Eleanor of Tootgarook, Comment 14 of 16, Celebrity bullies set the standard, Karen Brooks, The Courier-Mail, 5 January 2011: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/celebrity-bullies-set-the-standard/story-e6frerfo-1225981903955 Historical link preserved from the original page.
We had so many hopes and dreams in the 60's! And so many opportunities.
1 January 2011
Jo Chandler's exceptionally well-written story in The Age today concerns Sandy Stirling, a baby-boomer teacher.
Jo captures so well the hopes and dreams of the baby-boomer generation.
And the range of opportunities that were open to baby-boomers.
How times have changed!
Sandy Stirling was born in Coburg in 1946.
As a newly minted teacher she headed bush, to Shepparton.
It was the 1960s and her head was full of the ideas of the age - that she would have an adventurous life.
Ms Stirling applied to Australian Volunteers International and found herself, age 45, teaching in Tonga. Historical link preserved from the original page.
She came home and quickly wearied of an education system that she felt was screwing her for every ounce of time and energy.
''In the end I just quit.
They could stick it. ''
She taught in Darwin, in the Tiwi Islands.
She worked in Vanuatu.
Then in Africa.
Sandy started living on the pension last year.
She feels no desire to keep working - for money or identity.
She loves the freedom to indulge travelling, her art, and time in the garden.