The year when Australian government offered to assist basic education in
Mindanao I was privileged to work with them as a trainer for school administrators. I was so impressed with
the organized and result-oriented conduct of the training which lasted for
a year and sessions were divided into cycles. I have to abide with the set
standard and it was a memorable learning experience for me.
I loved to listen to
the melody and lyrics of Australia’s patriotic song which was regularly sang after the Philippine national
anthem as a signal to start the day’s activity. I even learned it
by heart. I wished I were a
painter so I could paint fair
Australia based on the song.
When the Aussies started "folding up their tents" I was informed that trainers would be
invited to Australia for an immersion in their educational system. The decision
would be up to our division leaders. I was ecstatic because of an ardent desire to see that country “girt by the sea” as their song says. Unluckily, I did not get the
slot. It was given to someone who was not
a trainer even for just one
cycle. I felt betrayed and need an explanation but I got only silence, silence and more silence – like how I kept my desire within
me and remained a longing forever. The trainings I underwent
propelled me to a higher plane in my career. That was great comfort anyway!
God closed the
door but opened a window to Australia for me which
was exactly fifteen years after that betrayal. I joined the board of a credit union after my retirement and the 2014 conference for World Council of Credit
Unions in Gold Coast, Australia was
my passport. When my visa was approved it was not euphoria that I
felt but a calm and dignified
feeling of another travel as I have travelled to some Asian countries and Europe years before this. So the journey began!
After nine hours flight from Singapore the plane hovered above the land down under and the pilot announced “cabin crew, prepare for landing!” Is this for real or a nightmare? I answered my own query with the spirit of doubting Thomas.
Half believing, I
joined the queue at the Gold
Coast Exhibition and
Convention Center, brushing elbows with Aussies,
Americans, Africans, Asians and other delegates from 49 countries worldwide
to claim my passport to the
convention.
The Australian hosts
who to me looked more Irish were so friendly, charming
and pretty ladies, smart and
gentle men.
I was jolted from my stupor when at the opening night, the song "Australia let us rejoice" was sung. When the note struck the highest on “Advance Australia Fair”
I was convinced, I realized my dream. The appearance of an Aussie cowboy who sang “Waltzing Matilda” with concise presentation of the history of the song nailed me to my realization.
I went out to see what was
described in their beautiful song.
Home girt by the sea!
The group assembled the following day at Kurraw park just as the sun was peeping above the horizon by the
sea for a “fun run” as one activity of the conference. The long stretch of white beach which looked like part of
a girl’s full balloon skirt
with the blue sea as its wide girt or belt was so impressive. The wide hem of the skirt which was
actually the land were tall buildings which stood proudly in Gold Coast dubbed as the surfers paradise.
We have much land to share...
A friend of mine who
worked in Brisbane offered to tour us to that
city where business was in flourish. We experienced the ride in the tram to the bus station and took the bus to the train
station. The train brought us to Brisbane and a friend’s car drove us to Mitchelton and Stafford heights. Before we reached those places we drove uphill to Mt. Coot Tha at sundown. I viewed the inhabited place as signalled by the glow of lights and perceived a long stretch of land which was dark as a wide unoccupied territory! We stayed overnight in a calm and
peaceful nook in Stafford. I learned that Brisbane
was the most populous city. But
during the day, people didn’t
pour out of the city streets as what I saw in other Asian cities. More room in Australia for
hard workers.
Advance Australia fair
At four thirty after
the day’s session we went out for some last minute shopping. To our dismay most shops closed at five in the afternoon and would
open at nine the next
day on time for the opening
of our day’s session too. We have to content
ourselves with just walking around
the place in the evening passing by bars and cafes, and we observed that these people have enough time to
entertain themselves. The bars
and coffee shops looked like a conference venue because of the presence of
people in their formal suit as they talked, laughed and enjoy each others company! The
systematic approach to their work during the day enabled them to wind up freely in the evenings.
Unemployed citizens were given monthly benefits
by the government as what I learned from my friend who have long stayed in Australia as patterned from the practice of the United Kingdom. It has advanced greatly from the time
the toilers developed the land out of nothing. Now a beautiful place
where there is enough food and opportunity for everyone.
I did not regret I visited Australia late in my life. Instead the experience hit a spiritual note for me to ponder. If one has a strong
faith in God’s proper timing, our desire would cease to be a dream!