Meetings

I've been telling you that I'm attending Rotary meetings, but I guess I've never really explained what they are.  In this post I'll try to fix that.

So in Singleton there are two Rotary clubs, but I'm part of another one of them.  It is a nice club with lovely older people, but when I have a change I try to get to know the other one as well.  I was giving a presentation for them earlier this week, and I might start going to their meetings sometime soon. 

You might think that it's really boring to be there as everyone is way older than I am, but I actually quite enjoy it.  Everyone is always really nice to me and wants to know about my life here.  So simply it's a change to wear high heels and meet delightful and interesting people; sounds good doesn't it!  :) Though  I have to admit sometimes there are parts which are a bit boring, but mainly I enjoy spending some of my Thursday nights that way.  Older people have the greatest stories and experiences to share.

So in this club the meetings are on Thursday nights at 6.30 pm, but they might as well be 7.00 am in the Sunday mornings; depends on the club and the time they've decided is the most suitable for the members. 

At first there's time to get drinks and chat with people before sitting down for a dinner.  After eating there's some money collected as 'fines' (so people tell about funny things that have happened to themselves or to the other members) and information shared about the upcoming events and projects etc.  After that there's coffee and tea served and possibly a questspeaker has came to tell about something.  Last night's speaker was telling about the work they do with disabled people.  We are meant to finish the meetings  about 8.30, but usually (probably because it's very Australian) we go a bit overtime.  After the official meeting has finished people stay for a while to chat. 

So if you get the impression that it's a social event I've expressed myself well enough.  :D

And one more thing which has nothing to do with Rotary meetings though; I got my student card yesterday!!  Finally...  I was trying to get it before the holidays started, but people from my school office said that it's a government thing and as I don't live here I won't get it.  That was a bit upsetting, because I do live and study here, not permanently but still.  The last school day I was taking a train to Newcastle (first of those million trips) and the lady there said that I should definitely get a student card, every exchange student does.  But during the holidays there was unfortunately no way of getting it, because it must be done via school.  So every time after that the lady said 'Oh, aren't you the exchange student?  The poor one who wasn't given a student card.  I remember you.  Sorry.'   And then I paid almost 10 bucks.  But anyhow,  I definitely don't regret spending a fortune to my Newcastle trips, that was probably the best decision so far; just makes me a bit annoyed that instead of spending over 100 dollars I could have paid the normal 3 dollars a trip.  So it was worth every penny, but good that travelling is a fair bit cheaper for me now.  Looking forward testing my new card when I travel to Sydney next week! :)

Getting exited about all the cool things coming,

Liisa