My idea that Australians are some of the nicest people around was confirmed when they were kind enough to invite my friend and I to join in on their fun. We learned all about different areas of Australia by talking to each of them and found that Australians are very caring and inclusive people in general.
The community has this tradition so that they can celebrate the birthdays of four of the group members. I think that this group especially has fun with a theme each October because Halloween is not celebrated as much in Australia. This birthday event gives them a good excuse to get dressed up. They choose the theme each year based on the new age of one of the birthday girls. This year, one friend was turning 70 so they chose to dress up in 1970's costumes. In the 1970's in Australia and around the world, colorful, bright clothing, big hair and disco music were popular. The peace sign was also a big part of 1970's culture. Do you ever use the peace sign in pictures?
The camping activities that took place during the birthday celebration are connected to the environment because they are common practices in Australia. For example, camping can be done almost all year in Australia since it is warm. There is a lot of land for camping, which is probably different than where you live in New York City. When camping, fire is common. My favorite part of the entire night was when some of the group started fire twirling. This is when torches are lit on fire, and skilled dancers twirl them around in the air. It can be dangerous, but it is very beautiful to watch. Could you go camping in your environment?
