Cynthia Matuschka

2012

Standing on the hill, we pause
And in a trance we turn.
To recollect the hazy days
The simple joys of youth.

A tranquil peace accompanies
As though 'twere a play.
We shiver as we gaze upon
The world that we once knew.

The equatorial embrace of Malaysia has never left me. I love the people and the country. The above verses are poignant to me of the now long-ago days of my time at RAAF School and Penang. I stand here, nearly 40 years later, looking back with a mixture of pleasure and pain at what were the happiest days of my life. Penang has cast its spell and like a diaphanous mist it surrounds those who love it. To look back and realise that with the inevitability of time there can be no return, is a very sad thing. As I read the following lyrics to Jim Croce's song I am stabbed again with nostalgia.

If I could save Time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
'Til Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you

I believe there is something of that in most of us who visit these pages. It is also there with those of us who troop to the reunions as often as they are on! We all have our memories and even back then at 13 years of age I remember saying to my mother that I was afraid that I'd never be as happy ever again, as I was at that time. Her wise words to me were that there would certainly be wonderful times to come that would be as happy if not happier. She was right in a sense, however there is always a particularly special place in my heart for those years of 1968-1970.

Particular favourite memories I have are of the Joeys dance nights at the RAAF Club. How great was the music back then! You can't beat it and they still haven't beaten it. For me the greatest and most heartstring-tugging song of the era was My Sentimental Friend by Hermans Hermits. Remember also others such as Dizzy (Tommy Roe), Sorry Suzanne (Hollies) and In My Room (Beach Boys). And what about the Bee Gees with "Words", Bobby Goldsborough's "Honey", The Archies' "Sugar Sugar", Fifth Dimension and Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In, The Move with "Blackberry Way". All these songs still transport me directly back to Penang whenever I hear them.

The movie nights at The RAAF Club were terrific too. I remember seeing The Fantastic Voyage, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Planet of the Apes, Oliver, Pink Panther and Jules Verne's "Journey to the Centre of the Earth". I remember going to see Little Patty in concert there too, with my sister.

And who could forget the Penang Swimming Club? What endless hours of fun we had there. I learnt to swim properly in that pool and I learnt to dive. The buoyant salt water made it very easy to float, but it put the Joeys Swim Club at a slight disadvantage against the Dolphins when we competed, as they trained in hard fresh water at their pool at Butterworth. I used to enjoy swimming at the Chinese Swimming Club as well occasionally.

I remember walking endlessly - generally barefoot or in thongs - around Hillside and Mt Erskine Road after school and used to enjoy visiting the shops (once a shopper, always a shopper). I remember Teng Tek Tailor, Sheriff Stores, Cold Storage and Seng Store (where we bought our Nivico stereogram) and Cuticura talcum powder.

After our posting back home to Laverton VIC, in 1970, I completed form 3 at Laverton High and then with a posting to Richmond NSW, I finished high school at Richmond High. My first employment was at the Kurrajong Community Hospital as a clerk. I would catch the bus to work and remember one song in particular as the driver always had his radio on loud - it was by Alice Cooper called 'School's Out [Forever]'. I used to think how poignant it was! And here's a sign of the times - I had walked into the Commonwealth Employment Service (as it was known then) in main street Richmond looking for work - and started at the hospital the very next day!

Much to my delight, dad received another posting to Butterworth in 1973! We first lived at Jalan Ahmad Bin Kasa at Hillside, Penang, and after a year we moved from there to Robina Park on the mainland. We did manage to find Che, our amah from the previous visit, and she was thrilled to re-join us! At Robina Park we were by the beach and I saw some spectacular tropical sunsets. See some photos taken with mum's Brownie...

Sunset 1 - Sunset 2 - Sunset 3 - Sunset 4

Beginning the website:

2001
Working on the RAAF School website

This picture was taken when I was initially setting up this website, at my home in Brisbane. Having just done a weekend course using Dreamweaver, I was very much a novice at web design, but I did at least know how to get information onto the internet. It's now May 2012, I've moved to Tasmania and the above image is already looking like history, 11 years later. What a journey of love it's been developing this site. The first couple of years were very busy, scanning all the school magazines so kindly loaned to me by the community.

What I'm Doing Now

Happily married since 2009 and enjoying life in rural north Tasmania. There is always lots of work to do on our property so no time to be bored! I am a keen photographer, gardener and clarinetist.

Love to all and do stay in touch.

Cynthia
Email: raafschool@gmail.com