Another week in the books! It has been a quiet week, but a wonderful one. The weather has been very nice here, and I have seen that the weather back home is becoming quite nice as well. I’m assuming that the weather has caused many of the students at UMD to postpone doing any homework in order to get out and enjoy the nice weather, barbecues, lawn games and such. What a wonderful time of the year as the semester comes to a close and the entire summer is ahead!
This past week in Kal has been very nice. I finished up my Easter holiday from the school and started back up this week. It is a bit different being back at school after relaxing last week and just focusing on working out and reading books. I joined the local library.
Since being here I have found a new love. This love is butter chicken, an Indian dish served with rice. It is a bit spicy, somewhat creamy and like fairies are dancing on your tongue. I’ve had it a couple times at Indian restaurants in town, but last week Daniel and Cristy had me, Rusty and Woody over for a butter chicken dinner. It was fantastic and I must learn how to make it before I head home!
Saturday was game day and my good friend Casey Crevelone was in town to play. He is playing for the Mandurah Magic, a team south of Perth by 1 hour. I met Casey, like many of my other friends playing here in Australia, while touring with Athletes in Action last October and November. There are 6 AIA guys playing in our league. Unfortunately there are no two players on the same team, but on a positive note I get to see one of the guys almost every other game. Anyways, Casey was in town and Mandurah was a team we were supposed to beat quite convincingly based on our team and our home court advantage. The game appeared to be going the way it had been predicted during the first half, but the game was a tale of two halves.
Prior to the game my residence was turned into an elementary school arts and crafts room. Woody, Rusty and their new compadre Luke Bowler were designing and decorating t-shirts for the game. Armed with plain white t-shirts and blue and yellow “Radical” paints we had Picasso, Van Gogh and Rembrandt creating masterpieces. Rembrandt even began to re-create the team name by writing GIN for the first three letters of Giants. His creative ability allowed him to fix his mistake and complete what was surely a masterpiece. Each of the artists picked a player and put their respective number and nickname(s) on the shirts. I was lucky to have Woody donning my number with “meatballs” and “Johnny V” decorating the open spaces. This is a long and ongoing story in the house. At game time they were spotted not only with their t-shirts, but with their faces painted like David Puddy going to a New Jersey Devils game.
The game was set to tip and we knew we had to contain Casey. If he were to get his shots rolling we knew he could put up some big numbers. The first half was ours despite not playing up to our full potential. We had a comfortable 13 point lead at halftime but lost most of it in the third quarter as Mandurah came out with a lot of intensity and with nothing to lose. The game came down to the wire. Leading by 3 points with less than 10 seconds to play Mandurah inbounded the ball from half-court to Casey and after dribbling off an on-the-ball screen into a double team effort by our guys he put up a running 3 point shot that hit the bottom of the net as the horn sounded. Overtime was upon us.
I started OT with 5 fouls and found my sixth a couple minutes into the extra session. I was dumbfounded when I left the huddle to begin overtime. I walked to the center circle for the jump ball and was told that we use the jump ball arrow over here, and of course the arrow pointed towards Mandurah. During the first overtime each team traded baskets and after the extra session we were still tied. I was struggling sitting on the bench watching the game unfold. I just did my best by cheering my teammates on. In the second overtime we found ourselves down with very little time remaining. Mike Haney drove to the basket with 5 seconds left and made a lay up to take the lead by 1. Mandurah threw up a desperation shot at the end but the result was a win for the Giants, 100-99! Statistically I finished with 27 points, 8 rebs, and 2 assts., but the only statistic that really matters is the Win. We currently are 5-3 on the season and heading on a very difficult road trip this weekend to Geraldton and Wanneroo.
After the game we did the usual post game activities. Showered, dressed to the 9’s and made our way to The Palace. I love winning games, but I hate winnings hellish opposite. I hate losing games more than I enjoy winning them. A loss stays with me far too long. This is not the only thing I think about, but after a loss a beer does not always taste the greatest. After a win, however, Delicious! It was a fantastic night catching up with Casey and seeing a large amount of friends out not only at the game but afterwards as well. I was having so much fun I was even convinced to get up and sing karaoke with Woody and Rusty. We sang “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond and I stayed as far away from the microphone as possible. I maintain that I am monotone and tone deaf and have no business signing in public. I followed their singing and they followed my stage presence. It was big hit, Bom bom bom! As we walked off the stage the woman said, “Thanks Woody and Rusty, and the random guy.” Go Americans!
Sunday night I spent at the Creek residence with my teammate / roommate Lordan. Our coach, Wayne, and his wife had us over for their “Mexican” night. It was a really nice evening and I absolutely loved the food. They were even generous enough to send a chicken pasta bake home with us the next day.
In the biggest news of the week, I survived an earthquake yesterday. Yes, Kalgoorlie experienced a 5.2 magnitude earthquake just after 8:00 am on Tuesday. The center of the quake happened in Boulder, a town a couple kms (a few miles) from Kalgoorlie. There was not much damage in Kal, but several buildings in Boulder experienced damage. It was a really strange experience. It felt and sounded as if a large airplane was flying very low over the building. I was at the high school getting ready to head to class before it all happened. I did not really feel the ground move, but it was more so the loud noise that startled me. I could not imagine what it would have been like if I were a miner underground a mile or so and to experience something like that. At this point I have not heard of any injuries or deaths as a result of the quake, but needless to say it was a scary experience.
Last week I mentioned that our cable television was installed. I had been without television for quite some time and although it was a nice change, I missed being caught up with everything. I have now seen several baseball games – the St. Louis Cardinals have been on quite often, watched Sportscenter, Seinfeld, the NBA playoffs and MacGyver! It has been really nice seeing what is going on at home.
I hope things are going well at home for everyone and that you are taking advantage of the warmer weather. I miss you all and look forward to talking with everyone. Things are wonderful here and wish I could share more with everyone. Until next week, God Bless.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Adventure Continues
Good afternoon Minneapolis! I am currently writing this blog as I watch my beloved Minnesota Twins play their home opener. The game was actually played Monday afternoon in Mpls, which would translate to a 5 am Tuesday morning game time in Kalgoorlie. I could have watched the game live, but I had very little desire to get up that early and I was without Foxtel (the cable provider here). Luckily, with the help of Michael informing me that the game would be replayed at 11:30 pm today and the Foxtel service representatives appearing at my door this afternoon to setup our cable, I am watching the game now. It is wonderful to see the Twins off to a great start, to see the brand new ballpark, and to see a bit of home from the other side of the world! I am hoping to get to a game this fall and to be able to wear a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt to the outdoor stadium.
As I have started all my previous blogs, I will wish that you all are doing very well, are very happy, and are enjoying life! I am fortunate to report that I am experiencing all of the above. (Jason Kubel just left the ballpark! He will forever be the answer to a trivia question). After posting my last blog I left to finish the basketball camp that Michael and I were running during the school’s first week of Easter holiday. On our way down Hay Street, (Google Hay Street and Kalgoorlie and see what comes up), we approached Maritana Street where there were police everywhere. The night before there was a homicide. After finishing the camp I walked down to deposit some money at the bank. The bank shares the alleyway where the body was found and I literally walked up to the crime scene and saw all the number placards where evidence was. I felt like I was in a Law and Order episode.
Apparently the victim had an altercation at the pub late in the evening and was “glassed.” I have never heard of this before, but it seems that the instrument in the killing was either a glass bottle or drinking glass being broken over the individual or being stabbed by the broken object. I am not aware of any more details, but apparently the suspect fled town and his picture was all over the paper. When Rusty and Woody picked up a co-worker Monday morning at the local hostel the individual said that the assailant had been staying at that same hostel. He has now been detained.
On a lighter note, our camp was a great success. We had 50 campers over the 4 days and it was very fun. There is a bit of confusion here when I say camp because that implies that someone is sleeping over somewhere. I quickly adjusted my terminology to “day camp.” This was the first camp that the Giants have put on in some time and all the feedback we received was very positive. There are definitely things we would do differently and things we would like to add to future day camps. We plan to do a similar camp in July when the students are on holiday again.
The weekend started with a big hit as our new guests decided to treat a group of us to a taco dinner. I absolutely love Mexican food and it was a very welcomed treat. They provided everything, even down to the tiny red chili peppers. It was fantastic. It was a pretty calm Friday night as we had a game on Saturday. It is always a lot nicer to play at home than on the road as you get a good night sleep in your own bed, hang out in your own apartment during the day, and eat homemade food opposed to eating out.
Saturday night we were taking on the Bunburry Slammers. An AIA teammate, Trey Clarkson, is playing for them and was going to travel with the team despite not having been cleared to play by the Australian Immigration Office. He has been here for several weeks and has experienced some difficulties in getting his Visa processed. I was very happy to hear that he was still going to be traveling with so I could see him and we could get together after the game.
I have received a lot of concern from my friends with AIA that are playing over here. Their concern comes from the fact that I am playing in Kalgoorlie. At least once a week I get a phone call asking how I am doing and how I am handling things here. Not until Trey arrived here in Kal has anyone visited before. They are concerned because they hear so much from their teammates that the trip to Kal is a big weekend. The town has a lot of pubs, the impression is that people drink a lot, and there are legal brothels. If you have not Googled Hay Street yet, this is where the brothels are located. I actually live on Hay Street, a couple blocks down from these establishments. If you are concerned for me after reading this I promise you that I am not tempted in the slightest to visit a brothel, nor am I falling victim to drinking too much or hanging out in the pubs. Kalgoorlie is a wonderful country town and those things are a part of the culture. I tell the guys that things are going great and that those temptations are not a problem in the slightest. Kal is a beautiful town full of beautiful people.
Now I will give you the summary for the game against the Slammers. Bunburry has yet to win a game this season. They are young, without one of their imports and battling an injured point guard. We contributed to their drought as we piled up and maintained a pretty substantial lead throughout the game. This was our second lopsided win of the season and it felt very good. I did not play many minutes, and fortunately for me this was because of our lead and not because of the referees disagreeing with my style of play. I went through the first quarter without a foul, maybe one in the second, but felt compelled to do things that look like fouls to earn 5 for the game. I say “things that look like fouls” in honor of Coach Holquist and because I continue to maintain the position that I have never committed a foul, but rather only do things that might somewhat resemble a foul. I finished the game with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists. After the game I was recognized as the game MVP and earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Game award. Each award comes with a cash prize, one to the Palace Hotel (which is also the bar we attend after home games) and the other to the local jewelry store. Both prizes are awarded by the sponsors that own the respective businesses. It is very generous of them and greatly appreciated. I only wish that Blackwoods would have provided similar prizes after games at UMD to offset the money I dumped into that place. It still remains my favorite place to go out to.
The game was a lot of fun. As they say in the movie Bull Durham, “winning, it’s a lot more fun than losing." Many of the players on the team received significant playing time. It was nice to see the younger players make shots and have the crowd cheer loudly for them. It was also exciting to see Russell Hurst collect a double-double on his 25th birthday in front of all his friends and family that made the trip from Perth. Saturday had several things to celebrate: A big victory, Russell’s birthday, and a small house warming for Michael, Lordan and me. Woody and Rusty were a little late to the game, but did not disappoint. They spent much of Saturday collecting items for their outfits. The result was a sombrero wearing Mexican and an 80’s hair band lead singer, both with sunglasses.
Before each game begins, we line up for the the Australian National Anthem. As a kid I always thought about all the baseball players and hockey players from other countries and what it was like for them to stand and give attention to another country’s anthem. I always related this question to baseball and hockey players as these sports had so many foreign players. To this day I consider this during each Olympics and how the winner of each event stands so proudly as their anthem is played. Now, having experienced listening to a foreign anthem, it is very weird. I find myself torn between whether or not I should learn the words and sing along or by doing the previous would I feel unpatriotic to the US. I do know that listening to the Star Spangled Banner gives me the chills and that I continue to trace the same word on the floor before a game that I used to write with all my friends before Legion baseball games.
Before our team heads out to the Palace for post game drinks we congregate with the opposing players in the “sponsor’s room” / bar to eat, drink, socialize and present awards. This is a bit different, but quite enjoyable. It almost makes you pull back a bit in what you say to the other players during the game as you know you will have to see them immediately following the game. After each award the recipient speaks and thanks the sponsors of the award, the sponsors of the team, their teammates, the volunteers, etc. I took advantage of my time and introduced my “American” friends to everyone. They will be instant hits at the games if they continue to dress up. This weekend the President of the league was in town for the game. His name is CJ, and he was an import in the league at one point. He has had a lot of experience with AIA guys coming over to play, and I was leaving the stadium and finishing my beer he pulled me aside. Laughing, he said, “You are the first AIA guy that I have seen drink.” I was shocked. My instant response was, “I’m Catholic.”
After getting out of the stadium we rushed back to get cleaned up and to change clothes before heading up town. You have to dress to the 9’s in Kal or they won’t let you in the clubs. Just kidding. We were ready to go and I was quite excited to show the guys the town and the nightlife. We started at the Palace as this is what they do here. The Palace is a “skimpy” bar. Skimpies are topless bartenders. The entire bar is not like that, but rather just the back portion. I usually stick to the front of the bar, but I thought Rusty and Woody would enjoy the differences from back home. Rusty and Woody were working their American accents and could not keep the girls away. We stayed at the Palace for a decent amount of time before heading back to our apartment. You can stay out all night in Kal if you desired, and it is fun the first couple weekends, but like a wave it hits the inevitable break.
At the apartment we had a handful of friends over for a couple drinks, some games, music and dancing. Other than the Coronas that everyone drinks we were providing pre-mixed drinks. These are new to me and it is a pretty decent concept. I am not referring to the Vodka Cruisers or Mike’s Hard Lemonades from home, but pre-mixed cans of Jim Beam and cola, Jack Daniels and cola, Vodka stuff, etc. It is pretty convenient, a can of coke with a shot of whatever suites your fancy. The only issue is for those that appreciate a little more spirit than cola. When drinking those pre-mixed cans you consume too much soda.
I mentioned above that I share the apartment with Michael (the other American) and Lordan. Lordan Franich is a new player to the Giants this year after moving from Perth. He is a great guy and should be a nice addition to our unit. I am in the process of explaining baseball to him as a tradeoff for his knowledge in Aussie rules and other Australian cultural explanations I need.
Cole and Woody arrived on Wednesday last week and by mid-day Thursday they were all over town and in search of jobs. After dropping resumes off at a couple places, calling leads that they had been given, they stopped in at the labour hire business. Labor is spelled differently here as are several words. These spelling differences are because the US was settled prior to Australia and in the time between the two births of these nations the English language went through a period of great French influence. This “new” English was brought to Australia. Most words affected by the influence end in either er (which is re here ex. metre) and or (which is our here ex. colour). They were instantly employed and began work as miners, yes miners, on Monday morning. They work 12 hour days and have to wear reflective clothing, hardhats and dirt all over their bodies. The last part is mandatory. I think they want to find other employment, but this was their first job after graduating college: Miners in Western Australia.
For a little culture in this week’s blog I will let you in on my daily math class. Life is one big math problem. Actually, life is one big conversion. Celsius to Fahrenheit, meters to feet, kilometers to miles, liters to ounces to gallons. My brain is constantly converting in order to survive. It is actually more of a compulsion. I constantly do the math in my head so that I can equate it back to the more familiar Imperial system. Why the US is the only nation that maintains using this system is beyond me. Anyways, the everyday things of driving, cooking, the weather and grocery shopping all provide the opportunity for conversion.
Since moving out of the Bowler residence I have been out grocery shopping and I still cannot walk into a store and purchase one item. I walk around the entire store and see what is available. Some may call this impulse shopping, but I, however, enjoy walking around grocery stores and find it relaxing. Walking up to the meat counter for the first time the signage threw me as deli ham cost $19. My instinctual response was to evaluate the cost per pound and I was shocked. The price is actually measured in kilograms. There are 2.2 lbs per kg and this is where my mind starts to go, comparing prices back to the states. I just find it fascinating what things cost in comparison to home. Two major differences in the grocery stores here are that dog food is predominantly meat and stored in the refrigerator section and that eggs are brown and stored in the dry goods sections. Grocery stores, like practically everything in Kal, are not open on Sundays.
Until next week, I will be enjoying the week off of school and looking forward to our game Saturday against Mandurah. Another AIA friend, Casey Crevelone, will be in town playing. I continue to be very grateful for my opportunity to play and live in Australia. Have a wonderful week everyone! God Bless.
As I have started all my previous blogs, I will wish that you all are doing very well, are very happy, and are enjoying life! I am fortunate to report that I am experiencing all of the above. (Jason Kubel just left the ballpark! He will forever be the answer to a trivia question). After posting my last blog I left to finish the basketball camp that Michael and I were running during the school’s first week of Easter holiday. On our way down Hay Street, (Google Hay Street and Kalgoorlie and see what comes up), we approached Maritana Street where there were police everywhere. The night before there was a homicide. After finishing the camp I walked down to deposit some money at the bank. The bank shares the alleyway where the body was found and I literally walked up to the crime scene and saw all the number placards where evidence was. I felt like I was in a Law and Order episode.
Apparently the victim had an altercation at the pub late in the evening and was “glassed.” I have never heard of this before, but it seems that the instrument in the killing was either a glass bottle or drinking glass being broken over the individual or being stabbed by the broken object. I am not aware of any more details, but apparently the suspect fled town and his picture was all over the paper. When Rusty and Woody picked up a co-worker Monday morning at the local hostel the individual said that the assailant had been staying at that same hostel. He has now been detained.
On a lighter note, our camp was a great success. We had 50 campers over the 4 days and it was very fun. There is a bit of confusion here when I say camp because that implies that someone is sleeping over somewhere. I quickly adjusted my terminology to “day camp.” This was the first camp that the Giants have put on in some time and all the feedback we received was very positive. There are definitely things we would do differently and things we would like to add to future day camps. We plan to do a similar camp in July when the students are on holiday again.
The weekend started with a big hit as our new guests decided to treat a group of us to a taco dinner. I absolutely love Mexican food and it was a very welcomed treat. They provided everything, even down to the tiny red chili peppers. It was fantastic. It was a pretty calm Friday night as we had a game on Saturday. It is always a lot nicer to play at home than on the road as you get a good night sleep in your own bed, hang out in your own apartment during the day, and eat homemade food opposed to eating out.
Saturday night we were taking on the Bunburry Slammers. An AIA teammate, Trey Clarkson, is playing for them and was going to travel with the team despite not having been cleared to play by the Australian Immigration Office. He has been here for several weeks and has experienced some difficulties in getting his Visa processed. I was very happy to hear that he was still going to be traveling with so I could see him and we could get together after the game.
I have received a lot of concern from my friends with AIA that are playing over here. Their concern comes from the fact that I am playing in Kalgoorlie. At least once a week I get a phone call asking how I am doing and how I am handling things here. Not until Trey arrived here in Kal has anyone visited before. They are concerned because they hear so much from their teammates that the trip to Kal is a big weekend. The town has a lot of pubs, the impression is that people drink a lot, and there are legal brothels. If you have not Googled Hay Street yet, this is where the brothels are located. I actually live on Hay Street, a couple blocks down from these establishments. If you are concerned for me after reading this I promise you that I am not tempted in the slightest to visit a brothel, nor am I falling victim to drinking too much or hanging out in the pubs. Kalgoorlie is a wonderful country town and those things are a part of the culture. I tell the guys that things are going great and that those temptations are not a problem in the slightest. Kal is a beautiful town full of beautiful people.
Now I will give you the summary for the game against the Slammers. Bunburry has yet to win a game this season. They are young, without one of their imports and battling an injured point guard. We contributed to their drought as we piled up and maintained a pretty substantial lead throughout the game. This was our second lopsided win of the season and it felt very good. I did not play many minutes, and fortunately for me this was because of our lead and not because of the referees disagreeing with my style of play. I went through the first quarter without a foul, maybe one in the second, but felt compelled to do things that look like fouls to earn 5 for the game. I say “things that look like fouls” in honor of Coach Holquist and because I continue to maintain the position that I have never committed a foul, but rather only do things that might somewhat resemble a foul. I finished the game with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists. After the game I was recognized as the game MVP and earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Game award. Each award comes with a cash prize, one to the Palace Hotel (which is also the bar we attend after home games) and the other to the local jewelry store. Both prizes are awarded by the sponsors that own the respective businesses. It is very generous of them and greatly appreciated. I only wish that Blackwoods would have provided similar prizes after games at UMD to offset the money I dumped into that place. It still remains my favorite place to go out to.
The game was a lot of fun. As they say in the movie Bull Durham, “winning, it’s a lot more fun than losing." Many of the players on the team received significant playing time. It was nice to see the younger players make shots and have the crowd cheer loudly for them. It was also exciting to see Russell Hurst collect a double-double on his 25th birthday in front of all his friends and family that made the trip from Perth. Saturday had several things to celebrate: A big victory, Russell’s birthday, and a small house warming for Michael, Lordan and me. Woody and Rusty were a little late to the game, but did not disappoint. They spent much of Saturday collecting items for their outfits. The result was a sombrero wearing Mexican and an 80’s hair band lead singer, both with sunglasses.
Before each game begins, we line up for the the Australian National Anthem. As a kid I always thought about all the baseball players and hockey players from other countries and what it was like for them to stand and give attention to another country’s anthem. I always related this question to baseball and hockey players as these sports had so many foreign players. To this day I consider this during each Olympics and how the winner of each event stands so proudly as their anthem is played. Now, having experienced listening to a foreign anthem, it is very weird. I find myself torn between whether or not I should learn the words and sing along or by doing the previous would I feel unpatriotic to the US. I do know that listening to the Star Spangled Banner gives me the chills and that I continue to trace the same word on the floor before a game that I used to write with all my friends before Legion baseball games.
Before our team heads out to the Palace for post game drinks we congregate with the opposing players in the “sponsor’s room” / bar to eat, drink, socialize and present awards. This is a bit different, but quite enjoyable. It almost makes you pull back a bit in what you say to the other players during the game as you know you will have to see them immediately following the game. After each award the recipient speaks and thanks the sponsors of the award, the sponsors of the team, their teammates, the volunteers, etc. I took advantage of my time and introduced my “American” friends to everyone. They will be instant hits at the games if they continue to dress up. This weekend the President of the league was in town for the game. His name is CJ, and he was an import in the league at one point. He has had a lot of experience with AIA guys coming over to play, and I was leaving the stadium and finishing my beer he pulled me aside. Laughing, he said, “You are the first AIA guy that I have seen drink.” I was shocked. My instant response was, “I’m Catholic.”
After getting out of the stadium we rushed back to get cleaned up and to change clothes before heading up town. You have to dress to the 9’s in Kal or they won’t let you in the clubs. Just kidding. We were ready to go and I was quite excited to show the guys the town and the nightlife. We started at the Palace as this is what they do here. The Palace is a “skimpy” bar. Skimpies are topless bartenders. The entire bar is not like that, but rather just the back portion. I usually stick to the front of the bar, but I thought Rusty and Woody would enjoy the differences from back home. Rusty and Woody were working their American accents and could not keep the girls away. We stayed at the Palace for a decent amount of time before heading back to our apartment. You can stay out all night in Kal if you desired, and it is fun the first couple weekends, but like a wave it hits the inevitable break.
At the apartment we had a handful of friends over for a couple drinks, some games, music and dancing. Other than the Coronas that everyone drinks we were providing pre-mixed drinks. These are new to me and it is a pretty decent concept. I am not referring to the Vodka Cruisers or Mike’s Hard Lemonades from home, but pre-mixed cans of Jim Beam and cola, Jack Daniels and cola, Vodka stuff, etc. It is pretty convenient, a can of coke with a shot of whatever suites your fancy. The only issue is for those that appreciate a little more spirit than cola. When drinking those pre-mixed cans you consume too much soda.
I mentioned above that I share the apartment with Michael (the other American) and Lordan. Lordan Franich is a new player to the Giants this year after moving from Perth. He is a great guy and should be a nice addition to our unit. I am in the process of explaining baseball to him as a tradeoff for his knowledge in Aussie rules and other Australian cultural explanations I need.
Cole and Woody arrived on Wednesday last week and by mid-day Thursday they were all over town and in search of jobs. After dropping resumes off at a couple places, calling leads that they had been given, they stopped in at the labour hire business. Labor is spelled differently here as are several words. These spelling differences are because the US was settled prior to Australia and in the time between the two births of these nations the English language went through a period of great French influence. This “new” English was brought to Australia. Most words affected by the influence end in either er (which is re here ex. metre) and or (which is our here ex. colour). They were instantly employed and began work as miners, yes miners, on Monday morning. They work 12 hour days and have to wear reflective clothing, hardhats and dirt all over their bodies. The last part is mandatory. I think they want to find other employment, but this was their first job after graduating college: Miners in Western Australia.
For a little culture in this week’s blog I will let you in on my daily math class. Life is one big math problem. Actually, life is one big conversion. Celsius to Fahrenheit, meters to feet, kilometers to miles, liters to ounces to gallons. My brain is constantly converting in order to survive. It is actually more of a compulsion. I constantly do the math in my head so that I can equate it back to the more familiar Imperial system. Why the US is the only nation that maintains using this system is beyond me. Anyways, the everyday things of driving, cooking, the weather and grocery shopping all provide the opportunity for conversion.
Since moving out of the Bowler residence I have been out grocery shopping and I still cannot walk into a store and purchase one item. I walk around the entire store and see what is available. Some may call this impulse shopping, but I, however, enjoy walking around grocery stores and find it relaxing. Walking up to the meat counter for the first time the signage threw me as deli ham cost $19. My instinctual response was to evaluate the cost per pound and I was shocked. The price is actually measured in kilograms. There are 2.2 lbs per kg and this is where my mind starts to go, comparing prices back to the states. I just find it fascinating what things cost in comparison to home. Two major differences in the grocery stores here are that dog food is predominantly meat and stored in the refrigerator section and that eggs are brown and stored in the dry goods sections. Grocery stores, like practically everything in Kal, are not open on Sundays.
Until next week, I will be enjoying the week off of school and looking forward to our game Saturday against Mandurah. Another AIA friend, Casey Crevelone, will be in town playing. I continue to be very grateful for my opportunity to play and live in Australia. Have a wonderful week everyone! God Bless.
Friday, April 9, 2010
New Crib, New Ride
Hello everyone! I am sorry for the delay in posting this blog, but times have been very busy. I hope that this finds you doing very well, loving life, and enjoying your family and friends. This past week was full of Easter! On Friday I ate fish and chips three different times to follow along with Good Friday. On game days I try to eat healthy and stay away from fried foods, but I had to make the sacrifice. There is something about getting fish and chips at a travel restaurant in the middle of the desert that makes you question the quality.
The Australians really take their holidays seriously. Last week was the last week of school before the kids had their Easter holiday of 2 weeks. Going to school last Thursday was quite entertaining as the number of students in each class could be counted on one, or sometimes if needed both, hand(s). Friday was the first day off and the majority of the students decided that Tuesday would be their final day of classes. The school I am working at has classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is considered a homework day where students can come in and work on classes, assignments or projects in which they could use additional help. As a result most students figured they would start their holiday after school on Tuesday.
As for the rest of Australia, the country takes public holidays for Good Friday and Easter Monday. Most businesses are closed but some restaurants remain open and charge an additional 15% service charge. The parks in Perth were packed with families, and it is nice to see that they were taking advantage of their time off to be with each other. This week was difficult to be away from home, family and friends. Easter was usually one of the first weekends I would be able to get home from school and basketball to see family and friends and to celebrate the holiday. I do miss you all and wish I could see or speak with everyone more often; but things are going really well here and it has been a wonderful experience thus far. As for Easter, I was fortunate to be surrounded by many friends and lovely families throughout the weekend.
Since the last blog I posted I had mentioned my good friend Seth was leaving. The Bowler family entertained everyone with a BBQ in Seth’s honor. It was also the beginning of Jimmy Bowler’s half-way to 60 years old celebration! We had a large group gather and ate great food, played fun games and enjoyed each other’s company. Everyone was sad to see Seth leave, but he is planning on returning in July. Thursday evening prior to the BBQ I picked up the keys to my new apartment that I am sharing with Michael Haney. It is a wonderful unit and very plush. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom unit with a nice kitchen, patio, dining area, and a living room and family room. Luckily the unit came fully furnished with nice leather couches and an incredible entertainment unit! I guess I didn’t need to pack the Bose speakers!
In addition to the new apartment unit I picked up a new “whip” or car last week as well. I remain in a Camry, but this one has some tint to the windows and some rims in the wheels! Rolling around Kal in style…Hopefully with the new car I can get rid of the common mistakes of walking to the wrong side of the car, turning the wipers on instead of signaling, and looking right instead of left.
Now for the game updates. Friday morning we took off for Perth. The bus trips are not always ideal before a game, but I am enjoying the aspect of leaving at 6 am. It sounds rough, but for most of the duration of the road trip you are able to sleep no problem. I wake up a couple times for stops, but for the most part you wake up and you are there.
Our first game this weekend was against Rockingham. We were playing without Ryan Hulme for the first time since he departed for his wedding / honeymoon for the next month. We are going to miss what he brings to the team; he is a great shooter and a solid guard. Rockingham is known for being a very scrappy team; a team that if you give them enough confidence they can beat you. Fortunately we prevailed in the end, but I think we game them more confidence than we should have. We won the game by 10 points or so, but it was not a very pretty game to watch. I finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. I shot poorly from the field, but still was able to rebound. I was fortunate to have my “Perth family” and good friend Ben Beran at that game to support me and the Giants. Our club has a very loyal and supportive following. Sometimes when playing on the road we draw more fans for ourselves than the home team does.
Saturday night we rounded out our double header against Cockburn (pronounced Co-burn). This game was built up a bit as the former coach here (last 4 years) is now the head coach at Cockburn. As is usual with these situations, there is a lot made out of these matchups. Unfortunately for our team we lost to a better team that night. Cockburn is a very young team that is scrappy and plays hard. They executed their plays and we did not. I do not know what happened with me or our guys, but our defense was terrible and our energy / effort was not where it should have been. We lost by more than I would like to disclose, but I did end up with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Once again I did not shoot very well, but took enough shots to make it look like I played respectable basketball. We have much to work on and hopefully our upcoming tilt this weekend will go our way.
I spent the remainder of the weekend in Perth visiting friends. I was definitely not alone for Easter and my basket of chocolate was more than full. I had dinner with the Chegs after the game on Saturday and Ben picked me up to crash at his place. Ben plays for the Lakeside Lightning, another club in the SBL. He is staying with a host family in Booragoon, a suburb of Perth. The family he stays with is the Weirs. Jane Weir, whom I met in November when traveling with AIA, is best friends with Mary Anne Bowler, the mother of the family I stayed with in Kalgoorlie. Ben and I stayed up late catching up and talking about the differences in our teams, city, and between Australia and the US. I stayed up a bit later to watch TV. I have not watched much television since coming to Aussie, but I found MacGyver was on and was able to catch up on my ability to escape unpredictable situations with bubble gum, a paper clip, and a rubber band.
The next morning was Easter and Ben and I woke up early to go through the book of Matthew. It is quite uplifting to read the end of the Gospel on Easter Sunday. I attended mass with the Chegs at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Perth. It was a lovely mass and I was very excited to spend the day with Ben, the Chegs, the Weirs, and to meet Ryan Zamroz and his wife Stacy. Ryan is an import player for Geraldton, the other “country” team in the league. He went to Master’s College in California and is here with his wife and called on Ben to show them around due to his AIA affiliation.
Easter was a day full of faith, food, and friends. We had a wonderful brunch with the Chegs and then headed to Kings Park to show Ryan and Stacy the city. After Kings Park we made our way to Fremantle, a city known for its’ arts. It was a wonderful afternoon and it is always fun to hear people’s stories. This couple was married not too long ago so that they could travel with Ryan’s basketball. Although that would be tough to do, it appears they are having a wonderful time traveling together and experiencing the world. After Freo we made our way to the Weir’s where there was no shortage of food. They continued to bring out appetizers until there was no room for the main course. Then we continued to eat more food and dessert. I was uncomfortably full.
Monday was another day to tour around Perth. Ben and I picked up Ryan and Stacy and went back to Freemantle. The town had a huge market open for the holiday (normally on Sundays) and street performers all over. It is a beautiful town on the ocean, and actually a huge port for Western Australia. We went back to Fremantle so Ryan and Stacy could meet up with a teammate of his from Geraldton to carpool with. I was doing the same thing later in the day to get back to Kal. We all hung out together for the afternoon; 2 Geraldton players, 1 Lakeside player, and 1 Giants player. It is not that often that you see opposing players hanging out like that. We spent most of the afternoon shopping, eating and site seeing until we were all quite content with the large crowds. This past weekend was a lot of fun and I had a tremendous time seeing some familiar faces outside of Kal.
This week has been really nice as I have not had to work at the school. I am lucky to have some time off even though I only started a month ago. This week Mike and I are running a basketball camp for kids ranging in ages from 8-12. It has been a lot of fun meeting all the local kids that we see at the games and to see them all having so much fun playing basketball. I guess we are seeing them learn a thing or two as well! The camp ends today and it should be fun to pass out the awards to the kids.
As I mentioned last week my friend Seth was leaving, but two friends were going to be coming through this way on his coat tails. Woody and Rusty showed up on Wednesday and are planning to hang out for a bit in Kal. They have been back packing through the eastern states of Australia and through New Zealand the last 3 months. It is exciting to have some friends here and to tell stories and remember the good times back at UMD. Upon their arrival to Kal, they were thrown a welcoming BBQ by whom else, the Bowlers. I think Kal will provide something for them that could only be found here! They are insisting on dressing up for the basketball game this weekend in body paint or costumes like they did at UMD for the games, but I don’t think that will be happening. They showed up with a lot of luggage, but the most entertaining thing they had with them was their portable kitchen cupboard filled with all their essentials. It was basically a carry-on sized travel bag with random dishes, food, and cooking equipment. I think an oven, stove, refrigerator and dishwasher will be a welcomed adjustment for these two boys.
After playing basketball the last couple months with AIA and now in Australia I have come to see some of the friendliest, most welcoming and generous people. Families have taken in complete strangers and put myself and others up for short periods of time or extended periods. On the Fall tour we had numerous families that our group stayed with, were fed by and cared for by. Australia has been no different, and actually the people go so far out of their way to help you. Families extend invitations to have you over for dinner or to welcome you to town in Woody and Rusty’s case. It is quite remarkable and I feel very fortunate and I am thankful to have been shown that kind of generosity.
On a side note before I end this post I will leave you with a fun observation. The currency of Australia is quite different than ours. First, they throw it around a lot more loosely than at home. A $50 bill carries the same value to them as a $20 bill does to us. Foreign currency has the same effect as a poker chip does. When you are away from the currency you are familiar with and use as a basis for spending you tend to spend it as if it does not have a real monetary value. It is the vacation phenomenon that people go through. Why do people spend $15 on a drink when they are on vacation but not at home? Mentally, on vacation money holds a different value than it does at home. The same thing happens here. You spend a little more freely and purchase things you normally would not.
The actual difference in currency appearance baffles people here. “How in the world can you function in the US and have all your bills look the same? They are all the same size and color. How do you tell them apart?” This is a common topic of conversation. In Australia each bill has a different color and sometimes size. $50s are yellow, $20s are reddish, and $10s are blue. I would talk about $100s, but I don’t roll like that. This is great, and I can see how not having that could throw some people off. My question to them is, “What if someone is color blind? Then how do they know the value?” The answer is obvious, they read the 50, 20, 10, etc listed on the bill. Well, that is how we tell the difference in our bills. Australians do not have singles at all, instead they use coins. They have $2, $1, $.50, $.20, $.10 and $.05 coins. The ironic thing is that the most valuable coin, the $2 coin, is the smallest size wise. The less valuable $.50 and $.20 coins are far bigger than the $2 and $1 coins. To show that there is no rhyme or reason to the madness, the $.05 and $.10 are tiny as well. All that change in your pocket is a nuisance. I wonder if it is socially acceptable to purchase something for $30 or so and pull out all your change. In the states that would not fly, just ask Cosmo Kramer when he buys a calzone.
The Australians really take their holidays seriously. Last week was the last week of school before the kids had their Easter holiday of 2 weeks. Going to school last Thursday was quite entertaining as the number of students in each class could be counted on one, or sometimes if needed both, hand(s). Friday was the first day off and the majority of the students decided that Tuesday would be their final day of classes. The school I am working at has classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is considered a homework day where students can come in and work on classes, assignments or projects in which they could use additional help. As a result most students figured they would start their holiday after school on Tuesday.
As for the rest of Australia, the country takes public holidays for Good Friday and Easter Monday. Most businesses are closed but some restaurants remain open and charge an additional 15% service charge. The parks in Perth were packed with families, and it is nice to see that they were taking advantage of their time off to be with each other. This week was difficult to be away from home, family and friends. Easter was usually one of the first weekends I would be able to get home from school and basketball to see family and friends and to celebrate the holiday. I do miss you all and wish I could see or speak with everyone more often; but things are going really well here and it has been a wonderful experience thus far. As for Easter, I was fortunate to be surrounded by many friends and lovely families throughout the weekend.
Since the last blog I posted I had mentioned my good friend Seth was leaving. The Bowler family entertained everyone with a BBQ in Seth’s honor. It was also the beginning of Jimmy Bowler’s half-way to 60 years old celebration! We had a large group gather and ate great food, played fun games and enjoyed each other’s company. Everyone was sad to see Seth leave, but he is planning on returning in July. Thursday evening prior to the BBQ I picked up the keys to my new apartment that I am sharing with Michael Haney. It is a wonderful unit and very plush. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom unit with a nice kitchen, patio, dining area, and a living room and family room. Luckily the unit came fully furnished with nice leather couches and an incredible entertainment unit! I guess I didn’t need to pack the Bose speakers!
In addition to the new apartment unit I picked up a new “whip” or car last week as well. I remain in a Camry, but this one has some tint to the windows and some rims in the wheels! Rolling around Kal in style…Hopefully with the new car I can get rid of the common mistakes of walking to the wrong side of the car, turning the wipers on instead of signaling, and looking right instead of left.
Now for the game updates. Friday morning we took off for Perth. The bus trips are not always ideal before a game, but I am enjoying the aspect of leaving at 6 am. It sounds rough, but for most of the duration of the road trip you are able to sleep no problem. I wake up a couple times for stops, but for the most part you wake up and you are there.
Our first game this weekend was against Rockingham. We were playing without Ryan Hulme for the first time since he departed for his wedding / honeymoon for the next month. We are going to miss what he brings to the team; he is a great shooter and a solid guard. Rockingham is known for being a very scrappy team; a team that if you give them enough confidence they can beat you. Fortunately we prevailed in the end, but I think we game them more confidence than we should have. We won the game by 10 points or so, but it was not a very pretty game to watch. I finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. I shot poorly from the field, but still was able to rebound. I was fortunate to have my “Perth family” and good friend Ben Beran at that game to support me and the Giants. Our club has a very loyal and supportive following. Sometimes when playing on the road we draw more fans for ourselves than the home team does.
Saturday night we rounded out our double header against Cockburn (pronounced Co-burn). This game was built up a bit as the former coach here (last 4 years) is now the head coach at Cockburn. As is usual with these situations, there is a lot made out of these matchups. Unfortunately for our team we lost to a better team that night. Cockburn is a very young team that is scrappy and plays hard. They executed their plays and we did not. I do not know what happened with me or our guys, but our defense was terrible and our energy / effort was not where it should have been. We lost by more than I would like to disclose, but I did end up with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Once again I did not shoot very well, but took enough shots to make it look like I played respectable basketball. We have much to work on and hopefully our upcoming tilt this weekend will go our way.
I spent the remainder of the weekend in Perth visiting friends. I was definitely not alone for Easter and my basket of chocolate was more than full. I had dinner with the Chegs after the game on Saturday and Ben picked me up to crash at his place. Ben plays for the Lakeside Lightning, another club in the SBL. He is staying with a host family in Booragoon, a suburb of Perth. The family he stays with is the Weirs. Jane Weir, whom I met in November when traveling with AIA, is best friends with Mary Anne Bowler, the mother of the family I stayed with in Kalgoorlie. Ben and I stayed up late catching up and talking about the differences in our teams, city, and between Australia and the US. I stayed up a bit later to watch TV. I have not watched much television since coming to Aussie, but I found MacGyver was on and was able to catch up on my ability to escape unpredictable situations with bubble gum, a paper clip, and a rubber band.
The next morning was Easter and Ben and I woke up early to go through the book of Matthew. It is quite uplifting to read the end of the Gospel on Easter Sunday. I attended mass with the Chegs at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Perth. It was a lovely mass and I was very excited to spend the day with Ben, the Chegs, the Weirs, and to meet Ryan Zamroz and his wife Stacy. Ryan is an import player for Geraldton, the other “country” team in the league. He went to Master’s College in California and is here with his wife and called on Ben to show them around due to his AIA affiliation.
Easter was a day full of faith, food, and friends. We had a wonderful brunch with the Chegs and then headed to Kings Park to show Ryan and Stacy the city. After Kings Park we made our way to Fremantle, a city known for its’ arts. It was a wonderful afternoon and it is always fun to hear people’s stories. This couple was married not too long ago so that they could travel with Ryan’s basketball. Although that would be tough to do, it appears they are having a wonderful time traveling together and experiencing the world. After Freo we made our way to the Weir’s where there was no shortage of food. They continued to bring out appetizers until there was no room for the main course. Then we continued to eat more food and dessert. I was uncomfortably full.
Monday was another day to tour around Perth. Ben and I picked up Ryan and Stacy and went back to Freemantle. The town had a huge market open for the holiday (normally on Sundays) and street performers all over. It is a beautiful town on the ocean, and actually a huge port for Western Australia. We went back to Fremantle so Ryan and Stacy could meet up with a teammate of his from Geraldton to carpool with. I was doing the same thing later in the day to get back to Kal. We all hung out together for the afternoon; 2 Geraldton players, 1 Lakeside player, and 1 Giants player. It is not that often that you see opposing players hanging out like that. We spent most of the afternoon shopping, eating and site seeing until we were all quite content with the large crowds. This past weekend was a lot of fun and I had a tremendous time seeing some familiar faces outside of Kal.
This week has been really nice as I have not had to work at the school. I am lucky to have some time off even though I only started a month ago. This week Mike and I are running a basketball camp for kids ranging in ages from 8-12. It has been a lot of fun meeting all the local kids that we see at the games and to see them all having so much fun playing basketball. I guess we are seeing them learn a thing or two as well! The camp ends today and it should be fun to pass out the awards to the kids.
As I mentioned last week my friend Seth was leaving, but two friends were going to be coming through this way on his coat tails. Woody and Rusty showed up on Wednesday and are planning to hang out for a bit in Kal. They have been back packing through the eastern states of Australia and through New Zealand the last 3 months. It is exciting to have some friends here and to tell stories and remember the good times back at UMD. Upon their arrival to Kal, they were thrown a welcoming BBQ by whom else, the Bowlers. I think Kal will provide something for them that could only be found here! They are insisting on dressing up for the basketball game this weekend in body paint or costumes like they did at UMD for the games, but I don’t think that will be happening. They showed up with a lot of luggage, but the most entertaining thing they had with them was their portable kitchen cupboard filled with all their essentials. It was basically a carry-on sized travel bag with random dishes, food, and cooking equipment. I think an oven, stove, refrigerator and dishwasher will be a welcomed adjustment for these two boys.
After playing basketball the last couple months with AIA and now in Australia I have come to see some of the friendliest, most welcoming and generous people. Families have taken in complete strangers and put myself and others up for short periods of time or extended periods. On the Fall tour we had numerous families that our group stayed with, were fed by and cared for by. Australia has been no different, and actually the people go so far out of their way to help you. Families extend invitations to have you over for dinner or to welcome you to town in Woody and Rusty’s case. It is quite remarkable and I feel very fortunate and I am thankful to have been shown that kind of generosity.
On a side note before I end this post I will leave you with a fun observation. The currency of Australia is quite different than ours. First, they throw it around a lot more loosely than at home. A $50 bill carries the same value to them as a $20 bill does to us. Foreign currency has the same effect as a poker chip does. When you are away from the currency you are familiar with and use as a basis for spending you tend to spend it as if it does not have a real monetary value. It is the vacation phenomenon that people go through. Why do people spend $15 on a drink when they are on vacation but not at home? Mentally, on vacation money holds a different value than it does at home. The same thing happens here. You spend a little more freely and purchase things you normally would not.
The actual difference in currency appearance baffles people here. “How in the world can you function in the US and have all your bills look the same? They are all the same size and color. How do you tell them apart?” This is a common topic of conversation. In Australia each bill has a different color and sometimes size. $50s are yellow, $20s are reddish, and $10s are blue. I would talk about $100s, but I don’t roll like that. This is great, and I can see how not having that could throw some people off. My question to them is, “What if someone is color blind? Then how do they know the value?” The answer is obvious, they read the 50, 20, 10, etc listed on the bill. Well, that is how we tell the difference in our bills. Australians do not have singles at all, instead they use coins. They have $2, $1, $.50, $.20, $.10 and $.05 coins. The ironic thing is that the most valuable coin, the $2 coin, is the smallest size wise. The less valuable $.50 and $.20 coins are far bigger than the $2 and $1 coins. To show that there is no rhyme or reason to the madness, the $.05 and $.10 are tiny as well. All that change in your pocket is a nuisance. I wonder if it is socially acceptable to purchase something for $30 or so and pull out all your change. In the states that would not fly, just ask Cosmo Kramer when he buys a calzone.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Round 4
Greetings! Welcome back to another update for those of you who have visited before and welcome to those of you that are first time readers. It has been another fantastic week in Kal and it is just beginning to hit me how fast time truly flies by. It has already been over a month and it is now April! It has been fun; it has been amazing; and there is still so much more excitement on the horizon.
Well this week I had an unusual experience. It was more a realization or awakening. I will sum it up the message at the end of my blog. I continue to work at the local college and I am having a great time there with the students and learning more about their culture and more about our “American” culture as well! My experiences so far at the school could actually warrant a blog in itself, one that might be more interesting than this. I have found that every American carries a gun, lives in a ghetto, has to avoid gangsters to go out, lives in either Los Angeles or New York (but nowhere in between), and is friends with many celebrities and frequently sees movie stars out and about. This was all news to me! Whenever we have free time in class the students want to know about “the States.” Many of the students are in an English class and are working a project where they write a persuasive article supporting a conspiracy theory. News flash, of the top ten conspiracy theories 8 originate in the USA.
I also am amazed by the political opinions of the Australians and their attitudes towards American politics. Their perception of the current President is tremendous; and they are actually devastatingly surprised when I express my opinion (you can guess what that is). They also are surprised at how long it took for healthcare reform in the US and think that it is wonderful. I remind them that there are 20 million people in Australia and 320 million in the United States, that they have automated deduction from their paychecks to cover health care, and also have a much lower unemployment rate. I frequently talk politics with the father of the home I stayed at. He is a Member of Parliament in Australia and more on the liberal side of the spectrum (our liberal side). In Australia, our democrats are referred to as the “Labor Party” and our republicans are ironically called “Liberals.” I continue to agree to disagree with him, but hope that some of his liberal values may make me a better person and my conservative values rub off on him.
Now I guess it is time for an update on the game this weekend. This weekend the good guys prevailed in front of a very nice home crowd. We defeated the Perth Redbacks (in reference to the spider) by approximately 10 points. It was another high scoring affair as both teams topped 100 points. It was a slow start for the Giants, as has been the case the previous two outings despite our first two games jumping out to large leads in the early quarters. We trailed by double digits at the end of the first frame and then picked up the defense and trailed by 3 going into the break. The Redbacks had both their import players, a center and a forward, but both were limited in minutes played due to foul trouble. Going into the break our “imports,” Mike and I, only had 1 foul each, but we both quickly picked up numbers 3 and 4 with approximately 4 minutes left in the third quarter. I think we both felt that the way they were calling the game had changed from the first half. The team continued the improvement from each quarter and we entered the 4th leading by a couple points. Our captain, Ryan Hulme, took over by hitting 5 three’s in the final stanza. The game became quite comfortable early in the fourth as we led by 15 or so 4 minutes in.
I had an unusual experience take place during the game. Our guards were being harassed while bringing the ball up the court, so as I love to do, I went and set a back screen on the defender and laid him out. The crowd loves that here. I have actually hit a couple players and knocked them out of the games temporarily. After drilling this particular guard multiple times, he fell to the ground and proceeded to grab my shorts and pull them to my ankles. Now here I am at half court with a player holding my shorts down, spandex out and exposed, and me standing there with my legs as wide as possible so the shorts do not come completely off and my arms in the air wondering what had just happened. One might think, and I expressed this to the official as he ran by, that there would be a foul called. A player might not be allowed to prevent another player from moving by not only holding their uniform, but pulling it off. Anyways, the official had a different opinion and allowed the play to continue and he kindly told me to get dressed and deal with it. Oh well, that was definitely a first for me and I am still looking for pictures from any person in attendance. It is amazing, however, what an event like that does to conversations later in the night… everyone has something to say to you all of a sudden.
I finished the game as the runner-up MVP having recorded 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and my favorite stat: 3 charges taken! I have a keen ability to take a charge despite my size. I usually can draw at least one a game despite some people’s opinions that I am too big to flop on a guard and that no one should call that. To them I say it does not matter how big you are, or how small they are as long as you are in position.
After the game we all congregated to one of the player’s brother’s house for a “dance party” before hitting up the town. I had a bet with a friend that for every foul I had fewer than 6 he would buy me a shot. I have had a bit of foul trouble in the first couple games and it was to the point where Sam was convinced he would be on the receiving end no problem. Well I ended with 5, but since I did not foul out he provided me with 2 shots. The two shots just happened to be Absinthe. This was the first time I had ever tried Absinthe; it was not as potent as the European version, but it is still illegal back home. Hannan Street was pretty hopping. This is where all the bars (pubs) are located. Again it ended with a fairly late night, but once again it did not prevent me from attending Palm Sunday.
The game was a lot of fun for me on Saturday because several of my co-workers came to the game. Mary, my Midwestern friend from Wisconsin came to her first basketball game since High School. A couple weeks ago she had invited Seth, another American friend of mine at the school, and I to dinner at her house to gang up on Darelle and let her know how great America is. Darelle is from South Africa and likes to push buttons and stereotype Americans. It is all in good fun and we enjoy her sense of humor, but this night we were ganging up on her. It was a lovely dinner as Mary cooked a lovely roast and potatoes! She shared slides of all her travels through Australia and even a bit of Wisconsin! Last night Seth and I were the benefactors again of a lovely meal from a different co-worker. Sam (a former chef and home economics teacher) had us over with Claire and Amy. She served incredible chicken parmesan, salad, bread, appetizers, and a chocolate desert that was unbelievable! It was fantastic and a lot of fun.
I mentioned above that I have a friend named Seth. Seth is from Kentucky and basically hooked me up with my job. He is a super nice guy and absolutely a blast to hang out with. The kid is hilarious. Unfortunately he is leaving this week to go home for a couple months, but when new friends leave, old friends arrive! Next week Brandon Wood and Cole Strilzuk are venturing over for a bit! Looking forward to some familiar faces and conversations!
This week has been holy week and unfortunately we will be playing on the road on Good Friday, but it is better than playing on Easter Sunday. The games are not unfortunate at all, I am actually excited to get out and play a couple games this weekend to get our schedule back on track. I am really excited to get to Perth and spend some time with some good “mates” of mine for the holiday. My AIA friends Ben Beran, Bobby Kempf, and Trey Clarkson will all be in town and we have big plans to celebrate the holiday and spend some quality time together. It will be really nice to spend time with these guys and hear about their experiences and how they are living their lives and maintaining their faith. The faith aspect was one of the neatest experiences I had with AIA. It was an incredible time and these individuals are great people.
I will end things here and will try to get another post out a little sooner next week with some fun facts and observations of life here in Australia! I will leave you with this: Love your family. Love your friends. Do things you enjoy. Surround yourself with people that enhance your life. Enhance other people’s lives. Be safe.
Well this week I had an unusual experience. It was more a realization or awakening. I will sum it up the message at the end of my blog. I continue to work at the local college and I am having a great time there with the students and learning more about their culture and more about our “American” culture as well! My experiences so far at the school could actually warrant a blog in itself, one that might be more interesting than this. I have found that every American carries a gun, lives in a ghetto, has to avoid gangsters to go out, lives in either Los Angeles or New York (but nowhere in between), and is friends with many celebrities and frequently sees movie stars out and about. This was all news to me! Whenever we have free time in class the students want to know about “the States.” Many of the students are in an English class and are working a project where they write a persuasive article supporting a conspiracy theory. News flash, of the top ten conspiracy theories 8 originate in the USA.
I also am amazed by the political opinions of the Australians and their attitudes towards American politics. Their perception of the current President is tremendous; and they are actually devastatingly surprised when I express my opinion (you can guess what that is). They also are surprised at how long it took for healthcare reform in the US and think that it is wonderful. I remind them that there are 20 million people in Australia and 320 million in the United States, that they have automated deduction from their paychecks to cover health care, and also have a much lower unemployment rate. I frequently talk politics with the father of the home I stayed at. He is a Member of Parliament in Australia and more on the liberal side of the spectrum (our liberal side). In Australia, our democrats are referred to as the “Labor Party” and our republicans are ironically called “Liberals.” I continue to agree to disagree with him, but hope that some of his liberal values may make me a better person and my conservative values rub off on him.
Now I guess it is time for an update on the game this weekend. This weekend the good guys prevailed in front of a very nice home crowd. We defeated the Perth Redbacks (in reference to the spider) by approximately 10 points. It was another high scoring affair as both teams topped 100 points. It was a slow start for the Giants, as has been the case the previous two outings despite our first two games jumping out to large leads in the early quarters. We trailed by double digits at the end of the first frame and then picked up the defense and trailed by 3 going into the break. The Redbacks had both their import players, a center and a forward, but both were limited in minutes played due to foul trouble. Going into the break our “imports,” Mike and I, only had 1 foul each, but we both quickly picked up numbers 3 and 4 with approximately 4 minutes left in the third quarter. I think we both felt that the way they were calling the game had changed from the first half. The team continued the improvement from each quarter and we entered the 4th leading by a couple points. Our captain, Ryan Hulme, took over by hitting 5 three’s in the final stanza. The game became quite comfortable early in the fourth as we led by 15 or so 4 minutes in.
I had an unusual experience take place during the game. Our guards were being harassed while bringing the ball up the court, so as I love to do, I went and set a back screen on the defender and laid him out. The crowd loves that here. I have actually hit a couple players and knocked them out of the games temporarily. After drilling this particular guard multiple times, he fell to the ground and proceeded to grab my shorts and pull them to my ankles. Now here I am at half court with a player holding my shorts down, spandex out and exposed, and me standing there with my legs as wide as possible so the shorts do not come completely off and my arms in the air wondering what had just happened. One might think, and I expressed this to the official as he ran by, that there would be a foul called. A player might not be allowed to prevent another player from moving by not only holding their uniform, but pulling it off. Anyways, the official had a different opinion and allowed the play to continue and he kindly told me to get dressed and deal with it. Oh well, that was definitely a first for me and I am still looking for pictures from any person in attendance. It is amazing, however, what an event like that does to conversations later in the night… everyone has something to say to you all of a sudden.
I finished the game as the runner-up MVP having recorded 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and my favorite stat: 3 charges taken! I have a keen ability to take a charge despite my size. I usually can draw at least one a game despite some people’s opinions that I am too big to flop on a guard and that no one should call that. To them I say it does not matter how big you are, or how small they are as long as you are in position.
After the game we all congregated to one of the player’s brother’s house for a “dance party” before hitting up the town. I had a bet with a friend that for every foul I had fewer than 6 he would buy me a shot. I have had a bit of foul trouble in the first couple games and it was to the point where Sam was convinced he would be on the receiving end no problem. Well I ended with 5, but since I did not foul out he provided me with 2 shots. The two shots just happened to be Absinthe. This was the first time I had ever tried Absinthe; it was not as potent as the European version, but it is still illegal back home. Hannan Street was pretty hopping. This is where all the bars (pubs) are located. Again it ended with a fairly late night, but once again it did not prevent me from attending Palm Sunday.
The game was a lot of fun for me on Saturday because several of my co-workers came to the game. Mary, my Midwestern friend from Wisconsin came to her first basketball game since High School. A couple weeks ago she had invited Seth, another American friend of mine at the school, and I to dinner at her house to gang up on Darelle and let her know how great America is. Darelle is from South Africa and likes to push buttons and stereotype Americans. It is all in good fun and we enjoy her sense of humor, but this night we were ganging up on her. It was a lovely dinner as Mary cooked a lovely roast and potatoes! She shared slides of all her travels through Australia and even a bit of Wisconsin! Last night Seth and I were the benefactors again of a lovely meal from a different co-worker. Sam (a former chef and home economics teacher) had us over with Claire and Amy. She served incredible chicken parmesan, salad, bread, appetizers, and a chocolate desert that was unbelievable! It was fantastic and a lot of fun.
I mentioned above that I have a friend named Seth. Seth is from Kentucky and basically hooked me up with my job. He is a super nice guy and absolutely a blast to hang out with. The kid is hilarious. Unfortunately he is leaving this week to go home for a couple months, but when new friends leave, old friends arrive! Next week Brandon Wood and Cole Strilzuk are venturing over for a bit! Looking forward to some familiar faces and conversations!
This week has been holy week and unfortunately we will be playing on the road on Good Friday, but it is better than playing on Easter Sunday. The games are not unfortunate at all, I am actually excited to get out and play a couple games this weekend to get our schedule back on track. I am really excited to get to Perth and spend some time with some good “mates” of mine for the holiday. My AIA friends Ben Beran, Bobby Kempf, and Trey Clarkson will all be in town and we have big plans to celebrate the holiday and spend some quality time together. It will be really nice to spend time with these guys and hear about their experiences and how they are living their lives and maintaining their faith. The faith aspect was one of the neatest experiences I had with AIA. It was an incredible time and these individuals are great people.
I will end things here and will try to get another post out a little sooner next week with some fun facts and observations of life here in Australia! I will leave you with this: Love your family. Love your friends. Do things you enjoy. Surround yourself with people that enhance your life. Enhance other people’s lives. Be safe.
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