It’s Saturday, and I was trekking through the empty streets to class. Most of the usual cafes were closed, but that didn’t mean I had to sacrifice the quality of my morning cup. In fact, it made me look at surroundings more carefully, and I came upon this brilliant man.
Michael and his super cheerful Kombi like to hang out on St. Kilda street, just outside the National Gallery of Victoria. They listen to music, greet passerby’s and make some really great coffee. Made me smile.
When I got to class, it was obvious that everyone’s head was flat out. Even the most upright people began to slouch in their chairs. I suppose 6 straight days of contemplating world problems would do that to you :).
Bill and Geoff were away in Brisbane giving a talk, so the lectures were lead by Greg, who is assisting with the course. We began discussions about different climatic zones, but the conversation soon diverged to the topic of land availability, funding and government regulations. I must say, those are my top concerns as well, and I was glad to discuss it with a group. Best advice I heard was that if you want to find out about local land, go to a pub and have a beer with the locals. Makes sense.
Circle of Trust
By lunch time the energy in the room was dwindling, and Greg herded us outside for some energizing fun and games. We split into three groups and formed tight circles. The person the middle had to close his/her eyes and allow the group to toss them back and forth around the circle. It did get us squealing and laughing, and we went back inside like kids after recess.
High on Food
Friday evening a few of us allowed ourselves some relaxation, and we went to Nova Theater to see “Boy”. It’s a great NZ film, that combines visual story telling and humour to portray the lives of New Zealand Maori villages. The evening concluded with a beautiful dinner at raw vegan Dragon cafe on Brunswick St, where we talked and talked about Permaculture and society. No beer was necessary to raise our voices and stir passionate conversations. It was a truly natural high.