Fact

The movie theaters in New Zealand have assigned seats.

Toursting

So, what did I do this past week? After a lazy and rainy Sunday consisting of german toast, laundry, and watching movies, it was time to get to work. Classes Monday and Tuesday were long and grueling. On Monday I take a 3 hour class on New Zealand's society. Although this is interesting, I find that much of the information relayed to me is biased. From what I understand, all kiwi's now embrace difference and accept everyone for who they are. This, I found is not real. Although people do not outrightly say it, there is still racism, classism, and sexism in New Zealand. Although it is not as prominent here than in the U.S., I feel that I am given this view of New Zealand that is not real. It is refreshing to talk to people my own age and to my host parents because they tell me what it really means to be a kiwi, and they do not suffer with the identity crisis I am told New Zealand has.

My second course, or paper as they call it here, is on Maori culture. I really enjoy learning about the Maori culture, traditions, and language. Their history surprisingly resembles that of the Native Americans. The difference is that the Maori's were not treated as harshly maintain a solid portion of New Zealand's population. This is all very great, but it's taken about 9 hours of lecture to explain this. I know that Hobart and William Smith has small class sizes, which was a main factor in choosing the school; however, the papers here are all lectures with a minimum of 400 students. Seeing as there are only 17 of us in the classroom, I have found the transition of teaching styles difficult to adapt to. This is all part of the experience, however, and through these observations I learn more about who I am and what it means to be a student.

As for the rest of the week it was rather exciting. Monday I met with a friend that was on the sailing team before me, and it was so nice to be with another American that has gone through similar experiences, not only on the team, but also in Auckland. Tuesday I went to the war museum. There were so many exhibits including fashion, geology, Maori, animals, the World Wars, and many more. The most interesting part about the museum was the war memorial floor. Without realizing it,  everyone was suddenly silent. It was as if we were all encapsulated in the facts laid before us. In the middle of the third floor of the exam are the names of all of the soldiers that gave up their lives for not only New Zealand but the ideals of freedom and democracy. There were so many names, however I know that it is only a small fraction compared to the total number of losses and even those of the U.S.

By the time Friday came around I was ready for the weekend. After class I went to the Art Museum. Again there were many different sections, but they were all very small, it seems as if everything is proportional to New Zealand's size. My favorite part of the entire museum was the building. It had a modern/retro feeling with a touch of classical elegance. It is truly stunning. My host brother works there so I got to take a enough paparazzi shots to help pass the time. That night, I went with Kaitlyn to a "real kiwi party." It was so much fun! Everyone was supporting the US rugby team because they were playing against Australia. I was surprised at how many people from this small group of friends were not New Zealanders. People were from Australia, South Africa, and the States. It was refreshing talking to other students my own age. Plus Kaitlyn and I have similar sailing team phrases that we seemed to say synonymously. After one of the boys failed to crack open the coconut on his forehead, sending a trickle of blood down his forehead, we proceeded to yell at each other "it was a tie, do it again!" It is nice to have that connection to the sailing team, as it might be the one thing I miss the most.


PS Sailing tomorrow
PPS they have the prettiest sunsets here

Different kids same old tricks

It happens every time I enter a new classroom. Whether it is on the slopes, the beach, or at school kids are kids. None of the kids have been bad, as a matter of fact they are so polite in New Zealand and greet me every morning, "good morning Miss Kathryn, have a nice day." I love it. I love the pleases and the thanks yous. I love the "excuse me miss" or the "thank you miss," but I found that kids are all the same. At the age of 8 and 9 the students in my classroom do not realize that they each have similarities and differences. 

In New Zealand everything is so relaxed. There are no rigid schedules. Students are encouraged to be creative and think outside the box. One of my students wrote a 10 page fully developed story with characters, a plot, a climax, and an ending in 2 hours because she felt like it. Not that kids don't do that in the US, but it was the first time I've seen a student fully have the attention of her class. Apparently this was the 5th installment in her series and her friends begged her to write more. There is no better reward than watching the faces on every student as they listen and encourage each other.

"Quitting is not a word we use in this classroom" my teacher told a student. This mentality is not only seen in the classroom but throughout the school and from what I understand it is prevalent in other schools around Auckland. This is demonstrated in Garden-to-Table. This is program in my school allows students to plant vegetable seeds, nurture them, and cook them once they are harvested. Although I was demoted from planting seeds to killing/weeding, the kids are genuinely interested and excited about seeing the entire process.

Today I got to go to Mr. Kilsby's garden. He is a world renown ceramic artist and has the most impressive garden I have ever seen. The colors, the statues, the paintings, the pots; this garden is amazing. The kids were so invested in what he was talking to them about. He was so welcoming and tried to help the kids think of ideas for the garden they will be planting around their soon-to-be-opened fehrle. 

Each time I step into the classroom I feel genuinely welcomed in. Not just by the students but by the teachers. There is an adjustment period where I am not sure how to act of if I am doing the right thing but I feel like I am becoming a staple part of the school's week.

About time

So I have now been in Auckland for two and a half weeks. What have I been doing? Why didn't I do this earlier? What do I want to remember and relay to all of you?

First, I am having an amazing time! I am living with a family; Rob, Jan, Nate, and Katie. I live with two other girls from my trip, Corinne and Laura (an orphan we adopted.) The three of us live above the garage in our own flat. Jan is an amazing cook and an even better mom. She has certain ways of doing things that always seem to be the best way. I clean the dishes almost every night, yes mom I have actually taken a liking to the simple down time of washes the pots and pans. Jan is not just there to cook, she is another mother, gave me medicine when I didn't feel well, scolds me when I don't separate my lights from my dark, and gives me amazing advice.

Rob is trouble. He jokes. He has the best laugh I have ever heard. Rob likes cars, American cars, Ford's. Rob and I like to tease each other, luckily for me I have had good training from my 5 siblings and I am sometimes able to hold my own.

Nathan and Katie try to help me not look like such an American. They give little tips on how to fit in. They never laugh too hard when I walk out the door with my sneakers, blue jeans, backpack, and fluorescent rain jacket. I stick out like a sore thumb.

Classes. Classes are classes. I enjoy them but I'm always itching to get out and into the city. However, they challenge the way I look at the cultures prevalent in New Zealand. English, Samoan, Maori, Tongan, Asian, Indian and especially American. Auckland is a city of immigrants, with Chinese products filling the stores, and American tv shows airing on the tele.

My classroom of year 3 and 4 students is vibrant. Artwork clutters the walls, shoes fill large plastic bins, ukuleles sit in the corners waiting to be played. I have a new fan group consisting of 10 eight year olds. They show me the rules of the playground, feed the chickens, and plant seeds in the gardens. Talking in the same tone, about the same things, at the same volume I did at that age. The boys love to run and to cause mischief. For the first time in my life I am called first when picking groups to play t-ball, both teams cheer me on as I hitting the ball off of the tee and they scream even louder when I finally make it to a base, I think they are going easy on me. They never wear shoes. They walk into the classroom in the morning, put their shoes in a bin, and do not put them on again until they leave to go home. This might not be as strange to me if they were inside all day but they are not. The layout of the school is something I have only ever seen in Summer Heights High, everything except the actual classroom is outside. This includes hallways, lockers, and the place the kids eat lunch. The school day goes from 9-3. I arrive at 8:30 so that I can have ukelele lessons. at 10:50 there is a half an hour tea time. It is the best thing ever. The kids grab a snack and the teachers meet in the staff room for tea, cookies, fresh fruit, and a nice break. It is a nice way to break up the day, let the kids get their energy out, and gives teachers the ability to freshen up with a fresh cup of coffee.

Rugby World Cup posters litter the school. Each school in New Zealand has adopted a second team. My school adopted USA. When my kids asked me what I knew about rugby I had to admit to them that I knew very little. They taught me about the scrum, the goals, the penalties, and all the rules. They prepared me for Eden Park. I am fortunate enough that I got tickets to go to the Australia-Ireland game and I am still in shock. It was amazing. I don't think I can describe to you the feeling of being in the stadium, surrounded by seas of green with islands of yellow. Luckily I was warned by my host dad: "In New Zealand we cheer for two teams, the All Blacks and anyone that plays against Australia." He was right. Kiwis booed while the Australian roster played on the jumbo tron displaying ex-All Blacks and New Zealand players. The fans were reminded me of Sabres fans during the Stanley Cup. Luckily Ireland played an amazing game and got the upset by beating Australia 15 to 6. The stadium went crazy. Running out of Eden Park, the fans in green sang Irish songs throughout the streets and on the busses. The excitement lasted the entire night, and I know that I will never forget that game. What an amazing experience.

Romping around Auckland I try to gather as much information on sites, mountains, and activities as I can. We went to Devonport on our first day, exhausting but helped a lot with the jet lag. I thought it was an amazing view until I went to dinner at the sky tower. Then I climbed Mt. Eden and realized that no matter where I go I will always be taken aback by what lies ahead of me. Sailboats racing in the bay, trees with large tangled branches for climbing, and volcanoes. There is so much to do and I feel as if I will not have enough time to do it. Kayaking along the harbor, climbing all of the volcanoes, hiking up Rangitoto