Last Post

This will be my last post as I begin taking my exams. So rather than look at the highs and lows of my week, I will examine the highs and lows of my semester.

        I met some truly wonderful people while traveling and studying in Australia. Additionally, I have learned a great deal on the issue of Indigenous rights, rugby, and my own limitations. I learned just how far I am willing to push myself as well as how much I rely on others to push me. While I certainly learned more during the semester, my trips to the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, and Uluru were my favorite part of this semester. There was so much breathtaking scenery and I was able to really about to slow down to enjoy it all.

        Low points primarily consisted of times I felt extremely lonely. In these moments, such started on the first day, I wanted to go back home or at least have one person from home with me. Starting in May, there were a few morning that after waking up, I instantly became sad at the realization that I am not home. Moments like this make it hard to fully appreciate the incredible opportunity this semester of aboard is.

        All things considered, I am glad to have this experience of a semester abroad. I have a better understand of global issues and how the United States is perceived by others. I am excited to make the most of my time here, after exams, as well as to visit New Zealand on the way home.

Stereotypes

Today an exchange student from France said she was surprised when she learned that I am American. Apparently, I am too quiet to fit the stereotype of the loud American. In all fairness to the other student, her roommate is also an American and has a rather loud personality. I am, of course, conscious that the general American stereotype is loud, often ignorant of world affairs, and gun obsessed. Perhaps I have made then a conscious effort of being quiet, though really I think it is more of a reflection of my personality than my nationality. Whenever I am asked a question about the United States, about population size, infrastructure, or other subjects, I feel a pressure to have some answer. I do not want to play into the stereotype of Americans being poorly informed. In admitting that, however, what I realized is how few stereotypes I am aware of other countries, let alone actual facts about population demographics, government, and culture.

        I have actually asked Australian and other international students what their American stereotypes are.  Such a topic usually brings up gun laws, the death penalty, cost of an education, and general geography of the United States. I tend to only ask such questions after knowing a person for sometime, however. This way I am sure comments will be either playful or serious but without trying to be offensive. I think there is a value to having an outsider’s view of what a country is like because it lets you better understand how your actions are affecting others. There have been a few absurd misconceptions that were very amusing as well as spot on claims. Overall, I think I am not encouraging the negative stereotypes of Americans with my actions, though the more time I spend here the less concerned I am with others perceiving my actions as “so American”.  

AGM

           All official clubs at the University of Melbourne have an AGM (Annual General Meeting) where the finance report is given and the officers for next year are selected. This Friday was the AGM of COSDU (Catholic of One Spirit Down Under) and all ten officer positions were open. The speaker gave a description for the position about to be voted on and then asked for nominations. A person may nominate themselves or ask others to nominate them. No campaigns were run, however, to rally support for any one member before the meeting. Nominations were seconded and then once the nominations closed, all the nominees were asked if they accepted or rejected the nomination. Many of those nominations for executive positions were rejected, however. In fact, only one person accepted her nomination for the position of president. Similarly, all the nominations for another position, though a non-executive one, rejected and the nomination process started over again. By the end of the night everyone who was eligible for a position was nominated at some point for at least one position, if not several.  Perhaps that is why it took over two hours to elect the officials.

        I am aware that not all clubs at this university run their elections like this, though I do not know how many others do. It seemed very inefficient to me at the time, and still does, to elect officer. I am more used to either campaigns,or at least those who want to have a position coming the election meeting with a few words of why they would be a good person for a set position and then voting is done almost all at once.  However, the way this AGM was run was fitting for COSDU. It was done in such a way that everyone present was made to feel included and as though they had to potential to take on these fairly demanding roles of leadership. During one of the breaks, Sister Delma gestured to me from across the room while taking with another member. I have never been leery of what plans a sister was making before, even after nine years of attending to elementary school run by sisters. A moment later I heard, “Oh wait she is going back to US”. I am the only American in COSDU. However, were I staying here for long enough, there were two positions I would have been happy to be nominated for. This club is comprised of my favorite group of people that I have met in Australia because they are all so welcoming and inclusive.

Something Melbourne

I went for a walk yesterday. I starting heading in no particular direction and came across a place that I had heard off only a few night nights ago, Star of the Sea. It is said to be a beautiful church, full of  stain glass windows and other works of art. However, there was a wedding rehearsal happening so I was unable to go inside.  Continuing on my walk, I stumbled upon a souvenir shop called “Something Melbourne”. I looked around, comparing the boomerangs and other trinkets to other various I had seen the in Victorian Market as well as other souvenir shops. In a back I found a whole bin of small wooden boomerangs. Upon examination, however, I found they all had stickers that said “Made in Indicia”. Then I started looking closer at some of the other items in the shop. Many had that same sticker, or “Made in China”. In the end there was only about a third of the store with products actually made entirely in Australia. Items included prints and glassware by Aboriginal artists, medium to large boomerangs, leather wallets, and animal pelts.

I found it very frustrating to be looking for authentic Australian made gifts only to find a Made in China sticker on many of the items. There seem to always be a cheaper, both in price and in quality, outsourced version of local iconic objects in souvenir shops. Not just in Australia but in the US as well. In the end I did not buy anything because I know where some better shops are. The whole experience, however, begs the question why the authenticity of trinkets that will only be used to display ever matters? I suppose its so I can say it’s Australian rather than I got it in Australia.

Hot Pot

My roommate was cooking dinner and she made too much so she offered to share it with me. I was a very spicy, but also very good, hot pot. This dish is made by heating a broth and then placing raw vegetables and meat into it to look. You pull the vegetables and meat out as they cook and eat them. You add vegetables as you eat them, trying to avoid over cooking anything. It’s all really quite tasty and very fun to go out with a group of friends.  What made this worth writing about was that my roommate and I do not talk much. We get along well and never had any issues with cleaning or taking the other’s space, but even small talk is a challenge. This was a nice bonding experience.

A negative experience that occurred this week, and not for the first time, is I awoke one morning, disappointed to not be at home. I am still mostly enjoying my time here, but I do miss the people I’ve left and I’m starting to get tired of working on new relationship with others here that will end soon. My solution is often to then get up and busy myself with homework or read a book. Moments like these make me question if I am making the most of my time here.

ANZAC Day

This Saturday I woke up very early in order to attend a dawn ANZAC day service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Through this service as well as by talking with Australians, I learned that ANZAC stands for Australian New Zealand Army Core. The day itself if meant to be one of remembrance for all soldiers who have fought as well as died in service for Australia and New Zealand, particularly those who fought on the beach of Gallipoli, Turkey during the first World War on April 25. This year marks the one hundredth anniversary of the battle at Gallipoli, which resulted in a massive turnout of people for the dawn service. There were thousands of people standing outside in the darkness of early morning as the rain came down.

        Towards the end of the service, the choir and many of those in the crowd sang the Australian National Anthem. It occurred to me after this that I had never even actually heard the words before then. Also on the walk back I saw a long carpet, at least one city block in length, of red crocheted poppies. Some had picture of soldier tied to them. It was a very impressive sight to behold as it must have taken a great deal of time and organization to make and put together the thousands of flowers that were used. I am grateful to be here in Australia for this event, to share in the remembrance of the armed forces.

Expectations

Happily this week my rugby team had enough players to not forfeit our game and we even managed to end the game in a tie. This is much better than the 25 point loss that ended in a forfeit at half time to due the loss of players to injuries that occurred at our first game  last week. I got to start and had more energy throughout the game than I had in past games so that means the conditioning has been working. For many girls on this team it was their first game and seeing as we were playing an a ready well established team, tying the game was very good and more than I expected.

        Another event that was not what I expect was a Scout meeting. While Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts do exist here in Australia, there is another organization, called Scouts, that is coed and continues into adulthood. I went to my first meeting this week in which I learned what membership entails. Though I am interested in joining, I feel as if I will not be around long enough to really enjoy the organization. I think that I will still participate as far a my schedule allows. The activities will be fun and enriching, certainly I will be able to go do things that I cannot do on my own. As I sat in this meeting, I thought about how joining will again mean inserting myself into yet another already established group of people. I also started to wonder if it is worth my time to join another group when I have two others in which I am starting to really feel like a part of a community. Really, the meeting was alright, but it was thought of trying to integrate myself into another group of people that drained my energy.

Uluru

           Over the Easter Break this week I traveled to Alice Springs and then Uluru, a large rock formation in the Australian Outback. The size of the rock is impressive, in part due to the level surroundings void of other tall structures. When planning this trip, I was under the impression that I would be able to climb the rock. I did not, however, because the guide explained it is disrespectful to Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area. Under the certain weather conditions, the rock is open for climbing and hundreds of tourists have climbed it. Some have even died doing so. The Anangu request that visitors do not climb Uluru because it is a sacred site to them and they feel responsible when visitors die. Certain areas are used for important ceremonies and only full members of the Anangu are allowed to view them.
        Rather than climb the Uluru, the tour walked on the 10k path around the it. The path is this long in order to put distance between hikers and the rock at set points which are sacred sites so hikers could not see them. There are other points on the walk that bring you right up to the rock and the sheer size of it is awe-inspiring. In some of the small caves and overhangs are paintings that map out where one can find water and hunting grounds.
        I am very glad to have learned all this about the Anangu culture. The idea of a sacred site is not new to me, but most that I am exposed to are man made: churches, temples, cemeteries, etc. However, it is the Anangu’s ancestors that make Uluru sacred rather than something the people built for them. They believe Uluru was shaped by their ancestors beings at the beginning of time and that is why it is sacred.

Catholic Culture

This week it was not Australian culture that made me stop and think but Catholic culture.  It expands beyond international borders and plays a vital role in many people’s lives. Last night I went to a Good Friday service with some other members of COSDU (Catholic of One Spirit Down Under).  This group, though is made up of mostly international students from Asia, has made me feel the most welcome in Australia out of any other group.

After the Good Friday service we went to one of the member’s house and watched The Passion of Christ, which is very graphically violent.  At the end of the movie, everyone was checking in with each other to make sure we were all alright. When I spoke with another new member after the movie, she expressed how nice it is to have the instant connection of the shared Catholic tradition with this group. I must say that I agree. I can bond more easily and quicker with other Catholics from different nations than even other Americans. Perhaps this is because Catholics have the same, or very similar, morals and beliefs as well as what we consider acceptable behavior whereas any two Americans may have a very wide range of beliefs. Catholic culture is an international one, and for that I am grateful because it has been a doorway for me to connect with others.

Kayaking and Scavenger Hunts

Last night I went on an awesome kayak tour. It was off to a rocky start when it took about 15 minute to find the correct dock, but once we found it there were not more issues. The instructors were friendly as well as the other kayakers. We practiced paddling around the harbor and then ate fish and chips in our kayaks. After everyone was done eating, we headed out of the harbor and into the Yarra River. Seeing as Melbourne is a cosmopolitan area,  we  paddled under lots of bridge. My buddy and I, who is also an American, whistled “Yankee Doodle” while paddling under some of the underpasses. This trip allowed me to see the city from a new angle as well as made me realize how much of the Melbourne I have yet see, which is exciting.

        On a less exciting topic, a scavenger hunt that I was really looking forward to this week was canceled. However, I still ran into the leaders of the club who were having a planning meeting and had some nice conversations with them, most about Game of Thrones and the Stations of the Cross. Though the day did not work out as I plan and I was disappointed about the scavenger hunt being canceled, it was still a good day, especially since I suddenly had time to finish my mid-term paper.

Support Systems

The best part of my week was not an adventure or a new experience. Rather, it was simply talking with friends whom I have not been able to catch up with since coming to Australia. It was good to experience that support system again and be reminded that it is still there, even if those in it are no longer in the next room over.

       On the other end of the spectrum, a negative experience this week was realizing I missed a get together with some of the few people I know in my building. I was at rugby practice during the BBQ. Though I am glad I went to practice because I am closer to my teammates than those I live with, I still had a sense of missing out. Though I already knew before this trip that commitment to certain groups and organizations means not participating in others, the feelings of missing out were not diminished. Regardless of this, however, I am happy in my decision to involve myself in the rugby community rather than others. It has proven to be a place that I can more easily connect with people and feel a part of a community in which I might, over time, develop another a support system.

Fried Ice Cream

One of the really great things about Melbourne, at least in the warmer months, is that there is almost always a festival on the weekend. Today’s festival was focused on Thailand. There were dance performances on the main stage, stalls to buy traditional food, and crafting tables. One table had an amazing display various fruits carved into beautiful flowers. In another, three women were making a paste which they then hardened and  sculptured into small fruits and imitation rubber ducks.

        Wanting to try something new but unsure with so many options, I chose to eat something I have heard of, but did not understand how to make: fried ice cream. Though I’m not at all sure it is a traditional Thai dish, it was very good and the presentation of it was certainly different than if I were to order the same thing at home. It was presented in a triangular shape, the ice cream in a paper like sugar case that was fried. The ice cream was served with almonds, roasted coconut and a caramel sauce on the side as well. It was all quite delicious.

        Sugary sweets aside, I could have used my time at the festival better. I did not learn much at all of Thailand culture. I can tell the difference now between their clothes and some dances from other Asian cultures that I have also been exposed to and before today I could not have. However, I do not know why the styles of dance and dress are the way they are. Nor could I tell you if fruit carving or fried ice cream are unique or original to Thailand. Really what I learned today is how much I do not know, that and how to fry ice cream.

Highs and Lows

The highlight of my week was the Women’s Rugby Information session I attended. It was great to joke with veteran players and hear the questions of the new ones. I have played rugby for five years now and what I love most about the sport is that community feeling I get from players, even when they are my opponents. For me, being a part of a team is about being committed to others who are also committed to you. It is a promise to watch each other’s backs on and off the field, to show up, and to become better at the game. The community feel is just as big of a draw to the sport for me as the game itself. This meeting being the highlight of my week speaks, I think, to my desire to find a community to really be apart of it.

        My least favorite moment was when I attended the Science Fiction appreciation club. Though I started off adding to the discussion, as well as introducing myself to the people near me, soon I found the conversation hard to join in on. At first I was alright with simply listening, but as the conversation veered out of my area of expertise, I lost interest and became disengaged. I stayed for ten or fifteen minutes to see if the conversation would turn again, but after noting that I had been there for almost an hour already I decided to leave. I figured I had put enough effort for the time being into trying to connect with others and I really did not want to be there any more. This being my low point of the week I think speaks again to my desire to connect with other and feel like I am a part of a community once again.

The Melbourne Museum

Today I went to the Melbourne Museum, which contains exhibits on the human body, WWI, evolution, the history of Melbourne, and Aboriginal culture. The Human Body exhibit had actual human organs on display as well as an audio section of a medical school professor carrying out the dissection of a convict who had been sentenced to death.  I do not consider myself squeamish and I am perfectly fine with carrying out dissections on animals in biology classes. However, upon hearing that audio clip, complete with the sounds of sawing and bones breaking, I was suddenly very happy with my decision to be a psychologist and not a psychiatrist because I could not make it through a cadaver lab if I were in medical school.

The other exhibit that left the biggest impact on me was the one Aboriginal culture.  The tragedies they have suffered are similar to those ordeals the Native Americans in the United States underwent.  As with Native Americans, many children were stolen from their homes and placed into white families or communities. These lost generations, as the exhibit referred to them, were taken from their communities and cut off from their culture. Despite being in a different country, I am finding the culture very similar and it is easy to find parallels. Besides that, I cannot seem to escape the American culture completely. There are more American TV shows and movies here than native ones as well as music and brands. These children, however, who were uprooted from lives in their Aboriginal communities, I think did not have an easy time with the differences. Though technically they never left the country, they certainly left their cultures and were placed in a new one. From the first hand accounts in the exhibit, these lost generations had to deal with many more barriers than I have come across and due to Americanization and Westernization more than I may ever encounter.

The Junk Company

Today I found a loverly little antiques shop only two blocks away from my apartment. The item that first grabbed my attention was a box of old photos of airplanes right by the door. Next, it was a bowl of old playing cards (which I collect) that caught my eye. The store was filled with old, well worn leather suitcases and bags, old fashion cameras, dish ware, chairs, paintings, and jewelry. Every wall was covered from floor to ceiling with things on shelfs stacked on top of each other.

I had to wonder how most of the goods got there, from the child's rocking horse to the hand made glass vases. But despite the shear volume of stuff everywhere and a few tight spaces, it was not cramped nor did it feel claustrophobic. Actually, after spending almost two weeks dragging my luggage with me everywhere, it was reassuring to find this store full of vintage items. It is seems to be an old habit that people in general cannot seem to shake, acquiring stuff.

This is not to say that hoarding should be encouraged or that material possessions are better to own than experiences. However, while traveling by my self over the last few days and in meeting others with nomadic fever, I have come to learn that our belongs say quite a lot about us and the life we lead. What we take with us and leave behind even more so, as well as our reasons from taking or not taking an item.

The shop was full of things old owners left behind for new owners to take away. So what do my newly unpacked bags say about me? Hopefully, that I am prepared for and open to whatever may happen over the next few months. And what do the things I left behind say? That I'm not a nice enough sister to leave my clothes that my little sister most likes to barrow.

The store was not very different from an American second had shop. In fact upon walking in I was immediately reminded of shopping in Austin, Texas. The United States and Australia, I think, are similar in both their desire to collect and to be nostalgic for the past.