What's Going On

So sorry to have taken such a long time to chuck another blog out. It's gonna be a lengthy one.
There are birds outside making whistling noises. You know, that whistle that dirty men make when a pretty lady passes by?

Last weekend, we went to Canberra, the national capital. There's not much to the city except for neighborhoods, museums, and the two parliament buildings. In two short days, we hit all the museums. First, we went to the new Parliament House. It sits in a hill opposite the National War Memorial Museum. Earth is actually on top of the building, to remind those it holds within that the government is not above the people. It's composed of straight and strong lines except for the contrasting Aboriginal artwork that is the forecourt mosaic. The design was done by Tjakamarra, a well-known Aboriginal artist. While researching for a "local Aboriginal report", I found that a few years after it was laid in the concrete, he returned to Parliament House and symbolically removed the meaning from it. He did this because some Aboriginal rights were being abused and the artwork, while right outside the Parliament House, was not making an impact inside. (Ok, I know that description of what happened sounded vague and confusing, but I couldn't find the original article I got the information from.)

We couldn't actually go into Parliament House because of time constraints, but we did have time to take photos outside it and for one of our group to roll down the sloping grassy hill, only to be reprimanded by Kimberley.

After a quick bathroom break at the House, we set out for the Indonesian Embassy. We passed the Chinese Embassy, the Swedish one, the Mexican one, and on our way out, the American and British one. Each Embassy section took on the traditional design of their country. The American one was pointed out as being the one at the highest point on the hill. Haha, typical.
I really enjoyed all the information we got that day, but to be honest, I was fighting the downward motion of my eyelids the whole day. I was struggling to keep the speakers in focus. The reason for this exhaustion was the fact that we had woken up at 4 ish to get to the school by 6.

At the Indonesian Embassy, we learned mostly about the bilateral relationship between their country and Australia and about education. They didn't mention any of the hostility or tension in their relationship that has been present for the past couple of decades. Not that I can say I know too much about that though. The country's motto is "A million friends and no enemies". What would it look like for the US to have this motto? Would that be possible? And how could we make that possible?

Anyways, after we had some delightful egg/noodle/spicy/butdelicious rolls, we headed out to the New Zealand High Commission. It's called a High Commission because it's part of the Commonwealth. We were greeted with a Maori song (the Maori people [pronounced mowry-as in "ow, that hurt"] are the indigenous inhabitants of NZ). Courtney and I were especially excited to see some kiwi's (and that's said with the utmost respect. we just think the fact that they're called that is hilarious.) We started quoting Flight of the Concords, and that woke me up a little. The speaker talked to us about New Zealand and how it had to work hard to be noticed and be able to have a voice at the national table. I think it's doing a pretty good job.

The last stop of the day was the Aboriginal Embassy. Which doesn't actually exist. In 1972, Aboriginals that were fed up with the government and how they were being treated (or not treated) set up camp in front of the old Parliament House (which at that time, was not old) in protest. Their land rights were being abused. They were booted off a couple of times, but the Aboriginal Tent Embassy has remained to this day. Signs of protest are scattered about the area, and the inhabitants live with nature in tents off to the side. In the center, there is a "fire for justice" that is always burning. It was started in 1993 and represents early efforts of activists and the continuous fight for Aboriginal sovereignty.
When we got there, a woman named Auntie Jude, who has been living there for the past few years, came out to speak to us. She spoke about her life and what the Tent Embassy was for. She was part of the stolen generation. She was raised in a white family. Watching her tell her story was such a powerful experience. You could hear the hurt, frustration, anger, and sadness pouring out of her voice. The lines on her face and the look in her eyes told us a story. She was speaking out of her heart, not an angry agenda. The stolen generation, even if their situation was made "better" by their removal from their family (which is hard to believe), still had to struggle with identity crisis and confusion. Where were their roots?
At the end, she had us circle around the fire and throw eucalyptus leaves on it. We then proceeded to walk around it so that we could smell the smoke.

That night, we had a discussion about the day and anti-Americanism. It was really interesting. It was a time of searching as well as self-reflection. We analyzed "American Idiot" by Greenday and John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change". We discussed how we could change the world, rising above being overwhelmed and discouraged and then actually taking action.

I was totally involved in the discussion, but to keep my mind from totally wandering, I proceeded to doodle (draw that is. but don't say that in Australia. It's a naughty word.) and drew some crazy koalas and a doggy (which proceeded to bring tears to my eyes which I quickly swept away) on the page we later had to turn in. I obviously didn't realize we had to turn them in until after. Before I handed my pages in, I informed Kimberley that I in fact did pay attention and was involved in the discussion. She laughed.
I was feeling down about Bridget, but luckily I have an awesome room mate who gave me hugs.

Groups formed to play games or go out, and I chose to be at the poker table (yesss). Good ole Texas Hold 'em. I was forced to bail due to fatigue, but I was on my way to victory. Ok, well, at least I wasn't in the bottom two. Durr would be proud. I went all in a couple of times at the end--what I called my kamikaze move--so I could get out of it, and ended up winning. Figures.
I left all my toiletries at home, no shampoo, conditioner, face wash, toothbrush (somehow my tooth paste had made it in the bag), and contact solution or case. I was roughing it (yes, I know that's not really roughing it…for some).

The next morning we went to the National Portrait Gallery. We were rushed through, which I did not like. There were people waiting in a tremendously long line for a French painters exhibit featuring Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Cezanne. The wait was up to four hours. We did not go to this exhibit, unfortunately, but I'm glad we did not have to wait.
We left there to go to the National Museum. It had heaps of historical exhibits with artifacts and information. There was a whole section about the first Australians and was all about Aboriginals, their culture, and civil rights movements. The museum was big with wide open spaces and right by the big man made lake in Canberra.
We then went back to the National Gallery. From there, we went to the National War Memorial. It's one of the largest memorials in the world. Grandpa (aka Papa) would have loved it. Dad would have loved it too. It was a museum as well and much of the information was about the two world wars. There was an epic informational video about planes in the Great War, made by the guy that did Lord of the Rings.
After the memorial closed, we rolled out on our Gerringong bus (pronounced with a soft g. Someone at Flo made fun of me when I said it wrong. That happens a lot here, but I just inform them that they are, in fact, saying it the wrong way.)

And now, after another week has gone by, I am setting out on another adventure to Melbourne. I booked my flight at the last second for $15.00. No lies. I am meeting up with a group of girls from the program, and we're going to explore the city!

I feel so blessed to be here every day, surrounded by wonderful people, and learning so much. I am the same person, but I am changing. I'm growing and discovering things about myself. God's teaching me many things about community and loving people. I'm learning to see his children through his eyes, and to see how beautiful they are.

One thing's for sure, I definitely still hate cockroaches. In fact, one just fell from the bottom of Carissa's vanity to the floor with a thud. The room's been making settling noises throughout the day, but when I looked over from where the sound came, I saw something on the floor. Not letting myself be too shaken, I assumed it was a leaf, but got up to investigate nevertheless (nevertheless-what a great word. it totally cheats the English language-putting three separate words together in one long one. ha, I bet Shakespeare made it up). And as I sprung up from my bed, it scurried across the floor towards the fireplace. It thought it could evade me, but alas! I quickly grabbed my thong (they don't call them flip flops here. I sound like an uncool mom every time I say it and giggle every time someone else uses the word.) and pounced upon it in a flash. Though its insides seeped from its sides, it continued to scurry about. I picked up my thong again, and with one final blow, I ended that lowest-of-the-low-scum-that-crawls-the-earth's life. Amen.

Sorry if the post seems scatter-brained. Can't pretend to be what I'm not.

Leave you with some quotes that have been on the brain this week:

“The people who plant the seeds of movements make a critical decision: they decided to live ‘divided no more.’ They decide no longer to act on the outside in a way that contradicts some truth about themselves that they hold deeply on the inside. They decide to claim authentic selfhood and act it out- and their decisions ripple out to transform the society in which they live, serving the selfhood of millions of others.”
Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak

“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want - oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”
Mark Twain

"Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?"
Ezekiel 18:25

"You know me, or you think you do. You just don't seem to see, I've been waiting all this time to be something I can't define. So let's cause a scene, clap our hands and stomp our feet, over something. I just gotta get myself over me."
The Format