The Torch Extinguished

So much has happened since the flood at Harry’s Hut; alas, I have neglected to write it all. After the flood, the Independent Study Project (ISP) part of the program began. We were unceremoniously cut loose from the group of people with whom we had spent every minute of the past two months. I cannot say that it was not liberating; seemingly we had emerged from the larger end of the Funnel of Freedom.

Things picked up from there. Starting from the day we parted ways, I…

• Spent a day at the 25th Byron Bay Blues Festival where I saw Blind Boys from Alabama, That One Guy, and Michael Franti (I also met Paddy from England)
• Took the 25-hour train ride down to Melbourne
• Stayed with the amazing Lubitz family and met their many guests (shout out to Lionel, Rita, Lara, Ari, Adam, Jess, Emily, Harry, Ali Akbar, Howard, Flor, and Indi)
• Began working at the Torch Project with Nick Cowan as my advisor (where I did my ISP)
• Finally had Shabbos!
• Went to Ceres for a sustainability festival thing where I learned about Melbourne’s bicycle politics and saw a gypsy/klezmer orchestra (how’s it going, Paz?)
• Attended a Kabala meditation at Spiritgrow with Rabbi Lebel Wolf
• Watched lots of Entourage
• Period of depression and loneliness
  

• Attended RICignition in Seymour with representatives of 14 communities in Victoria and lots of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists (shout out to Luke, Billum, Uncle Lloyd, Nola, and Uncle Bruce)
• Highlight of RICignition: drag show featuring Constantina Bush, a six-and-a-half-foot-tall Aboriginal man singing “Heat Wave” and “Material Girl”
• Was propositioned by a female (I think) prostitute in broad daylight in St. Kilda
• Took a tour of Melbourne’s amazing graffiti art
• Went to a footy (Australian Football League) match (Geelong v. Melbourne, Geelong won)
• Saw Kenneth Liew from Bronx Science – random
• Ran with Lionel
• Did an extremely fulfilling and educational ISP with the Torch Project (thanks Nick, Michelle, Rose, Kelly, Angie, Lisa, Richie, Kamahi, and Tony)
  

My super-cool ISP is entitled “The Torch Project’s Re-Igniting Community (RIC) Model & The Effectiveness of Teaching the RIC Model at RICignition.” I just had it printed and bound today. Ask me for details if you are interested in learning more. I’ve been staying with Meg in Sydney for the past two days. Tonight after hitting up Office Works (amazing service there) we went to look at the Sydney Opera House. Honestly, I assumed it would be overrated, but I was thoroughly impressed.

Tomorrow Meg and I are meeting Jenni at Central Station, and we are all heading back to Byron by the sea on the train. Saturday, I present my ISP, and then the work is officially over. Upcoming plans include driving around New Zealand for three weeks in camper vans with Mia, Michelle, and Kendall.

Hopefully I will write more about the ISP period soon. If not, stay tuned for New Zealand updates. Thanks for reading.