"We'd better start savin'up for the things that money cant't buy"  - Bruce Springsteen

THE ADVENTURERS’ TRIP TO AUSTRALIA   

by Manuela Binotto & Valentina Sartor

Wow! We were there, on the other side of the world. Our greatest dream has become true, thanks to our teachers. They trusted us and they accepted to start with us this amazing adventure.
When we left cold, snow-covered Montebelluna we were sorry, because we had to leave behind our parents, boyfriends, relatives, friends and two of our classmates, Anna & Martina; but we forgot everything in the excitement for the long journey, which would take us to discover a wonderful country, 20.000 km far from ours.
We reached  Hong Kong , the first coveted destination, after flying over uncharted lands, sleeping, playing cards, studying maths (yes!) and eating unwholesome food. We were relieved because we thought we were almost there; but our relief vanished as soon as we realized that we were only half way!   

Fortunately the time before our arrival literally “flew”, and before we knew it we were landing in   Melbourne  .
Our host families were waiting for us in Moe ,  Victoria  . 
They were anxious of meeting their adopted daughters, but we were only dreaming of a comfortable bed where to rest our bodies and minds.
Our partners made us feel at home from the very beginning.

Studying applied physics... 

Fun in the swimming pool?  Nooo!
English lesson:
 "this is a swimming pool"... ;-)

The beautiful weather, the few days at school, the frequent swims in the swimming-pool, the evening bbqs, spent singing typical Italian and Australian songs accompanied by the sweet sound of a guitar, everything made our stay unforgettable.
Our program was rich and eventful; even walking for hours and hours was not tiring, and we made the most of our time, enjoying the beauty of that marvellous country, and living every emotion completely.

Believe us when we say that we had a lot of fun, starting from the two days spent at Yanakie Camping, where we overnighted after exploring the beautiful landscape of  Wilsons Promontory. There we spent a wonderful time on the beach at night, together with our new friends, in the warmth of our sleeping bags, admiring the spectacular sky, full of unknown stars.
We had another chance to spend a night far from “our home”: on 1st and the 2nd  March we  stayed in a hotel in the centre of Melbourne  .

© Nicoletta Galante 2004

Relax on the beach? Nooo!
English lesson: "this is a beach"... ;-)

© Nicoletta Galante 2004

Manuela, Alessia, Irene, Giorgia, 
Morena and Valentina in Melbourne 

There we visited a fair about the world of race cars and motors and some buildings of modern art among which huge skyscrapers and small churches stood. 
We discovered the most famous sights of this city: the Queen Victoria market and the spectacular Rialto Deck, situated at the 50th  floor of a skyscraper, from which we could admire every single detail of the Aussie city..   
We couldn’t miss a visit to Healsville Sanctuary too, where we had a chance to meet koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, dingoes and other typical Australian animals.

There penguins were not there, though: we had to go to   Phillip  Island and to travel for hours to visit them, but it was worthwhile!
We saw their “Parade”: they were returning from their long day spent at sea searching for food.
Three of us, the luckiest ones, Valentina, Morena and Irene, went to the fantastic city of Sidney  for a few days’ stay. 
They had a lot of fun. They said that the city is beautiful and the aquarium that hosts countless fish from all over the world is enormous!!

Australian rock is inspired by Aboriginal instruments, like the didgeridoo

© Nicoletta Galante 2004

A game of "bocce" at the Italian-Australian Club 
of Morwell: it is Manuela's turn...

The last but one day we visited “Mid Valley” in Morwell, where we could  enjoy our favourite hobby: shopping. 
Then we had lunch at the “Italian-Australian Club”, where we could play “bocce”, discovering new talents (Prof. & Prof) ;)
After two weeks of fun, our Australian dream was over, with tears, sighs, songs, goodbies and promises to come back.
But in our hearts we still have the smiles of those special and extraordinary people who made this experience UNFORGETTABLE!!!!

Special thanks to: 4 F, our teachers, Australian teachers, partners and families and of course OUR families, who helped us to fulfil a dream which will last FOREVER...

SEE YA , AUSTRALIA!!!!!!  

VICTORIA AND WATER

by Giorgia Tommasi  

During my stay in Victoria, I discovered that water is considered one of the most precious things in Australia. While we take water for granted and waste it without considering its importance, Australia, which is the driest continent and has been experiencing a long period of drought, must find ways to conserve and reuse this precious resource.  Even if Victoria is one of the greenest states of Australia, it is still subject to dry seasons and periods of drought, which cause stress and problems to families, farming and the economy.
In fact, over 75% of Victoria’s water supplies are used for irrigation: irrigated agriculture is at the the basis of Victoria’s economy, and it produces an output worth $2 billion a year. However, it requires a lot of water, and rain is becoming less and less frequent, due to deforestation and other human activities.

This is why only 23% of Victoria’s rivers can be considered in good conditions, whereas a third of them are in poor or even very poor conditions.
Also, two thirds of Victoria’s wetlands have been lost or degraded. The poor health of rivers and wetlands has led to the loss of the fish, birds, animals and plants that depend on water. In fact, 420 species, that is 20% of plant species and 35% of animal species, as well as 40% of native fish are considered threatened.

Thomson Water Supply Reservoir provides 
safe, high quality drinking water 
for the city of Melbourne

The lack of water has also caused an increase in water treatment costs, as well as an algal bloom in the ocean which damages tourism.
The NRE (Department of Natural Resources and Enviroment) coordinates the State Government’s response to the drought. 
In July 1999 the Commonwealth and the States decided a National Drought Policy, which aims to reducing potable water use in the house and industry through:  

There are four different kinds of water:

RAINWATER: it is captured through rainwater tanks, used for household needs;

GREY WATER: it comes from bathrooms (not toilet) and kitchens, it can be used for gardens and toilet flushing;

STORM WATER: it runs off from roads, footpaths, parks and gardens; it is used for irrigation of sportive grounds and public open spaces;

RECYCLED WATER: it can be used for gardens, toilet flushing and some industrial processes.

Collecting rainwater is getting more and more important. Most houses have rainwater tanks, which have been used in rural Australia for 200 years. However, it is not so in cities.

It is estimated that if just 1% of homes in metropolitan Melbourne  installed a 2250-litre water tank, more than 70 million litres of water could be saved every year. 

A family of four uses up to 250,000 litres of water a year, of which: 

35% garden

19% toilet

20% bathroom               

15% laundry

 5%  kitchen

Rainwater can be used for the garden and for toilet flushing (over 50% of all the water used by families) and then the Melbourne water supply could be used for drinking.

Anyway, there are a lot of ways through which everyone can save water:

	cutting the shower time from 4 to 7 minutes could save 25000 litres per person every year;
	turning off the tap when shaving can save 3500 litres a year;
	installing a dual-flush toilet can save 35000 litres every year for a family of four;
	using the dishwasher only when it is full and using the economy setting;
	watering the garden in early morning to reduce evaporation;
	checking the outdoor taps and pipes regularly (one dripping tap can waste 5000 litres a     month)!

And even if in Europe we don't have the same serious water problems as Australia, we should still think about it and try not to waste the most precious of all resources.