Waterwise

Today instead of going to school I went with the older grades year 5 and 6 to a class called "waterwise" it's a program that they do every Thursday morning where they go to Lake Pupke and learn to sail and kayak.The program was opened in 1983 by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.  It was a blast! They invited me to come back every Thursday-we'll see if my cooperating teacher lets me go! I didn't get a chance to actually go sailing because I don't know how but I got to go kayaking and loved it.

I talked with the president of the program at the end of the class and I'm thinking about becoming a waterwise instructor while I'm here.  That means learning to sail!!!! The class is after school for a few hours each night for two weeks.  It would be fun, good on my resume or cv as they call it, and maybe it will help me get a job here....

http://www.waterwise.org.nz/index1.htm?page=home

Meeting the rest of my family and school

On Monday night when I got home from Rotorua, Gabby, my 24 year old home stay sister came over for dinner.  She is living in Auckland but she has been so busy that she has not had a chance to stop over.  She is lovely and in to dancing and singing.  She will be in the musical  Footloose while I am here so we will be attending that in Novemeber.  She is also in a band that is performing at a pub this weekend that I'm thinking about going to.  Late Monday night, Warwick, my host dad came home from Switzerland on a business trip.  I finally met him on Tuesday morning at breakfast.  He is so friendly and we seem to chat for hours at the dinner table.  He's a lawyer and a work-aholic. 

Today at school I did roll call for the first time.  This is my favorite time of day because the teacher says "good morning (students name" and the student goes "good morning Miss. Bussewitz" with their oh so cute accents and smiling faces.  : ) I'm in love!!!!  I also led 2 small group reading groups today which went fairly smooth.  Funny though, I can tell when I sound out words with them they will repeat the words in an American accent-annunciating all of the syllables.  I better be careful with that or start speaking with an English accent during the school day.  haha

These are front and back views of my beautiful house.  My room faces lake pupke.  It's the bottom right hand window and it also has a door out to the bottom porch you see there.  Yes I live in paradise...I can't beleive it's real life either!

Rotorua for Labour Holiday weekend!

Wow I have so much to share!!  It was a FABULOUS weekend!!  All of the Iowa girls came to my house on Friday night, we went out in downtown Auckland and then had a sleepover.  We went to some fun pubs with bands playing popular music we knew.  We danced all night long--4 am!  Beers were quite expensive at $8 each but most places have brewed their own or have local brews so it's fun to taste the different kinds. Apparently Kiwi girls don't really drink beer though so we stand out a bit.  On Sat morning we took our 3 hour bus ride to Rotorua which is south of Auckland.  Sat night we checked in to our 8 bed room hostel called "Crank Backpackers"  We went to a Maori culture performance and dinner on Sat night which reminded me a lot of a Luau in Hawaii.  They shared a lot of the New Zealand culture and history.  We got to see gloworms and gorgeous Maori men dancing!  http://www.mitai.co.nz/

Sunday we went zorbing which is an adventurous activity created by the Kiwi's.  You are basically inside a large hamsterball and go rolling down a large hill.  We were told to go in one with water so Justine and I paired up and threw on our swimsuits.  We were incredibly dizzy at the end, but it was extremely fun!!!!  I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard!  http://www.zorb.com/rotorua

Also on Sunday we went to Hells Gate Spa where we took a walk around the natural hot spring mud baths and acutally got to take a mud bath ourselves.  It was extremely relaxing and made my skin smooth, but my hair still reeks of sulfur from the spa!  The walk was breathtaking and my pictures don't do it justice. http://www.hellsgate.co.nz/ 

Monday we took a walk around the town and lake then had to head home on the bus.  It was such a fun weekend where I became much closer with the Iowa/Indiana girls as well as got the chance to meet a lot of local Kiwi's!

First days of school

Wednesday was my first day of school but I ended up going on a field trip with the year 3 and 4s because one of the parent volunteers got sick. It was a place called Motat which was kind of like a science station but it had a focus on toys-what they are made of and how they work. The kids were extremely behaved, it was unbelievable. Thursday was my first day with my class (year 1/new entrant.) They are in school from 8:50 until 2:50. We have roll call and context which right now our class is working on production lines/working together. We are preparing to make cookies and cream ice cream for the year 5s. They have a break from 10-10:05 for brain food time where the students eat a piece of fruit or vegetable that they bring from home. Next is math, and from 11-11:30 is tea time where the students eat another snack and have recess. The teachers meet in the break room to drink hot drinks, snack, socialize and give announcements. They have oracy until lunch which is reading and language time. We then have lunch at 1:00. After lunch is hand writing and perceptual motor programming where they work on hand eye coordination and movement of the body.

Chris, my host mum, took me to Justines house last night and we made plans for the weekend. It was fun to see her house and meet her family. They are much different than mine, but equally friendly! The four of us girls are going to go out in Auckland on Friday night then on Saturday we have a bus to Rotorua which is a bit south. There are hot springs there, and the maori (their native culture) heritage is still very popular there. We are going to stay in a hostel there until Monday because they have Labour holiday on Monday so there is no school.

Downtown Auckland for the day

I don't start school until tomorrow and decided to just sleep in and take it easy today.  I got on online to see if anyone had emailed me when I woke up and found out that the other girls from Iowa were heading to Auckland for the day.  Ofcourse I didn't want to be left out so I gave them a call and quickly figured out the bus system. Amazingly I found them and we had lunch at Shakespeares Pub then walked around the city.  It's the largest city on the North Island and very beautiful.  We walked through parks, the University of Auckland, and to the waterfront harbour.  It was a fun day!  After school tomorrow we are going to all meet up and plan our weekend together (which is three days because of Labour day holiday)  Justine lives only one bus stop away, and the other girls are within about 15 minute drive. 

Arrival in New Zealand

I made it!! It's paradise : ) I live right on a lake and straight across is my school which I went to visit with luggage in hand immediately after arriving.  My students are adorable and I love their accents.  My teacher and host family are extremely friendly.  They told me I was a "kiwi" now.  About 5 minutes walking from my house is the beach/ocean! Also about 5 minutes walking is a shopping mall and a small downtown area.  How perfect!? I spent the day unpacking, walking on the beach, and reading outside on the patio set.  I learned today that there will be an other student teacher from the states at my school as well.  She gets here on Wednesday.  I haven't slept yet so I'm about to go crash. xoxo

Last day of Iowa student teaching : (

Today was my last day at Cleveland Elementary.  It was hard to say bye to my third graders which I have come to love!  They had a going away party and wrote me a lot of good bye letters. 

We leave tomorrow for Colorado to see my sister and her family.  On Saturday I plan on seeing Pelzer in her new home of Denver before I take off for New Zealand.  Saturday evening awaits the longest flight of my life-19 hours.  See you in New Zealand on Monday!