Couple experiences the good and the bad in Australia

 In Community

Kathy and Paul Belcourt say they are happy to be home in Creemore but they are keeping their friends back in Australia in their hearts and minds.
As they returned recently from a year-long exchange, the bushfires devastating Australia’s New South Wales region, had turned to equally devastating flooding.
Belcourt’s counterpart came to take her place at Banting Memorial High School in Alliston during an historic teachers strike, while Belcourt took her post at Marist College in Canberra, a private Catholic primary and secondary day school for boys.
When they arrived in Australia last year the signs of the 30-year drought were evident. The Belcourts had visited the country on a teaching exchange in 2006 but this time the green vegetation they remembered was browning. In the beginning there was blue sky and lots of stargazing at night.
Three months before they were set to go home, the bushfires spread to the area. It was constantly smoky and they were seeing kangaroos, displaced by the fires, coming into the populated areas searching for food and shelter. Some of them had visible burns and weren’t as mobile as they would normally be.
Ancient forests and jungle, whole towns and neighbourhoods would be eaten by the fire and then the wind would change and the fire would change in an instant, they said.
“It’s very fickle. The winds will change and blow the fire in another direction,” said Paul.
By the end of October, they could no longer see the beautiful Brindabella mountains, usually visible from the capital territory of Canberra.
Roads were closed, and wildlife and campers alike were pushed right to the water’s edge. Travellers and locals were parking their cars in the water, the beaches were covered in ash. The army was being called in to evacuate.
“It gets to the point, everywhere you look it’s all burned out. It was heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking,” said Kathy.
She said people did what they could but for the most part they try to go on with their daily lives.
Being retired, Paul had a great experience at the Belconnen Community Men’s Shed, a community centre for hobbyists. Being a master carpenter, Paul was most welcome. He got to know many people in the community and was able to seriously increase their revenue. Paul said people use the machinery to work on their own projects, and they take on small jobs for community groups. Paul brought a little Canada to the Shed introducing a Muskoka Chair project.
Paul said it is a great place for people to socialize and he can see a Men’s Shed being a good thing for local communities.
The Belcourts also embraced Australian culture by going to supper clubs, taking in cricket matches and Aussie Rules Football, or footy.
They travelled as much as they could, heading into the Outback, the jungle and down to Tasmania. A highlight was seeing wave Rock, in Western Australia, which is an ancient wave shaped rock formation.
To add to the devastation, a couple days before leaving Australia, there was hail the size of golf balls.
Back at home, Kathy is thinking about how fortunate we are to have access to fresh water.
“We take water for granted,” she said.
In Australia, whole towns are running out of water. They have to get it trucked in and it is rationed to 11 litres per day, per person.
“It was an interesting year,” said Kathy. “Would I go back? In a heartbeat.”
She is retiring from teaching in June so this will be her last teacher exchange, but definitely not her last adventure.

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