Cheese and Tiaras (by Jessie)

Last week, my drama school did a production called 'Cheese and Tiaras' a musical written by the principal of the school. It is basically a modern day version of Cinderella, but like really really modern!
Cindy-Ella lives in a penthouse in New York with her stepmother and three stepsisters the 'Ugz'. Prince Idol is losing talented pop stars and needs a Christmas number 1, so his assistant gives him the idea of holding a Cheese and Tiaras talent show to find talent.

Of course, the Ugz and stepmother are very excited and enter and  then go and tell Cindy-Ella to tease her. Then the Fairy Agent comes and introduces herself to Cindy-Ella and sings 'Popular' from Wicked to Cindy-Ella! Then 2 helpful little ballerina fairies come in and do a dance to find a dress for Cindy-Ella to wear to the talent show because Fairy Agent insisted that she goes. Fairy Agent gives Cindy-Ella her iphone 5s and says hat when it rings, Cindy-Ella has to leave or the spell will be broken! Now, Cindy-Ella has always wanted to be a pop star and should be one but of course, she is just a servant.

The talent show starts with a performance from one of the judges 'Lady Ga La'. She sings an acoustic version of Poker face. She does well. The next act is a singer called Melody Rivers who sings 'Price Tag' by Jessie J. The next act is a girl group called 'The clowns'. The clowns do half a song full of tricks and circus music until the music stops and the Host tells them that they have the wrong show. They go off crying hysterically. The next performance is the 'Ugz' and they do a big dance with wigs and the whole lot to 'Girls just wanna have fun' by Cindy Lauper. They don't leave the stage until the host literally shoves them off stage! The next act is a singer called 'Queen Ruby' who sings Walking on Sunshine.  The next girls are a girl group called the 'Chilly Girls' based on the spice girls. They do a dance to 'Wannabe' by the Spice girls. After that, Cindy-Ella and Fairy Agent are having a conversation, well more of an argument. Finally, Fairy Agent persuades Cindy-Ella to sing her song. She sings 'Rolling in the Deep' by Adele. She is amazing. At the end, her/fairy fairy agents phone rings and she drops it and runs off stage. Prince Idol runs after her and then the host ends the talent show.

Soon after that, there is a scene in the coffee shop where Cindy-Ella works where Prince Idol comes in and listens to people sing to try and find Cindy-Ella. He doesn't manage when really she was just in the background cleaning a table and serving people. Then Cindy-Ella starts singing the song she sang for the talent show very quietly and then Prince Idol hears her and comes back in and asks her if it is really her and she says yes and the host comes in saying that she thinks they've found Cindy-Ella. Everyone comes in and watches as Prince Idol asks Cindy-Ella if he can MANAGE (not marry) her and Cindy-Ella says yes.

Then there was a big company number to Don't Stop Me Now by Queen, and everyone clapped. We all go backstage and then the principal introduced the cast in their groups. Then finally, we all sang All I want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey. It was a great awesome magnificent fun show! I was cast as one of the Ugz. It was a really fun part to play and I think all three of us Ugz went really well together. We are actually really good friends in real life so we were even in our characters off the stage and at school!  It was such a great experience and I want to do the show again and again and again! One of the drama teachers says that it should go on tour! But that will never happen...:)!

Anyway, here are some pictures/videos of the show! Enjoy!  By Jessie

Here are a couple of videos and pictures from the show. Click on the links for the videos.

http://youtu.be/psESGVsKCrI

 http://youtu.be/pR8BpFw6pgg

It's snowing in Cyprus

The Cypriot village of Kakopetria today

A winter storm, dubbed Alexa, has hit the eastern Mediterranean these last few days, bringing heavy snow to parts of Cyprus and also across elevated areas in Lebanon and Syria. Snow even fell in Nicosia overnight, which is not common. We heard today from some colleagues in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, where tens of thousands of Syrian refugees are located. It is estimated that more than 80,000 refugees will be spending the winter in tents, with many more in temporary or makeshift accommodation. The onset of winter proper is a major challenge for these people.

World Vision, other agencies, the UN and the army are working hard to continue distribution of emergency winter supplies.  However there are real concerns that the winter is going to be very harsh on an already highly vulnerable population. Click here for further details on the emergency response work being done by World Vision or here for some further news about the storm and its impacts.

Mountain roads in Cyprus today

A visit to Abkhazia

This picture shows the lobby entrance of a hotel I recently stayed at in Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia.  The images are a somewhat strange way to welcome guests to the hotel, but they reflect much about the region's history and present reality. Abkhazia is a separatist region of Georgia, situated on the Black Sea between Georgia proper to the south and Russia to the north.  The region unilaterally declared independence after a war with Georgia over 20 years ago. Abkhazia is not formally recognised by any countries apart from neighbouring Russia and a scattering of small South Pacific islands, so the region remains in political limbo. Abkhazia is heavily influenced by Russia, and now hosts a number of large Russian military bases close to the border of neighbouring Georgia.  The capital Sukhumi is only a few hours away from Sochi, the Russian city hosting the February 2014 Winter Olympics.

An old rusted cafe venue on the Black Sea 

Travelling in Abkhazia feels a bit like being a time warp, and the evidence of war 20 years ago is still highly visible.  Large numbers of houses vacated by Georgians who fled during and after the war remain empty and dilapidated. Likewise the large and now abandoned Soviet collective farms which were famous across the USSR for tea production and various other produce.  Abkhazia was once the playground of the rich during Soviet times, but now faces chronic issues of poverty, ethnic tension, economic malaise and political uncertainty.  On my recent visit I couldn't help thinking that when the Abkhaz fought their war for independence, the present status quo was not the outcome they had hoped for or anticipated.

The Baku city skyline

Following on from my visit to Abkhazia, I spent time with in meetings with staff and donors in Georgia and then travelled across to neighbouring Azerbaijan.  Of all the countries I visit and where we have programs in the region, Azerbaijan is one that always challenges me.  The contrast between Baku, where the government spend billions on public infrastructure and city beautification, and the rest of the country is immense.  Freeways in Baku and some other parts of the country are bordered on both sides with elaborate architectural walls, many illuminated at night and creating what I heard someone refer to as a 'corridor of happiness' as you drive along.  The unfortunate purpose of many of these walls seems to be to hide the poverty and slums that lie beyond.  So in one sense it can seem like there is a false veneer in Azeri society.

Despite the infrastructure grandeur of Baku, the country still faces deep issues of poverty, discrimination and exclusion of vulnerable groups.  These issues are far more pronounced and visible in rural areas away from Baku, but are also present in the capital itself. It seems there has been better progress in recent years, but there is much further to go, particularly in areas of disability, social services and civil society development.

The Azerbaijan flag in Baku. Up until recently this
was the largest 'flying' flag in the world.  

The 2012 Eurovision song contest venue in Baku

Some of our team in Abkhazia

Frozen Moscow!

The Armenian genocide

Yerevan, with Mt Ararat in background

A few weeks back I was in Armenia for meetings with staff.  This year marks the 25th anniversary of World Vision's work in Armenia.  The program first commenced in 1988 in response to a large earthquake impacting the northern city of Gyumri and other parts of the country.  Since then World Vision's activities in Armenia have grown and transitioned to a longer term development focus, with projects in areas of health, education, child protection and economic development.  The majority of these activities are implemented in partnership with communities, Government and also churches.

Genocide memorial in Yerevan

As a country Armenia faces many challenges, with a declining population, high levels of poverty, limited economic growth and a 'frozen' conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.  To this day there are many more Armenians living outside the country than within.  Accurate numbers vary, but it is estimated that there approximately 10 million Armenians worldwide, but of this number only 3 million actually live in Armenia itself. Reasons for the Armenian diaspora are complex, but can be attributed largely to a defining event in the nation's history during the First World War - the Armenian Genocide.  Between 1915-1923, the Turkish Government sought to remove Armenian people from the Ottoman Empire.  Millions of Armenians were either forcibly removed or killed during this period, and the event is collectively referred to as the Armenian Genocide.  To this day Turkey has not acknowledged the genocide, and issues of formal recognition of the genocide remain highly contentious with governments around the world.  Earlier this year, the NSW parliament in Australia passed a bill recognising the Armenian genocide, and there have been ongoing diplomatic issues since with Turkey, as shown in this news article.

Eyes that witnessed the genocide: the survivors
still alive today

Regardless of the technicalities of recognition, the genocide remains a defining feature of Armenia's national identity, both for those within in the country and also the diaspora around the world.  Whilst in Yerevan a few weeks back, a colleague took me to visit the genocide memorial that sits above the city.  It was a sobering experience, and one that gave me a better appreciation and perspective of what actually occurred during the genocide period and in the following years.

In some ways Armenia feels like a country that is frozen by its past, but also struggling to find a way forward.  The country also continues to walk a tightrope between Russian and European influence, and no doubt many are closely watching current developments in the Ukraine, and assessing implications for other former Soviet republics who may be leaning closer towards Europe.

Photo exhibition in Yerevan downtown
for World Vision's 25 years in Armenia

Map showing the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory
between Armenia and neighbouring Azerbaijan

An 18th Wedding Anniversary

In keeping with our annual tradition of taking a bit of time out together on our wedding anniversary, Sarah asked our landlords if we could visit their village and stay overnight. The village is called Kormakides and it's a 45min drive to the north west of Nicosia. Although it is located in the north of Cyprus, there are still a number of Greek Cypriots living there or visiting regularly.  Mostly, it is a Maronite community, with a large church in the centre of the village.  The language spoken in the village is actually Aramaic, and the architecture of the houses is quite distinctive from other parts of Cyprus.  Our landlord, George, is an active member of the community as well as a descendant of one of the Maronite bishops from last century.  His house actually belonged to the bishop many years ago and there are some beautiful old photographs displayed on his walls, including one of George and the pope!  The house itself, over 100 years old, has been kept in good condition and still retains that beautiful old feel.

The village of Komakides, with Maronite church centre left

Despite Sarah not feeling in the best of health; it was good for us both to get away.  We enjoyed a walk in the fields...

A sunset....

Some slow cooked meat over dinner...along with the anniversary conversations as well as the tiresome Sydney real estate talk! (fortunately the latter finished only a week later)

In the morning, Ross went for a run to view the ocean, and I stayed back to watch the morning birds.  Inspired by Sam's recent attempts at poetry and the lovely vista; I put pen to paper myself.  I quite enjoy writing the odd poem and this was no exception.

After breakfast, George showed me his orchard and all that he was growing.  He picked fresh figs and pomegranates off the tree and gave them to me.  I don't ever want to forget the sweet lush taste of that late summer fig!

As you can see, we relaxed in the house in the morning...

 Ross on the lounge reading the Sydney Morning Herald!

...and then headed for a lie in the sun and a swim.

It was great to mark the occasion and a good restful tonic for both of us.  Who knows how we'll celebrate next year?