Lest We Forget

This morning was a holiday, a three day weekend, a day off from work.

This morning I was up before dawn.

This morning I ran up to Kings Park, in the dark, rain threatening.

This morning I wasn't alone.

This morning I joined 40,000 other Western Australians up before dawn.

This morning I joined 40,000 standing in silence to remember.

This morning I joined in just one of the many  ANZAC dawn services around the country and around the world.

It's a strange feeling being surrounded by so many people and hearing almost silence. It was not somber, it was respectful. From very young children to aging veterans who have a bit more to remember.

The legend of Anzac was born on 25 April 1915, and was reaffirmed in eight months' fighting on Gallipoli. Although there was no military victory, the Australians displayed great courage, endurance, initiative, discipline, and mateship. Such qualities came to be seen as the Anzac spirit.

"The Gallipoli campaign was the beginning of true Australian nationhood. When Australia went to war in 1914, many white Australians believed that their Commonwealth had no history, that it was not yet a true nation, that its most glorious days still lay ahead of it. In this sense the Gallipoli campaign was a defining moment for Australia as a new nation, but also a key moment in the evolution of a particular image of Australian masculinity.

The major features of an ANZAC legend were discernible very early in the campaign: Australians were bold and ferocious in battle but were unwilling to bow to military discipline. An ANZAC never flinched - if he died it was with a joke, or a wry smile on his face - yet nor would he salute a superior officer....In the ANZAC legend, the Australian Imperial Force was a democratic organisation, in which there were friendly relations between officers and men, and anyone could rise from the ranks to a commission."

-Dr Frank Bongiorno, Senior Lecturer in History at the University of New England

As the morning light broke over the hills, the dignitaries lay their traditional ANZAC wreaths to a bagpiper's lament.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young, 

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow, 

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, 

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning 

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Inspired by a Gumnut

Understanding how far away Australia is and comprehending that when it's night time in Connecticut, it's already the next morning in Perth is difficult for adults to understand. Try being a 2 (now almost 4) year old just learning to talk and skyping with your aunt on snowy night and it's sunny outside her window and she's in a tank top. Luckily I have a patient and amazing sister who has broadened my nieces' world to include Australia. She now knows that Australia is far away (you have to fly in an airplane to get there) and the when it's day time in New England it's night time in Australia. So I had to do my part and share some of Australia with my niece back home. And what better way than with a traditional Australian children's book. And so I introduced the story of Snuggepot and Cuddlepie.

"Snugglepot and Cuddlepie is a series of books written by Australian author May Gibbs. The books chronicle the adventures of the eponymous Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. The central story arc concerns Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (who are essentially homunculi) and their adventures along with troubles with the villains of the story, the “Banksia Men”. 

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, the gumnut babies, are the protagonists of the story and are modeled on the appearance of young Eucalyptus (gum tree) nuts. The female gumnut babies, however, have their hair, hats and skirts modeled on Eucalyptus flowers.

(Thank you Wikipedia)

And I'm proud to say that Snugglepot and Cuddlepie have become part of their nighttime routine. 

Now this is slightly humourus, as Snugglepot and Cuddlepie are basically naked babies that go on some slightly bizarre adventures. It is not your typical filtered American cookie cutter story.

I recently learned that May Gibbs, the author of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, spent a lot of  her childhood in Western Australia, with a large part of her inspiration coming from Harvey. Coincidentally, I was in Harvey last weekend and visited Stirling Cottage, the site of her original family home.

It wasn't hard to see where she got her inspiration from.

From sleepy, tree lined rivers to gardens full of flowers and open fields

To gumnuts! (both big and small)

All Australian children grow up with the stories of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and the legend lives on in the Harvey Tourist Center.

And back in Perth, there were also two statues in the gardens I walk by at least once a week walking to the shops. Last year, one of the statues was stolen!

And it's still not returned

But even if they steal the statues we will always have the adventures of these little gumnuts as they encourage us to be curious and kind. And one day I'll get past reading the first couple of pages, or by then my niece will be able to read them all to me...

Sending lots of love to my little blonde gumnut! 

'Merican Madness

I recently came across a blog post: "15 American Habits I Lost When I Moved to Australia"

14. Thinking the rest of the world cares about the NFL and religiously watching games

And to that you can add baseball, NASCAR, and NCAA basketball. Yes, that is correct. March Madness does not exist around the world.

So my  American friends were coming to visit me in Australia and it happened to be the start of the NCAA tournament. She didn't ask me plans for meeting her at the airport, if she'd need to exchange cash before getting here, or what clothes to pack. She asked if there'd be a way to watch basketball.

Yes, this is my third year in Australia. And yes, I love following college basketball. (Go Lady Huskies!) But when you're on the other side of the world, it's easy to lose track. First of all there's the whole time difference thing. Some may think it's socially unacceptable to go to the bar at 8am to watch the game and have a beer. Plus the bar's probably not open. And it doesn't receive and press or TV coverage. And as I and my American born-and-bred, basketball fan visitors learned, it's hard to watch even if you try. But I was willing to try my best to see what I could do to bring American basketball to Perth.

Option 1: Stream on the internet. In the US you can get every game live, free. Not here. Apparently the licensing is messed up. You'd think that you'd be able to pay a small (or larger) fee and stream the basketball games live. I could stream Australia Rules Football live in America, and no one even knows what that sport is in the US. But no such luck. The magic of the internet blocks all the fun things. This includes American Netflix and the best show ever, Nashville.

You are full of lies!

Option 2: Catch a game on TV. Sometimes they show NFL games on in the morning. They've got time to fill and 8am on a weekday morning isn't prime time. Well NCAA basketball doesn't even get the occasional spot.

Option 3: Watch it in a pub. I didn't have cable in South Carolina, but when there was a game I wanted to watch, I'd go to the local sports bar. Australians love to drink and they love sport. But there's no Buffalo Wild Wings equivalent. We happened to be small country towns that had only one or two pubs. Even the town with four pubs, only one pub had Foxtel (cable) to watch sports and the old blokes already had it on the rugby. 

I even tried to find a friend who would let us "borrow" her cable subscription but there are limitations with that as well (though my friend was a superstar who happens to like all things American and would have appreciated our need)

After some snooping around, we found a way to "cheat" and stream the games live. But the coverage was spotty at least and involved sitting in cafes ordering more flat whites and caramel slices than we needed, but they got to see there teams (unfortunately lose, sorry WVU and UConn). Thank goodness for smartphones.

So thank you Facebook friends, for keeping to me in the loop with live updates about exciting my alumni teams making it slightly further than thought, buzzer beater shots, and all things NCAA while I was sipping my coffee at work.

And now it's on time to footy...