Feeling belonged

Do you remember my earlier posts, before and just after I came to T.I., when I talked about feeling 'belonged'? I used to wonder if I would feel a part of my new surrounds, if I would make a connection with people and places, would I feel a tug if I had to leave.

At the moment T.I. is in a frenzy of activity. September is the month of the Winds of Zendath Cultural Festival. This festival is held every two years (on alternate years a music festival is held) and this year we, Tagai College, are the hosts. While the festival is held here on T.I. all the outer islands partake. The school grounds have been taken over with tents, marquis and entertainment areas. It starts tomorrow with a parade and then the fun begins as we see dance exhibits from the different islands, taste traditional island food, and watch displays of the traditional crafts of weaving, braiding and other island activities.

And the streets of the town are also in festival spirit as shops and businesses decorate their frontages with palm leaves plaited and then tied around posts or hung from the eaves.

While there is officially another week of school, today was the last day for lessons as the rest of the week is taken up with cultural activities. The kids have been practising their island dances for weeks and over the next four days they will be performing them at the festival. Together with the teachers I have been assigned a supervision roster, but what that means is that I will roaming the grounds for a set period of time and actively encouraging students and visitors to partake in the number of activites planned for this happy occasion.

This week, and leading up to this week, I have felt belonged. I have made a connection with my new community, with my work colleagues, and today as I welcomed students and teachers from the outer islands to the school I felt like a local, I felt like a part of T.I.

On Thursday Rob and I are flying home to Brisbane for a two week break. Will I feel a tug? Yes - a little one. But the biggest tug for me will be the tug from home as I get closer and closer to my family - to Mark, Vera and Nikki and their wonderful spouses, as I get closer to my Mum. A bigger tug will be as we drive from the airport to home and as I wait to hear their footsteps on the front stairs when they all come to see me. And then let me tell you, no tug - no matter how strong - is going to keep us apart.

Going home to my loved ones - life is fantastically good!