Saturday, July 14, 2012

Getting to Know Your International Contacts


My conversation partner is a Jo from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She works with 2 year olds in a daycare setting. I asked her about the effects of poverty in her community. Her response was, “I don’t have to deal with issues of people who make a low income to much at my daycare. We are located in a fairly well-to-do community. The children I have in class take many holidays with families. Anything we need for the classroom all we have to do is post a sign and the items are brought in the next day. I am lucky to work in such a place. I know America has more struggles than we do because we already have a lot of needs offered to us for no cost while Americans have to pay for example health care. Our government also will step in to help us when needed to. I think you call it government assistance.”
            While the conversation was brief I was happy to make contact at all. I am hoping to glean more information in the coming weeks. I was surprised to find that poverty is not an issue for her. I am also holding hope that I can establish communication with another individual from Australia so see the variances in answers between communities.   

2 comments:

Carmellia Nickens said...

Hello Sharene,

It is great that you were able to make contact. It must be wonderful to be able to post a wish list up and it appears the next day. I wish that our government would stop making cuts to the education system and programs to help children and families. May your new friendship continue to grow.

Catherine McGhee said...

Sharene,

I am glad you made a contact, I thought I would never but I have one and possibly another. It is reassuring that some places do not have to worry as much about poverty. I think if we could pull together as communities and our government would work with us we could make a difference. I look forward to hearing more from your contact.