Weekly Reflection: Week 2

So, it's the end of another great week of Galileo. With NO nail-biting, fun trails and an exciting first day at community service, even meeting my old year 1 and 2 teacher again; it's hard to know what to start with...

I began the week wondering where I was put for community service. I had hoped for a placement at a childcare centre (which would have improved my patience... though this skill has gone nowhere this week), though I wouldn't have minded the others. In the end, I got put in Ascot Vale Special School. Immediately, I started getting worried not because of the school, but because of how I was going to arrive/ depart from there. Living in North Melbourne, it's only a 5-10 minute walk to school, so I never really had experience with public transport... ALONE!!! Luckily, I found the journey not a terrifying as I though, because I had someone to travel with me on the way back (though next week I'm alone). The actual time spent at the school was AMAZING! I felt extremely good working with the kids (who were all older than me) and I know both of us (Emily and I) got attached to one of them (each!). I can't wait to go again!!!

On Tuesday, I went to a reading group with three other people and my English teacher. I wasn't really there for the poetry studying (I find that BORING!!!), but for the fact of meeting up with my teacher again. So, we read the poem. Then, we got into discussing sexism and prejudice, and I actually found it fun. At one point I found myself putting in my opinion without really being prompted (a first really) and it felt extremely weird to hear my own voice saying these things, because (other than just simply answering questions when being asked to) I had never really done that before. On Wednesday, when we were having the multicultural discussion (also in a small group), I tried voicing my opinions, and I got a little more comfortable. I guess that if I start talking to groups that get bigger and bigger on each turn, I can start getting more and more comfortable with speaking out loud.

For trails, I got to go to both the Melbourne Museum and Koorie Heritage trails. They were extremely fun and very interesting. I learnt heaps of new things on the Koorie Heritage trail and found it intriguing that an Indigenous person's entire life was printed on the inside of their possum skin, explained to us by our tour guide Donna. Though the Koorie Heritage walk was enjoyable, I found that I liked the Wednesday trail to the Huddle better, mostly because I met my old grade 1 and 2 teacher, Cindy. At the end of grade 2, she went on leave because she was pregnant (HER CHILDREN ARE SO CUTE AND PRETTY!!!), and I hadn’t seen her again. So it was a huge surprise when I saw her at the doorway waiting to introduce us to the Huddle. I smiled at her, a lot, but I didn’t think she recognised me. Feeling sad, I told Carly, who yelled out to Cindy that she had ex-students. We had a nice, pleasant chat afterwards and though I (thought I) had put Melbourne Museum (to improve my knowledge of the streets of Melbourne which was still… not too bad) as the choice for the Wednesday trail, I am glad I didn’t! J

After an amazing week, I definitely cannot wait for the next one, where I can go on more exciting trails, visit the Ascot Vale Special School again and improve on my goals (apparently it is first aid next week right?).