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.