Perspective in the pandemic

WITH Stage 3 restrictions extended for at least another month, Clint Miller from Destination Dreaming (DD) is encouraging Australians to keep perspective.
For 16 years, Clint alongside his wife Kate, have run DD, a social enterprise offering inspiring, meaningful, off-the-grid adventures for schools and groups; providing immersion opportunities in communities throughout Asia Pacific.
“When I was 19, I used to work for an American travel company, they exposed me to Fiji, the villages and the concept of community service,” Mr Miller said.
“I went out to these communities and learned the company was ripping off the villages, undermining them and getting unqualified kids to complete construction programs.
“I had a huge problem with it and got the sack. I came back to Australia and met Kate, she was studying law and is passionate about community law, particularly women’s rights. I told her my vision and her ideas centered around education and partnerships.”
The duo formed Destination Dreaming with a strong ethos around building and nurturing long-lasting, ethical relationships with the communities they work with, communities now greatly affected by the pandemic.
“Obviously, our business has come to a standstill. We were really proactive and sent out letters to all of the schools and families we work with in February, long before restrictions were in place. The majority have been fantastic (including Sacred Heart College, St Ignatius and St Mary’s Netball Club),” he said.
“We’ve always known there’s two big threats to our business, a pandemic like a virus, and oil prices. Until this year, we’d never had a cancellation and families have been really understanding of
the situation.”
Mr Miller said he encouraged Australians isolating in their homes, to spare a thought for countries less fortunate like Fiji and East Timor, where they run most of their programs.
“These communities can’t afford to have outbreaks whatsoever. They don’t have the facilities and health care systems to manage this. The number of people living in a single house is far higher, they have grandparents, parents and children.
“They live a communal way, they use the same cups, during ceremonies they use the same coconut cup. Ceremonies are a huge part of their culture, and they’re no longer able to perform them; cultural ceremonies they’ve done for hundreds, and thousands of years.”
Mr Miller said one of the greatest gifts imparted on students after the DD experience, is a newfound appreciation for a simpler life.
“I ran into a St Ignatius student that’d participated. He said he’s been thinking about the community in East Timor, that we’re ok because we have food, and can go for a surf.
“There’s no JobSeeker payments in these countries. If you’re going to be in a crisis, you want to be in Australia. It’s all about perspective.
“This pandemic is forcing us to go back to basics: eating, sleeping and hanging out with our family…and that’s what these communities teach us, happiness in a simpler life.”