Our Travel Buddies 1999

Travel buddies can be a soft toy or a puppet that travels the world as a representative of your class. You give the toy a name, find a partner school and post a parcel with the travel buddy and other items to your partner class. When an agreed period of time has elapsed the partner class will return the travel buddy by posting the buddy, his diary, photos and any other souvenirs of his adventures back home. While the buddy is away, stay in touch using email.

1. Paddy has travelled all the way from Fifth class to Ross Park School, Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory and they have sent Yamba the Honey Ant to us. We are keeping a diary for Yamba. He came on our tour to Clara Lara with us and we brought him ice-skating. On May 24th Emma brought him to the photo-call to launch the schools CD Rom at Telecom Eireann and a reporter from the local paper came to find out about him and take his picture.

2. Brian O'Carroll the Leprechaun has travelled from third class to Withers Primary School in Western Australia. He brought his diary and lots of photos and goodies with him. The children bring him home every night and are taking very good care of him. Matilda and her baby Joey travelled to us all the way from Withers Primary School and she has received a real Irish welcome.

The children at Withers Primary holding the Irish flag we sent.

Unpacking Matilda and Joey from the bag that was designed and painted specially for them by an Aboriginal education worker at Withers Primary.

3. Ginger the Cat travelled to Dandenong Primary School in Melbourne. They sent Betty and Boo to us to collect folk tales for their project on International Folk Tales.

Ginger, with her passport and goodies just before she was posted to Dandenong Primary School.

Betty and Boo with fourth class friends on Sports Day.

31/5/1999

Paddy has been very busy in the last couple of weeks. He's been to the Desert Park and had his picture taken with a couple of native animals. He's been playing basketball and netball; visited with a police officer and even ridden a motorbike. He's paying a trip out to Finke for the Desert Race in a couple of weeks time - that should be a lot of fun. It's a race with buggies and bikes - it's dirty and dusty but very popular with locals and tourists. We'll take some photos and send them back with him.

Will talk with you all soon. Give Yamba our love Jackie and year 5/6 M