Christmas Wishes for 2010

Hi Everyone!

The Christmas season is upon us once again. We have elected to stay in Australia to experience Christmas down under this year. We will be sorry to miss special celebrations with family and friends, but it is our one and only chance to feel what it is like to have a “green” Christmas! So far, the hustle and bustle of Christmas sales and shopping is the same as we have in Canada, but it is all done under sunny or rainy skies…whatever the weather chances to bring. It is indeed strange to see Christmas trees covered in tinsel and baubles standing outside under the bright summer’s sun! The Christmas carols out here are also very hilarious, written with an Australian twist, adapted with new words to old familiar tunes. Here's an example of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" for you to try to sing! We have been fortunate enough to see all these animals while here in Australia. Our amazing adventure now is winding to a close and we look forward to seeing you all soon in the New Year. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season. God bless!

Cheers, Karin & Rick

On the first day of Christmas

My true love sent to me

An emu up a gum tree.

On the second day of Christmas

My true love sent to me

Two pink galahs

And an emu up a gum tree.

On the third day of Christmas

My true love sent to me

Three jabirus

Two pink galahs

And an emu up a gum tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas

My true love sent to me

Four kookaburras

Three jabirus

Two pink galahs

And an emu up a gum tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas

My true love sent to me

Five kangaroos

Four kookaburras

Three jabirus

Two pink galahs

And an emu up a gum tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas

My true love sent to me

Six platypus

Five kangaroos Four kookaburras Three jabirus Two pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree. On the seventh day of Christmas My true love sent to me Seven koalas climbing Six platypus Five kangaroos Four kookaburras Three jabirus Two pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree. On the eighth day of Christmas My true love sent to me Eight possums playing Seven koalas climbing Six platypus Five kangaroos Four kookaburras Three jabirus Two pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree. On the ninth day of Christmas My true love sent to me Nine wombats working Eight possums playing Seven koalas climbing Six platypus Five kangaroos Four kookaburras Three jabirus Two pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree. On the tenth day of Christmas My true love sent to me Ten lizards leaping Nine wombats working Eight possums playing Seven koalas climbing Six platypus Five kangaroos Four kookaburras Three jabirus Two pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree. On the eleventh day of Christmas My true love sent to me Eleven dingos digging Ten lizards leaping Nine wombats working Eight possums playing Seven koalas climbing Six platypus Five kangaroos Four kookaburras Three jabirus Two pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree. On the twelfth day of Christmas My true love sent to me Twelve lyrebirds laughing Eleven dingos digging Ten lizards leaping Nine wombats working Eight possums playing Seven koalas climbing Six platypus Five kangaroos Four kookaburras Three jabirus Two pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree.

It has been said that in six days God made Heaven and Earth and on the seventh day he had some fun and created the Australian animals and birds.

Final Farewell at Malvern Primary School

My school year at Malvern Primary School has finished now, and it is sad to see this positive experience of my year in Australia come to an end. I have loved my time at the school and I think that they have been happy with me. We had a whole series of final assemblies in the last week of school, one of which included a presentation and farewell to me. At our Canada Day assembly in November, I had presented the school with a blanket that has the Canada map on it, and now they had finished the top of it to make it into a hanging with a scroll to put up in the corridor at the school. The principal had a plaque made that will be mounted beside the hanging, stating that I presented it to the school in 2010. The music teacher also presented me with some Australian music which I will use with my choir back in Canada. The kids cheered and clapped and I sang a final song to them, which was an adaptation of “This Land is Your Land”. I was quite choked up singing the final verse to them, but I managed to get through it all. On the following day the staff had a final farewell luncheon, and the principal presented me with an authentic and traditional Akubra hat, like the kind of hat worn in the Outback. It is truly a great souvenir of Australia to treasure in the future!

For the last school newsletter, I summed up my feelings and experiences for everyone, which I would also like to share with you, my dear readers.

A Fond Farewell

By Karin Klassen

As the end of the 2010 school year is fast approaching, it is fitting that I pause a moment and reflect on what the teaching exchange has meant for me. I have loved my time at Malvern Primary School, and I thank Mr. Bennetts most sincerely for putting his trust in my application and actually agreeing to accept me as an exchange teacher for 2010. It has taken 10 years for me to find a music teaching match, and without this, I would never have been able to embark on my 2010 Australian adventure.

I have really enjoyed getting to know all students at the school. It has been a joy to teach the Prep to Grade 2 students in music and the older students in the support program. I hope that I have been able to make a positive impact to the school this year, and the music program in particular. I believe that I have managed to instil in the students a love of music and a joy for their own music making. I have really loved to share with you my love for Canada, and I sincerely thank you for embracing my country’s life, music and culture with so much enthusiasm. I have been able to go into each of the 30 classrooms and make a special presentation which culminated in a fantastic Canada Day Assembly, a huge event where each grade did a tremendous job on their assigned Canadian song, rap or dance. Thank-you also for buying Snowball treats to celebrate the Canadian winter! With the money earned, I purchased a Conga drum and a set of “Footnotes” for the school. Hopefully you will all see the items at our final school assembly and remember me fondly when you use them in the future!

I loved to participate in the many special happenings at the school, like Wacky Hair Day, the Asian Expo and the Africa Day assembly. I was happy to accompany the Grade 6 classes to their camps and incursions and even survived ski camp without breaking a leg! My encounter with a Huntsman at Mount Buller, however, could have been eliminated!! These events gave me a true picture of the rich and varied life at Malvern Primary and the students are fortunate indeed to be at this school. A real highlight for me was the opportunity to work with the Senior Choir for their Royal South Street festival performance in Ballarat. The Senior Choir even placed first and won a trophy due to their great rendition of a Canadian folk song under my tutelage!

I have also really enjoyed getting to know the staff at the school. Thanks to everyone for including me in your hearts, your activities, and your homes. I like to think that I have helped to brighten your days at school, by regaling you with laughter each morning as I recounted my harrowing tales of train rides or driving the car on the “other” side of the road! It was special indeed to have another music teacher at the school with whom I could work closely together as a team!

I have grown professionally throughout the year. I have been exposed to a wide variety of experiences and professional development opportunities through the school that have both challenged and broadened my own educational philosophies. As a result of being here, I have learned a new repertoire of Australian songs, dances, poems and books that I will be able to share with my classes back home in Canada. I have been given the opportunity to visit the music programs in a number of other schools in Melbourne, observing different grade levels and schools with different socio-economic backgrounds, and have had chances to see first-hand how other schools operate.

Together my husband and I have had the opportunity for travel throughout Australia, and have taken advantage of every suggestion or invitation that was given to us. So, we have travelled to most areas in Victoria and have flown further afield to visit each of the Australian states and territories. Not much grass has been left unturned, and we have enjoyed it all! Memorable also were our encounters with your amazing Australian animals – koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wallabies, kookaburras to name but a few.

We have loved the life in Melbourne. There is just so much to see and do. We have tried to take advantage of the many concerts, plays, musicals and special festivals that the city offers. Sadly, for each event we attended, there were a host of others that beckoned but could not be accommodated. The events that the International Teaching Fellowship organization arranged for us were also a lot of fun. A highlight for me was playing the violin in Bendigo’s Emu Bush Band!

Alas, I don’t think that I have perfected the Aussie accent yet, so unfortunately I won’t be able to share that with my Canadian cohorts! Still, I have become accustomed to the Aussie language by now. Without the exchange, I RECKON that I would NEVA have been able to answer intelligently when asked HOW YA GOIN’ MATE every morning and that I would never have realized that with the coming of the ARVO I had actually survived another day!

For me, my year at Malvern Primary School has been a most positive experience. We have appreciated all the new Australian friends we have made. We have loved the interaction, the fun, the food and the wine! Thank- you to everyone for your part in making this a memorable year for me and my husband! I have just loved my interactions with you all and I will miss you when we have to return to Canada at the end of the month. Just remember - keep healthy, keep happy, and always keep music as part of your lives. God bless! I have rewritten one of our Canadian songs to reflect my feelings at being a part of your great Australian country for 2010.

This Land is Your Land

Canadian Exchange Version 2010

From Karin Klassen

For Malvern Primary Staff, Students, Families and Friends

This land is your land, this land is my land
From the Great Barrier Reef to the Kangaroo Island
From the Southern Ocean to the Sydney Harbour
This land was made for you and me.

I’ve roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the gum tree forests and the Grampian Mountains
And all around me a voice was calling
This land is made for you and me.

I’ve roamed the Red Centre and I followed your coastlines
Your sandstone canyons and your croc-filled waters
As the Kangaroos bounded and the Kookaburra sounded
This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining and I was strolling
Through the grasslands waving and the red clouds rolling
As the rain kept falling a voice was calling
This land was made for you and me.

This land is your land, this land is my land
From Island Tassie to the Indian Ocean
From the Yarra Valley to the city of Melbourne
This land was made for you and me.

And so I thank you for SUPER mem’ries

I’ve loved to meet you, and I’ve loved to teach you

A tear will fall down as I say good-bye now

In my heart you'll always stay.

Blogs to Come

Hi Everyone!

Term Four at school from October to December has come and gone like a whirlwind. Each weekend has been filled with special outings or activities for us, and even each weeknight has been crammed with concerts, plays or report card writing. This has left us with virtually no time to work on our blogs. Please rest assured that we are alive and well, in spite of poor communication on our part. We are planning to complete our blogs during the winter once we are home again, as we wish to keep the blogs as a running record of our amazing Australian adventure. Now however, the time has run out on us, so I will just list the places we have visited or the things we have seen which have not yet been entered.

Trip to Queensland: Kuranda Rainforest

Great Barrier Reef

Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest

Aboriginal Dreaming Tour

Cairns - Part 2

Darwin, Northern Territory

Kakadu National Park

Litchfield National Park

Katherine Gorge National Park

Trip to one of the Tiwi Islands: Bathurst

Australian License Plates

Canadian Thanksgiving in Melbourne

Tesselar Tulip Festival

Trip to Sydney: Ben Hur, Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains

Trip to Perth and Fremantle

Trip to Margaret River, Pemburton,Walpole

Trip to Hayden: Wave Rock

Western Australian Wildflowers

Crown Oaks Day (horse racing)

Weekend at Waratah Bay and Wilson's Prom

Weekend at Bellarine Peninsula and Mornington Peninsula

Melbourne Highlights: Melbourne Festival, Opera, Recital, U2 Concert, "Hairspray" musical, Street Block Party

Canada Day Assembly at School

Weekend in the Grampians

Visit to Lyon House Museum

Visit to Werribee Zoo

Weekend to Benalla and Ned Kelly Country

Weekend at Venus Bay and the Penguin Parade

Highlights of Term 4 at school

Visit to the Melbourne Aquarium and our "Shark Walk" Adventure

Three-Day Jaunt to Brisbane, Queensland

Final Good-byes to Friends

Government and ITF Farewell Reception and Dinner

Our year has indeed been full and we are grateful that we have been able to partake in so many great events over the course of the year! So, stay tuned in the New Year for our completed adventure blogs!

Queensland: Port Douglas

After leaving Cairns, we continued our drive along the scenic coastline to Port Douglas. The road, hugging the coastline and mountain range, overlooked the crystal clear waters of the Coral Sea. A stay in Port Douglas has been described as "tropical living at its finest". Port Douglas lies in close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the majestic wet tropical rainforests of Daintree and Cape Tribulation National Parks. It has a quaint charm-like atmosphere. The main street looks picturesque with statues and flowers along the boulevards.

We were booked into a small studio apartment that was clean and comfortable, and outfitted with kitchen supplies enough that we could make our own breakfasts each morning and lounge outside on our balcony each evening. This gave us the chance to enjoy the birds and the palm trees right outside our apartment. Our complex had two pools where we could also relax in the evenings.

We began our Sunday morning checking out the local church.

Inside, you could look right through the front picture window to the ocean beyond. The scene through the window was idyllic and certainly would make concentration on any sermon difficult! We walked along along the picturesque water's edge

and discovered the local market scene right along the shore.

Wares of every kind were being offered for sale.

You could purchase a drink of freshly-pressed sugar cane juice!

There were many beautiful exotic flowers available for purchase.

We were basking in the hot and humid sunshine, when suddenly the skies turned dark and before long we were greeted with torrential rains! It seems that we cannot escape the unusual weather patterns down under this year, exactly in 2010 when we are in Australia! Queensland is supposed to be bathed in hot sun at this time of year, but instead has been experiencing the most rainfall in some twenty years, even resulting in some flooded areas in the region. Luckily we had both booked a fabulous Thai massage in the market at exactly the time of the downpour, so we were relatively sheltered under a tarp when the worst deluge hit. There was a bright lining to the rain cloud, however, as this gave us time to check out the shops along the town's main strip in the afternoon!

We found some respite from the rain long enough to enjoy a lunch at an eatery called the Tin Shed, which was located along the ocean front and gave us a beautiful vista onto the sea and the fishing boats. It was low tide, and some of the boats were actually stranded on the sand! We also managed to support the local economy by taking a short excursion on the “Ballyhooley”, a historical steam train that was pulled by a genuine coal-fired steam locomotive.

The engine was over 55 years old, and pulled us past many yachts, motor boats and pleasure vessels at their berths in the Marina. Then it passed the Yacht club and finally entered an area of mangroves, before making a turn-around to return us home once again.

Conditions had not improved on Monday, so our major outdoor reef tour had to be rescheduled for later on in the week, when the weather was supposed to be clearing! We did find sufficient sunny weather to make a morning trek along the entire Port Douglas “Four Mile Beach”. It was a beautiful hike

along a wide sandy beach, edged by palm trees and NO visible habitation, so we traversed its entire length and back. All the resorts are located somewhat inland, keeping the beaches totally natural and pristine. While the temperature was moderated by the ocean breeze, and although the skies were overcast and I was lathered by sun screen, I still managed to be blessed with a sunburn at the end of our 8-mile jaunt! At least it was proof that we had indeed managed to spend some time at the beach!

Late in the afternoon we boarded the Lady Douglas boat for a sunset cruise. We could see ships of all makes and sizes in the harbour and along the inlet.

We sailed up the Dickson Inlet in a search for crocodiles. We did see a lot of mangrove swamps, but unfortunately we were rewarded with but one glimpse of a crocodile, as the tide was high and therefore sighting is not optimum. We returned from the cruise and managed to finally sight a huge croc...but alas, in the nearby shopping mall!

At night there was no shortage of great restaurants of every possible variety from which to choose for our evening repast. Each place offered something special in order to attract the tourists. The Hog's Breath Cafe offered great food with a fantastic view onto the Marina.

The Courthouse Hotel had a roving photographer with two cockatoos available for photo ops. The Zinc restaurant was a really classy place. A visit to the toilet was a must because the restaurant housed an indoor aquarium with brightly-coloured fish that extended right from the hallway into the restrooms themselves. Everyone just spent time in the washroom gazing at the fish!

Another fun restaurant held Cane Toad races every night.

The fat gross-looking toads were shown off first, and patrons could bid on the toad to become its racing master. The successful contestants first had to kiss their toad before placing him on a table. Then they all had to blow onto their frogs in an attempt to make them jump off the table. The winning contestant was the one whose toad jumped off the table first! Our dining pleasure on the last night in Port Douglas was a unique experience called "Flames of the Forest". A bus picked us up from our hotel and transported us to a rainforest in the distant Mowbray Valley. The Mowbray Valley links the port of Port Douglas to the Tablelands and the first settlers used to have a route through the valley which brought both the red gold and the real gold from the gold mines down to the coast. It is a peaceful valley with several hundred different species of trees, from ancient trees to new growth rainforest. The location was beautifully decorated with many candles and lights. The meal promised to "ignite" our senses" by offering us a typical and traditional Aboriginal 8-course meal. Lemon myrtle infused kangaroo loin and steamed fillets of barramundi wrapped in banana leaf were but two of the courses we sampled. We were seated on a table together with 5 other people with whom we "shared the journey". Before, during and after the meal we were entertained by a pair of Aboriginal performers, who shared their oral culture, knowledge and history through stories and music.

It was indeed an interesting experience!