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April 15 2010
"Mexico", CAKE
With April half-finished and Easter break long gone it's time to start looking ahead to May. Here at La Trobe we are set to go on our first teaching practicum ("prac", as they call it) beginning May 3rd. Things have been slightly tense in the class since the end of March as no one yet knew where, or even if, they had been placed. It was making a lot of people anxious. When the faculty announced in class that prac allocation would be posted Wednesday the 14th everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. When they further announced that sixty or seventy students had not yet been placed, that relief quickly turned to worry. Everyone was talking about it. Fortunately I made sure all my ducks were in a row and I got placed for both of my methods. The school is Methodist Ladies College in Kew, a private day and boarding school for girls, from prep (the Victorian term for kindergarten) to Year 12. Kew is not far from here and is a really nice suburb; old, affluent, and gentrified. The school itself was founded in 1882. I don't know enough about the school yet to say but I can't help getting the feeling that I got very lucky in my placement and I'm not sure who to thank for it. (It also seems like I keep winding up somewhere Cate Blanchett has been, as she graduated from MLC. Interesting stuff!)
This prac news came to us after a two week break for Easter, during which I did a little exploring in between assignments. Melbourne has a lot to offer. I spent a day or two seeing some sights like the Shrine of Remembrance, Victoria Gardens, St. Patrick's church, and Cook's Cottage. The Shrine of Remembrance is the monument built to commemorate ANZACs (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) who gave their lives in service of their country in WWI, during the Gallipoli campaign. Over the years it has also become a shrine to the loss of life in other conflicts like WWII or Vietnam. ANZAC Day is held each year on April 25th as a day of remembrance and respect, although more recently a celebratory atmosphere has emerged around the date which has attracted some controversy. The shrine itself is really quite interesting and I took a lot of photos but I'm having trouble with the photo uploader for this site so give me some time. Overall, it was a very solemn experience like any war memorial should be.
The trip to Cook's cottage was equally interesting but in a more colourful kind of way. Amid all the controversy of European arrival in Australia, Cook's cottage is an unapologetic shrine to Captain Cook himself. Those familiar with the history of the region might note that Cook first landed near modern day Sydney and not Melbourne, and experts might even know that the cottage itself is not even Australian at all. It was built in Yorkshire in the 1750s then in 1933 was sold, disassembled, shipped to Melbourne, and then reassembled brick by brick in Carlton Gardens. Today it's a little museum with period representative furniture, an herb garden, and a gift shop filled with Cook-related souvenirs. I saw it and couldn't resist paying my $4 to see what was sure to be a tourist-trap. It was, but that didn't stop it from being interesting. There was an older gentleman in the gift shop who was a kind of volunteer Cook expert for the museum. Speaking to him for only a few minutes it became pretty clear to me that this man really loved Captain Cook and was either blind to or disinterested in the debate over Australia Day and Cook's "discovery" of a land already inhabited by an indigenous population. It was brilliant.
In a more exciting turn of events I went to a football game. To be clear, in Melbourne "football" refers to Australian Rules Football, or just "footy". Without spending too long going into the rules of the game I can say that two teams of 18 men each race up and down a large oval pitch 150 metres in length and attempt to, without throwing, score goals by kicking the ball through two tall posts at either end of the pitch. It's a full contact sport though the players wear neither padding nor helmets and must keep the ball moving even when being brought down. They can punch or kick the ball in any direction, and can run with it as well but it must touch the ground or be bounced every 10 or 15 metres. The fervour of the fans was amazing and their wild support of the teams was akin to zealotry. Fifty thousand people were in attendance at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) which holds more than 100,000 people. I've watched matches before on television at home but being there was something else entirely. It is a very fast paced game. Melbourne vs. Collingwood. I went with my housemate and his friends. We drank a lot of beer and cheered on the underdog Melbourne Demons in what was a nail-biter of a match right to the end, with the Demons losing 86-85. They love their sport here.
Look for another update before my prac.
Cheers,
Ian
- comments
mom Your placement sounds likes the perfect school to begin your practicum. Can't wait to hear all about the experience. An all girls school should be interesting. How long is the prac? Glad you are getting out with friends. Does Melbourne have a cricket team or is football the major sport. Can't imagine a game with 100M fans.
Aunt Julie Well Ian it sounds like you are making the most of Australia! Since I'm not sure if I will ever visit I'm enjoying your interesting take on life Down Under. Your placement does sound interesting and I'm sure you will enjoy every minute. I know you had on your list to enjoy a game of 'footy' and it sounds like you did. The size of the crowd reminds me of when I went to an NFL game where the crowds are huge. Keep updating Ian we are throughly enjoying your stories of the people and places in Australia! Best of Luck on your Prac.
Anita The girls are going to love "your accent!" Life is for learning and seems to me that you are embracing it. I especially liked your Captain Cook story. Happy ANZAC day! Have you tried ANZAC COOKIES? (not the computer variety)
Aunt Nancy Hi Ian! Enjoying your blogs! Sorry that I didn't respond to your thanks for the birthday gift -- you're welcome! Good luck on your practicum. You and Paul start something new the same day! He's looking forward to his internship at Queen's Park and is hoping it will lead to bigger and better things in the future. Uncle Jim and I were with him in TO yesterday to help him buy some "work" clothes. He got a suit, a sports jacket and two pairs of pants, plus a shirt, tie and dress socks -- so he's all set. Laura has been very sick. She contracted pneumonia on April 6 and is still recovering. It was very stressful for a while because she was so sick, her immune system being depressed from the chemo, but she is getting better every day and yesterday went to dinner and a movie with Robin. Enjoy your prac (all girls, hmmm?) and keep blogging!