I had found out that one of my employment agencies had a contract for the Australian War Memorial jobs and I told them that I would be willing to go for almost anything that was offered there. I went for an interview last week for an administration/database roll and didn't get offered that one. I was disappointed but to be quite honest, the role didn't sound that interesting but I thought it would be a foot in the door. On Friday (my last day at the Tax Office), I got a phone call from the agency telling me that there was another job going as a curatorial assistant. I nearly fell of my chair because I was so excited. I urged them to put me forward and then I got a phone call back in the afternoon saying I had an interview on Monday. The interview went brilliantly with them telling me 'it will be great to work with you', that afternoon I was rung and told I had the job. I started the next day. It was fantastic. I catalogued maps and sorted through new donations. I am going to love it and who would have thought I would actually use my historial archaeology degree? I'm so excited.

[knee is so much better, thanks everyone. It's probably as good as it can be at the moment - it's had two operations so not sure what 'normal' is. I'm riding my bike to and from work to build up its strength and we will see how it goes].

Anyway, I landed in a crumbled heap on the sidewalk. Two people who were waiting at the traffic lights immediately turned around to help me. When the shock had passed, I tried to tell them what had happened and then I started to cry. One of the ladies offered me a tissue or hankerchief and on finding she had none, set off to the supermarket across the road to buy some for me. I almost felt I could stand by the time she had returned with a full box of tissues. I offered to pay but she kindly said "don't be silly". I pulled a tissue out, dried my tears and got them to help me stand up. The other lady then let me use her as a walking aid and took me all the way back to work which was at least 2 blocks away. I thanked her profusely but she kept on assuring me that it was "on her way". On arriving back at work, I called the first aid officer on duty who put ice on, bound it up and helped me back to my desk where I elevated it for the afternoon.

It's feeling a bit better now but I just thank God for my Good Samaritans.

I am performing the role of 'The Soul' in Hildegard's Ordo Virtutum tonight and Sunday night. It's an interesting sing and very different from what I usually do.

Rehearsals have started for the Handel Choir's charity concert. It will take place on the 9th of August and will raise money for Ghana Health and Education Initiative

Other than that, I have just finished my first semester of my Graduate Diploma of Education. I did really well in one of my courses and not so great in the other. After completing my exam I came to the realisation that I am much more interested in the history aspect than the teaching aspect and so I might change my course to a Graduate Diploma in Museum Studies. Something which will interest me alot but is probably just as practical as my honours degree in archaeology. It's something to think about over the next couple of weeks.

On Tuesday I had a fabulous day. It started when I went to the train ticket window to ask what was the best pass to buy and he looked beside him and said 'what can I give you?' and gave me a $35.00 red travelpass for free! Then when I got home from choir, I checked my email and found out that I had won a competition. I had entered the competition that Pinchgut Opera had in their newsletter. I won a 'Semele' t-shirt which seems highly appropriate. I emailed them back thanking them and telling them that they inspired me to start the Handel Choir and now they are going to post my story in their newsletter which is exciting. I feel really blessed when nice things happen like that. I constantly acknowledged my blessings when I was travelling overseas.

I'm now just trying to finish off my assignment which is due tomorrow.

It was my nephew's first ride on the train (as far as my sister can remember...):

Me in the crowd (which numbered 60,000 apparently). I never did manage to 'seek' the correct radio station to listen to the commentary:

My brother with his 'flying' contraption the 'bogan' moth:

My brother preparing for 'take-off':

It was entertaining but didn't fly very far (if at all). It almost nose-dived straight off the jetty and landed upside down.

The last month has been filled with getting my head around university (again), and settling back into Australian life. It's been nice spending time with my little nephew.

Celebrating his mother's birthday by trying to drink out of her glass:

A thoughtful day at the beach:

5 months and now two teeth:

First I sang my 'prepared' piece which was fine. Then I had to do a little exercise that he gave me that I had to put up a semitone until he said enough and then down a semitone (to test my range). Then came the toughy, he gave me a Dowland piece of music and the first note and told me to sing it the way I thought it should be (notes, rhythm etc.). By the way, all of this audition was unaccompanied so no help there. I got through the song and then he told me that the thing about sight-reading is to be able to quickly fix mistakes so he told me this 'b' should have been a flat etc. I then had to sing it again. My goodness. Anyway, I must have done alright because he let me into the choir.

I am finding it challenging, in a good way. I have already missed a month of rehearsals and have only been brought in to replace an alto that is unable to make this first concert so therefore I probably will not have a place after that but it is going to be a great experience for me up until that point.

The world will miss such a loving, funny, beautiful person. I feel lucky to have gotten to know her through singing and to have shared that experience with her.

Please pray for her family and for the arrangements to get her back home for the funeral.

Here are some photos of Marrakech and the surrounding areas:

The gateway to the Medina (and to my accommodation).

A spice stall.

Huge plant boxes?

Me and my friends the storks who nested around the old city walls.

Look closely, these are actually antennas, not palm trees.

Carpets, carpets, lovely, lovely carpets.

Decoration on a door in the Jewish quarter of Essouira.

Essouira.

The stall where I bought my fresh orange juice every morning.

I had two successive overnight flights. My first flight was to Hong Kong where I was greeted by an Australian friend who entertained me for the day. I had a much needed shower at her apartment and then, not wanting to waste my day, we all headed up the cable car to the giant Buddha:

I boarded my next flight that night but was too excited about going home to really get any worthwhile sleep. I arrived at Sydney airport to be greeted by my parents, my grandmother, my sister and brother, my little nephew and my boyfriend. I was completely exhausted but the adrenaline kept me going for the next few hours, enough time to give out presents. Two days on and my sleep patterns are not quite right since I went to bed at midnight and was wide awake at 6.15am.

I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to go on such an amazing journey and to have to returned safe and well. I also feel very blessed to have met the people that I met along the way and to have received such generosity. Thank you to everybody who fed me and housed me. Whether it was just for a meal, a bed for a night or more, it all made a difference on my trip. I hope that I can be just as generous and giving when I receive visitors here in Australia.