight from Ft. Wayne was the worst flight of my life. We were on a smaller commuter flight where you could feel every bump. I feel extremely fortunate to live close enough to O'Hare and Midway for every flight I need to make.
After everyone waited for me to get over my aisickness once we landed, we found out that because of the weather, our flight out of Chicago would not leave early enough to make our L.A. connection to Sydney. Kay called the RI travel service, and somehow the five of us were able to get on a 5:30 flight to LAX.
The most exciting thing about out flight to L.A. was that Seal and Heidi Klum were in first class!
Once in L.A., we had some food and walked around some of the shops. We had three hours to kill until our 11:00 PST flight to Sydney.
The flight to Australia wasn't as bad as I expected. Yes, my legs were sore by the end of the flight, but the nightime asprin helped me sleep on and off for some of the it, and of course, I had plenty of reading material with me. The flight was very smooth, and, fortunately, there were hardly any small children who made a lot of noise.
We arrived in Sydney, and somehow United managed to get our luggage onto our flight even though we got reassigned at the very last minute. Well, except for Steve's. It will hopefully get delivered to him today. Immigrationa and customs went smoothly, and we caught our connection to Canberra.
Our hosts from the Jerrabomberra met as at the airport. I am staying with Cathy and Colin Hobbs. Cathy was a member of a GSE team from Canada/ Michigan in 2001 that visited District 9710. She met Colin here, and they've been married for three years. They both knew how exhausted I was, so they kept me busy all day. We visited Mt. Ainslie and the Telestra Tower, had lunch in Kingston (an area with all kinds of shops and eateries, a lot like Evanston), went to an open market to get food for dinner, and took a long walk around Jerra. Cathy and Colin made an excellent dinner of marinated prawns, tuna, and asparagus. After I made it to 8:00 pm, I was pronounced allowed to pass out. I woke up a few times during the night, but didn't really wake up until 9:00 am this morning.
Today, I have spent uploading some pictures and catching up on some e-mails. Somehow, I cannot post pictures to the blog, but if you go to the Flickr site on our links, you can see some of the pictures I uploaded, including the one I took of the back of Seal's head.
Purdue beat Iowa, and Illinois plays Michigan tonight. Greg e-mailed me from Lot D, and I hope all our friends had a good time celebrating the Boilers' first victory after a two-game losing streak.
I wanted to tell George at work that they have goodwill stores here! Tim and Leah, the toilets so far have just flushed straight down. They haven't swirled, so I can't tell if they go the opposite way. And I had my first taste of Vegemite, and it is VILE!
Tonight we're going to a BBQ. More posts and pictures to follow.
After everyone waited for me to get over my aisickness once we landed, we found out that because of the weather, our flight out of Chicago would not leave early enough to make our L.A. connection to Sydney. Kay called the RI travel service, and somehow the five of us were able to get on a 5:30 flight to LAX.
The most exciting thing about out flight to L.A. was that Seal and Heidi Klum were in first class!
Once in L.A., we had some food and walked around some of the shops. We had three hours to kill until our 11:00 PST flight to Sydney.
The flight to Australia wasn't as bad as I expected. Yes, my legs were sore by the end of the flight, but the nightime asprin helped me sleep on and off for some of the it, and of course, I had plenty of reading material with me. The flight was very smooth, and, fortunately, there were hardly any small children who made a lot of noise.
We arrived in Sydney, and somehow United managed to get our luggage onto our flight even though we got reassigned at the very last minute. Well, except for Steve's. It will hopefully get delivered to him today. Immigrationa and customs went smoothly, and we caught our connection to Canberra.
Our hosts from the Jerrabomberra met as at the airport. I am staying with Cathy and Colin Hobbs. Cathy was a member of a GSE team from Canada/ Michigan in 2001 that visited District 9710. She met Colin here, and they've been married for three years. They both knew how exhausted I was, so they kept me busy all day. We visited Mt. Ainslie and the Telestra Tower, had lunch in Kingston (an area with all kinds of shops and eateries, a lot like Evanston), went to an open market to get food for dinner, and took a long walk around Jerra. Cathy and Colin made an excellent dinner of marinated prawns, tuna, and asparagus. After I made it to 8:00 pm, I was pronounced allowed to pass out. I woke up a few times during the night, but didn't really wake up until 9:00 am this morning.
Today, I have spent uploading some pictures and catching up on some e-mails. Somehow, I cannot post pictures to the blog, but if you go to the Flickr site on our links, you can see some of the pictures I uploaded, including the one I took of the back of Seal's head.
Purdue beat Iowa, and Illinois plays Michigan tonight. Greg e-mailed me from Lot D, and I hope all our friends had a good time celebrating the Boilers' first victory after a two-game losing streak.
I wanted to tell George at work that they have goodwill stores here! Tim and Leah, the toilets so far have just flushed straight down. They haven't swirled, so I can't tell if they go the opposite way. And I had my first taste of Vegemite, and it is VILE!
Tonight we're going to a BBQ. More posts and pictures to follow.
We're Here
GSE District 6540 arrived in Canberra a little after 9 Saturday morning in Australia, about 7:30 pm Friday night for those of you back in Central time, or 8:30 for those of you on Eastern time. Right now, we're all exhausted, and our host families are doing their best to keep us awake until after dinner. I'll promise to post more about the journey tomorrow after a good night's sleep.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Good News About the Exchange Rate
As of today, $1 US is about $1.10 AUS. Go crazy at the Yahoo! Currency Converter.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Scanning the Headlines
Prime Minister John Howard announced that, if re-elected, he may not serve a full term. (The Australian)
If you are interested in the history of Australian music, check out the Australian Connections series at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. I've been streaming it at home. (ABC)
The Canberra Times reports that the ACT is experiencing an El Nino-driven drought. Water restrictions may become necessary, but not before March. Details of water restrictions can be found here.
Pictures from an anti-Bush and Howard rally were published on Green Left newspaper's online edition. You can check them out here.
If you are interested in the history of Australian music, check out the Australian Connections series at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. I've been streaming it at home. (ABC)
The Canberra Times reports that the ACT is experiencing an El Nino-driven drought. Water restrictions may become necessary, but not before March. Details of water restrictions can be found here.
Pictures from an anti-Bush and Howard rally were published on Green Left newspaper's online edition. You can check them out here.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Bush Juggling Iraq, Asia in Australia
President Bush is in Australia this week. Read the CNN article here.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Australia's National Identity
"The debate about Australia's national identity is raging intensely, encompassing its history and foreign policy. But will it ever be solved, asks historian David Cannadine."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4471284.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4471284.stm
Friday, August 17, 2007
Australia Week in Review
I scanned the headlines of the Australian newspapers and TV this week. Probably the biggest political story of the week was the report that Australian Tresaurer Peter Costello told journalists in 2005 that Prime Minister John Howard could not win the next election. The two have a had a difficult relationship in the past, mostly having to due with the leadership of the Liberal (Conservative) Party.
Right-wing activist and former MP Pauline Hansen is running for Parliament again. Her main campaign issue will be limiting Muslim immigration into Australia. According to The Australian, Hansen said, "I think we need to look at getting out of the 1951 convention of refugees, and not being forced into taking refugees in this country that bring diseases who are incompatible with our lifestyle."
I watched the 7:30 ABC news report on Wednesday. Just like in the U.S., Australian foreclosure rates have risen recently. In fact, since 1990, Australian household debt has risen at three times the rate of American household debt.
It's been a bad winter for getting the flu this year in Australia. At least six children and one adult have died from the virus so far.
Right-wing activist and former MP Pauline Hansen is running for Parliament again. Her main campaign issue will be limiting Muslim immigration into Australia. According to The Australian, Hansen said, "I think we need to look at getting out of the 1951 convention of refugees, and not being forced into taking refugees in this country that bring diseases who are incompatible with our lifestyle."
I watched the 7:30 ABC news report on Wednesday. Just like in the U.S., Australian foreclosure rates have risen recently. In fact, since 1990, Australian household debt has risen at three times the rate of American household debt.
It's been a bad winter for getting the flu this year in Australia. At least six children and one adult have died from the virus so far.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Flickr Account
I created a Flickr account for the group. I sent the group instructions on how to get into our account. If you want to look at our pictures and leave comments, you can access the photos here. Our group name is australiagse.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Rotary Four-Way Test
I learned it just in time for for the Munster Rotary Club meeting tomorrow. Jim will be in attendance, so I'm looking forward to seeing him and giving a short speech about GSE.
I'm posting it here just so we have it on the blog in case we need it.
Of the things we think, say, or do:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR for all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
I'm posting it here just so we have it on the blog in case we need it.
Of the things we think, say, or do:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR for all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
New Media Outlet Links
As the trip gets closer, I know I need to start reading more Australian newspapers. I added some links on the right hand side of the blog. If you are interested in the slants of the newspapers, Worldpress.org has a listing for Australian newspapers here. I also posted the question on LibraryThing.org. You can read what Australians think about their newspapers here.
Also, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcasting station in Australia.
I will try to skim these papers daily to give everyone a summary of what we should know about the current climate of everything Australian.
Also, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcasting station in Australia.
I will try to skim these papers daily to give everyone a summary of what we should know about the current climate of everything Australian.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Australians Paying Down Mortgages Faster?
My boyfriend just bought a house, so of course we have been reading lots of how-to books, decorating magazines, and personal finance articles. This article from CNN Money explains how most Australian mortgages work. Instead of a fixed-interest rate mortgage, Australians receive a variable-rate home equity line of credit. Interesting article if you are thinking about buying a house or paying down your mortgage.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Australian Health Care
I firmly believe that the lack of universal health care is the most important domestic problem in the United States today. Seeing the Michael Moore film Sicko has only confirmed my belief. National Public Radio's Fresh Air program discusses the American health care model here. Jonathan Oberlander of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill suggests that the Australian health care model, which includes both public and private insurance but where universal coverage exists, would be the most promising for the United States.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Hi From Huntington IN
Finally, I'm now into the 21st century and writing on a blog!! Let me introduce myself to you. My name is Kay Schwob and the leader of the group. My husband of 13 years is Mark Schwob. We have two children, Heaston who will be a 7th grader and Hunter who will be a 4th grader.
I have been a Rotarian for 11 years and am a past president of my Huntington Club. I had the opportunity to represent my club at the Rotary International Convention in Brisbane, Australia in 2003. Mark and I visited Brisbane, Cairns, The great Barrier Reef and Sydney. While there, we were welcomed by many wonderful Rotarians and have since been friends with several from the Holroyd Rotary Club. Australia is a beautiful and welcoming country.
I work at Huntington University in the Enterprise Resource Center. I help our students find real world experiences such as internships and job shadows.
I am extremely honored to lead the team. This is going to be an amazing trip.
I have been a Rotarian for 11 years and am a past president of my Huntington Club. I had the opportunity to represent my club at the Rotary International Convention in Brisbane, Australia in 2003. Mark and I visited Brisbane, Cairns, The great Barrier Reef and Sydney. While there, we were welcomed by many wonderful Rotarians and have since been friends with several from the Holroyd Rotary Club. Australia is a beautiful and welcoming country.
I work at Huntington University in the Enterprise Resource Center. I help our students find real world experiences such as internships and job shadows.
I am extremely honored to lead the team. This is going to be an amazing trip.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Indiana environmental official defends BP permit
You can read the full text of the AP story here.
This is a blow to the work so many people in Northwest Indiana are trying to accomplish in preserving the lakefront.
Once again, Northwest Indiana is caught in the middle between the City of Chicago and the State of Indiana. Chicago's Mayor Daley is against the dumping, but since it occuring across the state line (albeit by mere miles), he can't use his political clout. Down in Indianapolis, politicians are looking at the finanical gains but not the environmental realities.
I'm sure Steve and I will be following this story. As one local letter writer wrote today in the Northwest Indiana times, would BP officials dump this much waste in the River Thames?
This is a blow to the work so many people in Northwest Indiana are trying to accomplish in preserving the lakefront.
Once again, Northwest Indiana is caught in the middle between the City of Chicago and the State of Indiana. Chicago's Mayor Daley is against the dumping, but since it occuring across the state line (albeit by mere miles), he can't use his political clout. Down in Indianapolis, politicians are looking at the finanical gains but not the environmental realities.
I'm sure Steve and I will be following this story. As one local letter writer wrote today in the Northwest Indiana times, would BP officials dump this much waste in the River Thames?
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Australian Newspapers
If you look to the sidebar on the right, I have added an Australian Media Outlets link list. I am working on adding the major daily newspapers, and I am working on finding out the political slant of each of the major dailies.
Let me know if you find a publication you want me to add.
Let me know if you find a publication you want me to add.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Connections through Rotary
I haven't even left for Australia yet, and already I've made important business connections. Today, I just linked Steve Barker's employer JFNew with my family business's website at www.janetsgardencenter.com. Earlier this spring, I had updated our website to include common gardening tips that everyone can use to be more "green." One of the tips included using more native plants in gardens. JFNew happens to have one of the largest native plant nurseries in the nation, so they provide a perfect link for my "green gardening" page on Janet's Garden Center's website. Hopefully Rotary has given both of our businesses an opportunity for growth!
Australia Turns to Desalination Amid Water Shortage
NPR's "Climate Connections" recently did a nice piece on Australia. See http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11134967
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Australian Censorship Tests
While reading the June/July 2007 issue of American Libraries, I came across a news brief on page 42 regarding censorship criteria in Australia.
Books and DVDs that glorify terrorism will face much tougher censorship tests under new laws, federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said. Ruddock and state attorneys-general struck an agreement April 13 to allow materials that "advocate" terrorism to be pulled from bookstore shelves and stopped at Australia's border. The state attorneys-general will report back to Canberra on the feasibility of the proposed laws by July. --Wodonga (Vic.) Border Mail, April 14
According to the Australian Library and Information Association,one of its core values is to "... [promote] the free flow of information and ideas through open access to recorded knowledge, information, and creative works. We assert that this access across time and across cultures is fundamental to a thriving culture, economy and democracy."
I will be interested to follow this story in the Australian press and to talk to library professionals about this in October.
Books and DVDs that glorify terrorism will face much tougher censorship tests under new laws, federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said. Ruddock and state attorneys-general struck an agreement April 13 to allow materials that "advocate" terrorism to be pulled from bookstore shelves and stopped at Australia's border. The state attorneys-general will report back to Canberra on the feasibility of the proposed laws by July. --Wodonga (Vic.) Border Mail, April 14
According to the Australian Library and Information Association,one of its core values is to "... [promote] the free flow of information and ideas through open access to recorded knowledge, information, and creative works. We assert that this access across time and across cultures is fundamental to a thriving culture, economy and democracy."
I will be interested to follow this story in the Australian press and to talk to library professionals about this in October.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A little about me...
My name is Kimberly Wagner and I am very excited to be traveling to Australia as part of Rotary International's Group Study Exchange Program! I love to travel places all over the country but have never been overseas so this is a very exciting first for me! I have also enjoyed meeting the other members of our team seeing as we all have things in common yet are very different from one another!
Some stuff about me: I was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to my parents John and Sherry Grannan, as well as an older sister, Maura Studebaker. The 3 moments in my life that I am most proud of: marrying my husband of almost 4 years, Jason Wagner, in August 2003; seeing my sister get married to Matt Studebaker in October 2000; and celebrating my parent's 35th wedding anniversary in July 2006. We are all still very close as we live within 1/2 mile of each other in connecting subdivisions and try to have dinner together every Saturday :)
I have a B.A. in Media and Public Communication from Purdue University and Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University. I work full-time at Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne with first-year students and occassionally teach Introduction to Criminal Justice. A lot of who I am and what I do is because of my family. My dad is a retired Fort Wayne police officer who served for 27.5 years before becoming the Criminal Justice Program Chair at Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne in October 2005. My mom has been a registered nurse at Lutheran Hospital for over 36 years and doesn't plan to retire anytime soon! My sister is the Superviser of Expenditure Accounting at Triple Crown Services and will be finishing her M.B.A. in a week! And, my hubby works for Verizon Wireless as a Data Sales Consultant and is an avid bowler! 
One last thing....I am a very proud mom to Belle...a 1 1/2 year old Golden Retriever :) She has been a great addition to our home and is the best dog a girl could ask for!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Cheers, from NW Indiana
I'm best known by my friends and peers as Dios de Fuego, or Steve, which may or not may say something about my affinity towards fire, its beauty, and our connection to it, innately speaking or otherwise. Aboriginal use of fire has been referred to as “Fire Stick Farming,” which I think is aptly put. Prescribed burning, subsequently, has a spiritual and cultural significance for me, kinda like a 21st century white Indian walking around with a drip torch. I can talk hours on this subject, but we'll save that for another time.
Vocationally speaking, I'm currently involved with sustainable development and regional land-use planning, restoration ecology and natural areas management, sustainable agriculture and a local foods economic development initiative. I'm active in a number of local non-profits and recently graduated from Leadership Northwest Indiana. Photo attached. It’s all about quality of life and our contributions to it.
Family wise, I come from a relatively large Irish-Catholic family. My grandmother gave birth to 15. So this relatively unique family, raised and born on a small farm in Walkerton, Indiana, is in large part who I am. I can’t envision life without them. Edward Abbey said it best, “I love the land – its great rivers, plains, mountains and the ineffable desert; I love my friends, my kin, my unknown allies – I will stand by them to the end.”
Personal hobbies as follows: Lake Michigan surfing is must. I’m dekeen on sea kayaking, rafting, canoeing, backpacking, and travel. I failed in poetry, though I'm a avid reader and sporadic writer. I somewhat enjoy talking politics and solving the world problems, especially in an Irish pub. I actually played college football, believe it or not, and thus have a fondness for sports. I try to catch a local band and/or an independent film at least once a week, twice if I’m lucky. Northern Indiana has some great, local talent and venues. I failingly try to balance travel and adventure with building community and my garden. Maybe Australia will lend some answers...
Vocationally speaking, I'm currently involved with sustainable development and regional land-use planning, restoration ecology and natural areas management, sustainable agriculture and a local foods economic development initiative. I'm active in a number of local non-profits and recently graduated from Leadership Northwest Indiana. Photo attached. It’s all about quality of life and our contributions to it.
Family wise, I come from a relatively large Irish-Catholic family. My grandmother gave birth to 15. So this relatively unique family, raised and born on a small farm in Walkerton, Indiana, is in large part who I am. I can’t envision life without them. Edward Abbey said it best, “I love the land – its great rivers, plains, mountains and the ineffable desert; I love my friends, my kin, my unknown allies – I will stand by them to the end.”
Personal hobbies as follows: Lake Michigan surfing is must. I’m dekeen on sea kayaking, rafting, canoeing, backpacking, and travel. I failed in poetry, though I'm a avid reader and sporadic writer. I somewhat enjoy talking politics and solving the world problems, especially in an Irish pub. I actually played college football, believe it or not, and thus have a fondness for sports. I try to catch a local band and/or an independent film at least once a week, twice if I’m lucky. Northern Indiana has some great, local talent and venues. I failingly try to balance travel and adventure with building community and my garden. Maybe Australia will lend some answers...
On a closing thought, I am incredibly excited about Australia and my future endeavors with Rotary. I have already met some tremendous folks through GSE and the Chesterton Rotary Club #3348. I can't wait to travel across the planet to meet more Rotarian mates and learn about the Canberra region. Cheers.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Chemical-free Greenhouse Management
Here is one very big (but also very little) reason why I want to begin using more organic and chemical free approaches to greenhouse management. This is my nephew, David William Pence. Even though he's only three, he's always a big helper!
--Aunt Carrie
Hi from Bluffton, Indiana
My name is Carrie, and along with my other team members, I am so excited to be going to Australia with Rotary International's Group Study Exchange. I never would have guessed that following in the footsteps of my mother with her business would allow me to participate in such a wonderful program.My current profession as a horticulturalist in my family's garden center and greenhouse business has launched an exciting study experience for me in Australia, but I didn't always picture myself as a flower grower.
Much of my educational experience has centered around English literature and teaching. In 2000, I graduated as valedictorian from the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne with a BA in English Lit. I spent the next two years doing what every other English major does--I looked for a career while working odd jobs. Then I decided to teach English in Japan for a year which enabled me to travel and learn about Japanese culture. When I returned to the States, I was determined to go back to school and get a "real job" as a high school English teacher.
Along the way, I discovered many things. First, I don't like teaching high school. Second, working in a greenhouse is the best job in the world. And third, being close to family is invaluably rewarding.
I will be finishing my master's degree in English this August, and I plan on teaching composition to college freshmen part time. But my primary career is with growing flowers. Most teachers teach for a living and grow flowers as a hobby--I feel lucky to grow flowers for a living and teach as a hobby. Although teaching has enabled me to travel in the past, I am so proud that now I get to travel because of my current profession as a horticulturalist.
I hope that while I'm in Australia, I will learn how to implement chemical free and organic programs into our greenhouse management. I currently have plans to switch to organic fertilizers, and I have already been using biological insect control. But there is so much to learn, and it's my mission to make our business more environmentally friendly for my family, my customers, and my community.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Hello, My Name is Jessica
I'll go ahead and be the first GSE member to introduce myself. My name is Jessica Jacko, and I live and work in Merrillville, Indiana. I am representing Rotary Club #3375, Merrillville, IN. The man in the picture with me is Tony Lux, superintendent of the Merrillville School District and president of Merrillville Rotary.
I grew up in Park Forest, Illinois, a suburb south of Chicago. I attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where I received a B.A. in history in 2003 and a M.S. in Library and Information Science in 2004. I worked as a reference librarian at La Porte County Public Library in La Porte, Indiana for almost two years before accepting the circulation services manager position at Lake County Public Library in July 2006.
A little bit about my family. My dad is a retired junior high social studies teacher, and my mom heads the human resources department for a small business in Homewood, Illinois. My younger sister, Leah, lives in Evanston, Illinois (world headquarters of Rotary International!) and works as a corporate event planner. My younger, Tim, recently graduated college and is looking for a job as a high school history teacher. My boyfriend, Greg, works for the computer security and access department at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Big Ten season is always such a happy time in our relationship.
I love watching and playing most sports (I live for college football and basketball, and I was a state qualifier in tennis in high school), reading, watching movies, making handmade greeting cards, and trying new restaurants.
I hope to meet with Australian librarians during my trip to see what problems they are facing, how they are adapting to changes in this information age, and meet Australian families to see how they interact with each other. And maybe take a surfing lesson.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The 2007-2008 Group Study Exchange Team
Here is your team representing District 6540 going to Canberra Australia in October 2008.
Sitting, from left: Kim Wagner, Group Leader Kay Schwob, Steve Barker. Kneeling, from left: Carrie Pence, Jessica Jacko
On June 2, we met at Kay's house as a chance for our families to meet one another and to get to know one another in a more relaxed atmosphere. We learned some really important things about each other.
Our love for 1990s pre-teen rappers
Fosters is NOT Australian for beer
On June 2, we met at Kay's house as a chance for our families to meet one another and to get to know one another in a more relaxed atmosphere. We learned some really important things about each other.
Our love for 1990s pre-teen rappers
Fosters is NOT Australian for beer
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