It has been wonderful to return to class this year, with five new members joining returning students in sharing stories in class. 

​February’s topic, ‘I Was There’, elicited fascinating ‘slices of life’, including meeting the Queen in New Zealand as a young Girl Guide; hearing President Soekarno speak at the opening of a new university in Aceh, Indonesia in 1962; and being there when the Russell Street bombing occurred on March 27th1986.  Stories written for ‘One Moment, This Year (2021)’ described the deep disappointment of continued absence from family during Covid and unforgettable moments of pure joy at eventually being together again. 
  
‘Tree Stories’ proved to be a delightful topic in March, incorporating many captivating memories of childhood.  Other ‘Memories of Childhood’ were also shared, memories of a happy childhood in England and ‘the big adventure’ of migrating to Australia;  also ‘early 1940’s’ memories of train trips to wartime Melbourne, visits to the department stores of Foy and Gibson, Buckley and Nunn and the Myer Emporium and a father’s departure from Spencer Street on the ‘Spirit of Progress’ before leaving for the war in Europe. 

We will not be meeting on Anzac Day but have extended our meeting time in late May to from 1 to 4 pm.  Please bring two 500-word stories and a small plate of afternoon tea or some chocolates to share! 

The topics?  ‘Community’ - “Write about a community you participated in, taking this opportunity to write about a slice of your life’s journey which may be of interest to your family. It could be a community in which you felt a really ‘good fit’, a community which changed you, perhaps even a community you were glad to leave behind….” and ‘Long Lost Friend’ – “Have you ever come across a long-lost friend years after first meeting them? Tell us about the time when you first knew them, how you lost touch and the major changes in your life since, how you met them again, and your reflections on doing so. Are you still in contact? Explain what has happened since you came across them again.” (other ‘long lost’?...eg. family member, item, pet…)”. 
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The alternate topics are ‘Anzac Day’ and ‘A Friendship Tested’. 

The detailed list of topics and alternates for 2022 is always available - see RH column.  


Bev Lee

Icebreaker/Reflecting Back
Interview another class member about their own, their mother's or perhaps grandmothers experience of being a housewife.  Do you think they led a dull or exciting life....?   What other questions might help them to open up....

The Writing Process
What to share?  Looking after ourselves emotionally.

Topics - March
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‘Tree stories…’ The brief – “Reflect for a few minutes on the role or presence of trees earlier in your life, brainstorming a list of your thoughts. Draw upon your list to write about two or three of these memories of trees, taking us back into your world at the time, the meaning of these trees to you then, and perhaps even now”. 

The alternative topic is - ‘A Childhood Memory’ or 'A Childhood Experience' “Some childhood memories stay with us despite the passage of time. Some of these memories involve something which happened which inspired and built on our imagination. Share a story taking us back to one”.

Upcoming Topics

'Community' can be a geographical unit - a region, a town, a neighbourhood, a street - . but it can also relate to 'communities of interest' you belong or have belonged to.  I often think that our U3A groups represent 44 different 'communities of interest'.  I'm not interested in gardening, but  avid gardeners join and enjoy Garden Team and Garden Appreciation!  Sometimes people are in two or three areas of similar interest and often find themselves going out for coffee together as well as meetig at U3A.  

The topic was inspired by a story in the Tatong Tattler a few weeks ago titled 'Community'. While it relates to a geographic community, it also relates to communities of interest, in this case, in people sharing power lines; people who have animals on their farms!
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‘Community’ The Brief - 'Write about a community you observed and participated in, taking this opportunity to write about a slice of your life’s journey which may be of interest to your family. It could be a community in which you felt you were a really ‘good fit’, a community which changed you, a community you were glad to leave behind….' Share your reflections in 500 words.

The alternate topic ‘Anzac Day’ – The Brief - 'Looking back over your lifetime, write about your memories of Anzac Day and its place in the cultural rituals of your family and the communities in which you have lived, moving from the personal to the political if you wish. “A chance to reminisce about memories of Anzac Day (or Days) which have stayed with us over time”.