5 Pillars of the Gypsy Available in e-book Format ~ a Gift.

Hey everyone! I have a gift for you. Many people have been writing to me with compliments and have written very kind reviews. I took the decision to put my book into e-book format for those who would like to read it digitally. It is still my contention that it is a hands on type of book but the new age of reading can’t be denied. There are so many people reading from Kindles, i-Pads, Kobies …  so from now and until October 23rd I invite you to enjoy        ’5 Pillars of the Gypsy’  at no cost.

I would appreciate a review on the Smashwords site if you have a chance. There is NOTHING like word of mouth to let people know about a book … Happy Reading –  Thanks so much and Enjoy! Lesley

 

Please visit the following link  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210857   and get this book! It is FREE using the Coupon Code: NV72Z

The Healing ~ Romantic Love.

Love the posting of the pictures I had framed for my friends.

This is The Healing framed for a gift with The Mermaid art.

Different girlfriend gift with The Healing and Abstract Heart.

“a” is for AMbition – I AM AMbitious.

My last day in Australia was a VERY long day.  My flight out of Brisbane left at 10:15 and landed at 12:30 in Sydney.  However, it’s only a 90

The USQ Phoenix mascot was my travel companion. Isn't he cute?

minute flight!  NSW is on daylight savings time and QLD isn’t. It was a GOOD thing that I was on the phone with Sparky at  what I thought was 1:45 and having a nice lunch because Sparky reminded/alerted me to the fact that I was reading QLD time on my watch and NOT Sydney time.  He was telling me my fight was leaving in a half hour and I was telling that I had an hour and a half.  The good news is that I had made my way from domestic ALL the way to international and was only about 5 gates away.  The plane had started to board, but I was seating 4 and got on with no problem.

Good by Sydney.

I won’t bore you with the details of a 13 hour flight – it is what it is, a necessary evil for getting half way around the world.

I got into San Francisco and transfered my luggage after customs, but one of my bags didn’t make it to Seattle.  I did receive it on Sunday.

This is SF in July on my way out, but so beautiful I wanted to share.

My lovely husband was waiting at the airport for me in baggage with a dozen red roses and a great big beautiful smile.  I was really happy to be

Beautiful red roses.

home and it just got better every hour.  My first sign of ‘directional’ confusion showed up in the Seattle airport.  When one is in a country that drives on the other side of the road, they also ‘walk’ on the other side of the walkways including escalators.  The first set I started to take, I headed for the left side instead of the right.  I continued to experience the same confusion with lanes as Sparky drove home.  I don’t expect to have trouble when I actually drive, but I do expect to have to ‘think’ about it – just as I had to focus in driving on the left side.

My son’s birthday is 10/31, so I asked Sparky if we could stop by on the way home and see the kids.  We did and took Karla and Eric to dinner, which was a perfect thing to do!

I’m sure you have a pretty good idea of just how much Sparky missed me, so you won’t be surprised to learn how he ‘welcomed’ me home with signs and balloons.

This was but one round of welcomes.

As much as this trip to Australia was MY big experience, I have to give Sparky a lot of credit for the support, encouragement, and love he gave me over the 16 weeks.  He has truly been my champion.

I love you with 3 hearts tied to my mointor.

I don’t see how I can continue this particular blog, as my assignment has come to a natural close.  For those of you who faithfully followed my blog, I thank you.  I’m sure that I don’t have to explain in this final moment just how much the experience, the people, and the work meant to me.  My blog is laced with significant moments, feelings, pictures, and insights.  Again, thank you to each and every one of you who have shared this journey with me . . . with your thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement.

Love,  Jean Ann

 

Today went surprisingly well.  I did have a rough start, as I should have had help at 10am from the housing manager to load the van, but he didn’t show.  He got all jammed up because there were several thefts at Unilink last night.  The good news is that they didn’t get my computer . . . it would be devastating!  No worries, I found some folks to help and I still got to campus at 11am.  It was a crazy rush of off loading the stuff for storage and final posting of grades.

The lunch was held at Bremmer TAFE a vo-tech school that teaches restaurant and hospitality.  It’s a lot like Lake WA Tech College in Kirkland.  Here’s the link: http://www.bremer.tafe.qld.gov.au/ The lunch was lovely.  There were about 20 in attendance.  I didn’t cry today and I think it is because that everyone is convinced that I’ll return, so we toasted to “see ya later”, which is their sign off.  Also, there was no long drawn out speeches.  Geoff and I left lunch and headed straight for Brisbane.

Here’s an idea of how much stuff I had to store + lugguage.

Marie Kavanagh, Assoc. Prof. gave me what I wanted from day one.

The school mascot . . . The Phoenix!

Aboriginal art on the wall.

More art on the wall.

Strawberry gum and tonka bean cured ALD crocodile, watercress & avocado salad with caramelised orange dressing.

Emu medallion stuffed with an aniseed myrtle muchrooms duxelle, artichoke a la barigoule with a lemon jus.

Lilly Pilly (red berries) salad with macadamias and bunya nuts (giant pine nuts).

Dark chocolate biscuit, topped with wattle seed and white chocolate mousse with blood orange & cinnamon sauce.

For my last night in country, I decided to go all out and went to a great restaurant in the West End.  If you’re not interested in the “food channel”, you’ll want to stop reading about now.  Here’s the link to Tukka: http://tukkarestaurant.com.au/index.html  Here’s a quote that summarizes the experience of Tukka: “Tukka could so easily be the type of themed Australian place fit only for tourists, but it’s not. This is sophisticated dining, with local native produce beautifully cooked and presented – truly advanced Australian fare.” 

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Today’s last class went quickly because all we had was 4 presentations and other papers handed in.  I do believe I got a bit attached to my students.  I’m really proud how they performed.

Drew, Craig, Amanda, and Luci. Really great students.

Phyllis (l) working with Marie Kavanagh.

This picture was taken earlier in my stay, but I just got it a few days ago. Marie & I are with Lee, an Aussie C/W singer.

We were finished before noon, so I had time to work on the final modules and grade all the papers they submitted.  I’m finishing the packing and last minute shuffling, washing dishes, etc.

Someone asked me the other day if I had seen any kangaroos in the wild and I said, “Yes, but they were usually dead beside the road by the time I saw them.”

American academic says goodbye to Springfield

This morning I made a few rounds to give a few gifts to those who have been so supportive.  Sparky brought some Seattle mouse pads and magnets for thank you gifts to Sydney – very packable and very appreciated.  Sparky, just so you know, there are a LOT of people who want to visit Seattle!  I also dropped by to a morning tea.

Lunch was a farewell event with the Director, Doug Fraser, which was arranged by Debbie Maunder, his Exec. Assist. Brenda, Noel, & David came along.

I got serious in the afternoon and knocked out 3 of 5 modules of documentation for the 2nd class.  I’ll finish the other two modules tomorrow.  Classes tomorrow will not take the full 3 hours, but there are papers to grade.

Here’s the final article that is available via USQ and has been put out to the local media:

It is with much sadness visiting academic Jean Ann French will say goodbye to Springfield and the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) when she flies home to America this week.

 Ms French is the first academic to teach at the University as part of the partnership between USQ and the Seattle-based City University.

 Based at USQ Springfield campus for three months, Ms French lectured business communications courses in the Faculty of Business’ Bachelor of Accounting and Sustainable Business program for undergraduate students.

 Ms French said she will take home as much from the experience as she hopes she brought to the USQ students.

 “The great things about teaching here in Australia have been the cultural exchanges we have had and the gracious and hospitable staff and faculty,” she said.

 “My style of teaching is more of an intellectual exchange than simply lecturing ‘at’ students, so there were many times when we found ourselves at the end of communication ‘cultural’ block.

 “We were discussing cost/benefits analysis in one particular class and I was using an example of purchasing biscuits as opposed to homemade – but found myself looking at some very puzzled faces when I talked about purchasing ready made biscuits in cans.

 “It soon became clear that biscuits in the U.S.A. and biscuits in Australia were not the same thing.

 “Another example was talking about purchasing pumpkin in cans for pumpkin pie which you apparently you can’t do here either.

 “This discussion did make for a great ending to my time in Australia though, as I turned some of my mother’s famous pumpkin pie into tartlets for my students and left them the recipe for Halloween.

 “This way a small piece of me can stay behind in Australia.”

 Ms French said her students had given her some great feedback about her time in Springfield.

 “One of my students works in construction and his father is his supervisor. After showing his father the case study he had written on managing work related stress, his father thought the paper was so ‘spot on’ he took it to management for discussion. That is a great validation for both the student and me.

  “My time here has truly been one of the great adventures of my life.”

 USQ Springfield Director Doug Fraser said the students had benefited enormously from Ms French’s input to their studies.

 “The students have had the unique opportunity to learn from an overseas expert through a four-year collaboration between the two universities,” he said.

 “USQ students who have satisfactorily completed the Bachelor of Accounting and Sustainable Business degree will have the option of applying to gain an integrated credit guarantee towards the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from City University, thereby received “dual degrees” from their students at USQ.

 “We thank Ms French for taking sixteen weeks out of her life, leaving friends and family behind to share her expertise with us.”

 Media Contact:  Jo-Ann Sparrow, USQ Media, +61 7 3470 4119 or 0438 309 096

The day started out in a traffic jam.  There was a petrol truck accident on Warrego Hwy and they had to close the highway to clean up the spill.  I was riding with Lynette to a pick up point on Warrego Hwy, but the Uni van was so bogged down in detours that we simply went straight on to Toowoomba.  I got set up in an office and got to work.

I was in Toowoomba for two reasons:

Dean Alan Layton & Geoff Slaughter.

1) to meet with Marie K., Geoff S., and a Toowoomba faculty member to present an initial proposal for a Sustainable Business Professional Accreditation program.  The concept has been rattling around in my brain for a month or so, but I had to put it into a PowerPt. presentation for my 5 minute window of opportunity.  I had a 25 minute lunch with Geoff S. and Marie, Geoff, and I spent about 30 minutes mapping out some strategies for presenting the program.  John Cole is interested in creating intensive courses and the accreditation program.

2) to attend the 3:30 staff get-together, so I could present Dean Alan Layton with a gift from CityU.

We were not able to meet with anyone before the

Marie & Geoff in the back.

3:30 event, so I did a 5 minute present and handoff of materials to The Dean  at the staff social and then gave him the gift.  This could be my ticket to return to AU some day.

I got a ride back to Springfield from Marie and had some nice visiting time.  I hope to finish packing my second check bag tonight.  Oh yeah, I only cried once today when Geoff laid out the plan for what time he would take me in to Brisbane on Friday – right after my farewell lunch and I’ve said all my good-byes . . . that’s what set me off.

Busy day, and all the rest of the days this week will be the same.  I tried to get started on the second class documentation, but I was regularly distracted by making plans and arrangements for spending all day tomorrow in Toowoomba. I’m going for meetings about potential programs. 

The director, Doug Fraser was in the US the week of Oct. 11 and the Dean of Business at CityU, Kurt Kirsten, will meet with USQ folks 11/11-18.  I believe there are going to be some rearrangements in the some of the courses in the BASB.  They’re also working on the MBA in Sustainable Business.

These buildings are student housing at Education City. NOT owned or operated by USQ. The next lecturer will stay here.

This is the auditorium where I taped the TV segments and the conferences were held.

A couple of ladies took me to lunch today and I have another farewell lunch on Wednesday.  And, if I haven’t mentioned it, there’s a large farewell lunch on Friday at the vocational institute affiliated with USQ.

I got a lot done today.  I met Phyllis and Nancy at campus and we took off for the suburbs of Brisbane.  Mom knows the clothing store that I like and I found out where they move all the sale items.  I had to make the trek and it was worth it because the 40-70% off clothes were reduced by an additional 25%, which made them affordable.  Here’s the bad/good news . . .  I’ll be able to order online at www.ts14plus.com.au  Mary and Linda, I’m sure you’re going to love these clothes!

We also made a stop at a friends’ house that had the most spectacular garden in the backyard.  We got back to campus around 2:30 and I spent the next 4 hours finishing the documentation on one of the classes, which felt REAL good.

I told Sparky tonight that it is starting to get harder and harder to maintain my cool.  In the last two days I’ve gotten a bit weepy when I get down to the last 2 km before the house.  I keep thinking that I won’t be driving down this road next week and it makes me sad.  Tonight while I was on the phone with Sparky, it hit me that I won’t be here to watch Australian Idol next Sunday . . .  I do want to come home and I’m ready, but there is something here that tugs at my heart.