Category: Australasia

I wasn’t too late coming home from work today, but it was already dark. Twice on the walk along the bush track I was startled by a scuffling sound. When I flicked on my torch on each occasion, I was greeted by a possum with glowing yellow eyes. The profusion of nature, right into the… Continue reading Wildlife

I spent two days at the Sydney Royal Easter Show last weekend, trying to increase awareness of AFS so that we could find more students to provide international experiences to and families to share experiences with foreign students coming into Australia. It’s been about 15 years since I’ve been to the annual agrigultural fair, but… Continue reading Plastic, Sugar and Wood

I spent last weekend helping run an AFS camp for foreign students, students recently returned and students about to leave. I was lucky enough to be assigned to help prepare the recent arrivals for their time in Australia, which meant getting to know a number of students from Argentina, the USA, Thailand, Japan and France… Continue reading Exchange Students

The Australian Prime Minister apologised to indigenous Australians today for all the hardships visited on them by the rest of us. I’m of mixed feelings about this. My own feeling is that an apology offers nothing, especially coming from people who weren’t involved in the key wrongdoings such as Aboriginal hunting in the early nineteenth… Continue reading Apology to Aborigines

I’m really enjoying the 15 minute bushwalk I get every morning on the way to the station, but this rain is taking the fun out of it. Three times this week, I’ve sat down on the train and settled in to read a book when my ankle began to itch. Reaching down, each time I… Continue reading Leeches

Being Catholic, Colin and Geeta’s wedding followed the usual protocol for western weddings. He in a suit and she in a white bridal gown and veil, church wedding and later reception. There were differences, however. Firstly, most women were in saris, all gorgeous with the bright colours and decorative weavings. It was a feast for… Continue reading Wedding

Christmas decorations started going up at work on Friday, but it didn’t really feel like christmas until I went shopping on saturday and caught the scent of peaches, apricots and cherries, all with a background hint of pine. It’s a uniquely southern hemisphere joy – tropical fruit and christmas holidays together.

I was away for almost all of John Howard’s 12 years as Prime Minister, but I saw the Australian economy boom under his leadership and believed he was doing a good job. Unfortunately, he refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, sent soldiers into Afghanistan and made a farce of the Republic referendum against the wishes… Continue reading Howard’s Out

The Higher School Certificate exams have finished and today marks the beginning of the reward for school leavers. Twenty thousand NSW students will spend time in the next month on the Gold Coast drinking, lying on the beach, flirting and enjoying the results of the last. A report on the radio today said that an… Continue reading Schoolies Week

The first Tuesday in November is the Melbourne Cup. Australia’s premiere sporting event. It was in doubt this year following an epidemic of equine flu, but all was right on the day. Sydney weather was sludgy, but sun shone inside the office when the traditional sweepstake opened for business. I placed my $5 and drew… Continue reading Melbourne Cup