Dear readers,
How are you?
Thank God I’m good, after the bad weather issues last week. It’s been
unpredictable weather –ever (!) in here.
It started last Monday, the rain poured down and didn’t stop, I was
dripping wet cycling home at those days, (Monday and Tuesday). Luckily,
on Wednesday, I’ve got a lift to school, so I didn’t have to cycling wet
home again.. However, the rain didn’t stop, not even a second, since
that day.
On Wednesday afternoon, I was so busy preparing the lesson for next
week, packing to Coffs Harbour to attend the Language Conference,
already booked my accommodation, too! I thought it was like in Bali,
when the rain comes, we just did an usual activity, rain doesn’t matter
at all... I worked until late to make sure everything prepared, when I
went to bed, the rain still pouring plus the wind..
On Thursday morning, my home stay parents were very busy, they woke me
up by worried voices, the phone rang so loud, I just did not have any
idea what happen that day. I just prepared myself to go to school—Just
the time when I wanted to call my home stay parent to get a lift- of
course.. She told me “I’m not going to school today.” and I
said “Why? What’s happening, it’s only rain..?” She sighed and told
me; “You better turn on your TV and watch the news now, and call your
teacher at school” I was a bit shocked. I called my supervisor,directly and she said “Oh,dear, I’m not going to school today—
you better not too..” Then I started a bit panicked. “Oh, my God, what
happen??” then she told me that in her place, she had no
electricity, lot of trees fell down, and flood just started. She also
told me that the conference in Coffs Harbour maybe postponed or
cancelled. On that day, I didn’t go to school and check my e-mail,
contacted my supervisor in Sydney about the up-date news, and also my
friends because we already paid the accommodation!!
Later that day, I’ve got some news from Sydney, that the conference was
postponed. My friends told me that the wind already blew some of the
hotel’s roof and flood just came into his door in his place (in Byron
Bay), he’s got no electricity, too.. Oh God, I’ve been so lucky, because
my home stay parents built their house in a very high place (a very safe
place from the flood)- and we’ve got electricity. I still got some food
left too, so again we were very--very LUCKY. I kept watching the news
on TV, and the situation was not getting better. In Queensland—Gold
Coast (near the place I used to live) already covered by flood,
everything was brown, everything was covered with water. Even at night,
I got shocked because my place (Mullumbimby) was in the National News
(it was on SBS) and claimed to be a “disaster zone..” (Oh Noooo..!!!) I
saw the street around my school on TV and it
was all covered with water, about 1 meter (or more) high.
I just prayed that the rain will stop immediately—nothing else I could
do that day.
On Friday, finally the sun shines sooo bright!! Thank God for that!
However, the flood was moving, there was news in the radio that all
schools in North Coast New South Wales were closed due to weather and
flood issues- everybody told me this never happened before! On that day,
my home stay parents took me to Byron Bay, and I saw the waves were very
huge, the wind blew so fast, and there were some places which still
covered with water, I saw some cars with water inside it, some houses
lost their roofs... I just grateful for being safe here! There were
many people in the city; they’ve been moved from their place, because
they had no electricity and food, too. The rain was pouring down again
later at the weekend, too. But, no more floods in Mullumbimby, the flood
went to other places, such as Lismore, Kempsey and Coffs Harbour (!).
Until today, the news of flood in Queensland and North Coast NSW still
on the TV news, there was one man died in Queensland, and many people
got their home destroyed by the flood... In the other hand, the weather
(here, in Mullumbimby) is getting better and better since yesterday.. –
that’s great!
I just write this e-mail to tell you that I’m safe and sound, get back
to work today, it feels good. :)
Malaeluca Road, Mullumbimby
NSW --- Wed, 27th May 09
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