Ahhh Tropical Paradise!

Hello everyone! It's been too long again since I wrote to update you on our whereabouts...

Today I am writing from the very tippy top of Australia. Steven and I are visiting his sister and her family in Arnhem Land. It's a government protected land. You can't live here unless you are working on the mine. Aboriginies inhabit most of the land. It's like nothing I've seen before.

This place is like a dream. It's very tropical and hot. It rains everynight which causes the whole place to be very, very humid. The trees, the birds, the flowers, the butterflies, the smell of the forest after the rain, the ocean, the thunder, the gekos, the spiders, the mosquitos(ugh), the salt water crocs, box jellyfish, shells, shells, shells, and more shells.

Now, it's not all glitz and glamour mind you...Along with the beautiful parts of the land there are also the very desolate poor parts of the land. It's really very sad. The more I stay in this country the more I learn about it's indiginous people. The Aboriginies.

When Steven and I arrived, I felt like peeling my clothes off, it was so sticky but, as soon as we saw the shining faces of our nieces...well I forgot about it all! We hopped into the truck and headed to an Aboriginal community. The excitement of seeing our family again quickly rushed away as soon as my eyes fell upon the sadness of the state of their little town. To the ordinary person entering this area, well thoughts of discust and anger would run throughout.

Houses in a state of dispair, ferrel dogs running amok, trash everywhere, broken down cars that are just left to rust away, little naked children playing in dirty pools of water, families of 10 or more hanging around in packs like wolves. Why?

Having Native American blood run through me, I feel for the people of this land. To have strangers move in and tell them "how to live their lives" would seem cruel right? It almost parallels how the English first settled America. Strangers moving in and pushing out what they didn't understand. These dark people who live off the land and pray to and the river and the eagle. How silly they thought. They only wanted to make a better life for them. Right?!

This is what has happened with the indiginous people of Australia. Governments from all over only want to better their lives.

There's a very, very fine line however. How much to you push someone who doesn't want to have help. How much money do you give to a people who only use it for terrible, terrible addictions. How much to you roll over and say, "tomorrow will be a better day." How many times to you turn the other way when child abuse and other disgusting acts take place...this is all happening to the original people of Australia. The people who could live off the land and pray to their river and their eagle and be very, very content.

I hadn't really approached the thought of an opinion on this subject. Only because it is so scary to speak out. It wouldn't be right if I couldn't come up with a thought as a writer. So, here in the land of plenty, I have had waves of thoughts. I don't know if they're right or if they're wrong. I do believe that the Australian government needs to get off their asses and go to these communities. See for themselves what is happening. Don't rely on an "apology" to fix things. Go fix it in person.

This fine line is riden on both sides. I am not supporting either side. If anything my crazy brain has been racking itself silly, trying to come up with an answer to this challenge. I feel for the native people, yet the majority of them choose to live in squalor. The Australian Government has done plenty to help, to get them work, to help them grow. Yet, they turn their heads as a people and choose to be a non-educated society.

Fear is what drives this country...I hate to say it but, that's what I have come up with in my silly little head. Fear on both sides of that line. Fear of ending a struggle that has been too long and too hurtful and just not necessary. Fear of failure! Well in my opinion, it is a failure to this amazing and beautiful country to not come together and help one another. No more brushing aside what's straight infront of them. Challanges, big, big, challenges.

Aside from that opinion of mine, this is what Steven and I have done up here...

Stayed up until 5am drinking and talking with the locals (Steven)
Went bush bashing...almost got stuck a couple of times! It was incredible!
Played golf (Steven)
Went to The Arch for a wonderful dinner
Looked for crocs but, didn't find any
Uncle Steven babysat while the girls went shopping
Went swimming in a swimming hole with an Aboriginie family
Watched an Aboriginal woman dig the meat out of little snails to make necklaces
Listened to the rain every night!
Watched movies with the little girls!
Met with loads of the locals.
Collected shells
Watched a huge storm come in
Gonna watch the Oscars tonight,
then head off back to Leeman in the morning!

It's been an incredibly eye opening time here up north. I would recommend it to anyone! It's a tropical paradise that you only dream of visiting! Our dream came true for five days.

When we get back to Leeman I will put some pictures up.

Much love and respect!
Sara

this is an attachment for more information on the Stolen Generation Apology. Please educate yourself on what is happening in your communities as well! xo Sara
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23117918-5001021,00.html">