I would never like you to think for one moment I ever take my good fortune lightly. I really appreciate my friends, the great food and wine we get to partake of, the interesting work I do and above all the opportunity to travel meet fascinating people.
Last Wednesday night Rene and I were with four dear friends enjoying a delicious dinner at Azafran (in Annerley - try it, I heartily recommend it). We had earlier on been to see our house designer at a display village, discussed at length this 'finish' or that 'look' - the sort of thing that besots one when in the throes of building - we were having drinks, chatting away, really loving the service from two very smart, attractive young waitresses, and I was overwhelmed by a feeling of deep satisfaction. Here I was, in just about the safest, most stunning country on planet Earth, surrounded by people I like/love/adore, eating great food, sharing great stories from here and around the world, about to launch into yet another round of 'change' (which I usually enjoy), and I felt blissfully happy. It's a good zone to be in, and I really appreciate the opportunity to share this bliss with Rene and my friends.
Enough gushing, I've just reread the above and consider it a load of @#*%, but I'm leaving it in because they are my thoughts, and this is my forum to express them in.
Our team came equal third at the trivia night last Tuesday - not our best effort. However, it was enjoyable and helped make this fortnight off for the Spring vacation enjoyable.
Back to work tomorrow. I have a workshop and social and emotional competencies of 5-7 year olds on Tuesday. I think this will be particularly interesting in the light of the events with one of my refugee families at the end of last term. Our federal immigration minister currently has made pronouncements regarding African immigration reductions for 2008, due to lack of integration of these communities. He, of course, makes Rita Verdonk (his Dutch counterpart, now departed I think) appear Left Wing by comparison, and his public announcements regarding many issues (including overseas doctors) appear to be either ill-advised or at least very badly managed. My work with refugees is federally funded, and this funding falls far short of what is needed to assist these families in a holistic manner. A person from a camp with a non literate background is going to be much harder to settle and assimilate than the French, Italian or German immigrant child who arrives with similar funding for ESL (let's just use this one example). Yet after one year it ceases - the European child assimilates gradually over time (still takes a long time) but for many (not all) African refugees this assimilation will take generations to accomplish, and to assist in this, much more family support needs to be put into place, with assured funding from the government that wonderfully decided to allow them into this country in the first place.
Oh dear, I'm in my 'going back to work' frame of mind again. No matter, a new election in November/December will assuredly see the conservative government of John Howard thrown out and, hopefully, see a more humanitarian 'left of centre' government in its place. Mind you, all governments seem the same to me these days, all hovering around the middle. Oh for the days of Jack Lang (pre War Labor premier of NSW) - oh, forget that, that was during The Depression and the world was different then, no sub-prime jitters affecting the stock exchange, just extreme middle and upper class greed - thinks... the wealthy have never had it better in Australia....hmmmm, is there much difference between the greed of the Twenties and that of the Noughties?
Must sign off, about to depart for Doug's Seafood Cafe at Sandgate. We're taking Kit (our house mate) for the first time to this wonderful piece of Australian life - dining on fabulous fish and chips/salad beside the Bay for what is almost nothing.
Have a terrific week, write if you can, all notes gratefully received. If you disagree with a statement, discuss it with me, I'm always open to a great debate (or a little one). Ciao!
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