So that's me this time. After repeatedly falling and getting rolled by countless waves and swallowing an untold amount of saltwater, I have managed to crudely master the art of standing up on a surfboard. Now the problem is standing up for an extended period of time. Again, surfing is one of those things that is harder than it looks, but I am convinced that with further practice, I can manage to spend less time embarrassing myself at the beach. After returning from our trip across Southern Australia, Callie and I have been working our way back into a more normal routine. Callie started classes in her superior program last week and things seem to be going well. She would admit, however, that some of their products are more sensitive and temperamental than perhaps she would like. She also might concede that she is having some difficulty adjusting to the new class schedule. As with previous terms, class is Monday through Wednesday, but now she is going from 3:00 P.M. until roughly 10:00 P.M. For anyone who knows Callie, they would immediately recognize that this falls within her going to bed hours, and as a result, she has been forced (quite reluctantly) to alter her sleeping schedule.
For my part, things have been back to a somewhat more normal routine as well. While my classes will not begin until the first of March, I have managed to remain occupied with Rotary presentations and weekly sailing and waiting to hear back from law schools. I have also begun work on a health policy project in the Solomon Islands in conjunction with our host Rotary club, so while I am not baking away until after bedtime, I have some things to do as well. Needless to say, we are again enjoying our time back in Australia, and this past weekend, we were able to enjoy arguably the most Australian of summer traditions: cricket.
Unlike the post on the various rugby codes in Australia, I will not attempt to explain the subtle nuances and intricate strategy that is cricket. Suffice it to say that it is kin to baseball, except it is played on a circular pitch, and there are two batsmen at a time, and there are no bases but rather wooden "stumps", and the players catch the ball with their hands, and a home run counts for 6 runs, and . . . it's really not anything like baseball. Nonetheless, we have found ourselves quite entertained by summer cricket and so this weekend we decided to go to the Sydney Cricket Grounds to watch Australia take on New Zealand. The weather was warm and the crowd was openly enthusiastic (which is somewhat surprising considering that many might compare cricket to watching paint dry), and best of all, Australia won! We didn't stay for the entire match, but we enjoyed the atmosphere and the spectacle and it was a nice way to begin the week.
In conclusion and on a much more somber note, we would like to let everyone know about the terrible tragedy that is unfolding in country Victoria. Victoria, the state south of New South Wales, has been struck by the worst bushfires in Australian history. The death toll is expected to climb above 200, and last we heard, there were at least 700 homes that were destroyed and over 5,000 people had been made homeless. We have received emails from many people at home asking if we are okay, and while Sydney is not in danger, the entire country is in a state of shock and sorrow. Below is a link to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal that is being organized by the Australian Red Cross, so if there is anything that you might be able to contribute, it would certainly be welcome. Our thoughts and prayers are with those families and communities that have been affected by this terrible crisis, and we will let you know more as more news becomes available.
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