Brief Encounters

Time is flying by! The more I settle in here, the busier I get and the less time I have to post blogs. So it's time to catch up.

Let me take you back to 1996...I promise we won't stay there very long.

I was 18 and experienced my first taste of independence as I toured for 6 weeks in the summer with the Continental Singers (there are actually people who are proud of this fact...I'm still making up my mind). Despite the inevitable cheese-factor of this singing/dancing choir, the experience had a huge impact on my life. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by people who loved music as much as I did and who wanted to use it to serve God.

There was one girl in particular that I had a "kindred spirit" connection with. Amy & I would hunch down in the seats of the tour bus for hours, solving all the world's problems and a few of our own. When tour ended, she gave me a small gift that she had brought with her on tour to give to a new friend. It was very special...I still have it somewhere!

After tour, I went off to college and Amy returned to Japan where her dad was posted as a US Military Chaplain. This may be hard to believe, but hardly anyone had email back then! We wrote a couple of letters, but then Amy's family moved from Japan and a letter got bounced back to me...and that was the end of our correspondance.

Nine years later, I had returned to my college to teach singing lessons. I went to the Post Office one day and there was a card in the mail...from Amy. She randomly decided to try and get in touch with me, hoping I would still be at the same address (which would be really depressing if I were still a student there!). The Post Office knew me and just moved the card into my new mailbox. We had reconnected! What a gift! It was amazing to catch up and hear each other's journeys. She was now in Nashville, TN, but it was difficult to line up a time to reconnect in person.

And then Facebook happened...making keeping in touch even easier. Amy has developed a speaking/singing ministry that has flourished and has taken her all over the world. In fact, it took her to Australia, to a young adult retreat on Mt. Tamborine, just 30 minutes from Brisbane. And I just happened to be attending this retreat.

So after 14 years, we reconnected in Australia. How crazy is that? It was really cool to see her again...in fact, we found a couch and hunched down to chat just like we did on the tour bus. Her teaching throughout the weekend was rich and it was exciting to see someone so vibrant in their ministry.

Although we didn't get to spend a ton of time together and it could easily be years before we see each other again, it was a great brief encounter. And even "moment friends" are blessings.

(if I had access to a picture of us in 1996, I would include it...it would make for some good laughs)

Cairns Adventure

The much anticipated trip to Cairns had arrived! Bel & I had been blessed to get in on some some cheap flights through a friend in our church ($100 return!) and were pretty pleased with ourselves at finding a cheap Backpackers that gave us our own private room. We were also looking forward to getting out to the Great Barrier Reef on the Monday. So much to look forward to!

For those who are wondering, Cairns (Aussies call it "Cans") is up the coast and almost to the top of eastern Australia. It's known as "the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef" boasting the closest access and is also surrounded by tropical rain forests.

We stepped off the plane into heat and humidity (this is what I have to look forward to in a couple of months), got our luggage and got a lift to our hostel. Let's just say the pictures on the website were looking much more elaborate than the lumpy mattresses, ripped up carpet, dirty walled room that we were led into. The communal toilet had a lovely neon green seat and the shower had no curtain so there was usually water on the floor. But it was cheap! The funniest part was getting our top sheet from reception...it looked nice all folded up, but by the time it was unfolded, you could see right through it. Bel's sheet had some small holes in it as well. I think this hostel could use an overhaul! We also had a cockroach running across the wall (I didn't know they did that!) and at the end of our trip, when we were stripping our beds, Bel found a cockroach in her sheets! Gross.

Despite the humble accommodations, we were happy to see that they offered free breakfast AND dinner. We got vouchers to a pub downtown that offers 4-5 different voucher menu options. The free food was...free. It improved after a few bites, but we had to keep reminding ourselves that it was free. The water was good! We drank lots of water.

We also found the Night Markets downtown which had a bunch of touristy shops, but more importantly Chinese Massage at $15 for 40 minutes. (And for those who experienced the intrusive Turkish Massage with me back in March...this was a "clothes ON" experience.) We fell into our lumpy, thin-sheeted beds totally relaxed and content.

On Sunday, Bel had a couple church gigs, so I decided to take a $4 shuttle bus up into the mountains to Kuranda, a village in the rainforest. The drive up was beautiful and the village had a laid-back feel with tons of touristy markets and restaurants. I'm not much of a tourist, but I enjoyed wandering through the shops and then found myself a park bench and sat and read my Bible. I also went for a hike through some rainforest trails. It was beautiful! I love nature.

Monday was our most anticipated day. We booked in on a catamaran sailing cruise that took us to 2 different parts of the inner Great Barrier Reef, Oyster & Upolu. It was a really well-run boat, great staff, good food, and lots of space for everyone.

However, it wasn't quite what we were expecting. The trip to the reef was longer than anticipated and it felt like we spent more time on the boat than in the water. The long boat ride also made Bel sea sick, which made for some interesting moments.

We arrived at Reef #1 and grabbed our snorkeling gear and dove in. I think we saw one colorful fish before we had to swim back to the boat and get suited up for our dive. That scuba stuff is heavy! We learned about breathing into a regulator and popping our ears to pressurize them. We only went down about 7 feet and I think I was concentrating so hard on staying horizontal and remembering to breath through my regulator that I didn't really enjoy it. We did get to kneel on the ocean floor and touch a giant clam, watching it react and close up. That was cool. I also saw some clown fish (Nemo!). Our 30 minute dive was short-lived and before we knew it, we were on our way back up to the surface.

This was a good thing because as soon as Bel got out of the water, she ran for the bathroom. Apparently she had spent the whole time underwater wondering how she was going to throw-up underwater. Her plan was to take her regulator out of her mouth, but then she wasn't sure how she would breathe. So that led to her planning to break away from our group (we all had our arms interlocking) and swimming for the surface, which we found out later would have been the worst thing to do. She would have made it to the surface for about 2 seconds and then her tank would have pulled her back down to about 4 feet, hurting her ears, probably causing her to panic and swallow large amounts of salt water. The guide told us that the best thing to do is to throw-up into your regulator! It would bubble out the side just like our exhalation does. Having been linked side-by-side, I am quite thankful that didn't happen.

The sea-sickness continued for the rest of the trip for Bel. I ended up snorkeling the second reef alone (not seeing much!) and the trip back was so choppy, about half the boat was sick. We did get to see a whale jumping out of the water, which was pretty cool. But the trip back to Cairns couldn't end soon enough for Bel. She was pretty happy to get her feet back onto dry land.

So the Great Barrier Reef wasn't so "great". It was cool to try out diving and I would have loved more time snorkeling, disappointed that I didn't get to see all that much. I'm still waiting to see the colorful coral teaming with life. Someday I will find it! The Great Barrier Reef is slowing being destroyed from coral bleaching, cyclones and of course, tourism.

Still, adventure is adventure. And Bel & I had a great time getting to know each other. She's an awesome girl and we have lots of funny memories from this trip. Now it's back to the books!

Patriotism At Its Finest

Bel had a gig in our area where she had to sing the Australian National Anthem for National Flag Day on September 3rd. So she decided this would be a great opportunity to make me more Australian and got Deb and myself into the living room to rehearse this patriotic number.

It was such an incredibly entertaining moment for me that I just had to capture it on video and share it with you.

Spring and Wattles and such

Happy first day of spring! Today is September 1st, the first day of spring in Australia and I can definitely feel a change in the weather. It even SMELLS warmer. It's amazing how quickly people shed their outer layers and the shorts and "singlets" (tank tops) emerge. I am looking forward to seeing how the seasons change here.

Today is also National Wattle Day. Now I had researched this and was wondering what crazy things would come out of such a day. But nothing happened. Life as usual. The wattle is a national flower that grows on trees here in a number of varieties. Apparently you're supposed to wear a sprig on your lapel, but it must have lost it's allure somewhere along the way.

So Happy Wattle Day. Or whatever.

Life has been quite full these past few days. A bit of work, a bit of play. My housemate, Deb, and her fiance, Neil invited me to join them at a Jazz CD release party on Friday night. His mate plays bass in the band. They were really good and it was fun to go out and hear some local music. I hope I get to do more of this in the future. http://www.myspace.com/scatjazz (check out the video with their newspaper suits!)

I was also involved in a performance at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) this past Saturday. The Chamber Choir that I sing with at the Con joined a larger choir to sing Gustav Mahler's Resurrection with the Queensland Youth Orchestra. Our part was rather small, but in German, so it took a bit of rehearsing. We sang the final 10 minutes of the 5th movement and then it was over. Kind of a weird performance for me, but it was cool to be able to sing at QPAC and with some great musicians.

I have also taught 2 voice students this week! I am starting to make more connections and may have a couple others lined up. I am glad to get going on this again. I also attempted a lesson over Skype with a friend, but we had to turn the video feature off since it kept freezing up and I ended up forgetting that I had asked him to lay on the floor and left him there! Oops.

Wrapping up another week of studies. The assignments are starting to pile on. But I still manage to make time for some Aussie adventures. Big weekend coming up...my trip to Cairns with Bel! Really looking forward to it and hope that it's not raining!

A New Normal

It's hard to believe that I have been here 40 days (my camera is keeping track for me)...a month and a half down...only 16.5 more to go! Actually, it's more like, "only a month and a half?!" So much has been packed in, I feel like I've been here much longer.

40 days ago I had never been on a Brisbane bus.
I can now read a book and know that I won't miss my stop.
40 days ago I was terrified to drive on the left side of the road.
Although there is a minor panic when a car comes towards me, I find myself going into subconscious mode as I drive (as much as you can with Dave's car, of course).
40 days ago I was a stranger to Brisbane-ites.
Now I'm becoming a friend.
40 days ago Australia was a concept in my head.
Now it's becoming a home.

Yup, life has found a new normal as these weeks have passed. Here are a few notables:

I've settled into life at Daisy Hill. My housemates, Bel & Deb are great. Although Dave is now in Canada and the house isn't quite the same without him, the girls still manage to make things a bit crazy and exciting. Bel recently purchased a pink Nissan Micra (don't think I've seen a pink car other than the Mary Kay Cadillac, but it definitely suits Bel) and due to a random conversation, an outing in dressing gowns (housecoats) occurred, dragging me protesting along with it. As we've gotten more comfortable with each other, I've discovered that they don't always understand what I'm saying (which, of course, would explain why they haven't laughed at my jokes). Bel has taken it upon herself to teach me the proper pronunciation of words and has me repeat after her numerous times and then her eyes light up when I actually say it properly. I don't think it will stick....but I continue to humor her.

Uni is finding it's own rhythm as well. My Canadian-ness proves to be a source of entertainment for the students as they try and get me to say things like, "Bonza beauty mate!" and then laugh with glee as I fail miserably. I now know my way around and am getting the hang of sticking my nose in the books. I'm definitely feeling the challenge of being in an elite music school. I'm learning just how difficult it is to get into this place and how coveted each position is. I am very honored to be here. The fire has been lit. The butt is in gear.

Other life things:

• I've been attending Springwood Church of Christ (www.echurch.org.au) and really like it there. This is the church that hooked me up with a place to live. I just kept making more connections there, so I've stayed. A great group of people, $2 suppers on Sunday night, really good teaching, rooted in prayer and the Word. It's good. I'm pleasantly surprised that I don't have to hunt...but still may visit some other churches as opportunities arise.
  
• I have my FIRST voice student! I start teaching him next Friday. One other potentially is lined up. It's coming together in good timing.
  
• I have enjoyed seeing some great sights with some new friends. I have finally seen the ocean on an excursion to Byron Bay a few weeks ago. I'm very much looking forward to going back! And I've experienced a bit of Brisbane city life riding the CityCat on the river & hitting the weekend markets.
• There are many things to look forward to, including a trip to Cairns (Great Barrier Reef, here we come!) and a reunion at a conference on Tambourine Mountain with a dear friend that I haven't seen since 1996. (More on those 2 events on a later blog)
  

I'm liking this "new normal". And although I think I may be taking it for granted that I'm living in 25 degrees winter with palm trees out my bedroom window (hahaaaaaa!), I never want to forget the many ways God is providing and working in my life. He continues to provide and lead me and teach me. It's a good season. Truly more than anything I could ever ask or imagine. Thanks for journeying with me.

The Universal Language

They say music is the universal language. This week, however, I discovered a break in its all-embracing communication. You know when you listen to someone speaking English and then they throw in a word from another world and it seems to fall from your ears? Well, that happened to me a few times this week before I piped up and said, "Um, excuse me, I'm from Canada. What's a 'crotchet'?"

I have since learned that there are two systems of defining musical structure, just as there are various ways of measuring distance and temperature and weight. Allow me to educate:
MUSICAL TERMS: CANADA vs AUSTRALIA
(which I believe is actually America vs. Britain)
Whole note = Semi-breve
Half note = Minim
Quarter note = Crotchet (aha! the image in my head was a crotch rocket, not a black dot with a stem...)
Eighth note = Quaver
Sixteenth note = Semiquaver
Thirty-second note = Demisemiquaver
Sixty-fourth note = Hemidemisemiquaver
Hundred twenty-eighth note = Quasihemidemisemiquaver (oh yes)

You know, for a country that likes to shorten their words, they certainly know how to complicate musical terms. I vote Canada on this one.

Oh Yeah...School

With my first week of classes behind me, I find that I have been shaken back into the reality of why I have come to the Land Down Undah. After three weeks of getting settled into Brisbane and getting used to the laid-back, take-it-as-it-comes lifestyle, I am now hearing phrases like "cognitive thinking" and "assignments". And I think that perhaps I haven't pondered those phrases in nearly 10 years (OK, I have many logical thinkers laughing at me now)!

It was about 10 years ago that I was at college, trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and really longing for more musical training, that a prof of mine said, "I think you need to go somewhere where you can live and breathe music for a year or two." And although at the time I chose to stick it out and finish my degree, I have often thought about how wonderful that would be.

And that is the first thing I have realized this week. This school is a MUSIC school. You don't study anything else. And everyone else here had to audition to get in, which means they are GOOD. I am walking down hallways of tubas, drums and violins, opera singers, jazz vocalists and everything in between. I am hearing conversations of various weekend gigs that have either been attended or performed at. I am hearing the inevitable tension between the two "main" styles of music as a jazz student stated earlier this week that in order to cross the hallway into the classical side, you need to "remove your shoes".

I am completely immersed in music. And I love it.

For those who care to know, here are the courses I am taking this term:

• Pedagogy 1 (the text book is 3 volumes and I just read a detailed account of how sound is created. Pedagogy means "the art of teaching"...it also means a lot of scientific understanding of the voice...this will be a heavy course!)
• Pedagogy in Practice (basically voice lessons, but there are 2 of us in the class. We each get a 30 min. lesson and then observe the other lesson from a pedagogy perspective)
• Contemporary Performance Project (from what I can tell so far, we get put into groups and have to create a 45 min. gig off-campus at the end of term)
• Choral Conducting (what it sounds like!)
• Postgraduate Ensemble (I am singing in two ensembles: a Vocal Jazz group and a Chamber Choir (classical) Lots of singing and performing this term!)

This term will be a lot of practical study as most of my program requirements will be met next year (a lot of vocal stuff isn't offered this term due to a prof being away), so I am getting some electives out of the way.

And so it begins! Some of these students have been at the Con for 5 years and are continuing into their masters. They are quite familiar with how things are run and I believe I will be kept on my toes as I try to keep up. But it's exciting and I'm ready for it!

I even assembled a desk, which I am proud enough to post a photo. A whopping $59!

And I was a total nerd and asked my new voice teacher for a photo. I really like her and all that she stands for. I am looking forward to gleaning from this remarkable woman!