New Year

We can't believe how fast 2009 went and now nearly a week into another decade already. Like everyone, it was a very busy year for Chris and I both at work and home. Maybe age is catching up on us! We hosted a number of international girls who attended either Onslow College or Wellington Girl's College. Most have been pretty good but we faced a few challenges with a couple we had to be moved on. The girls came from Brazil, Germany (and our dear Kevin from 2008 for a couple of months again), Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and China. We currently still have Florin from Germany with us until June. Her dad is out here for a holiday at the moment so they are travelling around the South Island for a week.

It was great to see the end of the school year and my class were lovely but ready for a break. This year will be interesting as I am having a straight year four class for a change and we have an ERO visit ten days into the new school term. We have a great school so cannot see us having too many issues.

Unfortunately Chris is extremely busy at work so hasn't been able to get anytime off yet so I did an impulsive trip to Queenstown for three days, enjoying the experience of New Years eve there. It was incredible to experience snow coming over the Remarkables on the evening of 30 December. Very cold and I had not taken very warm clothing so it was good excuse to have to shop in Queenstown! I also did a Fiordland National Park / Milford Sound coach/cruise tour. What an amazing experience. The scenery was fantastic and I would fully recommend it to anyone.

Later in the month Chris and I are heading North as Chris would like to do the Tongariro Crossing, which I did four years ago. We will then head to Rotoura and Taupo for a few nights. It will be a nice break before our other student arrives from Brazil for 5 months and getting back to normal routines.

We hope everyone had a great Christmas and best wishes to you all for a very happy and successful 2010!

Time

I can't believe how fast 2009 is flying by! Could be a good thing with our planning getting closer to our trip to the Uk and Europe next year but also scary as we don't feel old enough for another year to disappear and, for me turning the half century next March.

We have been very busy, like everyone, over the past few months. Chris and I have hosted a number of International students, mainly from Wellington Girl's College. Currently we have Florin from Germany and Kelly from Vietnam. Both are lovely girls with lots happening over the next few months - exams from Kelly and adventures/trips around New Zealand for Florin. Both girls have parents visiting Wellington during the next 6 months.

Term 3 has been frantic at school already and tonight I actually feel it should be week 4, term 4!! My syndicate was involved in a Wellington Regional Celebrating Wellington Arts -"Art Splash 2009" at the Michael Fowler Centre. It wasn't without hiccups for our school and me personally, but the end result, last night, was fantastic. Something the 6/7/8/9 year olds (120 children will never forget! Christopher recalled, while eating dinner here on Monday night, his experience being on the Michael Fowler Stage in 2001 as a 'Star Wars Cling-on', then a caterpillar for 'The Beautiful World'. The young people never forget these opportunities.

Will try to put some photos on our blog in the weekend.

Footy season has starting here Stephen and Phoenix is fired up for action!

Take care all our family and friends.

Helen and C hris

Winter

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 .

Memories

Wrong date but same day!!!

If it was Saturday last year, I would now be sitting getting my hair done thinking 'hurry-up, I have heaps to do. I want to see what Sarah's hair looks like, not mine!' Many great memories of a beautiful day - even though the celebration is the 3rd of May, the days do bring back memories too.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SARAH & STEPHEN.

St Paul's

While on our tour of Wellington, Alessandra, Sai and I walked down from Wellington Girl's College past 'Old Saint Paul's Church'. A wedding dress rehearsal was happening so we stopped for a look. I have to admit to a few tears being shed of beautiful memories but lots of people were in the church and I talked with many nationalities, while Alessandra and Sai took photos and videos.

A beautiful church and a lovely wedding memory!

Students

24 April 2009

Hello from Wellington.

Sarah and Stephen, I hope you are enjoying your work roles and looking forward to your own space, in your apartment.

This week has gone by very fast. Alessandra was picked up from the airport on Tuesday evening. She was very 'flat' after a great trip in the South Island. She did 2 Bungi jumps and I was quite happy the weather was not good enough for her to do the Sky Dive, as much as she would have liked to. Alessandra had friends sleeping over last night and has been a 'perfect' big sister to Sai , our homestay girl from Thailand. Today Alessandra and I showed Sai around central Wellington, Wellington Girls College (Alessandra loved it) then they enjoyed taking videos and photos from the top of Mount Victoria. It was a perfect day to show off Wellington!!

Christopher came over and spent sometime here later this afternoon. It is so good that he has a positive attitude with his studies.

Queen Charlotte

Monday 20 April

Chris woke early on Saturday morning so headed off for the walk from the Portage to Anakiwa at 7.30 a.m. The sign at the beginning of the walk estimated it would take a generous 8 hours but I got a text from Chris about 10.30 to say he was half way and should be at the end by 12.40p.m. I had already left the Portage and took only 45 minutes to reach Anakiwa in the car so wondered what I would do to fill in time. Decided to try to find a coffee shop as there is nothing at Awakina except the run-down Outward Bound Education Centre. I ended up driving to Picton (about 35 minutes), got a croissant then headed back to meet Chris. After a short wait out he came looking exhilarated and thrilled he had achieved his goal! He said parts were a challenge, being very steep and high, so I think I made the right choice to flag this part of the track.

We then drove through to Picton and as we were way ahead of time, tried to get the earlier ferry back to Wellington but it was fully booked out. Had a lovely lunch at an outdoor cafe (the flounder was devine!) We still had 4 hours to wait and there isn't a lot to do in Picton so went to the RSA and spent a short while having fun on the pokies. We didn't win but didn't loose either!! We then just sat and watched the movements of people in Picton. Lots of tourists and the locals all stood out!

Finally we boarded the Bluebridge and it was great to leave 20 minutes early. Another calm, great crossing arriving in Wellington at 10.00p.m.

We had a lovely holiday and would certainly go back to the Portage for a weekend of relaxation.

Yesterday we spent just blobbing out and relaxing as Chris was pretty tired after the walk. Another week of holidays for me but Chris started back at work this morning. I am tutoring twice this week, Alessandra returns tomorrow and Sia arrives on Thursday so it will fill the week up quickly.

Have a great week and take care everyone!