end of June

G’day!

June has passed quickly here, and my first semester is nearly finished. I have officially been on holidays for over a week now because my final exam fell on an early date in the testing period, so I’ve been using this time to catch up on some reading and to work on a presentation about the U.S. presidential elections that I plan on giving next semester to the Indonesian Student Association.

Although this month has been a bit more relaxed than others, I have managed to keep myself adequately busy. I spoke at three Rotary Clubs, two of which had morning meetings, so I had a bit of a challenge to be alert enough to speak competently. I like to think of myself as a morning person, but my mornings generally start around 8am. The presentations went fairly well, and I enjoyed meeting more Rotarians and finding out about how I can get involved with their projects.

I have also participated in several Rotary and Rotaract activities this month. About mid-June, I helped to interview high school students who have applied to attend the National Youth Science Forum. The forum is a project started by my host club and has become an international event. Students from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa apply to attend this intense two week forum where they are exposed to some of the cutting edge research in different science fields. It was exciting for me to meet some extremely bright and passionate students, and I have great hope for this new generation of scientists.

This past weekend, I volunteered with some Rotacters in the Canada Fun Run. This event is coordinated by the Canadian High Commission and the Cancer Council ACT to raise money for cancer research. On Friday, we set up army tents, which requires a lot more work than setting up regular camping tents, and although I am in good shape, I really felt my sore muscles over the next few days. On Sunday, the actual event took place, and I had the privilege of manning a water station along the running path. The weather was perfect, and we were located right along Lake Burley Griffin. Many of the runners were so focused that they didn’t even stop for water, so we spent a great deal of time just cheering on the participants. The event was very successful, and it raised several thousand dollars for cancer research.

Attending church activities has been one of the most important parts of my experience here in Australia. Through church and Bible study, I have met some great people who have encouraged me and challenged me in my faith and my daily activities. They have become really good friends, and through my relationship with them, I have seen how our common faith unites us when cultural differences may cause us to see the world differently.

I hope that you all continue to enjoy your summer. Please keep me updated with the happenings of your lives. Thank you again.

Cheers