Meet Our Staff

She even looks like one of the family and has been accepted in our small “village” Dongara with welcoming smiles. German girls it seems are very social at meeting new people. (Well our girl is anyway). We picked Ines up from the plane at Geraldton shy, tired and I think a little nervous. We met her with balloons, banners and a small but enthusiastic fanfare. It was late in the afternoon and we just had time to get to the beach before the sun set and have a little fresh air and time to get to know each other before the 45 minute ride home. When we arrived home we ate and settled down, showed Ines her room and tried to make her feel welcome and comfortable.

It took about a month to settle in completely. School was a 75min bus ride for her and that meant a 6.00am rise. What a wake up. We were able to have many fun filled journeys around WA and Victoria with Ines. Dongara is 4 hours drive north of Perth, 3,500 people, a clean swim/surf beach, 64km from Geraldton where she goes to school with her “host brother” Ray (15yr). We took Ines on a picnic to Mingenew 50km to see the famous WA wildflowers and fields of yellow canola. She rolled her ankle into a balloon shape within 15minutes from home on an old tree stump as she was jumping a fence and from then had to see the famous flowers from the car window. Difficult. Injured for the first time in Australia and a teary eye. Other places were Kalbarri and it’s natural gorges. To Mandurah (1 hr sth Perth) to visit some family and go crabbing. Several trips to Perth and do touristy things like Kings Park tree top walk and taking photos of buildings was what astonished us. Every building you can imagine!!

We had already planned a skiing holiday and visit to Barbs family in Victoria so along came Ines. Her father sent her ski clothes and off we went to Falls Creek for a week in the snow. Absolutely fabulous time and Ines learnt to ski!!! She says she will now go home and try the German slopes. We took the ferry to Queenscliff near Geelong and then travelled the Great Ocean Road to Warnambool, Went to the Grampians and climbed the mountain. We all had a fantastic family holiday in Victoria.

Christmas in our hot little “village” rose to 40 degrees by 10am. Just unheard of for a German girl. We dropped some imitation snow to make Christmas Eve feel more Christmassy. Received a huge box full of gifts for all from Germany to make a great display under the tree. It was a wonderful Christmas for us all. Very Australian, we even went for a mid morning swim at the beach. As Ray is our only child, it is very interesting having a girl around who liked to cook and talk and do girl things with.

In March Ines’ brother and partner came to Australia. The stayed at a local B & B but spending much of their time with us, we all enjoyed their visit. We got to hear some fun stories about Ines and laughing was the best medicine. Once when David and I went away for the weekend. One of the fish died (under her care), her brother tells us that mysteriously one of his fish died when Ines looked after it also!!!

In April our family holidayed at the Abrolhos Islands – North Island for 4 nights (west 40min by small plane off Geraldton coast). We fish, snorkelled and saw live coral, swam, read books on the beach and ate lots of yummy fish and ate crayfish. An invitation only island, saw us very privileged to be accommodated. We go to the Pinnacles this weekend and to Shark Bay to see the dolphins where we will camp for two nights on the June long weekend.
Ines has been the most rewarding, fulfilling addition to our family that we could ever have imagined. She has taught us many things during her stay including the German language. We will be visiting Ines in Germany within 2 years. She is an asset to our family, incredibly motivated to help wherever she can and with the most genuine smile which makes your heart melt. She had never played basketball in a team and joined the local competition and ended up a key player in a winning grand final!! What proud parents we were. She’s had the opportunity to go to a school year 12 senior ball. All dressed up and gorgeous. Ray and Ines got on very well most of the time. They even had brother/sister fights about the dishes!!
Her family in Germany are always there and she speaks to her parents, brother & sisters and grand parents often. She had committed herself to being in Australia in body and heart and lived her life here with no regrets and did as much as she could do.

We found Ines to be a delight in every sense of the word. She would communicate with us when and where she would be, she would help in the house with chores, take her turn at cooking and tolerate our differences.

We will miss her terribly.