Seeing is believing

Annika: I'm nine years old. I think it's the greatest year to be alive.

Director: So, Sierra, can you tell me what you want to be when you grow up?

Sierra: I want to be an author. Because it's a chance I get to use my imagination.

Annika: I want to be a marine biologist when I grow up. My two favourite animals is a turtle and a jellyfish.

Brianna: I'd like to be a helicopter doctor because I've always wanted to be a doctor and I really love helicopters.

Director: So, can you name some authors for me?

Sierra: David Walliams, Roald Dahl and um ...

Annika: I look up to Charles Darwin and Jacques Cousteau.

Director: Do you think there's more men or women who do that job?

Brianna: I don't think it's a job that women would be interested in.

Director: Why?

Brianna: Because I think women would be more into being a nurse.

(We tell children that they can do anything …)

Annika: There's more boys than girls that do it. Maybe girls aren't just interested in more of that stuff.

(… but how can we expect them to believe …)

Sierra: Girls – they like fairies and mermaids and stuff like that, but they're not really real.

(… what they can’t see?)

Director: We've got someone coming to meet you now.

Helicopter doctor: Hi, I'm Claire.

Brianna: Hi, Claire.

Helicopter doctor: I'm one of the helicopter doctors. Nice to meet you.

Brianna: Nice to meet you, too.

Helicopter doctor: How are you going?

Brianna: Good. I'm really excited!

Biologist: My name is Sam. I work here at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium and I'm a marine biologist here.

Author: My name is Jacqueline Harvey. Do you know what I do for a job? What do I do?

Sierra: Write.

Author: I write books. Do you like reading? (Sierra nods.)

Helicopter doctor: Do you want to get in?

Brianna: Yes!

Helicopter doctor: Up you hop! Where you're sitting is exactly where I sit when we fly.

Brianna: Really?

Helicopter doctor: Yep! Exactly where I sit.

Biologist: I'm in charge of this team and I look after absolutely everything in here. So, we have two dugongs and we have a whole bunch of sharks and rays which are ...

Sierra: I wrote a book called The Old Woman Who Lived In A Tree.

Author: Oh! So why don't you read me the first page?

Sierra: Once upon a time, there was an old lady who lived in a tree. One day, the old lady went for a walk.

Helicopter doctor: So you can be an anaesthetic doctor, or you can be an intensive care doctor or an emergency doctor. There are so many different options.

Brianna: Cool!

Helicopter doctor: Yeah.

Sierra: There's not really a difference about 'boy' and 'girl' writing. So they can both become an author.

Annika: I was like 'Oh my gosh! I've only researched about the boy marine biologists. Now I've finally met a girl one!' Like ... just a dream!

Director: Is there anything a boy can do that a girl can't do?

Brianna: No. If you want to do something, you do it.

Helicopter doctor: Good look. Suits you.

Brianna: Thank you.

Annika: When I'm older, those little girls will have someone to look up to because that's going to be me.

© Sydney Opera House