where we were and where we are.......

Thanks for all the emails. People have found it rather amazing that we are moving around. Working with Indigenous students has become a passion for Nico and me. We feel very lucky that Robinvale gave us this start. YES, we have moved from one landscape extreme to another. Isn’t our country JUST BEAUTIFUL!!! I will be using some of the touching comments people emailed in the book I am writing. Thank you so much for the support and inspiring words.

Take care dear friends.

Love
The Drijvers

The adventure continues.....

Hi Everyone,

WELL, here we are in Far North Queensland and the adventure continues. We loved the trip up along the coast and we explored many of the beautiful landmarks, beaches and islands along the way. We are loving our new school and learning lots about teaching Indigenous children. It is also very busy, but we work with passionate people who are very supportive.
It's great for all of us to be at one campus. The children just play and explore around the school when we have meetings. We are very happy with their progress this year and they are flying high with their learning achievements. I can't believe Jonas is in yr6 and Heidi in yr3! Both children think it's hilarious that they can go to school in thongs or no shoes at all. They most certainly don't miss the Three Corner Jacks in Robinvale!! Jonas broke his thongs a few day ago at school and has gone barefoot like most of the other students ever since. He said this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and he is going barefoot as much as he can. Heidi will wear thongs to school and just take them off when she gets there. I was teaching the other day and looked out my window to see them walking to music laughing and playing with friends and....... they were all wearing NO shoes! LOL The school is so beautifully landscaped that Jonas is in scientist heaven. He has started a collection of the most amazing bugs and butterflies we have seen...orange, yellow, bright blue etc. (They are dead of course) The tropical flowers are out of this world and a young Botanist's dream.

Apart from the strong academic focus, Music, Sport and Art is a big part of College life. At assembly (twice a week) everybody sings the College song, the National Anthem and a Hip Hop version of Our Father-LOL. The whole family will be involved in an Indigenous Cultural Dancing group. Heidi and Jonas made the local Cairns swim squad so they train 4 days a week. Heidi's class play AFL every Wednesday with coaches from an AFL Academy. She is very funny and I don't think too happy about it!!! Jonas is learning to play touch footy. It's a big thing here, but I just don't get it! The heat is not that bad and, surprisingly, we have had little rain considering it is Monsoon season. We don't buy ice cream at the supermarket because it melts too fast. A special shopping van delivers door to door. The kids think this is very cool. (see photo)

In our first week here we prepared for a cyclone, but it never came...thankfully! So far we have travelled to Cape Tribulation, Cooktown and the beautiful Daintree Forest. Port Douglas is only 60ks from our house so we have had some lovely long Sunday lunches there and at Palm Cove. We actually saw our first Croc in the wild crossing a river in The Daintree. It was both exciting and terrifying. I think Jonas (aka Steve Irwin) thought it was the best thing ever. The Atherton Tablelands were amazing and we spotted a Tree Kangaroo with a baby. Apparently this is rare so we feel very lucky.
We live at the foot of the Tablelands and our house is surrounded by tropical rainforest. We love waking up in the morning and seeing the forest from our windows. It is very different to the red earth of Robinvale. We also see sugar cane everywhere instead of grapes. BUT, we have not tasted grapes like Maryanne's since we left R'vale!!

love
Mama G...... ha ha ha ha!!!