Beautiful kids

We've just finished a five hour drive, after two shows and find ourselves in a little Queensland town called Theodore. There's only one place to eat dinner, the pub, www.hoteltheodore.com.au and happily I had the yummiest garlic prawns and rice!

Today was a beautiful day! We did two shows at Oakey and I spent my lunch hour talking to two gorgeous girls in Grade 5. They wanted to know all about the show and told me what they thought, bit by bit, at each different part of the show. It was great to hear! They really loved it and the school was extremely happy with it, saying the kids loved it!

In the morning, I met one boy in the office, he was in the sick room but couldn't go home. I thought about how wonderful it would be for him to come see the show, and then, magically, he appeared at the show and became a big star of it, when we chose him to be part of our Forum Theatre section of the show.

No photos, have to upload them from Rob's camera and we're all a bit tired tonight!

A big day!

Today we did one show at Meandarra, heaps of fun with five different little schools, then made our way to Tara where we did another show and now we're at Dalby for the night. I've just been sitting on the veranda watching a tiger moth do aeroabatics in the sky! I just LOVE Tiger Moths. One day I hope to fly one myself!! The middle cabin is the cabin we'll be staying in for the next few nights. Quite cute!

Last day in Roma - very moving!

Today was our last day in Roma. Our second show was amazing and very moving! We did our forum theatre piece where we get kids up to act out a bullying scenario and then get them to think of solutions and act out their ideas! One beautiful girl, E, had a great idea. She'd get her friends to stay with the girl being bullied, and look after her, while E would go to the teacher and report the bullying. Then E and her friends would hang out with the girl being bullied! What a beautiful kid! So E acted out her idea beautifully! At the end of the show, I went to see E and tell her how much I appreciated her wonderful idea and that I thought she would just be such a wonderful friend to so many kids. And she (in Year 4) said "And I just want you to know that when I grow up I want to be just like you!". I asked her did she want to do shows like we are doing and she said YES! I told her that when I was in Year 11, the Arts Council came to my school and did a show and that ever since then that's all I had wanted to do! So, I told E to stick with it and remember when she was old enough to call the Arts Council and ask them exactly how you get to do this type of work! Wow, she may choose to do something else when she grows up, but it was such a MELTING moment for me! It reminded me of myself when I was a kid and how that show really changed my life! And how, for this girl, our show had been really inspiring and SHE had been so inspiring to me! Isn't Life just AWESOME???

Roma

Today we performed two shows at Roma Middle school. The kids were really great and responded really well to the shows. You always hope that something will click for a kid when they're watching the show, or that they'll take something away from the show that will change the way they view maybe themselves or others. Sometimes, you get to hear that first hand from kids, like the kids who have told us they're not going to be bullies anymore, or the kids who come say thanks because they have been being bullied and they're now going to tell someone. It's an amazing job!

When you tour in winter, it's a little harder to cook up big meals for yourselves, not like summer, when you can just eat salad! So tonight, we're venturing out to the pub for dinner. I've only ever eaten in a pub once before in my life and that was when I was on another tour! Rob and I feel like we're craving some good home cooked meals!! If nothing else, it'll be a totally NEW experience!

And the photo? Pig shooters. That's a pretty common pastime out here and I guess it just confirms for me why I don't eat bacon! Photo courtesy of Rob!

Challenged by difference

Our show teaches kids the importance of not being afraid of being different. I had a lesson in accepting difference today. This was a shop we went into, friends had told us about it. At first, all I could see was disorder and chaos. That's until I looked a little further and tried to see the good, instead of being judgmental. Then all of a sudden, I saw all the amazing variety that the people offered customers, the most incredible range of cotton colours you've ever seen and then, of course, a happy customer who was given amazing service.. Ah, it really is all a matter of perception isn't it?

What a job!

I'm sitting here, on a Friday night, in our cabin thinking what an amazing job I have! Rob tells me lots of people wouldn't like it - being away from home so much. Half of the year! But I think it's the best job ever! Doing something you've ALWAYS wanted to do (perform shows) AND getting to travel AND getting paid for it! (Something I've wanted to do since I was in Year 11. I remember thinking "I just want to tour Queensland with the Queensland Arts Council, and now, that's what I'm doing!)

Today we did a show at Injune, an hour north of Roma. Last night we froze out here! I wore my thermals to bed! Haven't done that since touring in New Zealand. Tomorrow we are driving out to Mitchell for a look and for a swim in the hot thermal springs.

I love going to places I've never been because they expand my thinking. They make me wonder what people do in different places, how they live, what drives them, how they socialize. It truly is a whole different life in the country. Things move at a slower place, people are friendly, helpful and the open spaces and the huge blue skies and the light are amazing.

And when I get a little hankering for being domestic, I just tidy up our little cabin and play house! But I learnt a long time ago that you take your home with you, just like the turtle! Home, it's an inside job.