Thursday, November 29, 2012


THE FAMILY HOLIDAY

Away from prying lenses

I left my West Australian shore one more time this year...
I left my West Australian shore one more time this year...
heading towards the sun to the exotic Eastern part of the world
heading towards the sun to the exotic Eastern part of the world
I met Fred, his wife and Olivia in one of the Bangkok's beautiful parks under the heavily scented tree...
I met Fred, his wife and Olivia in one of the Bangkok's beautiful parks under the heavily scented tree...
While Fred has already started to admire the local beauties
While Fred has already started to admire the local beauties
his wife  found it difficult to breathe in crowded places...
his wife found it difficult to breathe in crowded places...
overhelmed by coulours, noise, smell and heat...
overhelmed by coulours, noise, smell and heat...
Olivia took my hand excitedly so eager to see and explore the far away places...
Olivia took my hand excitedly so eager to see and explore the far away places...
She has already found a friend in a hotel to muck around...
She has already found a friend in a hotel to muck around...
when mum called on her to put the shoes on and settle down, we are all going to visit a Buddhist temple...I invited them to see the ordinary families....
when mum called on her to put the shoes on and settle down, we are all going to visit a Buddhist temple...I invited them to see the ordinary families....
We were waiting in a queue to go into a temple, nto a qeue of tourists but mostly of the Buddhist faithful...
We were waiting in a queue to go into a temple, nto a qeue of tourists but mostly of the Buddhist faithful...
there to make their prayers and practise their beliefs in private, with just us mingled in.
there to make their prayers and practise their beliefs in private, with just us mingled in.
Among the hundreds of them was a mother and a little girl. She was very pretty.
Among the hundreds of them was a mother and a little girl. She was very pretty.
Fred, two big digital SLR cameras hung around his neck came up close to the little girl and started photographing her.
Fred, two big digital SLR cameras hung around his neck came up close to the little girl and started photographing her.
Her mother waved her hand at him, politely, signalling "no", the girl looked away.
Her mother waved her hand at him, politely, signalling "no", the girl looked away.
He ignored this and carried on, the little girl trying to bury her face in the crook of her mother's arm.
He ignored this and carried on, the little girl trying to bury her face in the crook of her mother's arm.
Fred reached forward, took her under the chin and turned her to look out again, at him. At which the mother covered her daughter's face.
Fred reached forward, took her under the chin and turned her to look out again, at him. At which the mother covered her daughter's face.
Fred pulled the mother's hand out of the way and tried to carry on. His wife took another camera and joined him.
Fred pulled the mother's hand out of the way and tried to carry on. His wife took another camera and joined him.
Suddenly I couldn't stand it any more and hid them behind my back. Olivia followed me and took the little girl by her hand.
Suddenly I couldn't stand it any more and hid them behind my back. Olivia followed me and took the little girl by her hand.
Fred and his wife turned away dissapointed: "We just wanted to take a picture, what's wrong with
Fred and his wife turned away dissapointed: "We just wanted to take a picture, what's wrong with that?"

Photography can be intrusive

are we acutely aware of this?
While spending our hard earn money
to enjoy the sea and the sun
of far away exotic lands.



"It is so good to be home,"
I sqeezed the leathery hand
of my sea-faring uncle,
over 60 years old captain Tom.
He eased his 33 m
350-tonne vessel from the wharf
and we watched from his cabin
a big crowd waving
to the passengers on board.



As we headed from the harbour
at Makarska
leaving
the bustling popular tourist town
dwarfed by the mighty Biokovo mountains
behind
Tom smiled broadly at me:
"Do you remember our fishing trip together
when you have been seven or eight
coming to spend with us your summer holiday?"



"Of course, I do, my best times ever,
but no more fishing for you now,"
I laughed pointing around the decks
where relaxed passengers
were sipping the complementary drink of rakija.



"We still fish the open seas in winter,"
Tom winked at me:
"You don't have to plough the ocean,
You only have to take care of it
and it always give."



"But tourists give more,"
His son in law from Germany
entered the cabin and shook my hand:
"Welcome, I heard so much about you,
you are just like daughter to him,
so we are officially family,
Fred is my name."



Tom spent 20 years working in Germany
to raise capital to go into business
had paid off
His boat can take 280 passengers
on this day
there were 260 on board
on its return to harbour
it became a nightly seafood
restaurant
serving up many of the 10 species
caught in the winter
including squid and prawns.



It was party disco time,
the sparkling night
at the rear of the vessel
chefs busy grilling fish
its delicious smell drifting
over the dark waters
of pristine Adriatic.



"This was my idea,"
Fred proudly
lifted his glass of white wine,
"To Tom and his successful 2012 tourist year."



"One day it will be yours,"
Tom proudly lifted up
his five year old grandaughter Olivia
who joined us with her mother
for family dinner.



Suddenly someone waved at me
from the noisy and crowded tables
further at the deck.
My friend Lisa from Perth
ran to me and gave me a big hug:
"What are you doing here?"
I asked surprised.
"My hubby comes from Korcula,
didn't you know that island
is the spiritual home
of thousands of West Australians?"



She laughed and then turned to Tom,
"Do you mind, captain if I take a picture of you
and your beautiful girl?"
Tom stood up proudly
while Olivia snatched his captain's hat
and made a cute pose
but Fred rushed to Lisa
and took the camera from her hand:
"Hang on, this is my daughter
you want to take a picture of,
I don't even know you, what for?"



"Just for a keepsake to remember
this great boat and this holiday,"
Lisa suddently turned red
and backed off
full of appologies
when Fred handed the camera back,
"It's okey Lisa, we just prefer for tourists
to respect our privacy."



Tom patted my hand
when I came back from Lisa's table:
"Fred is a good bloke, just too German,
they are very proud of who they are,
do not take it personally."

When Dalmatian folk music
I have known from childhood
filled our ears
and brought Tom and me
to emotional tears
I hugged him tightly:
"I would love you to come
to visit me."



He smiled through his tears:
"Captains do not take holidays,
I just catch sleep on board
when I can,
but Olivia with her parents
go to Thailand in two weeks
maybe you could all meet there."



On my last day
Tom sailed very close
to parts of Brac
where the harsh,
rugged
rocky hilly
shoreline
reminded me of the place
where I live now.


"Many of them went to Australia as well,"
Tom said pointing at the crumbling buildings
among the small pockets
of fertile soils
created by moving rocks by hand.
I looked at the extremely difficult terrain
from which local people
for centuries
desperately tried to make a living.


"Do you remember when we helped
to build a stone cottage up there
for my brother, Ivan,
he is long dead, poor fellow,"
Tom suddently said
watching a man on a small boat
carrying the building material
the only access is still
only by sea.


I had tears in my eyes
when I said goodbye
to the captain of my heart
and the man
of old fashioned values
and integrity.


We pay so much
for the comfortable life we live in
we expect so much
and we are so ready
to take and take and take...
but how much
are we ready to give away?

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? I asked my students in the class


Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? I asked my students in the class

Searching for the real world

Seeing in media and reading how people are affected by dire situations - war, uprising, famine, refugee crisis...
Seeing in media and reading how people are affected by dire situations - war, uprising, famine, refugee crisis...
the same way they have been affected in the past and the same way it looks they will be affected in the future....
the same way they have been affected in the past and the same way it looks they will be affected in the future....
With every new generation we dream about the better world and the better future for all of us...
With every new generation we dream about the better world and the better future for all of us...
Looking into a newborn eyes we dream about peace and prosperity and we promise to walk long and hard, together to find that paradise....
Looking into a newborn eyes we dream about peace and prosperity and we promise to walk long and hard, together to find that paradise....
What does make us to stop in midway never reaching our destination?
What does make us to stop in midway never reaching our destination?
Next time take roads less travelled, we always presume the other path would have been better.
Next time take roads less travelled, we always presume the other path would have been better.
As we get older we regret our mistakes, opportunities not taken, loves lost, wrong turns. Not my man. I toast his health and I make another decision.,
As we get older we regret our mistakes, opportunities not taken, loves lost, wrong turns. Not my man. I toast his health and I make another decision.,
To follow him on the road less travelled, the road of acceptance. Do you have a decision or choice you regret?
To follow him on the road less travelled, the road of acceptance. Do you have a decision or choice you regret?
The roads of racism and hatred, would you express your outrage to the racist/ the oppressor in question? If you are like about 80 per cent of people, you will remain passive and let the ugly moment pass...
The roads of racism and hatred, would you express your outrage to the racist/ the oppressor in question? If you are like about 80 per cent of people, you will remain passive and let the ugly moment pass...
and you will be even less troubled if you know and like the person. Bystander effects are more powerful than biological impulses.
and you will be even less troubled if you know and like the person. Bystander effects are more powerful than biological impulses.
Australians, after Canadians are among the least racist people on the planet according the UN. A survery of 12,500 Australians shows that fewer than one in ten believe there are superior or inferior races, or that people of different races...
Australians, after Canadians are among the least racist people on the planet according the UN. A survery of 12,500 Australians shows that fewer than one in ten believe there are superior or inferior races, or that people of different races...
should not marry. In Eastern Europe, parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia taht figure soars to between 30 and 50 per cent....
should not marry. In Eastern Europe, parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia taht figure soars to between 30 and 50 per cent....
The term racism encompasses much more than just skin colour or anti-Muslim sentiment. You can not think about the past and ignore religion.
The term racism encompasses much more than just skin colour or anti-Muslim sentiment. You can not think about the past and ignore religion.
It was such a fundamental and mind shaping, driving force for pre-modern societies. I am very interested what religion does to us...
It was such a fundamental and mind shaping, driving force for pre-modern societies. I am very interested what religion does to us...
its capacity to create love and empathy or hatred and violence....how we use its interpretation or misinterpretation to suite our own purposes to get a better chance in life....
its capacity to create love and empathy or hatred and violence....how we use its interpretation or misinterpretation to suite our own purposes to get a better chance in life....
I believe the most unconscous biases can be overcome through education...
I believe the most unconscous biases can be overcome through education...
but is the education enough to save us from our self destruction?

Imagine it is up to you

to find the solution
to bring the peace
to the Middle East
25 eyes look up to me
some serious
some mischievous
some just plainly uninterested...
It is too much to ask
of year seven
I have already heard
the principal's voice in my head.

'Let's see how clever you are,
it will be a group work,
so you can not fail
and the ones with the best answers
I will take to meet my two friends
one from Israel
and one from Palestine..."
I said too eagerly
and kids picked on it
really fast.

"So that means no school for a day, Miss?"
"To meet them for what?"
"In your house?"
I heard their shouts.
I put my hand up to silence them.
"They come to school so you will have a chance
to talk to them about the countries
we have learnt so much this year in Social Studies about."


They sighed and shook their heads,
their bored expressions warned me
that I have to try harder to keep their interest up.
"They will cook some great food for you to taste
and bring some music on...
and yes it means one day off the school for you."


After brief summary of the situation in the Middle East
and what the word 'peace' means
we talked about how to work cooperatively.
Then they were divided
into five groups
and each gave a big sheet of paper
to brainstorm their ideas,
but there was a trouble from the start...

We stack the tables together
and kids lined up
to pick up their place.
"I don't want to work with him..."
"She is just too slow..."
"I want to work with my friend not with her..."
Their complaints went unheard,
they knew that,
but once I pointed for the first group to sit next to window
they started again:
"It is not fair, one of them is my desk,
I always sit there..."
"I wear glasses I have to sit near the window..."
"That is why the first group always wins..."


I pointed for the second group to sit
where our i-pads were stored,
the rest of the class went ballistic:
"Do not let Michael to sit there Miss,
he is just too good on i-pad, he will cheat..."

Michael got red in his face
and tried to wrestle the accuser
to the ground.
Meanwhile the kid with the glasses
ran to the student sitting on his chair
near the window
and slapped him hard across the face:
"This spot is mine."

I took the whistle and blowed it hard.
That was the signal for everyone
and they stopped
some looking down ashamed
and some victorius,
the injured kept crying out loud
so everyone could hear their just complaints,
but no one really cared,
the attackers kept whispering:
"It was your fault, anyway."

Kids lost their right to sit on chairs
they ended up sitting cross legged
on the floor
just like year one
but
no more peace
in the Middle East,
as there were more pressing issues
for us to discuss.

The rest of the lesson
we spent
learning again
about the right and wrong,
the 'me' and 'us',
what is fair and what is not,
if winning by unjust means
is still a win,
and how easy
it is
to find an enemy
and start a war...

On my next parents' meeting
I have brought up
the unanswered question
from my failed experiment
to see what reaction I get.
"You are a great teacher but too idealistic
if I may say,"
the father of the boy in glasses laughed,
"I am very proud of my son,
he has just defended his right,
at least I can be assured
he is ready for the real world,
anyway,
'about that peace in the Middle East',
who cares about that?
Better you teach them something that help them to succeed."

I was the shooting star of idealism
he was the dark matter
draining my energy
the perfect example
of an idealist
who went to war...
the crucible destruction
of a human soul...