Feels like another eternity since I've been on here. How are you all? I hope that you are all feeling strong and fabulous. It's a dreary Sunday morning here in Mildura and the lack of sun has meant that I slept in until 9am. I'm usually up when the sun creeps into the lounge room but not today, instead I'm sitting at my breakfast bench listening to old Mariah Carey & Destiny Child. So I thought I'd touch base and share a few pics with whats been happening with me the last few weekends.
Last weekend we had a visit by our lovely Level 2 sister Lolo. She was one of your youngest to graduate and she's doing great things in Melbourne with her teaching. We had another cause to celebrate because our other Level 2 sister Lo got the news that she was successful in her transfer to Melbourne for next year. She was out in Mildura for 4 years teaching. It wasn't one of those "serve your time in the country gigs" (and FYI Mildura is NOT country. Try Meekatharra and you'll see what real "country" is!) she loved growing out here in a smaller school; advancing to Deputy Principal in such a short period of time.
So we spent the last weekend laughing, picnicking, churching, dancing, brunching and chilling.
It was sooooo good to catch up with her and Alex and it reminded me that I need to organise a catchup with all my other college girls in the holidays.....YUSSSSS! Only one more week this term. This time last term I was in New York and now I'm gearing up to pack up my house and finish my time here in Mildura. It's going to go by so quickly, so we are making an extra effort not to let work get in the way of hanging out and having fun when we are not working.
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| 1) Homemade garlic studded pizza 2) Asparagus Pea and Olive Salad 3) Brunch 4) Lentil & Current Salad |
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| Brunch crew |
Yesterday we were making our way into church when our Samoan family told us that they weren't staying for church because they were going to a wedding in Robinvale. We were about to say our goodbyes when Lo's Mami asked us to join them. It was such a beautiful day yesterday, there were two things that ran through my mind when she asked me: a nice road trip & fob food. YES I'll come.
We dropped our niece of at her friends place and set out on the drive. We arrived and sat through the long service (it was a lovely traditional Tongan wedding) and we chatted with all our Tongan school students who were there (they looked so beautiful and it was lovely to see them in their element with their family). Stelle loved seeing the contrast between a traditional service (she thought it was serious) and the joyous wedding reception where the dance floor was littered with Mums and Aunties and cousins and sisters dancing and singing shouts of praise. She loved the food and gobbled down the Ota (raw fish marinated in lemon juice and coconut cream) and lu (beef and coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves and baked). She spent time with her student and just really loved being immersed in another culture. I love how we can have these little adventures and I'm excited for our Hawaiian one coming up!
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| Stelle watching bridal party enter the reception |
I also made my way around to visit Tae. She is a member of my Newman family. Everywhere I go, I always make a new family with the people I'm surrounded by. She is my friend Lupe's Mum and we all worked and lived together in Newman WA before my final year of college. I worked there for 2 months to save for my college fees and my trip to Europe.
I also saw her nieces. Lupe-Carmel (the girl nestled right into my shoulder was named after us both) and made arrangements for us to have some fun next term before I move away again. Aren't they just beautiful!
After the reception headed back to Mildura and I spent the evening running around a rollerskating rink with my students. We had a church social cake auction to raise money for the orphanage that our Grade 10 students visited in Vietnam earlier this year. Such a nice way to spend a Sabbath.
Big Love,
Falala Mele
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