Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 1996

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Features: Fr'ends and past Rebecc Conoplia : Grammar girl on the move A . . .

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Wowan. Monto and The adore. and trip away

in the pro^C, was an obvious indication or her generous spirit and

Heldi Webster

Camln Matthewe

Many town. are fortunate in that surrounding farming conimuni, ies. the minin, town or they have dedicated GPS who spend Mourn and the Aboriginal coinmuni, y from sun-up to long after sun-down of Woombinda. 11 has been for me a servicing their communities, on call fascinating insightinio these isolated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. but communities and the diverse lives many are not able to keep permanent Ihe

SinceleavingiheGrammar family genuine interest in helping others in 192. Rebecca Conoplia has achieved a great many Ihings. in 1992 says she has "come to feel a home in she spyni a year in Japan at Nanm Japan"andshedoesnotnoticeculiural Kokusal High School on the Sir Llew or o1her differences as much a other Presently living in Japan. Rebecca

Senior BGGS 1988

MB. BS. University of Queen81and 1994

Having jus spent six weeks doing and needs of people who live there. GPS or hospital doctors

people perhaps would. Even during

Edwards Scholarship

Tom farmers wh continue co 193 until 195 she Rebecca's years a uiitversity she was a c uniry GP. relieving term. my coinpleied her Arts degree at the casually employed by a Japanese respect for country medical workers binnding their cattle despite being services are glitched up by young University of Queensland wiih majors company soilings Japanese have been has beenincreased tenfold. As of gored by one of theiranitnnls. because inexperienced doctors sent out fro my contraci as a second year medical finishing theirjob was more important city or large consial hospirols. all the in Japanese language and a pan of her lire for some lime RebeccahadalreadyvisiiedJapan officer a the Mater Hospital in than seeking medical help. 10 the way from Cairns to Brisbane. it's Government. Since December 1995 Rebecca has been living un Japan. twice on BOGS sister schoolexchange Brisbane, I was sent' out to do a neverending stream o. infections and amazing how many of my colleagues teaching 12 10 15 year old children programs before the received the country 'elml'. with little warning or ininnrie ' seen in the Aboriginal and ex-BOGS girls I've come across communities. these runt GPS see it out here doing sirwilar jobs English at Tachikawa No. 4 Junior scholarship 10 study there for a year. preparation Arriving on a ton seater plane in all! One quickly sees out here Ihe The following passage is a direct High and has immersed herself in a Many rural towns have no invaluable services pertonned by GPS cullure abou, which she first became account of Rebecca's tinie in. and Thangool I'd never heardofi, either. passionate while at Girls' Groinmar. view or. the Japanese society which the airfield outside Biloela. I was permanentdoctorormedicalservices. who are stoical enough 10 withsund in her own words. Rebecca's "lire will hopefully provide an ingighi into greated with the keys ora hospital car and thoseiha"count theiinelves lucky Ihe stresses and isolation of working as a 'Japan head' really began at the cullure in which she has become and a hand-drawn map o Ihe 350 plus Iha they do. often boastihe only one in these ruml fanning and Aboriginel square kilometre areal had to cover. for 150 km. Most of Queensland is communities. so that their clienis are Gram"tar. " She began her schooling immersed dolled wiih these isolated mothced with a different doctor every ', ripanis a society wiih quiie, igid I was filled wiih trepidation! at BCGS allhebeginningofyear9 and My task was to give relie to the communities. which have very fiveweeks. no-oneeverknowingthem look up Japanese Ihen. "I can'I really social structures. but also a society reineniber what it was Ihai Inade ine which has withstood Iremendous local GPS of single doctor towns. on different services 10th ore available in or their raniilies want toleam Japanese. .. Ithinkl made change over Ihe post-war period. As their few precious days off. in an area the cities we are used to Whai also becomes apparent is Many rural people are so isolated the value of the support provided by some 200. So km inland of the decision in Mrs Hancock's Dinee a 'galjin' or foreigner living there one at my initial inrerview with her - Is treated very well, although real Rockhampton in the north. to limitheydrivehourstoseea .Pand the RFDSandhospiialreitievnlteams somelhing on the spur or the monieni friendship can only be achieved after Clausione in Ihe south. This included accept lint any specialist opinion or who will bring our their light plane or a quite long period of time. As a the sri"11 country towns or Barnlab". complex investigation is a good day helicopter coreltievetheyoungwonian you could say, ' in prenmiure labour. the 55 year old However. Japanese was obviously woman in the society. one sometimes man having a heyr allack and the sick a distinctly "foreign" language which is frustrated by attitudes towards youngchild. OftenlheGPs, hemselves particularly inICresied her. Rebecca women. However. Ibelieveiha, many put their panenis in the local hospiml says "the appearance @1the characters westerners make the mistake or and look aruer them alone. Inn"ch more andihe sound oilhc spokenlanguage viewing Japanese women without than us ever expectsd or city GPS seemed so exotic 10 me. " in is obvious power. They often have coinpleie Sitting at school and at work in Thai Rebecca's passion for foreign conirol overthe family's finances and our cities where all our needs are me I languages was noilimiied rompnnese: play a larger role in decision making within a few kilometres, we should Ihan their husbands. This is something s also look French 10 senior level spare a thought for our country Brisbane Girls' Grammar prides which is difficult 10 see as a tourist. brothers and sisters. I an 18ud those itself on being a school which offers but which does become apparent when people who stick with their ruml many opportunities 10 i's students and one lives in to anuse households lifestyles and ripphtid the rural GPS, Genemlly. Japan is a very Hare Re ca Conoplia strongly believes mmfuy, un"sin"A^jamlblihcam 'Grammar's recognition of the counrry 10 live in and nuny aspects of ami", s wha amk tirelessly nut in to philosophy that ~edi"ation Is all about live are very convenient - Ih back of beyond and I have seen rein in OPPoriuniiy' is what makes it such a innsporml, on systems are so efficient emu, ms saltsfnelion am newaads in gnuaischool. " She makes, he assertion. the shops are open until late at inigh, - hair lines mulep than tore! followed herinteresis in reba, ing and BGGS. Thi will ate the fom of e- ner where Ih, F reeling of rantily has iaiives. my husband has even come of the early annual reports in an en wa myI o a universiiyieam which mail eXchange. in Japane\e and prevaile .Th following is therexiof up with"phasewhichprobablys"ms deavour to delemi' e when the Old comprised of the same girls she English. which will allow for he the Principal's toast to The Friend or it all up - he eqLmies FOGG with the Girls' Associaiion stoned, which by debaied with at BOGS in Ihe QDU eXchange of culturel infonnaiion and Girls' Grammar at the 19 dinner Pi, ,e Old Girly Gran, mar, a nice sen- the way. happened 10 be in 1899. bui hopefully strengthen the alliance held at Ih She futon Towers Hotel, limeni that we can think aboui Ihai's another story. i's inIeresting to coinpeiition Brisbane, 19 September As far back as 1874. a band of noie than in spite of the me I' that the in her firs, year at university between Ihe two schools "11iq a great pleasure to welcome dedicated men and I say men. ridvis- headmisiresse were veritable dicin- Recently Rebeccn hn\ helped the she was elecied to Ihe Student Faculty students creaie a video production for you all here this evening at Ihis our rots. and did not Union as Aris to unh annual FriendsofGirls' Groin- Representaiive. a most creditable their Grammar counierparts brook interferenee students are mar Dinner. The con, fibuiion 11ni so achieve meni for a first year Naturally. the Japan from any quader many maken onlythioughF, Ie, ,ds they did appear to curious aboui life in our school and student A1 UQ Rebecc" was also actively society and Rebecca hopsihe projeci but in many other areas. is greatly appreciate, heneed invulvedinihe United Nations SIudcn, is suppi, ried by the Girls' Grammar appreciated by IheBoad ofTrusiees' nipa, enials"pusri and myself as School Principal for the school. in Associaiion us its Vice President. This students rind develops rapidly "mis very pleasing losee so many For anyone interested in learning fuel. Miss Fewings was a group which discussed issues in inICrna. ional Relations. Being a more about Rebecca. or the school here this evening represeniing wari- sewed the seeds of <1udeni of Poliiical Science. this was and slitieiy in which he is so ac, ively ous facets of schoollire and knowing what was in the Iu naturnlly an area of particular inletsi involved. Ihe In 10rnei addre s is that an IC" I once a year the school lure 10 beeo the inch4chu inter link. Drip and any family can meei logeiher in a very PandFatihesame for Rebi, cca As a VCIunieer, Rebeccn Irnined correspondence would be warmly pleasaniand social atmosphere limeaS sireencour forTAFE"salutorinli, erucy, eaching. accepted and much tipplerin, ed The conttibu, 10n from Iheyoung agedihe ronintion women who are presently members in the future Rebecca intends or the Old Girls' Coming front whai she saw as a to further her discoveries of other oro"rsiudenrbodyis Ihe highlighio Association privileged educational background this runeiion and reminds us of our "How limes Rebecca Ib"rid Ihe fact Ihai over one cullures and hopes to live in Europe million Australians are il", erute to be for an extended period mison d eire havechanged! W 'Focussing on Th, FFie, ,ds of now lake for Career wise. she would like to "asro, fishing". She, hereforeinvolved grunted Ihe value Girls' Granm, "r. however. I would hersei in tutoring students from Non- set up her own company based on of support of both English speaking backgrounds. as well Ihe themes of languages and travel. "ke to emphasiseiha, its importance parents'ridltiends in the tire or the school cannoi be as Australian-ham people who had both of which are passionaie of the school. for underestimated. lis aim 10 actively noisucceededin our education system Interests in our modern Rebecc" is obviously a highly promote the education and advance- She explains the type or world there have merit o1 young women through the educa, ion she was involved in as in o1ivaied ach, ever. She has been so many be rig "on a very raw level or grasped all opportunities presented development orsuppor, networks that changes both at a people's every day needs - reading and Is proof Ihat opportunities and encompass present. past and future food labels, going 10 Ihe bank. inIeresis fostered at Grammar can me, thers of Ihe schoolcommunity is edly. handed together toriisefunds for social and organisational level Ihai w the foundation orwhatweknowwas to would be very unwise to ignore Ihe writing a birthday card to a loved lead directly 10 pathways for later 10 be appl"uded "11 is indeed refreshing to bow become the first purely secondary valuabl input Iha groups such as We may be sitting in lire o ne. Rebecca found the experience of classroom now, bun who knows that it focuses on promoting good schoolforgirlsin Austinlia. Orcourse. Friends of Girls ' Grammar can give being pan of Ihe volunteer progmm where these will lake us in the will and fellowship. developing links innhosedays, it was not acceptablefor betweenouralumni, othersupporiers women to lake such a public role in Con, in"edp"ge 7 most rewarding and her involvement future? ueensland ' s rural medical however, Ihat "OPPor, uniiy is non living in Tokyo there is everything enough; it needs 10 be accompanied you could possibly need and much. with an environmeni that us rosinve much more. ' e Friends of Girls' Gram- and students of the school. lineugh such mallets. but I am s that if this Rebecca\ ingighi 10 Ihe Japanese martsan organisation whosegrow- mentoring an neiworking and that it had been the inner. the wives would and in the cas or women. an basineantthnta"men. ie interested in cherishing our Iradi- have been in therelobbying with gov- mssu, philosophy o their equality writh and interacting in at least twenty hers of the school rently past and lions. so that future generalions can eminent. just as strongly as their hus. present are able to meet and eel- apprecia, Ih panthat this schoolhas bands were. 10 ensurethar, heir thudi- men. " To her Cmnunar also provided Japanese households Rebeccai< cuntnily mrh process ebra, e their association with our played in Ihe development o educa- terseould be givenihe sameopponuni- ju\ Ihai and she believes this is what school lion in Austinlia and the wider world. lies as Iheir colts of setting up an into meI eXchange makes it a truly glen, school 'Reneciing on these aims and ob- Each year Friends has held a din- After Ieavin" Gininmar Rely, cca belween her Japanese chool and "The other, tightlwas, eadingsome environment which 's based on a cullute has been obtained from living

Pade6 GRAMMAR GAZEl're, Term 4 1'996