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Editors : Tony Keys | Publication Date : 28th September 2019

U3A Albury-Wodonga 2019 Committee Members

Edward Voogt (President & Member Services Director) • Dianne Fontana (Secretary)

Doug Reid (Treasurer) • Pat Madin (Programme Director) • Peter Massey (Systems Director ) • Diana

Pape • Tony Keys (Newsletter) • Rod Farr (VicNet & Regional Liaison )• Lyn Reed • Anthony White

U3A Albury-Wodonga is located at

The Albury-Wodonga Community College

63 High Street Wodonga VIC 3690

PO Box 129 Wodonga VIC 3689

College Reception (02) 6043 8200

U3A Mobile 0499 895 117

alburywodongau3a.com > Contact Us

Notice of Special Members’ Meeting

There is a Special Members’ Meeting:

Friday October 18th at 10.00am in Room 9

For the purpose of proposing the Incorporation of U3A Albury

Wodonga.

7th October - 6th December

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Friday 4th October

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Friday 11th October

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How many of you still keep a personal

diary? How many of you still use written

letters? Not many apparently. Uta’s

message was very clear. We all have

different stories and it is important to

record them in some way.

Uta’s own story is quite impressive having

been born in Germany and arriving in

Adelaide in the 1950s. Her family moved

around a lot and once she married a

soldier in the 1960s, her nomadic life

continued. Eventually working for the

Army herself in a Military Hospital from

1969-1976, she attended wounded

Vietnam Veterans. Uta says she loved

wearing a uniform, so later joined the

Citizens Military Forces (CMF), now

known as the Army Reserve, while still

maintaining work within the public

service. She kept busy on the home front

as well, and now has eleven great-

grandchildren.

Uta was able to retire early and became

involved in the Historical Society. She is

passionate about the recording of social

history, made easier in the past when

Obituaries were published, detailing the

life of each person.

What trace or evidence are we leaving?

Trove, the National Library Guide,

includes many Australian newspapers up

until 1954 when copyright issues prevent

further recording, except for the

Australian Women’s Weekly. Fortunately

this magazine provides a continuous

record of social history from the era.

Uta laments that so much of our history

“is in the cemetery” adding, “we don’t ask

“Jot down snippets of your own

life, while you still can. Talk to

someone else about your sto-

ries. It will give the family some-

thing to say at your Eulogy.”

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enough questions,” or “ask people to put

pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard.”

Whilst we may think our story will not

interest others, Uta stresses, “Every story

is different and adds a piece to the

puzzle.”

She reminds us that most communications

today are by phone, email and SMS.

Future generations will probably need a

dictionary to explain abbreviations such as

LOL, ROFL and BRB.

If you know of someone’s Estate where

their possessions are to be dumped into a

skip, she implores, “Please give the

Historical Society the chance of first

refusal,” as you never know what

documents, letters or photos will be of

historical interest.

In the past, history was recorded on

papyrus and cave walls. We still have

those, but how much will be lost from our

own era? Photos on mobile phones – how

many do we print out? How many A-

drives out there? USB sticks? A lot of

technology is unsuitable for storage.

In fifty years, they will look back and see

Facebook posts and Instagram pictures of

what we have on our dinner plate, but

what will that tell people about us?

Remember in the 1970s when you had to

have an excuse not to go to the

neighbour’s slide nights? They haven’t

preserved well.

“Get those old yellow photos out of their

albums and put names and dates on them,”

Uta advises, quoting writer and

philosopher George Santayana.

We then heard the story of Julia Ronan, a

local Wodonga woman and her family. It

was a fascinating account of resilience a

nd belonging as part of the local

community through trials and tribulations

as well as good times. You won’t find it in

Google!

Uta encouraged us to look at the Wodonga

Historical Society’s very active Facebook

page where a different picture is posted

every day. All comments are very

positive. Uta also writes an article for The

Border Mail which appears every second

Saturday.

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She says, “The Historical Society is desperate

for members to come to meetings and

volunteer to help out in the display room,”

just opposite AWCC at 19 South Street,

Wodonga. The Society meets on the first

Tuesday of each month at the Wodonga

Football Club Rooms, Vermont Street,

Wodonga.

Lyn Reed

I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, QLD, and

studied at the University of the Sunshine

Coast. My degree was a Bachelor of

Journalism which involved placements at the

local newspaper and projects with the ABC.

As part of a minor in development studies, I

also spent 6 weeks in Indonesia as a

communications intern for an NGO.

Upon finishing my degree in 2015, I began

applying for jobs. While I applied for a

cadetship with Newscorp's Courier Mail and

almost had an interview with the NT News

(it's a long story), my preference was to work

with Fairfax Media or the ABC as those

media companies aligned better with my

values. The Border Mail editor interviewed

me via phone in October 2015 and I was

lucky to be employed.

During my time since at The Border Mail, I

have focussed mainly on issues of advocacy,

reporting on elder abuse and other health

issues. I researched and prepared a

freedom of information request into the

state of the Mt Buffalo Chalet and

uncovered how an insurance payment

received by the government was poorly

spent, which I consider to be one of my

greatest achievements so far.

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Two Days of Travel Shocks

It was overwhelming. Vietnam, my first

visit in 2002 was a huge cultural shock

for me. There was the heat, the humidity,

the unfamiliar smells, the “millions” of

people, the bikes, and the household

furniture on the bikes not to mention the

chickens, dogs and whole families on the

bikes, my swollen feet, the funny old bus

and the chaotic traffic from the airport to

central Saigon.

Then the group consisting of about 18

friends and I were herded into a local

café for lunch. That was another shock

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as we were also told that, that particular café

had been used by the Communists to plan

their final liberation of Saigon (Ho Chi Min

City). It was very ordinary with bright

green bamboo inspired wall paper on the

walls and very simple furniture. On the way

into the café we noticed a lady sitting on the

floor in a small alcove chopping up the

vegetables that would form the basis for our

very simple Pho soup. One lady was very

shocked by this but we were quickly

informed that as no one had refrigerators all

food had to be prepared on the spot after the

café owner had ascertained what the

customers were requiring and had paid a

quick visit to the local market. Our team

leader had phoned ahead to say we would all

be eating Pho soup and in the end it was

very tasty and very fresh.

Finally given our rooms at the air

conditioned hotel I relaxed for the first time

that day as I put my feet up the wall behind

our bedhead. It was heaven after the sights

and sounds of that extraordinary city.

Later that same day we ventured out with

our group for dinner. After a dinner filled

with heightened voices all talking about the

experiences we had had we were unaware

and not thinking that shocks can be just

round the corner. Suddenly as we crossed

the road on our way back from dinner, a

man on a bike appeared and ripped a

handbag from the neck of one of our party.

It was so unbelievable to me and over so

quickly that we were all in a state of

shock and not just me.

The next day a trip on a bus was planned

to the Mekong Delta. This area is the

most densely populated area in Vietnam

at well over several thousand people to

the square kilometre. There were

hundreds of people all over the roads as

our driver dodged people every few

metres. My husband and I had elected to

sit in the seat just behind the driver and

this is something I will never do again.

No matter how many people were on the

road the driver just kept on going,

beeping the horn and it was the

pedestrian’s job to get out of the way.

And then he did hit the brakes for the first

time and it was as if the bus more or less

stood on its front two wheels.

Fortunately he had missed the pedestrian

but by then I was almost a total nervous

wreck. My knuckles were white from

gripping the seat but they had probably

saved me from flying through the front

window. “Relax,” my husband said, “and

enjoy the view.”

“Relax? Enjoy the view? How could this

man really believe what he was saying?”

I looked out the window and noticed for

the first time that the concrete houses

seemed to have blackened walls. I later

learned that this was called “concrete

cancer”. Surely it seemed as if the houses

might have been in danger of collapsing.

As a famous actress Vivien Leigh, once,

more or less said in Gone with the Wind,

“I can’t think about that now I will think

about that later.”

Eventually it was lunch time and the bus

pulled into a lunch place that consisted of

a shed without walls. We found a table,

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ordered food and I tried to relax. All of a

sudden a man was offering us snake wine

and my stomach did a double triple

somersault because there in the bottle was

the dead snake and

the wine we were

being encouraged

to drink. Australia

seemed so far away

and serious home

sickness seemed to

invade my whole

body. Once again

my husband was

trying to get me to

relax but my head

was in another

space.

We travelled on and quite quickly we were

being deposited at a wharf where we would

take a short ferry ride to the other side of

the very famous river. I relaxed and

decided that this was now quite a lovely

little trip after surviving the bus but there

was one more shock to follow that day.

On the other side of the river a team of

motor bike riders had been employed to

take each of us to our hotel. This was not

my ideal way of travelling but it was

explained to me that it was the motor bike

or walk and as everyone else was opting for

the motor bike I had no choice. There was

no helmet, no leather jeans and no apparent

options so there I was on the back of a

motor bike driven by a complete stranger.

We whizzed down the street, round a

corner, up another street and then I couldn’t

see any of the rest of the group. My brain

went into hypo drive as I imagined I was

being abducted.

“Where are the others? I screamed into the

fellow’s ear. “Where are you taking me?” I

screamed again.

Of course he had no English and he ignored

me. Miraculously I found myself actually

enjoying the sheer thrill of the ride and the

possible fabulous stories I could tell if I

survived. The wind whipped through my

hair, my white knuckles clung on to the

fellow’s skinny frame and I was the star in

my own little movie. It was bliss for a few

more minutes and then we came to a

screeching halt outside the hotel where all

the others were waiting for me.

“Where did you go?” someone asked.

Our interpreter told everyone that my driver

had taken me the scenic way and I was

amazed that I apparently had been given a

great honour. Funnily enough I didn’t

remember the scenery however I thanked

my driver and decided that maybe now I

really could relax. Vietnam was becoming

more interesting and less shocking by the

minute. It is amazing what you can adapt

to in just two days.

By Linda McMaster

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§

From a member

Why I Like Retirement !

Question: How many days in a week?

Answer: 6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday

Question: When is a retiree's

bedtime?

Answer: Two hours after

falling asleep on the couch.

Question: How many retirees does it

take to change a light bulb?

Answer:

Only one, but it might take all day.

Question: What's the biggest gripe of

retirees?

Answer: There is not enough time to

get everything done.

Question: Why don't retirees mind

being called Seniors?

Answer: The term comes with a 10%

discount.

Question: Among retirees, what is

considered formal attire?

Answer: Tied shoes.

Question: Why do retirees count

pennies?

Answer: They are the only ones who

have the time.

Question: What is the common term

for someone who enjoys work and

refuses to retire?

Answer: NUTS!

Question: Why are retirees so slow

to clean out the basement, attic or

garage?

Answer: They know that as soon as

they do, one of their adult kids will

want to store stuff there.

Question: What do retirees call a

long lunch?

Answer: Normal.

Question: What is the best way to

describe retirement?

Answer: The never ending Coffee

Break.

Question: What's the biggest

advantage of going back to school

as a retiree?

Answer: If you cut classes, no one

calls your parents.

Question: Why does a retiree often

say he doesn't miss work, but

misses the people he used to work

with?

Answer: He is too polite to tell the

whole truth.

And, my very favourite....

Question: What do you do all

week?

Answer: Monday through Friday.

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Hello to all at U3A Albury-Wodonga,

Free dementia education for everyone

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, an international campaign to raise dementia awareness, and the theme for 2019 is ‘Let’s talk about dementia’. One of the things we need to talk more about is that your dementia risk can be reduced.

The Preventing Dementia MOOC (massive open online course) examines the latest evi-

dence on dementia risk factors and ways to reduce the risk. This free course is open to

everyone and will likely be of interest to members and volunteers of your community or-

ganisation. You are never too young or too old to do something about your dementia

risk. We would appreciate your help in spreading the word (see below).

Enrolments are now open for the next Preventing Dementia MOOC

Course opens: 15th Oct, 2019 Course duration: 4 weeks Estimated effort: 2 hours per week Course closes: 29th Nov, 2019 (content is accessible across 6 weeks) Cost: FREE

Click on the button below and follow the prompts to sign up and enrol at: mooc.utas.edu.au

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Dear U3A members

I know most of us are tending to down size our belongings these days,

but are there any classical music lovers out there, your friends includ-

ed, who have been swept up in this latest craze for "Vinyls"?

Please contact me if so.

Helen Voogt (U3A Music Appreciation co-

ordinator)

Tel. 02 6056 6742

Term 4 recommences on Monday October7th.

*Please note that the Secretary, Di Fontana, will be away for the next 3 weeks (11/09 – 04/10) so it is important that in that time you use the U3A email (u3a@awcc.edu.au); and/or the u3a phone (0499895117) to call or send a text message.

Please take note of the following information concerning courses in Term 4. If you wish to enrol in any of the new courses offered you must fill out an enrolment form at the AWCC reception. Similarly if you wish to join any of the existing courses you must also enrol through the AWCC reception.

Monday:

Conversations in Wodonga will not continue during Term 4 as Michael will be overseas.

Dying to Know will finish at the end of this term and will not continue in Term 4.

Spiritual Self-development Discussion Group is being offered:

Topic Term 4: Eastern Philosophy compared with Western Philosophy

Self-development comes from the increased awareness of where you are right now and learning what is needed for further growth. This course will give you a means of understanding and developing your full spiritual potential. You will gain imperative knowledge to assist you in discovering a way to master the journey from fear to love and the assured outcome of that journey is finding inner peace in every situation.

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The books chosen for this adventure are:

o “The Bhagavad Gita” A Walkthrough for Westerners by Author Jack Haw-

ley. Acclaimed for its authenticity and easy dialogueo A Course in Miracles

– Made Easy by Author Alan Cohen

The discussion group will cover both books, one hour allotted for each book for the two hour period per week.

Co-ordinator: Lynette McAuliffe Venue: AWCC

Day and Time: Mondays 10am – 12 noon

Starting: Term 4: October 7th Cost: Nil

Tuesday:

Sentimental Journey Continues. John will continue on a fortnightly basis com-mencing on Tuesday October 8th

Wednesday:

Economics A will not continue in Term 4

International Relations 1. Gerry is overseas and class will recommence on October 23rd 1pm – 3pm

A History of Modern Japan-Unit 2 is being offered.

In our semester one unit of study of modern Japanese history we reached the point where Japan’s imperialist ambitions were about to lead to that country’s involvement in the Pacific theatre of World War Two. In this ten weeks long unit of study we will contin-ue on with Japan’s history in the twentieth century, first by considering the different stag-es of the Pacific War with emphasis on Japan’s involvement in that conflict. Because of the close proximity of this war to Australia, some emphasis will also be placed on select-ed aspects of the conflict that involved our nation. At the conclusion of World War Two, we will consider how a devastated Japanese nation that was occupied by the United States for a number of years, was subsequently able to bring about an amazing economic miracle that saw that country quickly rebuild and rise economically to become one of the leading industrial economies in the world.

Co-ordinator: Vince Black Venue: AWCC

Day and Time: Wednesdays 9.30am – 12.30 pm

Starting: Term 4, October 9th Cost: Nil

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VB’s History of Modern Ireland is being offered

Ireland is the home of my forebears on both sides of my family, Catholic and Protestant, and hence is

part of the reason for my interest in the subject. In simple terms Ireland’s history is long, complex,

violent and bloody, and much of it revolves around conflicts by the native Catholic people of the is-

land to self-govern themselves in the face of a variety of foreign invaders, most particularly and re-

cently the Protestant British. In the process of carrying out my research and seeking an introduction

for the history of Ireland, I concluded that a reasonable understanding of the subject might be gained

by commencing with a brief study of Northern Ireland as it is today, with the issue of Brexit. This Brex-

it policy dispute which is in the process of resolution (or NOT), provides just one more of many exam-

ples of what can be termed the ‘Irish Problem’. From our perspective as students of Irish history, the

Brexit situation provides us with an interesting example of live history in the making. Armed with a

basic background knowledge of contemporary Northern Ireland we will then go back in time and

explore how the history of events in Ireland transpired to culminate in the island’s reaching of its cur-

rent impasse.

Co-ordinator: Vince Black Venue: AWCC

Day and Time: Wednesdays 1pm -3.30pm

Starting: Term 4, October 9th Cost: Nil

Thursday:

Writing for Pleasure (formerly called Inspired to Write). This group will continue in Term 4 with Gina Watson as the Co-ordinator.

It is a group that meets to share life experiences by writing short stories, memoirs, poetry etc. in a friendly, supportive and non-threatening environment.

International Relations 2 (pm) and 2B (am). Gerry is overseas and both classes

will resume on October 24th. Note that the afternoon group will still continue on a fort-

nightly basis

Friday:

Play reading Group continues fortnightly on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. Regards Pat Madin Course Co-ordinator

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Senior Celebrations is back for another year!

Wodonga Senior Celebrations will feature an exciting program of activities including:

Concerts or performance piece; Open days;

Come and try activities; and, Recreational activities. Bookings on council's website and on Facebook.

https://www.wodonga.vic.gov.au/Whats-On/ArtMID/2083/ArticleID/3167