11/9/2007 - Parents working to send daughter to Australia

by William Smith
The Hawkeye

KEOKUK —Before 16-year-old Central Lee student Lynnley Parker can go to Australia next year, she has to do some baking.

A lot of baking, actually.

Seven tables in front of the Wal-Mart Supercenter Sunday afternoon were jam-packed with every kind of baked good imaginable, including cookies, friendship bread, banana nut bread, brownies, fudge and caramel corn. All the goodies were baked by Lynnley and her mother, Lisa Parker, for one reason—to help raise enough cash to send Lynnley to Australia next year.

“We’ve done just about every event we can,” Lisa Parker said.

Lynnley will be spending her junior year abroad through the AFS (American Field Service) Exchange program. The non-governmental, non-profit organization sends American students to foreign host families and vice-versa.

Before she can go, however, Lynnley has to raise $9,000. She and her mother have spent the last week in constant baking mode, stuffing everything they could into the freezer and refrigerator.

“I’ve pretty much been coming home from work and baking until 1 a.m.,” Lisa said.

The Parkers were hoping to raise around $500 with the bake sale, and there will be even more baking, T-shirt sales and raffle tickets to come before Lynnley boards a plane in July of 2008.

The traveling bug bit Lynnley partially due to her mother, who never had a chance to participate in AFS. Instead, her parents brought in an exchange student from Milan, Italy, who Lisa instantly bonded with.

“In 30 years, I think we’ve seen each other 20 times,” Lisa said.

Once she had her own daughter, Lisa and her husband Dave started taking in exchange students from Spain, Germany and Italy through the AFS program.

“It is a completely volunteer program, and you don’t get anything out of it,” Lisa said. “You do it because you want to do it.”

After hearing the stories from the exchange students, Lynnley wanted to do the same thing. The only thing that gives her pause about going to Australia is all the exotic wildlife.

“I’m really scared of all the animals. They have the most poisonous snakes and the most dangerous crocodiles,” she said. “I’m afraid of getting kicked by a kangaroo.”

Lynnley decided on Australia after her grandfather told her about the time he spent there after World War II. To help prepare her for the culture shock, Lynnley has to produce one fact about Australia each day for her sophomore class.

Lynnley already knows that extreme sports are a big deal in Australia, which will be a good fit for her. She currently plays volleyball, softball and track.

“I know surfing and rugby are big over there,” she said. “If I’m on the beach, I’m definitely going to try surfing.”

Right now, Lynnley doesn’t know where she will be living in Australia. Her parents just know how much they’re going to miss her.

“We know she’ll come back a different person,” Dave Parker said.

Her mother agreed.

“She’s going to have another set of parents from now on,” Lisa Parker said. “This will be a good test run for college.”

One thing Lynnley is particularly looking forward to is the flip-flopping of the seasons, since Australia sits in the southern hemisphere.

“I think it will be interesting to have Christmas when its hot outside,” she said.

But even if she ends up with a family that isn’t very fond of Christmas trees, Lynnley doesn’t have to worry. Christmas will be waiting when she gets back.

“We’re going to leave a Christmas tree up for her, so when she gets home, it will always be Christmas,” Lisa said.