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...)