Last day in Gunnison

What an amazing farewell from Gunnison. The last couple of weeks were so bitter-sweet with lots of individual and group farewells, cards, hugs and gifts – too many to list here but all momentous in their own way.

Jack Lucido and Terry Schliesman recorded TV and Radio interviews about our exchange and the radio program was broadcast in the week that we left. The Gunnison Times published a full page article a couple of days before we left and as we departed Grand Junction the pilot came on to say there was an important message from the tower.

"Could you all welcome aboard The Dawsons who are returning to Australia after spending a year in Gunnison. We wish them a pleasant trip home!" Our friend John who works at the control tower in Grand Junction had sent the message through. A great but teary moment.

Our farewells included a lovely dinner at El Paradisio a local Mexican restaurant with the Golf crowd. Felt so nostalgic to be driving down an icy Main Street with the Christmas lights reflecting in the crisp snow and shop windows.

Driving towards the giant Christmas tree we remembered the excited faces of the children who a week before had made giant decorations and then ridden up to the top of the tree in a cherry picker to decorate it. It was Freezing but they loved it.

Marta Smith put on a splendid farewell evening……It gave us a chance to give a few gifts to people who had made an extra effort to make our visit special……Marta has been amazing. Taking us to a Bronco game in Denver, lending us a car for three weeks after we sold ours. Inviting us to dinner and BBQ’s and generally being a great friend and colleague.

Roger was really quite choked up when he was given a specially commissioned picture of Gunnison Middle School by the District Superintendant. It was terrific that he acknowledged Roger’s achievements in what has not always been the easiest of circumstances.

We held an “Open House” with over 45 people getting together to eat , drink, dance the Polka to the accordion music of Peter Dunda and Santa Spencer distributed silly presents which were boisterously traded across the room!

A lovely, fun evening which left us wondering when we would see people again….and where.

Kathy put on a lovely evening at her house – the “Gunnison Gals” and their partners were great company, lots of laughs as we shared stories of our early romances. Went for an amazing walk afterwards along the frozen river. Our breaths almost froze as we chatted and laughed……brrrrrr it was wonderful.

Before the farewell lunch put on by the office staff Roger and I went around to all the classrooms and gave out Christmas bags of Anzac biscuits decorated with Christmas icing . It was great to see all the teachers and students before we left.

When we first arrived, Kim and Coop our community sponsors picked us up from the airport took us through the deep snow to “Garlic Mikes” an Italian restaurant just across the highway. So on our final night in Gunnison the 4 of us went back……..had Green fried tomatoes, seafood linguine and salads, just like on the first night. Brought back lots of memories of Coop rescuing me when I drove the car off the edge of the drive and into the snow, walking with Kim and Coop coming to the rescue and ploughing our driveway so that we could get out of the driveway

At Roger’s farewell assembly he got all the kids singing Waltzing Matilda we showed a quick imovie of our experiences of the year and with a quick chant of Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi…. It was all over!

Lots of hugs from everyone brought yet more tears to our eyes. This was the moment that Caleb chose to call and ask us what we were doing!! Great timing.

Then it was the final flurry of cleaning, bags into the back of the car and we were on the road to Grand Junction.

Weather reports had massive snow storms in the East but for us it was a crisp, clear, cold night – no snow or ice on the road… a sliver of a moon and bright stars to light our way. Just such a relief to arrive at Linda’s house. We crunched our way through frozen snow, to be welcomed by wine and a beautiful meal. John joined us for dinner at about 10.30 and before we knew it , it was 2.00am.


Lovely evening, so hope the four of us catch up soon.

Up at 6.00am….to do a final resort of packing…….poor Linda ended up with all sorts of things we decided not to take. Trip to the airport was just stunning….The tops of buttes and escarpments of the National Monument (a superb National Park) were covered in snow and mule deer bounced along the side of the road as we went.

And so to Phoenix and LA!