Blog 13. A Snippet, From My Personal Story

It was the language I chose to learn in mainstream high-school, that altered my mindset and desire to be more curious and adventurous for life. It happened unexpectedly, on board a flight heading to Indonesia.

As part of the program to learn the language, we would travel to Indonesia in October that same year.

Classes were 40mins a couple of times per week. Rigid and strict, without open dialogue to discuss the intricacies in a collaborative effort, with teachers and peers. It was a different time, with text books, and a teach to only method, teachers talking in parrot fashion like delivery. Auditory and sensory tools to accompany had not become a thing yet. It was a challenge to learn the language in the way it was taught.

However, I persevered for the goal was to go to Indonesia!

Side note: It was back in the 80's, at a time when folks could light up a cigarette in designated areas, so the rear of the plane was pretty smokey. Never-the-less, I had to walk around, for the first time I had ants in my pants "figuratively speaking" and desperately wanted to look out the window, so intrigued by the experience of flying over and through the clouds, and seeing the earth move beneath us.

During the journey, one of the most fascinating experiences happened.

In that era, there were no screens on the back of the chairs, to watch as we travel. Sometime into the flight, the captain announced we would be flying over the tip of Australia and soon could view it from the left side of the plane. At that moment, a bunch of students also got out of their seats and braved the smokey environment to see.

The very tip, so distinctive, just like on the maps and not like any other terrain in the world, I've seen so far. The view out of that window was something else. Sun low in the sky, beaming gold reflections on the water and edges of Cape York Penninsula. This was eye opening for me, and the connection to travel coupled with experiences for learning - was born.

Once we were there, Indonesia awoke my senses in new ways, from the fragrances of nature, burning of incense and the smell of their sweet Gudang cigarettes, to the language spoken in high pitch, loudly and very fast. When Indonesian's spoke, I intensely listened. On a quest to figure out if I recognised any numbers and words that I put on repeat in my mind, for the past several months - and they did.

After a few days of being in Kuta, the tiny bit of language I had under my belt started to take shape when bartering, for ordering food and drinks for instance. There was LOTS of pointing going on, but combined with that and the little I could say... it was working!

I must include, by not knowing much of the language, Indonesian people were so welcoming and would help us to learn more, often enough it made the experience more richer and connected. As we walked through the streets and did more things, our experiences became "living lessons" ... Something that is so special and profound about "Experiential Learning" thirty five years on, I still recall details so vividly.

As we continued to travel throughout Bali and Java, different experiences were had, and I began noticing more details unique to their culture. I was seeing past the first awe like inspired moments of being in a new place, and my eyes widening to the essence of the culture and customary practises. Being present, their customs were deeply ingrained in their culture and way of living, and to respect those customs were strictly advised.

Personally, I'm mixed Māori and British ancestry, and was raised in Australia - my parents were sold on the scheme for a "better life" in Australia with more opportunities. Talking about my cultural background was a rarity. In the few times my grandparents visited, I would ask to learn, but my Nana was hesitant. Later on, I learned Nana was part of the silenced generation, forced and beaten to not speak her language. So she only ever wrote down how to say 1 through to 10, and hello for me.

Without extended family (just the 5 of us), siblings constantly fighting, causing trouble and stealing from me and them, coupled with a schooling system rife with bullying fuelled by racism and nastiness, was an incredibly hard time. For much of it I was mute around the house and in school. (3 die hard friends were my everything for most of my formative years.) I had 2 siblings, one died in his early 20's from an alcohol and drug overdose. And the other sibling still causes problems, lies, steals and goes as far to use her children as pawns to hurt and be spiteful with intent to be malicious. To protect my family and me, we are estranged. My parents battled through years of domestic abuse and awful violence, resulting in break-ups and us constantly not knowing if we were coming or going. From the age of 7, I took it upon myself to prepare for the fall-outs, which usually happened in the middle of the night and a sight no child should see. But that was my up bringing. As a result, I've seen and felt the brunt of some of the worst things one could imagine in a childhood. For his wrong doings, my father is not welcome in my life. I needed protecting from his son and other daughter, but he failed and kept hurting us instead. In all honesty, it wasn't a childhood, is was terror-hood.

So keen to change our lives, I began working at the age of 12.

My first job was working in the shop across the road from school. The lovely elderly Italian man refused to let me work, saying I should be out playing and enjoying being a child. He did not know why I was so keen. And every day for a year I kept asking him if I could work. Pack sweets or shelves, fill the fridges - something. Finally the next year, he welcomed my persistence and let me bag lollies, fill shelves and sweep for a few dollars.

It was the start of my journey to exchange my time and effort for cash. 9 months later, I moved to a bigger business and would work till 8 or 9pm.

On Thursdays it was late night shopping so I worked till 10pm. I wasn't making much but I felt like I was contributing, to what may be a better tomorrow With school, working and home life instability, it was an intense juggling act..

2 years on and hearing the stories of the indigenous when in Bali, their stories resonated with me. They worked from sun up till sun down or later, and with little reward. For their efforts they would receive the equivalent of $1 Aussie dollar per day. Which was 1300 Rupiah, but they had this energy about them. I don't know how to put it in words, just to say that it is a connection between humans and valuing life.

With an early start to working life, and the opportunity to experience Indonesia 36years ago this October, it really did alter my mindset and desires. I knew I could not have the education I wanted, and I didn't see being rich as someone who had deep pockets, or flashy cars - still don't. I grew up with flashy cars, and watched my parents sell EVERYTHING to raise over 50k in the 80's, so to purchase a home valued at 198k, only to loose it a few years later from inflationary measures, and to top it off, upon vacating they owed the bank 6k - ON TOP, of their loan.

I saw richness in the moments we can create in our lives, to travel, to learn while experiencing cultures and new places, which becomes a journey from within, yet still connected to others and places. Furthermore, I could keep those, and no one could take them. Each one to nurture, light me up inside, and fill me up. Helping me to grow internally, intentionally, locally and beyond our boarders. To experience that brilliance of life and living, be-it a small trip to extended journey's with humans who want it or get it, or at least to appreciate "what may" - is forever priceless.

Thinking as I write this, experiential learning saved my life. Its captured the essence of more than what words can convey, and when I adventured, it was for something more than ticking a list from the bucket, it stayed with me, and since transcend to my offspring. In my time as an intentional experiential learner, I've travelled as a teen with my class, partnered and solo in my twenties, and in the past decade with two children-in-tow.

Each time has drawn different experiences from the ages and stages in my life. I think the most rewarding though, was with my children - they are good humans. And the pleasure to give a child a childhood that is full of LOVE, kindness, connection, adventure and naturally learning through exploration, which can never be matched when designed around curiosity, inquisitiveness and following one's nose, holds dear.

It's been an opportunity to give something I felt my children could take with them their whole lives and see learning from the view point, it happens everywhere and at anytime if we are willing to see past the logistics, then we can be inspired to learn while living.

The moral to A Snippet, From My Personal Story, is one moment can change EVERYTHING.

But only if we are given the opportunity to be free to see first, so we can discover.