Australia // Working With Children Check

"Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time." - R. Tagore


It's such a long time since I last updated my blog. I'm a bit sorry for that.

Anyway... today I'll go back to my life in July 2014 (in Sydney) to talk about the Working With Children Check.

What is actually the WWCC?

It is a requirement for anyone who works or volunteers in child-related work. It involves:

- a National Police Check and
- a review of reportable workplace misconduct.

It is valid for 5 years, during which you are continuously monitored. BUT BUT BUT...wait a minute... mine is still valid ;)

It implies a fee if you are a paid employee or self-employed, otherwise (as in the case of students or volunteers) you don't need to pay the fee. For those who are considering to go there, you can have a more detailed look at the website: WWCC.

-- My StOrY -- 

Let's go back to my story. How did I get to the "working with children check"?

Well...I was working in Lane Cove (Lane Cove Gymnastics Club) and I was recreational coach for children from 4 to 8.

There I understood that I needed this check if I wanted to work with children. At that time I went directly to the service centre of Bondi, but now I see you can easily apply online.

I really loved my time there. I remember I was feeling like the happiest person in the world after my class. Teaching in general... not only in gymnastics ... makes you feel good.

Another thing I remember is the good amount of words I have learned, that are: straddle, pike and tuck. Then the expressions "nice and tall", "chest in", hurdle steps, handsprings, cartwheels and so on. It was lovely to coach those kids. They give you evidence that you can always overcome your limits.

"I would hope I would inspire kids everywhere to know that you can do anything you put your mind to." - S. Biles

Slovenia // My name is JANEZ JANŠA // Jaz sem JANEZ JANŠA

Berlin, January 28th 2008 – Signature, Event, Context

"No name. No memory today of yesterday's name; of today's name, tomorrow. If the name is the thing; if a name in us is the concept of everything placed outside of us; and without a name you don't have the concept, and the thing remains in us as if blind, indistinct and undefined well then, let each carve this name that I bore among men, a funeral epigraph, on the brow of that image in which I appeared to him, and then leave it in peace, and let there be no more talk about it. It is fitting for the dead. For those who have concluded. I am alive and I do not conclude. Life does not conclude. And life knows nothing of names. This tree, tremulous pulse of new leaves. I am this tree. Tree, cloud; tomorrow book or wind: the book I read, the wind I drink. All outside, wandering.” - L. Pirandello

                                                  Jaz sem JANEZ JANŠA

My name is JANEZ JANŠA is a project introduced during the exhibition CONSPIRE, which was part of the transmediale.08, the historical Berlin festival of digital arts. [ed. The next one will take place from 31. Jan to 4. Feb 2019].

In 2007 – that makes already 11 years ago – three artists (Davide Grassi, Emil Hrvatin, and Žiga Kariž) legally changed their names into that of Janez Janša and joined the SDS (the conservative Slovenian Democratic Party). So far, all good. Except for a "small" thing. Janez Janša was also the name of the leader of the Party and the Prime Minister of Slovenia (that was from 2004 to 2008 and again from 2012 to 2013).

You can easily guess... It turned to be quite an interesting issue to talk about at the time. 

Out of a sudden, Slovenia has Janez Janša no. 1, the Prime Minister, Janez Janša no. 2 (Davide Grassi), no. 3 (Emil Hrvatin) and no. 4 (Žiga Kariž), dominating the same physical and media scenario.

The three artists started this project mainly to investigate the meaning of the self in connection with the process of art. 

The choice to take the name of the Prime Minister was for sure unconventional and a debate in the art society and in the media system was inevitable: What was its purpose? A political criticism? A mere provocation or an active support of the three artists to the SDS-Party? Who knows?

Since the Prime Minister had a slogan “The more of us there are, the faster we will reach the goal”.

The first assumption about this choice was that it was a kind of provocation. The three artists basically interpreted his motto literally, as if the prime minister by saying “the more of us ” was meaning his person X millions. Like joining the party to study the enemy from the inside. Though, they have never declared it as a political act.

It was, then, in 2008 that the three artists started a daily correspondence in the newspaper Dnevnik under their new names - that of Janez Janša - talking about different kinds of topics. The funny thing was that they were "indirectly expressing left-wing opinions in the name of a right-wing prime minister".

This project also helps to shed some light on the concept of identity in relation to art.

   "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

A name is how we define things and ... it could be any name - as Shakespeare and "its famous rose" teach. In the world of art the name does play a role, in particular for an artist.

As an artist, your name is working as a brand on the market. By changing their names, they are deliberatly choosing to take the distance from the system. And the performance finally becomes the real protagonist.

However - in this case - it doesn't work like that. The importance of the name chosen - that of the Prime Minister - put them in a category and we consider them according to this category. Again, the definition becomes the name and the attention of the people is one more time focused on the name and not on the performence itself.

Practising art without defining it commercially could lead the artist to break the rules and to create something which goes beyond a limit: names.

Well, there is much more to discuss about.. but it will be for another time ;)

Australia // "Let Stalk Strine", the Aussie slang - Part I

Many many times we hear the "Down Under People" talking a  misterious language... in a misterious way... with misterious noises...

No idea what the hell they were talking about even after 10 years of languages' classes, travels abroad and living for a while in Sydney. Even though, I must admit that... the worst accent ever is the Scottish one... Once I met a guy (Jonathan), I thought he had serious problems with the English language... NO WAY. I mean for me... not for him ;). No clue he was native of Scotland.

Anyway, I love discovering new expressions and in particular new "languages".

That's why I want to share with you what I have learnt so far.

First of all... I have noticed while I was working there that the customers used to greet you by saying: "G'day, mate.. How are you going?" and I understood after a while that they were not really asking to receive a real answer...but they just need to place the order... and when I was replying "Fine, thanks and you?"... that "and you?" was a problem. They were not expecting that.

I didn't stop to reply in that way, though... I'm Italian and I love to be a good host and it was funny to see their reactions, like...

customer: "How are you going?"
me: "Fine, thanks and you?"
customer: [a couple of secs of hesitation + embarrasment] "Well... I'm fine.. ehmm ehmm.. a double shot flatwhite please"

then .. it comes the moment, where you will hand the flatwhite and they will answer back by simply saying "TA".

and this is now YOUR turn of hesitation .."TA" ... "TA what?" ... to discover that it was "thank you".

Another answer to the same flatwhite could be "Cheers".. and don't pretend not to think my same thing... "why are you saying that for a coffee? where is your beer?". Aussies use it for different circumstances.

Among my researches about the Australian slang and interesting ways to map the world through words, I have found a lively guide, Let Stalk Strine, by Afferbeck Lauder.

Afferbeck Lauder was the pseudonym used by Alastair Ardoch Morrison, an Australian graphic artist and autor who, with this book, illustrated phonetically the Australian way of talking to show it as a complete different language.

A couple of examples:
"Emma chisit" - How much is it?
"Egg wetter gree" - I quite agree

and the pseudonym of the author itself is an example of that "Afferbeck Lauder =Alphabetical order".

I am personally fascinated by all this. It might be because languages are in a continuous change and - by changing - they bring with them a portray of an age, a culture and somehow of the people. I LOVE IT!

"I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." - Harper Lee

Slovenia // The Legend of Erazem Prediamski (a toilet story)

I hope you learn how to love yourself the way you love others. - unconditionally and without hesitation. - [unknown quote]

Tonight... from a train which rides from Ljubljana to Vienna with a lovely story to share...

This morning I was on a mini van with the guide (Tine) and a Russian couple living in Norway.

(voice-over: Russians and Norway OMG!!!)


During the trip to the Predjama Castle, I have lernt two things:

1. That Tine (my guide's name) in Norway is a milk brand

2. That several Slovenian words related to the world of cars come from German, that means that I can speak Slovenian as well ;)

But... let's talk about what I wanted to tell you... that is

[drumroll]
[drumroll]
[drumroll]

... the Legend of Erazem Prediamski AKA a toiltet story...

Let's start from the beginning...

Once upon a time Slovenia used to have its own Robin Hood, the Knight Erazem - the robber baron.

Everything was almost fine until Erazem killed the kinsman of the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederik III. ------> NOT GOOD 

Frederik was so furious that he forced the baron into hiding in his castle.

But  Erazem was too clever. He managed to survive thanks to a secret passage between the Castle and the nearby Postojna Cave. For an entire year + 1, the baron smuggled food and drink through the tunnel till one of his soldiers betrayed him.

Since the weakest part of the castle was the outhouse on a high floor of the outside façade, they decided to attack him once there. And that was the place where the toilet was (the hole you see on the top left of the picture here).

Guess what happened... yeah.... it's exactly what you think...

The servant raised a flag and a cannon shot blasted the baron off the toilet.

Might be a legend, might be the truth... but it made me smile, thanks Tine!

"Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities." - D. Copperfield

France // Caraïbos Lacanau Pro - Everything started from a picture

I am the shore and the ocean, awaiting myself on both sides - D. Stojanovic

A few months ago I saw a nice picture taken by a girl I met in Pyrmont (Sydney). It was just
a view of a fence some grass and sand with the sea in the back.

The caption was "Lacanau-Océan" and I told to myself, my next trip will be there. Honestly I am saying that about many other places and I would have never thought it was going to happen this year.

Well, Ryanair has played a part in that ;)

Lacanau Pro  -20th August 2017

My sister and I got there on the last day of the Lacanau Pro, which is a surf competition held in Lacanau every year and it attracts many sufers and fans from all over the world.

The first edition was in 1979 and it usually takes place in mid-August. It is one of the steps to the World Qualifying Series (WQS), which will then lead to the World Championship Tour (WCT).

Needless to say that the power of the ocean has always had some magic spell on me. Though with big waves, I love the peace within the water.

We got no troubles... life is bubbles under the sea. - Sebastian

The two winners of this year's Lacanau Pro were Philippa Anderson (Australia) and Marc Lacomare (France).

Philippa

Marc

Philippa is an enfant prodige, grown up in South Africa deeply in love with her element (ed. the Ocean) while Marc is winning whatever.

...and the ocean taught her how to drown in all the things bigger than herself. - R.M. Drake

He said: Surfing's one of the few sports that you look ahead to see what's behind. - L. Hamilton

--- oUr sToRy----

We didn't try to surf... too hard ... we just enjoyed the sea and the beautiful wind of a Summer afternoon ;) --- as you can watch in our funny video ;)

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
admit impediments. Love is not love
which alters when it alteration finds,
or brends with the remover to remove.

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
that looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
but bears it out even to the edge of doom.

                                                 If this be error and upon me prov'd,
                                                 I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.

                                                                                               (Sonnet 116 - W. Shakespeare)


                                                 

Australia // Chapter 4, part 1 - Bondi and Le Petit Bateau - A Cultural Exhibition of Life

1st ApRiL 2015

"Sharing our culture is the beginning of creativity." - Le petit bateau philosophy

Me in my creative order

It was one evening at the 3 Wise Monkeys Pub in Sydney and someone told me about Le Petit Bateau in Bondi. It was a few months later I decided to take a look there and I got the chance to discover a very nice spot in Bronte Rd.

It is like a big building where people from different nationalities live together: Italian, French, Swiss, Polish, German etc..

Le Petit Bateau - backyard where I had my coffee

As soon as I entered the backyard, an Italian guy offered me a coffee. It was not the best one I had but for sure the most welcoming one. [I am not saying that because I'm Italian btw].

Gaetano, that was his name, started immediately telling me about their project.

Le Petit Bateau is an art collective launched in May 2014.

Everything started into a garage and backyard space, conceived by Anne-Sophie Ridelaire, a curator from Paris, and her fiancé Gaetano Russo, an Italian boat designer [and the guy with the coffee to me ;)]

LBP is composed by visual artists, performers, musicians, designers, architects from all over the world, working together to promote Art in all its forms and make it "user friendly".

Le Petit Bateau - building @ Bronte Rd.

The two guys (AnSo + Gaetano) share the dream to create a gallery on a boat, with the message that "you never know which way things are going to go".

At that time they were taking part to The Big Picture Project.

Le Petit Bateau - The Big Picture Project

"The Big Picture Project is a show of grand scale contemporary photography exposes, the possibility of images as art via email, instantly exchanged globally and blown up to large mural proportions."

These images are expanded as large Xerox prints and displayed inside the gallery as well as posted in approved outdoor locations. All began in the city of Denver in USA and then it spread all around the globe. And Sydney is a sister city of this project.





  Have a look to this video to make yourself an idea  of this dream reality in Bondi.

  Well... it's all for today... a big big hug!


  Don't let small minds convince that your dreams   are too big.

Chapter 3, part 1 - Randwick and my first flat

That's how a regular table looks like in Australia
ROFL

It's that time of my life I feel like leaving again... no worries I won't do that. First I need to try something else.

Anyway... before trying that something else, I will write my chapter about my flat research in Sydney.

I was lucky honestly, I changed only three times and in all the three flats I was really happy.

1st flat - Randwick
2nd flat - Kingsford
3rd flat - Coogee

They are all located in the Eastern Suburbs. I don't know if it's the best area in Sydney, but I loved it.

And this was my first room in Sydney. I guess that in that apartment it was where I cooked most. Maybe 4/5 times in 3 months...I was a real shame.. really unable to use a kitchen...

Let's start with the first one: Randwick.

Randwick is for me... actually... just a street, that is Belmore rd. If I think about it, what pops into my mind are:

Coles
Liquorland (lol)
Cotton on
Prince of Wales Hospital (yeh... I tried that as well cos of a cut to my thumb)
and last but not least my Coffee Crazy.... a name... a guarantee...

I have just seen that it has now turned into Vigor Espresso.... lovely coffee shop but really made of lovely CRAZY people. At least when I was there (Ciao Claire, Lance and Sydney).


I miss them sometimes as I miss my adventure there...

Even my first flatmates were great and still are: Rob, Max and Justin. Three amazing guys ...they are now well spread across the world ... I hope to meet you again... maybe on a plane ;) Who knows...


2 Years ago the average price for a single room per week was of about 200,00 $ / 250,00 $, which was pretty good... I do not know now... if you have any udpdate about it, feel free to add your comments below...


A quick post just to keep the dream real!

I love you all...

VaL