Home sick

I spent three days home from school with the flu. It wasn't the stomach flu thank goodness, but it was bad enough. I think it was what Meryl had in the beginning, but mine wasn't as bad as her's! I was feeling much better by the end of the third day, which was Friday, just enough time to do something during the weekend!

Thank goodness I was feeling better, because I was getting a little nutty from being locked up in a house with not much to do other than sleep. But after three days of sleeping, I was glad to have Meryl home for the weekend!

Hanmer Springs with Meryl

If my allergies weren't enough after camp, I went back with Meryl to go to the hot pools. This was something I had experienced at camp, and loved so much, that I was willing to go back!!!! They are natural hot spring pools that feel wonderful! We made a day trip to this wonderful place, and treated ourselves to a spa! A once in a lifetime adventure!

Camp

Can you imagine taking a classroom of 30 plus 11 of 8-9 year olds on a class trip? Neither could I, but we did! First before I even went to camp, I took three of my students to swimming sports. That is a crazy swimming competition between the students that are 8 years old and higher in the primary school. Two of my students qualified for the bigger competition between Christchurch schools. Then we were off on a 2 hour trip to Hanmer Springs for camp. We built BIVOACS, which are survival huts that you build in the forest. It was an interesting experience, but also quite educational. Then we went back to camp and ate dinner and got settled in for the night! However, we went on a night walk, and the parents were told to go ahead and scare the kids as we walked past. Needless to say I had girls in my bunk who were afraid to sleep that night.

The next day, my girls found out that I snored! hehe! My allergies are getting really bad here, because no one has air conditioning. On the second day of camp we were to go mountain biking, rock climbing, and team building. However, if anyone knows me, mountain biking is not my thing. It hurts you!! But I was determined to continue on the journey of camp. Luckily I had a girl in my group that was afraid to go through the forest, so we turned around and just hung out at the camp. Rock climbing was not inside, but on actual rocks. It was a great experience for the kids, and I really enjoyed getting to participate in it as well. Our last event didn't go as smooth as the rest, because the girls weren't very good problem solvers.

The last day of camp, I was extremely tired and pretty sick from the allergies, but I was determined once again to not let anything stand in my way of tramping. Which of course is hiking! We would be tramping a total of an hour and a half up the mountain to a waterfall. I got a little winded on the tramp up, so I slowed down, and let my speedy girls go in front. I was at that time having a hard time breathing, because my airways were blocked. I got up to the waterfall about ten minutes after my girls did. We had our morning tea, took some pictures, and came back down. It was a great adventure!!

Overall, camp was pretty amazing! However, I couldn't imagine doing that in the states. It was quite an adventure! But I am glad to be back home! Well in Christchurch!

Another Day!

Sorry that I haven't had much time to post anything else, but I have had a few busy nights lately, and my time has been spent exploring and getting work done! I have moved into a new home, and I am loving it! There are two kittens, a rat, a bird, and a rabbit. So plenty to keep Meryl and I busy when we are not out sightseeing New Zealand. Jenny our house mum, is great, she cooks for us, brings us our food, and cleans up after us. Meryl and I are not going to be able to take care of ourselves when we leave here! Life in New Zealand is amazing!!

My First Day

My first day was amazing, I woke up feeling great and I think and hope that the worst is behind me, and that I don't have to worry about getting sick. Meryl got sick on the way to New Zealand, and she went to the doctors today and found out that she has the flu. They gave her a drug for the sickness, and she is expecting to get back to school tomorrow.

The students are so well behaved and they are just wonderful and polite. The classroom is small and made up of windows. There is no air condition, so as you can image the windows make it like a greenhouse effect during the day when the sun is out!!!!! And on top of the heat, the students tend to smell bad after sweating at recess!

The toilets here are funny. They are against the wall and they have two buttons to push in order to flush. The one with only one line is for soft flush, so for number 1, and the button with two lines is for heavy flush, so number 2.

The American student teachers around Christchurch are going to get together and get coffee on Wednesday, and I have just met the one that is in my school. She has offered to help Meryl and I get on our feet! I am excited to begin my adventure here!

I am going to start a word bank, because I am learning so many words and sayings and I figured that you would probably like to hear them.

Good-on-you; which means good for you
clean my teeth; which means brush your teeth
toilet; means bathroom

There are so many more, but I just can't remember them!!! I hope all is well at home. Keep looking for pictures, I plan to upload some of my home!

Here

Well I made it here, but not without a few bumps in the road before I got here. Booking a flight a year in advance may seem like a smart and good plan, but if you do not constantly check your flight for yourself, you may run into the same problem as me! We had to change flights, and then we had to rush! So my travel time was spent stressed out and in a hurry.

However, I have finally made it. And I love it! It is beautiful here, and the weather is perfect! I wish you all could see what I get to see! I am going to be taking tons of pictures and constantly be upload this beautiful country.

I will keep you updated on my adventures in New Zealand!

Excited!

I just found out not too long ago, that my class and I get to go on a 3 day long camping trip. Those of you that teach young children or know young children can imagine what I am thinking taking my 31 students on a camping trip. It happens every year, so this is not just a special thing they are doing for me!

I am so excited about it, but I am so shocked that I get to experience this awesome journey!