More Darwin Details for Week 3

Dear All,

I'm becoming a 'Darwinite' after 3 weeks, surely. Last week, four days were spent at the Certificate IV Course at Casuarina. For the next 4 weeks we'll be continuin it for 2 days a week and for the next 3 weeks we have 2 days of other input about QTAS (have I got those letters in the right order?) back at Nungalinya (Noong -a-linya). There are assignments with the Cert IV Course which is 'competency based', so I can keep submitting them until I achieve 'competence'! Since I have been sweating over Section II of the Thesis, I haven't given them any thought yet. I hope to start during the evenings of the week. Wish me luck. It is starting to fall into place in the brain, but when you get assignments you can feel bewildered by the questions at first! Groan! But I will pass, I promise you!

(1) Six Cert IV students & Facilitator (2) The 'offending' balconies! (3) See the brick'skin' protecting an upstairs corridor.

I have found a nice walking circuit to do from here - down Gardens Road, up between the old Cemetery and the Golf Club to Gilruth Avenue opposite the Casino, then back up that road to Smith Street and down a few blocks to McLachlan Street. Takes half an hour which is just nice - with one hill thrown in for good measure.

Across Cavenagh Street from my room (remember, we see everything through the 'holey' besser brick skin around the Convent) there is an apartment tower with corner balconies facing this way. I am told some of the groups who stay there are in from the mines for the weekend. Last night must have been one of those groups because they were broadcasting loud music with drumbeat from 4.30 am. Not welcome! On the other side of the Convent (McLachlan Street) there is a Council Car Park opposite which attracts the hoons and a whole lot of 'campers' - mostly Aboriginal people in from remote areas. It can get noisey too. There are many advantages to having the air-conditioner on at night, and not all of them are related to the weather.

Our Community is now complete with the arrival back of Sr Jo today. She was in good form. On her plane were some very dishevilled male passengers who did a bit of sleeping and were treated very very kindly by the hosties. They seemed to be in clothes they had worn for several days and were not 'sweet' company! One kept on reaching out and touching the older man in front of him. The Hostess kissed them good-bye and told them to get some sleep. Sr Jo was behind them as they walked out and heard enough to gather they were Firies from the bushfires in Victoria. Sr Liz rang a teacher she worked with at Port Keats some years ago and who now lives in an area not too far from Kinglake. Upon hearing who was ringing, Sue (the teacher) burst into tears. Her brother-in-law and his wife had perished in the fires. Brings it home to you, doesn't it?

Denise would be interested to know I have met one of her old friends up here - she spent a week on holidays with Jan W in her youth. Now Jan and husband are working up here and Jan was handing out newsletters before Mass at the Cathedral. We had a great chat about the bushwalkers (she flew down for the 50th Celebration) and what had happened in the years since then.

(1) You might be able to get an idea of how close we are to the Cathedral. (2) Here's the Cathedral - it faces onto Smith Street. (3) Those here at the Convent (including visitors who stay from outlying missions) call this the Bus Stop! The kitchen is right behind there and it is a lovely breezeway in which to sip the cuppa and gaze out into the courtyard! There are covers for the seats - removed temporarily during the rainy weather.

This morning when I set out at 6.30 am for my walking circuit I said 'Hello' to a man near the front of the Cathedral. He turned out to be a priest from Chicago who had just arrived from Singapore and was going to be staying at the Presbytery, but no one was up. He joined me on the walk and we had a very interesting chat, after which we were able to get some attention for him. He found the humidity a bit trying, but I didn't really notice (until I stop I don't notice, then I become wet all over!)

I said to Sr Mary that there were not really so many at 8 am Mass this morning in the Cathedral. She replied, "It's not the tourist season. You wait until then." She works with the Chinese community here in Darwin and is involved in many many things with them. She's been here 15 years so has had time to build up her contacts! Baptism and Sacramental Preparation, RCIA, Music, entertaining Alzeihmers visitors, Hospital visits, Personal contacts etc etc. This is just what I have observed this week. She also cooks and is a great gardener. Her Office is near the Nightcliff Catholic church. Sadly, she will move to Salonika in March!

I am sure I do not need to explain what she is doing in the picture!

I was amazed at the prices for hair cuts in Darwin! On Friday afternoon I walked through Darwin City and was quoted (senior concession!) from $30 - $54. Out at Casuarina I found $23, $26, and $28. But I met a Chinese lady as I was crossing the street last Friday and asked her if she knew anyone and she put me onto a 'nice' lady at a small shopping centre only a couple of streets away from Nungalinya who trims for under $20. They say there is 2 weeks between a bad and a good haircut. The last one I had was 'bad' and I'm still having difficulty getting my hair to sit where I want it to sit. She can't do worse than that. But my Chinese friend said she cuts hair 'very nicely' so, here's hoping.

Mostly trivia this week. But I have been working on the Thesis and am making some progress, even though it is agonisingly slow. I'll put a few pics in now. Love to all from Rita