One Geek

Watched Broken Flowers tonight, I liked it. I think that it is a film best watched whilst drinking a nice glass of wine.

Well been having fun out and about today. Watched Fun with Dick and Jane at the new Hoyts in Melbourne Central. That was fun. I dogged the allocated seating system and sat where I wanted too.

I had a mexican hot chocolate at Max Brenner which was fun too.

As part of the course yesterday we did a hostage simulation.

At the start there was a very dodgy 80’s Christian video about a hostage situation in the past filled with melodramatic music. It was really quite funny.

After that we broke up into our groups of 10, had to give up our mobiles and watches, we were then led away to a darkened bedroom. There was an observer in the room as well as the ten of us. We were not allowed to leave the room for any reason. If we did leave we were required to stay out of the game.

Then after a period of time I think about 5 minutes we were told the scenario. The village we were in had been over run by militants. We had to maintain quite to avoid be detected and work out, who we were going to call, what we were going to say and how we were going to manage our supplies. We eventually sorted out the call issue.

Then we were told that there were five locals, 3 Christians whom we new and 2 we did not know. The ones we didn’t know didn’t speak a language we knew. Our group decided pretty quickly that we had to take them regardless of the security implications.

Throughout this period people were running outside the room pretending to be guards and a tape with war sounds was also running sporadically. We had to speak in whispers. Which made communication difficult as we were all extraverts who wanted to be involved in the decision making process.

Thankfully our group held fairly similar values and we decided that we had to help the locals. We thought through some of the implications of taking them but still decided it was the right thing to do.

After that we were told we had been discovered, and that the group was trying to negotiate a ransom with the government but that the government was not going to pay. There was an immediate sense of relief as we didn’t have to hide anymore. We talked more normally after this.

Then two guys in balaclavers with fake guns stormed into the room pointing a gun in one of our group members faces saying how the government must think we were worthless because they were unwilling to pay a ransom for us.

Sometime after this we decided if it was real we would pray to God about it. Instead we elected to pray for persecuted Christians throughout the world. Later we had to decide three people to be released. When it came to being released we decided one parent should go and one of the parents shouldn’t. This was because we knew that we couldn’t trust our captors. It was decided that one of the men should go along to because of the chance of rape. I tossed a coin with another guy for that.

Latter they reduced the number down to two. Then after that they said we had to chose two people to be executed. I was willing to go. It was interesting when someone said we shouldn’t actually make the decision of who goes because then we are playing there game and giving them power. I agreed with that opionion. However before we got a chance to decide on that we were interrupted by the return of the armed men. Two members of our group an older man and an older woman got up before any of us had a chance to go or say anything.

In the end the scenario finished there, they were used in the simulation for a fake execution , which resulted in getting the money from a third party.

We then had a bit of a debrief session. It wasn’t long enough but I did have the opportunity to talk to members of my group afterwards.

Last night I really needed to talk to some friends back home, which I did. I didn’t really need to talk about what happened mainly I just needed to get grounded in reality and or something.

Anyway it was certainly an interesting experience.

I got to play a hostage today. Fun.

I am feeling much better about the course today.. I had a fantastic weekend, including getting to meet up with Sam and Jo as well as going to a gig in Carlton. The course has been better today, we had a new facilitator whom was much better.

I am a bit concerned about the course though. They told us they wanted honest feedback and then when we gave it they discounted most of it, by saying that it was meant to be crap so that we’d learn how to deal with crappiness. I thought this was a bit of a stupid thing.

I am at this transitions training course and the content is pretty poor. I am finding the course material very lacking in quality and quantity.

I find the concept of having an ethnic dinner troubling. It is not a very good way of putting the concept of having a meal from another culture. The most amusing thing was that the meal was very much Australian Chinese including some of our countries favorite dishes. I don’t quite understand the point of such a meal. If it was meant to be training me for living in another culture then we should be forced to eat raw fish or something.

Anyway this incident and many others have been leading me to be sarcastic.

Oh dear, I feel an extreme bout of sarcasm coming on.

I can’t handle this waking up thing yet. Stupid have to be at breakfast before 8am. Today my group is on ordilies which is bit of a drag.

The course is going well.. It is interesting realising what a strong extravert I am and how I am not really into thinking about things through reflection first but would rather talk and then reflect. That’s been a bit hard with the course structure.

I am off to the pub in a minute to watch the cricket.

Don’t feel like writting much at the moment. Just thought I’d say hi.

My favorite dodgy Melbourne breakfast cafe is closed today.. So instead of eating breakfast I’ve spent the past hour and a half in an internet cafe working.

I am sitting here in the bussiness centre of the Rialto Hotel(formely Le Merridian) on my laptop accessing the internet at the rate of $5 a half hour. It’s good fun. It’s also nice and cold in Melbourne 15 deg and raining.

I’ve already had a swim and a nice sit in the spa. So I am feeling pretty relaxed. Now to find a restraunt for a nice meal and a glass of wine.

1) Draw closer to God.

2) Be present wherever I am, and focus on developing those relationships but not at the expense of forgetting my wonderful community back home.

3) Dance more.

4) Kiss at least one beautiful woman.

Holy Cow!!!

I am off to India so soon. Today I leave for Melbourne to undergo Cross-Cultural training for 3 weeks. This may be my last chance to be politically incorrect here on my blog.

Tonight served as a good semi farewell to a community I hold dear for me.. I am not looking forward to leaving that community behind but at least I will get to help create and be part of new communities :-).

I must say that 2005 was for me a year of surprises. I wasn’t sure that there was even a place for me in this land we call Australia. When I arrived back in Australia I was pretty keen to go overseas again.

My friends and God choose to show me other wise. I made several new friends including Martin, Sam, and Jon. All of home whom have enriched my life greatly.

I have discovered a passion for Dosa’s.

I have been to a truly beautiful and wonderful wedding. I’ve even seen a drag show.

I have grown closer to a few old and very special friends.

I have found family in different places.

I have drunk many liters of wine and a full bottle of beer.

I have excelled in my studies.

I have planned some of my next adventure to India.

I have drawn close to God and fallen away from Him. But He has still been faithful to me.

I have converted people to both Buffy and Dosa’s.

I have also loved.

Thanks to everyone who made 2005 a very special year for me.