When The Babies Leave

I am 23 and don't have any children. I have

been looking after Joanna & Timothy now for a few years. I spend 98% of my time with them. I wake up and spend the day with them. I have lunch with them. I play with them. I work with them. After work I hang out with them. We watch T.V together, read together, swim together, drive together. We basically do everything together.The only time in a day when I am really alone is when im asleep. I guess you could say now, after 3 years they are very much like my own children.

My whole life now revolves around Jo. To be honest I cant imagine my day with out her in it. So now comes the question- What happens when the babies grow up and leave? I guess all parents are faced with this question at some stage in their life. Although- I am not a parent. I did not spend 13 years raising them. And I certainly didn't have

to pay for them the past 13 years. And on another plus side I didn't have to give birth to them.

I cant even begin to imagine how parents that live on cattle stations feel when the time comes for boarding school. I guess its all part of life living in the bush. You come to accept the fact that Boarding school is the next option. But parents keep working. Seeing their children every holidays, boarders long week ends & if you are really lucky surprise visits in the middle. But what happens to the Govie?

I am very lucky in the fact that I get on extremely well with the family that I work for. I have taken on Anna as

my home. But I sit there and wonder... what will I do next year when Joanna leaves? I could go and work on another station as a Govie. But I don't know if I could do that. I could work in the yards and muster. But I believe I am far to sensitive for that. As soon as some one yells at me- I break down in to tears. You think after 3 years in the

Kimberly I would be able to handle that. But I cant.

I am now at a cross roads in my life as to what to do next.

Until Next Time & I work out what to do next!

Krissy

Wednesday.Life as a Govie.

A typical Wednesday for me consists of school, cleaning, writing and if im lucky a bit of a trip to the yards or around the station. I like to have a change!

This Wednesday however is pretty normal! I woke up at 6.45 am. And as I am currently living in the same house as Joanna I woke her up too. We both got changed for the day. I am pretty lucky that im not in a formal school room and dont have to wear pretty dresses or put make up on. Instead I can get away with a pair of jeans, a shirt and my hair pulled back in a non flashy pony tail.

Joanna and I then have breaky. If im feeling creative i'll make pancakes or piklets. Other wise its plain old cereal for us. We are normally around the homestead by our selves if mustering is on. So we slowly make our way down to the school room which is about 100 meters away from the house. We set up for the days lessons and make sure that we have nothing out of the ordinary on for the day, and then we sit in front of the computer for Morning Muster.

Morning Muster is a great idea that was started by the school principal last year. Every morning at 7.30 am, the school kids log on to the Muster channel. We all get on there and share news, weather, photos and have a general catch up before school starts. Its such a good idea as the kids feel like they are close together. Its like hanging out in front of the class room before school starts.

Once we have done Muster, Joanna stays on the computer and has a lesson with her year 7 Teacher Mrs Standen. They do a number of things including Maths, English, art and science. Joanna is the only girl in her class this year. But she doesn't let that stop her. She definitely give the boys a run for their money.

We then finish on the computer and do some of her class work. We start with Maths and do that till after smoko. Then move on to English which generally takes us in to the afternoon. We fit lunch in there as well. Once we have finished school we clean up the school room and try and find something else to do.

Some days that's easy. We can go to the yards or for a drive. Other days its hard. You think... wow I really do live in the middle of no where and there is nothing to do. Then you find a job or remember something fun to do. We live right on the 80 mile beach and its nice to go and hang out there. In winter its great you can go and hang out in the Hot Tubs!

Dinner on the station is served every night at 7pm and prepared by the cook. If the boys are still out mustering it may be a bit later. But every one meets at the kitchen at 6.30 or before and just hangs out. Catches up on every one's day, have a beer or just watch some T.V.

So that's a typical day as a Govie on Anna Plains. But tomorrow could be different all together! ! Stay tuned!

Heywire Winning Entry

Imagine living three hours from a town. Three hours if there is an emergency. Three hours from a pub. Three hours. Well I live three hours away from all of these things. I live and work on a cattle station in the Kimberley. Three Hours from anything.

Two years ago, I was a swimming teacher in a Queensland mining town, I was paying $500 a week rent and spending a fortune just living. I was always on my phone. I was reliant on technology to get by in everyday life. I would spend $10 on a gossip magazine, which I would read while eating my microwave dinner. Full of protein and toxic goodness. Was this the life I wanted to live?

I needed some direction. I googled and I binged. And I stumbled across a website called governessaustralia.com. I decided to upload my resume, sit back and wait.

I was not prepared for what happened next. Within three days I got over 30 job offers. From all over Australia.

But none of the jobs felt right. Until one day I received a phone call that changed my life.

It was from a woman called Helen, from Anna Plains cattle station, three hours from Broome. She was very polite and got straight to the point. I would be teaching two children School of the Air.

And then she put the children on the phone.

I decided right then that I would take the job.

I had never lived or worked on a cattle station before. Flying across the country, I knew this was going to be a big change. I was so nervous. Words can't explain how I felt that day.

My job turned out to be amazing. It was so fulfilling. Helping two young children learn was truly satisfying. I got to watch them grow and become young adults. They were picking up on my jokes and my sense of humour.

The months past at Anna, and I had slowly come to terms that I no longer had mobile reception. I was reading books instead of watching TV. I was listening to triple j instead of mainstream radio. I was enjoying life!

Two years on, moving here, three hours from anywhere, has been the best thing I had ever done!