Day 2 was harder for all the reasons I thought I’d enjoy it more. I caught my train into the countryside and was directed to a quaint hotel on a big roundabout, but otherwise surrounded by fields. I dropped my bags and went for a walk along the country roads, enjoying the views of rolling… Continue reading Stone Houses
Category: Countries
Nothing to Hate
I only realised that I wanted to hate France a few hours after I got back. The language sounds like a bunch of Neanderthal women developed it when their menfolk failed to kill the mammoth again. The streets smell of piss. Even without their famed arrogance, the people are as ugly as the rest of… Continue reading Nothing to Hate
Plastic, Sugar and Wood
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
Exchange Students
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
Apology to Aborigines
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
Leeches
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
Hottest 100 BBQ
It’s become a tradition among many young Australians to spend Australia Day chilling out (or going off) with friends at a BBQ with a background of the best songs from the previous year. I jumped on the tradition when I came back to Australia and this year was my second event, but will probably be… Continue reading Hottest 100 BBQ
Poor
I hate seeing beggars in any country because I don’t know how to deal with it. I can’t give every man a fish and I have no time when travelling to teach even one to fish. I feel it’s better to ignore them so they’ll find a way to deal with their own problem, and… Continue reading Poor
Wedding
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
Obscene Behaviour
An article on the front page of the paper this morning condemned the Mumbai police force for not taking a molestation case seriously. Two couples were ac costed when leaving a show on New Year’s morning, a gang fondling the women and tearing their clothes. The police didn’t try to file charges and claim the… Continue reading Obscene Behaviour