Melbourne and Caulfield Revisited

 Barry, Jim, Lucy and I.

 Joel's farewell version of the Australian anthem.

 The grade 6 assembly outside.

 Don.

 Claire.

 Joel.

Exchangees.

December 21-22^nd.

It was great to be back in Australia visiting friends and seeing Lucy again. I spent the first two days back visiting the school I taught at in 2016, Caulfield Junior College, and catching up with the students and teachers. I forgot that many of the Australian students leave before the end of term to visit family in France for the Christmas holidays. As a result many of the students I taught were already on holiday, but I did get to visit and chat with the ones who were there. It was good to see them and see how much they had grown. Some were shy and distant but others were very mature and we had a good talk. Quentin in particular (who had left after the third of four terms when I taught him) was happy to tell me about the trip he took with his parents through South America. I also met the new principal who has replaced Amanda for the remainder of the year, and many of the teachers. I learned that Joel, the music teacher, has accepted a position in Tasmania and will be moving there with his wife of one year (to the day) this month. I met up with Don, Claire, Anne Cecille and many of the others. I also had a chance to talk with Tom the teacher who replaced me and found that he had excelled in his first year teaching.

On the evening of the 21^st we visited Barry and Jim, the two principals I had met through the International Teachers Association when I first arrived in Melbourne as part of my exchange. They are well and Barry is heading off on an eight week backpacking journey through India.

On the 22^nd I I took the train to school and hung around all day and watched the grade 6 graduation assembly. After school I attended the staff party at Leora's house. This year it was much better attended than last, as the atmosphere at the school has improved dramatically. Many of the new young teachers attended and had fun in the pool. Maurene was there too. She was the teacher who lived in my house and did my job in 2016 as part of the teacher exchange I participated in. It was great to have a chance to sit and talk with her, as I had only met her in late December 2015 when I picked her up at the airport and showed her around before I flew off to New Zealand and Australia.