Wow!!!

What a week it has been! We started the week off at Swanson following a short two week holiday break. So the kids were rested and ready and excited to learn! It was soo awesome meeting all of them and they seem like such a lovely group of kids, I am very excited to start teaching and planning :) In only one short week I will have taken over the entire classroom as the lead teacher. My cooperatin teacher has been amazing! She has been so wonderful and so supportive! I think we are going to make a good team! Next week I have some Halloween activities planned and then I will continue their communication unit as now they are writing to buddies from Wisconsin! It will be so far a great activity to write and Communicate with someone from another part of the world. :) the kids are super excited to learn all the nitty griddy details of what it's like to live in America. There are only about six weeks left of the school year so there is lots and lots to do and time will just zoom on bye! The weather is getting nicer and nicer out and the kids just want to get out and play! I think i am going to come up with a scavenger hunt for the kids and some relays to get the up and moving! They absolutely love to play games outside and with other classses, it is a great community school where they are all learning and growing together.This next school term is the last one before the long Christmas holiday (which is basically their summer vacation) once they return they will have a whole new class and a new teacher waiting

This weekend Jackie and I are off on our own little adventure up to the Bay of Islands. It is suppose to be absolutely amazing so I am very excited!!!! Right now we are reading on one leg of the trip, where we are on a coach bus taking us to Pahiha which is about a four hour drive. Luckily the bus has wifi but I not very intelligently chose not to bring my computer. Why does it seem as though the times you take your laptop somewhere you never use it and the times you don't are the times where you could desperately use it. Luckily though I haven phone which seems to be doing the job as I am updating my blog as I speak :) I think I will be heading off now, but I will keep you updated as the weekend goes on! Have a great weekend everyone :)

Rugby World Cup Madness!

WOW!

It has been quite a weekend! Jackie and I arrived on (NZ time) Saturday morning at 5:40, from flying out on (Chicago time) 4:00 on Thursday! We totally had Friday erased...goodbye Friday! Jan picked me up at the airport and then we headed back to her place to get things situated and upacked! We then took a couple of her friends that were staying with her to do some shopping, they were in town to go to the World Cup the next day! So Jan did everything she could to keep me from falling asleep until at least 8:00, I think I did quite well I ended up falling asleep around 9:00, which only took a matter of 10 seconds from the time my head hit the pillow! Jan truly welcomed me into her home and I feel so happy to be with her and her son! She has given Jackie and I so many great ideas of things to do and see throughout our time in New Zealand! But boy oh boy it has been such a whirlwind here in New Zealand! On Sunday, it was the BIG, HUGE, CRAZY Rugby World Cup Final Day and yes New Zealand was up against an unfavorable team the French. It was so exciting watching my first ever Rugby team and this was their SUPERBOWL equivalncey except picture the Superbowl times 100 where the entire country would be rooting for their team! The team is the ALL BLACKS, and everyone was covered in head to toe black the entire weekend. Jan had gotten some tattoos so we put some on our face and our hands to gear up for the BIG game, we headed to Jan's friends house to watch the game as they were having a big party for lots of friends and their families. It was so AWESOME seeing how excited the kids were as were the parents as they stood biting their nails as the score kept getting closer and closer...and believe me I would not have liked to be in that room if the French would have one hehehe. But NEW ZEALAND WON and it was soooo AMAZING, the party went WILD!!! Everyone was cheering, tearing, laughing, hugging! They were all so passionate for their country and their love of Rugby, it was just very inspiring. So going from an amazing cultural experience of Rugby from which that was AMAZING! Today was my first day at Swanson! My cooperating teacher is amazing and her class seems like they are going to be a lot of fun! It is so crazy working with kids my height, as I just finished up with the kindergarteners but it is a great transition. The school really welcomed us with a traditional Maori event! Jackie and I, were part of the whole event as the entire school and staff welcomed us to their family. It was so amazing! The kids sang traditional Maori songs, and truly made me feel welcome to their school and also New Zealand :) It was a great day, the weather was beautiful and sunny around 72 degrees, ohh yeah the kids are allowed to be barefoot here and that is something I am not used to, but its the Kiwi way, so whatever works, works! :) The school and staff is so welcoming and kind, I am so excited to see the adventures that lye ahead! Next week we have a field trip which I am very excited for! :) and lots of things that I want to have planned! Jackie and I have some big plans to head up to the Bay of Islands this weekend! Which I am SUPER excited for!!! It is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL! :) I cannot wait! We are spending the weekend up there from Friday to Sunday so it should definitely be quite an adventure! I will try and respond hopefully sooner than later :)

E noho ra! (See You Later)