Catch a Wave!

Well I wasn't able to update last week or yesterday so hopefully it isn't too long!

We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving here and I also had the opportunity to teach my students a little  about my family traditions. We read a book about Thanksgiving and I talked about what it means to be thankful for something. It was really nice to have the conversation because so many wanted to be thankful for material things they owned so we took a deeper look into our lives and they really came up with some wonderful things to be thankful for. Elizabeth and I made a turkey for our hallway that that the students were going to trace their hands and then write what they were thankful for on the hands. They had never really traced their hands so they thought it was funny that we did it all the time around Thanksgiving to make turkeys. They loved it though and some even wanted to keep making more. I also showed them clips of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade which is one of my favorite parts about the holiday. They thought it was really awesome!

Our Thankful Turkey!

On Thanksgiving we were able to have a beautiful dinner with our host families. It was delicious and even though we weren't able to be home it definitely felt like Thanksgiving. We had a beautiful turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing (my favorite), green beans, and pumpkin pie. Elizabeth and Rachel made the pumpkin pie and boy was it tasty they did a fabulous job. My host mum made pavlova which is a desert here made like a meringue with fresh kiwi fruit and chocolate on top. It was sooooo goood and I was so stuffed by the end of it just like at home! I was also to wear a Thanksgiving crown and be a queen. They had christmas poppers which you open up and a present comes out so we all wore our crowns on our heads for the dinner how fabulous!

Thanksgiving Queens!

Pavlova YUMM

 On Friday we had the opportunity to meet up with Amanda's (Elizabeth's Cooperating teacher) parents again for a lovely meal at their home. They live up in the hills of Waitekere and have the best view of Auckland right from their deck! It was really amazing. We had a wonderful dinner from the grill and lots of laughter. It was so nice of them to invite us into their home and we really appreciate their hospitality.

On Saturday we made our way into Auckland to venture up to the Sky Tower which is a lot like the space needle. And if I recall as my mom pointed out on an episode of Jon and Kate Plus Eight they were in Auckland and walked around the outside panel. It was a really awesome view and we were glad we made it to a different area of Auckland and explored a new area.

Look out below!!!!

We also got an opportunity to eat and walk through the casino! Pretty neat.

"Catch a wave and you're sitting on top of the world...Don't be afraid to try the greatest sport around."
-Beach Boys

I feel like it is only right to quote the great Beach Boys at this time because i am now a surfer girl! On Tuesday we walked around the beach and we got the brilliant idea that we need to go surfing. So we got in contact with Matt a reliever at our school and the plans were set for Sunday late afternoon. I was a mix of nerves and excitement! Thoughts were going through my head like what if I got eaten by a shark! Well don't worry I am still here and have all of my limbs. Once we got to our surf school in lovely Piha we got our wetsuits and were set to go. There were about 11 people in our group and first thing we talked about were rips which made me nervous because they seemed to think that I should know how to see one which I can't do. We then made our way to the beach and was taught three ways to get up in the water. We practiced and had a little warm up that was exhausting and we were in the water that quick! The waves were pretty big but I was able to get up quite a few times which I was really excited about it was just so hard to get back out with the waves crashing into you. I kept having flashbacks of the movie Blue Crush but I know I didn't look like them but in my mind I was. It was such an amazing feeling standing up and getting the energy from the water it really is a very addicting feeling. We hope to go back again if time allows.

And I'm Up!! Almost

Look at that determination!

I am a very sore but happy person from my day of surfing I used muscles I didn't even know I had!  We have a very busy week at school with Wellington this weekend which we can't wait for!! Until next time.


Cheers.