Footloose

So last weekend (this post is like 3 weeks late now, had terrible internet connection) brought the arrival of 3 extra housemates to Karalundi. Joanne, Theresa and Mae. It also brought the Meekatharra Ball, the annual event where our high school students get to dress up and strut their stuff in town. I dont know if you know what Aboriginal kids are like, but for the majority, they are painfully shy. They hate to stand out from their peers and their community and they rarely do things that draws attention to themselves. But on this night.... they were all really beautiful and I got a sense that they felt beautiful too....

But the funniest thing was that the whole hall and the students within the hall reminded me of Footloose. My sister mentioned it and I was like "YES!" thats exactly what is was like. You have all seen the movie with Kevin Bacon right? Awww it was sooo cute and country and the kids were too damn shy to dance..... luckily for them, we (being Theresa, Mae, Catherine, Joanne and I) have no shame and since we have had little to no club/music/dance experiences in a LONNNNNG time, we had no problem in getting up and dancing to a little bit of DYNAMITE (I knoowwwww extremely old, but hey it was that or Bad Moon Rising or White Wedding).... yeah the DJ was a little mean...... I think he may have been transported back to his ball days cause he seemed to play his favourites and was happily rocking out behind the DJ booth while we waited for a song we could dance to.

All in all, it was one of the most fun nights we have had all year.... the kids did get up and dance and we stayed on the dancefloor until we had to leave.
"EVERYBODY CUT EVERYBODY CUT, EVERYBODY CUT FOOTLOOSE!"

Dress:City Chic

Shoes: Target

Belt: Big W

Makeup: Face of Australia Bronzer and Napolen eyeshadow

Lashes and nail colour: Gloss

from the vault..... a few years ago anyway

 Okay so I used to get a little excited with my liquid eyeliner ;)

 The length of this dress is all over the place.... I still have it somewhere but I don't think I will wear it until I hem it up to my knees

Its kinda funny to look back  on past styles, obsessions and outfits...... you think you look bad ass at the time only to look back and kinda feel a lil embarrassed for yourself......seriously kinda don't know what I was thinking for the most of it..... but these pics remind me of fun times with fams and friends....

 Something funky was happening with my hair that night... I don't think it would straighten properly.... >.<

 I don't know why, but I love Niva's green shoes.... they pop so much... as well as my little yellow purse...I left one in London, along with my memory card :(

I think I will post some more old pics later.... well at least until I get to taking some new ones...I've been sick so I have basically been in PJ's all week but next week is the Meeka Ball!! Look out Meekatharra! My roommates best friend will be here and so will my sister and niece!!! Yay for East Coasters in WA... :)

Many Blessings and Happy Sabbath <3

Falala Mele xo

open day

so we had an open day...... I spent that day painting faces....... there was a long line and this one kid from Meeka refused to go home until his face was painted even though his grandparents were walking away; starting the car and driving off...... I started to paint his face as fast as I could and then hurried him off in the hopes that his family were hiding around the corner..... but he still refused to go until he got the skeleton arms too....... all this communicated without words.....bless him..... I hope he didnt get into too much trouble....

Many Blessings,

Falala Mele xo

While Im missing you

Dress: City Chic
Cardi: Kmart
Beanie: my mami made it :)
Bangles:City Chic
Polish n Lipstick: Gloss
Bag: Roxy


Just gotta loves days out with the girls.... Kings Cross.... your people were memorable to say the least.....

Happy Birthday Emma!

rToday was my friends birthday..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA MAGENTA! I really hate being away from home sometimes......but its the birthdays and christenings and stuff that make it feel like I miss home ALL THE TIME.
This time last year I was getting ready to graduate, out to dinner with friends and off to watch The Time Travellers Wife since we loved the book so much (pffft what a dud that movie turned out to be)........ It feels like a lifetime ago.....

Dress: Big W
Belt: Parklea Markets
Earrings n Necklace: Gloss and Diva
Bangle: Turtle Shell from Tonga (gift from Lupe)

I guess a new job and new place in the world can do that huh. So since Im here and not there I thought I would post some of those pics from last year because it was good being there.....friends, food and fun....always makes for something worth remembering......

 What do you do after a dud movie? Break into Santa's Workshop and get escorted out of the shopping centre :)

Heres to you my dear friend Emma Fagan..... its been an honour watching you grow into the lady you have become......Im so happy you won that competition because you deserve it and so much more. I luv ya <3
Check out emmas prize!!!! Coooool or what?
Emma meets Bertie

out

Being so remote and far from anything, most weekends are spent at home trying to avoid the mob of kids that are constantly knocking on my door...."Miss Carmel! Miss Carmel can I come in?"....... Just the other day my housemate and I recorded some footage of it. If its not a hassle to upload I will put in on the blog so you can see what I mean....and watching it makes me laugh...... but to get away for the weekend, well that was really nice.

Although I wanted my housemate to come, she was stuck working :(   so off I went with two work mates. Minus the 16 hours of driving....the one free day we had at Kalbarri was really beautiful.

 

The open space and height of this lookout made me want to lie down.... lil scary but the view was amazing

 There were so many beautiful views and various lookouts at Kalbarri National Park

 Natures window <3

I guess to dress for comfort is sensible when your out and about in the elements.....it was really windy, hot and there were a million flies around. But I wore my lovely Niuean Outriggers top cause I always like to rep my island.....

Shorts and canary yellow top: Big W

Shoes:Target

Tortoise Shell Glasses: Rockmans

Earrings: Gloss
Hat: Von Zipper

Best fun was spending most of the dirt road time in the back of the Nissan holding on for dear life......like the most fun free roller coaster ever......and doing my "footloose front kicking" with this old lady who felt sorry for my because my friends didnt want to dance with me and the live band...... Wish I got a pic with Kerryl cause she's cool like that! Oh and we found a pink saltwater lake too :)

and sadly we made the long trip back............hope you are all well wherever you may be in your travels.....

Love and blessings

Falala Mele xo

I found this lovely dress/skirt piece at the Newman Fortescue festival. I loved the vibrant colour, light material and $20 price tag....perfect for the summer weather.

Jailhouse rock

I had such an amazing experience travelling out to the Jigalong Community last weekend and I haven't really had time to reflect and post on it. I guess there is no better way to get your mind thinking than 14 hours on the open desert road.

I was asked to attend a funeral with a friend; whom I teach with as she is the daughter of a Pastor and they lived in the community for a few years. It wasn't just a normal "stay for a few years" type gig. Her Dad was so respected by the community members that they entrusted him with their "men's business" tools and knowledge.

What also happened is that they became "skin" to this community and its people. She has cousins, aunties and uncles and all of which look at her the same way.

The previous week she drove to Newman to pick me up and passed her Martu Daddy at the service station. She was informed that her "sister" had sadly passed away in prison.

And so we returned the week later in order for Dayle to pay her respects. I was excited as I hadn't seen my students in almost a month. I know you're not supposed to have favourites but everyone does and one of my special girls comes from that community so I was excited to see her.

I was called outside of the house to be greeted by Miss Joan and her mob (being all her grannies that she cares for) and it was such a nice feeling to be missed and met by these people again. We quickly started to exchange stories of funerals (we both had family funerals recently) and holidays and the high school trip to Sydney and as we walked to the shop I would hear "MISS CARMELLLLLL!" as more and more students were surprised to see a teacher in their home community. Best feeling ever really...... them running up to you for a hug..... and looking for the same reciprocation they extended towards me..... I had students run up to me that had only attended school for like 2 days and they wanted hugs, and kisses too.

As the weekend went on I became quite sad and how much prison is accepted and dare I say it, expected. What I mean by expected is that it boys (more so than girls)  kinda grow up, they commit (mostly) petty crimes and eventually end up in the big house and being there is not that out of the ordinary, and having your Dad or Mum there is not odd either and spending your teen years in juvie is kinda common.

My beautiful kids, they easily know more than 3 people who have been or are in jail, and some have parents and or immediate relatives in "lock up".......... I dunno I guess I'm really disturbed by it.... being a teacher you kinda aim to change or influence world views of the children so that they expect something better.....and it just got me thinking.... what can we do to make it a little better? what can we do to bring about a change where jail is not the norm.....the old people, they got up and spoke..... "this is not right, old people shouldn't be burying young people... its all mucked up and around the wrong way.......theres more to life than just drinking". It was as if they were pleading to the young ones to find a different way........

this person...... she died in jail.....her brother came to the funeral from jail in chains and when the kids were taking me around Jigalong they wanted a photo cause they were playing "lockup"........ this is what they see and know...... how are we going to change this? how am I going to change this?

Goodness..... kinda serious huh....

Much Luv,

Falala Mele

last week sometime

Top: Rockmans
Dress: Best and Less
Belt: Big W
Earrings: Diva
Bangles: City Chic

one school and two funerals

So first week back at school was SAAAALOOOOOWWW! For those of you who don't know me... although I think you all do :P I am a teacher for a grade 3,4 & 5 class out in the remote desert of Western Australia... and my students are all Aboriginal kids bar one.... so these kids come from fairly traditional communities and for anyone who has ever worked with Indigenous Australians; you know what happens during funeral time.

Come rain, hail or shine, it doesn't matter if it's your great great uncle's cousin who passed away, you must attend the funeral. So I return to my school with all but 6 students in my class. Wiluna has a funeral and so does Jigalong. Have you ever watched Rabbit Proof fence? Well my kids are from that country..... My housemate is not back either :( Stupid rain delayed the planes from Sydney.... but at least she gets extra time with the family....

So as for the clothes.... well.... out here I kinda don't get to dress up as much :( Its really country here and there really isn't many events or places to dress up for.... but I will still post up outfits that I wear around here.... one of my new girls said to me today "Miss it's like you come from New York or something"..... lol I WISH JELLYFISH!

This is what I wore today. It has been a favourite top of mine since I purchased it during the July holidays... I brought it from Big W when I was shopping with friends.... I think it may have been $30 or somewhere around that mark....... Hope you are all having fun dressing up or down; whatever the situation may be.... and a special shout out to my lovely friend Miss Magenta who is also in teacher clothes mode. Miss you all <3

Falala Mele

Eat Pray Love

Bonjour Friends!

How are you all? Well it has been a long week since my last post...actually its been over a week but I have been busy packing up and preparing for my inevitable return to the bush..... so here I am, back in the middle of nowhere in Western Australia and I am so happy to be back in my house :) My roommate is still enjoying all the bright lights and wonderful food that Sydney has to offer... so she won't be back until Thursday.... I loved being back home and being able to attend things... birthdays, movies, food and shopping....

Although not much shopping occurred (I was busy with family and all my duties as a niuean girl during a funeral) so most of my time home was spent driving back and forth to the airport, buying food, cooking and feeding family and friends and cleaning and crying with loved ones over the loss of my dear Uncle.

Emo much? try having your aunty telling you that she wants you to sing at the funeral..... "It doesn't matter if you cry, it doesn't matter if you can't sing properly... I want you to sing for your Uncle"...........

*DEEP BREATH*

So aside from all that.... I managed to find this sweet little top at big w for about $25 AUD.... oh and if I could have found the next size up it would have made the sweetest dress..... but I still love the colour, the lil detailing in the sleeves....it's lovely and light and I'm sure I will get a lot of good use out of it during the hot Australian summer.... So sad I missed out on the little black cherry dress :( DAMN IT!

So back to the eat pray love. I managed to catch the movie on the night before I flew out to Perth. The first part of the movie left us all feeling giddy at the sight of the beautiful italian buildings..... we tried repeating each Italian phrase as she was being tutored in the language and we longed to eat pasta, pizza, prosciutto and melon..... GAAAHHHH! Can I please be there right now? You see, my sister and cousin (who is basically my sister) are approximately a year off graduating. The plan is to move to London for approximately 6-12months to work and travel all around europe.... on my brief visit to london, paris and amsterdam... I basically fell in love with europe and wish to have a longer affair over there!! First stop after we arrive into London.... Italy :) as for the rest of the movie? Yeah I kinda wanted to rewind the first part and watch italy over again.... gotta love the "eat" part of the movie.....the pray and the love part kinda had me wanting to hit myself over the head so that I could snap out of my boredom.

So here a few pics of the outfit..... I really need to take time out for better pics... but I usually only have time for a quick few shots cause I am always running late... note to self.... take better pics of the outfit so people can see what Im wearing..... DONE... thats noted ;)

I hope you are all well.....

Many blessings coming from Karalundi,

Falala Mele