About carlitaedwardo
The Wattle pom pom is a burst of smaller flowers making up the whole
I'm Carlita to my new friends and this year has been extremely busy for me in terms of travel.
My usual job is teaching at a college where the social demographics are very low. I help teenagers to a second chance at finishing their basic high school education. My other group of students are mature aged adults who have been disengaged in academia or the workforce. I help them have a sense of achievement by completing to the same basic high school level and empower them to engage in the workforce or further education.
But this year travel has beckoned me during my off-class time.
I was part of a small group who went to Xai Xai - Mozambique - to help the community repair orphans' houses, finish a church and provide some essential items not readily available there (books, pencils, clothes, shoes).
I made several trips to Melbourne and liaised with the student community there and chased the hot air balloons for the sunrise shoot. Failed, so another trip is in the air.
I've made one trip to Long Island - more liaison with a student - and will be making another in mid December. Not looking forward to the sandflies, but will take Bushmans this time.
Currently I'm sitting in Rawai the most southern and still relatively non touristy part of Phuket, Thailand. I here looking for stories and images to take back to my students for next year's journalism classes. The FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour is on and I'm getting images and interviews for the students to edit. Over the next three weeks I'll be visiting schools here, talking to locals and expats and collecting their stories and experiences for my students to work on.
But who am I? I thought I knew but every time I step into a village, town, country which is not as developed as my hometown/country I give thanks for the blessings I have and wonder how my presence can help; Help either the people I interact with away from 'home' or those back in my home of Australia.
My work is not yet complete and I will continue to travel and tell their stories either in written form or visually. I do not get paid to travel or tell their stories. I am a sociologist and therefore I learn everyday I interact with others.
My background is in literature but I have purchased a DSLR and have taken to learning how to capture atmosphere and culture, not just take pictures, to tell their story.
I hope you like my gallery. I also upload to Flickr and have been doing photo a day project at 365project.org/misshcuff too.
My Travel Map:
