The Italy Fine Arts Course reports:
We are fine, Sienna is beautiful!

The Peru Biology Course reports:
We are in Cusco and all is well.

The Aboriginal Australia Course reports:
Today was spent walking around and learning about the town of Albany, which was the site of the first European settlement in Western Australia. We met with two local Nyoongar elders, Alvin and Vernice Gillies, to learn about Aboriginal life before and after the arrival of the Europeans. On a bush walk, we learned the Creation Story of the area, which involved two giant snakes shaping the land and rivers. Later, Alvin and Vernice took us to what used to be a reservation for Aboriginal people, who could not leave the area from 6PM to 6AM.

Friday Jan. 18
On the way from Albany to Hyden, we stopped at Kojonup, "place of the stone axe," where we met a local older for a tour of the Kodja Center museum. The museum contained exhibits about the agriculture industry in the settlement of Western Australia and how the Aboriginal people were affected by it. Outside, a rose garden maze contained the stories of an Aboriginal woman, a European settler, and an Italian immigrant. The stories told of their different experiences in the area and provided background to the different cultural influences.

Saturday Jan. 19
Today we are in the small town of Hyden, which is famous for Wave Rock, a geological wonder, which held significance for the Aboriginal people. They camped there in the winter, where they were able to find fresh water. We also visited Mulka Cave, a place where mythology tells of the punishment of a cannibalistic, murderous Aboriginal outcast. The story was told to Aboriginal children by their parents to remind them of the importance of following the law of the land. Because of the story, the area of Wave Rock and Mulka has become taboo for the Nyoongar people.

Sunday Jan. 20
After a day of traveling, we arrived in New Norcia, a small town that was founded by Spanish Benedictine monks, who set up a monastery there. We toured the monastery and learned of its history as a boarding school for both white and Aboriginal children, some of which were taken from their families by order of the Australian government. These children were a part of what is called the Stolen Generation, an attempt to incorporate Aboriginal children into Western society and eventually "breed out" Aboriginal blood.




The Brazil Course reports:
We are alive and kicking at Ariau Jungle Towers in the Amazon forest. This is an incredible place and a great spot to end our course. We come home tomorrow (Thursday) and while it will be hard to leave, I think most of us are ready!