Views from Outside

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"It's not the brilliant blue skies, nor the magnificent trees that impresses most about Australia. What impresses me most is that people are welcomed here, into a supportive community that accepts all religions and cultures, respectfully." These words were repeated twice with heart felt enthusiasm by the visiting grandfather of one of my Bangladeshi students. Waxing lyrical about multicultural Australia from xenophobic Asia sometimes feels glib, but being reassured by the family of recent migrants makes this sentiment ring sincere.

My Jinhua colleague, Helen, visiting Adelaide for a week, confirmed many things I know about Australia. Our houses are big, with beautiful gardens, our roads and streets empty, the range of foods (including Chinese) vast and the diversity of humanity vaster. On a visit to the Garden of Unearthly Delights (Fringe Hub) she photographed colourful building facades, a street pianist and lidded toilet pans used as seating. In the city, she videoed the crowds watching a busking flamenco guitarist, British beatboxers and a Chinese Dragon dance. The vivid blue skies, gum trees and flocks of screeching birds were also commented upon with great enthusiasm.

The five visiting No 2 students were also instructive. 16 year olds who were academically excellent, but lacked the confidence to pour drinks for 9 year olds nor the initiative to take food out of plastic packets before a meal reminded me of different priorities. Making sandcastles on the beach was entirely new. The No 2 kids washed the sand from their hands every couple of minutes, carefully patted down any drops of sea water that splashed on their clothes and delighted in sinking their feet into the sand at the waters edge. The Great Wall of China was built enthusiastically across Henley Beach by 22 9 & 10 year olds. A good day was had by all, but very different days for the Australian kids and the Chinese ones.

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Photos

Building
the great wall of China

Fascination
with the sinky quality of sand

Using chopsticks
for the first time

Eating a timtam
with chopsticks

Great wall of china
close up