On Thursday, the class presented photos that we’d taken around the area that we reside. As aforementioned, I live in Coburg and have for a long time. There wasn’t premeditated thought to the places I went to, I just asked myself “What placed have an impact on you?”
This photo was taken along the Merri Creek trail. I chose to take a photo here because I frequent this area often. I walk my dog along this trail, I meditate on the mound next to the water, I’ve had picnics with friends, I walk here when I am happy or when I am sad. It is a place of peace and comfort for me and I’ve often stated, one of my favourite places in the world.
The ‘Happy Living Superstore’ once used to be called the ‘$2 Store!’. I remember the sign of the two was ginormous and coloured in a memorable yellow, red and black. When I was very young, my grandfather would take my cousins and I here and we’d each get to choose a toy that we wanted. We thought it was one of the greatest places ever and my grandfather did too, as it provided us with entertainment for a few hours and he got to read the paper. The owners are still the same and you can still purchase $2 toys from the last aisles, I’m happy to announce. I have extremely fond memories of this place.
This is Progress Theatre, a dance school near my childhood home. Here, is where I danced ballet, hip-hop and jazz as a nine year old. I had completely forgotten about this place when I was driving past it and screeched to a stop. I had to have a moment to sit in wonderment and remembrance.
This is one of the only milk bars I can recall that is still operating. As a child it was decrepit but it was renovated and is now as pictured above. As a teenager I would, much to the owners annoyance, transfer notes for spare change, I would buy sour straps if I was having a bad or good say (sour straps are for every occasion) and buy magazines. I used to think it was so handy.
Ayio Vasili is the Greek School that I attended every Saturday throughout Primary school and every Monday throughout High school. To this day I believe it is one of the ugliest buildings I have ever laid eyes on, yet oddly I am very fond of this place. Within the halls lay so many memories that I retrospectively cherish.
Located behind the school is the Ayio Vasili church. Although I am not religious, every Easter and Christmas my family and I come to church together and take part in our cultural traditions. We bump into friends and family members that I rarely see, allowing us to catch up with one another. I have many fond memories here also and always look forward to those holidays.
Don Bosco, to put it plainly, is one of the coolest places on earth. It is located on Sydney Road and inside can only be described as awesome. There are four trampolines, four pool tables, two ping pong tables, a swimming pool and on Sundays the local animal farm would come to visit. It is run by a local priest and is completely free for kids under the age of eighteen, basically every young child’s dream. I love this place… if you couldn’t already tell.
Last but certainly not least is my grandparents house. As I’ve previously mentioned I have moved houses many times, which was difficult. Yet, the one place that always remained close by and constant was this home. I’ve celebrated New Years, Easter and Christmas here, I’ve lived in this home and I still live very close to this home. I love everything about it, from the stone pillars to the slightly tacky statues inside to the plastic covered sofas. In many ways this place is home for me.
After presenting in class I recieved interesting feed back that I hadn’t noticed whilst taking the photos. People pointed out that all of the photos had in-depth memories and stories behind them. I guess I didn’t notice as I am intrinsically sentimental and I believe there is no other way I could have completed this assignment.
