Update

The last few weeks have been generally uneventful. This past weekend, I went to the Debutant Ball, which is esentially a presentation of all the teenage girls from girlhood to womanhood, and they have a boy partner who dances with them and it's all very formal. A tradition in Australia, it was interesting watching all of the work that they put into just one half hour of presentation; some of the dresses looked like wedding dresses.

The next night I had a seafood dinner sponsored by the Anglican Church my temporary host mother is minister of. Normally this is not noteworthy, but seafood - fresh seafood- is very, very rare in Warren. Luckily someone was just returning from the coast and brought enough prawns, oysters, crab, and ocean mullet for 60 people! I enjoyed the change from the everyday beef, lamb, and pork.

This Thursday through Sunday all of the inbound exchange students in this district are coming, of all places, to Warren. It's called the Warren Weekend Wander, and it's a chance for the kids on the coast who've exchanged here to visit the "bush." Well, it's nothing special to me because I live it everyday, but it will probably rise high to novelty status with all the students in Newcastle. We're sleeping at the racecourse, having some "bush tucker," and visiting a sheep shearing place. Luckily I've shorn before at my first host family's place. Finally, the kids are going to the Dubbo zoo - which is a really great open range type - and staying overnight in Dubbo.

Otherwise, it's just daily school and afternoon work for me! I really miss everyone at home, but what I miss most is the access to metropolitan areas and friends. I wish I had more people my age here. It gets very lonely.

Until next time.