georgie 1 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I never watched soapies but you keep us hanging just like the soapies do.(I think??) Waiting for the next episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen-in-Brisbane Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 (edited) Thanks Red. You have had a HOST of people encourage you to persue your writing talents so i really think you should consider it seriously. Imaging you at a book store during the launch of your first novel........ you can be anything you want to be..... Have a great weekendLove K Edited March 20, 2009 by We R Going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DESIREEB Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 (edited) Hey RedYou give me hope to smile again. I needed some upliftment CheersDes Edited March 20, 2009 by DESIREEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence.H Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 HEY Red!! what can I say but excellent reading, and YOU must not be so modest about it, and accept that us readers are judging you on your merits as a writer, and the imaging you provoke with your words and not just because we have a common goal.Modesty has it's place but, not with your journals.Said my piece, i'm outer here until the next installment, Georgie1 mentions soap opera's and you know what, it is just as gripping reading your tales, than following the best of any soapy so keep it up. No pressure!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 I’ve introduced you to Molly, and I’ve introduced you to Mary… but I think it’s about time I introduced you to a few more ladies at call centre central.We all sit in these little cubicles. Speech prompts stapled to our pin board partitions, along with cheesy calendars… of cats and flowers and ponies and more… The cubicles are painted this mint green, it’s supposed to be the colour of productivity but coming from a mint green painted home, for me, it’s more like the colour that induces nausea.At each cubicle we have our phones, our headsets, pens and paper and our flip files filled with all the information we need about the charity, and filled with a complete exercise regime for that tough task of call centre operator. That’s right… we have tips and tricks to avoid the discomfort and ‘injury’ brought on by this rigorous occupation.In particular, I find chapter 6 – ergonomic considerations at a workstation – rather fabulous… it encourages regular stretches of five to ten minutes… giving me a summary of all the exercises with diagrams to further explain the heading… Stretching your productivity.Actually before I get onto the gals, perhaps I might make mention of the Occupational, Health, Safety and Welfare Act... I don’t know much about it, actually I am sure Bern would be able to teach me a thing or two… but this act is enforced EVERYWHERE, and to the extreme. Take for example a few quotes from my booklet (book?!)I received on my first day at work.“When lifting, pushing, pulling, lowering and carrying, you need to be careful - you might hurt yourselfâ€â€œUse of hand tools in the office such as staplers, scissors an pens may result in muscular discomfort, and may eventually lead to conditions such as Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS)â€â€œOrganize layout to place the most frequently used objects within easy reach and to minimize twisting or overreachingâ€â€œThe disadvantage of using angled work surfaces is that objects can slide offâ€I could go on forever… including the note about ensuring that expired foods are removed from the fridge… but I think it’s time I returned to the days of my life at call centre central!When I first started one I was placed in a cubicle alongside the new girl, Sarah… the giraffe-silhouetted-know-it-all-sexy-bum-tracksuit-wearing newbie. Sarah is just the worst person I could have been seated next to. All day long, she pops her head over the partition and gives me a cheesy thumbs up… She doesn’t need to use the sign language because all day long I hear her squeal with delight as she convinces some good citizen to hand over their bucks. And as much as I know I should be all supportive, I can’t help but think she needs to climb on her slanted desk and slide right off. I mean after all, it’s one less person on the ‘Sure I’ll buy a lottery ticket’ list. Sarah is a great fan of tracksuits… she has mid length ones, casual ones… but by far my best was last week’s classy black number… beautifully embroidered with Very Sexy on the rear… AND the down length of her left arm… Sarah likes makeup and alternates her eyeshadow from eighties blue to nineties pink… Now and again, she alternates the green giraffe shirt for a strappy little Aussie vest… Now if I peek around the side, on my left sits Ray. Well… she doesn’t sit… this woman just can’t keep still. She has mentioned that she only works for the money (who doesn’t?!)… So what Ray tends to do all day, is find any and every excuse to get up and go to the kitchen/reception/toilet/supervisor/colleague… the woman just doesn’t stop. She’s like a moody energizer bunny, and is completely insulted any and every time our supervisor tells her to sit down… or shut up. Apparently she is one of our best operators… maybe it’s those ‘stretching your productivity exercises’, I think I’ll give those a try sometime.Molly, is well, Molly. Quite frankly I have never met another woman like her. And as much as I initially saw a pretty blond… I really don’t see that anymore. Molly is really rough, but seems to have a sensitive soul. The only reason she works is because she lives off a government pension, and if she had to quit working, the government would cease to pay her. Molly has the Australian flag tattooed on her bicep… well, it’s in the shape of a rectangle with blurred red and blue, I can only imagine that in her younger days the flag was better represented. She arrives late to work every morning, and has two chocolate bars for breakfast. Yip. Ladies you read right… every morning. She’ll talk with her mouth half full, I expect with brown drool running down the chin and once the choccies are completed Molly proceeds to suck every finger on her hands, and not discreetly. Incase you were wondering, Molly doesn’t actually sell well. I expect she is there to fulfill the government ‘quota’. Yvonne is the office irritation. I don’t know if she can hold down a decent conversation because I’ve never tried. But I sure have heard her whine… and moan… and groan… At least once a day she has to waltz up to the radio and turn it off. That’s her way of gaining attention. Although she forgets half the time the radio for us girls, is just a distant buzz in the background. Yvonne will stand and wait for 100% attention, even if our supervisor tells her to get on with it and have her say. When it gets to a point that everyone is staring, Yvonne will have a moan about the coffee spoon in the sugar bowl, or the dirty fork in the sink. She’s generally pathetic, and everyone agrees… but no one puts her in her place… she just has her groan and someone will shout back at her… ‘yeah, yeah, good on ya’… now turn the radio back on…Lunch times are interesting. The three smokers dash out for a nicotine fix whilst the rest of the ladies form the three groups. It’s strange… everyone has their ‘group’… I felt like I was back at school again and when I had to choose my lunch time gossip gaggle, I made a bee line for the largest one… safety in numbers if I remembered correctly. The smallest group is our supervisor, and her two sidekicks. They natter about office politics, and who said what and any other scandalous info. Group two, consists of four other ladies… they’re the quiet one’s… and I couldn’t begin to tell you what they talk about because they are just so damn quiet. Group 3, my group, I guess is just everyone else that doesn’t want to be in a group. There’s about ten of us. And we talk about anything and everything. They’re very interested in learning things about South Africa, but even more interested to teach me tons of things about Australia.They also whine a lot, about the poor service (?), the government (?), the politicians (?) the taxi’s (?????), and their safety (?)…Perhaps this is when I am glad to be a South African in Australia. I get to experience Australia from a South African perspective… I get to appreciate their service, their government, their politicians, their taxi’s and more… the Aussie’s sometimes don’t know just how good they’ve got it…Till the next time, take care… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgie 1 Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 aaaahhhh. WE WANT MORE WE WANT MORE!!!!!Interesting reading Red. How do you cope with this diverse bunch you work with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence.H Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 you really do have an interesting work day don't you! well it's good to know you are surviving even if it's in a new and unfamiliar environment. Keep it up! I look forward to hearing more of your tales.cheersT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcK Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi Red...I feel like I know the ladies you work with...you describe them so perfectly...Keep up with adventures... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 We have been spoilt this week fellow forumites - two instalments - Thank You Red. Keep them coming !You describe the call centre and work mates so well - felt I was there.You are an inspiration - left SA, arrived with no work, moved twice, and are now all settled. You're doing exceptionally well.Agree with you 100% about Australians complaining - I think we should send some of them to South Africa - that way they can appreciate what a wonderful way of life they have here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toitjie Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Hi RedWhen I first logged onto this forum, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of discussions, threads and links, there are so many! While I was browsing around I found the beginning of your "new beginnings", and got completely hooked every day when I log on, I first go in search of a new post from Red, before I do or search anything else!so thank you, you are making life over there a reality for me still sitting here..yolandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLockie Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Hi RedI cant agree more. You have an excellent ability to write. I too have been hooked on your new life's journey.Its wonderful to know how you & the family are coming along. Sharing in your experiences and life is a privilege. Keep it coming.Take careF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted March 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Becca will probably kill me when she’s a little older for sharing this with the world, but I nearly fell over with laughter when I received this note in her ‘communication book’ from school:Can you please remind Rebecca to use a handkerchief when cleaning her nose. Fingers are not the appropriate tool. Thank you.Clearly she’s settling in well, if the only feedback a teacher can give me is that my eight year old has her finger shoved in her nose. I threatened Becca that I would pin a hanky to her school shirt if I received another note… to date… said finger has stayed clear of said nose.We received another note this afternoon…Your child, Rebecca was sent to the office by a staff member…Oh dear, I thought… not again…… She sustained a head injury…And no one phoned me?!?!!… She bumped her head on a pole in the playground…No, you have to be kidding… a head injury… ?!?!!… She has been observed by a staff member and can you please look out for the following signs…Get real. How many times do these teachers have to ‘observe’ these “injuriesâ€. This is yet another perfect example of that extreme safety conscious culture. Next thing you know they’ll be removing poles from the playground because they pose a safety hazard to the kids. All they’ll be left with is a patch of grass…although they’ll soon have to get rid of the grass… you know for that one in a million grass rash sufferer. Shopping is always such an interesting experience, especially when we’ve forgotten our stupid dollar coin for the trolley. I learnt tonight an easy way to remedy the situation…. Just head off to the nearest teller and ask for cash out… and ask them to make sure they give the cash out in dollar coins. Funny, I expected a weird look… but I didn’t get one… maybe I’m learning to be more ‘stralian…We’ve started a little routine here… shopping on Thursday’s. Apparently that’s the night to do late night shopping, I say apparently because we always go so early I wouldn’t actually know what late night shopping entails. It just means that on a weekend we don’t have to fight with the masses to secure a fresh loaf of bread and a couple of food items. Tonight being no different, we head off to Coles.Rebecca completely ecstatic because we have promised her a Barbie doll. The Barbie doll is a reward for all the money she has been lending us, yes you read right. The worst part is, is that she has been funding our developing gambling habit… yes, you read right again.Mother and father are robbing the child blind to pay for our footy tipping gambling habit. Footy (Aussie rules football) is big over here… the Aussies are passionate about the game. So, take the passion for the game and couple it with another national obsession… pokie machines… and you get footy tipping.And at both of our companies, our colleagues have felt it imperative that we join in on the fun. Secretly I think they want us there because we’ll help to increase the final winnings. That being said, Bern and I both came home, to confess that we are involved in the office footy tipping. What can you do but laugh…So we choose who we think will win over the next 22 rounds, and maybe with some luck we’ll guess the winning teams and bring home a couple of bucks. Maybe not… I mean how do you go about choosing which team will win, especially when you’ve never watched an entire footy match! Bern was horrified to find out how I had chosen my ‘winning’ teams. Take for example the Lions vs the Eagles… I thought well, I am from Africa and so is a Lion… I’ll go with the Lions. And what about Hawthorn against Geelong… easy, our council flats were in a suburb called Hawthorn… you get the point… hey, at least I tried!Back to shopping… We pile the trolley full… with this and that, stopping of course to grab 3 bags of Liquorice Allsorts. Coles has an amazing range, and quite a few of my yummy South African favourites… Nando’s peri-peri, Mrs Balls Chutney and Beacon Liqourice Allsorts to name but a few. I’m still searching for that elusive bottle of green cream soda… I long for the day when I can buy it like any other regular Aussie drink.We get to the teller, and we’re piling the food on the counter, when the cashier turns and holds up my pack of baby corn…‘Do you know how much these were’?So I give Bern the puzzled look, and tell her …’No’ … thinking … what was SHE thinking, surely she wasn’t expecting me to tell her how much it was… and then take my word for it!So she calls some chap, who heads off to the veggie section to look for the price on that silly pack of baby corn. He comes back with an even sillier look on his face and blankly says… ‘Ah, I can’t see a price on them; I think they’re about $4.50’.At this point, before he can ever utter another word… my poor brain is working overtime and shouting out thoughts like… you think… you think?! $4.50…. well, I think you can sh…And then he said, ‘so if they’re normally about $4.50… how would $1 sound’?Huh?! A dollar… the mid chatter stopped… and we both said happily… ‘Yeah, a dollar sounds good’…It didn’t take me long to mention to Bern that I should have taken two… but he just laughed and so did the cashier. It still amazes me how trusting the Australians are. At our office we have a box of chocolates that sit on the front desk. At any time, you just put your money in and take a chocolate. No one checks your money and you can help yourself to change if need be… and what I find completely mindblowing is that every time they count up the money vs the amount of chocolates, everything adds up. In the shopping centre’s they have trestle tables OUTSIDE the shop doors and windows… unmanned. No one takes anything… and if they do, it’s because they’re heading INTO the shop to pay for it. Even the petrol… you fill up your tank and THEN you pay for it. Quite often if Bern is filling up, I go inside to pay. Bern usually drives forward to let the next person fill up… and often I expect someone to run screaming out from the store… But no one ever does… And I mean, look at the facts in front of you. We’re driving a buckled 1989 Mitsubishi that has more smoke pouring out the back than a diesel engine could ever compete with!When we went tenpin bowling we were literally ‘bowled’ over when they gave us the bowling shoes, but did not want our shoes to hold as security. They probably wondered why we wanted them to ‘look after’ our shoes! At IKEA when you buy a coke, you pay for it and they hand you an empty cup in return. Once it is filled and finished, there is nothing but your integrity stopping you from filling it up again… When we went on our first tram ride, the tram conductor never checked that we had tickets; all he asked was if we needed any… But my best has to be the guys and gals that check your bags when you leave a store!You hand them your bag filled with items that could have been easily from theirs, and they nod their head and say… ‘ah yeah, it’s all good’.And when you reach out with your till slip proof in hand, they don’t even take a slight glance.One thing I love about living here…My word is my word… and no one questions it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcK Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) Hiya RedAaahh the life you have in Australia!!!Here is a tiny contrast to the SAfrican shopping experience:We still have those tried and tested food favourites on our shelves...good ol' Mrs Ball's Chutney (I prefer the Afrikaans blatjang!), Nando's Peri-peri, Liquorice All-Sorts & Cream Soda.....the difference is when we have a price query we, the CUSTOMER, usually has to argue that the scanned price is MORE expensive than the shelf price...packer goes running off (perhaps a wee exageration) to check but stops on her way to have a casual chat with her sis in the milk aisle . On the positive side we dont have to pay for trolleys ....they tried that here but soon learned that trolleys have wheels and can be pushed far, far, far away!! Certain stores employ security to check our purchases on the way out...my best is Incredible Connection...the tills are 1 (one) metre away from the security check point. He sees me paying for my purchase which is placed in a "Would you like to buy a packet?" packet....only to then have to remove the purchased (and paid for) items to show him that I actually have paid for them....Just a reminder that he was ONLY 1 (one) metre away and was watching the whole transaction take place...or was he??? And once we have spent all our hard-earned SAfrican Rands at the shops, we get into our over-insured, Tracker-installed, alarmed and anti-hijack device-implanted vehicles and still have to part with 5 bucks for the car guard who has been watching diligently ( ) to make sure it aint stolen... But at least we don't have to pump our own petrol...we have petrol attendants....who on 2 occasions in the past few weeks has pumped 300 South African Rands of Petrol into my Mitsubishi Colt (Red - no smoke pouring out of mine!!) and then proceeded to accidentally (or should I say negligently?) swipe my card for R400....Give me Coles....puh...leez!!Sorry for hijacking.... Edited March 27, 2009 by Jumbojet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted March 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Sorry for hijacking....Luv ya to bits... hijacked in true South African style!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candivw Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 In WA we dont pay for trolleys..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Candivw, that is because you do not have and don't shop at the larny places like Aldi! Sorry joke guys, just could not resist that one! The only place in Sunbury, where I live, that you have to pay for your trolley is Aldi, but then they were so wise that some time ago they sold little coins for 99c, it is on a link that you can open and that clips onto your car keys. So no more worrying about dollar coins, your 'coin' dangles on your car keys and is always available! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgie 1 Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Another great episode. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Thanx for another little peek into your lives. And good luck with the gambling - hope you get heaps of $$$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted March 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) I can't believe that in all the months I have been posting, I have only found out now that I am spelling the word beginning wrong...so to make up for it...beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning beginning Edited March 31, 2009 by Red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen-in-Brisbane Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Ha Ha ha!!! Don't think any of us noticed. We have been too engrossed in your stories to worry about spelling!!!!Love K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgie 1 Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Did you copy and paste or type each word individually??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted April 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 (edited) Well… I survived and completed my first month at work, and if there ever was a hurdle to jump, this would have been it. It all feels normal now. No more wardrobe dilemma’s… I just jump out the shower and put on whatever fits or looks good… shout to Rebecca (again) and head for the daily school drop-off and work experience. Becca’s now advanced a level and ride’s her own bike to school.‘It’s a grown-up thing mom’… she tells me… ‘I look better on my own bike anyway’.The trailer bike has its disadvantages (especially with a wobbly kid on the back) but it sure does have its advantages. The main one is of course, that I am in control… and she goes where I go.But, as we all know… things don’t always happen the way you want them to… and on our way to school, I realised that the trailer bike had a puncture. It came as no surprise… The day before, between our three bikes we landed up getting a multitude of thorns stuck in the tyres and tubes… And as Bern was repairing puncture after puncture… and replacing tube after tube… I decided it best that I stop pulling out the thorns… because each time I assumed I was helping the situation; all I did was create another little opening for the air to shoot out.The thorns were acting as a stopper… and I was acting like an idiot… again.So, on Monday, when I realised we were riding on the rims… we had to dash back home and much to Becca’s approval… the situation dictated she rode her own bike.Between shouting… ‘Go left’ and ‘No, your other left’… we managed to make it to the school in one piece… my nerves were frayed, but physically we were fine…During the day her bike stays under a sheltered parking area… specifically designed for all the kids that ride in mind. With benches and parking bays… it’s pretty awesome. I always have a good chuckle… the immigrants bikes are always so easy to spot… they’re the ones padlocked to the parking bays…Work is really becoming well, just work… and I love it! I love the fact when I park my bike in the morning, and I walk past the office door, someone usually gives me a hearty ‘Howya doing’?... And as I walk through the reception, on the way to do my make up (yip, that’s right), Helen and I have a little chat about her mum in frail care, and her recent mid week break. When I’m standing makeup-less in the bathroom with a toothbrush in my mouth (yip, that’s right again) usually some of the admin ladies walk in and ask how I’m settling… and just as I am applying the last stroke of mascara, dear ‘ol Bertha walks in… and we have our little morning catch up… I hear about her bus trip to work, and her dear husband, and her asthma… and more… When I head back for call centre central, I stop in at the water cooler and greet Derek (the office handyman), we talk a bit about the weather or the footy… and then I head for the call centre… just a few steps down the stairs.The safety-signed door is always closed… it looks dingy and dark, but when you push it you’re blasted by good vibes and energy with lots of chatter and hype and stacks of good gossip.Sarah and I have now developed a good working relationship. Initially I mistook her enthusiasm and encouragement for having a dig at me. Well, when I adjusted my attitude I realised that my tracksuit-wearing-sexy-bum colleague actually became the best person to sit next to. Every time we get a sale, we tell one another and it evokes a sense of competition… but the minute she has more sales than me, or if I’m having a bad day… she’s the first one to crack a joke and make me smile. She’s even offered me a couple of her sales… just so I can make my target. But I won’t take them, and I think she respects me for that… I’ll make it on my own… I’ll prove my worth… And one day, I’ll offer her my sales…During lunch the other day Sarah was discussing a 21st … and then our conversation went on to a dress up party… and the first thing that my mind and mouth spat out was ‘Ah, what a jol’… and everyone went quiet…A jol… ‘a party you know’.. say it I said… ‘jol’…And they all said jahwel… mmm… ‘What about voetsak… can you say voetsak’?Footsik… mmm…. Maybe not… they taught me how to pronounce a few Aussie words, clearly not repeatable here.Our supervisor now says ‘Ja’ whenever people ask her a question… I think I’m starting to rub off on them. This weekend I’m off to Ceylon Spices… I’m picking up a few South African goodies to take to the office on Monday… we’re doing a culture swop thing… they teach me… and I teach them.Sarah's invited us to a BBQ with a whole bunch of her mates… No need to bring anything… it’s all catered for. She laughed at me when I asked her if her friends would be nice to the immigrants… Her response was… “Ah, what you stressed about da’lin… you fit in just fine… anyways if they ask ya… just tell them you spent some a couple of years in Africa, but now you’re back home and loving itâ€â€¦Heh heh… I am home… and I am loving it…But has anyone heard of the dreaded honeymoon period?I have.It happens to new migrants. They arrive and fall in love with the new country and almost have this euphoric feeling about everything and everyone. Within time life starts to settle. Husbands and wives are working, kids are at school, home is rented and furniture is bought. And then, well… I suppose they sit back and wonder whether the move was all worthwhile.I have asked many people many questions on this subject… and I’ve come to a conclusion.The so called honeymoon ends the day you let it end.And even though life has started to settle, I love the fact that life can just be ‘normal’ again.Waking and working, laughing and living… It’s all still about New Beginnings…The school Becca attends is also a centre for the hearing impaired. Her LOTE (Language other than English) subject is Australian sign language. And as many of you know, Becca has joined the signing choir… thank goodness for this… her voice is much more suited to a closed mouth and hand signals.I happened to arrive early the other day, and managed to sneak in and watch the signing choir perform.There must have been about 40 children. Hearing and non-hearing… all following along (with the teachers aid) to the song, ‘I believe I can fly’ by R.Kelly.…â€I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky, I think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away… I believe I can soar, see me running through that open door… I believe I can flyâ€â€¦.And you know what got to me.It was the fact that the non hearing kids were smiling just as widely as the hearing ones… Sometimes in life, we need to appreciate those little moments. Those little moments in life that pass us by so quickly… Edited April 3, 2009 by Red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DESIREEB Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Nice one Red.The other day we watched the life savers teaching the paraplegics how to surf. Very emotional moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alida Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Wow, I sit here with goosebumps all over and it's 32°C outside ! Life's a jewel and you're certainly polishing it !Thanx, Red ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adeleb Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Awesome stuff....thanks x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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