Holy trip of a lifetime, Batman!!!

Last year I applied to be one of the two teacher chaperones to accompany a group of Victorian school kids to (at that stage) Turkey and Egypt. The two places in the world that I have always wanted to visit? Gallipoli and Egypt. I was fortunate enough to receive a lot of support and very nice references from friends, colleagues and the veteran community and as a result, I was shortlisted and attended an interview on September 15, 2010.

Obviously I was successful as otherwise you wouldn't be reading this. To say that I am excited about this trip is an absolute understatement!!! Due to the ongoing revolution in Egypt, plans were changed and the Western Front was added to the itinerary. Gee.....what a let down! :)

Over a three day period last December, I was involved in meeting the student applicants who had applied for the Premier's Spirit of ANZAC Prize Tour (from here on to be referred to as the SOAP tour). Year 9 and 10 students from all Victorian schools were invited to submit an entry that showed how a person they knew displayed the values, such as courage, initiative, mateship and sacrifice, associated with the ANZACs at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. Entries ranged from essays, poems, drawings, paintings, paper mache busts, musical compositions and more! The final 10 students selected for this year's tour are:

• Rachel Armstrong, Clarendon College Ballarat
• Hadley Black, Benalla College, Benalla
• Aisling Cahir, Ave Marie College, Aberfeldie
• Martin Lee, University High School, Parkville
• Bridget Loughhead, Trinity Lutheran College, Mildura
• Thomas Posa, Melbourne High School, South Yarra
• Elisabeth Sandbach, Camberwell Girls Grammar School, Camberwell
• Elizabeth Smart, Mercy Regional College, Camperdown
• Evan Tyson, Chairo Christian School Drouin
• Laura Whitney, Euroa Secondary College, Euroa



Excited much.....???



Myself and Nick Hughes from Xavier College will accompany the students as the teacher chaperones along with Bob Evans from the Department of Planning and Community Development; Professor Bruce Scates, Chair of History and Australian Studies at Monash University; retired army officer David Lewien; Manager of Exhibitions and Collections at the Shrine of Remembrance, Jean McAuslan; retired MP Paul Jenkins and Helen Clarke from the Department of Education.

Link to the DPCD SOAP website

I even rate a mention in the 'Southern Thunderer'!!!!

The purpose of the tour is to inspire young Victorians to explore the ethos of the ANZACs at Gallipoli and on the Western Front and how values such as courage, initiative, mateship and endurance help unite and strengthen Victorian communities today.

For those of you who know me well, this is something that I feel very strongly about. My Pa fought with the 39th Battalion on the Kokoda Track and my Dad was stationed with the 110th Signal Corps at Vung Tau during the Vietnam War. Ensuring that those who fought in the wars and who currently serve with the defence forces are remembered is important to me. I am VERY proud of my Pa and my Dad. I don't think we ordinary people will ever be able to understand the experiences that they went through.

On March 4th, 2010 the Premier, Mr. Ted Baillieu, announced the names of the student at a reception at the Shrine of Remembrance. After the ceremony, it was a great opportunity to catch up with the students and the other adults going on the tour....and to try on jackets and get our heads measured (again!) for Akubras. Yes dorky photos exist (see below) and you can mock me all you like!!

The SOAP 'winners' with Premier Ted Baillieu and Hugh Delahunty, the Minister for Veteran Affairs

Well....it is now four sleeps until we leave on Wednesday 13th April. The itinerary includes the following stops:

• Istanbul
• Gallipoli (about 4 days there)
• Cannakale
• Brussels
• Yper (or Ieper...I think the French are deliberately trying to trick me!)
• The Somme
• Fromelles
• Villers-Bretonneux (where we will attend the Dawn Service)
• Paris

Not too shabby, eh??!!

I'm hoping that I can add to this blog quite a bit as we travel. And hopefully figure out how to add in some pics.

It's going to be a very emotional tour. But this is SERIOUSLY the trip of a LIFETIME! Wooooo hoooooo!!!!

Did I mention it's four sleeps 'til I leave???????

Can you tell I am from Australia....????