Hot babycino

Alhena and Kelvin next to a giant bottlebrush in Tasmania, and Alhena's first stint on a beach.  A real beach, with an ocean.  She had a great time.

I'm just sending a quick blog, as the Tasmania trip and volunteering have left me exhausted!  I need to order my thoughts about what I am learning from the local agency, and then I'll put a cohesive blog up with that information.

Have spent a lot of time thinking about how remarkable each person at DVIP is to come back every day and keep working.  I think sometimes the frustrations of everyday running and functioning overshadow just how important each staff member is and how impactful each person's commitment to supporting our residents and clients is.  It has impacts on a daily scale, an individual scale, and on a long-term, broader-world scale.  My interactions with people here have shown how by doing what we do on a daily basis makes change over time, even when it feels like we're treading water just to try and keep our noses above!!  I feel, thankful, and regenerated in the work we do at DVIP.  I have been thinking a lot about each and every one of you and what you bring to DVIP and what you have learned and continue to learn, and how we are all shaping each other and the agency as we go along.  I think more cynical people would argue this is a result of pregnancy and lack of sleep, but I know it's because you are all absolutely brilliant!

Some less touchy-feely thoughts in case Alda is reading these: Small children in Australia regularly declare in loud voices "I want a hot babycino NOW" and I feel that these children have already imbibed too much coffee.  Meat pies remain a lovely treat, much to my embarrassment.  I found a place in Toowong that makes PERFECT pearl milk tea (bubble tea) and think of you all and Bobalicious every time I have one.  I recently learned that many hippies have met an unfortunate end by boiling giant trumpet flowers and drinking the juice as it creates a potent hallucinogen, and then have died because it ALSO creates a potent poison.  Australian plants are hilariously ironic like that.

OH.  And some people think peacocks sound like cats.  Peacocks in Tasmania are used to control poisonous snakes.  Genius abounds everywhere!

I'm heading home, but hope all goes well in Iowa, and I'll have some info on what I'm learning here (DV wise) in the next blog.