SSPA Convention 2007: Bonny Hills.

Day 1.

After 3 days travelling we finally arrived at the Bonny Hills Conference Centre. It was pretty ridiculous...I mean, this was about my 11th convention and I felt quite nervous. Not only that but very excited as well. I hadn't been to a convention for 3 years!

Anyway, as soon as we arrived I was taken aback by the setting - it was surrounded by beautiful bushland. This convention was quite different from every other one I'd been to - so many new faces! It almost felt like I was a newbie myself. I wasted no time going around and getting to know as many names as I could. We had a group picture taken as the majority of people that were going to be there for the week were present. We quickly dived into dinner as we had little time until the official opening of the convention - seeing as this was the SSPA's 40th anniversary it was a special one. It was opened by the deputy Prime Minister of Australia!
He opened it, made a speech, as did other people. During the speeches I learned something - we are the longest standing self-help group in Australia! Wow!

The night continued and much cheese and wine was consumed...though not by me - gross! Off to bed around 1am after a huge day, and an equally big one the next.

Day 2.

Up at 6! Freakin heck why does everyone wake up so cheery? Got ready quickly as breakfast was at 7.30 and the bus tour at 9.15. Soon on the bus where I met Miss Chloe (not my sister, obviously), who was to become my shadow and like a little sister for the week. Within minutes I had already been invited to her 6th birthday party to be held at McDonalds in January...in Sydney! (Quote her dad, Anthony: "We hope you can come but understand if you can't...it's a long way to come just for a Big Mac!") Our bus driver was slack and didn't even provide us with any commentary for the tour! My gran kept us entertained though, seeing as she raised her family in Port Macquarie, with a more personal commentary, "This is where Jimmy (my Dad) went to school..." and Chloe and I were just content to yell "BEACH!" whenever we saw one (and there are a lot of beaches in Port!).

First stop was at a koala hospital where we saw koalas (surprise, surprise!) and heard about their survival stories. We also saw a typical house back in the convict days.
Back at the buses. We stopped for lunch at the town green. The weather was beautiful by the way, warm and sunny all week! Got ice cream (damn, it was good!) and then it was time to get on the cruise. Some people got on the boom net at the back of the boat, which looked like a lot of fun, but considering I can't swim well I didn't go in. The captain kept telling us that there were dolphins in the water, which we were meant to be able to see... I think he lied or was bored or something as no matter where we looked THERE WERE NO DOLPHINS WE TELL YOU! I slept a lot on the cruise after having little sleep during the night and before we knew it we were back at the green where our buses were waiting. Back on the bus next to Chloe, who was adamant no one else was allowed to sit there!

Back at the camp and I'm STILL tired! Try to get a sleep in before dinner...
A few minutes pass and my door swings open with a bang -
"I've been looking for you EVERYWHERE!" cries Chloe with her hands on her hips. Haha! It was time for dinner anyway. The food there was good! After a bit of beverage shopping it was time for trivia. I sat on a table with Sam and a bunch of older people that I hardly knew...but we had a nice range of ages so chances were good! Being a bit of a Harry Potter fan I demanded that we use our joker on that particular themed round. As it turned out, it was the highest scoring round and we got them all right! There were also other games between rounds which were a lot of fun. Although we didn't win, we managed to score well.

The rest of the night was spent mingling, catching up with old friends and making new ones ("Get out of the bushes!" "Stop mumbling!" Hahaha!). It also included a VERY funny scenario of Chloe (aged 5, remember) trying to get and believing that Tim (my brother, who is 11 years older than her...) was her boyfriend, much to her parents dismay. And I confess, yes I did kind of help set that up! Haha! Luckily she was easy to convince they should break it off and she is content to remain "just good friends."
Bed at 2.

Day 3

Less hurried day today as it was the medical day. Doctors and nurses come and explain important facts about short-statured people and the things they need to watch out for in regards to their health. Mainly for new members and parents of kids with dwarfism. Boring to those that have known it forever lol. I was content to just help with the kids outside with the craft. Gosh they're gorgeous! I was meant to do a drama workshop...but no one was turning up! So I gave up on that idea for the time being.

After some lunch I managed to pull together a drama workshop, whilst there were other more medical-based ones going on. My participants were a lot younger than I had been expecting, so instead of trying to come up with a big show for the week we just played some theatre sport games and worked on songs and dances that the kids thought up. Rather a talent show than a big production. We held that up for an hour or two and then they went off to play.

I then went over to the teen workshop for a bit before it finished. I really like these as it brings people closer. Many people find out that they share many of the same experiences, frustrations, questions, etc as a short-statured person, particularly as a short-statured teen, and discover that they're not alone. A big relief to many, especially those that only ever see others like themselves at conventions once a year for a week. It is what often hits off some great friendships.

After dinner we went to our rooms to get ready for the disco. The theme was 'the 60's,' as that's the decade the SSPA began, so out came the hippie gear! Dancing the night away. Fun fun :)

Day 4

Hung around for the morning, where Michael and I came up with an ingenious idea - SSPA bobblehead & Barbie/Ken dolls! ("Mum, I want an achon Barbie!") It was a joke that soon spread around the conference centre. Some of the ideas we came up with...hilarious! Anyway, Josh and Avanthi came over and we went out for the day, whilst everyone else went to the beach. We saw Rush Hour 3 at the cinemas - funny stuff. Then hung out at their place for a bit.

Went back to the convention site where we found the majority of people hanging around the TV. We made it to the NBN news! Much excitement for all.
Cruised around for a bit and chatted...triedtequilaforthefirstsecondandthirdtime*cough* and we had a 'Remember When' ceremony, celebrating 40 years of the SSPA, but I didn't attend. I think I just went around talking to people outside or something. Went to bed around the regular time of 2.

Day 5

Took time getting ready today as it was a free morning. Tried to pull another rehearsal together but it didn't happen. A few of us sat outside for lunch at a picnic table...where we noticed a rather smooshed and very dead moth. Feeling rather mournful over such a sight, we gave it a proper funeral - I recorded it on my phone whilst Jess and Sam said nice things:

(Note: "All moths are known as Larry, it's a fact")
"The moth had a good life...all, what, 2 days of it?"
"And Larry Jr...gonna grow up without a father...it's a tough time for all of us."

Funniest funeral ever! Cracks me up every time I watch it! Lol.

After lunch we had the AGM and I ran for a position on the National Council. Didn't end up getting on. Oh well, next year!
Just lazed about after that and took it easy before the Dinner Dance. The Dinner Dance is the highlight of the week where all the adults (13 and up) dress up formally and, well, have dinner and dance! It's a great night. We went and got dressed and were soon aboard the buses.
Our bus driver managed to hit a car in the carpark! Much to my amusement he didn't even stop to check the car, whose it was or anything! He just kept driving as though nothing had happened...

Got to the venue - everyone looked glamorous and it was a great venue. It was stifling hot though! Ate good meals, although fairly small. Then Avanthi, Josh and I went over to the pokie machines...where I managed to put one out of order...he he he...
Bet $2 and won nothing. Stupid pointless games.
Sat and chatted though didn't manage to dance - many others did, however. The night went so quick! Before we knew it we were back at the venue where some good conversation was had. Up until the early hours, but finally went to bed.

Day 6

Woke up at around 6 after very little sleep. Lack of sleep during the week (averaged around 4 hours a night, sometimes less!) caught up and felt ill. Much of the day consisted of more bobblehead jokes, which I'm still laughing about to this day lol.
Went to Timbertown (NSWs version of Sovereign Hill). Went on the steam train there, but feeling sick I decided that it was a very bad idea at the last moment. Seeing as I was on my scooter and at the very back of the carriage I had to get everyone to either stand on their seats or get off the train just so I could get off! Talk about embarrassing!
Hung about for a bit and got a 'Wanted' poster done with Avanthi and Josh...appropriately wanted for 'holding up the Timbertown train!' Hahaha! Visited a few of the stores, then attempted to go on the train again - with success! It was then time to go back to the campsite.

After dinner we got ready for the talent/kareoke night. I was a bit nervous about how the talent segment would go, as I hadn't really organised it. Luckily Mez jumped in to set it up and the kids seemed to pull it together on their own. Some hard work went into these performances as each person or group that participated did an amazing job! And the sense of achievement that showed on each of their faces was priceless.
The night continued with kareoke from those that could sing, those that tried to sing...and those that just liked attention. Haha! Nah but fun was certainly had by all.
Then it was back to the centre for an early(ish) night as tomorrow it was time to say goodbye...

Day 7

Final day. After breakfast we congratulated the staff of the site on what a tremendous job they had done in taking care of us. The whole week they looked out for us and made sure our stay was a comfortable one - as well as providing us with delicious meals every night.
It was then time to pack and one by one people began to leave.

All over for another year. Definitely the most sucky part of the entire week and the most dreaded by all. This is a well known term by the SSPA known as 'post-convention blues' and is experienced by just about everyone that attends, young and old, old members and new, to some extent for the following couple of weeks. Many friendships are made over these weeks and the group comes together not 'like' a family, but AS a family.

Even as I have tried to describe the experience of an SSPA convention to you on here, what I have put down is nowhere near sufficient and can't possibly be understood, unless you have ever been to one. The experience is inexplainable, but it is one that I am blessed and very grateful to have.