On Tuesday night last, just as the students were settling down to
bed, one girl rang me on the duty phone at about 10.30pm to enquire
about "Loydy"! Loydy, is for the uninitiated, a football hero who
was found guilty of a misdemeanour on the field. With the finals coming
up, the matter of whether he was suspended or not assumed great importance
for many people in football mad Victoria.
After informing this girl of the outcome I went about the nightly
routine of checking the village was secure and everyone was in bed
tucked away safe and sound. I retired to bed around midnight in the
duty house for an uneventful nights sleep. As usual I awoke just before
six and turned on the radio and tuned to the ABC for the morning news
only to be confronted with the horror of the profoundly disturbing
terrorists attacks in America.
My reaction was probably similar to yours as one of disbelief. I
sat glued to CNN for the next hour and watched those extraordinary
images time and time again. I could not help thinking I was watching
some Hollywood Disaster Movie, only it was all too real.
The events of the morning certainly make you consider the priorities
you have in life. Is the suspension of a footballer or even the result
of the AFL competition at all important when compared to this unprecedented
tragedy? One can only speculate on what it takes for people to commit
such an act, which I fear, will have repercussions for years to come.
Somehow I don't think the world will ever be the same. A new era of
global politics has begun. 
Our students here were stunned when I told them at the morning meeting
on Wednesday of the events, which had happened in the night. We spoke
of at length of the dramatic images we had all seen and were left
with an empty feeling. Here in Clunes, the events on the other side
of the globe seem so far away. And yet, as I sat with some students
logged into CNN's web site we could see video footage, listen to world
leaders responses and read of the human tragedy literally as it was
happening. Even in quiet little Clunes, we are part of a worldwide
community.
The students go home from Clunes with many memories of their experiences.
The staff also experience much from the students during the eight
weeks they reside here. For me, I had one of those magical moments
on Friday that make teaching and the learning paradigm in Clunes so
rewarding. On the final day of this group being in Clunes one student
came up to me and thanked me for everything the staff had done for
him in the term. The student also wanted to say sorry for being a
little difficult at the start of their stay in Clunes. The gentleness
and the honesty in this student's comments left me quite speechless.
I was very moved by this experience. The knowledge that Clunes has
had a powerful impact on this person was very gratifying.
Robert Marshall
