It's SAT-urday!

Saturday. The day I really have to fight for any form of motivation. After a busy week, it’s a struggle to even get out of bed, or off the couch and actually achieve something. The day also goes really quickly but I suppose when you’re only up for half the day that’s bound to happen! Ah, sweet, sweet Saturdays. I usually use Saturday as the cleaning day so I suppose that’s another reason getting out of bed is super hard. Who wants to get up when they know a dreaded day of vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, washing and dusting is forecasted? Plus, with a name like SAT-urday, are we really meant to be doing anything other than sitting around chilling?

Luckily during the week it’s easier to get up out of bed, simply because the day’s events are usually bound to be super exciting and fun. My favourite days are now Thursdays (Friday’s up there as well, end of the week and mail day, wooo!) because every afternoon in Primary C we go for a walk around the community to learn about something different. Last week we were looking at bush foods and this week we walked over to the Kutjungka Centre of Trade Training that our neighbor, Jerry manages. It’s only been up and running for a few weeks but is already looking like a top notch facility for further education and special skills and the kids were pumped to see it. When the clock struck 1pm, we walked through the school gates and out into the wilderness of Balgo, seeking a new adventure.

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The students are currently learning about 'The Bear Hunt'.

They're exclaiming what a beautiful day it is!

Along the way the kids posed for a class photo at an old trailer near the footy oval (that no-one really knows how it got there) and washed their hands with ‘bush soap’, a tree we had discovered the week before. We also made an agreement to spend one Thursday cleaning up Balgo as the kids were saddened about the amount of rubbish surrounding the area. A ‘Clean Up Balgo’ initiative sounds pretty exciting actually! We lined up outside the entrance and said hi to Jerry, who was just as excited to give the kids a tour as the kids were to have one! Jerry explained a bit about what the facility does before ushering the students into a classroom and telling them about the places that they would visit. On the tour agenda was the hospitality room, the Boystown office, and the library and woodwork/metalwork areas. Having only seen parts of the KCTT, I was looking forward to seeing the rest of the area, having talked to Brother Lou many times about all the problems and delays that came with building it. No-one was expecting it finished before the end of the year so it’s a great positive here in Balgo! Especially if Peter Garrett DOES come and open it, party on!!

Primary C, and me.

Antonio is actually in mid air, jumped off the trailer as the photo was taken.

So cool

Frena, Sharelle and Renelle

Renelle poses as all the other students check out the soap tree.

Lining up ready for the tour.

Saying hi to Jerry

Jerry holds up only three fingers, to demonstrate what can happen if you touch the dangerous machines without permission.

Nice lesson!

First stop was the hospitality area, and it was the type of kitchen that I would be kept very far away from. Not only was it completely spotless, but so very organized! Every working station was set out in an identical manner to the other with all the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans needed to cook almost anything. It was rather spectacular and the kids loved most Jerry putting a saucepan on his head just before turning on the massive exhaust fans that blew them all around. They were also super impressed with the huge fridges, but just a little disappointed that they were kind of empty. My favourite thing was the massive sandwich press that could cook six sandwiches at a time!

Nice Hat!

The huge fan!

Jerry took us through to see Michael who works at Boystown and he took them through the offices. Boystown is an Australian wide La Sallian program that offers assistance to women suffering from domestic violence, troubled young men and even pioneered the very successful Kids Helpline! Sure, you’ve all heard about that but I bet you didn’t know it was La Sallian!! In Balgo however, they work to help people get to get on the payroll, get their licenses and obtain employment (Rhonda), help young mothers and babies (Sister Alice), teach young men basic skills (Brother Lou) and co-ordinate all these things in a La Sallian manner (Allan and Michael). I always kind of knew what Boystown did in Balgo but it was great to hear it in a well explained manner. Considering we live next door to the compound, I ought to have some idea what goes on there.

We were then taken through the Library and then onto the woodwork and metalwork areas. The kids loved this the most as they got to wear pretty cool helmets and visors that looked super cute on them all, especially as they were designed for adults, not nine year olds. Jerry talked about the safety needs for these areas and how important it was for every person to protect their eyes, feet and hands whilst working on such dangerous machines. The students were shown the welding areas, the woodwork tables and the massive gas bottles used to fuel the machines and were pretty impressed with everything!

The library.

Renelle shows off her hard hat.

Learning about welding.

Antonio loves his hat!

Jim and I were then given the task of using the massive sandwich press (wooo!) to make the kids (and adults) a yummy cheese toastie. It was a very impressive machine, toasting in less than two minutes and absolutely perfectly, producing that lovely golden-brown look to the bread that everyone aims for when cooking toasted sandwiches. We enjoyed a nice afternoon tea with juice and sandwiches before thanking Jerry and walking back to Luurnpa, just in time for the bell. It was a very productive and interesting visit, enjoyed very much by everyone!

Waiting for Mangarri.

Rachel enjoys her sandwich.

Sharelle and Renelle had a great day.

 

Yesterday morning during Maths time I taught the students how to play Jenga, seeing as it was Friday and they deserved to do something super fun while they were at my activity station. For those who don’t know what Jenga is, you basically build a massive wooden tower out of blocks and take turns removing a block and putting it at the top, aiming not to knock it all down. We play it a lot on Friday and Saturday nights as Ant brought it back from Perth and has since then got us all addicted. The kids loved it and got super into it, while I enjoyed making it harder and harder for them by moving it while they were trying to get the blocks out. Yeh, I’m mean like that! The best group was the cream group, which just had Sharelle in and we took turns trying not to knock it down. We may have knocked it over just at the end of the group time but got the most blocks out and therefore succeeded in creating a rather epic tower. Win!

Sharelle and our epic Jenga tower.

Cody, Frances, Corryanne and Cecilia.

Renelle and Antonio. They are the main attenders from the Brown Literacy group and work super well together. Yay for teamwork!

In a previous blog, I mentioned the Trachoma testing that was carried out on our students and said that the ‘Magic Number’ was not reached. Unfortunately after posting that, I discovered that it actually was. For everyone in Balgo to be treated, regardless of whether they had Trachoma or not, 10% of our students had to be found with the very contagious eye disease and 76% of the kids had it. The eye doctor came with pills yesterday to treat the staff and despite some awful side effects including gastro (just my luck) it was worth it. Trachoma eventually causes blindness and is the disease that Fred Hollows campaigned against throughout his lifetime. Disappointedly, Australia is the only First World country that still has the disease. Kevin Rudd spoke about Rheumatic Heart disease not long ago after his heart operation, saying that today; ‘it is wiped out in Australia, if you are white’ and sadly, this is also the case with Trachoma, incredibly prevalent amongst Aboriginal communities. It’s so sad to think that while the rest of Australia got rid of diseases like Trachoma and Rheumatic Heart disease decades ago, they are still very prevalent in Aboriginal communities. While so much money is been thrown at research and new medical technologies, it seems silly to neglect the diseases that we can fix, especially if two pills is all it takes to cure them!

Anthony and Rick decided on Thursday night at dinner that despite the fact that Anthony’s house was ready, it had no furniture and therefore left on a whim for Kununurra yesterday at Mangarri time to get furniture, crockery, cutlery, towels, sheets and curtains. They just upped and left, staying with the Kununurra nuns who Henry swears are the coolest nuns alive. We all were slightly jealous but remembered we’re going to Halls Creek next weekend so are looking forward to a bit of a Balgo break, good food and drinks containing more than just cordial. Woo!

With the boys engrossed in the rugby and Cassie, Leesa and Camille planning lessons for the next week I’ll entertain myself with the Mirli Mirli (the parish newsletter that I compose weekly, still haven’t done), cleaning and hopefully some rest and relaxation. Tonight we’re having another bonfire and tomorrow we’re going on a girls trip out to Lake Gregory with Cathy so I’m super pumped for the rest of the weekend. But I’ve got to get my motivation a bit up before then!