Caroline
Miller
1978-1979 Grades 4H, 5K
Email: caroline.miller@exxonmobil.com
Finding this site (well, being steered towards it by my
bro) has been simply amazing. The memories it's brought back ... so long ago they
sometimes seem surreal, and it's nice to be reassured that they are fact after
all.
Apart
from the homesickness we all felt, I can honestly say I have no bad memories of
our two years in Penang. The Millers (mum Aileen, father Alan, brother Greg and
I) lived in a ridiculously big house in Tanjong Bungah, with an amah named Ah
Moi whose sense of fun was completely Monty Python-esque. We had spectacular water
balloon fights that would inevitably travel inside, but that was no drama ...
I mean who had carpet??
There were the regular pilgrimages to the Hillside
Hilton for murtabah and satay, then over the road to Goodies for a hot chocolate
fudge sundae dessert. Or Fettes Park on a Saturday morning for the delicious Chinese
pancakes - sugary peanutty creations that I've been unable to find anywhere since.
Sob.
And how great was RAAF School! I thought my teachers were sensational - Mr Hughes and Mr Kirby.... never forgot the time I submitted a mini-essay to Mr K, quite a serious story, and yet he burst out in uncontrollable laughter. My tale was about a Samurai warrior who, out of shame, took his life by committing "Hari Krishna". (I think that might have had something to do with it.) I was a bit miffed, but had to forgive him. He was a Carlton supporter after all. And Mr Blackett who taught me the recorder - well I ended up sticking with the music thing, and playing in a pretty popular band for about 3 years, so he's left a legacy also.
The attaps, the soccer games, the Penang Hill run - and my friends.....Tamara Covington, Lisa Rouse, Peter Dakin, the Schmid twins.... I guess we all lost contact because of the peripatetic nature of being a RAAF kid, but how great it would be to see them again!
And me - I'm now 33, working as a risk analyst with a big oil company that admittedly has a pretty lousy PR profile - but is still pretty good to work for. I live in Melbourne with my cat Hermie, whilst my brother lives in NZ with his wife and two beautiful children, and M & D are about to move to the northern NSW coast. (I'm staying HERE - love Melbourne too much!)
Would love to hear from any old classmates. (Tamara Covington, if you're out there, YOU GAVE ME THE WRONG ADDRESS!!!)