Only in Country Australia

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a good yodeling fraulien these days?

Of Things Unusual and Mundane

Today was a student free day at school so I decided it was an opportune time to post a blog update.

Life here is mostly how I like it: in a nice, predictable pattern that keeps me moderately busy. That is not to say that The Boys are predictable. Au contrare. Well, after typing that, I begin to rethink it. The Boys are predictable in their unpredictability.

Case in point: Upon collecting an assignment recently, I was entering in the gradebook who turned what in on what date, and while I was not marking the assignment (one teacher marks ALL the projects for consistency in grading, my day will come. Oh yes, my day will come...) I was inspecting it to see who followed directions, etc. It was then that I noticed that two of them were...the same.

Not similar. Identical. Well, identical except for the font (and that hadn't been changed in every place.) Needless to say, this is a breach of academic integrity. So I went through the dance of calling parents, telling them what happened, checking on procedure with the Head of Curriculum (what some would call the Academic Vice Principal in the Northern Hemisphere), and generally keeping everyone involved appraised of the situation, making sure that All Righteousness was fulfilled. It was funny, because one of the things I *wasn't* in this instance was angry. I really was disappointed with the boys who thought that The Man Who Talks Funny was either:

A) Blind or,

B) Stupid

but I wasn't angry or anything. I felt pretty good about the way that I handled it and with the discipline that I meted out in this particular case. I felt like it was fair and just. I think the boys were contrite and a little afraid, which is a reasonable reaction when dealing with an unknown quantity like a foreigner such as myself. But I actually like both of these students and, inshallah, we have nipped an academic problem in the bud and they will learn from the experience the next time they think: "Hey, maybe I could just..."

In other areas, I am heading back out to West Wyalong tomorrow for the Queen's Birthday Weekend. (You Northern Hemisphere types had Memorial Day weekend a couple weeks ago, it's now our turn for a long weekend.)

West Wyalong, you may recall, is a place of great consolation for me. It was a place of good people and good ministry, so I look forward to showing up back out there this weekend on the altar. It will be good to be presiding with those communities of good people again. And I look forward to riding with the pastor again as he runs over kangaroos. He claims that the only time they have ever threatened his automobile is when I am riding with him in the car. But this is a long, (and messy) story. I demure from justifying his scurilous accusations with a response. I am no 'roo magnet.

I feel like I'm still getting my feet on the ground, culturally and educationally. I'm still trying to work out the significant differences between the US and Aussie systems. Usually it happens that I am chugging along and I ask the wrong question, which I don't even know is the wrong question. Then I get a response that, to the responder, must seem self-evident. But it illustrates the tribal social nature of teaching, like all professions; it has its own language both in the US and here. And frequently the name for a concept I have is very different from the term used here in the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. So I probably look like an idiot to my peers in the Religious Education department. But they are tolerant of my idiot savant nature for the most part and always helpful.

I've also helped out with a couple fundraising things. But I am really nervous about that one because while I may have some proven facility in this realm, I have no desire to be 'The One Who Can Raise the Funds" as many are. I like working with the boys directly too much for that. Ah, yes, I wandered from that earlier.

I find I DO like working directly with The Boys. They are frequently like some sort of amusing subject from a Walt Disney nature short. You know, the one where the raccoons get in to the cabin and get up to all kinds of hijinks that make you laugh. Unless, of course, it's your cabin. But more often than not, their intent is good. This sometimes just smooths out the ride to Hell, of course, as the old saw goes. But it is frequently funny to observe too.

I am also preparing for an immersion trip with a group of 14 Boys to the Philippines in late June through mid-July. I really think it will be a good trip, if a challenging one. We take the boys to an orphange for a week, we work in a very rural village building Habitat for Humanity style houses for a week and we work in a maximum security Filipino prison for a week. Yes, you read that last line correctly. Needless to say, the visions of disaster that dance through my head are myriad. But they've been running the trip for a long time and with great results, I hear. Apparently the prisoners like and respect The Boys we bring and there have never been any problems. That was all prior to my arrival, of course. But I shall reserve judgment until the trip is done.

Someone recently asked me if I was homesick. I hope that those of you I left in the Northern Hemisphere will not take it ill if that I replied in the negative. I miss a great many of the people, yes, sure. But I really like the turn that my life has taken here. I begin to feel a part of something again. Something corporate here. I am still in the early stages, yet, of course. And many things may change. One of the unexpected joys I have come to here is how many immigrants there are here in Australia and how quickly they accept another immigrant (me, in this case.) I find myself wondering if this is how it was for my forbearers who came to the United States. While I am a foreigner and cannot, and do not, want to pretend otherwise, there is a comfort in it too. In being an alien I find a strange comfort. I miss people, but the missing isn't as great as the happiness I've felt with the life I've started down here, which has several things that were missing for me back in the states for the last several years. That's all I'm going to say about that.

I have, because of the lack of internet access in the Jesuit community house where I live, been unable to use Skype, as I like to, to call via voice people I care about in the North. So, if you have been expecting to hear from me, and you haven't, you know why. That should change some time in the next week or so, inshallah. They're supposed to be getting me some sweet, sweet broadband access over there, so some of you should literally be hearing from me soon. But, aside from the broadband, I pray for all of my friends and family in the Northern Hemisphere daily. That will have to do for now.

That's a wrap for now.

Historia de un Letrero (The Story of the Sign)

This short film won the Cannes (say it with me, pronounced, "Cans," not "Khans" to the beautiful people in the know) Film Festival for best online short film. It's beautiful and simple. Enjoy the power of the pen and the power of a small film.

A Sunday Update

As you may have noticed, I haven't really updated lately (other than my Jaiku feed, which are sort of idea-bytes posted from my cell phone.)

I came in to the office to get some work done, and I did, so as long as I was on a word style roll I'd keep it going with a blog post.

First things first: The reason I haven't Skyped some of you is NOT because I don't want to talk to you. It is because the Jesuit community I'm living in doesn't have it's own internet drop. So in order to use the net at all, I have to cross the street to the school and use my work computer. Needless to say, the network at work is locked down and restricted and Skype is not on the menu. That's the bad news. The good news is that the IT guys are coming to install a network in the house and that it HAS to be done by World Youth Day in early July, and with me pestering them, it keeps moving up their 'to-do' list of priorities.

Secondly, what to say? Let's see, I picked up 4 Religious Ed classes, grades 8, 10, 11 and 12. All of which roughly correspond to their American counter parts. The major shift in the teaching (other than the fact that I haven't been in the classroom in quite some time) is that here, while we are all teaching from the same syllabus (not too unusual for me), we will all give the same exam and I need to stay relatively close to where everyone else is. For me, of course, I was used to teaching what I wanted, when I wanted and then writing and grading my own exam, none of which is done here. So that's a shift in mindset.

Thirdly, it's great to be back in Australia. The last week has been pretty tough in some ways, with a friend of mine being killed in Afghanistan, and another Army guy I know getting busted for sexual assualt/solicitation/generally being a bad person with a minor over the internet. That one really threw me for a loop since I wouldn't have suspected that: A) He would act in such a fashion and B) With the state of these sorts of things always being reported about, that he was DUMB enough to do this. But there you go. In light of that, I'm really glad to be back here. I've had a good talk with some friends in New Zealand, and I'm moving slowly back in that direction, but I'll have some time to do here in Australia before we make that leap. Part of the consoling movement of the Spirit in all of this is functioning like a priest again. I do daily Masses at a community of Loretto sisters who have a girl's school near by, Jesuit community and school Masses, etc. That's REALLY nice for me. Also, the greeting I have received upon returning has been pretty overwhelming. Jesuits, friends and retreatants have let me know how glad they are that I'm back here, and that's really nice.

So school is keeping me busy (basically 6 days a week, with Saturday Sport [note the lack of 's' that we would append in the US]; ALL sporting events happen on Saturday, so going from volleyball to tae kwon do to soccer to rugby to tennis pretty much devours an entire day). I'm feeling pretty good about things and I've started running again, feebly for right now, but I am hopeful that I'll be able to do the City2Surf again in August.

I miss many of you in the Northern Hemisphere, and think and pray for you often, but I'm glad I'm here. No, gladder than that. I'm REALLY glad I'm here.

More soon, and watch my Jaiku feed for (trivial) daily updates.

SFSJ

One Chapter Ends...Another Begins

I awoke early this morning. After months of waiting and enough bureaucratic paperwork to choke a starving donkey, my visa finally came through and I'm Australia bound.

I got the word on the visa on Sunday, and it's been a rush ever since. How do I consistently do that? It must be in my nature somehow that I can never, completely say goodbye to people and have things as organized as possible to make a change like this, even when I have months to prepare to do so. It may be some flaw in my character that resists closure and saying goodbye. Perhaps my Perceiver preference on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator spectrum that longs to be free of things like deadlines and, ultimately, decisions. Whatever, it's left me packing and repacking (which I did again this morning) and feeling like I should call all of the contacts in my cell phone and on my computer. And feeling guilty because I haven't talked to everyone I *should* talk to. But it is very me, somehow.

And here I stand looking out over Rubicon, wondering what lies on the other side. In this case, Rubicon has "Quantas" and a kangaroo logo painted on its side. Talking to a friend, the PAgent Man, the other day and trying to describe the feeling, I said that it felt like when I reported to basic. That same sense of unknowability and uncertainty are pervasive. The nervousness almost palpable. And yet the excitement of starting something new and really launching in to something I want to do. All mingle together in some strange cocktail of joy and melancholy. How does that work inside, I wonder.

So, if I haven't said goodbye to, and I likely should have, then I do so here. And I invite you come and see what it is I'm doing. And to keep checking back here for updates of another sort.

I'm beginning, just beginning, to see that things don't "end" as we understand that term, in life, they just change into something completely different. And completely unexpected. The one thing I do know? That whatever you think something is or will be, that is most certainly what it will NOT be. Now, you'll excuse me, I have to go south, far south, to find out what things aren't.

"So this is the New Year..."

"...and I don't feel any different."

That's the first line of the song "New Year" by Death Cab For Cutie. And I felt that both, re-initiating the blog and the song lyric were appropriate for today. As even the most casual observer will note, I haven't posted anything outside of my Jaiku feeds since I left Australia back in September. I decided that the turning of the year was an appropriate time to begin again and issue some updates.

Part of the reason that I've held off so long is because I wanted to have my future (more or less) settled before I said anything, especially here in the blogosphere. No, for those of you with whom I have more regular contact, none of this will be particularly surprising.

I have been missioned by the Society back to the Australian province to help in trying to get a Jesuit school started in New Zealand. That's the long-term goal. But it's going to take some work and some ramping up. Which means that I will be going back to Australia to work in one of their existing schools (St. Aloysius, in Sydney) to get the feel of English descended, Antipodal secondary education. And, in my opinion, to understudy under a Jesuit there who started a school in Sydney and learn from him, first-hand, how he (and the Society in Australia) do mission and identity work. And also, let's be frank here, so that the Australian Jesuits can get to know me and I can get to know them. All of which is incredibly reasonable. So. That, for some of you may be the Big News. (By the way, the photo under the masthead is the view from the old Jesuit residence where I will be living and working. Don't feel too bad for me, I'll take this one for the team...)

It's been challenging trying to get all the coordination done, get provincials to talk on the same sheet of music, etc. etc. But it's finally come together. So for the next six years, I'll be down south. Waaaay down south.

Now, the Society has missioned me there, but I'd be lying if I didn't cop to the fact that I am wildly in love with both Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand more so, but Aussie is a wonderful place too, and both have been absolutely remarkable in what they've meant for my growth and where I've found life in the last few years. While we are in the 'Full Disclosure' mode, (or at least as full a disclosure as you are likely to get out of me on the web,) part of my asking for this assignment revolves around how increasingly challenging I've found it to live in the US the last few years. Especially since the war and returning from Active Duty in the Army. Sheesh, you want to talk about complicated. I'm not even going to try, in this space, to explain how it feels and why I need to get out. You just wouldn't understand. Some days, I don't understand. But, if you catch me in person, maybe I can try to fill you in.

So, since returning to Seattle from Australia, I've been working a little development, trying to re-organize my junk (and, while I may not have a lot of stuff by some standards, YOU try getting ready to move half a world a way and see what you think is indispensable and what goes into the circular file,) getting out of the Army, helping out at a parish here and there, running the Seattle Half Marathon, and working on.... a book. Which is about 1/2-2/3 of the way completed by my count. The working title is the same as this blog. I chose that title because so much has gone on for me under night time skies that are so alien to the ones I grew up under. Terror and blood. Healing and grace. Beauty and chaos. And trying to find the words to communicate all of that is both good and challenging and cathartic all at the same time. And as a writer, I know how frustratingly limiting words can be some times. It's strange because, as sloppy as I am about some things (anyone who has seen my room can attest to this,) when it comes to language, I am like some bizarre craftsman, carefully lathing each verb so that it is precisely the perfect fit into the sentences I've constructed. Writing is, in my world, definitely a craft, and what some are able to do with wood; shaping, carving, sanding, finishing, polishing to a high sheen, I choose to do with language. Will this book ever be finished? Will it ever be published? I don't know. But if these things do begin to coalesce, watch this space for an update. I owe you that much if you are reading this now.

I will not vow that I will be more regular, or effusive in these posts. Only that I want to keep people informed and this is an easy way to do it. At least, it's easier than writing: A) 20-40 individual emails or B) 1 email and shotgun blasting it out. But at least I'm back. I hope you'll come along for the ride...

So Long. Farewell. Auf Wedersein. Goodbye.

It's early, and, God bless the kookabura outside. He got up at 4:30 to say good bye to me. I'm leaving Australia this morning, for a while at least. Provided that the PotUS and his security detail, and their 'fans' (and by fans, here I mean crazy people hell-bent on disrupting life for earth people by rioting at the APEC conference) don't decide that this morning would be happy fun time to have an airport clogging riot.

Australia. Thank you. It has been a great year. You have, for the most part, wonderful citizens and inhabitants. You are blessed with beauty beyond what I had imagined. Far beyond. I will return. Soon, Inshallah. Soon.

So there you go. It's early. I may post a couple more pics from this last New Zealand trip, because I got some good ones.

Now. I go to enter my time machine. You see, I arrive in the states before I leave Australia...