CATALYST
ANNA HARRINGTON SUMMER SPORT When it comes to playing sport, I’m very much a jack of all trades and master of none. These days I put my spectating abilities to good use through writing about sport.
CALVIN CHONG CHEAP & PLENTY I’m a food lover (a typical Asian stereotype) and I’m aiming for a career in top fashion and lifestyle magazines like Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair.
CHLOE SESTA JACOBS INDEPENDENT CINEMA Writing and film are my passions and I am obsessed with all things Russian. I’m also a vegetarian and have a not so secret love for (most!) reality television.
HANNAH REEKIE HOMETOWN V. CITY LIVING I’m in my second year of the BA Creative Writing course, majoring in screenwriting and coffee drinking.
JACK CRANE COLLEGE CORRESPONDENT Jack has nicked off to the US with the primary goal of providing RMIT students with a true and accurate account of all things live-music on the west coast (also to study, apparently).
JOSH FAGAN THE ART OF NONKRONG & CO-EDITOR Abandoned the Catalyst office to go interning in Indo. Has developed a penchant for wearing batik shirts.
Kat mahina gig guide Things about me: I love beer, I love music and I love Pie Face and the three go together very well
KATE O'CONNELL VOLUNTEERING IN HAITI Kate divides herself between travelling the globe, putting her journalism skills (and American boyfriend) to good use, and acing The Age trivia quiz.
lana wilson do you love your job? I currently reside in Lanaland – one of quirky languages and bizarre words that you may or may not find in the English dictionary.
LAURA JAMES book review Before embarking on yet another year of media study, I’ve decided to use my critical powers for good, not evil. This is my first contribution to Catalyst.
pavita Sangruengkit angel of the north Pavita is hopelessly involved with RMITV and Channel 31 where she puts her Media degree to excellent use.
sam van sweden book review I’m a poet, short-story writer, reviewer, blogger and student and I perform regularly at local spoken word and poetry events.
sarah carroll
ted o'connor pubs guide Hailing from the picturesque Victorian countryside, you’ll recognise him by his frequently donned rugby shirt and scruffy hair.
yellow knickers in peru
I have spent my whole life living in Melbourne, but I secretly love Tasmania where I spend most of my summers on the East Coast.
tim kennedy college correspondent Tim is relaying tales of life at an East Coast college in America for Catalyst this year.
SURVIVAL GUIDE
1 2 3
Asian Food Decent Pubs
traVeL GUIDE
Live music
College Correspondents in the US
Uni Job profiles
Travel with what you know
City Vs. Counrty
Newcastle’s Angel of the North
Cheap flicks
Yellow knickers in Peru
RUSU info
The art of Nonkrong
regulars Reviews Sport
message from the president
Whatup, This is the first edition of Catalyst, RMIT’s flagship magazine produced solely by students, for students. I was one of the main contributors for the magazine last year, and here I am now, the President of a phenomenal organisation. When writing for Catalyst I’ve interviewed bands like Queens of the Stone Age, seen comedy shows with mates and listened to CDs before they’ve come out. RUSU produces Catalyst, apart from also producing countless good times and standing up for your rights at uni. 2011 is going to be RUSU’s biggest year yet, so make sure you ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and feel free to come by our offices to find out how you can get involved. We also run weekly free barbeques with free beer, so I expect so see every one of you there, no excuses! This year get on board, contribute to the magazine and you might too become the President of something. Just don’t take my job. Enjoy the magazine, and your time at RMIT this year.
David Swan
RMIT Student Union President
' Well, Catalyst has had its hair done. And a makeover. And had a little taken in around the waist and a little let at the bust. Its nose is slightly smaller and it’s had work done on the ol’ cottage cheese thighs. Basically you hold before you a completely rejuvenated publication with renewed vigour and a sense of purpose. The editorial team on the other hand is driven by slightly divergent motives: Joshua Fagan is driven by legacy. Other than liaising with printers, advertisers and wearing a cheap polyester suit on demand – he will campaign tirelessly to win a set of bunk beds for the Catalyst office – an achievement he will remember to his grandchildren as he demonstrates how to walk elegantly in sweaty, synthetic dacks. Annabel Smith, having performed aesthetic surgery on this burgeoning mag, will take a commanding hold of design and layout – and that’s not all. She also aims to be the world’s first woman to design six editions of a magazine single handedly: That is she’ll be holding a lovely chintz teacup in the other for the majority of the time.
Jane Vashti Ryan calls herself the Contributions editor. Because that’s what she is. And what would a day in the Catalyst office be with out a broad smattering of offensive language, phone calls punctuated with hand gestures, the odd emission of explosive laughter and a desk littered with tobacco and Thai food? It would be less chaotic – but then, Catalyst would also be quite a bit less published. Together, this band of three will bring you six editions of this fine RUSU flagship publication throughout the year. Next month we’ll bring you a “Seen & Heard” extravaganza that’ll explore film, creative arts and fashion in Melbourne. We’re always keen to hear from peeps with an itchy pen-pushing finger, so drop us a line with any ideas for contributions you might have – or just come down to the office next to RUSU on the city campus. Meanwhile, happy reading, and we hope this issue sets you straight on where to drink, eat, watch, listen and drink. Cheers,
Jane, Josh & Annabel CONTACT: Contributions Editor: Jane Vashti Ryan jane.ryan@rmit.edu.au
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catalyst's survival guide to melbourne town FOOD, FLICKS PUBS, JOBS & GIGS
independent cinemas Chloe Sesta Jacobs
Keen on film but tight on cash? Or just not sure where to go to catch your favourite film noir flick on the big screen? Never fear, this guide to the best independent cinemas in Melbourne will send you in the right direction!
cinema nova Lygon Street, Carlton $6 Monday Movies
Carlton’s Nova Cinema is home to a plethora of brilliant local and international independent film, as well as a selection of highly acclaimed general releases, not to mention 3D gems. This fifteen-cinema wonderland is just a short walk from RMIT. Let’s not forget the cheap Mondays at Nova, where all tickets are just $6 before 4pm and a mere $9 afterwards. Nova is also home to special events, such as Meet the Filmmaker sessions, showing international film festivals and other treats. Keep an eye on their website (www.cinemanova.com.au) so you don’t miss out!
It is indeed possible to see a movie for merely $6 in the city. astor theatre Chapel Street, St Kilda $9 Double Feature Wednesdays
An architecturally splendid cinema built in the 1930s; The Astor shows an extremely diverse range of film, from contemporary to the most obscure. Look out for Wicked Wednesdays (selected weeks only), when tickets are $9 – often for a double feature! Otherwise students pay $13 per film, but if you think The Astor is the cinema for you, it might be worthwhile to grab a 10-movie pass for $110. With seating capacity of over 1,500 you will almost never miss out on that film you’re dying to see. Don’t forget to grab a calendar of the upcoming films while you’re there – it’ll look great on your bedroom wall!
acmi
Federation Square $6 Tickets week round ACMI or The Australian Centre for the Moving Image, is unique. It screens a wide range of films, most of them not on offer at other cinemas throughout Melbourne.It prides itself on showing a diverse range of film through festivals and regular screenings. The upcoming screening of the silent film The Water Magician (1933), with a live accompaniment of narration should be a knock-out! Tickets are reasonably priced, depending on the film you are seeing. The cheapest on offer is a mere $6, with the average price of around $11.
melbourne cinemateque
Screened at ACMI, Federation Square $95 Annual Membership- A movie a week! The Melbourne Cinematheque is an organisation dedicated to showing independent and international film. Run by volunteers, it’s not-for-profit and relies on the support of members equally passionate about film. Located at ACMI, screenings take place on Wednesdays at 7pm. The Cinematheque is a must for film buffs. You can either pay $24, getting you admission to four consecutive Wednesday nights, or $95 – an annual membership.Head to their website to have a peek at their program. (www.melbournecinematheque.org)
palace cinema High Street, Westgarth
Though mostly showing independent cinema, Westgarth Cinema does branch out to show mainstream movies as well. Westgarth doesn’t have any discount-friendly days, but don’t let this put you off. As a full time student, you’ll be paying just short of $15 per ticket, much nicer than going to a multiplex! Keep your eye out for the film festivals at Palace Wesgarth, such as the 2011 Alliance Francaise French Film Festival coming up in March.
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Don Don,
Calvin Chong
Corner Swanston & Little Lonsdale
Walk down Swanston Street and you’ll come across an obscure run down little shop with an unnoticeable sign. Welcome to Don Don, one of the cheapest places to eat in Melbourne. It’s a Japanese restaurant that specialises in Bentos (Japanese lunch boxes). Their meals vary from fried chicken with rice – Katsudon – to beef with rice – Gyudon. The price for a regular sized meal starts at $6. The portion is plenty for someone with a normal appetite, sometimes with a little left over! The quality of fare is above average according to most customers and based on the number of customers, during peak hours - they’re not wrong! Tip: Don’t eat in the store; always have a take away pack as the store is quite hot and stuffy and the State Library lawns are just across the road. Calvin Chong tucking in
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Dessert House 313 Swanston St
3
Nelayan 265 Swanston St
Now, head slightly further down Swanston Street to Dessert House, for Hong Kong café-style Chinese fast-food.
You won’t miss the giant cartoon fish on this shop front –Nelayan means fisherman, hence the fish.
Chinese fast-food basically means white or fried rice with a dish (mostly meat) or stir-fried noodles.The price range for this gem is around $9 - $11, depending on the dish - and the portions are huge!
This joint comes highly recommended by Indonesians themselves, which has made it pretty famous, and their dishes are extremely cheap: from $3 to $6.
Tip: Make sure you visit it during lunch hours from 11.30 am to 3 pm for the lunch deals that always includes their specialty, the salt and pepper chicken with fried rice – a delicacy you must try.
Most patrons might order two or three dishes to takeaway and have a little bit of each for the next couple of meals. This might just be the cheapest way to eat in Melbourne! Tip: Order a takeaway dish and cook your own rice at home to save a penny or two.
Little Lonsdale
LONSDALE
Little Bourke
BOURKE
Little Collins
COLLINS
Flinders Lane
FLINDERS
SWANSTON RUSSELL chom chom cafe
4
188 Bourke St
Chom Chom boasts more than 200 different, authentic Singaporean and Malaysian delicacies - from carrot cakes, fried Kuey Teow, soy chicken rice to Rojak (a mixed vegetable and fruit dish with spicy and sour sauce). It’s a must for the South East Asian enthusiast. Tip: A good sized portion of soy chicken with rice costs a mere $7.30 and a nice pot of Bak-Kut-Teh (pork ribs in broth) just $10.
5
Kim Sing Restaurant
Port Phillip Arcade, Flinders St
Kim Sing Restaurant is tucked into the quiet Port Phillip Arcade right across Flinders Station, a few stores from the Young and Jackson Hotel. It’s famous for its sweet and sour pork, black pepper beef and lemon sauce chicken – all served with white rice. But the best thing about this place is the price. Everything on the menu cost from $6 to $8 with a large serve. And there you have it. I reckon this will benefit students from all walks of life. So get out and enjoy these five fabulous ‘cheap and plenty’ Asian restaurants in the city of Melbourne.
WATERING holes 2
pugg mahone’s 125 Elgin Street, Carlton
Ted O’Connor In Melbourne there’s a place to go out for everyone. You might hit the town to see how many $10 jugs you can destroy, before ending up arm in arm with 14 people you’ve never met, singing John Farnham at the top of your lungs. Then again you could slip into some skinny black jeans, drink cocktails and discuss new alternative bands and trends only four people living on Smith Street are aware of. Whatever your tastes, when us students come to live in Melbourne we are united by our lack of money. The dazzling yellow of a 50 in our wallet is as rare as a boutique beer in our hand. Fear not! Melbourne has catered for our type for many years and is still doing a fine job today. Therefore I will present a roundabout list of the establishments I’ve found cheap, fruitful and a touch raucous, as well as those best tasted just once.
DAN O’CONNELL’S
1
225 Canning Street, Carlton
My dear favorite. The only pub in Melbourne where I’ve witnessed a barmaid being crowd surfed - something I won’t forget in a hurry. On Thursdays they have One-Dollar Tacos and Five Dollar Pints: a magnificent evening, because the only way to cope with a spicy taco is to have a liberal sip of beer with every bite. Some nights can be peaceful with just five people left being amiably philosophical around the bar at closing time, others it can be a recreation of the sacking of Rome by the Visigoths, but whatever the case the barman Toby is the friendliest chap one could ever meet.
It’s a tacky Irish franchise with none of Dan’s charm, but a week’s worth of profitable drink deals and a healthy smattering of inebriated students, mean enjoyment comes swiftly and easily. The band that plays on Tuesday’s do a rousing “Hey Jude” at the end of each night, that always warms my heart like a baked potato.
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TURF CLUB 1 Flemington Road, North Melbourne
Monday nights at the Turf: They throw a weeks worth a human spirit and endeavor into this one night a week, with 10 dollar jugs and one dollar champagnes for the girls. Fellas needing a spot of inspiration to chat up a young lass can enjoy the drink specials while the expansive beer garden provides an excellent habitat for Gary Ground-Work. The end result is usually a sweaty hooliganesque dance floor.
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the toff in town 2/252 Swanston Street
I should probably mention the recent popularity of The Toff in Town Love Story night on Thursdays.In many ways it’s better than some of the places I just mentioned, with trendier music, intriguing smoke and lights on the dance floor and cool booths for general chit chat - just the sort of place when where being a bit pretentious is a positive thing. However, prepare to shell out the HECS fees when you pay for a stubby and don’t even approach a cocktail with out selling your car. But fear not - because it opens at eleven there’s plenty of time to prepare your blue-steel face for the bouncers and knock a few back at home. You will appreciate the McDonalds over the road at the end of the night.
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PRINCE ALFRED HOTEL 191 Grattan St, Carlton
The dance floor is known for it’s promiscuity and playing You’re the Voice by John Farnham at the end of the night. This is preceded by characteristically horrendous music, engineered to attract wayward souls to the dance floor (think Ke$ha). The first time you go will always be the best and then it’s all down-hill from there.
perseverance 196 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Perseverance is the Prince Alfred’s Ed Hardy C.U.B (Cashed Up Bogan) cousin that has somehow found a home on Brunswick St, among clubs brimming with trendies and has pulled in throngs of students for years. The line up’s bigger than Centrelink, so by the time you get in pray the pre-drink’s have still got you in fine form. And if you’re a music snob be prepared to do some shots in order to embrace the DJ.
now for something completely different... If you’re new to Melbourne, those are the happening places that regularly go off , but often you’re going to think: “Gosh. I wouldn’t mind branching out and going somewhere a bit different.” Quite right, varying your nightlife increases your longevity (so I’ve heard), so here are a couple places to go, if every weeknight seems like deja vu and you’re feeling a bit adventurous.
Whatever happens, there’s a place to love no matter what type of cat you are, so don’t be fussy, give everything a crack and be very nice to Taxi drivers, because by and large they truly are wonderful people. carlton club
193 Bourke Street, Melbourne It has a rainforest/animal theme and an amazing jungle rooftop level with flamingos (fake) sitting on top of the bar. So if your running out of conversation, just find something on the wall to muse about and you will not be let down. Unfortunately your wallet will be torn apart and everything inside eaten, but it truly is a fun place to be.
BAR NOTHING
16 Pigdon Street, Carlton North It’s quiet (no rave-cave) with floaty, chilled music playing in the background, providing the perfect atmosphere to practice the art of good conversation. To expand this conversation onto different planes of consciousness, on certain nights they serve your four cocktails for twenty dollars, which is delicious and doesn’t leave you with a mountain of change.
Ted O’Connor dressed up for a night on the town
but the times, they are a changing... And when Bob Dylan wrote this song he was unfortunately alerting us to the fact that the price of drinks are on the rise, so don’t expect the drink deals I’ve mentioned to be set in stone for a thousand years. Whatever happens, there’s a place to love no matter what type of cat you are, so don’t be fussy, give everything a crack and be very nice to Taxi drivers, because by and large they truly are wonderful people.
live music haunts Kat Mahina Melbourne is the rock capital of Australia and there are bars all over our fine city that cater to live shows for even the most niche musical tastes. We all know the bigger venues like Rod Laver Arena, Festival Hall or The Palace Theatre that play host to some of the finest touring acts in the world. However the heart and soul of Melbourne’s live music scene won’t be found gracing the stages of stadiums just yet, the independent battlers who give their all to the local music community can be seen in the front bar of your local, if you know where to look, and fortunately for you we do. If you want to catch some quality local talent then head to these fine establishments on any given day of the week and you may be treated to an intimate set from the next big thing in Aussie music.
the evelyn hotel
351 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
The Evelyn Hotel is a stone’s throw from the CBD, nestled deep in the bohemian wonderland of Brunswick St. The band room has played host to the likes of Liam Finn, Jebediah, Little Red and The John Steel Singers before they out grew the 400 person capacity of the venue. The Evelyn is also friendly to impoverished students with their awesome drink specials of $10 jugs on Monday and Tuesday, and $2.50 pots or $3.50 champagnes on Thursdays. They are also conveniently located just down the road from the best souvlaki store in town - The Real Greek. If you’ve got a case of the munchies then toddle up Brunswick Street and grab a Stan The Man with a Mythos. It will be the best meal you’ve ever eaten.
east brunswick club
the northcote social club
The East is a short tram ride away from the CBD. Simply catch a number 1 or 8 fromSwanston St and get off at stop 123, which is across the road from the entrance to the band room. The East Brunswick club caters to a wide variety of musical genres and hosts gigs for international artists as well as unsigned local bands. The East also has a front bar with a great kitchen, regular trivia nights and $12 jugs on Mondays.
Catch the 86 tram from Bourke St toward Bundoora, get off at stop 32 and you’ll be right at the door of The Northcote Social Club. The Northcote’s band room plays host to a plethora of gig’s from some of the finest local, national and international acts. They also have a fantastic dining area located on the deck adjacent to the front bar with a delicious selection of meals (including gluten free and vegetarian options) for a reasonable price, to satisfy your hunger before the gig.
280 Lygon Street, East Brunswick
301 High Street Northcote
Clockwise from above: Duckboard Place CCDOH1 ,The Smoke at The Worker’s Club & Jinja Safari at N.S.C Kat Mahina
worker’s club
the tote hotel
Born from the ashes of the old Rob Roy, The Workers Club has quickly become one of the best places in town to catch the cream of the crop of up and coming local, national and occasionally international bands. The venue is perfect for people on a budget with most gigs only costing $10 - $30 for entry. Monday night features artists in residence with $2 entry, $2 pots and $8 meals to satisfy all your senses. Check the website for a full list of upcoming gigs and drink and meal specials. The Workers is easily accessible by public transport, simply catch the 86 tram toward Bundoora and get off at Brunswick Street, directly outside the venue.
Anybody who is anybody in the Aussie music scene earned their stripes at the iconic Tote Hotel. If you’re after some authentic, gritty, dirty rock and roll than catch the 86 tram toward Bundoora, get off at Johnston St and take the short stroll down towards the bright, glowing Carlton Draught sign. The Tote is one of those magical venues who give local talent a chance to play to an appreciative audience, so if you’re keen for some punk, rock, garage, prog, psychedelic, post-rock good times then show The Tote some love. With a taco vendor in the beer garden and $4.50 pots, they’ve got all your needs covered.
Cnr. Brunswick & Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
71 Johnston Street, Collingwood (cnr. Johnston & Wellington St.)
hometown
city living Hannah Reekie Where’s home after your first year out? This summer, I decided to get back to basics. I decided to escape Melbourne and head home to the country and the simple life. I needed a breather from the alternative scene that Melbourne serves up so liberally - a change of pace. It’s five thirty on Tuesday afternoon in a country town of about thirty thousand. The majority of establishments are long closed. Employees are home tucking into dinner and it’s business as usual for this town in South West Victoria. Coming home after a year in the big smoke feels completely natural to me at first. I remember every shop and every street. This town gets me; it’s in my bones, it’s who I am. I used to believe that, anyway. I visited the old haunts – the café, the record store, my old street. And nothing had changed. Strolling the main drag I realised I had expected my hometown to change with me, and after my first year of Uni in the city I had changed significantly – my horizons, my mind, my wardrobe had all been broadened. I just didn’t count on the fact that this small town couldn’t change with me. The prospect of staying here for the entire summer quickly became a prison sentence rather than a holiday. Where was the variety of my dearly beloved, my culture infused and abused Melburnian city paradise? I never used to be the person who raved about lattés, but after a few days at home I found myself feeling like the social equivalent to a Parisian poodle with a diamond collar and blow waved fur. And let me tell you – poodle aint usually my style. Since I moved to Melbourne I seem to have become terribly accustomed to the perks of modern city living. It makes me cringe to I think I might have shed my country skin so easily. Going home forced me to ask the question: ‘Have I really become the café connoisseur who wears glasses even though they have twenty-twenty vision, and voluntarily picks up the filthiest 1980s handbag from a second hand shop just because it’s vintage?’
Illustration: Bhlogiston
Have I really become the café connoisseur who wears glasses even though they have twenty-twenty vision, and voluntarily picks up the filthiest 1980s handbag from a second hand shop just because it’s vintage? Life in the country, in a hometown, in a place where everything and everyone is familiar and apparently simple, can seem easier. The trade-off is that there is an expectation that you’ll dress the same, act the same and like the same things as every body else. The city is a place of variety and, though it may seem daunting and a little too different to begin with, it will soon become just as homely as a hometown. Melbourne and RMIT may have turned me into a bit of an uppity, caffeine freak with a serious vintage versus ugly complex, but the cliché of the city offering everything you need is as ridiculous as the suggestion that country is simple. My advice? Hang onto that little bit of home, but for now, while your time at RMIT is new and exciting, stay out, enjoy being here and reap the benefits of a city where shops stay open past five thirty. It’s pretty bloody marvellous, you know.
visit the country, survive the city and lots of interesting things to do. I have an uncle that lives in Noojee, a town along the Latrobe River in Eastern Victoria. The house is nested in the forest only a short way from the main road but you can’t hear the sound of traffic above the tweets (not those tweets) of native bird-life. There are creeks, rivers, streams, cattle, farmers, fog, mist, rain and mystery. It’s straight out of an Enid Blyton book and while you’re reeling in trout from the Latrobe River, you can finish all those books you’ve put off reading all year.
Dean Watson The summer holiday period, now at an end, usually involves a few trips to the country in this family. I look forward to them all year, in the same way I look forward to a trip to Phillip Island with a three-parks-pass when it’s 25º with a light westerly. Skyscrapers are replaced with towering gums, stars replace smog – sadly, march flies just keep the mozzies company. The country is everything the city tries awfully hard to be. U2 are the city, Bob Dylan playing in a shady outback pub is the country. I like U2, but Dylan is intimate and he reeks of history – being in the country is a throwback to the way things used to be. And yet people avoid it. Maybe it’s the march flies? They bite, after all. Sensitive skin, regularly moisturised and garnished with methylated spirits will have a hard time adapting to the dust, the insects. Family holidays that involve lounging around a heated pool, a week in a high-rise city apartment building, or a trip to the Toorak grandmother’s mansion all sound wonderful and I’m sure they are. But it’s the predictability of these ‘safe’ holiday experiences that make me feel all the more alive when a vampire-stick takes a chunk out of my leg in thick bush near Blackwood in western Victoria. Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to travel far. The shorter the trip, the happier Bob Brown will be. Healesville is less than two hours drive from the centre of Melbourne and it’s one of the most gorgeous little towns you’ll ever set foot in. In a different direction, along the Princes highway are towns like Warrigal, Bairnsdale, and Orbost - they’re in the middle of nowhere, but they’re still communities with shops, people
Soon, the city is calling you back. You leave the country with photos to remind you in case you forget. Returning to the chaos of the busy life, it amazes you to think you ever kept up the pace. Country time lingers on your mind as the city-clock spins. Bono pumps through your headphones again and people on the street, in a cue, on the train, talking to one another, seem more distant than they did before. More lonesome. There are no op shops on Swanston Street - well, none with books by Tim Winton going for 50 cents - everything that seemed possible in the country is a wistful memory.
There are creeks, rivers, streams, cattle, farmers, fog, mist, rain and mystery. It’s straight out of an Enid Blyton book. It’s longing. The bush, the smells, the sounds, the feel. Upon return the concrete jungle is full of opportunity, but it feels contrived – like an act, a play, a trick. Don’t worry - this feeling never lasts long. Sooner or later, you adapt. You have to. You become part of the show in order to survive and the days are tolerable again, as the process of forgetting and moving on takes its course. It is so important to escape to the country for a couple of days or weeks every year. We’re so focused on what we are told to focus on by work, by the media, by family, that we forget to slow down and listen to our primitive instincts. This is what we should really focus on. The bush is our natural habitat. There is a reason why we feel so at ease when we surrender ourselves to the people, the environment, the atmosphere of a country town - it’s because we need it. Take a day trip on a Saturday and stay healthy. This is my excuse for seeing Bob Dylan this coming April. He’s playing at Rod Laver Arena, but like great musicians can, he’ll take me to that shady outback pub in the country. That’s where I want to be.
DO YOU LOVE YOUR JOB? Sick of her own menial casual job, Lana Wilson spoke to four working students juggling casual and part-time jobs with study to discover whether or not the perfect casual job really exists.
NICKOLA MILETIC
cristyna saab
She’s a 17 year-old beauty student from Kyneton, a small country town an hour from Melbourne. She travels to town a couple of days a week and works part-time at Kyneton’s renowned Ellenis Salon-Spa.
She’s an RMIT Justice student who has just started a new job as assistant manager at Northcote’s Chemist Warehouse, a discount pharmacy.
Beauty therapy
“I’m doing a diploma in Beauty Therapy with Certificates III and IV at Elly Lucas and I have been a part-time staff member since March last year, so just on 10 months.I really enjoy the social aspect of my job. Kyneton is a small town, you get to know most clients and nine times out of 10 they are really great to work with. I also get discounts onproducts and services, which is pretty good!”
Pharmacy
“I like that I’m the Assistant Manager! The staff here are pretty nice and so is the pay...yeah, I really like the money. It also helps me with my diet! Well, it’s better for me to be at work, than to sit at home eating out of boredom! I don’t really like that it’s retail. The retail industry can be quite demanding, but I do get 10% of most products, and from time to time the staff do get little freebies, which is good.”
lizzie maxwell
jackson taylor
Lizzie is a science and sport student, living in Melbourne’s leafy outer eastern suburbs. Her university campus isn’t too far from her house, and works several shifts a week at a cafe chain at a local shopping centre.
This bloke is a freshly graduated photographer. He studied a Bachelor of Fine Art Photography at RMIT University and throughout his studies, kept the dollars rolling in by working casual shifts at The Movie Reel – a DVD hire store that specialises in rare and hard to find films in Melbourne’s inner north.
Cafe chain
“I’m doing a Bachelor of Exercise Science and Sport at Deakin University in Burwood. And I’ve been working at Michelle’s Patisserie since February last year. The people I work with are kind and hilarious to work with. It’s always a pleasure to come into my work, no matter how early, because I can always grab a strong, hot coffee to jolt me awake. The only problem is that customers all seem to want their coffee at the same time of day, so you’ll be bored and have nothing to do and then wham, a swarm of energy deprived individuals come climbing over the counter.”
DVD Store
“I get access to heaps of rare and art house films and DVDs, which is pretty cool. The customers and clients are also really cool...and hey, I better say something about the staff... yeah, there cool too.I really don’t appreciate rude customers and accumulated late fees on a DVD are a good reason for customers to be rude. But we get free DVD hire whenever we want which is awesome and the Curry Cafe Restaurant next door also gives us free food from time to time, which is a great freebie.”
travel
Catalyst’s COLLEGE CORRESPONDENTS Tim Kennedy in andHaiti Jack Crane Volunteering The Angel of The North Bikes and brogues in Jakarta Yellow knickers in Peru
From Pavita
jack crane runs riot in la la land Miley Cyrus was not bullshitting; in fact, she was making a huge understatement. LA’s not only the land of affluent fame and ridiculous excess, it also plays host to mass poverty, bohemians, pointless stars in the ground, oversized monuments, shit public transport, $4 cocktails, major hotties (and notties), gays, straights, the inbetweeners– AND my school for the next six months. Well almost. You see I’m actually studying at San Diego State University for the next half year. It’s my pleasure to inform you - if you didn’t already know - that America (in its infinite wisdom) has some of the cheapest alcohol in the western world, and what’s more vital to a struggling university student than a $10 bottle of vodka? However, unless you plan to become one of the scantly clad LA skanks (I’ve been told this is their technical term) on liquid diets you might need a few solids to stop that diarrhoea kicking in. In the States, Supermarket = Grocery store, and while we’re on colloquialisms I might as well spare you another shock: not every buff, straight guy here is secretly gay. They don’t want to have hard sex with their football idols; they just ‘root’ for them. I learnt that the hard way. Burritos are eaten at breakfast. Meals are at least two times the size of Australian fare, as are the people. Tipping is a must – at least 15 per cent unless you have a shithouse waitress in which case leave 10 per cent and a stern look on the table. Bagels and cream cheese are all they’re cracked up to be so take advantage of it, and most importantly Mi Goreng is now called Ramen noddles. Life Saver. Day four in the States was orientation day for the international kids. Just like any good introductory session we were given stickon nametags, relatively useless info packs and a plethora of over excited International Student Centre employees. Dave told us all about the tutor-buddy mentor program, Julia filled us in on how far back the newspaper records in the library go and Aimee got us up to have a ‘fun’ stretch… Fail. Our nametags we were also slapped into segregated country groups so bonding quickly became a thing of convenience rather than similar interests. After ditching the info session back to the motel it was.
Several trips between Uni and the Best ‘n’ Western later I was officially a University Towers resident. And like any good dorm, an alcohol infused party was afoot the first night. Unfortunately, America is hardcore on noise complaints. About three hours into the seven hour bender the police turned up prime and ready to check everyone’s ID. Luckily our French friend Ben spotted the men in black as they were entering and managed to usher the ‘under-ages’ out the bedroom window. But the man could not thwart us! Onto a fraternity it was… For the girls at least. Funny thing about a house full of egotistical little men: they only want girls at their parties. Luckily, dorms are a little more accepting and we managed to make it to daybreak before passing out.
It’s my pleasure to inform you that America has some of the cheapest alcohol in the western world. First day of classes and it’s a Wednesday. SDSU campus is definitely not you’re a-typical university. Massive bone-white buildings smatter the campus, palm trees spring from luscious green lawns and a concentrated population of stunning students meander about. Lady Gaga-style glasses are a must while you stare obviously at a few of the buildings and dozens more of the sunbathed locals. My first class was at eight so I had plenty of time to adore the west coast beauties during the day. Now classes: you’re in for a treat. Firstly it’s not Rebecca or Lacy, it’s Professor, Dr, Mam, Sir, or even sometimes - and I am not bullshiting - “Your Honour”. Also don’t be late for class. Ever. And unlike Australia, food and drink are a no-no. No answering calls, texting, laptop facebook’ing, relaxing or asking. They’re not big on the whole informal ‘I’m not your teacher, I’m your friend’ thing up here. But, they do a mean lunch! The dining halls are amazing - the amount of food that goes in and out of them each day really boggles the mind. At the beginning of semester you receive a meal plan, which is basically another way for the uni to squeeze just a little more money out of you. It’s pre-loaded with cash to use at any of the restaurants on campus. ‘Choices?’ you ask: So-Cal Chicken, Panda Express, Taco Bell, random greek food place that no one ever eats at because ‘We don’t like kebabs here’. But fear not: most of the student body seem able to maintain their knock-out bods by frequenting the oversized campus gym, and after finding out they have eight racquetball courts I quickly became a member. So far exchange has been the most exciting, unusual, refreshing, lonely, crazy, hilarious and frightening experience of my life. Fingers crossed I’ll have a few more adjectives for you next time.
Jack Crane’s campus: Andrew Gordon
Tim Kennedy Jack Crane
Did you ever see Animal House? Old School? Revenge of the Nerds? Were you disappointed when you arrived at RMIT to find there were no frat parties, cheerleaders or course codes ending in 101? If you do long for such American “college” experiences, they’re yours to be had. I’m spending this semester at The Pennsylvania State University, or Penn State. Its main University Park campus is in the town of State College, PA. which sits at the geographic centre of the state. As it was helpfully described to me before my arrival, you’ve got “over 40,000 undergraduate students in the middle of rural Pennsylvania, living in a town with one of the highest bars-per-square-mile ratios in the country.” You do the maths.
It’s pretty standard for most students to be wearing at least one Penn State branded item of clothing on any given day. Penn State is consistently ranked as one of the top party schools in the US; for a tut-tut perspective, Google episode #396 of NPR’s This American Life. True to form, in the fortnight (a word they don’t use or know here!) I’ve been in State College there have been two frat parties, four apartment parties and many nights bar crawling for the over-21s. From the outside my residence hall looks pretty much straight out of The Social Network (less so from the inside), and though I’m yet to spot the Jewish fraternity, I did spot some angry athletic twins à la the Winklevi. It’s winter and it’s cold; the “high” temperatures last week were all below zero, cruelly represented by figures in the high-20’s (Fahrenheit). Merchandise is big business. There are at least five stores dedicated to Penn State pride in “Downtown” State College. They stock rack upon row of items emblazoned with the Penn State logo or the university mascot, the Nittany Lion. Footballs, flags, books, mugs, shot glasses (very popular), hats, hoodies, sports jerseys – you name it. It’s pretty standard for most students to be wearing at least one Penn State branded item of clothing on any given day. As far as school goes, the lecture/tutorial format we’re used to is much less common in the United States. My cinema class, for example, involves one weekly, three-hour class in which we watch a film and discuss it; if you’ve got a question you’re expected to yell it out
Penn State’s mascot, the Nittany Lion: Tim Kennedy
from the back of the cinema. It’s also more likely you’ll have work due regularly throughout the term, rather than concentrated at the end or in an exam. Oh, and a semester is 16 weeks long. On the plus side, it doesn’t take much to plan weekends away - New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC are all a cheap bus ride away - and there’s always the opportunity to travel in breaks before or after your semester away. My plans include five weeks in North America and five weeks in Europe before heading home just in time for my final semester at RMIT in July.
thinking about exchange? If you can get your act together and you’re thinking about heading on exchange, do it. It’s a great way to break up your studies, a great excuse to travel and a great way to add value to your RMIT qualification. Exchange or Study Abroad does require some forward planning. First of all, there’s a difference: Exchange students study at one of RMIT’s partner universities overseas (we send students to them, they send students to us); students on Exchange continue to be enrolled at RMIT and continue to pay their RMIT tuition (e.g. HECS) as normal. Study Abroad involves studying at an overseas institution with which RMIT has no partnership agreement; these students take a Leave of Absence from RMIT and pay tuition fees directly to the overseas uni. Deciding when to go on exchange can also be tricky: you have to have completed 96 credit points (one year) at RMIT to apply; some financial assistance (OS-HELP) requires you to return to Australia with a certain amount of study remaining; and some Schools won’t allow students to study their final semester overseas. Check these things with the Education Abroad Office and your School. Also consider the weather overseas, any plans you have to travel before or after your exchange, and whether you prefer basketball or football (US colleges play football in the Fall, basketball in the Spring). And you don’t have to go to America: RMIT has exchange partners in 28 countries including Germany, Japan and Canada. Visit the Education Abroad Office, Ground Floor Building 15, for more information.
travel with what you know Image: Siri BL
Kate O’Connell Standing in the middle of Port au Prince, Haiti, looking at the shattered remains of the downtown area, it’s hard to believe that my course at RMIT has brought me here. As a journalism student, it has become my ritual to take what I have learned and travel overseas in my holidays to put it to use. Hardly anyone these days will hire without experience, but you have to get the experience somewhere. And what experiences they can be. Having visited several countries with my journalism skills, 2011 has brought me to the other side of the world. Haiti is still a devastated nation one year after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake which killed more than 250,000 people.
For many young Australians, travelling is an attractive idea. But how do you balance University, the demand for experience and your desire to get out and see the world during your summer break? Where there’s a will there’s a way, and if you look hard enough you’ll find a plethora of ways to boost your CV and travel at the same time, you just have to know how to go about it. The first thing to realise is that, no matter what your profession, the word ‘free’ appeals to every employer out there.This may not seem attractive for you or your bank account, but if you save before you leave and try not to head anywhere outrageously expensive it can work out really well for you and lead to amazing opportunities in the future.
“It’s incredible to think my university course in Australia has brought me to Port au Prince for the anniversary of one of the worst natural disasters in human history.”
One million people remain homeless, the cholera epidemic has spread and millions of cubic metres of rubble are still lying in the streets. This is a country in desperate need but it is also a country of immense resilience and strength.
It’s incredible to think my university course in Australia has brought me to Port au Prince for the anniversary of one of the worst natural disasters in human history, and it goes to show, you can take what you learn just about anywhere.
The next step is simple...
It involves picking up the phone, getting on Skype (after checking the time difference of course) or banging out an email and asking someone if they will have you in their work place. Aim high, call the New York Times if you’re a journalist or the Louvre if you’re an art student. You may not get your first preference all the time but you’ll be surprised at how many people actually say yes when you ask if an Aussie can come and do an unpaid internship.
ANGEL OF THE NORTH
Image: Pavita Sangruengkit
Pavita Sangruengkit It’s mid-July. The Australian student population begins to complain and dread dragging themselves back for yet another semester. More than three months of hard work and effort for sometimes less than three weeks break. But don’t panic, there is an alternative. If a four month mid semester break sounds appealing, student exchange in Europe or North America is probably right up your alley. How do I know? Why, I write to you from Newcastle and thought I’d tell the tale first hand. It was mid-September when I arrived in England. O-Week (compulsory) began the very next day – read: seven consecutive days of heavily discounted drinking, partying, and hangovers. This helped me forget the ordeal of hauling 30 kilograms of luggage half way across the country to Newcastle – an experience that will haunt me forever.
The local accent’s pretty darn dense – so it was unfortunate that I had two Geordie-speaking lecturers and an Irish tutor in my first semester. It was intimidating initially and it took a long time to get accustomed to – don’t even get me started on the Scottish, Northern Irish, Manchester and Liverpudlian accents I’ve heard during my travels! Meanwhile classes at my new uni were great – not understanding a single word during my first two weeks aside. The workload here is pretty relaxed too, which was probably why I got so much travelling done in the few months of living here. Most main cities in the UK are all only a few hours away from one another and with train and bus tickets relatively cheap for students, it’s hard to say no to travelling everywhere.
“It’s one of the cheapest places to live in Britain, the food’s not half bad, the booze is dirt-cheap and it’s only a half-hour train ride away from the beach. ”
Starting the academic year in September was strange. Everyone I knew was about to finish the uni year while I was just starting. Then again if that’s the price you gotta pay to come half way across the world, hang out in Europe and hit every pub in England, so be it! Newcastle is a city renowned for its heavy drinking culture, football (soccer), friendly local ‘Geordies’ and the widest spanning human depicting sculpture in the world: the Angel of the North.
Living in Newcastle (or anywhere else in Britain for that matter) also meant I picked up the useful habit of never, ever leaving the house without an umbrella. While local Melburnians can probably get away with leaving an umbrella at home most days, in the UK it’s virtually impossible – it rains every second or third day of the week – and when it rains, it pours. By November though the rain would start turning into soft, white, puffy flakes of snow, which was exciting for someone tasting their very first white Christmas. So now it’s January and this is sadly where my UK adventure ends. I have two more months before uni starts again in Melbourne, but I hope I’ve been able to convince some of you to try out an overseas exchange program – the opportunity to live and travel overseas plus getting an extra long mid-year holiday’s a hard one to pass up.
the secret art of nonkrong Josh Fagan Indonesia’s capital is a sprawling monster of a city with 15 million people, thousands of monkeys and about 250 million motorbikes (maybe more). I was there for two months over summer and I met a guy from an Indonesian Stone Roses cover band, plus experiencing the sort of regular personal development you’d expect from a trip overseas. Even the taxi ride from the airport was a pretty eye-opening experience. The driver gave me a running commentary on the city, including pointing to other brands of taxi and saying “That Bluebird taxi in front, number one taxi in Jakarta, that one there number two taxi”. I was guessing his taxi company would be lucky to scrape into the top 10.
have gone: Part shopping mall, part Vic Market and all anybody seemed to be selling were silk scarves. Eight levels of silk scarves didn’t help my situation, and being six foot two didn’t help my plan to stay inconspicuous. Most people looked at me like I was some sort of gangly freak and old ladies kept pinching me on the arm. I never went back to that place but there were some nice shopping centres I did go into, to sponge off the air-conditioning. Jakarta is really hot. All the time. There’s no nightly weather on TV because the presenters just say: ‘Forecast same as today, maybe more humid’. The congestion is another hassle; most days traffic will grind to a standstill. Sometimes a five-minute journey you’d take in the morning will be one hour coming back in the afternoon. But people put up with it. Taxi-drivers who’ve moved four metres in half an hour stare ahead in a Zen-like state. The first few weeks I couldn’t figure out why there was no road rage but then I was told about the secret Indonesian art of Nongkrong.
‘Have you got any kids?’ ‘Not yet.’ ‘Would you like to hold this firework while I light it?’ ‘Hmmm, not yet.’
There’s a lot to like about Jakarta. The people are really friendly and polite to strangers and there are always lots of things to do. Anything you can think of, Jakarta’s got it: street-food, fireworks, pirated DVDs of Packed to the Rafters.
The shopping in the city is such a knockout I think it’s listed as a competitive sport. The day I arrived I was told Qantas had forgotten to send my backpack and I’d have to wait a day to get it, so I wandered down to a shopping centre to find some non-sweaty clothes. It turned out to be the worst place I could
Nongkrong is reportedly one of the main factors keeping Indonesian motorists from smashing each other’s skulls in. Translated as the art of hanging out, Nongkrong is something that’s taken quite seriously. It generally involves sitting down, relaxing, and talking about absolutely nothing. Workers will practice Nongkrong for hours at a time. While it sounds like a Jerry Seinfeld invention, Nongkrong is actually an important
part of Indonesian culture that brings people together, and helps them chill-out. Another way of escaping the daily slog of inner-city life is to visit the nearby islands. The Thousand Island region, north of Jakarta, has a lot of really beautiful islands and a handful of really run-down ones too. One weekend I visited an island that was borderline nice-decaying. It should have been obvious when I was herded onto a boat at the smelly-fish port that I wasn’t headed for a luxury resort. The boat was leaking and we were crammed in like cattle. It was a relief to get to the island itself- there was snorkeling and a lot of swimming, and of course Nongkrong. The only odd thing was the ratio of adults to children. It was pretty clear the kids were running the island, roaming in packs and doing whatever they liked, which was a bit spooky.
to register through, just a guy and his old bike. They can be a good way to experience the city, but only if you’re keen on hitching a lift to a certain death. Crazy Ojeks and traffic jams are just two of the problems that prevail in Jakarta. There are deeper issues like corruption, poverty and a wide gap in wealth disparity. But while Indonesia is still developing, the general attitude is constantly optimistic. During interviews for stories I’ve written for an Indonesian news outlet while I’ve been here, a common response seems to be that ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. A lot of the optimism seems to stem from the language. In Bahasa Indonesia it’s more common to reply to questions by saying ‘sudah’ or ‘belum’ (already or not yet) rather than saying yes or no.
Back on the mainland one option for avoiding the chaos of traffic and crowds is to ride a bike. Buying a bike seems like a really bad investment, with Jakarta’s intense heat and floods, lack of bike lanes or footpaths and traffic that weaves more than a woolen jumper. But once you’re off and riding it’s really good fun. Once a fortnight in Jakarta is car-free day, where bikes rule the highways. The rest of the time when you’re riding you just have to ignore the fact that a car could swerve at any moment or an Ojek might pull out from nowhere.
‘Have you got any kids?’ ‘Not yet.’
Ojeks are rampant in Jakarta. An Ojek is any guy with a motorbike who wants to make extra money taxiing people on the back of his bike (and they are all guys, girls just aren’t that keen for some reason). No license necessary, no Ojek authority
Jakarta is a pretty upbeat city, there’s always someone doing something out of the ordinary - and whether it’s a monkey trying to ride a bike or a group of tourists trying to catch a leaky boat, it’s always entertaining.
‘Would you like to hold this firework while I light it?’ ‘Hmmm, not yet.’ Telling the time even requires an optimistic slant. Instead of saying it’s half past eight, in Bahasa you’d say it’s half an hour to nine, so there’s always a glass half full outlook.
Media and Journalism students look this way!
This year shall henceforth be known as the Year of the Plump CV. We’ll be directing you to heaps of great opportunities so when you graduate you’ll probably- you know, like, get a job.
accoss conference comes to Melbourne Australian Council of Social Services The national peak body for the community and social services sector, ACOSS, will stage its 2011 annual confer ence in Melbourne in March, and they’re looking for accomplished third year RMIT Media & Journalism students to cover some of the exciting sessions in the two day event. This year’s conference titled, ‘Challenging Inequality: Social action in an ever-changing world’ will comprise a popular media panel chaired by the ABC’s Jon Faine and some of Australia’s best known political journalists. ACOSS is the national voice for the needs of people affected by poverty and inequality, and is seeking high quality writers to cover various plenaries. The best feature stories will appear on the groups website, and be published in its widely read Impact magazine, which goes out to thousands of community groups across the country. ACOSS is also keen to hear from students with good recording and video editing skills to film and edit videos of the key sessions for YouTube and its website. There is also the possibility of getting free entry by signing up to help out during the conference. For more details checkout their website:
www.acoss.org.au or email:
Fernando@acoss.org.au
English conversation class volunteers needed RMIT English Worldwide (REW) seeks vibrant and personable native English speakers to volunteer one hour a week to facilitate informal conversation classes of up to six international ESL students at a time. If you are a local student learning a second language this is a fun way to meet native speakers. Plus it looks great on your résumé! Ongoing and short-term placements available. Contact Shane at shane.talia@rmit.edu.au for more information.
yellow knickers in peru Photo Sarah Carroll
Sarah Carroll Before departing, the traveller experiences moments of realisation and epiphany. Visiting the doctor for jabs, opening a bank statement after buying a return flight to Buenos Aires. During my doctors appointment it hit me: ‘I’m going to South America’. I was referred to a travel clinic, where I could get the necessary vaccinations and advice to travel to five different countries in less than four weeks. The nurse suggested I should only eat cooked meat while it was hot. We both laughed at at the thought of me wandering the streets, taking an occasional nibble from a day old doggy-bag. I’ve travelled before, but the possibility of contracting Malaria, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Altitude Sickness or Rabies was pretty alarming.
Before I left home my knowledge of the Incas was limited to what I remembered from my year-seven history class. I remembered learning about chocolate, child sacrifices and gold. I didn’t know until I stood before them, that the Incans had carried and cut by hand enormous boulders - their sheer size meant that they couldn’t be carried by any animal native to Peru. Walking through Cusco, at an altitude of 3,300 metres I would often stop to rest against one of those thick stonewalls. Bustling and jostling locals tried to sidestep me while I stood awkwardly blocking their paths. The women and children from the Urubamba Valley would leave their small farms for the day to sell their crafts on the street.
‘I left Australia sans rabies vaccination so no foaming at the mouth on my return flight - provided a dog or a cat or a monkey didn’t bite me. ’
Flying Melbourne to Sydney, Sydney to Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires to Lima and finally Lima to Cusco, I arrived at destination number one. Like most travellers I stayed in this small city to acclimatise to the altitude before I went on to Machu Picchu. The city on Machu Picchu Mountain is the only Inca site to survive the Spanish Conquest. Voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it’s a monument to the Incas and the strength of their civilisation. Like the temple ruins, agricultural circles and salt mines in the areas around Cusco, the largely intact city is evidence of the physical and organisational strength of the Incas.
My nights in Cusco were long hours of confused exhaustion. The altitude sickness caused insomnia. When I could sleep I had dreams scattered with images of Cusco, St Kilda, water parks and youth hostels. The plots were populated with both foreign and familiar faces. One sleepless night I was certain I could see a strange woman in my room. The people of Peru were the kindest I encountered on my travels. On New Years Eve I was told I had to wear yellow underwear for good luck. I wasn’t sure if this superstition only applied to the people of Peru – maybe it’s like eating guinea pig, lama and alpaca meat, which I opted not to try. A man insisted I buy a pair of knickers and watched as I shelled out for a slightly saggy pair from a near by stall. His concern was endearing. And I’ve still got them.
let's get physical
RMIT Link Sports & Recreation Trips & sporting events throughout the year Where? City: Building 8, Level 3 & Bundoora West: Building 204, Level 1 What? When?
Compete for RMIT at university games, join one of our clubs or make new friends on one of our recreation trips: There are plenty of opportunities to get involved at RMIT with the help of RMIT Link Sport and Recreation.
trips Our trips and tours give you the opportunity to experience Australia. They’re an excuse to knock about with new people while you see the country in all its beauty. If you’re new to Melbourne the half-day Melbourne City Highlights trip might be for you. You’ll meet other students and find where all the hot-spots are.
‘If you’re seriously fired up and have heaps of energy, join us on our Learn to Surf trip or the 12 day Central Australia Tour. ’ For the more adventurous, we’ll be going further a field over the next few months to the Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island, Sydney, Yarra Valley Wineries, Grampians National Park and Mount Buller.
clubs RMIT Link Sport and Recreation has 29 clubs for RMIT students, staff and graduates to get involved in. Anyone can join a club at any stage throughout their program by registering and paying the club membership fee.
Go scuba diving in Victorian waters, waterskiing on Lake Nagambie, improve your driving skills with the Motor Sport Club or get into some Dragon Boating on the Yarra River. From the Outdoors Club, to Taekwondo and netball, there’s a club for everyone. You can check them all out on the Clubs boards outside our offices. If you’ve got a hobby or interest that isn’t mentioned, start a new club. We’ll help subsidise your activities and help get you organised. All you need is a bit of enthusiasm and a few friends who are interested in getting involved.
sporting events In Semester One, RMIT Link Sport & Recreation will be entering teams of staff, students and alumni into two Melbourne iconic charity events: Run for the Kids and Mother’s Day Classic. Walk or run and raise money for the Royal Children’s Hospital and/or breast cancer research. If grabbing your mates for a casual punt or toss is more your scene, RMIT Challenges might be just what you’re looking for. The Challenges are a series of one-day sporting tournaments based at the Bundoora West Campus. For those students who take their sport more seriously we offer opportunities to represent RMIT at various inter-varsity games and events. Represent RMIT at the Southern Games in Geelong or take on the whole of Australia in the extravaganza on the Gold Coast. If taking the field, court or track is not for you, there are other opportunities to have some fun and develop some life skills along the way. Volunteering is a great way to get involved and expand your horizons. We offer roles in Trip and Tour Leading, Club Committees, Coaching, Team Managing and Office Administration. Full training is provided and ongoing support available.
Check out the website for deets: www.link.rmit.edu.au
Here are a few things the student union offers... student rights & advocacy
clubs & societies and events
RUSU provides all RMIT students with a free student rights advice service. This service assists all RMIT students facing difficulties from RMIT with their studies, and those who are encountering problems with RMIT’s policies and procedures. The service also produces a range of information for students about their rights and supports student campaigns. Student Rights Officers (SRO’s) are employed by the Student Union to provide free confidential advice, support and advocacy to students who are experiencing difficulties such as special consideration, exclusion or appeals against assessment.
There’s so much going on at uni, why not be a part of it? RUSU currently supports over 120 academic, political, religious and nationality based clubs/societies/associations. Joining a club will give you the chance to make new friends, have fun, professionally network and find the support you need to get through your course. All RMIT students are able to join a club or start their own!
student media RUSU is involved with a number of student media initiatives including Catalyst , SYN-FM & RMITV. If you would like to develop your professional writing, journalism, photography, production or project management skills, you need to get involved with these media outlets, which are all based at and around the City campus. RUSU is here to help you learn AND have fun. Have you work published and broadcast and get a head-start on developing your career.
safe spaces RUSU provides several Womyn’s only and Queer only spaces on campus. These spaces exist for more than just eating lunch (although that’s ok too) – we aim to provide a safe, welcoming and relaxing area for students to talk over issues, receive information and guidance or simply make new friends.
RUSU is dedicated to making your uni life that much easier and enjoyable. The student-run Activities department run regular on and off campus events including Market Days, the O’Nite Party and the National Campus Band Competition. RUSU events are open to all RMIT students and most are free or half price for RUSU members.
permaculture garden From Prince Charles to Brunswick hipsters, everyone is going crazy for permaculture. RUSU’s Perma-Collective is a free, cross campus group with a hands on approach to greening RMIT. From CERES workshops to growing our own produce right here on campus this collective aims to bring the principals of sustainability to the urban environment.
furniture colective The furniture collective is dedicated to collecting unused RMIT furniture and redistributing it at little or no cost to RUSU members and other students. All furniture is available to be viewed each week and often includes pieces such as office chairs, desks and bookshelves.
rusu memberships 2011 $60 1 year membership or:
$40 Orientation Special 1 year membership (only valid until end of Week 3) (half year pricing available from Semester 2)
why join? The RMIT University Student Union is your voice within RMIT and the wider community. We are here to serve students’ best interests and empower you through the areas of Advocacy and Campaigns, Professional Development & Volunteering, Campus Life and Student Services. Become a financial member and ensure that the RMIT University Student Union can continue to make a difference. RUSU is a not-for-profit organisation, so you can be sure that all monies raised go towards improving the lives of RMIT students.
where to find your City Campus: Bld 8, level 3 Ph: (03) 9925 5004 Open 9.30am – 4.00pm, 5 days Bourke St Campus: Bld 108, level 3 Ph: (03) 9925 5647 Open 9.30am – 4.00pm, Mon Carlton Campus: Bld 57, level 4 Ph: (03) 9925 4769 Open 9.30am – 4.00pm, Wed/Thurs Brunswick Campus: Bld 514, level 2 Ph: (03) 9925 9478 Open 9.30am – 4.00pm, Mon/Tues Bundoora Campus: Bld 204.ground Ph: (03) 9925 7226 Open 9.30am – 4.00pm, 5 days
Come into Compass Compass is a “Drop In” service that you can go to for information, referral and advice about any issue you may be having. Whether it be where to get a go for coffee on campus or that you have suddenly found yourself homeless, Compass will help you get in contact with people who can help. Compass is Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm and students are welcome to drop in during these times without an appointment. It’s gonna be a big semester at Compass: We’ll be accepting volunteers again. Compass was pretty much closed to volunteers last semesterwhen it was recognised that some kind of training package needed to be created so that volunteers could be better equipped to deal with students in crisis. Now that this is underway we’re looking for students from Social Work, Youth Work, Psychology, or any other welfare field to volunteer their time at the drop in service and also for activities we run throughout the year.
What? Student Drop-In Thea Lamaro Who? When? Weekdays from 10am – 4pm Where? Building 8, Level 3, Room 9 Volunteering is a great way to get some experience in your field of study, be involved in the uni community and also to flesh out your resume when looking for work. We hope to be running more student well-being programs this year, so keep your eyes open for nourishing activities like yoga and hug week throughout the year. More than anything we want to continue to get word out that Compass is open for business, for all your worries, big or small, so come on down and check us out. For volunteering please e-mail me at compass@rmit.edu.au.
party time Orientation (the big “O”) is the most fun way to begin your time at RMIT. Attending RMIT’s Big O Days is a great way to familiarize yourself to campus life and discover the many sides of RMIT in a fun environment. It’s also a chance to meet other new students and the many people that provide clubs, services and opportunities. In addition, there are other huge events to be involved with including the RUSU O’Nite Party and the M.E.T Welcome Back Party. Get amongst it!
PARTY PASSPORTS –
Your ticket to a good time! Entry to all parties $50 (or $35 if RUSU member) Passports can be purchased at RUSU, Major Events Team (club), or RMIT Asian Student Association (club) stalls at O’Days. For more info on ANY of these events, visit the RUSU stall at a Big O’Day or check out the events on www.su.rmit.edu.au
date
time
event
venue
Tues 22nd Feb
11am-2pm 8pm onwards
Big O’Day Tightarse Tuesday
Brunswick Campus The Hawthorn Hotel,
11am-2pm
Big O’Day
Bundoora Campus
2pm-6pm 8pm onwards
Big O’Day O Nite Party (back to school theme)
City Campus Royal Melbourne Hotel 629 Bourke Street, City
8pm onwards
RAA Party presented by the Asian Student Association
Venue TBC
2pm-6pm
Beach Party (all ages)
Port Melbourne Beach
8pm onwards
Welcome back party presented by M.E.T (Major Events Team)
Room, Hawthorn
Wed 23rd Feb Thurs 24th Feb
Fri 25th Feb Wed 2nd March Thurs 3rd March
Get Creative
RMIT Link Arts & Culture
So you’ve enrolled in your course and embarked on a year of study – this doesn’t mean your creative drive has to die on the vine. It’s hard to get motivated – your art practice can fall by the wayside. Everything is new so trying something fresh, learning different skills and meeting new people falls to the bottom of the to-do list.
Theatre show May – keep an ear out! We put on several theatre shows a year, and we’re always looking for people interested in acting or working backstage, or on sets and costumes (you don’t need to have any experience). The next production is taking place in May, so listen out for more details coming soon.
Whether you’re interested in dancing, theatre, craft, fine arts, film, writing or music, RMIT Link Arts & Culture exists purely to provide creative opportunities to RMIT students. We’re not connected to any of the academic departments so you can come and get involved in our programs no matter what you’re studying.
Theatre technical workshops 21, 23 and 25 March
From stage shows to free dance classes to exhibitions and workshops, Link Arts & Culture has a year long FREE program of activities for you to take part in. If you prefer to make stuff happen on your own, you can apply for arts funding and get some cash to help your projects get off the ground.
There’s loads more happening at RMIT thanks to Link Arts & Culture – you can entertain yourself on a Wednesday lunchtime watching a free movie in Kaleide Theatre (we screen a range of films throughout semester). At Brunswick campus, successful artists, designers and business people share their knowledge at lunchtime art and design lectures. Coming up in May is a day of ALAB Arts law/arts business workshops on the theme of arts residencies and putting together a successful job or grant application. We also organise arts excursions throughout the year to exciting arts events around Melbourne.
If this all sounds too good to be true – adjust your cynical year 2011 doomsday attitude, because it is! The easiest way to take part is join up and become a Friend. You’ll receive a fortnightly e-newsletter that lets you know what’s coming up – and you’ll be eligible to apply for arts funding and take part in any of the sweet arts opportunities that are on offer.
Free Street dance classes Saturdays 11am to 1pm Begins March 12 One of our most popular programs; taught by a selection of Melbourne’s best street dance teachers. Learn popping, locking and hip hop dancing.
If you’re interested in getting involved in performing arts and would like to learn skills in lighting, sound and film projection, then these short workshops are for you!
The Link Arts & Culture office is in the city campus, Building 8, Level 2 - two floors below the main cafeteria – or next door to the Commonwealth Bank if you are entering from Swanston Street. We also have offices and staff at Brunswick and Bundoora campuses. We’d love you to become a Friend of Link Arts & Culture! To join, email cassandra.scott@rmit.edu.au. If you’d like more info on our program, visit www.link.rmit.edu.au/arts
Exhibitions Every second Tuesday First Site Gallery on Swanston Street has new shows opening every second Tuesday throughout semester. Come along for a drink and be inspired by the talent of your fellow students. Anyone can apply to have an exhibition – next Semester it could be your show! Graphica fashion & textiles exhibition Opening March 15 Part of the L’Oreal Fashion Week, Graphica is an exhibition of fashion and textile designs from current RMIT students. Come along to the opening.
Dancer from Funkadelic dance collective. All photos Marc Morel.
reviews the best australian stories At Home with the Templetons plus: amanda palmer ticket giveaway
at home with the templetons Monica McInerney Penguin Books Australia
Laura James Inspired by my trust in Readings’ Summer Reading Catalogue, I took a gamble on Monica McInerney’s latest literary offering, At Home with the Templetons. Ordinarily, the story of an aloof family running their home as a colonial tourist attraction would not interest me in the slightest. However, given that this was my first foray into the work of Australia’s top-selling female novelist, I decided to give this novel the benefit of the doubt. At Home with the Templetons tells the story of the Templeton family who have recently moved from England to their newly inherited estate outside Castlemaine. They run Templeton Hall as a colonial tourist attraction on the weekends where the four Templeton children are required to dress in period clothing and run tours. Dubbed the “mad bloody Templetons” by the locals, their posh accents and apparent wealth ensure that the family is often the subject of gossip in town. Consequently, it comes as a shock to everybody including Nina Donovan herself, when she and her son, Tom become involved with the family. The relationship between the two neighbouring families is the focus of the novel, and unfolds over the course of its near 500 pages. I found it somewhat difficult to care about the relationships between characters as the story continued, because I did not necessarily care about the characters themselves. I had difficulty with Nina particularly, as so much of the drama surrounding her was of her own making. There is only so much sympathy one can feel for a person who creates their own problems. The frustration I had with Nina’s character made the sections of the book about her back story slightly excruciating, however I persevered because although McInerney’s characters are not as fleshed out as I would like, she does write a page turner. The simple language McInerney uses ensures that At Home with the Templetons is an easy read, despite its length. Unfortunately, in the latter stages the situation the characters find themselves in becomes a bit unbelievable, the overdramatic dialogue doing little to quell this impression. Given McInerney’s inclination to favour the dramatic, At Home with the Templetons left a bit of a nasty ‘soap-opera’ taste in my mouth. However, despite its many faults, At Home with the Templetons is an engaging read. The story rolls on at an entertaining pace, and conflicts I assumed would play a central role in the overall plot are quickly resolved, leaving the outcome and direction of the novel difficult to predict in its early stages.
Monica McInerney’s At Home with the Templetons can hardly be considered a great work of literature. It is not a particularly thought-provoking read, nor does it reveal anything of the human condition. But that’s okay. I doubt that was the intention. At Home with the Templetons is successful for what it is; a novel to cuddle up with and pass the hours, a mere slice of escapism.
The Best Australian Stories 2010, Edited by Cate Kennedy Black Inc
Sam Van Sweden One of the chief advantages of The Best Australian Stories 2010 is that it shows Australian writing is as varied as Australia’s population, as changeable as its weather and landscape. This collection shows that Australian literature remains as enigmatic and indefinable as ever. The cosmopolitanism that in the past has had amazing writers like Christina Stead shunned from the Australian fold, is now well and truly embraced alongside more colonial visions of cattle stations and bushfires. Any effort to define ‘Australian writing’ would necessarily involve all of these things. The Best Australian Stories 2010 is comprised of twenty-nine short stories; both previously published and never before printed, from authors both well established and emerging. Kennedy has struck an admirable balance between male and female authors without it feeling like a political exercise, and much thought has obviously gone into pacing the collection. It’s hard not to connect the stories to one another, as Kennedy’s ability to bring well-suited stories into a collection means that they gesture far beyond themselves into the other stories in the collection, but also into Australian writing as a whole. While there are stories in here, such as Joanne Riccioni’s Can’t Take the Country Out of the Boy, and Fiona McFarlane’s The Movie People that are concerned with more traditional Australian landscape and colonial values, other stories like Nam Le’s The Yarra and Sherryl Clark’s To The Other Side of the World speak to a very modern, very high-pressure metropolitan side of Australia. All the stories in this book carry notes of a haunting and tense Australia, its inhabitants torn between yearning to belong and an impulse to run. And while the stories in this collection can be broadly connected via themes, it is refreshing to see just how diverse the concerns of these stories are. Chris Womersley’s The Age of Terror actually made me yell. Nam Le’s The Yarra made me yell and want to throw the book across the room, riddled with frustration at the accuracy of his description of Melbourne. Ryan O’Neill’s The Eunuch in the Harem is impressive, original and hilarious. Paddy O’Reilley’s story is one that stood out to me as hauntingly Australian. Marcus Clarke once typified Australian landscape as “weird melancholy” and many of the stories truly had that feel - Paddy O’Reilley brings it to suburbia. By the end of The Best Australian Stories 2010, you feel like you know what Australian writing is about, and get an idea of
some of what’s happening in our literary journals, but the collection is by no means tiresome - the diversity between these covers is more than admirable and sufficient to keep the reader engaged right up to the very last page. The Best Australian Stories 2010 is a collection that we can be proud of, and one whose attention to fine form and original ideas will leave you well and truly sated.
Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under You might remember her singing ‘Coin Operated Boy’ with The Dresden Dolls, but she’s bringing something altogether new to our shores this February. Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under is her latest offering as a solo artist. Amanda Palmer is travelling around Australia on her national, ‘Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under’ Tour and to celebrate we’re giving you the chance to win a double pass to see her. We have two double passes to giveaway to her Melbourne show at the Forum Theatre on Saturday, February 26th. To enter, just email us with your name, your age and what you’re studying. jane.ryan@rmit.edu.au
FROM TIPPETY TO THE ASHES: AN AUSSIE SUMMER SPORTS ROUND
-UP
Australian’s fondest memories tend to take in the hot summer days of their childhood – getting home from school and immediately hitting the pool, beach or flopping down on the floor with an icy-pole. On holidays and weekends, all the kids in the neighbourhood gravitate towards the one pool on the block, plastered in sunscreen, carrying only a towel, knowing that the back gate will be open in anticipation of their arrival. As soon as they arrive, kids seize the opportunity to cast off the hats forced upon them by their ever-conscious parents, revelling in their rebellion as the sun bears down, caring little for the peeling and blistering their ears and necks will suffer the next day. These kids are fearless in their jumping and diving around the pool as they invent their own versions of volleyball, cricket and football adapted for the water. Yet by sunset, when everyone returns home with water-shrivelled fingers to eat dinner and collapse on the couch, a thin film of sunscreen over the water serves as the only reminder of the chaos of the hours before. There are of course some Australians who are not sports fans, including those who don’t get off on physical exertion. Yet who can honestly say they’ve never been sucked into a game of beach or backyard cricket? Even the most adamant sports hater can be found claiming a spectacular one-hand-one-bounce catch or arguing the logistics of rules such as “tippety-run” and “auto-wicky.” In this simple game both the creative and competitive natures of Australians emerge as all-out war takes place in the backyard and everybody invents their own ridiculous rules in their desperate attempts to get the batsman out.
Anna Harrington
From this idyllic scene Australia’s true sporting culture emerges. For many, sport is not necessarily about rules and competition but the opportunity to knock back a beer, and relax in the back yard with mates and rellies. It seems that in summer, everybody becomes a sporting expert – be it through offering their opinion on the selection policies of the Australian cricket team, debating the merits of a tennis player’s single-handed backhand or simply sitting on the couch with a beer and some mates, loudly contesting umpiring decisions and arguing over the finer points of the rules. In Melbourne, tennis’s Australian Open and cricket serve as events that bring people from every background together. Within the crowds can be seen several distinct groups of visitors, each with their own style, opinions and reasons for attending. One such category is the tennis tragics – long serving spectators who have attended every year for the past half-century without fail and can recall just about every winner from about 1973 onwards. This impeccably dressed group is counteracted by the flocks of teenage girls wearing little more than Australian flags and thongs, more intent on seeking out the TV cameras than the enthralling doubles match on Show Court 8.
“A thin film of sunscreen over the water serves as the only reminder of the chaos of the hours before.”
No window, glass or plate of food is safe as the tennis ball – covered with duct tape on one side to make it “swing” – is belted from fence to fence with no regard for boundaries or the wellbeing of fielders. That is, until your best mate hits it over the fence and protests in vain against the otherwise unanimous decision of “six and out.” Meanwhile the most daring – and often the smallest – fielder attempts to retrieve the ball from under the nose of the neighbour’s dog. On many a summer’s day families can be found slogging it out in a game of backyard cricket as their lunch sizzles away on the barbie.
The third major spectator group is the patriots, who, despite not always maintaining interest in the sport itself, loyally assemble at any match featuring their compatriots and loudly voice their support through the singing of their respective national anthems. Whilst this is certainly more prominent in the tennis than cricket, come The Ashes, England’s Barmy Army put any other supporter group to shame with their fun, witty and occasionally crude chanting, amusing both English and Australian supporters alike. These different groups, in addition to those content to cruise around the outside courts, come together to create a highly diverse crowd, assimilated through their love of sport, summer and contempt for overpriced food. Even those who don’t attend the matches themselves can’t help but
get involved and as television and the news is dominated by sport it’s not uncommon to see the coverage on in the background during meals, as families wolf down their dinner whilst simultaneously craning their necks to see the latest score. With tennis coinciding with school holidays, kids are allowed to stay up ’til all hours of the night to lie on the lounge room floor, engrossed in marathon tennis matches, content in the knowledge that their hours of sleep lost can be regained with a sleep-in the next morning. Their parents, on the other hand, aren’t necessarily so lucky, often arriving at work the next day bleary-eyed with a large coffee in hand, only getting through the day by recounting the matches of the night before. Any work that actually gets done is interspersed with the sneaky checking of scores as everybody attempts to stay up-to-date with the progress of the Australian players. While many Australians are fiercely passionate, patriotic and competitive, the country’s sport fans truly distinguish themselves through their loyalty and an innate desire to support the underdog. Put simply, Australia’s inclusive, competitive and fun loving summer sports culture is a reflection of the warm, laidback nature the country is known for. Sport isn’t just a part of Australian summer culture. Sport essentially is Australian Summer
TOP FIVE SUMMER SPORTING MOMENTS The Ashes
Despite England winning the series 3-1, Mike Hussey proved true the old adage “form is temporary, class is permanent” by leading Australia’s batsmen with 570 runs for the series.
surfing
In a year otherwise clouded by the death of Andy Irons, Kelly Slater became the first man to win ten world titles, while Aussie Stephanie Gilmore won her fourth from as many attempts.
ironman
The five-race series culminated in Shannon Eckstein clinching his sixth Ironman title and Courtney Hancock winning her first Ironwoman championship in the last race at Noosa Heads.
Twenty/20 big bash
This slog-fest has rejuvenated interest in State Cricket, with 43,125 fans packing the MCG to see Victoria beat South Australia in the final.
soccer
While Australia may have missed out on the 2022 World Cup, it secured the 2015 Asian Cup and made it all the way to this year’s Asian Cup final. But the Socceroos suffered an agonising 1-0 defeat with Japan scoring in extra time.