It is an interesting time to be in Australia.  Being a political junkie as I am (still watching Rachael Maddow on my Ipad) I was quite interested to watch the goings on with a parlimentary form of government.  Of course I think they are just trying to entertain me since I've been here. Shortly after our arrival the Prime Minister called for an election which will take place in September.  And if that wasn't enough to keep me entertained the Premier of Victoria (where we are living) resigned under a cloud of scandal that caught up with him.  The main political parties in Australia (Labor & Liberal) are at eachother's throats and neither seems capable of holding the public's support.  One big difference from the US however is that you don't see the money being spent.  None of the adds on TV that we get so tired of at home.

In such a male dominated society it is amazing that the leader of the Labor party (and thus Prime Minister) is a woman. How did they do that when the US can't?  This is a country and society that has more than a few problems with diversity and lives a paradox in this.  The history of the country is littered with things they would like to forget - the treatment of the native peoples (particularly what is known as "the lost generation") and banning imigration from various parts of the world.  They now make such a concerted effort to demonstrate their contrition over their history.  Statements to that effect appear in most publications and communications.  While at the same time the government is taking great heat over their current mis-treatment of refugees who are housed on Christmas Island in detention centers.

In the midst of all this we continue to explore the country around Melbourne.  We recently took a trip to Heathcote - an area about 100K north of Melbourne which is an up and coming wine region particularly known for shiraz because of the type of soil there.  It was a lovely area with some outstanding wines.  We managed to catch part of a local footie match as well as have lunch at the Tooborac Hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that Australia is going to be a difficult place in the near future.  The adolescents here appear to be out of control.  Perhaps they are equally out of control in the states but that seems to be a broader part of our history - and as such our entire country feels out of control some times. We can not pass legislation to control gun violence even after small children are killed by gun violence. Here it seems to be a more recent phenomenon.  People we have spoken with on the tram have shared concerns about how much disrespect they see these days.  Of course this is the kind of comments one hears anywhere regarding the "youth today."  Parents and young children in public places here are something to watch.  The children go their own way and the parents don't pay much mind.  Is it our being over protective that makes it seem that they are disconnected here by contrast?

On my ride to Bouverie last Friday I sat next to a young women on the bus.  She had a little girl in a stroller - maybe a year old?  The mother had a familiar "Bohemian" Melbourne look about her (dreadlocks, piercings, plenty of ink).  I wouldn't think she was more than 20 years old.  Her interaction with the baby was as more of a frustrated teenager than a "loving mother."  Don't get me wrong, she wasn't abusive, but she was curt and abrupt saying things like "now you've made me..."  In the end, nearing her stop, she answered her mobile, and was trying to wrestle the stroller and little girl toward the exit.  In the process she stumbled on the wheel of a woman's trolley (the cart many people use here for shopping).  The kicker was that the young woman said rather loudly "I'm trying to get off and some old lady's tripped me."  I could only think how insensitive and rude, what must the woman be thinking or feeling?

What I see in the media here of teen behavior - alcohol abuse, mob scenes, bashings and "hoons" makes me wonder what will things be like in the future?  What kind of parents will these people be?  The education system here is poorly funded.  Higher Education in particular.  Australia ranks very low among industrialized countries or it's investment in education.  Talking with people who work as counselors and in other educational roles here all tell a similar story.  It is difficulty to convince secondary students of the importance or value of continuing on to the university.  There is a stop point built in at year 10 where students can leave school and seek work.  Which many do.  Looking at the materials that come home from Graham's school there are regular messages about why it is important that you actually make your children go to school and that it's not OK for them to just stay home or come in late. I never though you had to tell parents that?

On a cheerier note, these photo's are from up the street a little in a neighborhood called Uni Hill.  The kangaroos were out behind someone's house.  There was a "mob" of them there and we stood on the sidewalk watching and taking pictures. Something to see.



 

 

An Experience

What a beautiful day we had yesterday.  Sunny, 27c, cool breeze and dry. I sat outside reading and listening to the hocky game over ther internet all afternoon.

 In the evening we took part in a dinner with the a number of our neighbors, residents of our appartment building (La Trobe House).  Kristina and Magnus organized the get together and provided some wonderful food including a variety of meets on the barbie. It was one of the most enjoyable and engaging times Susan and I have had.  It was a wonderful experience.  At the table outside in the courtyard there were individuals from the US (that would be us - lower case), Sweeden, central China, Australia (Melbourne), Austria and Egypt.  Austria and Egypt are actually a couple who live in the UK (for the past 19 years).  Lots of wine and amazing conversation, people learning English and those who spoke a number of different versions of English. We were all seeking common ground. Everyone was curious and the range of perspectives, experiences, cultures and outlooks was marvelous.  We all learned alot about eachother and the worlds we come from - politics, healthcare, travel, education, television, families and food.  It seems  that is what the essence of an experience like this should be.

Susan and I are on for the dinner next week - I think we'll go for something New Orleans and bring a bit more flair to the conversation.

 

 

 

A Red-rumped Parrot.  There was a bunch of them on campus yesterday.  Don't know why I've become so fascinated with birds?

The Barossa Valley

While in Adelaide we took a day to visit the Barossa Valley.  South Australia is the top wine producing area in Australia with an unbelievable number of vineyards around Adelaide and there area 9 or 10 distinct wine regions in South Australia. The National Wine Center of Australia is in Adelaide.  Although everyone knows Australia (particularly South Australia) for it's Shiraz there are a number of micro climates and altitudes producing a large number of varieties.  You could spend a lifetime visiting all the vineyards - a life well spent I would think.  But alas there are many more things to do in my life (and in a short trip to Adelaide) so we chose to focus on the Barossa - probably the best known region.  Now this area has about 90 vineyards - although I was willing to try al 90, this was more than we could do in a day.  We visited 4 - each offering some great things to taste and a marvelous lunch plate of local meats and cheeses.

Even a 12 year old boy can enjoy a day in the Barossa Valley

A beautiful old bluestone house in the town of Tanunda

Adelaide isn't the only place in SA with beautiful Churches

 

This character was on the street in Tanunda - no festival or other event.  He's just there.

A number of roads in this part of the vally are lined with date palms.

 

The cellar door at McGuigan Wines

 

 

A 175 year old shiraz vine

Langmeil's celler door (that what they call a tasting room here)

 

The Stonewell shiraz was just amazing.

Peter Lehmann grounds were beautiful

 

 

 

The tasting at Murray St. was outside on porch

 

Murray St. was my favorite.  Beautiful grounds - great wines.

When the weather is bad they do tastings in here

 

 

Adelaide

I have to say that we really enjoyed our time in Adelaide.  We took the train there - The Overland.  Although it was quite slow it was a very enjoyable journey.  It was roomy and relaxed.  We had drinks at the bar and had time to watch the Australian country side - no kangaroo sitings unfortunately, but plenty of sheep.  I even managed to get repeated advise from an older woman about how reading the bible would bring me wisdom. I'll post some pics of the journey in a bit.

Adelaide provided a clear contrast to Melbourne.  Adelaide is one fourth the size of Melbourne and much calmer, more laid back.  If you mention Adelaide to people here they yawn at the thought but we found it clean, pleasant and comforting some how.  The CBD is literally surrounded by parks and there are numerous squares within.  It's layout reminded me very much of Savannah. It is known as the city of churches and it is easy to see why - seems like one in every block.  No need for there to be a lost soul in South Australia.

Looking toward the Uni

The Rundle Mall Fountain

If you blow this up you can see my reflection - taking the pic.

Aboriginal Flag

A beautiful walk along the river.

A great pub up the street from our hotel.

University of Adelaide

A Chapel on the Uni ampus

"Dullich"

I attended the11th  International Narrative Therapy and Community Work Conference in Adelaide, SA this past week.  It was not a life changing experience (although I would characterize drinking wine in the Barossa Valley as life changing)  but absolutely worth while.  I learned little new of a technical or skill nature but I did get allot of the tone & feel - the history of Dulwich (which is pronounced Dullich). It is the 30th anniversary of Dulwich and there was a celebratory tone throughout.  I got to meet a number of people including Cheryl White, David Epstein and David Denbrough among others. I also got to view a number of videos of Michael White from their archive and attended an amazing presentation by David Epstein where we (the audience) were part of the outsider witness group to a case that is ongoing - to long a story to share here but I am anxious to share it with others.

 My first impression was that the conference was "done on the cheap."  It was held on the campus of the University of Adelaide, no meals were provided (we did have morning and afternoon tea) and the program was run off on a copier.  But after spending the time with them I am convinced it is part of their identity.

Dulwich started as much as a protest "movement" for social change as it did any sort of counselling center.  It seems to still have that identity.  I am inclined to say they do not yet have a "mature" identity but that sounds derogatory and I don't mean it to be.  They do not have a sense or at least don't express that sense of their position in the world at this time.  They story themselves as a group of outsiders pushing against the main stream.  The little person fighting against the big organization.  Perhaps this is a good thing - keeping new ideas flowing?  However it also allows for an insider/outsider story to remain - one needs to be part of "the family."

Narrative Therapy was and is Michael White.  He is kept alive in everything they do. However I suspect this may be constraining at the same time.  It seems that this family is still struggling with the loss of their father and is still working to establish their identity without him.  A story that was shared seems to characterize this struggle.  Dullwich has an extensive archive of Michael White's videos of sessions.  It seems to be the consensus that Michael would have been adamant about this being destroyed upon his death and they almost destroyed them all believing that was his wish.  However there is a countervailing force - distress about losing all that knowledge and they have developed a plan whereby they are trying to track down the clients to get their OK to maintain the video and work with it for training purposes.

It seems the risk here is one of creating a new dominant and restrictive discourse surrounding Michael White - instead of letting him go and moving on from a new place, with his story part of the history, his voice part of the discourse today.

University of Adelaide

David Denbrough

David Epstein

Cheryl White