The Transferable Reader and Writer- Bali Days

I have recently returned from three weeks holiday in Bali. The reason I share this fact with you is not to gloat, but rather to reveal how this sweet vacation enabled me to claim reading and writing time. Naturally, the time away provided fun and relaxation with family and friends. Following the coldest winter in 26 years in Melbourne, I was keen to warm my winter bones.

Notebook and reading options on the beach

 There were the usual holiday activities, and I eagerly embraced them, but something I noticed was how easy it was to both read and write across my days in the sun. Once the fog of work ebbed from my mind, I easily settled into the routine of reading and writing in a host of locations. Whether I was on the beach, relaxing in our accommodation, or cruising through cafes in search of a coffee or a cool drink, I was able to also feed the reader and writer within. Quarantining time for these joyful tasks was quite easy to achieve in such an environment.


Often, we are unaware of what reading provides. We just read, immersed in a world of rich print. The words we are reading were written in another place and another time. It gives the reader an historical perspective. While living my life, I can also experience the lives of others.

So as I sat under a large beach umbrella in Legian, Bali, reading Anson Cameron’s memoir, ‘Boyhoodlum’ I was transported back in time to Shepparton, Victoria in the 1960’s. I left my immediate world for another one. That’s the power of reading. All that was happening in my head and everyone around me remained oblivious to my reading journey. My reading provided relief and escape. It fed my writing. When I needed to refresh, I was able to amble into the surf, before recommitting to more of the same. What a great routine. 


And as I read, my mind was also entertained with writing possibilities. Across the days I slipped easily between reading and writing. My desire to read and write did not waiver. The mood was right and the conditions ideal.

The reading I did inspired action.  There remained much sustenance for such deeds. I rose each morning at 6.30 am and walked for an hour before the heat of the day took hold. The streets were quiet and the tide was low and there was much to see. I used this time to rehearse for writing, not escape it. I organized my thoughts, bandied words and ideas in my mind, and made close observations of my surroundings. I took photos and shot short videos to further support my thinking. Following breakfast, I sat and wrote in the tranquil surrounds of our accommodation. The words flowed across my notebook pages with ease. My notebook is a travelling companion.




I collected artefacts and ephemera during my Bali visit, pasting them across my notebook pages and writing around them. I left spaces for the photographs I would insert upon my return.  I have come home with collected treasure. These memories form songs in my mind. They will sing to me in the days ahead.




My one regret across my time was contained in a conversation I had with a young boy who was also holidaying in Bali. As he watched me living as a reader, I inquired as to what he was reading and he replied, ‘It’s the holidays.’ By inference I gained the strong impression he considered reading and holidays as mutually exclusive experiences. His response saddened me somewhat. His perception of reading was that it was a school activity and not something you would choose to participate in recreationally, or for personal growth. 

When kids develop such beliefs, it means their schools have failed to grow the essential understanding that reading and writing are not just for school, but exist well beyond the classroom. Physical activity and intellectual activity should be able to thrive alongside each other.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular With Other Visitors

Writing Opposite Poems

Image
 O pp o s ite  P oem s In his book, ' How To Write Poetry,'  Paul Janeczko presents the idea of opposite poems. Paul suggests they could also be referred to as antonym poems. This is wordplay and it's fun to try. Here are some examples Paul provides to help us see very clearly how these short little poems work. I think the opposite of chair Is sitting down with nothing there What is the opposite of kind? A goat that butts you from behind Paul Janeczko You will  notice the poems are written in rhyming couplets. They can be extended so long as you remember to write in couplets. Paul shows us how this is done. What is the opposite of new? Stale gum that's hard to chew A hot-dog roll as hard as rock Or a soiled and smelly forgotten sock You might notice that some of Paul's opposite Poems begin with a question. The remainder of the poem answer the question posed. Opposite poems are a challenge, but it is a challenge worth trying. Not every thing has a
Read more

Writing About Reading - Reading Reflection Journals:

Image
UPDATED February 2022 Writing in response to literature can be a great way for students to organize their thoughts, explore what they think, and generate ideas. One of the strengths of writing in journals is that it allows students to capture all of those great ideas that generally float off into the air during the discussion.  Journal writing can also become drudgery if students are asked to write too often, given little choice or inspiration in what to write, or if they simply don't have anything to say. While some students eagerly share their impressions about selections they have read in class discussions, others are less comfortable and keep their thoughts to themselves. In an effort to encourage all students to think more about what they read and confidently share their observations and opinions, some teachers are turning to the reading reflection journal and are gaining insights they never anticipated.  The Value of Reflection Journals   Journals assist teachers to gain i
Read more

Learning How to 'Zoom In' When Writing

Image
It is important for young writers to understand that not all parts of a story are equal. There are parts through which a writer moves quickly, and important parts where the writer slows down and lingers a while. This is where the writer might intensify the action or reveal the character’s reactions in greater detail. Young writers need to know that this is a deliberate strategy on the part of the author. The author consciously zooms in. The writer uses a magnifying glass to view a part of the story more closely; to focus on a moment and to slow down time. When an important part of the story is enlarged upon, it   is a signal to the reader, that this part of the story is important. The strategy of ‘zooming in’ goes by many names: ‘exploding a moment’ ‘magnifying a moment’, ‘hotspot’ ‘snapshot’, ‘adding detail’ or ‘slowing the action.’  What ever the name, the idea is the same. The author writes in a way that expands a significant part of the story with the intention of drawing t
Read more

Answering Questions Posed by Young POETS

Image
UPDATED, May 2020 As a frequent visitor to schools I have the great pleasure of working with groups of young, enthusiastic poets and their teachers. When I arrive in a classroom, young poets are often pre-loaded with questions, and most keen to have them answered.  I try to answer as many as I can, but we frequently run out of time, and the poetry caravan moves on to the next classroom. So I am here to answer some of those questions -right here, right now. So here goes: When you were little did you love writing? The short answer is yes. I have always enjoyed words and language. I can't recall a time when I wasn't doing some kind of writing. When did you write your first poetry book? I have had poems published over the years, but it wasn't until 2014 that I had an entire book of poems (an anthology) published. When I looked back through all my notebooks I realized I had hundreds of poems from which to choose. So, 'Searching For Hen's Teeth-Poetry From The
Read more

Slice Of Life Story-The Trials Of A Left Handed Writer

Image
Amazingly I learnt to write using my left hand. An achievement against the prevailing beliefs of the day. My very first teacher saw it as her mission in life to ‘fix’ the poor, wretched little boy suffering from what she clearly diagnosed as left handed disease. She must have thought, 'This child must be re formatted! If he remains left handed he will be forever condemned to writing in a scrawl that no one will be able to read. Ugly hand, ugly hand.' ...They tried to say it couldn't be done, it mustn't be done. They took the pencil out of my left hand and placed it in my right hand. It felt unnatural. It felt weird. It was not right. More to the point it was not left. I was not about to conform. At least they didn't try tying my hand behind my back. Watch me I said. I may be an oddball, left handed scribbler but I am a determined oddball. I mean how boring would the world be if everyone wrote with their right hand? So I dug my toes in –and my hands to
Read more