First times

It is a week exactly since 19 tired Anmatyerr speakers and one very tired 'whitefella' arrived back in the desert after an 11 day excursion to Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games. I am almost at the point now where I feel I can eliminate the afternoon nap from my daily routine. Honestly, I was as tired as I have ever been upon my return, and there were moments where the 10 days in Melbourne tried every fibre of me.
However, with a bit of distance now I can reflect happily on what was an amazing 11 days. The Games themselves were great. We saw Jana win, we saw the best night at the gymnastics and we saw an Aussie win gold in the discus on his last throw. We saw some amazing Kenyans run a long, long way and we cried with them as they received their gold medals. We met people from all over the world and the students of Mulga Bore are now experts at identifying just about any flag from the Commonwealth. We also consumed more hot chips than I thought was possible and if I never hear the phrase 'Lisa, I'm hungry' again it will be too soon!

But what I will remember most are all of the first times that these kids experienced during those 11 days.

First time in an aeroplane - taking off, ears popping, in flight meals, movies and radio, flying above the clouds, turbulence and then landing with a bump.

First time seeing the ocean - running towards it with joyful excitement then stopping at its edge unsure of its dangers and perils. Showing the kids how to roll your jeans up and go paddling, racing the tide and laughing when the tide beats you. Someone picking up a shell and asking me 'Lisa, what's this?'

First time on a tram - waiting at the tram stop and looking for the right number, hoping it wont be standing room only, getting on anyway when you think it's full, loosing your balance when the Tram jerks forward, talking to strangers interested in this group who obviously live a long way from Melbourne.

First time going over the Westgate Bridge - gazing out over the port and seeing the enormous ships that are resting there, seeing the skyscrapers and realising just how far the city stretches.

First time on a boat - feeling the gentle flow of the river rather than the hard, bumpy surface of the road, being rocked by the wash of other boats, hanging out up the back and ducking to avoid hitting your head on the low bridges, getting up close to the big boats they saw from the Westgate bridge and realising just how big they are.

First time in a crowd of 83,000 at the MCG - soaking up the enormity of it all, never realising that this many people existed in the world.

First time meeting, really meeting, non-indigenous kids from another school - being shy at first, bonding over a game of basketball and a footy clinic with Collingwood ruckman Josh Fraser (Go Pies!), teaching these eager new friends some Anmatyerr language and wanting them to get on the bus with us when it's time to leave.

There is no price I can put on those kinds of memories, and when I put everything into perspective, it is actually worth every ounce of hard work I put in. I'm pretty glad it's another 2 years until the next one though. Then it will be time for a whole lot of new kids to experience their own 'first times'.

To those of you who came along to something or helped out in some way a huge THANKYOU! Thank you from me and thankyou from the whole group. They don't really ever say thankyou, it's not their way, but they haven't stopped talking about you all since we got back.

Thanks to Julie and Janine for the hard work you both put into our day together. You are legends for life in Mulga Bore Community and they are now forever convinced that I have some magical connection to the Collingwood football club!

Biggest thanks to my Dad - you know why!

Lisa xx