Last week in Toowoomba

After leaving NZ I returned to Sydney last weekend, returned home, changed clothes and suitcases and went up to Brisbane and then to Toowoomba to the University of Southern Queensland. I was feeling a little challenged by the prospect of being seen as an authority on Assessment but the week turned out well. It is an interesting university with over 80% of its students being distance students and this creates challenges for the teaching staff. Nice people, they want me to come back - will even pay me to!

Anyway, it was a very interesting week. The Carnival of flowers which is an annual highlight in Toowoomba was the weekend after I left, and the town was gearing up for its major tourist event. Busloads of golden oldies were coming in, and there was an interesting variety of people staying at the hotel. Everyone takes it very seriously and there were many beautiful gardens all around the town - they have reinstated the Parade of Flowers and will elect a Carnival Queen..

The photo is of me in the Japanese Garden attached to the university which was absolutely lovely and I am not sure of its history but it is beautiful place to be able to walk around and perhaps sit in the shade and read. Very restful.

Toowoomba has had major water problems for some years now and the whole area is threatened.

I am back in Sydney now, my little flat really felt like home when I came back. Beautiful weather today - I love the smell of washing dried in the sunshine.

Visit back to NZ

I am starting this blog so that my family and friends can keep track of what I am doing, and so that I can look back on the grand adventure I am having working as a Research fellow on an Australian project in Engineering Education. I have been based in Sydney since mid July and will post more information about my stay over the next year, but the last two weeks have been amazing.

I went up to Darwin to a meeting of the Australian Council of Deans representing the Australasian Association of Engineering Education.- my first trip to Darwin and after what seemed a successful meeting we had a flight in a restored DC3 - low altitude, low technology flight but the view at sunset was amazing. Then I flew home to NZ to catch up with Peter, family and friends and to touch base with some of my NZ working colleagues.

I was tickled pink by a quick phone call from Peter before I left Darwin to tell me that Jonathan and Olivia will be having a baby next March - yippee!

The first event was to watch Jonathan at the North Island Judo championships - as a Blue belt he was entering mainly for experience but threw himself ( quite literally) into each bout with gusto. He was beaten more than he won, but that might be expected with most other competitors being black and brown belts of considerably more experience - but he did win two matches and even beat a brown belt in one bout which made his day! (he is on the left in this photo - sorry it is not full of action - I do have a video but it takes forever to load). I wish I had taken a photo of his enormous grin after he won!

Then I had two days working at U of A which was good and pretty productive time with colleagues.

Then off for two days in the bus with Peter - we stayed the first night at Managanese Point near Whangarei and then drove out to Whangarei heads to Ocean Beach and over to the west coast and down to Helensville for the night by the Hot Pools. It was fun, our bus behaved beautifully and I slept so soundly.

Then I did the doctor, dentist, hairdresser thing and had a bunch of friends popping in until I left early Sunday morning. A bit hard to go and leave Peter, but he is doing well and is glad I am getting the chance to work at a job I am loving.

After changing the clothes in the suitcase had to fly up to Toowoomba Sunday afternoon - but more information about that in next post.