GSE Team Australia 7770

Back in South Carolina!

2007-03-22T10:22:00.000-04:00

Well, we made back home and our luggage finally made it too!! Just wanted to say "thanks" to all my host families and to say how much I enjoyed the trip to WA!!! What an amazing time!!!!!!! I sure hope to visit in the future.

Just to let everyone know, after getting off the airplane in Columbia, Yates, my boyfriend, was waiting for me along with my parents and brother and sister-in-law. Once I was through the terminal, Yates got down on one knee and proposed in the middle of the airport!! What a HOMECOMING!!!! Of course, I said "yes" and we're planning a wedding for the first of next year!!! For those that said it would happen, little did you know that it would happen as soon as I set foot in South Carolina!!!!! I've got pictures and I will post them soon but I did want to let you all know. Again, thanks to all the wonderful Rotarians of WA and I will keep you posted!!!
Lindsey :-)

Home again

2007-03-19T13:25:00.000-04:00

Hello! Just a very short post to say that the team - minus Grant - arrived in Columbia last night around 10:30pm. Unfortunately, our checked bags did NOT arrive, but the call I had a few hours ago indicated that they would be delivered to each of us this afternoon. I have to say that the baggage was about the only complication we had on the return trip to SC. Yay!!

Grant is enjoying a few days in Sydney before heading to SC and the District 7770 conference this coming weekend. We had an e-mail from him yesterday, so all is well, but I think he misses the great hospitality we received in WA.

I'm sure others will post with news and pictures in the next few days. I just wanted anyone reading and following along to know we all made it home safe and sound. Now, if you could just get the number of the truck that hit me, I will be happy to go after them for making me feel so run down!! :o)

Shannon

Say goodnight Gracie

2007-03-17T11:53:00.000-04:00

Wow. That seems to be a word I have used frequently in relation to this experience and it rings true once again. I am sitting at the computer and it is just before 1am. Someone will arrive to take me to the airport around 2:30am and at 5:50am, the team - sans Grant who is taking a later flight and spending a few days in Sydney before returning - heads off into the wild blue yonder, headed for home. Today we did our presentation at the district conference here and then today we had a wonderful time at the Governor's Dinner. We saw many friends we've made along the way and made a few new ones too. As we walked out to drive back to Mandurah and our hosts, many people called out to us and wished us safe travels home. We kinda felt like rock stars. haha But it was nice to know that so many people enjoyed our presentation and getting to know us, just as we have enjoyed getting to know them.

So my time is running out and I need to get my last few things packed away so I can be ready when it's time to go. I am sure some of us will post when we get home to let you all know we arrived safe and sound. I will also try to get more pictures posted for you all.

Thanks for following our amazing journey.

Goodnight Gracie.

Shannon

On to Mandurah

2007-03-13T21:10:00.000-04:00

Here is a map illustrating our travels.

We had a presentation to the Harvey club on Monday night. In the club newsletter, they indicated that the presentation was tremendously informative and entertaining. The team has done a tremendous job in making presentations and handling questions from the audience. -- Garry

Hello from Harvey

2007-03-13T03:45:00.000-04:00

Well, not really. I'm actually in Leuschenault. I really hope I spelled that right! But it is near Harvey and close to Australind and Bunbury. Tomorrow we make our final move to Mandurah and from there, it's a scant few days until we are heading back home. Leaving will be bittersweet I can assure you. I cannot possibly convey to everyone the magnitude of the experiences we have all had here in Western Australia. I see so many things in the landscape that I want to photograph, but I know that you cannot possibly appreciate some of the beauty of this country from just a picture. It's definitely a "you had to be there" type of thing at times.

Today I had another wonderful vocational day at Edith Cowan University in Bunbury. I mentioned a previous day I had there last week at the same campus. This time I met mostly with different people than last week and we had a great time exchanging even more information. It's interesting to me to learn how my job duties back in the US are divided up differently here in WA. I hope to keep in touch with many people I met there so that we can continue the exchange of information we started today and last Thursday!

It seems that my "calling out" of the readers of the blog worked a bit and 2 folks posted on my last entry. However, you both did not put your names, so I have no idea who you are - though I'm guessing one is my father and the other is Frank? - so if you would please care to share your identity, I would be most appreciative!

Also, Lou, I know you are reading and I have been meaning to ask which Rotary club you are a member of. Inquiring minds want to know! We definitely appreciate your faithful reading of the blog!

I hope you all have been enjoying our adventures here in Western Australia. I have met so many wonderful people along the way and made many new friends. I can assure all the Rotarians in District 7770 that this team has gotten the intended experiences out of the Group Study Exchange.

I've said it before and I'll say it once again, you will all thoroughly enjoy the Australian GSE team that will be arriving in the US just after we return home. We've met all but one team member and I cannot wait to see them all again in my hometown of Sumter.

Sorry for no pictures this time around, but maybe once more before we leave in a few days.

Shannon (the perpetually long-winded one who is also desperate for a hair cut!)

Thanks.....

2007-03-11T04:29:00.000-04:00

First, I still have no idea how to put pictures on this blog so I am depending on my wonderful teammates that are much more technologically savvy than I to do so.

But I will echo Scott's comments. Busselton is a great place to be. It is not bad when you can walk right out the door and go for a bike ride, swim, or a run along the Geographe Bay. These types of physical activities were necessary because the people of Busselton make sure that you are never without food or drink.

My vocational time was very well spent yesterday with the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House of Parliament - Troy Buswell. He is very much in line with Governor Sanford back home and actually pointed him to our website for some possible ideas and policies to advocate for in WA.

From a personal standpoint I have been touched by the true openness of the Rotarians in this area. I want to say thanks to my host family - Lyn and Lawrie Walter - for making me feel at home and part of the family. I enjoyed teaching - or trying to teach - you and the rest of the extended family the state dance (The Shag). And no for all of you dirty minded non-South Carolinians, the Shag is a dance and not what you think it is.

Hello to all back home and thanks again Busselton.

Grant

Farewell from Busselton

2007-03-10T19:46:00.000-05:00

As the sunsets on Geographe Bay, we bid farewell to Busselton. Thank you all who hosted us and showed us a good time. The weather here has been great for sailing and experiencing the culture. People in WA are just great! I think we all could learn a thing or two about life and living from them.

I specifically wish to thank my host family retired Police Senior Sgt. Henry and Jan Hooft. They have been wonderful. Its great to have new friends on the opposite side of the world and I look forward to returning someday soon. And thank you Police Constable Sasha Howlett for looking after me.

Well, we're off to Harvey. Until next time...

Cheers,
Scott

Greetings from Bussleton!

2007-03-09T21:22:00.000-05:00

Making more new friends in Western Australia!

Entrance to Lake Cave in Margaret River.

Lake Cave

Hello from Bussleton!!

We have been having a busy and wonderful time here, as usual. I went to the local campus of Edith Cowan University on Thursday and found that they are very similar to my home of USC Sumter. We enjoyed exchanging information about our respective campuses. They seemed very pleased to find that I worked at a regional campus with a similar student population. So there is another great vocational day under my belt.

A few photos for you all to tide you over for a while. As I have said before, we'd love to get comments. I know there are folks who are reading the blog and not commenting, so if you would consider just a quick hello for us all, I think that would be great. I'm convinced there are more readers out there than we know about!

Shannon

Headed Northward along the West Coast

2007-03-07T19:51:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am wearing the Official Aussie Police Issue Hat (Akubra). It is just one step closer to the full uniform. It will be tough not to consider a Police job here. Just jokin'. I do plan on returning home to SC very soon.

We have gone from Albany to Margaret River and the Wine Region. Then to Dunsborough for a 3 day rest. Now we are in Busselton. We have had an awesome time here in WA and have seen places and visited with people beyond our imagination. Everyone has been so good to us.

This is a life changing experience and I would recommend the GSE program and Western Australia to anyone.

Until next time, Cheers

Scott

Lindsey says...

2007-03-06T02:11:00.000-05:00

Well, as you can see - the beaches speak for themselves. It's just beautiful here. We're currently in Margaret River (known for their wineries) and after having enjoyed some of the best wine I've ever tasted and went for a 12k hike yesterday - we are having a wonderful time. Today, Grant & I enjoyed our vocational day meeting with Barry House (member of WA's Parliament) and Trevor Hunt (president of the Margaret River Chamber of Commerce). If was very informative and we are learning a great deal about the area. Tonight we are headed to a Rotary BBQ and give our presentation to the Margaret River Rotary Club. Hope everyone back in SC is doing well. See you all soon!!!!!! :-)

LINDSEY

A fast picture post

2007-03-02T21:28:00.000-05:00

I finally got some pics to upload, so I thought I'd share a few. You can find more here at my flickr site as well. I believe Scott mentioned a while back that we saw a couple of Confederate Battle flags flying at the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival, so I have a picture of that up as well, for those interested.

Scott entertaining at the Kojonup BBQ

After our eco boat tour with former GSE-er Gary Muir in Walpole.

Shannon and Grant making new friends

Beautiful view of Shelley Beach.

We'll catch y'all later!

Shannon

More Random Photos

2007-02-28T18:37:00.000-05:00

Here's a few more photos before we head off to Dunsborough for the weekend. Many of the photos that we have posted so far may look like a vacation, however, most have been taken during our Vocation days.

I will also take this opportunity to thank my host families thus far: Ralph and Gloria Fardon, Frank and Jill House and Ray and Barb Hirst. It has been a plaesure staying with and getting to know each of you.

Cheers,
Scott

Two Weeks

2007-02-28T17:52:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am still in Western Austrail. I have been slacking on my Blog postings. Here is a short list of my first two weeks.

Perth- Mornings were spent walking along the Swan River with my host Lorri and her dog Zack, a great way to start the day. The team toured a Nature Center that is totally self sufficient, they are off the grid and creating minimal impact to the surrounding landscape. A behind the scenes tour of the reptile house at the Perth zoo was great to see local reptiles. Our evening boat trip on the Swan River was very relaxing, there were so many jellyfish. Bold Park and Kings Park was a beautiful natural area within the city and offers educational programs and has an area for plant research. Throughout the week I looked at several restoration sites along the river.

Kojonup- A beautiful area with rolling hills and the red gum trees in full bloom. At Dryandra State Park we did an evening marsupial program and got to see a Brushtail Possum, Bettong, Bilbiby, and a Wallaby, my favorite animal was the Bilbiby. The visit to Roo Gully was wonderful. It was a great way to interact with the Kangaroos. My hosts John and Kath have a beautiful farm and were a wealth of information for local plants and animals. I spent several days with CALM (Conservation and Land Management) and looked at their restoration sites and educational programs. My first two weeks were wonderful!

Lori

Random Photos

2007-02-26T04:16:00.000-05:00

Here's some random shot along the way.

Cheers,
Scott

One more quick thing!

2007-02-25T22:40:00.000-05:00

Yep, I forgot something even in that long post! While we were out in Kojonup and while I was with my first host family here in Albany, the water we were drinking, washing and showering with was rain water. It's fascinating to me how the water is collected from the roofs of homes and goes through the gutters into pipes that take it to storage tanks. And it's pretty tasty too!

Just thought that was a cool fact to share!

Shannon

Spiders and snakes and heights...Oh my!

2007-02-25T21:59:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Albany, WA! I am leaving the photo posting to others and thought I'd give y'all a wordy update on things happening with us.

Quickly, here are a few links to places I have been in the past week. I'd love to do an entry on the school system here as I am finally feeling confident in my understanding of things, but that might take a while and is best saved for another post I think. I have been to some unis and to some K-12 places and it's been a nice mix. I think I will be able to discuss it intelligently when I get home which is great. I love to learn new things.

Kojonup District High School
Narrogin Agricultural College
Kattaning Senior High School
Great Southern TAFE
Narrogin Beef Producers

At NBP, we met Matt and Janet Thompson who are transplants from Texas. They were wonderful to chat with and Matt drove Grant, Garry and myself around the feed lot for a bit and to the hay processing plant next door. Definitely something out of my element, but an interesting experience as well.

Spiders (Wendy Anderson will appreciate this I am sure!)
In case you don't know, spiders scare the crap out of me. I have three true fears in the world - other than ever actually finding out what my natural hair color is of course - and they are listed in the title of this post. For the first part of this week I was staying with John and Marion Lightfoot on their olive farm which was quite interesting. It's a "hobby farm" since John has a full-time job and Marion has several part-time ones. We got to ride out to the back paddocks and see some 'roos hopping from the trees. I have to say, that will never get old. It's so fun to watch! Well, we came home from the BBQ on Saturday night and I had gone to my room. I turned around to a HUGE spider on the wall over the doorway. I have pictures, but those are for another day. Needless to say I left the room and called for reinforcements and John caught Ralph (I thought he needed a name) and took him outside. Eeek. Ick. Spiders. It was a Huntsman, for those with that sort of informational interest. Check out this link to see a picture of some of Ralph's buddies. He looked like the one in the top photo.

Snakes
Yeah, I'm not so fond of the reptilian type (except for some of my close friends, haha), but we went to Dinosaur World (which is also home to some beautiful birds, one of which will come right up and put his forehead on your leg for you to pet him. It's too cute!) yesterday and I decided it was high time I held a snake. And YES, there is photographic evidence of this and I have witnesses too! It was a carpet python I believe and was a pretty cool experience. Not that I want to keep doing the snake-handling thing mind you, but sometimes you just gotta try something new. When he started to move around I was more worried that I would hold him too tight to get him to move back around, so I turned him over to someone else. I think Grant had more fun with the snake than the rest of us when it started to climb up on his hat! Definitely photos of THAT to come as soon as possible!

Heights
Lastly, I am VERY afraid of heights. So much so that when I get to close to certain areas, I will start to have an anxiety attack. Scott posted some great pictures of Natural Bridge and the Gap which are nice to see since yours truly couldn't make it that close to the edge. I know my limitations and only go as far as I am comfortable with. Yesterday, however, was a bit of a challenge as we all went on the Tree Top Walk, which at the highest point is 40 metres (about 131 feet) above the ground. The view truly is lovely from up there, but I am not sure I was able to appreciate it as much as some of the others on the team did as I kind of kept moving and would not look straight down. But I would not let everyone else do it and me be too scared to go up there. I had a few moments because the walkways to move with the wind and with other people walking on them, but I'm glad I went up and can say that I did it.

So there you have it. A bit of me conquering some fears or at least facing them. I think that's kind of what trips like this are all about - doing new things and trying things even if you can't get all the way. I even ate a forkful of peas at dinner the other night and confirmed that yes, I really do not like them. haha So yay for me!

What is odder still is that I have lost about 5-6 pounds on the trip so far. That is just from walking around during the day and actually eating MORE than I usually do in some circumstances. I think it's just because we are eating BETTER on this trip than we might back home in the States. Aussies seem to have a healthier diet and while often I find I cannot finish the food that is given to me, none of the team is going hungry and the food has been wonderful.

An amazing adventure all around and we are only half finished. THis morning we met with Peter Watson, a parliamentary member from Albany, and we have one more meeting this afternoon. Over the next couple of days, we'll be at places like the local campus of Great Southerh TAFE, the University of Western Australia, the Albany Chamber of Commerce and a visit to the Sandalwood Factory and more. Thursday it is off for a free weekend in Dunnsborough, then on to Margaret River.

Sorry for an amazingly long post, but I figured since others could give you all some photos, I would give you a lot of words instead! Anyone who knows me personally will not be surprised since I love to talk! And for those reading that I work with, I would like to add the disclaimer that I AM actually doing vocational experience and you should not believe everything you see in the pictures Frank is sending around campus!!

Shannon

Wind Farm

2007-02-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

This Wind Farm produces 75% of the electricity for the City of Albany. That seems amazing until you see the size of one of the twelve windmills on the edge of the South Coast. The turbines are bigger than a jets engine. (Look at how big it is compared to our team)

Cheers,

Scott

**************************************

This is Shannon sneaking in to Scott's post to say that the Wind Farm is really cool, but I also am convinced it's a homing beacon for alien life forms. It's like something out of "War of the Worlds". Cool, but totally eerie in my opinion.

Wow, What a View!

2007-02-25T05:33:00.000-05:00

The team went to "The Gap" and "The Natural Bridge". Wow! What a view! Photos can't do this place justice. The views are simply amazing along the South Coast.

Scott

2007-02-24T07:19:00.000-05:00

Well folks, I tried. I have tried to upload my photos, but it's amazingly slow going, so I have given up. I'll try again some other day, but fortunately some of the others can get the photos going. That's just the way it goes I suppose! So when you see no new photos from me or possibly my teammates, please know that we are trying, but it's not always possible.

Shannon

Just in case you've heard...

2007-02-23T18:53:00.000-05:00

We are safe, however, a wildfire burns across from Emu Point near Oyster Harbor in Albany, WA. This has been burning for several days now, starting in the early morning hours on Friday. Firefighting crews with trucks and water bombers have been working around the clock to extinguish this fire but it has burned to the waters edge on this side. There have also been efforts to rescue animals retreating to the water from this fire.

Scott

Scott said...

2007-02-23T18:43:00.000-05:00

Baby 'Roos like almonds

From Albany, WA...

2007-02-23T18:35:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a sunset! What else could I possibly say.

Scott

Grant on a Farm?

2007-02-22T08:32:00.000-05:00

I have never been much of a "farm boy" so to speak. The closest I have ever gotten is the few times I cut down a tree at a Christmas tree farm. And far the most part I stunk at that.

But the experience that we had in Kojonup and the surrounding areas (Narrogin and Kattaning) has shown me that it does not matter whether you are a "country boy" (as John Denver would say) or a boy that is from the city - when you put people together from different backgrounds, you can only learn that much more about each other and their culture. With that said, there were many firsts for me on this trip: 1.) first time I ate lamb roast (GOOOOOOOOOOD) 2.) first time I have ever heard of the butcher coming over to the house to cut up your lamb 3.) first time I ever fixed a windmill that pump water out of the ground for the sheep (and by fixed I mean helped hold the ladder).

We really did learn though the value and importance of the Kojonup area to Western Australia. These type of towns are vitally important to the survival of WA. But just as important they made us feel welcomed and at home.

And here is something for all you history buffs - Kojonup is the first Australian city to have 1 million sheep. I would like to see a SC city do that.

Hope all is well back in SC.

Kojonup Report

2007-02-21T20:04:00.000-05:00

Having Lori on board has opened a few doors. For example, we spent a wonderful afternoon at Roo Gully, which is a working wildlife sanctuary and education center that specialises in the care of injured, sick and orphaned marsupials. I have included a picture of me with a young kangaroo. Normally, you cannot get close to a kangeroo in the wild, but these kangaroos are domesticated because of the great care that they have received at the sanctuary. We also got a chance to take a night-time guided tour in the Dryandra National Forest, where the tour guides use special handheld spotlights that use a light range that is not visible to the animals. We were able to see a number of types of small endangered marsupials.
We have had some great opportunities to see many types of agricultural facilities on farms, in labs, and on feedlots. Kojonup is the first Shire in Australia that had more than 1 million sheep. I think they are down to 800 now, though.
We made a presentation to 85 Rotarians and guests last night and it went very well. Our presentation was 30 minutes long, and we should keep it to 20-25 minutes. But, this audience did not mind the extra length. They were especially interested in gun control issues, and Scott did a great job explaining this issue. I think they were skeptical of US policies on gun control at first, but they were much more comfortable with the US approach once Scott had answered all questions.
Earlier in the day, Scott, Shannon and I were featured on a 10-minute radio interview with the a regional station on Australia's version of NPR. On the previous night, we were the guests of honor at a BBQ at the farm of Tim and Wendy Trethowan. As we were winding down the event, a large blue commet streaked across the middle of the sky. It had a long aqua tail. Pretty impressive.
The BBQs in Western Australia are a little different than ours. When we think of BBQ, we think of vinegar-based, mustard-based or tomato-based pork. They grill a variety of meets, especially sheep meets. They taste a lot better than the meet we get at home.
At the BBQ, Grant and I also got to play doubles tennis, and it was great excercise. Grant and I were each matched with one of the Kojonup Rotarians. They were much more polished than we were. And, we had a great time.
The weather here is interesting. In this region, they get about one third of the rain that we do each year, and this year is drier than normal. Only about 12 inches in some parts of this region. Almost all of their rain comes in their winter (our summer). Daytime high temps have ranged between 85 and 95 while we have been here, but the lack of humidity makes a big difference. Night time temps can drop into the 40s with a breeze from the Southern Ocean.
We are on our way to Albany, which is a small town on the Southern Ocean. So, we have many more adventures ahead of us.
One other note, we really owe a special thanks to Joyce and Barry Walsh, who were the host family for Lindsey and the coordinator for our Kojonup visit. Joyce, who is Dutch, runs Barry's dentist's office. Barry is an Irishman with a big laugh. They took great care of Lindsey, who is now operating at full steam.
-- Garry

Week 3 in WA is Starting!

2007-02-21T19:53:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's Lindsey - "the sick one". Don't worry, I am now fully recovered and ready to take on new adventures that are coming our way!! Today is Thursday, Feb 22 and we're leaving Kojonup and heading back near the coast to Albany - can't wait. Each city/town has been such an experience, I get overwhelmed with anticipation as we begin new travels each week. Just wanted to say thank you to all thoses for asking how I was feeling and hoping I got well soon. Take care and I'll blog more soon!!!!!
LINDSEY :-)

Western Australian Police

2007-02-21T19:08:00.000-05:00

Can I see your License, Registration and Proof of Insurance please!? Yep, even in WA a "Coppers" job is never done.

Scott

Greetings from Kojonup!

2007-02-20T00:21:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Kojonup District High School. Yes, this is sometimes what happens on your vocational days - you manage to sneak in a few minutes on the old computer. I am staying with a lovely couple, Trevor and Jan Norrish, and spending every morning admiring the view of Jan's gardens outside my bedroom window as I awake. They do not have internet at their place so that is why I have not blogged until today. We are heading to a BBQ tonight and then off to Kataning stock yards for the day tomorrow with our presentation to several Rotary clubs on Wednesday night.

On Sunday we went to Narrogin and then up to Dryandra National Forest for an evening on "critter watch" which was fascinating. I will leave it to Lori to go into further detail about all that, but we did see Bilby and Boodie and a few possum, plus something I know I am forgetting. When we get back to the US, you'll have to ask us about the Easter Bilby as I don't have time to go into detail now, but we are definitely on the hunt for some chocolate ones!

A few things of interesting while we've been here so far:

Daylight Savings Time - this is a bone of contention it seems as it has been inacted this year for the next three years and a lot of people are not happy about that. It's odd to us because it's just something that happens in the US, but feelings run strong on it in WA it seems.

Big Dipper and the Milky Way - I look up at the sky every night in awe of seeing the Milky Way. The sky here is so amazingly beautiful that I truly cannot describe it to you. I wish you all could see it. I just want to throw a blanket on the ground and lay out there gazing towards the heavens. I am truly enthralled.

Snoop Dog - Ummmm...he was on our plane from LA to Sydney for those who might care. And even for those who won't. haha I wasn't that impressed either, though I seem to keep telling people about him!

Dugite - this is a venomous snake that Lori and I came across on our 2nd day here. Leave it to me to find something dangerous! haha But it slithered off very quickloy after realizing we had spotted it. It took a few days for Lori to find someone who could tell us what it was, but rest assured that I know now!

That's all for now and that is just the short version! When I have more time, I will try to expound on a few more things. I had a very good visit up at Narrogin Agricultural College yesterday that I'd like to talk more about, but there is just no time!

Oh! Wait! I do need to mention the Swan River in Perth. It is named for the black swans that were seen swimming on it and people have been fascinated to hear about Swan Lake Iris Gardens back home. It's been a very nice connection to have here in Western Australia!

I'm off until I have another place with some access.

Shannon

We're in Kojonupo (Place of the Axe)

2007-02-18T03:15:00.000-05:00

Well, we made it to our next spot, Kojonup. This is near the Wheat Belt area of WA. I am staying with a great family who are in the sheep farming business. It's not a small operation either; 2500 acres/7000 sheep. Wow! We went to see a performance of the very famous John Williamson, who is a Folk/Country singer in Australia. He sings about the environment and even played at Steve Irwin's funeral. He was playing at a music festival in a small town nearby, much the same as some of our festivals and, yes, we even saw several Confederate flags flying from trucks (Yutes) in the parking area. There were probably 5000 people there with many other bands playing into the night. We had a great time!

We went to Koja Place which is an Aboriginal (Noongar) Interpretive Center. We met a native by the name of Jack who really was a good host. He explained many traditions to us and even showed us how to make "Billy Tea" (more on that later) which was quite good.

I also spent some time in the "Bush". Armed only with a camera, I was hot on the trail of a Kangaroo. I followed his foot and tail prints through the bush only to run into a fox. The birds also seemed to be a little nervous of my presents.

Well, until next time, Cheers!

Scott

Kojonup-Narrogin-Katanning

2007-02-17T22:03:00.000-05:00

We toured the Kojonup community on Saturday, and we attended a wonderful country music festival at Boyup Brook on Satuday evening. The headliner at the festival was John Williamson, who is a storyteller with a wonderful voice. He is sort of like Willie Nelson with a little bit better voice. We are heading 60 miles north to Narrogin on Sunday for an overnight stay. The map might give you a better idea about where we have been and where we are going.
Later in the week, we will be making a day trip to Katanning.
Also, on Wednesday night, we are scheduled to make a presentation to 85 Rotarians and guests from five of the clubs in the area.

Picture from Notre Dame University

2007-02-17T21:54:00.000-05:00

Garry, Shannon, and Grant meet with Vice Chancellor Peter Tannock at Notre Dame University in Freemantle.

Weekly Update

2007-02-17T21:02:00.000-05:00

Government
Winston Churchill once said that "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." Western Australia is contending with a little bit of graft from some former members of Parliment. Many folks in WA say that they are fairly pleased with their own member of Parliment, but many of the other members are not serving the state well. It sounded a lot like home.
After several days of meetings with government officials and a wonderful tour and overview from a former member of Parliment, Grant said that he was beginning to "understand the mechanics" of the system. The Parlimentary system, where a member of the majority party in the legislative branch is selected by his or her party to serve as the premier (which is almost akin to our Governor) . A picture of Grant in Parliment is posted above.

On the U.S. political front, I understand that we have had Obama in SC last week and Hillary is on the way. The folks in WA are very interested in these two characters. It is wonderful to see that the folks in WA are much more informed on international issues than most Americans.

Economics
I have been amazed at the level of economic growth taking place in Perth. Salaries are much higher than you will find for comparable jobs in SC. The mimimum wage is $13. Unemployment is only 3%. Property values soared 42% last year and housing prices are now growing in the low single digits. This is a natural resource-based boom driven by demand in China and India. The US is the region's 7th largest trading partner.
Given the level of income growth in the region, I am surprised that there are not more homegrown companies producing value-added goods and services for export.
As we have visited Kojonup, we have seen that land prices have increased significantly during the past five years. But, the farmers here characterize the returns on grain and sheep as "ordinary." There appears to be a labor shortage in the rural region, too. Many of the younger people do not stay in agricultural areas, especially if they attend university or prep school outside the region.

Education

At least 40 percent of Western Australian secondary students attend private schools. And, private schools, including religiously affiliated schools, are partially underwritten by the government.

We also visited Notre Dame University in Freemantle. It has a informal relationship with the U.S. university with the same name. Several representatives from the U.S. university are on the Australian school's board and the schools regularly exchange faculty.

The visit to the Freemantle school was especially interesting because this university is only 10 years old, and Peter Tannock, the Vice Chancellor (the equivalent of the President in the U.S.) talked to us about the entrepreneurial culture that was needed to create this start-up business. Every employee in the university, including the Vice Chancellor, is on a year-to-year contract, and there is no tenure system. Peter told us that, despite tremendous challenges in starting a school in a formerly rundown warehouse district, the school has tremendous support from the folks in WA.

2007-02-15T08:42:00.000-05:00

Perth Time: 10:50pm

Greetings on our last night here in Perth/Applecross. The team had a wonderful send off BBQ this evening and Deb was a great hostess. We will all be so sorry to have to leave tomorrow, but are also looking forward to getting to Kojonup and meeting our new hosts and all the things that await us.

Our hosts here on the first leg of the trip have been more than wonderful. I cannot recall ever having felt so instantly welcomed in my life. I have to say that they have given the Rotarians of District 7770 a very high standard to live up to, but I am sure that the Australian team will have a wonderful time when they visit South Carolina. We are supposed to meet the team some time on our trip and everyone is looking forward to that.

Today held a trip to Parliament House and lunch there as well. It was fasinating to liste to how their state government works. I will differ to Grant though for a more details since he's the state government guy on this trip.

Unfortunately, Lindsey has been under the weather and had to miss today's events. For her family and friends, if you are wondering why she hasn't been in touch, I don't think she's gotten on the net and checked her e-mail in a couple of days, but never fear, she is being very well taken care of. She has a virus that must run its course, but is getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids. We will all make sure she is back on track in no time.

We leave for Kojonup tomorrow morning at 9am and are not sure how often we will have internet access. We'll definitely update the blog when we can. Sorry for no new pictures, but the team is still learning to work the blog and hopefully we can have some new stuff posted for you soon!

I should also include a special hello to my 2 new favorite people - Margaret and Merilyn. (Hope I spelled that right!) These lovely ladies have won the time of Favorite People because tonight when I told them I was 35, they did not believe me and Margaret insisted that I must only be 23. I would say that they were just being nice to me, but when I told my age, Margaret's mouth literally fell open. You gotta love a compliment like that one! *grin*

Shannon

Wow! What a Busy Week

2007-02-15T04:06:00.000-05:00

We all have had a very busy week as you can tell. I have been with the WA Police just about every day.

Day 1 was spent chasing "Bikies" or as we call them Outlaw Bikers, with the Gang Squad. I got to even "meet and chat" with a couple of them if you know what I mean. The most notorious of them all, the Coffin Cheaters, were not home or at least they would not come out and chat.

Day 2 was spent with the Water Police traveling the Swan River looking at the "sights". They have a 55 foot Police Yacht called the Falcon that is simply a beast on the water. Even their smaller crafts are awesome. I did'nt get the opportunity to dive with them due to all of their divers being dispatched away to the far north on a mission.

Day 3 was spent at the Joondalup Police Academy. This is one nice facility, it even has a hotel on site. One of the most impressive parts of the academy is the "Village". It is truely a working town within the gates of the academy complete with actors acting out everything from drunks to murderers. This is some good training. Not to mention new recruits spend 6 months there prior to being sent into the field to work.

Well, we are off to our next stop in Kojonup. Cheers!

Scott

A trip recap so far

2007-02-13T08:18:00.000-05:00

*edited to add* I couldn't get the pics to post, but check my previous post and you can see things on my flickr site.

It's 10:18pm as I write this and I should be in bed getting rest while I can, but I thought I'd try for an update. We arrived on Saturday to lovely weather to us, but our Australian hosts said we were not finding WA at its best with the skies a bit overcast. Still, we loved it and were so happy to FINALLY be out of the airport and off a plane for the first time in over 30 hours.

We were taken to over motel for the night and left on our own and the team headed out for some dinner. We made it to Clancy's Fish Pub to enjoy some fish and chips and then headed back to the motel to get some rest. On Sunday, we met up with the GSE coordinators for our stay and learn what we'd be doing the rest of the week and the rest of the trip. Around noon we met our host families and Lindsey and I headed out with John and Melodie Kevan to get settled in and have some lunch. Afterwards, we went out to Kings Park for a look around and then on a drive to Freemantle, finally meeting up with Scott and Lori and their host families for another fish and chips dinner at Cicerello's. While there we saw a huge pellican - I named him Petey - just walking on the pier. He tried to take a nip out of one of our hosts, but Ralph bravely soldiered on and got out of old Petey's way.

Monday we were up and going with some of us having vocational days and others of us taking it a bit easy. Scott had an interesting day with the local police and promises to blog when he remembers to make me give him the password to the blog. haha In my defense, I have given it to everyone previously, but it's kind of hard to remember, so I do need to write it down again for him and for Grant so they can blog for you all. As you can see from the pictures I posted earlier, Lindsey, Lori and I had a fun day petting and feeding the kangaroos and petting a koala at Caversham Wildlife Park. Then it was back home for a lovely dinner with Melodie and John and their son Mike, his wife Cecelia and their 12-day-old son Lucas, plus Melodie's mother and friend Sue. We had a lovely evening. Melodie and John have been wonderful hosts and yes Bernie, we are on our best behavior!

Today was our first presentation and it went well, though we have some things we want to cut and to shape up for the future. I know Lindsey has some pictures and will post them soon. She's feeling a tad under the weather tonight and seems to have caught the cold that I brought over with me from the States, but she has some medicine and is off to bed now. No worries though as we are being very well taken care of.

This afternoon there was a reception for us with the Mayor of the city of Melville, Katherine Jackson. You will see that picture posted at the top of this entry of the team with the Mayor. Lindsey and I then headed off for the Mandurah District Rotary Club's meeting where the first female member was being inducted this evening with John doing the honors. We'll be back with those lovely folks in about 4 weeks and Lindsey and I were each about to meet out host families tonight.

The rest of the team headed off for some kangaroo watching at a local golf course where those wacky marsupials live. I'm sure we'll see lots of pictures about it tomorrow when the team re-groups at 9am before heading to Notre Dame University (yes, a branch of the US Notre Dame) and I will have my first vocational visit with the Student Services department there.

It's much too late for me to still be up, so I will sign off. Everyone is well here and if your loved one is not blogging, do not worry, they will be soon. I promise!

Shannon

Grant in Western Australia

2007-02-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

Yes it is true. Grant Gillespie has entered the blog world. I have always had a strict rule of never entering into this this "rubbish" but I can't think of a better reason to enter this weird means of communication than the Western Australia Rotary trip.

First, it is very difficult to put into words the city of Perth that we are currenlty in right now. Simply put it is nothing like Columbia or Gilbert for those of you that were wondering. There is, no Lizard's Thicket, no 5-points, no Bud Light, and none of the other things that have been staples in my SC life. But lucky for me, we are in a place that has so many different and great things to offer. The city itself is the prettiest and most clean place I have ever seen. It is surrounded by a river that feeds into the Indian Ocean. It also does not hurt that Aussie's too enjoy a beer and a glass of wine every now and then.

I think most of us are finally recovering from the jet lag a bit and starting to settle in a bit more. This morning was our first presentation to a collection of Rotary clubs. Taking into consideration the power point went down in the middle of the presentation, I think it was fine. And for those of you that are wondering if I told a joke to kick my part off, that would be a yes. I firmly believe when unprepared and not real sure what you are going to say, the least you can do is tell a bad joke to kick it off.

As we settle in, one thing that we are learning is the people here are very friendly. And this includes the Western Australia Rotarians and hosts. They keep us very busy but allow us to experience things that under normal circumstances we would not be able to. Tomorrow a group of us is heading to Notre Dame University - a sister school for the Fighting Irish back in the states. Thursday we head to the Parliament House (same thing as SC's statehouse). For those of you at work I will be sure to advocate for lower taxes and school choices for all Aussie's.

But to all back home, I hope all is well. And look forward to giving you the 2nd edition in the near future.

G

A few fast pictures

2007-02-12T23:37:00.000-05:00

We've had some requests for photos and will definitely be doing more as there is time. I am going to post a few and then the link to my Flickr web site where everyone should be able to see the pics I have uploaded. I need to put some descriptions there though, so bear with me and the rest of the team while we get ourselves in order.

Shannon's Flickr site for some additional pics (but not many yet!) If this link does not work, give me a bit of time and I'll work out the kinks.

And to everyone reading our blog PLEASE COMMENT. We love to see the comments!

Shannon

Super Fun!

2007-02-12T07:42:00.000-05:00

Well, we're here!! We did make it and that sure was a long flight! I thought we'd never get here but we did and our bodies are adjusting and we're having great fun! Today was our first vocational day and Garry, Grant and I visited the Dept. of Industry and Resources which was very interesting! Later in the afternoon, we did get to see some great WA animals. Read Lori's post and you'll get all the details. Anyway, just wanted to check in and say hello to all my family, friends and Rotarians back in SC!!! Tomorrow morning is our first presentation - wish us luck!!!!!
LINDSEY :-)
PS - KEEP COMMENTING!!

On the hunt!

2007-02-12T04:48:00.000-05:00

Today Shannon, Lindsey, and I stalked wild kangaroo in the bush, just kidding. We took in the sights at a local wildlife park, check out the park at Caversham Wildlife Park. Local WA animals were on display such as Kangaroos, Dingos, the Boobook, Echidnas, Kookaburras, Emus, and my favorite the Wombat. The Kangaroos, Wombat, and Koalas enjoyed having their backs scratched and photos taken.

Check out Nature Base to see more photos of the animals.

Lori

G'day from Australia!

2007-02-11T07:02:00.000-05:00

Well, really it's more like Good Night since it's just after 9pm here in Perth. I wanted to do a fast update to let everyone know we arrived safe and sound. We've been going all day since meeting our host families around noon and will soon have some pictures to share. There is so much to tell already, but this is going to have to be a fast post just to let you all know we arrived. The journey was long, but the rewards will more than make up for it!

Until later when there is more time...

Shannon

2007-02-04T15:30:00.000-05:00

FOUR DAYS!!! We have 4 short days before we depart. And if you are like me, you're really thinking that it's more like 3 1/2 since today is over half already. Still the only thing I can really say is "wow". So little time and so much left to do. I have things I want to wrap up at work so that I feel I'm not leaving things hanging. At least I have started packing. Things keep migrating to my dining room table and then I start putting them where they belong.

I just checked the weather and the 5-day forecast for Perth has highs on Wednesday and Thursday hitting over 100F. I won't be sorry to leave the wintertime behind me in South Carolina, but it'll be a shock to the system to have temperatures jumping up at least 50 degrees like that. The bright side is that taking summer clothes means more space in my suitcase! haha

It's so nice to know that my friends here in SC are concerned about my welfare on this trip. So far I have been told the following things:

1) I could get bitten by something poisonous and die.

2) I could get bitten by something poisonous, become paralyzed and then eaten by a crocodile.

3) Australia is home to the most poisonous spider in the world (never was told which one it is though!).

4) Don't get eaten by a shark!

And a couple of others not worth mentioning. *sigh* Yes, it's good to have friends! haha I've actually been told the spider thing by about 5 people in the past 2 weeks, so apparently there was some nature show on about this that I missed. But I could do without the spiders period. Ick.

I hope the rest of the team will be checking in before we leave, but if not, I can assure you I will be taking them all to task to ensure we get regular updates posted here so everyone can keep track of out great adventure.

~ Shannon ~

11 Days and Counting

2007-01-28T14:35:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's starting to set in. The butterflies in my stomach are starting to fly. We have gotten a glimps of a few of our activities that we will be participating in while we are in "Western" Australia and I have got to say that it is going to be an awesome experience. I can't say too much about them though because it would ruin the fun for all of you "Blog Watchers". Make sure you stay tuned to this site. As a matter of fact save it in your "Favorites" folder for daily review. I would guess that between all of the team members, we have the capability of taking close to 8000 photos (pay close attention for the "Witchety Grub" photo that may appear). Well, enough for now. Later!

Scott

One more picture post!

2007-01-21T18:26:00.000-05:00

Garry Powers

Shannon Mewborn

Lori Sheridan-Wilson

Lindsey Baxter

Scott Stover

Grant Gillespie

Stephanie Taylor

Marti Faglie

Heather Stoner

Team training update

2007-01-21T18:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was happy to welcome everyone to my hometown of Sumter for our team training session. After a few wrong turns - I won't name names! - everyone made it safe and sound to USC Sumter and we had another great day! With just a bit more tweaking and cutting out a few minutes here and there, I think we are ready to go.

Personally, I can't believe it's only 17 more days until we leave for Australia. It's sort fo freaking me out to be honest because the reality of everything I still have to do is creeping up on me now. Not just getting ready for the trip itself, but making sure things with my job are taken care of and with my home as well. I know the pieces will all fall into place, but it's my nature to worry, so I just go with the flow.

One of the things you have to remember about traveling is that while you are out and about in the world, everyone at home is still living their lives. That doesn't stop. But you see, I suffer from what my friend Heidi calls FOMS - Fear of Missing Something. So while I am off having this grand adventure, a teeny tiny part of my brain is not pleased that I am going to be missing something back home!

I have this theory that for the first week, everyone I know will think about me and wonder if we all arrived safe and what we are doing. Then, in the second week, I might get a passing thought here and there. But by the third week everyone will have forgotten about me and when I do come back home, I'm just going to be in the way. Sadly, some of my dear "friends" have been willing to back up this theory! haha That just means no souvenirs for them I think. :o)

Posted by Shannon

Australian location information

2007-01-15T20:29:00.000-05:00

As I have been preparing for this amazing adventure I am about to embark upon, I have come across some web sites for the cities and towns the team will be visiting. I thought they might be of interest to anyone who is going to follow our trip, so I am posting some links here for you all.

Kojonup

Albany

Margaret River

Mandurah

Rockingham

It doesn't cover Applecross which is our first stop, but I couldn't find a site I liked enough to post it.

Shannon

More pictures from our meeting

2007-01-07T19:20:00.000-05:00

I guess these pictures prove that it wasn't all work and no play!

This is Boss. He's my new favorite reptile, but I think he scares me!

Scott clowning around. Mainly because I said "Hey let me take your picture!"

Sandee making friends with Woody the wood duck.

Yeah, I guess that clowning around was contagious...

Posted by Shannon

Our third team meeting

2007-01-07T18:18:00.001-05:00

Greetings from Sumter! I know I can speak for the whole group when I say that we are getting more excited by the day. We are all so thrilled and honored to have been chosen to participated in the GSE program to Australia.

Yesterday was our third meeting and we all converged on Cypress Gardens near Charleston where Lori works. She gave us a great tour of the buildings and after our meeting a few of us stuck around to get out in the swamp. Sadly, the only alligator sightings we had were the ones in the pen. But to be honest, once we got on the water I reconsidered my great enthusiasm for wanting to see one up close and personal. I think maybe the guys in the pen were a much better alternative!

Our focus of the session was to work on our presentation for the Rotary meetings in Australia. It was our first time going through our information and we had a great beginning, if I do say so myself. We all have some tweaking and revising to do, but I believe it is safe to say that things are falling into place and we are all pleased with the status.

The next team meeting is here in Sumter on January 20th and I am pleased to be hosting my teammates at my place of employment, USC Sumter. I have encouraged the rest of the team to take some time and come in and blog about their thoughts and our experiences as we get ready for this amazing trip. I hope we'll see entries from them some time soon!

In the meantime, I have some pictures to share from our day yesterday. Enjoy!

Posted by Shannon

2007-01-01T11:49:00.000-05:00

YOUR AUSTRALIA GSE TEAM

Garry Powers

Team Leader, member of the Rotary Club of Five Points (hometown: Columbia) -- Rotarian for 12 years. Currently serves as the District Vocational Services Chair. Director of Economic Development Initiatives with CTC Public Benefit Corporation.

Lindsey Baxter

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Beaufort (hometown: Okatie) -- Member Services and Operations Manager for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. Responsible for new member recruiting and retention.

Marti Faglie (alternate)

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chapin Sunrise (hometown: Little Mountain) -- Resident Deputy with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

Grant Gillespie

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Columbia (hometown: Columbia) -- Policy Advisor to the Governor of South Carolina on economic development, tax, and budget issues.

Shannon Mewborn

Co-Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sumter Sunrise and the Sumter Rotary Club (hometown: Sumter) -- Director of Student Life at the University of South Carolina Sumter, a regional campus of the University of South Carolina system.

Lori Sheridan-Wilson

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Summerville (hometown: Mt. Pleasant) -- A Naturalist at Cypress Gardens. Conducts natural history programs. Lori is also in charge of the flora and fauna inventory, trail maintenance, and invasive plant control.

Heather Stoner (alternate)

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Walterboro (hometown: Walterboro) -- Associate Editor of The Walterboro Press & Standard.

Scott Stover

Sponsored by the Capital Rotary Club (hometown: Columbia) -- A Deputy Sheriff with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assigned to the Community Action Team (CAT).

Stephanie Taylor (alternate)

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Columbia (hometown: Columbia) -- Benefits Administrator for Allegro, Inc.