happy easter! It’s easter Sunday and I’m in Katherine – the big smoke. I’m staying with fellow munanga linguists Robert and Jenny. what a luxury having four days of doing whatever I want to do.
Thursday I had a normal working day, although we didn’t do much. I had a run in with the couple who run the Batchelor building at Ngukurr (Adult education centre). It’s a very flash facility located next door to the language centre but it is totally under-utilised. Language centre is asking to be able to use it for Language Centre stuff but it’s causing some problems. My argument is that it’s a community facility and that the community should have access to it and be using it much more than it is being used at the moment. But the woman who runs it doesn’t want the building used that way. Which on one hand is fair enough, but on the other, the facility does belong to the community so I feel she should pay them more attention. anyway, the issue goes on and on so I’ll stop now. besides, after a few relaxing days I’m not worrying myself about it right now.
After lunch, we left Ngukurr for Katherine: me, my two Baba – G and J – and J’s wife. The river was still too high so we took the barge. Which is such a lovely 10 minute trip up the Roper River. After that, the truck is back on the road for the 3 n a half hour journey to Katherine. Going along the first part of the trip on the dirt road, I took a corner too fast and lost control of the truck! It was pretty scary, I’ve never lost control of a vehicle before. We skidded one way, then back the other, then landed in a big muddy puddle and were nearly bogged. My passengers were pretty unfazed and told me not to worry cuz these things happen. Hehe… so cool, calm n collected. Munanga passengers would have been freaking out, I’m sure.
You know, just when I think I’ve had enough of Ngukurr and am considering running away to the city or something, something happens and I’m happy there. For example, this last week at Ngukurr had been great so I didn’t really need to go to Katherine, but I knew that if I didn’t have a break while I had the chance I’d regret it for the next few months. So there I was leaving Ngukurr but didn’t particularly want to. And old B and old S – both of who can sometimes be grumpy and demanding - were surprisingly supportive of me having a break and wished me a happy easter and told me to have fun. They made me feel all warm and fuzzy and good about being at Ngukurr.
But I still went to katherine. needed a few hours to re-orientate myself into being in town but we ended up going to Rio’s – the only nightclub in town. I’ve been there so many times, the novelty has definitely worn off and with me not drinking (much) there was no drunken haze to protect me from the reality of what Rio’s is really like. But I still had fun. My baba G was there, pretty drunk poor thing. And I ran into a few other people I kinda know from Ngukurr and a few people I know from katherine too.
Friday was spent cruising around doing whatever… we had barra burgers at the Barra café, played soccer in the park, had a swim, drove here and there, video store, watched DVDs. basically, I had a very therapeutic day. And easter Saturday was very laid back too – grocery shopping, internet stuff, coffee, pizza and a couple of beers. lovely.
And then it was easter Sunday. I woke up this morning and had an overwhelming urge to go see my sister, brother-in-law and niece in brisbane. they’re there on holiday at the moment. if I wasn’t so bloody busy I would’ve planned it better and tried harder to see them. Well, this morning I jumped on the internet and very seriously considered spending $600 to go see them for a couple of days. That would’ve meant booking the ticket and then getting straight in the car to go to Darwin to catch the flight. So I rang brisbane to slyly find out what they were doing and found out everyone was in or going to Noosa which would’ve made me visiting that much harder so I just left it. Oh well, it will just make me more determined to get there in July.
and that’s all. I’m gonna eat lunch and then go to Edith Falls for a swim. yay.
Thursday I had a normal working day, although we didn’t do much. I had a run in with the couple who run the Batchelor building at Ngukurr (Adult education centre). It’s a very flash facility located next door to the language centre but it is totally under-utilised. Language centre is asking to be able to use it for Language Centre stuff but it’s causing some problems. My argument is that it’s a community facility and that the community should have access to it and be using it much more than it is being used at the moment. But the woman who runs it doesn’t want the building used that way. Which on one hand is fair enough, but on the other, the facility does belong to the community so I feel she should pay them more attention. anyway, the issue goes on and on so I’ll stop now. besides, after a few relaxing days I’m not worrying myself about it right now.
After lunch, we left Ngukurr for Katherine: me, my two Baba – G and J – and J’s wife. The river was still too high so we took the barge. Which is such a lovely 10 minute trip up the Roper River. After that, the truck is back on the road for the 3 n a half hour journey to Katherine. Going along the first part of the trip on the dirt road, I took a corner too fast and lost control of the truck! It was pretty scary, I’ve never lost control of a vehicle before. We skidded one way, then back the other, then landed in a big muddy puddle and were nearly bogged. My passengers were pretty unfazed and told me not to worry cuz these things happen. Hehe… so cool, calm n collected. Munanga passengers would have been freaking out, I’m sure.
You know, just when I think I’ve had enough of Ngukurr and am considering running away to the city or something, something happens and I’m happy there. For example, this last week at Ngukurr had been great so I didn’t really need to go to Katherine, but I knew that if I didn’t have a break while I had the chance I’d regret it for the next few months. So there I was leaving Ngukurr but didn’t particularly want to. And old B and old S – both of who can sometimes be grumpy and demanding - were surprisingly supportive of me having a break and wished me a happy easter and told me to have fun. They made me feel all warm and fuzzy and good about being at Ngukurr.
But I still went to katherine. needed a few hours to re-orientate myself into being in town but we ended up going to Rio’s – the only nightclub in town. I’ve been there so many times, the novelty has definitely worn off and with me not drinking (much) there was no drunken haze to protect me from the reality of what Rio’s is really like. But I still had fun. My baba G was there, pretty drunk poor thing. And I ran into a few other people I kinda know from Ngukurr and a few people I know from katherine too.
Friday was spent cruising around doing whatever… we had barra burgers at the Barra café, played soccer in the park, had a swim, drove here and there, video store, watched DVDs. basically, I had a very therapeutic day. And easter Saturday was very laid back too – grocery shopping, internet stuff, coffee, pizza and a couple of beers. lovely.
And then it was easter Sunday. I woke up this morning and had an overwhelming urge to go see my sister, brother-in-law and niece in brisbane. they’re there on holiday at the moment. if I wasn’t so bloody busy I would’ve planned it better and tried harder to see them. Well, this morning I jumped on the internet and very seriously considered spending $600 to go see them for a couple of days. That would’ve meant booking the ticket and then getting straight in the car to go to Darwin to catch the flight. So I rang brisbane to slyly find out what they were doing and found out everyone was in or going to Noosa which would’ve made me visiting that much harder so I just left it. Oh well, it will just make me more determined to get there in July.
and that’s all. I’m gonna eat lunch and then go to Edith Falls for a swim. yay.
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