Well without wanting to repeat too much of what Ryan said I am really wanting to write about Cuba right now.

We have been studying Cuba in Spanish this semester and it has been really rather interesting. However, while the rest of the class seems to be coming to the conclusion that Cuba is a “third world” country with a fascist government I am coming to think that it is really rather cool. I was wondering if I was just understanding really badly or if the fact that I so desperately want it to be working was clouding my judgement but it appears that, that may not be the case. I watched a documentary about it with Ryan, Jemma and David who I think are all very smart people and who have a fair amount of experience and they appear to have the same understanding as me. Especially Ryan who has done some economics thing that appears to show that the poor in Cuba are far better off than the poor in the rest of the world. So yay for Cuba then. Viva Fidel.

Don’t get me wrong there appears to be a lot of problems in Cuba, the people are struggling, their currency is worth nothing even inside Cuba, there is not lot of food or oil around (however that is probably getting better now that they are swapping oil for doctors with Venezuala) and rights for homosexuals and women are not great but well it appears to be far better off than the majority of the world and they appear to be really trying to make it better. They also have the best health care and education in the world which no one can really complain about and the people still believe in their government and their own ability to make cahanges which well is more than I can say for me.

And given that in Australia one in five people have a mental illness, one in four women are sexually abused, suicide is killing more and more young people every year and our indigenous people have a life expectancy twenty years less than the average Australian I’m not convinced we can say that our quality of life is that much better even if we do have a bit more money.

I am at work and it is Saturday – that sux but well I love my job so I shouldn’t complain and I will of course get some time in lieu.

I am at work because I have to speak at a Mass tonight about Compeer so I am here picking up the things I need and practising the speech a bit. I am a little nervous but it should be okay.

I just got back to work from having five days off. It really was very pleasant. On Friday I had to go to university in the morning which was a monumental waste of my time but I bought the reader and it has some interesting stuff in it. Lots of stuff on critical literacy which has become my new passion. Yes another one. Without going into too much deatail it is basically the idea that teaching people litercy isn’t about just teaching them how to function, you know read and write what they are told, but it is about teaching people how to criticise what they read and express that. Shame that there is not a lot of people doing it so getting a clear idea of how to do it is relatively hard. Not to mention the government policy on basic is education is that it has to lead people to work and that’s it. In the evening we went to dinner with for my grandfathers birthday. It was probably one of the best times I have spent with them in ages. They were relaxed which was nice and the food was great.

Saturday as everyone knows was Helen’s and Jon’s wedding. The highlights were probably having breakfast with the groom before the wedding. Lots of dancing and eating and shoe shining. Helen and Jon’s big smiles as she walked down the aisle and the dancing at the reception. Spike was playing the saxaphone in the band and he is amazing.

Sunday was a lovely day too. I had a nice big sleep in which always makes me happy and spent most of teh afternoon talking with Jem and Jo on the balcony. It is the sunniest spot in our house and it great. Jem and Jo are great too. Praise God for really good women friends that you can share everything with. Of course I had to spent the night at Rough Edges. I am struggling a lot there at the moment. I don’t feel I have much energy for it but it was a pretty good night really and I am learning a lot about my skills as a team leader. Asked God to enable us to be endlessly generous and I kept repeating the prayer. I think it may have worked.

On Monday Martin had the day off too. Given the hours that we keep we don’t get to spend that much time together so it was amazing to get a whole day of it. It was very much needed. We read together, prayed together, ate together, studied together and well that will do I think. I had to go to uni in the evening but I am really enjoying my Spanish course. We are studying Cuba and it is just fascinating. The revolution has not been perfect nt by any means and I have been disappoiinted to discover a lot of the not so nice things about it but I still essentially believe that it has been a good thing for Cuba. I mean who can argue with a country that has one of the highest literacy rates in the world as well as no one goes hungary. Also really a world without with McDonalds. How good would that be. It is good in class though as everyone hs different opinions so there are lots of lively debates – all in Spanish – it is exactly what I imagined uni would be like.

Finally Tuseday. Wow this has been a long post and I imagine everyone is over reading about how good things are for me but well I have made it this far and hey I am competing with Tom. So Tuesday I managed to get a good amount of study done. I did a lot of reading and got my head aroung my assessments. Feel like I know where to frome here which is a nice feeling. I get soooooo stressed sometimes so it is quite odd to be at peace with it all. I even wrote my own essay question, how good is that. Then last night was Commie Dinner. Hard question but good company. I droppped Lucinda home. She is an amazing women I think. Lots of struggles but has come through with a good and a strong faith.

And now I am back at work and I thankfully have things to do so I better get back to it….

I have an interview at 5.30 tonight and they usually go for an our so I was able to start work at 10.30. I think that would have to be the most pleasant thing in the world. I got up at the very respectable time of 8.30 and was able to make my bed and tidy room. Then I had a nice breakfast up on the balcony and read the Bible and wrote in my journal. And came to work. If I could do that everyday it would be wonderful.

I also had time to drop my clothes off at the laundromat. They are going to wash them, dry them and fold them and then I can pick them up. I feel a bit guilty but that is just so wonderful as well.

I am feeling very tired. I had to work 6 days last week as well as Rough Edges last night so I have not really had a whole day off in 8 days and I have to go to uni tonight. Life really has a way of coming down on you all at once. I guess after such a lovely six weeks off it was coming to me.

I am feeling a little bit anxious about uni to be honest. I looked up one of the courses and it looks really hard. That’s so not Adult Education. Also in one of the assessments you have to draw on experience from your prac and I have not done one yet as I am only studying part time. If there is no way around it I will be very annoyed as I really don’t want to be a uni any longer.

Last night at Commie Dinner we talked about communion. Either our favourite communion or a communion that we had that week with somebody.

I really like the idea of thinking about my interactions with people as communions. It reminds me that every interaction is sacred and everyone is welcome. If we think about the people that Jesus ate with and had communion with, well let’s just say that his open table certainly challenges our selective friendships.

It also reminds me that God is always present.

Goodness it has been awhile. I guess I am going to have to do one of those lists things to catch up on what I have been doing/thinking/feeling. I quite enjoy them really they make me feel like I actually do things with my life which is satisfying not to mention force me to actually remember things and reflect on them even if I don’t write it all. Okay well after that intro I better say somthing.

This month I have:
I have been keeping pretty fit, I did the bay run two times which makes 14km.
I did a mental health first aid course for work and learnt some new things which is always good but made me feel like I still knew so little. I guess sometimes you just have to make a call and stick to it. Sometimes you will be right and other times you will be wrong and most of the time you will be somewhere in between.
Felt happy most of the time.
Celebrated Vinnies Birthday. 125 years in Australia. Happy Birthday Vinnies.
Being really quiet at work and then got really busy. I did three interviews on Monday and today I did my very first introduction of volunteer and friend. It was so nice. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside.
Jemma came home from Alice Springs and it was so lovely to catch up with her and where she is at. We had pancakes this morning which is always great and listened to John Coleman and Leo.
The weather got warmer which has been such a relief as our house is so cold. We had a pcinic at Rozelle on Sunday to celebrate.
Started looking for a church so I have been thinking a lot about church and what I want and why. Something I have been meaning to do for ages but just couldn’t seem to get around. Probably a chat with Lesley really inspired me to actually do it. First try was Pitt Street Uniting. People were really friendly and it was very open teaching which is something Martin and I really need. People were a lot older than us though and I didn’t love the music but I think that is something I could compromise on.
Went to Helen’s kitchen tea and had some good chats with some very good people. Even someone I didn’t know. Yay for me. I am not sure when I became so scared of doing that but believe it or not I am.
Looked at almost all of Joel’s photos of Peru and felt nostalgic as always.
Put all our photos from this year in a photo album most of the time and felt daunted.
I read the post evangelical and I got a lot out if it. In fact I think I may become mildly obsessed with it. It was written by someone called Dave Tomlinson. I wonder if all the people whose ideas I obssess over will be called Dave.
We bought five CD’s. India Arie, Michael Franti, the Gorillaz, David Gray and Santana. I think it may be the first time Martin has went into a CD shop and not brough Bob Marley or Bob Dylan. He is obssessed with Bob’s.
I went and saw Peribanez by Compnay B. I really enjoyed it. It was about love and I love, love. Not to mention I saw it with my mum, Gemma and Martin and I think they are the three people I love most in this world.

I am off to spend the afternoon drinking coffee with some volunteers and their friends in manly. What a wonderful job that I have.

Come as you are, that’s how I want you
Come as you are, feel quite at home
Close to my heart loved and forgiven
Come as you are, why stand alone

No need to fear, love sets no limits
No need to fear, love never ends
Don’t run away shamed and disheartened
Rest in my love, trust me again

I came to call sinners, not just the virtuous
I came to bring peace, not to condemn
Each time you fail to live by my promise
Why do you think I’d love you the less

Come as you are that’s how I love you
Come as you are, trust me agin
Nothing can change the love that I bear you
All will be well just come as you are

There is so little space in the world for us to just be who we are. I am so thankful to God that it is not the same with Him.

It’s 2am, I’m half a world away
But you never leave my mind
It’s getting hard to deal with everyday
And we’re both hanging on the line

Talk to me lady.
These two different lives we lead.
Talk to me lady
Cause all I need is to know you won’t give up on me.

So we may not have a perfect love
But it’s real and it’s alive.
So we may not live in the world we’re dreaming of
But, darling all we need is time.

-Luke Vassella 2005-