Helping Venilale, East Timor

A pic of my colleagues and I.

We had to take this pic to include in an upcoming edition for the newspaper, under the supplement "Know Your Local Trader".

(Left to right): Tarsha Souter (work experience journalist), Me, Elise Turner (advertising), Dianne Jenkins (layout and design), Lynn Plummer (administration), Carmel (advertising) and Steve (journalist).

I had to cover an after-hours event today.

It was one of several fund-raising events to help Venilale, an area in East Timor.

The Mansfield Shire (the area where I work) signed a friendship agreement with Venilale in May this year agreeing to implement several initiatives to help them.

The first was an exchange teacher from Venilale, Pedro Maria de Sousa, who arrived 3 weeks ago and is learning teaching techniques that he could pass on to his colleagues.

When I left home at 7pm to drive to Mansfield, hubby had this queer look on his face as I said bye at the main door. I think its a furrowed brow look, a worried look. I think he'll still look that way until I return home. Quite cute though that he's worried abt me - very touched!..... =O)

Returned home at 9.45pm, quite tired but happy with the photos I took and the write-up I have in mind.

It was strange though at the event when the Venilale teacher, Pedro, was making his speech.

Even hearing his accented English made me feel at home, like it was something familiar. I think being away from an environment that has many languages, hearing only English sometimes leaves me wanting more.