Two stories set in 1967 set the theme for September’s first segment ‘What were you doing in 1967?’ Phil’s story featured the trials and tribulations he experienced after arriving in Australia as a 14-year old ‘Pommy’ immigrant in 1967, while Barry’s story ‘I Met You’ described serving Olivia Newton John and Pat Carroll as a relieving bank teller in Brunswick – “As a young 19 year old lad I was very impressed’. Carmyl described being a young, pregnant mother; Ray getting married and honeymooning in the Blue Mountains; Neville a move to London; Lou a brief period as a member of a bikie gang! Bev reflected on studying at Monash University at the time of the hanging of Ronald Ryan; an event from 1967 also remembered vividly by Neville, Jill and others. A video of Olivia and Pat singing ‘September in the Rain’ rounded off our 1967 retrospective!
September’s ‘Adventure’ stories included Carmyl's ‘slow moving’ journey in 1961 to Aceh in Northern Sumatra to work as a volunteer graduate in a scheme to replace Dutch public servants until Indonesians graduated and took over. Jill's story of travelling in Papua New Guinea in 1976 also had a political element, as this was the year following PNG’s independence from Australia. James wrote about his adventures working in a Kibbutz, then travelling in Europe following Frommer's 'Europe on $10 a Day’, while Ray wrote about his joyful 'musical' adventure participating in FCJ College’s ‘Find Your Voice’ project. Phil's story ‘It happened in Scotland’ was also about venturing into the unknown.
Neville and Bev’s catch-up stories of 'Retirement' again featured more complex, less planned and/or less joyous transitions than are often viewed as typifying retirement.
A story about Phil's Austrian hat, symbolizing a time in his life when he was travelling overseas, resonated with both James and Lou, as James has a similar, badge covered hat and Lou’s childhood lederhosen outfit featured a similar hat. Lou went on to share an amusing vignette relating to his career as a disseminator of inventions.
September’s ‘Adventure’ stories included Carmyl's ‘slow moving’ journey in 1961 to Aceh in Northern Sumatra to work as a volunteer graduate in a scheme to replace Dutch public servants until Indonesians graduated and took over. Jill's story of travelling in Papua New Guinea in 1976 also had a political element, as this was the year following PNG’s independence from Australia. James wrote about his adventures working in a Kibbutz, then travelling in Europe following Frommer's 'Europe on $10 a Day’, while Ray wrote about his joyful 'musical' adventure participating in FCJ College’s ‘Find Your Voice’ project. Phil's story ‘It happened in Scotland’ was also about venturing into the unknown.
Neville and Bev’s catch-up stories of 'Retirement' again featured more complex, less planned and/or less joyous transitions than are often viewed as typifying retirement.
A story about Phil's Austrian hat, symbolizing a time in his life when he was travelling overseas, resonated with both James and Lou, as James has a similar, badge covered hat and Lou’s childhood lederhosen outfit featured a similar hat. Lou went on to share an amusing vignette relating to his career as a disseminator of inventions.
'Phil's Hat'
A link to our ‘Retirement’ story collection will feature on the website during Seniors Month in October. Would you like to share your story of retirement with us (aiming for the 500-word limit if possible)? Email your story to bevlee47@gmail.com! Or perhaps you’d like to ‘come and try’ (it’s okay just to observe) our session on Monday 16 October at 2pm? Class members will be sharing stories on This (…….) Life ‘A chance to explore a feature of your life!’ or ‘Right Here, Right Now’ ‘A time capsule of the present. Write a story about a situation currently unfolding in your life, right here, right now.’
Beverley Lee
Beverley Lee
