Keeping up with the Boarders - Issue 17, Winter 2023 by Pymble Ladies' College

Boarders ISSUE 17, WINTER 2023

The Warm Glow of Boarding I will be the first to confess that I am not a winter person, but reading this winter edition of Keeping Up With Our Boarders fills me with a deep sense of warmth. I am in confident in saying you can feel this glow when you step into our Boarding houses, and I know our staff work hard to ensure our Boarders feel the cosiness of not just the temperature, but also safe in the knowledge that they are known, cared for and loved for who they are. This season we said goodbye to two wonderful staff members, and while celebrating our fabulous day school staff, it is a pleasure to have the spotlight on the fabulous Jackie Garment who is so integral to the success of our Boarding family. While we enjoy the beautiful facilities and extensive curricular and co-

curricular programs, it is the people who make Pymble such a special place. Our long-held tradition of remembering Jersey Day was particularly significant this year as we commemorated the 30-year anniversary of the passing of three much-loved Boarders. While this was a solemn occasion, it was one filled with love and the camaraderie that goes hand in hand with the Pymble Boarding experience, and it was a privilege to witness the bonds that tie our Alumni and their families so closely to ours, and it is these bonds that are echoed throughout each of the pieces in this publication. I hope you can find the time to settle back with a nice cuppa and enjoy our celebration of all things Boarding. Carolyn Burgess DIRECTOR OF BOARDING

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Boarding Symposium WRITTEN BY CAROLYN BURGESS Pymble was lucky enough to host the AIS Boarding Symposium in 2023. It was a fruitful day of connecting, sharing and learning for boarding staff from around the state. The delegates enjoyed a host of workshops and keynote speakers on topics including wellbeing, resilience, risk and building cross-cultural identity and safety. Our Principal, Dr Hadwen, started off the day by sharing her wealth of knowledge of boarding, and was followed by a beautiful acknowledgement of country by Jaidey Samuelsson (Year 9) and Amarley Bron (Year 12). Another highlight of the day were the ‘view from my window’ presentations by Sasha Paris (Year 7), Gina Lau (Year 10) and Andie Hodder (Year 11) who shared stories about their lives in their hometowns with great pride, finesse and warmth. We could not have been prouder of them.

Hiroshima Calling WRITTEN BY CAROLYN BURGESS Regular readers of Keeping Up With Our Boarders will be familiar with the triumphs of our football superstar, Alethea (Lethy) Levy (Year 10). Most recently, Lethy was selected to play for Football NSW (FNSW) at the HiFA Peace Memorial 2023 International Tournament in Hiroshima, Japan. Lethy had a fabulous tournament, playing some high-quality football against some very tough opposition, including the Japan U/15s national team, and had the honour of captaining the FNSW side in their first game. The girls came away from the tournament with one win, two losses and a wealth of memories and football experience. What an incredible opportunity! Lethy has gone from strength to strength in her football career, playing for NSW Country and being invited to play in a Football Australia elite match earlier this year where her natural talent was recognised by selectors. We couldn’t be prouder of Lethy who successfully manages a busy training schedule, her academic studies and always has time to be a beautiful boarding sister while excelling in the highly competitive field of women’s football.

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Farewell to Neha CELESTE MCDERMONT (YEAR 10), BOORGANNA This term we bid a sad farewell to Neha Beri who has been a beautiful presence in all our lives. Neha has been absolutely crucial to the two things that I am sure our girls feel are the most important aspects of their lives in Boarding: leave and travelling home! As you can imagine, it is no mean feat facilitating the comings and goings of 128 young women, but Neha has managed to pull this off seamlessly whilst ensuring their enjoyment and safety. Neha has taken up a teaching position and, as Celeste writes, she will be deeply missed. When someone asks me where I go to boarding school and I say Pymble, they ask me if I like it there and what makes it so good. The answer is simple: it’s the people. The girls, teachers, sports coaches and especially the Boarding staff. I’ve only

been at Pymble for two terms and Neha hasn’t been in Goodlet House the whole time, but I can confidently say that she has had a positive impact on me and contributed to making my time short time so far at Pymble really, really good. Firstly, Neha is a person who embodies humility and grace. She treads lightly, never seeking attention or recognition for her tireless efforts. Yet, behind the scenes, a whirlwind of work takes place as she meticulously organises and manages everything, including our many leave applications. You can’t think of Neha without thinking of her infectious smile and the way that every time we enter the Boarding house after school, she is there to welcome us with a smile from ear to ear. Her genuine warmth and kindness have always created an environment

where we feel valued and cared for and are testaments to her character. Neha is so compassionate. She has been a pillar of support for many of us, always offering a listening ear. Even when she is super busy, Neha always will let you vent to her. Her ability to empathise and offer unwavering support are rare qualities that we all deeply appreciate. Neha, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for everything you have done. Thank you for the countless hours you have dedicated as a Boarding staff member, the smiles you have shared, the compassionate ear you have lent and the kindness and humility you have unceasingly shown. We will miss you and hope that this new chapter of your life is filled with joy and success.

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Our Pink Ladies Pink Ladies are special people who enhance the lives of our Boarders in a multitude of ways. These are our choices for the last two terms. AMARLEY BRON (TAREE) AND ABIGAIL BALLHAUSEN (NARROMINE) Thank you to all our day school friends and families that make our time in Boarding easier, happier and much more connected. You help us out with lifts, sleepovers and home-made treats and we are super grateful for all that you do. Our quarterly Pink Lady Awards seek to recognise our day school friends and families who make our time in Boarding easier, happier and much more connected. There is literally an army of supporters who help our Boarders out with lifts, sleepovers, home-made treats and the like. While these awards highlight just a few, we are super grateful for the generosity of our wider Pymble family. Our Pink Lady for Term 2, Chloe Lam (Year 8), adds her musical talents to the above list, and we couldn’t be more thankful! Chloe was our organist for the Jersey Day commemoration chapel service and her talents made the service extra special. Chloe attended numerous rehearsals, was incredibly accommodating and played beautifully. We hope this will be the first of many collaborations with Chloe. Aside from our day school families, all day school staff go out of their way to support and make our life at Pymble so much sweeter, and there is no better example of this than our wonderful Reverend (Rev) Punam Bent. Reverend Bent is our much-loved neighbour and a key member of our Boarding family, working tirelessly to make our chapel services extra special and is always there to brighten our day. With her warmth and kindness, Reverend Bent was key to making the Jersey Day commemoration chapel service a truly special occasion.

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Our Boarding Parents JACQUI SCHOFIELD (BOARDING PARENT), MUDGEE In August our Boarding parents enjoyed a wonderful weekend celebrating our girls in Mudgee.

afternoon of tastings, the scenery and giant Jenga, but most of all the company.

It was an opt-in, opt-out weekend – and I opted for it all! We had a fabulous meet and greet on Friday night at ‘The Ori’ with a very relaxing meal and drinks. It didn’t take long for the stories to start, the laughter to begin, new friendships to forge and old ones rekindle.

Our bus driver kept us on schedule and we arrived safely at our final venue, 791 Estate. ‘Fiona the owner’ introduced herself and we were inundated with wine, beer and a magical Mudgee sunset. The whole group came together for a fantastic night and we all thoroughly enjoyed the delicious meal by ‘from farm 2 plate’ Mudgee and Wellstead Shrubs.

On Saturday we began the day with those that wanted to join us for lunch and a wine tasting at Gilbert’s. It turns out we enjoyed it so much that we forgot to get a group photo! The venue was superb and the staff provided exceptional service. The bus then collected us at 3.00pm to take us to Vinifera Wines and Baker Williams Gin Distillery. They looked after us so well and everyone really enjoyed the

Kerry Roberts, Gicinta Browning, Edwina (Woop) Beveridge and I would like to thank all the families that joined us for our inaugural Boarder Parents’ Regional weekend. It truly was so much fun and we hope you’ll consider the next one, which is rumoured to be a very long lunch at Hillbilly Cider in Bilpin…

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Pymble Gives Back - Boarder Style Memory Walk for Dementia VICTORIA ‘TORIE’ BURTON (YEAR 11), COONAMBLE I have been lucky enough to participate in Dementia Australia’s Memory, Walk & Jog for the past three years. This annual fundraising event is extremely important when it comes to raising awareness about dementia and its effects, and at the same time encouraging the wider community to get active and spend quality time with loved ones. All funds raised from the seven-kilometre event goes towards supporting dementia patients and their carers, bringing communities across Australia together. The Memory, Walk & Jog fundraiser is a very special event I hold extremely close to my heart, with many of my own family members experiencing dementia and its hardships. I find that by donating and participating in the walk, I am playing my part in helping to beat dementia and pay tribute to my own family members. There is nothing better than feeling a sense of accomplishment from crossing that finish line after the race knowing you were able to make an incredible difference in a dementia patient’s life. With an estimated 487,500 people living with this neurological disorder across Australia, its vital to spread the word and try our best to help those in need. This is our way to show support and join together as a community to make donations and get active in the fight against dementia. I would encourage anyone who is interested in fundraising or wants to show support for dementia patients to get involved and take a stand against this incurable disease.

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Project Ponytail RORI LEMON (YEAR 11), DUBBO On Thursday 22 June, I made the decision to cut off 23 centimetres of my hair off and donate it to the Ponytail Project, an initiative run by Cancer Council Australia which aims to empower people all over Australia to make a difference in the lives of those impacted by cancer. To participate in this project, you must donate at least 20 centimetres of hair (which can either be dyed or natural in colour) which is then made into wigs and given to people affected by cancer. After cutting my ponytails off, I put them in a bag and posted them off to be made into wigs. Although the chop was a big change, I love my new hair and I feel very proud that I have impacted someone else’s life for the better and was able to give them a little bit of happiness.

Bringing Fun to East Meru Community School SKYE POCKLEY (YEAR 11), BYRON BAY Seven of our Boarders put together 46 bags of handcrafted rocky road for the fundraising bake sale on Saturday 12 August with all funds donated to the East Meru Community School. The aim was to raise enough money to fund a playground shelter at their school, as well as to send the students on their first ever school excursion. Thanks to everyone’s great support, we raised over $1,800! What an amazing result.

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Meet Jackie, our Relationship Manager WRITTEN BY JACKIE GARMENT My name is Jackie Garment and I have been working at Pymble for nearly 10 years. In my life before Pymble, I worked in training and development and event management roles, always with a strong customer focus, in the corporate world. I applied for a position in the Upper School office in 2013, and to be honest, I was lured by the ten weeks of annual leave offered each year. My children were still young and having both sets of grandparents living in Bathurst meant we didn’t have family support in Sydney and I wanted to be there in the holidays for my children. Whilst I grew up in Turramurra, my husband grew up in Bathurst on 1,000 acres and then my parents retired to Bathurst. Pymble is the first school I have worked for, and I loved my two years in the Upper School. I learnt so much from the students (15- and 16-year-old girls can be tricky!) and families, not to mention my fabulous team! In 2016, I moved into Community Engagement as Community Marketing Co-ordinator and the main purpose of my role was touring our prospective families, as well as representing and attending local, national and international expos and events. My role grew and I am now a Relationship Manager which sees me dedicate most of my time to prospective and current Boarding families working across Enrolments and Community Engagement, another fabulous team at Pymble. Those of you that know me know that I like a chat! It may not surprise you to know that my school reports always said, “Jackie needs to stop talking in class,” and now my job sees me doing what I love: talking, learning about Pymble families and sharing my experience. I understand what a massive decision it is to not only chose a day school, but also a boarding school, and a ‘home’ for your daughters. I have been fortunate to travel to Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Narromine, Griffith, Young, Gunnedah, Moree, Gravesend, Tamworth, Scone, Mudgee, Orange, Narrabri, Young, Port Macquarie, Jerrys Plains, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, London and many other beautiful places. I have organised events in these locations and visited your homes, shared beautiful meals and even had sleepovers! The Boarders don’t call me Mrs Garment (she lives in Bathurst) – they call me Jackie, which I love. I don’t teach them and I like that they are comfortable to stop and say hi, and I am happy to give a hug if needed. When I am touring the prospective families, the girls will stop and chat. I will always ask them, “What is the best thing and worst thing about Boarding?” They are always very honest which the families appreciate. When I take families into the Boarding houses, I explain that this is the girls’ home, and whilst normally the rooms are tidy, sometimes my timing isn’t great – it could be washing day, or the girls are just back from holidays or in the middle of changing rooms. Families understand, however, and I always say if you came to my home unannounced, I know what my children’s rooms would look like! My families always comment on the warmth they feel on tour. Our facilities are amazing; however, it is the girls that bring the College to life. The girls and our staff bring a fabulous energy and I love being part of that.

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Our Rugby Superstar ELLIE POINTON (YEAR 8), FORBES My rugby journey only started this time last year when I played my first ever game for Pymble in the 7s competition. I loved it and was immediately hooked! I played another four games for Pymble before I decided to trial to represent Gordon Rugby Club. I was very nervous as altogether I had only played about 30 minutes of rugby, but lucky for me I was selected in the U13s team to represent Gordon in the state championships in Forster in 2022. I was so excited for this experience and, to my surprise, I was awarded player of the carnival for my team. My rugby journey continued and I played in the Sizzling 7s competition over the summer. As the 7s series was wrapping up I got my first opportunity to play in our local Wildcats 15-a-side competition. This format was very different for me as I was used to 7s, but I loved learning how to play this new style. Before I knew it it was trial time, and once again I was lucky enough to be selected to represent Gordon at the U14s state championships in Dubbo. During this carnival, independent selectors watched all our games.

We didn’t know who the selectors were but our coaches told us that we had to give 110 per cent for our team to boost our chances of selection. It was a nervous wait in the days after the carnival waiting for the teams to be announced, but finally the announcement was made – and there was my name! Better yet, several of my Gordon teammates were also lucky enough to make the two Sydney teams. As there were so many girls who played amazing rugby at the state championships, the Sydney team was split into two teams – the ‘possibles’ and ‘probables’ – for the actual team. We went to Randwick and had to play to trial again, this time going up against the Country Representative team and the other Sydney team, which meant I had to verse some of my teammates! I was so nervous but once again I gave it 110 per cent. There was another nervous wait for a few days to see if I made the final cut. We were away on holidays when the announcement was made, and to my excitement my name was there again – I made the final cut and secured my spot in the Sydney junior

rugby union team! I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Next stop was a game against the Country team in Maitland, although we unfortunately lost to them. We have now been training hard together as a team to compete against Brisbane later this year. I have met so many girls from other clubs and learnt so much from our coach, Britt Merlo, who currently plays for the NSW Waratahs. We have two training sessions per week and I feel so lucky to be part of this team. It’s such a great opportunity and I am really honoured and appreciative to have been selected. My rugby will continue into spring as I recently found out that I have been lucky enough to be selected in the U15s Gordon 7s side to play in the state championships in Forster – I can’t wait! I feel so blessed to have had all these opportunities to be trained by amazing coaches and met so many new friends in the short 12 months of me starting out on my rugby journey.

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Jersey Day Commemoration Chapel Service WRITTEN BY CAROLYN BURGESS Jersey Day is one of the most cherished days in our Boarding calendar as we remember our three beautiful Boarding sisters – Alanda Clark, Jane Gay and Prudence Papworth – who tragically passed away when their plane crashed as they travelled home for the June long weekend in 1993. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the passing of the girls and our remembrance service was an extra special one as we were reunited with the families and friends of Jane, Prudence and Alanda. It was an opportunity to remind us of the gift of Boarding and was heart-warming to see the relationships that remain so strong amongst our ex-students more than 30 years later.

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For me, it was particularly special to see the beautiful manner in which our Boarders ‘turned up’. While it was good to see them perfectly attired in their pink and white jerseys, it was even better to hear them reflect on the service and show genuine empathy for the families and friends of the girls and a deep appreciation of the very special ‘club’ of which they are lifetime members. The service was followed by a tour of the Boarding houses and, as you will see the from the photos, there was much joy in reminiscing about times gone by. There was fun to be had on the staircases at the front of the houses, used every day by our current Boarders but absolutely out of bounds for our 1993 ex-students!

The Margaret Brooke ‘Brooksie’ Award The ‘Brooksie’ is awarded to a Boarder who exemplifies the spirit of a tenacious, courageous, compassionate and giving woman. This Boarder consistently uphold and demonstrate the College values and actively contribute to the Boarding community while demonstrating dedication to her studies. A Brooksie recipient consistently displays Pymble pride, including wearing appropriate school uniform, being punctual and maintaining a tidy room.

Evie Leahy

Our Term 3 recipient is Year 10 Boarder, Evie Leahy. Since the day Evie arrived at Pymble at the start of 2022 all the way from Cootamundra, she has been a pure delight. She is consistently kind, caring and has an excellent sense of humour. Evie keeps her room spotless and her Pymble pride is reflected in her perfect uniform. Evie has high expectations of herself, which is obvious in her commitment to rowing. She set herself a goal of making the First Four and worked hard to achieve her dream. She is also a natural leader, evident in her nomination to attend the Rotary Leadership camp. Evie was one of just three Year 10 girls to be given this opportunity, and it was clearly well deserved. Evie is a rare individual who makes everyone she meets feel special. She is sweet, thoughtful and makes looking out for others her priority. Evie truly embodies the College values and we feel so lucky to be able to call her one of ours.

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Loving Love It WRITTEN BY KATIE WHITE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF BOARDING Our Love It program is all about forging lasting friendships, creating memories and fostering a strong sense of family. We offer a diverse range of activities that cater to the interests and passions of all our Boarders. From festive celebrations to thrilling adventures, the Love It program is a highlight of the term that brings our Boarders together in unique and exciting ways. We started the term with heart-warming celebrations, including the Dragon Boat Dinner and Christmas in July. The Dragon Boat Dinner was a new addition to our program and provided a fantastic opportunity to recognise our Chinese community and learn more about the diversity of our Boarding family. Christmas in July dinner was a chance for the entire Boarding community to gather for a delicious roast turkey meal and share the spirit of Christmas. Even in the midst of winter, trips to the beach remain a favourite pastime. This term, the Boarders enjoyed a trip to Manly, walking The Corso and then up to Shelley Beach. It was a chance to unwind, soak up the winter sun and explore all that Manly has to offer. We also headed to Curl Curl for a beachside picnic, where the Boarders embraced the early spring weather with a dip in the ocean pools. Term 3 also provided our Boarders with an opportunity to enjoy movies at the cinema, with the girls enjoying both Barbie and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. The Boarders also put their skills to the test in various activities, including mini golf, bowling and laser tag. These outings offered

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valuable lessons in teamwork and friendly rivalry, whilst strengthening connections between Boarding sisters. One of the highlights of the Love It program was the opportunity for students to connect with their peers from other schools. Year 10 to 12 students enjoyed a memorable social event at Knox Grammar School, a night filled with dancing, music and camaraderie. The younger Boarders had their chance to bond during a fun afternoon of bowling with Knox, creating new friendships and nurturing existing ones. Additionally, our junior Boarders enjoyed a games afternoon with Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview, while Year 11 Boarders also had a blast engaging in a pasta and trivia night with the Riverview boys, testing their knowledge and building connections. The Love It program also nurtured the creative spirit within our Boarders. Through the ‘Boarders Get Baking’ initiative, students developed their skills in the kitchen. They crafted delectable treats, honed their baking skill, and shared their delicious creations with one another. In winter, the focus in the kitchen was on ‘Boarders Give Back’, with students preparing treats for bake sales for Tanzania and goods to sell at the Garden Party. One of our favourite components of the Love It program is letting girls build their own adventure. The Boarders always come up with fun activities and we can’t wait to see their plans for this term!

Celebrating Australian Ingredients at Hearthe WRITTEN BY KATHRYN WIEDEMANN (BOARDERS GET BAKING CONVENOR) Friday afternoons are always my favourite time of the week, and to celebrate Reconciliation Week, a special treat was planned for our baking Boarders. Hearthe is a beautiful café and cake shop in Stanmore in Sydney’s Inner West which pays homage to local and native Australian ingredients and traditional preservation techniques. The result is uniquely Australian sweet and savoury delights that our Boarders thoroughly enjoyed. Not only were we treated to a delicious afternoon tea, Christopher Thé, owner of Black Star Pastry, provided a fascinating commentary on each of the ingredients and the story behind the evolution of Hearthe. A delicious and informative afternoon was had by all.

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Where are they now: Rowena Mobbs ROWENA MOBBS, NÉE NEWCOMBE (1998) I attended Pymble from Canberra as a Boarder for Years 11 and 12 and lived in Goodlet House. After a poor performance in my first attempt at Year 11 at my old school and being labelled a perpetual ‘C’ student with a trajectory of failing my HSC, my mother had the insight to send me far away and embrace the Pymble ethos that any student could excel, they just had to find their passion. So, instead of physics and high-level maths, I chose subjects I loved – art and geology – and ended up with a 99.70 TER. I particularly thank Mrs Colleen Fry for setting me on this path of self-belief through art. Working hard every lunchtime to achieve this mark and being a late starter at the College, I hadn’t solidified the many years of deep-seated friendships like other girls, but it was still so easy to make wonderful connections and friendships that remain enduring. It was clear to me that Pymble was as

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much about achieving community spirit and connection together as it was individually, and there was an enormous sense of respect and equality for women far ahead of its time. I felt so proud on speech day to meet with former prime minister Hon John Howard, and I remember thinking how good it was that all these girls were going to achieve at least as much as he had! I also couldn’t help but notice that some of us were taller! During my years I enjoyed competing in swimming as well as cross country, winning the igsa carnival and representing Australia in junior modern pentathlon before competing at the senior world championships in fencing. The weights gym was a little different back then; we had some rusty, old, mismatched weights, a pungent old bench press and a tape deck with 80s rock music. What could have

toughened us up for competition better than that? Compared to those times, the sporting facilities today are amazing and a brilliant investment for the College’s future. Post Pymble, I went to the University of Adelaide where I studied medicine, a choice made based on my love for the Adelaide Oval. As with Pymble, sport was a major part of my existence and I enjoyed the program at St Mark’s College for six years where I learnt how to laugh more and study less. I moved to Sydney for my final year of training as a cognitive neurologist and met my husband Tony within a fortnight. We now have two lovely boys aged six and eight. I am quite impatient by nature, and for a whole three years of my consulting career I longed for meaning and direction. It didn’t take long for concussion to fall across my path as the direction I wanted to take my career after I attended the opening of the Australian Sports

Brain Bank and was offered a job as a neurologist to assist in research. The program has now expanded to a national media presence and one of clinical research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a devastating type of slow dementia faced by boxers, footballers, military personnel and those with other circumstances of repeated head injuries. It is not so much the number of concussions that causes CTE, but the number and force of subconcussions, or those hits without symptoms. At Macquarie University we established the Australian CTE Biobank for longitudinal data collection, as well as a popular patient and family support group called Concussion Connect.

Our future is focused on keeping kids active in sport, but safely so under #PlaySmartStaySmart, launching the #ConcussionBig5 (www. ConcussionBig5.au) program for recognising the signs of concussion. This work has remained contentious as sporting organisations face their own commercial and legal interests, so I’ve had to hold fast to my guiding value of a patient-first attitude and not be stared down by big CEOs. Pleasingly, we are now at the cusp of seeing a federal government response to the issue following the release of senate recommendations and an inquiry at which I was a witness. Personally, after five years of medical activism, I look forward to seeing solutions, taking a well-earned

rest and then moving on to the next phase of my career in an advisory capacity. For any Pymble girl out there, my best advice in life is to maintain eye contact and smile, but internally be fiercely confident.

Opposite page: Rowena Mobbs. Top left: Final geology class (1998), I’m back row 4th from right; Top left: with swimming coach, Olympic swimmer and member of the “Mean Machine” relay team Graeme Brewer (1998).

“ It was clear to me that Pymble was as much about achieving community spirit and connection together as it was individually, and there was an enormous sense of respect and equality for women far ahead of its time.”

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A View From My Window: Nundle SASKIA FITZGERALD (YEAR 11), NUNDLE Hi, my name is Saskia but most of my friends call me Sas. I am currently in Year 11 and have been a Boarder since Year 7. I come from Nundle, a small town near Tamworth known for its gold mining heritage and The Great Nundle Dog Race. I live seven kilometres out of town on my property called ‘Alkoomie’ where my family run black Simmental/Angus cattle and breed Australian stock horses. My favourite thing to do in the holidays would have to be riding my horse Apollo. When I look out my window, I see my front paddock with a couple of bulls walking around and I hear my dad in the kitchen about

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to start the day. At home I spend most of my time mustering, relaxing or working on the farm. Usually, my parents and I are on the horses while my brother rides his motorbike. On the farm we have lots of animals including my goats (Ebony, Patch and George), my cat Mindy, our family dog Jolie, a little French bulldog and a bunch of sheep, cattle and horses. My mum works at the hospital in Tamworth in administration and is currently studying psychology. My dad works on our farm and another farm just down the road. As a family we spend a lot of time playing card games, especially on the weekends when they come up. As a Boarder

here at Pymble, I’m very much looking forward to my final year although I will miss all the girls so much.

“The thing I love most about being home is spending time with my family, especially when we are all together. It doesn’t really matter to me where that is – Willoughby, Riyadh or somewhere else – as I think that a home is really about the people you are with.

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A View From My Window: Doha, Qatar LAUREN WHITFIELD-LOWE (YEAR 11), DOHA, QATAR I currently live in Doha, Qatar with my parents (Jo and Andrew), but all my siblings live in Australia. I have an older sister who is at university, two older brothers who are both married and a new little baby niece. Doha is about a 15-hour flight from Sydney and has an average temperature of 42 degrees Celsius in the summer. What I love about living in Doha is that you meet people from all around the world and learn about different cultures and religions. In Doha, most of the expats live in compounds. These are gated communities with tens to hundreds of homes there. I always enjoy going into the pool that is full of kids.

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From my window I can see a skyscraper: Aspire Tower. This tower was built for the 2006 Asian Games and lights up at night time with a bright screen across it. I can also see the compound’s tennis courts which reminds me of my window at the Boarding house. Last time I was home was during the Christmas holidays when the FIFA World Cup was taking place. My family and I went to many games, and it was such an amazing experience getting to meet people from all around the world. After watching many hours of football, we are all fans now. I was lucky enough to go to Germany and spent

Christmas with Marie, who was an exchange student at Pymble. When I am home, we always go to The Cheesecake Factory (they have the best cheesecake ever!) and sometimes go to Ladurée which is famous for their macarons and all the American and European stores that they have there. We also go to traditional places like the Souq Waqif or Katara, which have market and traditional food, showing the history of Doha. Boarding has been a great opportunity for me as it has allowed me to meet people from all around Australia and learn about their experiences.

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Goodbye, Tilly! SASHA PARIS (YEAR 7), WILLOUGHBY AND RIYADH Last term we farewelled our wonderful gap staff member, Tilly Fox. Tilly joined us at the start of the year from the United Kingdom where she lived at a boarding school, and she quickly made a big impact on all of us. She has been a fabulous support in Boarding and an invaluable member of the Health Care team. Sasha Paris (Year 7) sums up our thoughts on terrific Tilly below. T is for Terrific I is for Intelligent L is for Loving L is for Lively Y is for Youthful Tilly, you are all these qualities and more. You have done so much for us, like whenever we walk into the Health Care Centre, you have the brightest smile on your face, or when we go to breakfast on a Friday morning, you always check up on us to see how we are doing. Though these are just little things, they make our day and make us feel so loved and cared for. We will miss you so much, so please come back and visit! We wish you safe travels home to see your family again, and from the bottom of all our hearts, thank you.

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