Christ Community Church

First here we have myself, Kevin (not to be confused with myself) and Andrew. Kevin is the pastor of Christ Community Church which Andrew and I have been attending. And don't think you're being misled by his friendly smile. He really is a wonderfully friendly, honest, God fearing gentleman who has a lovely family and is doing a great job of being pastor. If that all wasn't the case, I wouldn't bother writing it, I can't say enough how much I appreciate this man's work.

In this next photo, I'm sitting in Kevin's chair out the front. It looks as though I'm preaching a sermon to a delighted audience. I'm not. Nice shot though isn't it? The young lad played Frisbee with us the very first day we were at CCC, and one observation that many people make about the church is the loveliness of its children. He's a great guy.

In this artistic photo of a photo, part of our (far superior) kickball team looks on as we contrived to lose the match by 1 run.

The Ozarks

Slightly larger than rolling hills, the Ozark Mountains surround Springfield and produce many lakes and rivers, most of which end up flowing into the Mississippi. Being springtime, everything is green right now, before summer comes and dries things up and then the colour show begins in Autumn.

The classroom

Some of the students have been taking photos during class, so I asked them to send me the pictures as Mum wanted some of me 'in action'. Although I'm not standing here, there's definitely been some action going on in the grade book and also with a bit of lesson preparation. The above photo contains - a small text book stack, giant protractor, white board with writing (not mine), rolled up American flag, and the edge of a smart board, among other things. Hopefully there's more to come.

For what it's worth, here's another photo from the same class, I'm just beginning to write the Statistics notes up. The rear of an enthralled Matthew H's head is visible in the left foreground.

Almost home time

Tonight I booked my Amtrak tickets from Kansas City to Los Angeles. The train journey takes 35 hours, but with the help of a couple of good books and my doona I should be fine. There'll be plenty of nice scenery to take in as well, and I can get nostalgic about the time I rode the train in the opposite direction in August of 2005. Below is the Southwest Chief Amtrak route. I'm currently in Springfield, which is just to the left of the MO on the map.

Music in the USA

I've never been much of a concert going person, but I decided to take the advice of Dave Walz and see who I could see while over here, and I'm very glad I did. Perhaps my favourite artist (for his message and his music) is Derek Webb, and on March 28 I made the 50km trip up the road to see him perform with just his 12 string guitar to a bunch of Southwest Baptist University (SBU) students. I paid $5 for the privilege, and would gladly pay at least 5 times the amount for a repeat performance. He's playing in Tennessee just before I leave, this time with his wife (Sandra McCracken, a fellow artist) and full band, so I'm considering a follow up visit!

Derek Webb
Rating: 13/10 (3 points extra credit)
Cost: $5
What I'd pay to go again: $35

Next up the more widely known Switchfoot came to the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, and while they're not among my favourite artists I thought I might as well go along and have a look for $10, especially since they were in town. It was much more of a rock concert, very showy, lots of lights, rocking, and volume. Too much volume in my opinion, I really appreciate some of the things they do with their music, but in that sort of concert atmosphere it seems like everything's drowned out or molded into one big mess. It also irked me to see the fans jumping up and down and striving to touch the lead singer, and he was playing to it as well. There's no denying they have a bit of talent though.

Switchfoot
Rating: 6/10
Cost: $10
What I'd pay to go again: I wouldn't

Switchfoot in action. At least their lighting effects were cool.

Last night I heard that a guy named Randall Goodgame was coming to the Plaster Student Union (PSU) theatre, which is on Campus - a mere 90 second jog from my room. Though I'd never heard of him, I was told he was a member of the Square Peg Alliance, whose members include Derek Webb and Andrew Peterson, and I was also told he'd created some music with the latter, so I thought I might as well go along. I woke up a little late so I missed most of his singing, but I did hear him preach a bit and sing two really nice songs. His wife was there and she sang with him. He seemed like a really nice humble guy, and I'm going to find some of his CD's so I can hear more about what he has to say.

Randall Goodgame
Rating: 10/10
Cost: Free
What I'd pay to go again: $20

This Thursday Andrew Peterson is playing about 90 minutes drive away from here, and while I'd love to go and see him play I don't think I'll be able to find a ride at this stage. You never know.

Sport in Kansas City

A highlight of the recent visit to Kansas City was attending my first Major League Baseball game, played between the Kansas City Royals and last year's World Series Runner up, the Detroit Tigers. The Royals, though much loved are usually one of the worst teams in their division, although our hosts, devoted Royals fans Robbie and Jeff assure us that their division is the "toughest" in the major league.

After watching a few minor league and college baseball games, I still haven't lost my awe for the fielding ability of the players. Their throws rocket to first base, both accurate and powerful, and it really is an awesome sight. Apparently baseball coaches are teaching cricketers how to improve their throwing, and on the evidence I've seen they've got a lot to offer.

Unfortunately, the Royals lost 5-6, but not before scoring in the 6th inning (earning all ticket holders a free fudge covered sundae), making 7 strikeouts (earning us a free drink and king size Snickers bar), and just falling short of the 13 hits required to give us all 12 free bagels each. The sponsors have deals like that, we just presented our tickets at the participating stores later on and received the goods!

Unlike the Royals, Kansas City's (American) Football team, the Chiefs, are one of the better teams in the National Football League, and their stadium (Arrowhead Stadium, pictured below) is in the same complex as the Royal's stadium.

Lastly, Robbie and Jeff work at a golf club in their Kansas City suburb Independence, and treated Andrew, Mark and I to a free nine holes. I actually impressed myself, parring two holes in a row, even though they were both par 3's. The picture below shows me teeing off. I hope I'm in mid swing, because I don't look like I'm following through at all!

Kansas City

This view shows Kansas City centre viewed from the Amtrak station. The station is the one I arrived in from Los Angeles on my last trip to the USA, and is quite impressive.

The following three pictures show union station from the outside, some of its internal decorations, and facade for the dead sea scrolls exhibition, which was going on while we were in town. It cost $20, and significant as they are, I couldn't see any reason to part with 3 hours of kitchen earned cash just to say I'd seen the them with my own eyes.

It's not as if I'd have been able to read them anyway, and thankfully there's a bunch of scholars who translated the writings and they're now published in many places, including online. Andrew was keen, but when he asked ab found they were sold out, so he's going to try to caout tickets hetch a peek at the scrolls in San Diego before he leaves the USA.

Opposite Union (Amtrak) Station is apparently the only world war one Museum in the United States. For a small fee, its possible to ride up to the top of the column pictured below and get a nice view of the city. We found that the view from the glass windowed lift on the 17th floor of a neighbouring hotel wasn't too bad either, and it was free.

Click any of the pictures for enlargements.

Scouting

Yesterday, Greenwood had their first ever ladies' soccer [sic] matches. I gave up my afternoon to cheer them on, and since I help coach at Parkview, I utilised the opportunity to take some tactical notes.

Instead of being lavished with thanks for giving my support, today in class I was accosted mafia style by three ungrateful players and accused of spying! It was thanks to the photo (above right) which was posted by one of the girls' parents with an incriminating caption. The fact that they lost both (JV & V)* matches 1-2 and 0-2 respectively may go someway to accounting for their appalling manners!

*JV = Junior Varsity = Reserve team
V = Varsity = First team

Spring break

For all the warnings I received from Missouri folk about the weirdos to avoid in the south, my experience was instead of warmth, good manners, and wonderful hospitality. The blue line on the map shows the way I went to Gulf Shores, and the red line shows the route home.

Tennis and surfing were the main activities at Gulf Shores. On the way home we experienced turnip greens, field peas, fried chicken livers, catfish and all manners of vegetables cooked in lard at a wonderful family restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi. The Mississippi river really is the most impressively large river I've ever seen.

The Lee family from Fayetteville, Arkansas extended most generous hospitality toward myself and Jong Jin, a Korean exchange student. The whole spring break was spent being part of their family.

Pi day

I neglected to inform you all that my first day at Greenwood was Pi day, a day in honour of mathematics' most celebrated number; a day involving maths games and umpteen varieties of pies for shared consumption. I'd never heard of this concept, but all of the American schools seem to observe the occasion. Why March 14? Well, Americans write their date with the month followed by the day, so instead of being 14.3.2007, it's 3.14.2007. And if we leave out the year, we're left with 3.14, which of course is Pi, correct to two decimal places!

Greenwood

Having completed my first eight weeks of student teaching, today I began my second eight week block. The first was solely physical education; the second will be solely mathematics. Over here the mathematics classes are separated by topic, so rather than teaching specialist maths, maths methods and general maths, I'll be teaching geometry, statistics and calculus.

Unlike Parkview High School, Greenwood Laboratory School is small, independent, and affiliated with Missouri State University. It's also only one minute's walking distance from where I live.

Eerie sirens

Several tornado drills were run around Springfield today, and the sirens got another chance to stir up some disturbing feelings. It's weird hearing sirens sounding a long way off, then hearing closer sirens firing up, until the massive siren on campus awakens. For me, a really creepy, ominous feeling accompanies the blustery wind and urgently screaming sirens, as they signal an unstoppable oncoming force. I'm not looking forward to the real thing.

Clean up

This Saturday, some friends and I took an afternoon excursion around Springfield, stopping at two different locations to clean up three different yards. Although the infamous ice storm struck over two months ago, many people still have branches down all over their properties.

Apparently there's a list of people who need their yards cleaned and volunteers can call the appropriate people to get in touch with those who need help, which is what our group leaders did.

The photographs depict, from top to bottom:

1. Evidence that I was present, if not technically working at the time the picture was taken.

2. Bird's eye view of Mark (AUS) and Robbie (USA) on the job at the messiest yard we cleaned.

3. Led by Andrew, the boys go to great lengths to find adventure and rid the roofs of fallen branches.

4. The team proudly sitting in front of the pile of wood extracted from one backyard.

Air raid

I was partially awoken last night at 4.30am by what sounded like a really bad accident. From my deep sleep I heard the siren of a fire truck, then another, and yet another. The next siren I presumed to be the ambulance. Right before I woke up properly, I remember thinking that it must be pretty serious. Upon finally snapping out of my deep sleep, I realised that the sirens did not belong to any mobile vehicles and were in fact identical to those that sound at home when there's a fire somewhere.

A quick glance out the window added weight to my growing suspicions - the scattered lightening and rain soaked campus suggested the sirens were warning of tornadoes. "Those are tornado sirens!" Our neighbour and floor residential assistant John Chiles confirmed, before setting off to bang on all the doors in our floor, sending people to the bottom of the building to take shelter. Woods house is not at all well equipped for tornadoes; in addition to having no basement, large windows adorn half of the bottom floor.

Having arrived too late to get a place on the bottom two floors, the rest of us were sent to the third floor, where we sat as the wind and on-campus sirens howled. A few tough jock (in their own eyes only) boys sitting near me kept making jokes and talking tough in a failed attempt to convince everyone they weren't worried. Some girls joined in with selfish whining about going to the vending machine, and in the background a television newsman said something about "observed rotation" in the storm system.

After a tensive 45 minutes, the sirens ceased and we all headed back to bed, not without some expected 'smart' remarks like "oh, do we have to?" from the town toughs. The morning news revealed that although no tornadoes actually touched down over the Springfield metro area, there was a threatening twister above the city which caused the alarm. Elsewhere in Missouri, a seven year old girl died and her family were injured when a tornado struck their mobile home. The season has begun.

US gas quality

While a friend was filling up with gas (Australia = Petrol) today, I noticed that their regular, plus, and premium fuels had octane ratings of 87, 89, and 91 respectively. In Australia, it's 91, 95, and 98, meaning that our regular fuel in Australia is equivalent to the 'premium' fuel in the USA. As an aside, regular fuel is currently selling for $2.069 per gallon, or $0.547c per litre, to three decimal places.

American high school culture

After two weeks at Parkview High School (PHS), the differences between the US and Australian education systems are worth investigating. The first is that although we may learn less in the USA, we compensate by taking a whole lot more time. Classes begin at 8.00AM and are run in four 90 minute blocks each day. A five minute break between blocks is all the time students have out of the classroom, with the exception of a 30 minute lunch break, which is inside and strictly monitored.

The 1700 PHS students are fed mostly by the mass produced, packaged food at the cafeteria in four 30 minute blocks from 11.00AM - 1.10PM, roughly 425 students per block. It's possible to bring your own, healthy food, although this is widely considered 'un-American.' Apart from talking to students, that's a boring 2 hour supervision session. I have it every single day.

PHS does not require students to wear a uniform. Currently in fashion are massive jeans worn low. And by low, I mean that if kids here didn't wear boxer shorts, they'd all be putting our plumbers to shame. To compensate, XXXXL sized T-Shirts are also in fashion, as they're the only thing long enough to cover up where the pants left off, if you catch my drift. Drawbacks of this fashion statement include having to play basketball with one hand, and looking like a total dork. Apparently this look is for the 'Gangstas'. So I take that 'dork' comment back. Looking sweet guys.

Speaking of sweet looking Gangstas, I was addressed not as "Coach Jackson", or even "Coach", but as "G" yesterday.

Me: "Good morning sir."
Gangsta: "Yo; Whaddup G!"

Upon further investigation, G was found to be an abbreviation of "G-Unit", which is apparently a yo-wiggedy-waggedy bunch o' rappers. Rappers are apparently musicians, and are really down with what is goin' on.

In other fashion news, school spirit is quite strong, with most students wearing T-shirts, baseball caps, fleecy jackets and other paraphernalia with "Property of Parkview", "Parkview Football/Wrestling/Baseball/Swimming etc", "Parkview Vikings", and other school related logos. Curiously, the cheerleaders are always decked out in their distinctive uniforms, possibly in readiness for spontaneous bursts of kicking and screaming, known here as cheer leading. Or perhaps it's just to remind everyone that they're more special than everyone else. Likewise, the basketball team has a professional looking green Adidas tracksuit, and a professional looking locker room to match.

When I'm not supervising students in the cafeteria, I'm most likely found in the Gymnasium, which is the PE teachers' hangout. One inspection of the gymnasium, one could be excused for thinking one had mistakenly trespassed a private school. In Australian terms the gym could be described as a massive basketball stadium, decked out in the green and gold of PHS, with polished wood floor decorated with a viking in the centre circle and PARKVIEW painted in big letters at each end. The place has capacity to hold around 2000 spectators, meaning school sport is a big deal here.

If you're any good and have ambitions to excel at football, basketball, baseball or any other ball, you'll be playing for your high school. Club competitions are for the has-beens or never-has-beens. High school sport provides the pathway to college sport and then to professional sport, and also gives the less studiously inclined incentive to pass enough classes to be eligible to participate.

As an aside, all sportsmen and women over here are called "Athletes". Which is a little amusing, considering a cheeseburger chomping football lineman is hardly Cathy Freeman. Speaking of football, PHS has not won a match for over six years. Ever. Not even by accident. Trying to tactfully breach the subject with the 'DE'-fensive teams coach, I mentioned I'd heard a rumour that we hadn't won a game in some time. Once his laughter died down, he managed to confess that "that ain't no rumour." Which kind of left me nowhere to go. I did ask one of the players, and he said they're a chance (to win a match) next year, as the new head coach has all the players in the weight room and is working them hard. Apparently the departed coach never had them lift any weights or do much physical conditioning at all!

I should explain that here, PE teachers are employed as Coaches of a certain team. For example, my mentor is the head basketball coach, and this seems to take up the majority of his time, with a couple of PE classes here and there. The more important sport one coaches, the lighter their schedule is made, to give them adequate time to manage their teams. Since Springfield is the very town where basketball was invented (in 1891), basketball is a big deal here. All the PE teachers usually coach something, and instead of being called "Mr" they're addressed as "Coach" Brown, or "Coach" Jackson, making me feel really special and important, although being a student teacher I don't coach anything yet. Coach Jackson. It's got a nice ring.

Temporary update

Andrew and Mark have been taking some photos and updating their blogs, so click the links to see some pictures of icy Springfield trees.

Safely in Springfield

A record Springfield ice storm was not enough to keep us out, although it has forced the university to cancel the first week of classes. Tens of thousands of people were without power as power lines weighed down by ice touched the ground, snapped, and toppled power poles. Everything was covered by a 1-3 cm thick layer of ice, including parking meters, bicycles, basketball rings, trees, volleyball nets, and hand rails.

Today we had a top of -5C and a low of -16C, with some light snow. Andrew and I were out in our shorts; Andrew taking particular pleasure in kicking and shattering anything icy.

For photos and news of the ice storms, go to:

www.news-leader.com

This map shows the distribution of ice. Springfield is in Green county, right where the heaviest icing occurred.

Fantastic Fiji

Lush, green, warm, fertile, friendly, rugged, pristine, crystal, colourful. A 17 hour stopover in Fiji provided the opportunity to meet some of Fiji's fun loving locals and explore their islands, mountains, coral reefs, and aquatic life. A well spent $165 FJD ($125 AUD) allowed me ten hours on a schooner, which included refreshing sleep downstairs, delicious food (fruits, pastries, seafood, curries, snacks) and drinks all day, snorkeling equipment and the chance to explore two islands and their surrounding reefs.

Uninhabited Honeymoon Island's rocky mass rose steeply out of the calm surrounding sea, with a welcoming beach to one side. Taking the small boat from the anchored schooner, we hit the beach and then snorkeled around the island's reef. I wasn't prepared for the colourful beauty of the schools of friendly tropical fish which were clearly visible through the pure water. Schools of squid hovered in precise alignment, darting garfish followed us curiously, jellyfish floated obliviously. The ocean floor fell away vertically at edge of the reef, with golden sunlight shafts swallowed up by the deep, mysterious blue.

A sharp tidal rise may well have submerged the second island, inhabited by Benjamin the caretaker and his dog. Two minutes would be sufficient to walk around the island's perimeter. A volleyball net, toilet block, traditional straw umbrella like shelters and the caretaker's open residence with meeting hall attached were the only features to compliment the palm trees and shrubs. Benjamin's residence looked deliciously sufficient. Canvas on sand created the floor , on which a mattress and pillow lay. Timber framing supported the thickly thatched straw roof, providing a breezy and blissful sanctuary.

To do this tour, ask for Loma at SunVacations when you get through customs at the airport. The cruise is called "Whale's Tale". The tourist industry is suffering due to reports of the military coup, but I would never have known that one had occurred had it not been for our media. Get over there and give the locals a boost!

As I didn't have a camera, I don't have any photos, however, Jeff Hamstra has taken a beautiful photo of Honeymoon Island. Since it's copyright, you can view it by following this link: http://www.pbase.com/hamstra/image/43872448

Lord lavishes love, legalising Lorimer

In what will only be described here as a miraculous intervention from higher forces, fellow traveller Andrew Lorimer was granted his new US visa today. This means he will hook up with myself after a 5 hour wait at the St. Louis airport.

This gives me an excellent opportunity to discuss diction of American cities. Most people in Missouri say the 's' in 'Louis', so that it sounds like the 'Lewis' in C.S. Lewis. It's not 'Louie,' except apparently in that black and white movie where the girl goes on about meeting her in 'St. Louie' and 'dancing the hoochie woochie' and who knows what else. Anyway, if the Lord wills it, we'll both be at Lambert Field (St. Louis' international airport) Burger King at 11PM on the 13th of January, ready to commence another academic assault on Springfield, while America's fast food industry loses no time in beginning its assault on our arteries.

For your edification, Missouri is currently 17 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne.

Luckless, late Lorimer likely left languishing

In a bizarre development, our forthcoming journey to the USA undertook an ironic twist following fellow traveller Andrew Lormier's visit to the American "Find anyone less helpful and we'll beat it by 10%" Consulate. In fairness, once the 1.4kg of paperwork was filled out the guy inside was pretty friendly, although that will be of little comfort to Lorimer, who looks likely to be denied his US visa in time for his January 13th departure.

The mastermind of this sequel to 2005's USA operation apparently failed to exit the country in the proper bureaucratic fashion, and is now sweating on the processing of his "get out of jail free card," a form which proves he did indeed leave the USA when required. "It's stupid" he complained. "I mean, whose fault is it that they didn't rip that thing out of my passport?" Unfortunately, US officials have been as sympathetic as the Barmy Army at a Shane Warne retirement function, and a nervous wait remains.

Expect a rapturous rant from Lorimer (see link on left of screen) should his visa miraculously arrive before January 12th, and an equally excited exposition on this page. Here's hoping.

Alliteration investigation

Following Andrew's apparently alliterative blog title: "Andrew's adventures," I was reminded of many discussions held (not least with Mr. Jelbart) on the strict definition of alliteration. For some reason, I had the idea that alliterations only involve consonants, although I could never quite substantiate this suggestion.

Further investigation partly confirmed my suspicions without being conclusive. Some online sources (1, 2) confirm that alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in adjacent or neighbouring words, while others (3) suggest that vowels may also be included. The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary also neglects to specify consonant sounds as necessary for alliteration.

Perhaps most enlightening were the definitions (3, 4) of alliteration which assert that modern alliteration is associated with consonent sounds, whereas some traditions such as old English verse have in the past alliterated with vowel sounds.

Anyway, the upshot of all this is that I've just started a blog and didn't have much to write. If you really want to know what I'm up to in the USA, read Andrew's aforementioned almost alliterative accounts (5), as they're most likely to be far more entertaining. If in doubt, check this one. Then go do your homework or whatever you're procrastinating from.

Oh, and in closing, although my title "Kev's Chronicle" does not begin with the same consonant, according to some of the above definitions it is actually alliteration, as the same consonant sound is used.

1. http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/alliteration.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliteration
3. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alliteration
4. http://www.answers.com/topic/alliteration
5. http://arkmhed.blogspot.com/