Aro Fair

(Beat boxer, the guy and the right's Dad in Taj Mahal, electronica anyone?)

(early morning set up of stall)

(postcards, children loved them, especially the shells)

Yesterday, from the hours of 8:30am- 4:00pm, my skin was cooking in the Southerly Sun, legs barley supporting body, smiling, trying to encourage potential customers to buy my much loved and home made postcards. With that said, DO PEOPLE SEND MAIL ANYMORE? At the opening of the Aro Valley fair a woman rushed to my stall and bought my most interesting (5) pieces, she had a good eye. In a flash she was gone, and not until 5 hours later did another person buy a card. The person who bought my card is more friend than customer so “it” doesn’t count. About 5 different friends, as well as heaps of other grad students visited which made the day better/shorter. Number 5 is very effective number.

The Aro Fair took place a few blocks down from my house. Julia baked sweet muffins and helped brew a curry. I shared a stall with a fair coordinator, who sold aprons next to the postcards for a preschool. Other fair highlights included some free styling from transplanted Americans, as well as plastic inflatable crap from china. Sun burnt gangs of children ruled the Aro Fair, pillaging their parent’s pocket books. Every so often I overheard a sundelirous adult ask, WHERE IS THE REST OF THE $20 NOTE I GAVE YOU! The sun was glorious, but it made us all a bit unreasonable. Why adults give children cash will forever remain, a mystery (coins, anyone?). I diligently avoided eye contact with Peter, the man who only speaks in alliterations who roamed the fair grounds, in all his glory.

Today in church there was no mention of palms or Jesus riding in like a King. Rather our pastor discussed UNICEF’s four pillars of education, and how Christian faith might fit into that. It was actually a great idea being that the congregation is literally from around the world. The walls of our church are lined with flags- very fitting for a geographer. I do miss tradition…what formal education has to do with Palm Sunday will also, forever remain a mystery.

This beautiful Sunday afternoon was spent with Mother, Huriana, and daughter Sarah. We walked around discussing past relationships, family, and life as we know it. It was nice to walk beside another, but also to walk in their shoes. I am moved by her willingness to accept truth. Some days it is hard to believe that things can get better, but they can, and they do. All be it in the most unexpected and necessary ways.