tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post5561963002488924761..comments2024-03-20T21:54:36.152+10:00Comments on Going Grey and Slightly Green: The PrivilegeNanna Chelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-74113648414561384612019-05-22T20:46:39.932+10:002019-05-22T20:46:39.932+10:00I worked for the Immigration Dept in WA in early 9...I worked for the Immigration Dept in WA in early 90s when refugees and asylum seekers were arriving from El Salvador. My job as toture/ trauma counsellor was made really hard by not having a common labguage, and most were not trusting enough to use an interpreter. Despite their horrific stories, we had a lot of laughs trying to understand each other with sign language and charades. It certainly tested my counselling skills.....Nanettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14473143331781472223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-19292787744913614532019-05-22T19:43:55.921+10:002019-05-22T19:43:55.921+10:00Sally, I agree about English being such a hard lan...Sally, I agree about English being such a hard language to learn. I will be starting with those who speak no English at all and I believe I will be given resources to use. Lots of flash cards I guess. Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-13773120922744681502019-05-22T14:59:50.348+10:002019-05-22T14:59:50.348+10:00Chel our English language is so difficult to learn...Chel our English language is so difficult to learn, and not so easy to teach either. We have so many 'exceptions to the formula' unlike most other languages. I was a volunteer English teacher in Nepal, simultaneously Studying Nepali language at their Languages University. Learning Nepali made me realise just what a difficult language English is. XXJembella Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07646075804716647311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-60839195717523722322019-05-21T20:49:05.695+10:002019-05-21T20:49:05.695+10:00Sally, It is a great English program for our refug...Sally, It is a great English program for our refugees. You don't realise how difficult it is for them to communicate until you try to teach them English. We have so much trouble communicating with Centrelink for example. It must be so stressful for them. Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-55037658203951712842019-05-21T20:45:54.017+10:002019-05-21T20:45:54.017+10:00Yes Nanette, we have lots of refugees here includi...Yes Nanette, we have lots of refugees here including the Yazidi people from Syria. They would have some dreadful stories to tell about how they were treated before escaping. If only I could speak their language.Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-22814210082865463692019-05-21T14:52:12.366+10:002019-05-21T14:52:12.366+10:00This is one of the reasons I follow you Chel, beca...This is one of the reasons I follow you Chel, because of your appreciation (for what many take for granted) and for your kind generosity and tolerance. What an amazing world this would be if more people could take a leaf from your book. Your students would love and appreciate your kindness to them more than they could ever show you. XXJembella Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07646075804716647311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-59553391087488557572019-05-21T11:53:24.877+10:002019-05-21T11:53:24.877+10:00Voting day here is a lot like Chris's experien...Voting day here is a lot like Chris's experience.....a bit of a community get-together, time to grab a democratic sausage, buy something at the school cake stall and bump into people you haven't seen for ages. You're lucky to have groups of refugees there, and able to sign up to teach English. Imagine the fun you'll have learning about their culture.....good on you for volunteering.Nanettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14473143331781472223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-22187569266544919332019-05-20T13:26:18.575+10:002019-05-20T13:26:18.575+10:00Chris, I wonder if they were from The Mulberry Pro...Chris, I wonder if they were from The Mulberry Project. We were trying to get someone from there to do a cooking demo for our simple living group using food grown at the Mercy Centre where they have their gardens. Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-81573147873542897242019-05-20T12:35:49.977+10:002019-05-20T12:35:49.977+10:00Very true, Chel. A privilege, and if living in a s...Very true, Chel. A privilege, and if living in a small town, like we do - turning out to voting day can be a real community event. We like to vote at our Son's school (Withcott) and they always run a bake sale to raise funds for the school. I contributed to it, this year. Plus we get to catch up with all the various mums and dads, neighbours, shop owners, etc. So it's not just a privilege to vote, but an opportunity to strengthen community ties.<br /><br />Somewhat like your volunteering to teach English too. A lot can be achieved for community, through volunteering. It brings people together, for a common goal. My husband used to work at an Organic Cafe, down Ruthven street, and the owner let his kitchen out to the local African community, to host dinner on a select day of the week. It was all African cuisine, using vegetables they're used to growing in their own country - but not so familiar here.<br /><br />It was a place for them to participate in aspects of their homeland, but also invite the wider community, to enjoy their traditional meals. Unfortunately, the establishment closed down, a while ago. I'm sure they must have found another place to go though. Because it sounded like an awesome group!Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-28058738645726138182019-05-20T08:13:55.712+10:002019-05-20T08:13:55.712+10:00I always vote after lunch and it is very quiet the...I always vote after lunch and it is very quiet then so no waiting in line. The ABC website had practice how to vote forms so I had already written down the way I wanted to vote and took that with me to vote.Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-65419086641369512932019-05-19T20:13:07.641+10:002019-05-19T20:13:07.641+10:00I agree voting is a privilege. We went to the pol...I agree voting is a privilege. We went to the polling centre in Kandos after lunch and it and the town was nearly empty. There was just one guy handing out National Party How to Vote Cards and no other parties to be seen. It was quite surreal since in the mountains we usually have to run past a huge number of people thrusting their how to vote material on us then queue up at the booth.Joan Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16358008925558240778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-79893111534274470772019-05-19T19:29:18.077+10:002019-05-19T19:29:18.077+10:00Nil, yes we do have postal voting here. It is espe...Nil, yes we do have postal voting here. It is especially good for those who are unable to travel to the voting booths. Voting is compulsory here.Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556636739806282968.post-57476722139012616552019-05-19T13:15:59.898+10:002019-05-19T13:15:59.898+10:00That’s so nice of you to spend your time teaching ...That’s so nice of you to spend your time teaching English to refugees Chel.<br /><br />Can you vote by mail? Nil @ The Little House by the Lakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05812637017406376233noreply@blogger.com