My apologies for leaving you all hanging after my last post. So much has happened since I left Lismore and departed for Brunswick Heads (and since come home). I don't think I can begin to recap the emotional ups and downs of last semester and given that it is already August, so much has slipped away since then! I miss Australia dearly and would go back in a heart beat. In fact, I hope to live there someday, even if it's just for a brief year or so. It's just such a magical place - the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales in particular.
I finally have some photos from the Aboriginal camping trip, courtesy of Laura, the program assistant. We jokingly called it "Spring Break Minyumai" which refers to the traditional land holding/park we stayed in. It sort of was like spring break in some ways, as it happened in the middle of the semester and without notebooks, we were truly immersed in the experience. I wrote a long blog post about it a few months ago, but here are some of the highlights of the excursion.
Learning how to throw boomerangs from Uncle Russell
Spear throwing!
Our spear target.
Swimming in the river
Holding an echidna
Building a traditional structure out of branches and palm leaves
Roasting damper over the fire. According to Wikipedia, damper is "a traditional Australian soda bread prepared by swagmen, drovers, stockmen and other travelers. It consists of a wheat flour based bread, traditionally baked in the coals of a campfire. Damper is an iconic Australian dish." Naturally, we coated it in butter and sugar, which was delicious.
Boomerang painting and ukulele playing
Uncle Russell Butler playing the guitar and singing happy birthday to one of my program mates who was turning 21 during the camping trip. What a great birthday treat.
The group!
We traded hats. I gave him my Hamilton hat, which I received in the mail when I was admitted to school more than three years ago. In exchange, I received his hat with Aboriginal colors and art. Not a bad deal :) I ended up giving Russell's hat to my dad as a gift when I returned home from Australia. I think it suits my dad well.
Whewww. Now that I got that anachronic update out of the way, I will try to get back on track. I will continue by trying to recap what's happened since I left Lismore to depart for ISP. I can start by saying that my time in Brunswick was composed of some of the best moments in Australia. I lived with my friends - it started off as just four of us and as the five weeks progressed, gradually more and more friends from the program moved into our house.
This was our beach rental for a month. The beach was literally across the street and it was just perfect. We spent the days working diligently (for the most part..) on our independent study projects and in the evenings, we cooked dinner together, watched movies, played cards, and occasionally broke out some beers. It was very relaxed and overall, a really great environment to get work done in that we were a very nurturing and supportive group towards one another, yet we made our own fun since it was such a small town.
Love this Koala crossing sign.
Welcome to Brunswick Heads, "Simple Pleasures"
Everyday, we'd have to cross a bridge to get into town. Because our house was on the other side of the river, we were greeted by this beautiful view each day:
One weekend, a friend and I decide to go "WWOOF"ing. For those of you who don't know, WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and it is essentially a volunteer/work exchange program. People travel all over the world where the donate their time on organic farms and in exchange for their labor, they get free room and board. In my opinion, it seems like a pretty sustainable way to travel. Jess and I spent a weekend on a garlic farm near Brunswick where we planted garlic in the pouring rain. Sound terrible? Well it wasn't; in fact, it was the antithesis and probably one of my favorite experiences in Australia. The couple we stayed with was older (all their kids were grown up) and they were just overflowing with experience and insight. We chatted about environmental issues, ate delicious local food, and holed up in the quaint guest corridors. After talking with the owner about my ISP, she is even considering starting a farmstay at their own farm - which made me so elated! Here are some photos:
Pre-weeding
Post-weeding
Barefoot in the dirt. Muddy and blissful
Jess and I on the farm
I suppose I’ll reflect a little bit on the Independent Study Project itself. For this portion of the program (aka the five week ‘ISP’), I did a research project on the eco-potential of
farm tourism in Australia. I
researched farmstays (which are like hotels or b&bs except people stay on
working farms) to see how environmentally friendly they are. I administered 124 copies of a survey
to farmstays all over the country and interviewed four farmers in the Northern
Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. I also in interviewed two operators from ecotourism
certified farmstays to see how they went about becoming ecologically
sustainable. I also did content
analysis of farmstay websites to see how they are marketing themselves to
potential guests. It was a really
interesting process and my favorite part by far was getting to meet and see the
properties of local farmers. They
were so generous with their time and their hospitality will never be forgotten. Here are some photos:
For my first interview, I walked four miles to Mooyabil Farm in Mullumbimby, NSW. I was greeted happily by an older couple: Arthur and Margaret Hatch, owners of a beef breeding operation and Mooyabil Farm Holidays. The four mile walk back to the bus stop was kind of rough, but at least I got in my daily exercise!
The long hauls to interviews didn't end with Mooyabil. Next I rode my bike ten miles to see Ivan and Angela of Byron Bay Farmstay in Byron. The views from the road were fantastic.
Similar to Mooyabil, Byron Bay Farmstay also a cattle-breeding operation but in addition, they have a cabinet timber plantation and heritage-listed rainforest, which show their commitment to land conservation.
Cows galore.
Rainforest regeneration occurring on the property. Pretty cool
Each individual cottage at Byron Bay Farmstay has its own rainwater tank for catchment and recycling. Pretty neat. I wish we had these everywhere in the States.
A view of Byron Bay and the ocean in the background
One of the other farms I visited was a Macadamia plantation near Lismore.
The owner was so nice and picked me up from the bus stop and brought me back to her house. In addition to answering all of my interview questions, she gave me a tour around the property and walked me up to this high point nearby that is said to be an important site for Aboriginals. This sign that reads "Reconnecting to Country" emphasizes the importance of returning to the land.
After we wrote our ISP papers in culmination of our project,
we each gave a twenty minute presentation. It was really interesting to learn about what everyone
else had been spending their time doing.
For instance, a few people focused on sustainable business (e.g.
sustainable supply chain or offsets for development), while others focused on
food (e.g. sustainable diets, factory farming, and sustainable
supermarkets). I was so impressed
by everyone else’s work and their presentations. It sounds like everyone had a different experience (one girl
went to Tasmania to study the economic impact of logging and another went to a
farm outside Sydney to "WWOOF" - though he wasn't technically affiliated with the program but rather just volunteered and studied on a farm).
After presentations wrapped up, we had a little bit of free
time. I decided on somewhat of a
whim to take another surfing lesson, which was incredible. I went with two of the girls on my
program and we surfed with a woman from Israel and a man from Denmark. We all spent the afternoon together and
even went out to dinner later that night.
Surfing the second time around was a lot easier in that I stood up on my
first try, which was exciting. Our
instructor tried to teach me how to turn on a wave and I even caught a few on
my own; it was exhilarating. I
liked it so much that I met up with the woman and man again the next day and we
rented boards. It was a lot harder
this next time around, but it was still really fun and I hope to try it at
home. Later that day, we went sea
kayaking as a program group, which was also fun. A bit nauseating because of the swell, but we saw dolphins
and paddled over a rock reef out on the Bay. After two days of surfing plus kayaking, I was so sore I could
barely lift my arms. It was
definitely worth it though!
My friends and I donning our surf gear
We had our final class meeting, which was a lot of paperwork
and sadness. It started the
perpetual round of goodbyes, as we went around in a sharing circle and
reflected on the semester one at a time.
Many of the girls were crying as we thanked each other for making this
the best, most meaningful semester of our lives. We also wrote ourselves a letter that our program director
is going to mail us in November.
In my letter, I mostly talked about how I can’t forget how I felt in
Australia – all the positive feelings associated with being a social change
maker and feeling truly empowered and capable. I reminded myself to seize the day and do what makes me
happy (and what benefits society).
Last night we had our final farewell dinner as a group with the SIT
staff and our instructors. The
food was delicious and for the most part, pretty local and sustainable (I got
local Byron Bay pork cutlet with an eggplant tahini and carrot ginger salad
with honey dressing). Packing was
a nightmare but somehow, I made it on the flight to Cairns. After all the stress
of writing the ISP paper, preparing the presentations, and saying goodbye, going to the Great Barrier Reef was kind of like a mini vacation at the end of a wonderful semester. Here are some photos:
Crocodile tour on the river!
Our amazing tour guide who drove the shuttle bus we took from Cairns up to the Daintree/Cape Tribulation area.
Just to give you a better idea of where we were, we spent five or so days in the Daintree Rainforest, which is located pretty far up north in Tropical Queensland. Once we went up to the Daintree, it was fairly remote. While a lot of tourists still head up this way, we definitely didn't see too many people on the road.
Signs advising people not to swim during the summer months. Poisonous jellyfish roam the shallow waters off the coast of North Queensland and you really can't swim during this time (or you have to do so within the confines of nets, else perish).
The fabled Cassowarie. This big bird is AMAZING. Really rare, less than a thousand or so still remaining, and we saw EIGHT in one day. It was unreal. Our tour guide couldn't believe it. We even saw some Cassowarie chicks. These massive birds are beautiful and dinosaur-like in movement and size. Someone even told me that the bird in the Pixar movie "Up" was modeled after the Cassowarie.
We played a lot of games and relaxed at Crocodylus, which was the name of the hostel-resort we stayed it. It was really a great establishment right in the middle of the rainforest. I would recommend it to anyone looking to get away: http://www.crocodyluscapetrib.com/
The kitchen we did a lot of group cooking in
Off on our first horseback riding adventure
Through the rainforest
Cutest dog in the world. Owned by the woman who took us riding.
Massive spiders of course
Just a Goanna chilling on a tree
My friend Luke decked out in pig hunting gear. Yes, sometimes wild boars are hunted because they run rampant.
Swimming..though in retrospect, we probably shouldn't have. That's probably the number one rule for avoiding crocodiles: don't swim in streams in tropical north Queensland. The locals, however, seemed to think it was okay.
Night hike!
Horseback riding round two. We caught a ride up to Cape Tribulation (about 45 minutes North of Crocadylus Village), where we galloped on the beach.
And the Daintree trip wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the Great Barrier Reef:
The weather wasn't too good. In fact it was pouring rain with high winds. The swell was also ridiculous this day. Upon our safe (and much welcomed return to land), our guides even said it might not have been the best idea to go out that day..oops.
Glamorous.
Freakin awesome blue starfish
Giant clam
SEA TURTLE! This was incredible.
Having a face-off with this older gentleman and his cigar. The ride back was rough. Most of us were keeled over trying to fight back nausea because the waves were so rough. Our boat was quite small, so it made the traversing even more difficult. We were all beyond relieved to finally reach land.
All in all, my time up north was great. It was such a welcomed vacation after the trials and tribulations of ISP and a really important addition to my time in Australia. I had debated and gone back and forth whether or not I wanted to spend the money on a plane ticket to Cairns or if I just wanted to fly directly home. However, I could't be more pleased with my choice. One of my friends put it into perspective when she was talking to her mom. She explained that yeah, we might be back in Australia in ten or twenty years and sure we can do more touristy things, but who's to say that the Great Barrier Reef is going to even be around in a decade or two. With global climate change altering the world we know and ocean acidification etc. leading to coral bleaching, it's a good point. I am glad I got to see it now, and boy let me tell you, the reef was one of the most beautiful (if not THE most beautiful) thing I have ever seen in my life. It was another world below the surface of the swell; a labyrinth teeming with ocean life and colors like you've never seen. And while we were busy doing fun things such as snorkeling and horseback riding, I learned a lot of other insightful lessons while in the Daintree area. I met so many people who were just living the dream, doing things they love and making a life for themselves. It was really meaningful and powerful to see and talk with them.
After we slowly said our good-byes to half the group (a few people were flying out early, as they were either going home or traveling with their families), the rest of us took a shuttle back down to Cairns where we spent two nights. We made a feeble attempt to go sky-diving (even charged my credit card...), but fortunately the weather was too bad to fly. It was quite rainy and thank goodness because I was not in the mental place to dive. I was a nervous wreck. Maybe another time and another place, but I doubt that I will ever be any less afraid of heights. We will see in the future though!
Our final dinner in Cairns. Food quality, not so good, but then again, it was the free meal that came with our stay at the hostel. Most of us were very broke at this point, so we welcomed any free food into our stomachs graciously.
After Cairns, we flew back down to Brisbane in preparation for the massive trip home. We made one last outing in Brisbane to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. This wildlife rescue center was a good last stop because we got to hold koalas, feed kangaroos, and actually see the fabled Tasmanian Devil. Here are some photos:
Cassowarie
Seeing the bird out in the wild, in its natural habitat was much more magical
Meet Rodney, the very heavy koala who had a death-grip on my arm
With an Emu!
Note the look on my friend's face. Sometimes these little guys got aggressive when you were feeding them. Eager and hungry, they were.
JOEY in the pouch. Australian experience complete.
Dingo, looking kind of down. I guess I can't blame him
Tasmanian Devil, asleep in his cement wheel.
Another dingo.
This could not have been more fitting..as we left the airport, I saw these two signs in preparation for the 2012 summer Olympics: Good Luck Lauren, Good Luck Jack. I guess they knew I was about to reunite with my boyfriend Jack after four months of being apart. It was a good sign!
I learned many lessons while I was abroad in Australia. Most of these were life lessons that I couldn't gain in a classroom but needed to experience out in the world. Study abroad with SIT was one of the most challenging endeavors I have ever experienced, as it pushed me outside my comfort zone in numerous ways, but it also provided a space and time for me to grow as an individual. Some of the big take away messages were that there is another way to live. We don't have to give into the prescribed notions of what it means to be a successful human being. Our entire lives we've been working hard to get into a good college, then grad school, then high paying job. What then? Will it ever be enough? I've learned that to some extent, we can withdraw ourselves from the materialistic world of capitalism and consumerism. It is possible to do something you love and make a life for yourself. This may all sound corny and trite, but honestly, I met people who are doing just this. I learned that life is too short to do something that makes you unhappy and we should always strive to build a better world. Going to Australia has certainly given me the travel bug. I want to see the world now and all that it has to offer. I understand the problematic nature of this desire, as flying contributes an extremely high excess of green house gases and carbon emissions into the atmosphere, but an article written by Bill McKibben justifies travel abroad for meaningful purposes. In some ways, we can justify flying around the world by making our trip something more than a vacation but an actual learning experience that we bring home with us. And that's what I intend to do now and in the future. As my future unfolds before me, it has never before seemed so vast, uncertain, and beautifully malleable.
I will close this blog entry by sharing a post-card. This was one of our assignments while abroad with SIT: write a postcard to ourselves that our academic director would then mail to us once we returned home to the States. I received it in the mail a few weeks ago and it was a much needed pick me up. So here's a little motivation and hopefulness from the Land Down Under.
Dear Self,
Get excited about being alive and having the capacity to make change. Remember that it is a privilege and gift to be alive right now so take advantage of the small window of time you've been given on this Earth. Never lose sight of your goals and what you really care about, even when the going gets rough. From this, remember to take care of yourself. It's great to be passionate and committed but don't burn out! Remember to sleep, exercise, and HAVE FUN! Also work to share your newfound knowledge and SIT insight with your family and close friends. Create a culture of sustainability. Communicate with the people you care about and listen to them - question them strategically and build bridges. Continue to do your thing in affecting structural change: keep lobbying, write letters to politicians, and start petitions of your own. Don't be afraid to be known as an activist; in fact, embrace and reclaim it. Love yourself and love the Earth!
