I don't know where term 2 went and I see I have not updated our blog since the beginning of May, maybe because it has been very busy at school and with the homestay students coming and going.
I enjoyed my term teaching about the Pacific Islands and, in depth, Fiji. The whole syndicate had a virtual flight to their main study Island in week 2 with the hall being set up like a plane, even to passports, first class seats and treats for top students! We ended up having a Pacific Islands day in week 9 with the Samoan, Tongan and Cook Island dad's and a couple of women getting right into the spirit of our study. It was a fantastic atmosphere and learning experience for the 140 7/8/9 year olds involved (& their teachers)! The men arrived at school at 6.00a.m to set up an umu (like a Maori hangi). It was a -1 degree frost and when I left for school at 7.00a.m the ice was thick on Nairnville Park and I could see a haze of smoke over Johnsonville, coming from the umu the men had just lit. An amazing site! The female teachers and helpers prepared chickens and some food in the staffroom but the Pacific Island men knew what they were doing so we left them to it. After a fun morning of rotations for the children including weaving, Saoman cricket, string games, pani outdoor game, folktale stories and drama we all met in the hall and enjoyed the most lovely umu cooked food. Only 2 children complained that they didn't like it, which wasn't too bad for that number of children. In the afternoon we preformed a concert of the Saoman Sasa dance which the children do sitting on their bottoms. It was fantastic and after 3 weeks of practise it looked great. Then I organised 2 Samoan girls to do a dance which was beautiful. One of girls dad / uncle had really got into the day and organised his mates so he got up and did singing with the 2 girls and the concert concluded with the men doing a Samoan Haka. It was a day the children, teachers and Pacific Island community will never forget!
There has been quite a change in the homestay students we have had. After 2 terms with us Alessandra decided to try another living experince in New Zealand before she returns to Brazil in December. She is now living in Churton Park with a family who have two young children. We have been hosting Kevin, from Germany, again for the past month and I dropped him and his mum off at the airport, early Monday morning, to start their travels back to Germany via Rarotonga and America. He was a fun homestay. We have started hosting Wellington Girl's College students. They are lovely girls. We had Luca from Japan for a month while her host family was overseas. We currently have Rui from China and Kelly from Vitenam, both for only a month also due to changes happening in their homestays. Next week Florin from Germany arrives for a year but not sure how long she will be with us. Just see how things go as Chris and I are very excited with making plans to visit Sarah and Stephen next year, see some of Europe via Singapore and return through Daubi. Something to look forward to and have fun planning.
It has been the worst winter I have known for years, very wet and cold and today is a typical example so it might make me stay home and get stuck into some school work. How boring! The holidays will go fast so have to make the most of the time.
They care everyone .
