So, as the project got an airfare kindly donated by Cathay Pacific – I didn’t really get to choose when my plane came to New York. So I arrived in New York, 2 weeks before I start at the Aussie Mission to the UN. I decided to look for some work experience in Upstate New York to keep me occupied and out of mischief.

The first thing I found out, is that upstate NY is just a swanky way of saying ‘Up North’ – like Newcastle is Upstate NSW. So for about a week I was based in a place 3 hours from NYC called Amsterdam (no, not THAT Amsterdam), which is near a place called Albany (no, not THAT Albany), near Perth (no, not THAT Perth). When world’s collide!

As a very passionate Child Protection Worker for the Department for Community Development in WA, I went and checked out a whole lot of (what American’s call) not-for-profit (NFP) organizations, as well as hanging out with the young people with who they work. It was an awesome opportunity to share with people the project that has been happening in Australia, as well as share with US young people about what it’s like to be an Aussie young person.

It seems the idea is that the NFP’s fill the gaps that government misses. Indeed, now the Federal and State Governments give grants to NFP’s to do these things. In the town of Schenectady (SKA-NECK-TA-DI…….it took me a while as well), which has a population of 180 000 people – there are over 300 NFP organizations.

I was fantastic to visit so many NFP’s and talk with their staff and young people about the strengths, issues and challenges of working/living in these parts. And despite being on the other side of the world to me, I could see that the passions of workers and young people remain just the same. Global community indeed!

All the stuff I did was hooked up by a brilliant young guy called Ryan. I stayed with him and his wife, Kim. Ryan runs Ryan Baum and Associates, which is a business that supplies administrative assistance for youth agencies. Grant writing and that sort of stuff stuff. A very passionate and inspiring couple of people indeed!

A couple of highlights of the trip up there were:

1) Presenting to kids at McNaulty School of International Studies (a state school that has a larger than usual focus on the world outside the US) and doing (very, very, very bad) didgeridoo workshops with their students. If you imagine 400 kids bouncing around pretending that they’re kangaroos to the beat of a didge – you’ll get an idea of what it was like. Wicked fun!!!!!!
2) Being the ‘guest judge’ at the Fireplug 500 Dog Fashion Show in Schenectady. I kid you not. Kim runs a ‘doggy apparel’ business called Waggin’ Wear, who sponsored the event. There was a casual wear section, a swim wear section, and an evening wear section. I’m serious. Have you ever seen a dog in a bikini, or a tuxedo – WELL I HAVE! Again… I’m being serious. It was lots of fun!

I had such a great time in Upstate New York. It was wonderful to meet and be with such wonderfully welcoming, fun, interesting and interested people. They were all so interested in Australian young people and their voices.