Back to Oregon!

We had a retreat in the Glasshouse mountains which are near the Sunshine Coast. Ironically, we didn't see the sunshine once those 3 days. It rained so much and so hard that it flooded the road we to leave on. Thankfully, it had stopped raining the night before we were to leave and one lane of the highway was open. The students spent lots of time studying for their final 2 tests. We also all got caught up on laundry! Lots of it!!! Students cooked our suppers for us and they all did outstanding jobs. We played lots of games: scrabble, cards and checkers. Ryan practiced cracking his whip for hours it seemed! We were bummed we couldn't go hiking and see the gorgoues area, but it was such a great location to be rained it at. We also had an indoor Easter Egg hunt, which was fun! After 3 fun days at the Glasshouse mountain ecolodge, we headed back to Brisbane for a last day of shopping and packing.

Our farewell dinner was at the Greek Club in West End. Lots of hugs and laughs were shared. Bryn and I created a slideshow/movie and Erik wrote a poem. The students created a huge wonderful card for us and gave us a certificate to a Portland restaurant. So generous of them. What a great group of young adults. Amazing.

Below is the poem that Erik wrote.

We had an uneventful flight home with 4 of the students. The rest of the students are still having adventures in New Zealand and beyond! We miss Australia, but it's great to be home. Spring has sprung and it's gorgeous here. All for now, who knows if I'll use this blog again. It's been fun though!

Love,

Carla



My Country by Dorothea McKellar Ode to Oz plagiarized by Erik Nilsen

I love a sunburnt country, I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains, but slip, slap, slop, says Clare,
Of ragged mountain ranges, and don’t you dare tell Maggie
Of droughts and flooding rains. about the “endangered” Koala bear.
I love her far horizons, I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea, I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror – But those darn jelly’s on Heron,
The wide brown land for me! Emma does not love thee.

The stark white ring-barked forests, The Eucalyptus forests,
All tragic to the moon, With their various fire regimes,
The sapphire-misted mountains, At Sapphire laden Rubyvale,
The hot gold hush of noon, Luke found locals can hold their beer it seems.
Green tangle of the brushes The tangle of the tent poles,
Where lithe lianas coil, inciting Alyssa’s laugh,
And orchids deck the tree-tops, Arhea’s bright orange jogging shorts,
And ferns the warm dark soil. Running around Brissy, looking for the right path.

Core of my heart, my country! Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky, The colors of the sandstone,
When, sick at heart, around us more varied than Seth’s hair,
We see the cattle die – The goats of Biloeala,
But then the grey clouds gather, and Theresa’s mechanical bullride there.
And we can bless again Amazing Brook, our Ethiopian Jackaroo,
The drumming of an army, Cracking whips and catching goats,
The steady soaking rain. A closet cowboy, who knew!?

Core of my heart, my country! Jazzy Jo expanded her horizons,
Land of the rainbow gold, substantially, tis true,
For flood and fire and famine she experienced her first Easter egg hunt,
She pays us back threefold. She even found a few!
Over the thirsty paddocks, But what I’ll most remember,
Watch, after many days, inspired to make her project great,
The filmy veil of greenness To a few whacko Aussies
That thickens as we gaze. She’ll be known forever as BloodBeforeCountry88.

An opal-hearted country, An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land – Through which our Tatty ran,
All you who have not loved her, While Shane’s climbing, jumping, swinging,
You will not understand – made us question, is he monkey or a man?
Though earth holds many splendours, Danielle proved she could tackle,
Wherever I may die, both Rugby player and goat,
I know to what brown country and Kendall was organizing,
My homing thoughts will fly. A WhitSunday sailing boat.

Though earth holds many splendors,
And some are seen through chance,
At our corroboree down under,
There is no doubt that Elyse can dance.

We owe our love of country,
to the deadly guidance of Nat, Marta and Rob,
And finally I will quit rhyming
And definitely keep my day job!