G’day friends,
I hope that you all have enjoyed the approach of spring and are thinking of me as we get closer to winter. I now wear a jacket on most days, and some of my new friends have laughed because it’s not that cold yet. But Texas heat has spoiled me. Besides the lowering temperatures, the days are beautiful.
Over these last two weeks I have worked pretty hard on school work, so that I can relax during my mid-semester break. I am planning a trip to Tasmania for one of the weeks that we have free, and then I plan to go to Melbourne to remember Muster with other Aggies in the city. Muster, for all you non-Ags, is time when students and graduates of Texas A&M University from all over the world come together to remember the Aggies who have died during the past year. It’s a very solemn ceremony, but it’s one that really unites the Aggie family. So, I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to be a part of that family here in Australia.
During Easter break, I went to a national park called Tidbinbilla that lies south of Canberra. With several other international students, I saw some famous Australian animals like the platypus, the koala, emus, and kangaroos. It was a great excursion that gave me the opportunity to make new friends and explore a bit more of the ACT.
I gave my first presentation to my host club two weeks ago, and it went really well. The District Governor, Bernie Rodgers, attended, as well as several of the members’ spouses. My host club is really supportive and kind, so after I got everyone to say “Howdy,” I felt right at home.
This past Friday night I participated in Relay for Life with the Rotaract group here in Canberra. We had a fluorescent color theme, so we stood out among the other walkers. The group raised several hundred dollars for cancer research, so besides the great fun that we had walking throughout the night, we were able to contribute to a great cause.
Yesterday, I went to Sydney with a few other Ambassadorial Scholars from Canberra to attend a conference for the inbound and outbound scholars. I learned more about Rotary and the resources available to me as a scholar here in Australia. But the thing that really encouraged and impressed me was the passion of the Rotarians and the other Ambassadorial Scholars. They have such a desire to improve the lives of people in their communities and around the world, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside such great leaders. So thank you again for this chance to really impact the world.
Enjoy Spring!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
More fun in the sun
G’day friends,
As this week comes to an end, I conclude my first month in Australia. The time has evaporated much like the water here in this dry, sunburned country. My classes are interesting. Thankfully, they don’t require too much homework, so I have plenty of time to meet other students and participate in several Rotary activities. Also, I have found a beautiful lake that’s just a short walk from my house, so when I need exercise and some quiet time, I just disappear to the water’s edge where there are 8 to 10 different species of birds. I’m still fascinated by the cockatoos and colorful parakeets that are in every open space. Canberra is nicknamed the Bush Capital because even though it is a decent sized city full of political buildings, it was also designed with several gardens, lakes, and just open space. It’s not at all uncommon to see dozens of kangaroos on a golf course, or even around my campus.
Last weekend, Ian and Pam Foster, my Rotarian counselor and his wife, took me along with a Finnish and German exchange student to Mitta Mitta. We drove through Gundagai, passed Tumbarumba and Tallangatta, and after 7-8 hours in the car, we reached Mitta Mitta, home of the Mitta Mitta Muster, the Witches’ Cottage, and Pam’s brother and sister-in-law. Every year Russell and Robin, Pam’s brother and sister-in-law, have a weekend long barbeque, and they invite friends that they’ve met from all over the world. They own a plane, so they travel quite a bit. So I met an actor from Melbourne, a professor, who had taught in California, a girl from Switzerland, who yodeled for everyone at the Sunday night talent show, and heaps of other great people. Our group spent the nights at the Witches’ Cottage, which, though short on magic spells, had very impressive gardens which attracted beautiful birds. And as Mitta Mitta is a very small rural town, the nights are illuminated by the bright stars, and from the Cottage I could see into the Milky Way. And if I looked closely I could see orbiting satellites and shooting stars. So, I spent the weekend in a sort of fairy land, a very hot fairy land.
This Saturday and Sunday, I participated in two Rotary activities. One was working at a barbeque station at a local carnival, and Sunday morning I spent more time at the Trash and Treasure that I mentioned in my last journal entry. Instead of bread, I got free plums this time. On Tuesday, I will speak at my first Rotary meeting, and the District Governor, Bernie Rodgers will be attending.
Well, that’s what’s going down here. Please take a look at the photos to see some of the fun that I've been having. Thank you again for your encouragement and support.
As this week comes to an end, I conclude my first month in Australia. The time has evaporated much like the water here in this dry, sunburned country. My classes are interesting. Thankfully, they don’t require too much homework, so I have plenty of time to meet other students and participate in several Rotary activities. Also, I have found a beautiful lake that’s just a short walk from my house, so when I need exercise and some quiet time, I just disappear to the water’s edge where there are 8 to 10 different species of birds. I’m still fascinated by the cockatoos and colorful parakeets that are in every open space. Canberra is nicknamed the Bush Capital because even though it is a decent sized city full of political buildings, it was also designed with several gardens, lakes, and just open space. It’s not at all uncommon to see dozens of kangaroos on a golf course, or even around my campus.
Last weekend, Ian and Pam Foster, my Rotarian counselor and his wife, took me along with a Finnish and German exchange student to Mitta Mitta. We drove through Gundagai, passed Tumbarumba and Tallangatta, and after 7-8 hours in the car, we reached Mitta Mitta, home of the Mitta Mitta Muster, the Witches’ Cottage, and Pam’s brother and sister-in-law. Every year Russell and Robin, Pam’s brother and sister-in-law, have a weekend long barbeque, and they invite friends that they’ve met from all over the world. They own a plane, so they travel quite a bit. So I met an actor from Melbourne, a professor, who had taught in California, a girl from Switzerland, who yodeled for everyone at the Sunday night talent show, and heaps of other great people. Our group spent the nights at the Witches’ Cottage, which, though short on magic spells, had very impressive gardens which attracted beautiful birds. And as Mitta Mitta is a very small rural town, the nights are illuminated by the bright stars, and from the Cottage I could see into the Milky Way. And if I looked closely I could see orbiting satellites and shooting stars. So, I spent the weekend in a sort of fairy land, a very hot fairy land.
This Saturday and Sunday, I participated in two Rotary activities. One was working at a barbeque station at a local carnival, and Sunday morning I spent more time at the Trash and Treasure that I mentioned in my last journal entry. Instead of bread, I got free plums this time. On Tuesday, I will speak at my first Rotary meeting, and the District Governor, Bernie Rodgers will be attending.
Well, that’s what’s going down here. Please take a look at the photos to see some of the fun that I've been having. Thank you again for your encouragement and support.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
A week of firsts
I started classes this past week, and I have to say it was a bit tough to get in the mode of studying again. But I have really enjoyed my classes so far, and I think they provide a sense of normalcy and routine to my life. I’m studying TESOL or Teaching English as a Second Language, a field that is not only useful if I decide to keep traveling but it’s also right in line with my study of linguistics. My classmates vary in age and nationality, so it has been really exciting to meet the other students and discover their background and perspective on language.
I have been working hard to get involved with Rotary and on campus, so that I can maximize the number of people that I meet and also to simply be useful to others.
Last Sunday, after church, I attended “Trash and Treasure,” a Rotary project in which they rent out stalls to vendors every week and raise money for different projects. People were selling anything from chickens, to vegetables, to old carburetors, to baseball caps. It was like a huge garage sale! I helped a bit with the cleanup and was rewarded with 3 loaves of bread that were donated to the Rotary Club, so my housemates were also thankful for my participation in this program.
Throughout the week, I have met with the Japan Club and have made several new Japanese friends who are eager to practice their English. I have met with a Chilean Spanish teacher with whom I hope to teach some Spanish night classes, and I have met an Indonesian who wants me to teach him Spanish. I visited the War Memorial with my host counselor, Ian, who also happens to be a tour guide for the memorial, so I had a very thorough guide. I attended Rotary and Rotaract meetings and met several kind and enthusiastic people. And I attended my first Rugby Union match here in Canberra. One of the Rotarians, Keith, his wife, Vivienne, and a couple of their friends included me in their group to attend the game. The Brumbies won 41-6 against the Queensland Reds, and I have to tell you that I haven’t been that excited about a game since the Aggies beat the Longhorns in November! Before the game, I also ate my very first fish and chips (French fries). It was about the same quality of food as eating a hotdog at a baseball game, but it’s all a part of the experience.
So all together, it has been a wonderfully full week.
Please look through the pictures that I posted, so that you can see a bit of what I have been involved in.
Thank you always.
I have been working hard to get involved with Rotary and on campus, so that I can maximize the number of people that I meet and also to simply be useful to others.
Last Sunday, after church, I attended “Trash and Treasure,” a Rotary project in which they rent out stalls to vendors every week and raise money for different projects. People were selling anything from chickens, to vegetables, to old carburetors, to baseball caps. It was like a huge garage sale! I helped a bit with the cleanup and was rewarded with 3 loaves of bread that were donated to the Rotary Club, so my housemates were also thankful for my participation in this program.
Throughout the week, I have met with the Japan Club and have made several new Japanese friends who are eager to practice their English. I have met with a Chilean Spanish teacher with whom I hope to teach some Spanish night classes, and I have met an Indonesian who wants me to teach him Spanish. I visited the War Memorial with my host counselor, Ian, who also happens to be a tour guide for the memorial, so I had a very thorough guide. I attended Rotary and Rotaract meetings and met several kind and enthusiastic people. And I attended my first Rugby Union match here in Canberra. One of the Rotarians, Keith, his wife, Vivienne, and a couple of their friends included me in their group to attend the game. The Brumbies won 41-6 against the Queensland Reds, and I have to tell you that I haven’t been that excited about a game since the Aggies beat the Longhorns in November! Before the game, I also ate my very first fish and chips (French fries). It was about the same quality of food as eating a hotdog at a baseball game, but it’s all a part of the experience.
So all together, it has been a wonderfully full week.
Please look through the pictures that I posted, so that you can see a bit of what I have been involved in.
Thank you always.
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