ACTIVIA TRAINING US SCHOLARSHIP

        Learning is something that impacts nearly every part of my life, every day. I am constantly learning new things, or expounding on existing knowledge. Even when I am not learning, I am applying skills or knowledge, even if it is just a logic problem in a puzzle book, in order to exercise my mind. Without my drive and desire to learn I would have never started writing, drawing, crafts, cooking, starting to fly, taking accelerated course, or any of my other hobbies. Learning new information, such as history and social science is vital to our evolution as a civilization. We must learn from our past, our societal flaws, and our behavior in order to become a better functioning society. 
        The most important things in my life have been a result of endless and eager learning. I have learned how to clean, to cook, to read, to ride a bike when I was young, to write an essay, to do everything I now know how to do. Learning is important because it boosts confidence, it is enjoyable and provides happiness, leads to a better quality of life and helps boost personal development. Learning is about more than economic success, but is also about the way that it can influence a person's life in positive ways such as happiness. Learning is the key to achieving a person's full potential. Human beings are uniquely adapted to learn and can learn throughout their lifespan. For people, learning does not stop after high school, college or graduate school. People who continue to learn are able to transform their lives and become more successful at home, more successful with their families, more successful at work and more successful within their local community.   
        Learning is different for each person, and there are many factors that can either boost learning or hinder learning. A person's motivation and their preferred learning style can be a help or a hindrance to their ability to learn. A person's external factors, such as their obligations and demands, can also be a help or a hindrance. There are several key factors that affect people's learning behavior and these include people's resources, their image of learning, the rewards associated with the learning activity, the availability of information about learning opportunities, the availability of appropriate learning environments and the climate in which learning takes place. 
        Learning impacts me on a daily basis, be it through religious study, or personally wanting to learn something new. One new thing I'm trying to learn is the Italian language. I want to learn it enough to take the AP Exam in a year and eventually use it in my life, traveling in Italy, or anywhere else it could be useful. I am learning to become a pilot, and have recently finished my private pilot ground school, which is the whole reason I'm applying for this scholarship, to get the funds to pay for my flights and propel me through my training to become a professional pilot. Learning is the most important thing in my life, and I will never stop learning.


Rubén Case

Day 67: SWIMMING!!

Papa took us swimming today.  You'd think that we hadn't been swimming all summer long.  They absolutely loved it!  They played for hours and hours. Even L put his face in the water!

Funny moment was when X2 went down the slide and was floundering in the water at the end.  The lifeguard walked over and passed him the pole to help fish him out.  Once he was stable the life guard taught him how to handle the end of the slide.  "Just put your feet down,"  he told him.  It was so funny to see the look on his face when he realized he could touch the bottom!

After Papa and Joyce took us to Chuck-a-Rama for dinner.  Everyone was in heaven. These two had desert first.

X was thrilled for fried chicken and shrimp--not prawns! haha

And I was in heaven with my bottomless root beer!  In Oz the drinks aren't bottomless and they're TINY!  You get maybe as much as in a can and that's it.  They don't ever refill it!  And there's only root beer if you SEARCH for it.  I'm not a big soda drinker, but when you can't get it, it becomes a big deal!

Papa told the kids to get creative--this was the second place winner of that.  Dr. Pepper, ice cream, raspberries, cherry slushy with nuts on top.

When we left for home, everyone was full, and exhausted and happy and it was perfect!  Leave it to Papa to show us such a good time.  It was the perfect way to end our trip!  We dropped J and O at their new house around 12:30 in the morning and landed at our own place around 1:30 AM.  It's good to be home!

Day 66: Papa's House!

Sleeping in the van was happily abandoned when we got to Papa's house--at 8:30 in the morning.  We went back to sleep and didn't wake up till around 3 in the afternoon.  So much for church :(  Sunday just isn't Sunday without church.

Full on sick now, I felt miserable all day so I spent most of it just sleeping.  I am a miserable house guest when I'm sick.  Thank heavens Papa loves us.

 The kids had a ball playing video games, learning about hats and playing guitars.

We had a slight run in with a coffee table.

But all's well that ends well.

Day 65: Newport Beach Temple

Hello Jet Lag--this is our first time experiencing real jet lag and I've gotta say, I'm not a fan!  We weren't able to fall asleep till after 2:00 AM hence we slept till after 11.  We rang the St. George temple to find that they close at 5:30, no chance of catching them today.

Then Jon got a phone call offering him the job he applied for in Kansas!  We've been planning our trip based on the reality that we'd be coming back to the LA area in April for Adara's baptism.  We didn't hit the LA temple yesterday because we were so beat and the drive took so long and we'll just be back in April--oops!  

So instead of hurrying off to Utah, we got the Wilson's to come with us to the Newport Beach Temple and then to the San Diego Temple.  Only traffic was so heinous that we opted to go to the beach instead of sitting in traffic for 3 hours and missing the SD temple anyway.  

It was a good call!  The teens got to snorkel with their Uncle and the littles got to play in the tide pools that were almost entirely wave free-their favorite!  

We thought we'd worn them out so they'd sleep well while we drove.  Hahahahaha we are so funny!  We dropped the kids off at Mary's to shower and get ready for bed while the adults went out to enjoy a modicum of uninterrupted adult conversation.  That was super nice!  It's not often that the four of us have that opportunity!

Sadly, the kids were just as skattered and unreliable as we were feeling--no one was sleeping and the teens were all vegging in front of a movie when we got home at midnight.  

Frustrated we got in the van and headed for Utah.  Not only had they not put the kids to bed, but they also hadn't fed them so everyone was starving--so after stopping for gas and food and a second potty stop, it was 2:00 AM and we were finally on the road.  

I love driving at night.  I especially love driving 75 MPH (125 K) on a 4 lane freeway at night!  I had an hour's nap and it was all my jet lagged body needed.  I was wide awake and loving every minute of the drive.  I knew I should have stopped and at least tried to sleep, but I was having such a hard time breathing I knew sleep would be impossible so I just kept on going.

We got to Papa's just five and a half hours later--exactly what google maps said it would take.  Amazing how fast the drive goes while kids sleep--and while driving so fast!  Unfortunately, I was beyond wiped out.  Tomorrow is another day!

Day 64 (X2) Arriving in the States

Today is Groundhog day.  The first time we lived Aug. 8, we were on Fiji.  We drove to Suva, went to the temple and had a grand adventure.

The second time we lived August 8th, we landed in LA and resumed our lives as Americans.

Totally weird!!

When I went to upload the last two days of blogs I discovered the only casualty of our trip.  My laptop screen got cracked on this last leg of the journey :(  I'm trying to not be too bummed about it.

I'm so tired, this doesn't even sound coherent, let alone entertaining.  It's been a very long day.  We've decided to just head straight home, stopping only to see Papa along the way.  We're catching a few hours of good sleep here at Mary's house tonight before heading out in the morning.  We weren't ready to go home, but now that we're on US soil, we can't wait to be in our own home!!

Day 63: Goodbye

My whole life I have dreamt of having a big family with Aunts and Uncles and Cousins.  I used to fall asleep creating scenarios where my cousins and I would get into mischief together or we’d sleep over at their house and I’d hear stories about my Dad when he was little or about my Grandma and Grandpa.  In every situation there was love and laughter and fun.  Never in my imagination did I feel as much love nor as welcome as I felt in real life these last two months.

They may not speak Spanish, but their Mexican heritage runs strong in their character.  They were as open and inviting as any Latina I have ever met.  I cannot sing their praises enough.  It is almost physically painful leaving them there.  I want more time.  More interaction.  I want more late night talks to hear more of their past but mostly just to be with them.  As I'm looking through my pics trying to decide which to put here, I cannot decide.  They're all so beautiful.  

My life is better because I have gotten to know them.  I have been blessed indeed.    

Day 62: Melbourne Temple and More Goodbye's

We could really feel the clock ticking every precious second away today.  It’s hard to focus on or do anything when you’re so aware of how little time you have left.  I tried to drink in every sound, every nuance every moment with every person I saw. 

We headed to the Melbourne Temple--it was so hard to squeeze it in!  I'm so grateful for family that understand the importance of the temple, they really helped me prioritize to get there.  I hope one day I'll get to share the joy of serving in the temple with all of my family.

 

Unlce Lyle came over for a minute to visit and I listened to his voice—so like my Dad’s but so different at the same time.  I soaked in his stories and his jokes and wondered frequently if he’s anything like his own father. He shared some of Grandpa Hoefer's scout awards with me, they were really neat to see.

I met BJ’s parents.  They’re a hoot and a half!  Judy is a little ball of fire!!  She quilts beautifully and even knitted a sweater for BJ (that actually fit Jordane who wasn’t sad about that at all!)  When I mentioned how similar BJ and his Dad look she taught me my new favorite Aussie saying,  “He’s the spit right out of his Father’s mouth that one is.”  It still makes me laugh even as I type this!

The neighbor (can’t remember her name right now) came over with some baby bunnies—that was a big hit.  ∞ says she’s going to take one home in her backpack…accidentally of course.

Cathy, bless her dear heart, cooked all day long.  She didn’t leave the kitchen for more than a minute as she prepared jelly filled muffins, two different types of quiche, potato leek soup, scalloped potatoes, a couple of pork roasts and some chicken.  It was truly magnificent!  And so very yummy!  (I wish I hadn’t eaten so much, my tummy is quite upset with me right now!) 

And if that wasn’t enough, BJ delighted us all with home made caramel dumplings!  I tried to practice my newly taught selfie skills here but, according to K, I failed miserably.  Oh well!

It’s pretty late and we’ve got a long day ahead tomorrow.  Goodbye’s suck!!

Oh, and here's a funny picture from the car park at the temple.  It was as funny as!

Day 61: Mrs. Marples and Phillip Island

I slept better last night than I have in a week thanks to Cathy and her good thinking!  She brought some mentholatum in to me before bed.  A little on the bottoms of my feet and chest and I didn’t cough once all night!

I woke up just 15 minutes before Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Lyle were supposed to be here to pick us up.   We had a wonderful brunch with them and Mary at a great place called Mrs. Marple’s Tea House.  If you’ve ever watched Mrs. Marple on PBS, you know what this place was like.  The inside was lined around the top with tea pots of every shape and size.  It was super cozy and it smelled wonderful! The food was great but the company was better.

What is it about getting to know family?  There is a joy in it unlike any other I’ve felt in my life.  At times I am almost giddy with the opportunity.  Today though, it was a bit bitter sweet knowing that we leave in just 3 days.  This was the last chance to see Mary as she has school and activities with her kids and stuff for the rest of the week. 

There was a Tea shop next door that we thought to step into just for a minute and—as we tend to do—we got a bit carried away.  It was a wonderland of all things tea and tea pots!  There were herbal blends that would take π and K a lifetime to explore.  We couldn’t resist buying a few little things,  I’m excited for my Aussie Post and Phone Box salt and pepper shakers!!

Then Uncle Lyle wanted to stop quickly at home.  What a mistake!  Did you know he was an eagle scout? He still has his uniform and sash with all his merit badges.  Aunt Bonnie showed me her scrap books and her wonderful kitchen block that is just the right height for her. 

Then the biggest treat of the trip.  Lyle played his trumpet for me.  I know that for the cousins, this is no big thing, and I really can’t explain why it meant so much for me to hear him play, but you know, it really really did.  Standing in his kitchen with him giving us just a sampling of the pieces he’s playing right now reduced me to tears.  Even now as I write this, they’re falling again. 

These relatives that I’ve known about my whole life, who were little more than just names on the backs of some old faded photos, are real people!!  Not only that, they’re amazing people!  They have hobbies and passions and personalities!  They have strengths and weaknesses and some of them are just like mine!  Isn’t that amazingly miraculous?!  Of course it’s not, but it sure feels like it is.  To see so many ‘family resemblances’, not just in looks but in character—it’s just wonderful. 

We spent too much time there—and at the same time not nearly enough!—and ended up being late for our next, and final, tourist type activity.  We still hadn’t seen penguins so we went to Phillip Island to the Penguin Parade. 

I was really worried that we would be too late to see it at all, but I didn’t need to be.  The organization at this particular spot seemed a bit off to me, I don’t know why.  Once we’d shown our tickets at the gate, that was the end of the involvement of the staff.  I was really confused, we didn’t know which way to go and when we asked, we got sent in the wrong direction.  It just seemed disorganized to me. 

We did, eventually, figure out where we needed to be and we found Cathy and the rest of the group waiting for us, unpopularly saving us seats.  I was astounded by how many people were there!  It’s winter here and most people are pretty opposed to heading out into the cold to do stuff.  There were heaps of Asians there and not many other white faces, maybe that explains the crowd.  Also, since it’s winter, there aren’t many penguins that come in every night.  They spend more time at sea in the cold months.  The stadiums there are pretty far away from where the penguins were coming in and towards the end I was pretty disappointed in “the show”. 

My attitude changed quickly though when I realized two things.  1—we’d outlasted the crowds of Asians and we were only part of a fairly small group now and 2—there were two little penguins not 10 meters from the stands serenading us.  We listened to them call for quite some time before heading up to walk along the boardwalk that’s been constructed to preserve their burrows.  There were penguins everywhere!  It was fascinating to watch!  Unfortunately there’s no photography allowed, but they were so cute!!  My favorite were the llittle penguins that were all soft and fuzzy.

As we headed back up to the discovery center we heard the word “baby” by a couple of observers so we walked over to the railing to see what the buzz was about.  I had said something to one of the kids about “See if you can see the baby” when a lady next to me said, “There’s a Mum and Dad penguin over here having a cuddle.”  I’m sure someone else said something similar like “making a baby” that got the buzz started.  Come to find out that O was with Cathy front and center to the cuddling. 

O exclaimed, “Look!  It’s X and X² fighting!” then she narrated what she was seeing,  “I want to go first!  No I want to go first!”  Completely oblivious as to why all the adults around here were laughing so to her narration.

There was more ‘cuddling’ happening behind a bush.  The kids wanted to stop and listen and π said, “They’re having Family Home Evening, let’s not interrupt.”

Ooh too much fun!!!

By the time we got back to Cathy and BJ’s house we were all exhausted.  We had one last taste of the fish and chips shop that Jordane works at and then we were off to bed.  Our last box will get ticked off in the morning as we head out to the Melbourne Temple—which I now know is about a ten minute drive from Unlce Lyle’s house.