Jarrod's+Blog


 * Blog – City Experience **


 * Tuesday 7th August 2012 **


 * First day of city experience, going into it not knowing much on what we were going to do for the day. Day started at the train station with Joel and Christian, lucky enough we were on the same train as the lovely Ms Manning, arriving in the CBD at 9. Most of us were there but we had to wait for the late comers then we were off to the war memorial. On the way we walked over the Yarra River, past the botanical gardens and the art centre. I was of course bragging about how I ran the tan in 13 mins… just saying. **


 * We arrived at the War Memorial; we got into our forms and were off. We had a guide named Bernie (correct me if I’m wrong) and he took us to a room where he would tell us about the War Memorial and War history. Will was picked to go to war dressing in what the Australian soldiers wore in the First World War (1914-1918), he was equipped with a bag, spade, gas, rifle, mask, med kit, food and writing paper and a pen, and of course clothes. All men wore the rising sun, the logo of the ANZACS. **


 * The First World War was known at the time as the Great War because there was not a second war yet. The Great War was a very big part of Australian history because it was the very first war that we Australians were involved in.The Soldiers in the war were sent to Egypt, you had to be 21, any younger you had to get permission from your parents or guardians. While in Egypt soldiers thought they were going to Europe to fight but instead were shipped to Gallipoli, Turkey. I won’t go into too much detail there since it was very un-human event. The men fought in the trenches. **


 * After Gallipoli the ones who were still alive and well were sent now to Europe where we helped the English fight. We won that war. The Second World War (1939-1945) started only 21 years after WW1. That time we fought in Vietnam and we took the famous Kadoka Trail. But we didn’t go much into that. After the movie that we watched on the war memorial and how it was built and how it opened and there was 100,000 people there we moved on. **


 * We went upstairs were we watched the sun go over the memorial stone, when it goes over someone would say “Lest We Forget” and we will all repeat. After that we headed downstairs then we were out of there. During that experience I learnt a lot about Australian history in the war.Next up it was lunch, and of course everyone pretty much went to Maccas to get lunch but after that we were off to the Urban Seed located at the Baptist Church on Collins Street. **


 * Walking up Collins Street it seemed strange; everything was so classy and expensive. But we arrived at the church where we were greeted by Bianca our guide, she went to Strathmore, but was in the worse possible house (I think everyone knows what house that is) but we headed inside. We were asked questions on what we thought about Melbourne and stereotypes that had been established about different types of groups, like Homeless people. We all gave in our ideas, and made up the perfect stereotypical bum; old, hairy, wrinkles, sleeps in parks, alcoholic, beggars and such. But we were shocked to hear that most homeless people are very young and live out on the street of Melbourne or “Couch Surf” at mate’s houses. **


 * After that we headed out on a walk were we went through the rich side of town and were told how they treat homeless people very rudely. Then we went to the alley ways were the Urban Seed would set up cricket games open to the public, open to all types of people, business men, tourists and homeless people, trying to get the message across that all people are the same and shouldn’t be judged on what money they have, or how they look. **


 * We headed on walking now to the back of the church were we had once started. We went down the alley way and learnt about its past history, in the alley way where we’re standing was Melbourne’s top shoot up point for heroin. Bianca told us a story about a young guy James that was my age when he went homeless; the cause was domestic violence which is the reason to most homeless people. James was a part of this phase of heroin and urban seed wanted to help James and other people that had an addiction so they put in fresh water taps, a big white light and a big metal bin to stop the deaths related to missing veins or infected water/needles going into the veins. **


 * After the learnt all about that, we headed inside into the café (I forget the name) were anyone in Melbourne could have a free meal, and we heard more stories about their friends and all that, but when it was all done we all got a postcard and were on our way, we were let free from the alley and I made my way home. I learnt a lot of things that I didn’t know about Melbourne, about War and about what the Urban Seed does and was all set for tomorrow. **


 * Wednesday 8th August 2012 **


 * I woke up early today, it was exciting day for me because this was the day I get my braces off! YAY! Instead of going to the train station in the mourning in went to pure orthodontics to get off my braces. Felt amazing. But I still had to go to the city and it was a horrible day! Windy and cold and the rain was coming. **


 * I was driven into town by my lovely mother and after calling Bellis a few times I was directed to meet my favourite teacher Ms Manning at timeout café in fed square. I walked in to see a site of relief, I hadn’t walked into the wrong place and making a fool of myself, by that time it was pouring rain and was windy and freezing cold. I talked to Ms Manning about what I could do since Joel and Ben wouldn’t pick up their phones when I tried to meet them.. She told me to smile, then sit outside in the rain and watch the big screen, luckily I saw Hugo and joined up with his group with Renee and Vanessa. **


 * We started to walk to Melbourne Central but then gave up because it was so cold so we walked back to Fed Square were other groups were surprisingly but was soon greeted by 9D2, and not soon after was sent out to lunch. I was so shattered I missed out on the scavenger hunt!! **** L **** I really wanted to do it, so I don’t really have much to talk about there. But for lunch, I had my first meal without braces, kept on licking my teeth thinking I had food stuck in-between my braces that I didn’t have. After lunch I went back to Fed Square with some mates. By no time everyone was there and was ready to go on the art walk, but was shocked to find out that it was cancelled since the rain! I was really excited to do something in the city, but rain is a bitch. Instead we went to ACMI where we looked at movie and gaming stuff, and a few extras. I showed everyone my dance moves on a few on the things. **


 * We were let off early with the permission from our parents and I left the city at 2:20, not sure with the others. I was kinda glad that we went to ACMI because it was FREEZING outside, but after a day of pretty much doing nothing I learnt one thing, Melbourne has shit weather. **


 * Thursday 9th August 2012 **
 * After the horrible day yesterday I was quite excited to do the Self Defence course in the theatrette to start off the day. I was trying to show everyone my teeth but ran out of time as the music went. Before we started Joel and I thought we’d have a bit of a kick of the footy. After a while we were called into to the theatrette to start are self-defence course. We were greeted by out trainer for the hour, excuse me but I have the worse memory and cannot remember his name, but he had curly hair. First we learnt about the levels of self-defence and what you could be charged for and what’s in the limits of self-defence. **


 * We started our first exercise, the stance; it was a very firm stance, you couldn’t be pushed over. After that we went into more physical stuff, like palming and kicks. Of course I was the clumsy one and while kicking lost balance and fell on my back. Jameson broke down into tears, but I was laughing myself, then we put everything we learnt into combos and poof, the hour was done, it went so quickly, but we said bye to our trainer and off we were to the uniting church (is that what it’s called??). **


 * We arrived at the church, when we got in we greeted the girls that had been doing their own type of self-defence, so bad that it makes me cringe at the stuff that they would do to men like me. I was one of the lucky ones to rub the permanent marker of the board using the old technique of rubbing the whiteboard marker over the top of the writing then rubbing it out after. After that child labour we sat and were know greeted by the police officers that once again I forgot the names to, it was only today I know! **


 * As we sat down they talked to us about “sexting” and how it affects young teenagers and the charges involved, but first we watched a video on a real life scenario about a girl that sent a nude picture of herself to her boyfriend that the next day she dumped him for cheating on her the night before. Out of rage the guy sent the pic to his mates and it spread. She got the police evolved and they sorted it out.Then after the video they told us the charges. Possession of child pornography and developing child pornography. It also went on your visa and with those types of charges you can’t get certain jobs or go to certain countries. We were also briefed about alcohol problems in the community and the places where you could drink it and the consequences if you did not follow them. **


 * After that we stayed in the church and enjoyed ourselves to some free pizza bought by the lovely and caring teachers knowing exactly what we want on a cold day. Just wished I could have left the place because it was quite boring being in there the rest of the day. I played some games with the others to fill that time before going into the next thing. We had to stop what we were doing and get into groups.We had gotten into our groups, once again with Renee and Vanessa but I was blessed with my two babies, Tyler and Jameson. **


 * We had to do a ven-diagram on what was different between boys and girls. Jammo and I went straight to the point; boys have penises and moobs (man-boobs), but also we cannot use glad wrap, it is physically impossible to rip it straight. Then we were given a brief on sexuality and how in older years things change. Relationships change, and people that you know might be interested into different things to you, and how it’s totally fine if they are, they should be excluded because of their sexuality. **


 * After that, we were given a situation and was asked in groups to write what was happening and what would you do if you were in the situation. After a while of thinking we came to an end, we just wanted to get out of there!! And soon after we said goodbye as we all walked out into the rain. And that was the end.During City experience I learnt so much, and especially the code that we followed. Independence, Empathy, Trust, Respect and Cooperation. It really did show during the three days, and even though the weather was quite bad, I still enjoyed the time out of school **** J **