In keeping with Canberra's quiescent nature, not much excitement has occurred in my life these last few days. Although I have been around the city, my life remains as uneventful as always. Of greatest significance is that with the first week of studies concluded, I now have a better idea of the workload of the courses. This semester I have Lawyers, Justice and Ethics, Australian Public Law, Legal Theory and International Law. I'm particularly looking forward to International Law since it is a field I am very interested in. As for Lawyers, Justice and Ethics, I got the obvious joke out of the way after the first class.
Although Canberra is in the throes of winter, it certainly does not feel it. Although temperature do go below 0 at night, there is generally no precipitation that can turn into snow and with the days lengthening it seems unlikely that any will fall in the city. However, snow is not completely removed from Canberra's environs. The other day, while looking at the western ranges, I did notice a light sprinkling of snow atop one of the mountains.
The first week of school in the 2nd semester is known as "Bush Week", presumably to celebrate Canberra's extensive parkland. There have been many activities both at Fenner Hall and at the university, some of which I have participated in. Bush Week ends tomorrow and I am looking forward to the trivia game scheduled. I am told that one of the Bush Week traditions is "No Lecture Friday", but it is not universally adhered to. On Friday, at 09:00, I had my regularly scheduled International Law lecture and though it involved concepts that I am already familiar with, it was still interesting. Luckily, my Friday lecture only lasts until next week after which I have Wednesdays and Fridays completely free.
One of the Bush Week activities I did participate in was the annual Staff vs. Students soccer game. I was the linesman for the first half and for half of the second half at which time I was put into the striker position. I came close to scoring twice but the first time the ball just sailed over the top corner and the second time the goalie stopped the ball. Nonetheless, the students came out on top taking the game 4-1. In case you're thinking that this is a typical result, I was told that the staff had won the previous 3 years. I look forward to playing again next year.
I did manage to make a bit of money on Tuesday by doing some stocktaking at a Bunnings warehouse in Belconnen. Bunnings is a home supplies store like Home Depot and every so often they require help in counting their stock. This particular warehouse is in a suburb northwest of Fenner called Belconnen so, after filling in the required paperwork, I took the bus up. It only took 3 hours and it involved me counting the number of specified items and then writing that number on a white sticker next to the price. It was sometimes tricky as people tend to move items around.
Today, there was a Chess Tournament in Fenner Hall, I just glanced in a few times but there were people of all ages there. I think it must be part of some tournament for the entire ACT.
Lastly for now, I am applying for internships at the Canadian High Commission and I would be very anxious to do either. There are 2 internships available one in the Public Affairs section and the other in the Canadian Education Centre. The public affairs internship appears to be akin to a customer service role where the intern responds to public enquiries as well as requests from the High Commission. The Canadian Education Centre internship is a little more specific and it involves the intern advising Australian students contemplating learning in Canada, work with academics and other related matters. If I were chosen, I think that either of these internships would be immense fun.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Return
I wish I could report something of great interest, but I can't. This has been the week of anticipation as the last days of the inter-semester break wind to a close. In some ways, it would be easier if I was at school already but I am content to have these extra days. Tomorrow (Sunday), is the last day before classes start again and I can't help but wonder how this term will progress.
Although it seems so far away in 18 weeks that will no doubt fly by, my first year will be over. This takes account of 13 weeks of classes, 2 weeks of an intra-semester break and 3 weeks for exams. Admittedly, I may not have exams until the end of the 3-week period, but that only shortens the length of the 2nd semester. Also, sometime in August, a date which I have yet to determine, I will have spent more time away from Ottawa than on any previous occasion. My record, currently stands at 210 days from the last time I studied in Australia. I look forward to seeing the weather warm in the later weeks of the semester as Australia moves into its late spring. If I'm lucky, I may even get to spend the summer down here.
You may have noticed that I have added some photographs to previous posts. I have not yet sorted through my Melbourne photos to see which I should post, but stay tuned as they will come up eventually.
Although it seems so far away in 18 weeks that will no doubt fly by, my first year will be over. This takes account of 13 weeks of classes, 2 weeks of an intra-semester break and 3 weeks for exams. Admittedly, I may not have exams until the end of the 3-week period, but that only shortens the length of the 2nd semester. Also, sometime in August, a date which I have yet to determine, I will have spent more time away from Ottawa than on any previous occasion. My record, currently stands at 210 days from the last time I studied in Australia. I look forward to seeing the weather warm in the later weeks of the semester as Australia moves into its late spring. If I'm lucky, I may even get to spend the summer down here.
You may have noticed that I have added some photographs to previous posts. I have not yet sorted through my Melbourne photos to see which I should post, but stay tuned as they will come up eventually.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Pilgrimage
I've just returned from a glorious few days in Australia's other great metropolis, Melbourne. It turned out that my visit coincided with the arrival of several other Ukrainian-Canadians on their way to Sydney for World Youth Day. I had no idea anything was happening and the few days I was there were filled with excitement.
Before I recount my stay in Melbourne, I'd just like to point out that I have been joined in the southern hemisphere by my brother. He has arrived in Christchurch where he'll be studying for the next year how to be a teacher. According to his own blog, http://bloggingmiddleearth.blogspot.com/, he's planning on returning to Canada once his 12 month program is completed. My brother will be majoring history and music. I have no doubt that I'll be able to visit him at some point and in some ways, I envy his location. I think that the South Island is one of the most beautiful bits of land on Earth and I shall gladly visit it again when possible.
My own journey began with a walk to the airport last Sunday. The flight from Canberra to Melbourne is quite short, only about an hour and I passed the time looking out the window at the changing landscape. After arriving, I took the bus into town and wandered about until later that evening when I met up with Katia, and her mother Maria, the kind people with whom I was staying. I met Katia and Maria on my previous trip to Melbourne. Katia is the goddaughter of Nadia, the woman with whom I lodged last time. Nadia's mother, Tania, with whom she lives, is the daughter of my paternal grandmother's brother (I think). Whatever the case, Katia and Maria were kind enough to allow me to stay in their home while I was in Melbourne.
On Monday, Katia and Maria took me for a drive out to Geelong (jyh-LONG), Victoria's second largest city, about 127 kilometers southwest of Melbourne. It's home to the Geelong Cats AFL team and for a while, it was the only professional aussie rules team outside Melbourne. In Geelong, the three of us wandered around the quaint city and then it started to rain. The temperature wasn't itself cold that day, but the water took the heat right off any exposed skin, making for a chill. Katia showed me where the best ice cream in Victoria is sold and I was treated to a flavour that closely resembles Laura Secord's superkid. Afterwards, we went for a walk along the water front where I noticed the bollards, a feature of Geelong. These are wooden poles painted to look like things and they are strewn about the entirety of the waterfront.
On Tuesday evening, there was also a party at the Ukrainian House (cultural center) in the suburb of Essendon. It was here that I encountered the Ukrainian-Canadians, though none from Ottawa and I did not know any of them. I would meet them many more times through the week.
On Wednesday, I went into the city and decided to take a tour of the Victorian Parliament. This is where the Commonwealth government met until the Parliament House in Canberra was completed. It was originally built at a time when the gold rush had made Melbourne a wealthy city but as the city's fortunes waned, construction of the Parliament fell into abeyance. Even today it is unfinished as a dome and a southern wing have never been completed as planned; it is unlikely that they ever will be. Victoria, like most states in Australia has a bicameral legislature consisting of a Legislative Assembly (lower house) and a Legislative Council (upper house), both elected. We could only visit the Council since the Assembly was having sound tests but I managed to sneak a photo of it. The most exciting feature of the tour was that they let you sit in the chairs of the councillors as well as hold a replica mace. I have a photo of me sitting in the President's (Speaker's) chair holding the mace. I also learned that in 1891, the gold and silver mace of the day vanished and has never been seen since, most likely it has been melted down, but there is a standing $50 000 reward for it's return. I shall have to keep an eye out for it. This night, there was also a concert of Ukrainian culture at the Ukrainian House and it included a very colourful singer from Ukraine, Taras Kurchyk. He came on stage wearing a black suit with gold rhinestones.
Thursday, I caught up with an acquaintance who has been living in Melbourne for the last 5 years, Rylee. She's a teacher in the city and her boyfriend is a musician with the band Jet, the ones who sang Are You Gonna be My Girl? Although he is not an official member of the troupe, he has a contract to play with them if they request. Otherwise, he does all sorts of things, like landscaping, and according to Rylee, there's just about nothing he can't do. I met up with Rylee at Flinders Street Station, the main hub, and she suggested that we go to a little Chinese restaurant in an alley, which turned out to be fantastic. Rylee explained that these alley clubs and restaurants are a feature of Melbourne. We had some delicious pork and beef dumplings and whenever I get back to Melbourne, I shall be sure to try other alleys. After that, Rylee and I took a trip to a video game exhibit at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). This showcased video games throughout the decades and it was real trip down memory lane with many of them. Many gamers are now parents in their 30s and this exhibit was as much for them as for the children. Later that evening, I went with Katia and Maria to a cabaret night at the Ukrainian House which featured Taras Kurchyk as well as anyone else who wanted to perform something. I didn't, but had a great time anyway.
On the last day, I just explored the neighbourhood of Broadmeadows, where Katia and Maria live. After that, just before my flight, we managed to squeeze in a visit to Tania and Nadia, who were so hospitable to me back in 2005. It's unfortunate that I didn't have a chance to spend more time with them but the activities of the week were numerous and somehow time did not allow it. I left Friday night very satisfied with the fantastic trip I'd had, punctuated by fantastic hospitality.
After I returned to Canberra, I learned that some snow had fallen int he south of the city, but had since melted, although there might be some visible on the Brindabillas. I haven't seen any yet but I shall be happy to accept any snow that does come this way.
Before I recount my stay in Melbourne, I'd just like to point out that I have been joined in the southern hemisphere by my brother. He has arrived in Christchurch where he'll be studying for the next year how to be a teacher. According to his own blog, http://bloggingmiddleearth.blogspot.com/, he's planning on returning to Canada once his 12 month program is completed. My brother will be majoring history and music. I have no doubt that I'll be able to visit him at some point and in some ways, I envy his location. I think that the South Island is one of the most beautiful bits of land on Earth and I shall gladly visit it again when possible.
My own journey began with a walk to the airport last Sunday. The flight from Canberra to Melbourne is quite short, only about an hour and I passed the time looking out the window at the changing landscape. After arriving, I took the bus into town and wandered about until later that evening when I met up with Katia, and her mother Maria, the kind people with whom I was staying. I met Katia and Maria on my previous trip to Melbourne. Katia is the goddaughter of Nadia, the woman with whom I lodged last time. Nadia's mother, Tania, with whom she lives, is the daughter of my paternal grandmother's brother (I think). Whatever the case, Katia and Maria were kind enough to allow me to stay in their home while I was in Melbourne.
On Monday, Katia and Maria took me for a drive out to Geelong (jyh-LONG), Victoria's second largest city, about 127 kilometers southwest of Melbourne. It's home to the Geelong Cats AFL team and for a while, it was the only professional aussie rules team outside Melbourne. In Geelong, the three of us wandered around the quaint city and then it started to rain. The temperature wasn't itself cold that day, but the water took the heat right off any exposed skin, making for a chill. Katia showed me where the best ice cream in Victoria is sold and I was treated to a flavour that closely resembles Laura Secord's superkid. Afterwards, we went for a walk along the water front where I noticed the bollards, a feature of Geelong. These are wooden poles painted to look like things and they are strewn about the entirety of the waterfront.
On Tuesday evening, there was also a party at the Ukrainian House (cultural center) in the suburb of Essendon. It was here that I encountered the Ukrainian-Canadians, though none from Ottawa and I did not know any of them. I would meet them many more times through the week.
On Wednesday, I went into the city and decided to take a tour of the Victorian Parliament. This is where the Commonwealth government met until the Parliament House in Canberra was completed. It was originally built at a time when the gold rush had made Melbourne a wealthy city but as the city's fortunes waned, construction of the Parliament fell into abeyance. Even today it is unfinished as a dome and a southern wing have never been completed as planned; it is unlikely that they ever will be. Victoria, like most states in Australia has a bicameral legislature consisting of a Legislative Assembly (lower house) and a Legislative Council (upper house), both elected. We could only visit the Council since the Assembly was having sound tests but I managed to sneak a photo of it. The most exciting feature of the tour was that they let you sit in the chairs of the councillors as well as hold a replica mace. I have a photo of me sitting in the President's (Speaker's) chair holding the mace. I also learned that in 1891, the gold and silver mace of the day vanished and has never been seen since, most likely it has been melted down, but there is a standing $50 000 reward for it's return. I shall have to keep an eye out for it. This night, there was also a concert of Ukrainian culture at the Ukrainian House and it included a very colourful singer from Ukraine, Taras Kurchyk. He came on stage wearing a black suit with gold rhinestones.
Thursday, I caught up with an acquaintance who has been living in Melbourne for the last 5 years, Rylee. She's a teacher in the city and her boyfriend is a musician with the band Jet, the ones who sang Are You Gonna be My Girl? Although he is not an official member of the troupe, he has a contract to play with them if they request. Otherwise, he does all sorts of things, like landscaping, and according to Rylee, there's just about nothing he can't do. I met up with Rylee at Flinders Street Station, the main hub, and she suggested that we go to a little Chinese restaurant in an alley, which turned out to be fantastic. Rylee explained that these alley clubs and restaurants are a feature of Melbourne. We had some delicious pork and beef dumplings and whenever I get back to Melbourne, I shall be sure to try other alleys. After that, Rylee and I took a trip to a video game exhibit at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). This showcased video games throughout the decades and it was real trip down memory lane with many of them. Many gamers are now parents in their 30s and this exhibit was as much for them as for the children. Later that evening, I went with Katia and Maria to a cabaret night at the Ukrainian House which featured Taras Kurchyk as well as anyone else who wanted to perform something. I didn't, but had a great time anyway.
On the last day, I just explored the neighbourhood of Broadmeadows, where Katia and Maria live. After that, just before my flight, we managed to squeeze in a visit to Tania and Nadia, who were so hospitable to me back in 2005. It's unfortunate that I didn't have a chance to spend more time with them but the activities of the week were numerous and somehow time did not allow it. I left Friday night very satisfied with the fantastic trip I'd had, punctuated by fantastic hospitality.
After I returned to Canberra, I learned that some snow had fallen int he south of the city, but had since melted, although there might be some visible on the Brindabillas. I haven't seen any yet but I shall be happy to accept any snow that does come this way.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
A Winter Sojourn
I don't know where the phrase "a winter sojourn" comes from but it rings a bell. Whatever it's origin, it's quite true in my case as I'm flying off to Australia's other great city, Melbourne. I'll be spending some days there with family and friends. I look forward to seeing Melbourne again, a city I last visited 3 years ago at about this time.
Melburnians are not pleased with the way their city has been eclipsed by Sydney, which they consider to be about as cultured as Jerry Springer and nowhere near as entertaining. Ever since the founding of these cities, there has always been a rivalry between them. Until the 1950s, Melbourne was actually the more important and larger of the two. Until Canberra was officially made the capital in the early 1920s, Melbourne was the seat of the Commonwealth government. Canberra was chosen, like Ottawa, because it was in between Melbourne and Sydney, although it is considerably closer to Sydney. During a 19th Century gold rush, Melbourne was quite possibly the richest city in the world and in 1956, Melbourne became the first city south of the equator to host the Olympic Games.
After this, Sydney began to compete more aggressively and has now surpassed its rival. Most major corporations have their headquarters in Sydney, it is more populous and the usual first port of call for international travellers. Although Melbourne is not overlooked, when people think of Australia, they immediately think of Sydney. To rub salt in the wound, Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics and, coincidentally, 2000 is also Sydney's postal code.
Melbourne's great attraction is its cosmopolitanism and its cultural life. Melbourne is either the 2nd or 3rd largest Greek city in the world after Athens and Salonika (population statistics differ) and many more ethnicities are thrown into the mix. Plast (Ukrainian Scouts) Australia has its headquarters in Melbourne. There are the Melbourne Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup, a horse race which the entire country watches and gets a day off for in November. Melbourne, with its trams and architecture, is distinctly more European than other Australian cities.
This week's big occasion was Canada's 141st birthday on Tuesday. I tried to find some way to celebrate but the weather wasn't great and the Canadian High Commission wasn't holding any functions. I just contented myself with wearing a Canada Day t-shirt and getting something to eat at the local pub. American Independence Day also passed without any fanfare, though I did wish an American colleague of mine a happy July 4th.
To pass the idle hours while I await the start of the 2nd semester, I've taken to watching movies on my laptop, in addition to other mundane activities. A floormate lent me his external hard drive and just before he left, I copied several movies onto my own drive. It's provided me with enough entertainment to help pass the days away.
Melburnians are not pleased with the way their city has been eclipsed by Sydney, which they consider to be about as cultured as Jerry Springer and nowhere near as entertaining. Ever since the founding of these cities, there has always been a rivalry between them. Until the 1950s, Melbourne was actually the more important and larger of the two. Until Canberra was officially made the capital in the early 1920s, Melbourne was the seat of the Commonwealth government. Canberra was chosen, like Ottawa, because it was in between Melbourne and Sydney, although it is considerably closer to Sydney. During a 19th Century gold rush, Melbourne was quite possibly the richest city in the world and in 1956, Melbourne became the first city south of the equator to host the Olympic Games.
After this, Sydney began to compete more aggressively and has now surpassed its rival. Most major corporations have their headquarters in Sydney, it is more populous and the usual first port of call for international travellers. Although Melbourne is not overlooked, when people think of Australia, they immediately think of Sydney. To rub salt in the wound, Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics and, coincidentally, 2000 is also Sydney's postal code.
Melbourne's great attraction is its cosmopolitanism and its cultural life. Melbourne is either the 2nd or 3rd largest Greek city in the world after Athens and Salonika (population statistics differ) and many more ethnicities are thrown into the mix. Plast (Ukrainian Scouts) Australia has its headquarters in Melbourne. There are the Melbourne Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup, a horse race which the entire country watches and gets a day off for in November. Melbourne, with its trams and architecture, is distinctly more European than other Australian cities.
This week's big occasion was Canada's 141st birthday on Tuesday. I tried to find some way to celebrate but the weather wasn't great and the Canadian High Commission wasn't holding any functions. I just contented myself with wearing a Canada Day t-shirt and getting something to eat at the local pub. American Independence Day also passed without any fanfare, though I did wish an American colleague of mine a happy July 4th.
To pass the idle hours while I await the start of the 2nd semester, I've taken to watching movies on my laptop, in addition to other mundane activities. A floormate lent me his external hard drive and just before he left, I copied several movies onto my own drive. It's provided me with enough entertainment to help pass the days away.
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