Today I went back to Monash University.

I visited there recently for a bit of a walk around but this time around, I met up with my good friend of over 37 years, MK who used to study Geology while I studied Chemistry.

Since then, she went into Education (while I had joined the Navy then got into the Corporate world) and still, to this day she continues with academic study recently starting a PhD in the study of the impact of displacement of students (specifically from indigenous communities) in schools impacted by environmental or climate change.

I decided to take the bus to the university as the route was near my house and it would have been cheaper than to park the car on the university grounds. I found the bus travel simple, easy and was surprised at how clean it was. I wondered why I just didn’t use the bus to travel more….🤔

(While being a passenger, we passed some Asian stores in particular, a Japanese cafe and I made a mental note to go there another time to check out).

When I arrived at the Bus Interchange, I marvelled at how everything was so new and clean.

Back in my day, the buses and bus shelters were grotty and graffitied. Everything was well sign posted and convenient.

Before catching up with M, I headed to the Main Library.

There was an exhibition called Hoping Against Hope: 500 Years of Resilience & Resistance through Ukrainian Print Culture that I perused and learned more about this country and its long history of Russian oppression.

I loved the cultural artefacts but also the explanations about the history of the country and how its people strongly held their traditions and art against the communist regime.

I felt I needed to see this exhibition especially at a time when some people around me counter my arguments with disinformation they hear online about Ukraine and Zelenskyy as being the enemies and not Putin. 🙄

If you’re in the vicinity of Monash University, I highly recommend this exhibition.

Afterwards I went to the bookshop and looked at their English Literature section. I haven’t read these books but I will find these at my local library to read and then review them on my Life Lessons From Books YouTube channel.

MK and I walked through the Student Union (now called Campus Centre) and the only place that looked like it was 37 years ago was the old WholeFoods Cafe that looked like a store room and smelt like it did back then. It was a blast from the past.

In the Student Union, I saw a board with the publication “Lot’s Wife”. That was the University magazine that I used to write for. I took a copy and read some articles which frankly, depressed me.

Many of them about suicide, mental health, trauma, dealing with uncertainty, anxiety, personal pronouns. I couldn’t remember this magazine in my time ever mentioning these things.

I hoped that students nowadays haven’t lost hope for the future as they are our future.

I arrived home and found a package on the doorstep. Unwrapping it, I received this new book. It turns out I had won a competition and this was the prize. 🏆

I uploaded a new video about a haul of books I recently bought from Dymocks. Here it is, if interested.