Advance Australia Fair

My last couple of weeks in Australia were very bittersweet. It was exciting to think that I would soon be headed to New Zealand, Fiji and then home. I think I was most excited about the fact that I was only 4 weeks away from Caesars and pyrogies. It was not so exciting to be leaving the land of Oz and all the friends that I had met.

 

My last two months was very busy. This term seemed to go on and on and on, yet it felt like everything got squished together into one week. Most of the term was taken up prepping the kids for First Communion. Luckily our REC took over most of the planning, it was up to us to teach them about it. As well as teaching it as our Religion unit, we had a day of centers for the kids. The kids got to make bread, their seat place cards, meditated and participated in a Montessori type center about the Eucharist. They also practiced how to receive the host and got to 'try' the host. I think they liked the practice later that week when we used Cadbury buttons instead of actual hosts.

 

 

Practicing for Communion

A 3 days later, Michael Mangan (a Catholic musician and songwriter) came to visit our school. The kids participated in the actions and singing and had a great time. Even the staff got right into it. Actually, I think they were even more excited than the students.

You know how when you live in a place, you never really go and see the attractions nearby (like how I've lived in Innisfail for 7 years and have never gone the Discovery Wildlife Park)... Well, it was my goal to get to most of the attractions in Canberra and of course I left it all until the last minute. One Sunday was spent with Miriam at the Canberra Zoo. Though it was no Australia Zoo with Crocodile Hunters, it was pretty impressive. They even had a snow leopard, one of my favourites as a kid! I even paid $5 to have a bear lick fruit off my hand. I felt the need to do this as I had just learned that Shirley, Gayle and Chris had seen a black bear with cubs and a grizzly with cubs on their tour of the mountain parks of Alberta. I may have been a little jealous and felt the need to prove my Canadianess. Miriam was very impressed by my fearlessness.

The last month seemed to go by in a blur. There were report cards to write, Parent/Teacher Interviews to survive, packing up a year of my life (including all the souveniers I bought) and getting ready for a month long trip to the islands. (P.S. Apparently, after bringing only a travel pack and hockey bag full of clothes, I needed 5 boxes and the hockey bag to get everything home. Beware: clothing, shoes and stuff multiply like rabbits.)

Along with all that not so fun stuff, I got to do some great things with my kids in the last week of school. The last week was NAIDOC (appreciating aboriginals) and Canada Day. Some of the staff had a nice Canada Day "BBQ" for me on the Sunday of Canada Day. Unfortunately it was all inside as winter had officially hit Canberra and it was f'n cold. I told them it was just like Canada Day in Canada, even if we have it in the middle of summer. I also took the opportunity that week to do some Canadian aboriginal art (teepees and totem poles) and teach my students a little bit more about my favourite country. They also got to win prizes like Canada flags, zipper tags, boomsticks, stickers, tattoos, etc. The entire school sang O Canada on the Monday after Canada Day. Unfortunately, I had to lead the singing as our speaker system lost battery power just before O Canada. I think there was a conspiracy to hear the dulcet tones of my voice. Little did they know....  I had found some activities for the classes to do that day as well including making beavers, talking about moose ("Miss Bendfeld, what is the plural for moose?) and other stereotypical Canadian stuff.

Showing off teepees

My final day was very emotional. It all started with our Awards Ceremony. The choir, at the end of the ceremony, always performs and they did a special rendition of 'O Canada' and 'Land of the Silver Birch', with pictures of Alberta and other places in Canada. It was awesome and definitely a surprise.

Through the middle of the day we had a going away party for me and our end of term liturgy, also a farewell for me. The liturgy was amazing as well. It made me feel like I'd really made an impact on these people that I'd just spent my year with, which you don't always recognize because you are so in the moment and don't take the time to look back. When kids say that you always smile and that you are the 'best teacher ever', it makes you feel like you were important in some way. It also really hits when you have other classes come into the liturgy because they want to recognize your contributions. The best part was when they sang "Trading My Sorrows" with their special addition of 'Yeah!' throughout the bridge.

The kids and parents gave me the wonderful gift of an opal necklace. It is gorgeous.

That evening was my 'bon voyage' from the staff. They refused to call it a farewell as "You're just going on vacation for term break. See you in 2 weeks!" It's kinda nice that everyone was in denial, including myself. I was just going on holiday. No big deal.

My last round of milkshakes

We started at our regular milkshake hangout, the Labour Club. It's all about the Friday milkshakes. We then headed to the Asian Cafe for dinner where a lot of wine was drunk and lots of laughs shared. This staff was amazing and I still miss them everyday. It feels wrong to go to work and not see some of these faces everyday.

Having fun on the walk back to the car

On the Saturday, my weekend of farewells continued. This time, I met up with Nat's family for dinner at the Hogsbreath Cafe. We had dinner and again shared favourite stories from the year and talked about our plans for the next month or so. I also received a wonderful letter from Shirley, recounting my time in the Douglas family. There were memories that I had forgotten and truly made me feel like I was a part of their family. Gayle had made me a beautiful quilt (currently covering my lap as I write this) with patches that signify many of my memories of Australia. I can look at each patch and remember a place I visited or an experience that I had. It's amazing in so many ways. The best part is that it will truly keep me warm as I rest and relax this winter between hockey games.

After spending a couple more days catching up with friends, packing and shipping off my life, it was time to head for the airport.

Good-bye, Australia!