Heather Latter
Will be missed
by friends here
They may have only lived in Fort Frances for a year, but the Callaway family from Australia gained experiences and friendships that will last a lifetime.
“We had such a wonderful experience in every aspect,” enthused Maree Callaway, who arrived last January to teach at Fort Frances High School as part of a year-long exchange program.
Along with her husband, Richard, and children, Sarah (Grade 10), Yvonne (Grade 9), and Jesse (Grade 5), the family became a real part of the community, participating in events and making many friends.
But as 2010 rolled in, it meant their year here was coming to an end. Last week, the family said their good-byes and headed back “Down Under.”
“Leaving Fort Frances was very hard as we made some wonderful friends and the students are amazing,” Callaway remarked.
“I will really miss their sense of humour and their friendliness, and acceptance of both myself and my family,” she added.
Hailing from Cairns, Australia, located in the northern part of Queensland, the Callaways were used to very warm temperatures and a tropical climate, but they certainly took advantage of the snow here.
“I would have to say the snow was one of the best things about Canada, as where we are from in [Australia] is always warm, so the kids had never seen snow before,” she explained.
“The snow opens up so many outside activities, and we got to ice-fish, ski, skate, snowmachine, curl, toboggan, and even dog sled.”
“When you think of where they came from, a tropical ocean-side community, and you were witness to how they embraced the extremes of our Canadian climate, and persevered through its many hardships, it’s simply remarkable,” said Fort High teacher Keith Gilbert, who became close friends with the Callaway family.
“[They] never wasted a moment,” he added. “They took advantage of almost every opportunity that presented itself in order to experience our ways of life.”
In addition to the outdoor winter activities they tried out, the family also canoed, kayaked, and boated to Kettle Falls, hiked to find moose and bear, experienced aboriginal cultural activities, and visited numerous cities, including Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Chicago.
As well, the three children participated in countless clubs, activities, and events while here.
“From dance and musicals, to soccer and running races, they tried to do it all,” noted Gilbert. “In all my life, I’ve never met such a loving, full-of-life, and adventurous family as the Callaways.
“It was an absolute joy to have been able to share in many of their Canadian experiences,” he added.
Due to their outgoing nature, the family found it fairly easy to adapt to life in Canada over the past year.
“It was easier than we thought,” Callaway admitted. “Although food was a problem for a while as meat, cheese, etc. all tastes different.
“The whole border thing was such a new idea for us, too, and we really appreciated all the travelling one can do from Fort Frances.”
Callaway was happy to see her children easily settled into school here and made friends quite quickly.
“The kids, in particular, have had an amazing experience and they were so well looked after by friends families,” she said.
“They got to do so many exciting things that would be completely non-existent at home—from building ice forts to hunting to the ‘Polar Plunge.’”
And Callaway certainly enjoyed her time teaching English and drama at Fort High. She even got involved in some of the extra-curricular activities, such as assisting with the play, “The Beatles Slept Here,” and the musical, “Aida.”
“Maree was a fantastic addition to the staff at Fort High, and I’m certain everyone wishes she could have stayed,” said teacher Susan DeGagne.
“I was fortunate to be able to work closely with her as we were teaching the same classes, and I have learned so much from her.
“She is a contagiously positive person,” DeGagne added. “The world needs more people like Maree.”
Fort High teacher Sherree Denby worked with Callaway on choreography for the “Aida” production last year.
“It was so neat to see the results of her choreography,” she noted, saying Callaway had a strong background in dance instruction.
“The dance movements she gave were simple and beautiful. She broke the students into groups and levels, and combined simple steps with acting, dramatic poses, and props.
“I miss her fresh ideas, and wish we could have had more time to get together and share,” Denby added.
Meanwhile, Gilbert found Callaway to be an outstanding teacher.
“She touched the lives of so many students in just one year that you would have thought her teary farewell was the final curtain after a 30-year career,” he remarked.
“I really don’t think she can understand the impact she’s had on a great number of our students and staff.
“Although now gone, I believe she will maintain a presence in our school for years to come,” Gilbert added.
And Sarah, Yvonne, and Jesse Callaway also will be missed by the many friends they made here.
Even Richard Callaway, who owns his own business in Australia and is a marine mechanic, was well-liked by his co-workers at Pinewood Sports and Marine.
“He is a real good guy,” said Al Boivin. “We became friends, went on some adventures ourselves and had fun.
“I hope we get to see each other again.”
Maree Callaway was thrilled with her family’s exchange experience in Fort Frances, saying they learned a lot and definitely would recommend it to others.
“I think the most important thing I have learned is that you need to move outside your comfort zone and be open to new challenges in order to really live,” she remarked.
“We took a chance by coming to Fort Frances, but we also gained so much.
“I think anyone who gets an opportunity like this should grasp it and jump in as you learn so much about the world, and the experiences are memories you will have forever,” she stressed.
Many members of the community were just as sad to see the Callaway family go as they were to leave.
“We have been truly fortunate to have this Australian family call our community ‘home’ for a year,” Gilbert said.
