You knew the weekend was going to be good with such an auspicious start - Cory got off at 4:30 on Friday! I picked him up and we headed home for a steak dinner. After dinner, we walked down to the Mount Hot Pools. These are a collection of large and small pools at the base of the mountain that are filled with heated, salt water. It was cool outside, but the warm water was enough to take the chill off.
We got up early on Saturday and decided to drive to the Coromandel Peninsula. We had to run some errands first but got off at a good hour. The peninsula is just north of Tauranga and seems less populated than the Bay of Plenty area. State Highway 25 runs the perimeter of the peninsula, with very few roads cutting across the width. The drive was beautiful, with the Firth of Thames along the west and the Coromandel Forest along the east. We stopped in Thames, at the base of the peninsula at a small, tucked-away butterfly house. I’m a sucker for butterfly houses, especially those that seem like there can’t be enough tourists in the area to keep them alive.
After the Butterfly House, things got exciting. A few notes about the roads in New Zealand… There are not, as we know them, interstates. Maybe there is just too much great scenery to plow under, pave, and then blow by. Their state highways are not what you might think of as a state highway in the US either. They are paved roads; I think that is the only real requirement. Some are well-paved, wide-laned roads, with even a passing lane thrown in every now and then. These were not what we spent most of the weekend driving on. SH25 winds up the western coast of the peninsula, and then cuts across to begin down the eastern coast. This road was a constantly undulating path, winding through the forest, creeping on the ridge of hills, and crawling along the coast. There were more hairpin turns, one-lane bridges, and warnings for slips (aka mudslides) than you might imagine possible, certainly more than you would imagine safe for travel. But it was worth the trip.
We’d planned on staying overnight in Whitianga, a small beachfront town on the western coast. As we came to the edge of town, we saw people walking to an outlying hotel, which indicated it had no vacancies. Driving further in, we saw more walkers, appearing very jovial; they seemed to be heading to yet another hotel that also indicated “no vacancies.” This is not tourist season by any means in the wet winter of the Coromandel Peninsula; we were beginning to get a little concerned that we’d unknowingly stumbled onto something big. Stumbled turned out to be a fitting term, as the next group of apparent revelers were laughing and pointing at their mate who’d biffed it. As we got further and further into town, we spotted more and more clearly intoxicated folks wandering the streets. We didn’t know it at the time, but Whitianga was at full tilt, celebrating their annual Scallop Festival.
Realizing we were a few (cases of) beer behind most of the locals and other tourists, we decided to head to the next town, Hahei, which is where we hoped to join a sea kayak tour in the morning anyway. As we pulled into Hahei, I suggested we stop at the first place we saw with a vacancy sign. Luckily for us, it was the charming and simple Church. The Church itself is a restaurant, but behind it are several cottages and guest rooms; we gratefully took the last available and made reservations for dinner.
The Church Restaurant served up a great meal, in a beautiful setting. Shortly after our appetizer arrived, so did Steve and Jane. Steve and Jane had been at the Scallop Fest over in Whitianga, so you’ll get a pretty quick vibe for their state. Let’s just say that Steve had driven over from Whitianga, and for good reason. But that sounds censorious; simply understand that they were in good spirits and full of kind-heartedness. Jane struck up the conversation, asking what I’d ordered. From there on, we spent the evening chatting between our tables. They rattled off several recommended places to visit and, within 15 minutes of meeting us had written down their names, address, and phone for us. Granted, Jane had written it, and in her current state it was mostly illegible, but the thought was there and that was certainly enough. Cory even let me order dessert, making it a perfect night all around!
That next morning, we took advantage of the breakfast offered by the staff at the Church. There was a nice selection - orange or apple juice, coffee or tea, cereals, muesli, fruit, yogurt, toast, marmalade, jam, Vegemite…and Marmite. If you recall, in my last blog posting, I promised to do a taste test should I ever be confronted with both of these products. Well, Cory remembered, and there was no getting out of it. I bravely buttered a half-piece of toast and reviewed the offerings. Both Vegemite and Marmite are a deep, rich, brown color. Marmite is slightly more glossy with a somewhat less tacky consistency. Neither came off the spoon easily. I spread the Marmite first; as I did so, Cory chuckled knowingly. “You need to scrape about half that off,” he coached. But I couldn’t get any more off the toast; it had adhered firmly. I was even more conservative with the Vegemite than, barely touching the knife to the toast as I spread the goop. To be fair, the test was not scientific; I really should’ve measured out a set amount of each product to spread on the toast. The Marmite may have been sweeter, as rumored, but I couldn’t tell – it was so darn salty. If a food item could taste “brackish”, this would be it. The Vegemite was somewhat better, mostly due to its application, I think, but “somewhat better” is a far cry from “good.” I’m sorry Angela, my Australian-raised friend, I’m not sure I can learn to love it.
Luckily the day improved. Our sea kayaking plans had to be cancelled due to wet and windy weather, but as you’ve seen from our other pictures, rain and wind haven’t stopped us yet. We decided instead to hike to Cathedral Cove.
I don’t like doing things that I think I’m not going to be good at, so I won’t attempt to describe our hike and the views from the beach at Cathedral Cove. Cory’s pictures will have to do what they can. (I do realize they are 2-3 centimeters, but bear with us.) Suffice it to say that it was amazing and beautiful and awesome.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tuesday, August 26th – Thursday, August 28
I’m sure you are disappointed that the Olympics are over, but you are probably even more disappointed that McDonald’s Olympic Meal Deals are also over. The Meal Deals embraced three local cultures and were, fairly indirectly, tied to the Olympics. You could choose between a Kiwi Burger, an Aussie Burger, or a McAsia Wrap. These delightful options highlighted a local McDonald’s “favorite” from each of these three nations. The Kiwi Burger is topped with egg and beet root (their way of saying beet); the Aussie burger is topped with pineapple, bacon, and bbq sauce; and the McAsia Wrap combines chicken tenders with chili sauce. Check it out - you can’t make this stuff up! www.mcdonalds.co.nz/olympics/
I’m a little surprised and somewhat disappointed that the creators of neither the Kiwi nor Aussie Burger managed to incorporate marmite or vegemite. For the unfamiliar, these are two different, local food-like items. Vegemite stems from Australia, whereas Marmite is a New Zealand reconstruction of the British Marmite. Rumor has it that NZ Marmite is somewhat sweeter than Vegemite; should I encounter them both in one sitting, I will sacrifice for the good of all and do a taste test to verify this. (Please, never let that happen.) Both are created from the remains of yeast from beer brewing and are presented as a brown, sticky paste that is usually spread on bread or toast. The thickness of such application is a matter of personal taste. We’ve been warned that initiates should apply with caution; however, you’ll see true fans slathering it on. Cory has tried Vegemite and was not impressed, though he is known to be a somewhat picky eater – no coconut, no nuts, no olives – so take his opinion with some caution. The kiddos at school often have Marmite sandwiches for morning tea. I can attest that it is extremely sticky and almost impossible to remove from clothing once little fingers have wiped it there. After attempted cleaning, it leaves an obvious brown gummy smudge on said clothing. (To be fair, as several of my former students and staff could tell you, I am a terribly messy “feeder” of others, and my clothes often have smudges on them, though not usually from Marmite.)
An interesting offshoot…you can visit the Vegemite webpage and read the poem of the week about Vegemite. You can also view the Vegemite timeline and learn of the heritage of Vegemite. You can play fun Vegemite games in the Kid’s Corner, and you can also locate a range of recipes that use Vegemite. Bookmark it now! Marmite’s NZ page also offers useful tips and fun Marmite facts, in addition to artwork made with Marmite and toast.
I’m a little surprised and somewhat disappointed that the creators of neither the Kiwi nor Aussie Burger managed to incorporate marmite or vegemite. For the unfamiliar, these are two different, local food-like items. Vegemite stems from Australia, whereas Marmite is a New Zealand reconstruction of the British Marmite. Rumor has it that NZ Marmite is somewhat sweeter than Vegemite; should I encounter them both in one sitting, I will sacrifice for the good of all and do a taste test to verify this. (Please, never let that happen.) Both are created from the remains of yeast from beer brewing and are presented as a brown, sticky paste that is usually spread on bread or toast. The thickness of such application is a matter of personal taste. We’ve been warned that initiates should apply with caution; however, you’ll see true fans slathering it on. Cory has tried Vegemite and was not impressed, though he is known to be a somewhat picky eater – no coconut, no nuts, no olives – so take his opinion with some caution. The kiddos at school often have Marmite sandwiches for morning tea. I can attest that it is extremely sticky and almost impossible to remove from clothing once little fingers have wiped it there. After attempted cleaning, it leaves an obvious brown gummy smudge on said clothing. (To be fair, as several of my former students and staff could tell you, I am a terribly messy “feeder” of others, and my clothes often have smudges on them, though not usually from Marmite.)
An interesting offshoot…you can visit the Vegemite webpage and read the poem of the week about Vegemite. You can also view the Vegemite timeline and learn of the heritage of Vegemite. You can play fun Vegemite games in the Kid’s Corner, and you can also locate a range of recipes that use Vegemite. Bookmark it now! Marmite’s NZ page also offers useful tips and fun Marmite facts, in addition to artwork made with Marmite and toast.
Thursday 21st – Monday 25th
I’m enjoying my free time over here more than I should; at some point, I will need to return to the working world. Before we left, whenever someone asked what I was going to do and I couldn’t answer, they would kindly say, “Oh, just enjoy yourself!” I imagine everyone who said that was thinking, however, “What a lazy bum. And how spoiled!” I’ve gotten a similar response here in NZ whenever someone asks what it is I do. In the first few weeks, I could at least say, “Oh, we’ve just arrived and are getting settled!” But now, as we are approaching a month, my response is starting to sound weak. And volunteering two days a week does still leave three week days of unemployment. I have found plenty to keep me busy somehow, but I do realize that it is sort of unacceptable to be a “woman of leisure” – you can be a stay-at-home mom, but people don’t relate well to “stay-at-home wives”.
However, let me walk you through one of my very busy days…okay, it isn’t very busy at all, but I’ll take you through it anyway. On Fridays, there is a running club that meets at 9:15 just a few blocks from our apartment; I’d mentioned to Cory on Thursday night that I was thinking about joining the group that next morning. Kindly, Cory pointed out that I don’t actually run anymore. My rationale was that any group that can meet to run at 9:15 on a weekday probably included a lot of retirees and that I could probably keep up with retirees. But I heeded Cory’s gentle warning and chose instead to run a route on my own. Cory was probably right – I made it about 3k – along the beach and the bay. And even had I been 80 years old and retired, my pace was probably slow. So maybe being able to run with the retirees will be a goal for the future.
After such a strenuous morning, I treated myself to lunch. I ordered the fish sandwich at Two Small Fish. I’m pretty sure the owner was the waiter and the chef. Please do not picture a square, breaded, minced fish fillet with tartar sauce on a white bun. Instead, try to taste a fresh, seasoned Dory fillet, on a bed of local rocket (a type of green), displayed on a wholegrain loaf with a parmesan spread, sided by roasted tomatoes. Not bad, not bad.
There was still much to be done that afternoon. When you go for dinner to the home of someone you know well, you assume that you will be able to reciprocate. (As I write that, I realize that we have several friends back in Iowa that are probably rolling their eyes as they read this. Tina and Nate, Jessica and Matt, some day I will cook for you. It just won’t be nearly as good as when you cook for us.) Here, we don’t yet have that reassurance of reciprocation (hey, what if I don’t like these people!?), so you feel a little more guilty throwing yourself on their hospitality. So, other than the requisite bottle of wine, I’ve tried my hand at making afghans. I don’t think New Zealanders realize that afghans are unfamiliar to us Americans. If they did, I assume they would be constantly bragging about how they have a fantastic treat that we do not have. I had one from a bakery and quickly realized I was going to have to learn to make them myself, as I would be unable to afford the habit I have now developed. So I found a recipe and have made two batches. Both batches have gone to couples who have had us over for dinner; if I didn’t take them to our dinner hosts, I would eat them all in a matter of days (or hours). They are a chocolate cookie with crushed corn flakes in the dough, making them pleasantly crunchy and not too sweet, which is good, as you top them with a dollop of chocolate icing. I’m salivating just thinking about them now... So I had to whip these up, which is no quick feat, especially as the recipe is not in cups and teaspoons, but grams, which slows me down considerably.
By the time I had the afghans out of the oven and frosted, it was time to pick Cory up. He was at the private hospital, which is a little further away. He also failed to mention on the phone that he had to run back to the public hospital and check on a few things. (I should have brought a book for all the time I spent sitting in the car). Once we got home, it was time to start on dinner - cheese scones and potato soup for the evening meal. The cheese scones were a success; the soup could use some tweaking. See how being a stay-at-home wife can be busy? :)
Well, after such a busy Friday came the weekend. We went and picked up our bikes on Saturday. I know we’ve commented on how kind people have been, but here are just a few examples of kindnesses… We decided we wanted to buy bikes and Cory’s co-worker immediately sprung into action; in addition to giving Cory lots of tips and pointers about what to look for, he scoped out Trade-Me, a NZ-based website somewhat like Ebay. When he didn’t find anything there, he directed us to his favorite bike shops in town. Then, he loaned us a bike rack for our car so we wouldn’t have to buy one. Then, as were picking our bikes up, I got to talking to the shop owner’s wife, who was manning the counter. Somehow, don’t know how exactly, it came up that we didn’t have recycling at our apartment (she directed me to the drop off site I’d been trying to find), so I was going through garbage bags quickly. For garbage bags, as we have just a tiny bin, I’ve been using plastic shopping bags, so she tucked in some spare ones for us to use at home. In the meantime, the shop owner offered to help Cory put the bikes on the rack. Turned out we needed his help, as the bike frames were much larger in circumference than the rack was set-up to carry. Instead of pushing us to buy a bike rack from him, he went back to his shop, got some thinner material, and helped us wrench the bikes onto the rack. I’m not sure I’m doing justice in trying to explain these little kindnesses, but there, in one silly bike-buying experience, are several examples that we appreciate greatly.
We had other errands to run Saturday, too, including trying to purchase a cell phone for me. The costs of cell phones, in addition to home phones and internet, are a little different. There are very few “unlimited” plans – everything is based on usage and is fairly expensive. In the US, Cory and I had a plan that included our two phones and provided us with more minutes than we ever used; it cost us around 60 bucks. Here, I can do a plan with 60 minutes a month for about 60 bucks; that doesn’t include Cory and it doesn’t include the cost of the phone. To set up a contract, they needed a visa, so I had been waiting on that. Once it arrived, I was looking forward to have a phone; since we are sharing a car, there are times I need to be available for a phone call and don’t really want to be sitting at home. So, visa in hand, I was excited to set up a phone plan. However, I failed the credit check. I don’t know why exactly, but I’m assuming it’s because I simply have no credit. (Hmmm… any chance that not having a job was a factor?Ouch.) Bummer.
That night, we went for dinner at the home of one of Cory’s co-workers and were joined by three other guests as well. We had a delicious dinner, a menu chosen for it’s offering of traditional New Zealand fare – mashed kumara, roast lamb, and braised carrots, served with quince jelly gravy. In addition to stuffing my face, I got to pick the Kiwis’ brains a little bit, in as socially appropriate manner as I could (nothing like peppering your hosts and other dinner guests with a million questions). I was pleased to get the simplest answer to my questions about rugby league and ruby union – these are two different versions of rugby and it seems important to know at least that they are different. Turns out rugby league is what we see played by the All Black and back in the US, while rugby union might be considered a little rougher. Both are big over here. I got all wrapped up in other conversation, though, and forgot to question everyone about netball. It is played only by girls (in skirts) and appears to work a little like 6-on-6 basketball. I’ll keep you posted…
Sunday, we woke to pouring rain, but bravely soldiered on with plans to head to Wai-o-tapu (“sacred waters”), another area of thermal activity. I know, we really can’t get enough of this! It was a great day, starting with viewing Lady Know Geyser in action. From our guide books, I knew that she erupted at 10:15. As we waited in the rain, Cory and I discussed why there would be such a predictable time, based on a 24-hour cycle. We soon had our answer. The guide, right around 10:15, stepped up to the cone from which the geyser erupted. He tossed in some large pellets and proceeded to explain that the biodegradable detergent he had just added to the subterranean cistern caused the surface tension of the cooler water to decrease and allowed the lower, boiling water to steam and erupt. (Or something like that.) The phenomenon of the Lady Knox Geyser was first discovered years ago, when prisoners came to the lake’s edge from a nearby prison camp to wash their clothes. Supposedly, the detergent from their clothes had a similar effect to what we witnessed. Envision that, huh? Casually washing your clothes, chatting with the lads, cursing your luck at being caught in whatever unsavory activity you’d been doing, when…HOLY CRAP!!! I can’t quit picturing the tale of that first eruption.
However, let me walk you through one of my very busy days…okay, it isn’t very busy at all, but I’ll take you through it anyway. On Fridays, there is a running club that meets at 9:15 just a few blocks from our apartment; I’d mentioned to Cory on Thursday night that I was thinking about joining the group that next morning. Kindly, Cory pointed out that I don’t actually run anymore. My rationale was that any group that can meet to run at 9:15 on a weekday probably included a lot of retirees and that I could probably keep up with retirees. But I heeded Cory’s gentle warning and chose instead to run a route on my own. Cory was probably right – I made it about 3k – along the beach and the bay. And even had I been 80 years old and retired, my pace was probably slow. So maybe being able to run with the retirees will be a goal for the future.
After such a strenuous morning, I treated myself to lunch. I ordered the fish sandwich at Two Small Fish. I’m pretty sure the owner was the waiter and the chef. Please do not picture a square, breaded, minced fish fillet with tartar sauce on a white bun. Instead, try to taste a fresh, seasoned Dory fillet, on a bed of local rocket (a type of green), displayed on a wholegrain loaf with a parmesan spread, sided by roasted tomatoes. Not bad, not bad.
There was still much to be done that afternoon. When you go for dinner to the home of someone you know well, you assume that you will be able to reciprocate. (As I write that, I realize that we have several friends back in Iowa that are probably rolling their eyes as they read this. Tina and Nate, Jessica and Matt, some day I will cook for you. It just won’t be nearly as good as when you cook for us.) Here, we don’t yet have that reassurance of reciprocation (hey, what if I don’t like these people!?), so you feel a little more guilty throwing yourself on their hospitality. So, other than the requisite bottle of wine, I’ve tried my hand at making afghans. I don’t think New Zealanders realize that afghans are unfamiliar to us Americans. If they did, I assume they would be constantly bragging about how they have a fantastic treat that we do not have. I had one from a bakery and quickly realized I was going to have to learn to make them myself, as I would be unable to afford the habit I have now developed. So I found a recipe and have made two batches. Both batches have gone to couples who have had us over for dinner; if I didn’t take them to our dinner hosts, I would eat them all in a matter of days (or hours). They are a chocolate cookie with crushed corn flakes in the dough, making them pleasantly crunchy and not too sweet, which is good, as you top them with a dollop of chocolate icing. I’m salivating just thinking about them now... So I had to whip these up, which is no quick feat, especially as the recipe is not in cups and teaspoons, but grams, which slows me down considerably.
By the time I had the afghans out of the oven and frosted, it was time to pick Cory up. He was at the private hospital, which is a little further away. He also failed to mention on the phone that he had to run back to the public hospital and check on a few things. (I should have brought a book for all the time I spent sitting in the car). Once we got home, it was time to start on dinner - cheese scones and potato soup for the evening meal. The cheese scones were a success; the soup could use some tweaking. See how being a stay-at-home wife can be busy? :)
Well, after such a busy Friday came the weekend. We went and picked up our bikes on Saturday. I know we’ve commented on how kind people have been, but here are just a few examples of kindnesses… We decided we wanted to buy bikes and Cory’s co-worker immediately sprung into action; in addition to giving Cory lots of tips and pointers about what to look for, he scoped out Trade-Me, a NZ-based website somewhat like Ebay. When he didn’t find anything there, he directed us to his favorite bike shops in town. Then, he loaned us a bike rack for our car so we wouldn’t have to buy one. Then, as were picking our bikes up, I got to talking to the shop owner’s wife, who was manning the counter. Somehow, don’t know how exactly, it came up that we didn’t have recycling at our apartment (she directed me to the drop off site I’d been trying to find), so I was going through garbage bags quickly. For garbage bags, as we have just a tiny bin, I’ve been using plastic shopping bags, so she tucked in some spare ones for us to use at home. In the meantime, the shop owner offered to help Cory put the bikes on the rack. Turned out we needed his help, as the bike frames were much larger in circumference than the rack was set-up to carry. Instead of pushing us to buy a bike rack from him, he went back to his shop, got some thinner material, and helped us wrench the bikes onto the rack. I’m not sure I’m doing justice in trying to explain these little kindnesses, but there, in one silly bike-buying experience, are several examples that we appreciate greatly.
We had other errands to run Saturday, too, including trying to purchase a cell phone for me. The costs of cell phones, in addition to home phones and internet, are a little different. There are very few “unlimited” plans – everything is based on usage and is fairly expensive. In the US, Cory and I had a plan that included our two phones and provided us with more minutes than we ever used; it cost us around 60 bucks. Here, I can do a plan with 60 minutes a month for about 60 bucks; that doesn’t include Cory and it doesn’t include the cost of the phone. To set up a contract, they needed a visa, so I had been waiting on that. Once it arrived, I was looking forward to have a phone; since we are sharing a car, there are times I need to be available for a phone call and don’t really want to be sitting at home. So, visa in hand, I was excited to set up a phone plan. However, I failed the credit check. I don’t know why exactly, but I’m assuming it’s because I simply have no credit. (Hmmm… any chance that not having a job was a factor?Ouch.) Bummer.
That night, we went for dinner at the home of one of Cory’s co-workers and were joined by three other guests as well. We had a delicious dinner, a menu chosen for it’s offering of traditional New Zealand fare – mashed kumara, roast lamb, and braised carrots, served with quince jelly gravy. In addition to stuffing my face, I got to pick the Kiwis’ brains a little bit, in as socially appropriate manner as I could (nothing like peppering your hosts and other dinner guests with a million questions). I was pleased to get the simplest answer to my questions about rugby league and ruby union – these are two different versions of rugby and it seems important to know at least that they are different. Turns out rugby league is what we see played by the All Black and back in the US, while rugby union might be considered a little rougher. Both are big over here. I got all wrapped up in other conversation, though, and forgot to question everyone about netball. It is played only by girls (in skirts) and appears to work a little like 6-on-6 basketball. I’ll keep you posted…
Sunday, we woke to pouring rain, but bravely soldiered on with plans to head to Wai-o-tapu (“sacred waters”), another area of thermal activity. I know, we really can’t get enough of this! It was a great day, starting with viewing Lady Know Geyser in action. From our guide books, I knew that she erupted at 10:15. As we waited in the rain, Cory and I discussed why there would be such a predictable time, based on a 24-hour cycle. We soon had our answer. The guide, right around 10:15, stepped up to the cone from which the geyser erupted. He tossed in some large pellets and proceeded to explain that the biodegradable detergent he had just added to the subterranean cistern caused the surface tension of the cooler water to decrease and allowed the lower, boiling water to steam and erupt. (Or something like that.) The phenomenon of the Lady Knox Geyser was first discovered years ago, when prisoners came to the lake’s edge from a nearby prison camp to wash their clothes. Supposedly, the detergent from their clothes had a similar effect to what we witnessed. Envision that, huh? Casually washing your clothes, chatting with the lads, cursing your luck at being caught in whatever unsavory activity you’d been doing, when…HOLY CRAP!!! I can’t quit picturing the tale of that first eruption.
Saturday, August 16th
Thursday I headed over to Tauranga, not far from the hospital where Cory works, to Kaka Street Special School. I haven’t gotten the education system figured out just yet and I think it may be a little while before I do.
I started a long explanatory treatise here, but the reality is that I have more questions than I have answers, and that might not be a real exciting read for those of you not quite as interested in education as I am.
So, to keep it short, I wandered into this school which serves only special education students. I guess you could say that, in the US, it is generally considered an established belief that special education students, of all degrees, should be educated alongside (if not “with”) their regular education peers. There are two such special education schools still remaining in Iowa (Ruby VanMeter in Des Moines and River Hills in Cedar Rapids); they are a little bit of an archaic remnant, but the community of parents in those areas has always fought for them to remain open. Current teachers in Cedar Rapids have taught in the areas’ former special ed schools and can tell you stories about when they brought their students into the regular schools. (Seriously, it is fascinating…)
So I didn’t know (and still don’t) if there is a slightly different attitude in NZ, or if I am working in just one of those rare remaining remnants of an older system. Either way, I would say that Kaka Street struck me as a very “safe” school – the buildings and layout are extremely accessible, they had great equipment, seemed to have well-trained staff, and all the conveniences of a great sped program.
The vice principal (or deputy principal, I guess) was very kind and excited to know that I had experience. She took me down to one of the classrooms and introduced me to the teacher. We stepped out of an especially boisterous music activity and chatted for awhile.
I realized, later, one of the reasons I was so happy to be at Kaka Street. I was actually in a place where I knew what was going on and was not wondering what I was supposed to do. It’s only been a few weeks that we’ve been out of the US, but I think I’ve just been trying hard to study what I’m seeing and figure out if there is something I can apply to myself and use, etc, etc… At Kaka Street, the teacher was listing things she’d like me to do and running though their schedule. It all made sense (I could understand her) and I had done it all before. In addition to helping in the classroom and working with students, she was hoping to have someone make some “resources” (as you say that, emphasize the 2nd syllable, instead of the 1st – it was so cute). She asked if I knew this software program (I did), this software program (I did), and then hesitantly asked if I knew this software program (I did). How good to know what you are talking about and be useful again.
So I will be volunteering out there 2 days a week for now – they were so grateful to have someone and seemed very excited. That goes for me, too!
Now, Cory has been riding into work with a co-worker and continues to really enjoy work. He is amazed (and pleased) by the easier-going atmosphere. They start later, finish earlier, and are thoroughly horrified by the schedule Cory used to keep. He rounded today (Saturday), and was telling a co-worker that he would see him tomorrow. His co-worker was completely flabbergasted that staff would round on patients on a Sunday. Horrified almost!
He continues to make the nurses laugh with requests for items that don’t exist, but it is a good-humored laugh and he continues to be amazed by the kindness of patients and co-workers.
One of the nice things about Cory riding in with his co-worker is that he’s been able to ask a few questions about things we’ve wondered. One thing that I am still not quite able to wrap my mind around is the presence of bare feet.
People are bare-footed outdoors, in gas stations, in grocery stores, in the mall. I am not really a person who hates feet, but I am sort of freaked out by this. I’m not sure. All those signs, “No shirt, no shoes, no service”, keep popping into my mind. But if you look around at others when you spot a bare-footed person, no one else, even the shoed folks seem to evidence any sign of concern. So I will work hard to keep my mind open and, perhaps, I’ll bring this fancy-free, footwear-optional attitude back to the US with me…
I started a long explanatory treatise here, but the reality is that I have more questions than I have answers, and that might not be a real exciting read for those of you not quite as interested in education as I am.
So, to keep it short, I wandered into this school which serves only special education students. I guess you could say that, in the US, it is generally considered an established belief that special education students, of all degrees, should be educated alongside (if not “with”) their regular education peers. There are two such special education schools still remaining in Iowa (Ruby VanMeter in Des Moines and River Hills in Cedar Rapids); they are a little bit of an archaic remnant, but the community of parents in those areas has always fought for them to remain open. Current teachers in Cedar Rapids have taught in the areas’ former special ed schools and can tell you stories about when they brought their students into the regular schools. (Seriously, it is fascinating…)
So I didn’t know (and still don’t) if there is a slightly different attitude in NZ, or if I am working in just one of those rare remaining remnants of an older system. Either way, I would say that Kaka Street struck me as a very “safe” school – the buildings and layout are extremely accessible, they had great equipment, seemed to have well-trained staff, and all the conveniences of a great sped program.
The vice principal (or deputy principal, I guess) was very kind and excited to know that I had experience. She took me down to one of the classrooms and introduced me to the teacher. We stepped out of an especially boisterous music activity and chatted for awhile.
I realized, later, one of the reasons I was so happy to be at Kaka Street. I was actually in a place where I knew what was going on and was not wondering what I was supposed to do. It’s only been a few weeks that we’ve been out of the US, but I think I’ve just been trying hard to study what I’m seeing and figure out if there is something I can apply to myself and use, etc, etc… At Kaka Street, the teacher was listing things she’d like me to do and running though their schedule. It all made sense (I could understand her) and I had done it all before. In addition to helping in the classroom and working with students, she was hoping to have someone make some “resources” (as you say that, emphasize the 2nd syllable, instead of the 1st – it was so cute). She asked if I knew this software program (I did), this software program (I did), and then hesitantly asked if I knew this software program (I did). How good to know what you are talking about and be useful again.
So I will be volunteering out there 2 days a week for now – they were so grateful to have someone and seemed very excited. That goes for me, too!
Now, Cory has been riding into work with a co-worker and continues to really enjoy work. He is amazed (and pleased) by the easier-going atmosphere. They start later, finish earlier, and are thoroughly horrified by the schedule Cory used to keep. He rounded today (Saturday), and was telling a co-worker that he would see him tomorrow. His co-worker was completely flabbergasted that staff would round on patients on a Sunday. Horrified almost!
He continues to make the nurses laugh with requests for items that don’t exist, but it is a good-humored laugh and he continues to be amazed by the kindness of patients and co-workers.
One of the nice things about Cory riding in with his co-worker is that he’s been able to ask a few questions about things we’ve wondered. One thing that I am still not quite able to wrap my mind around is the presence of bare feet.
People are bare-footed outdoors, in gas stations, in grocery stores, in the mall. I am not really a person who hates feet, but I am sort of freaked out by this. I’m not sure. All those signs, “No shirt, no shoes, no service”, keep popping into my mind. But if you look around at others when you spot a bare-footed person, no one else, even the shoed folks seem to evidence any sign of concern. So I will work hard to keep my mind open and, perhaps, I’ll bring this fancy-free, footwear-optional attitude back to the US with me…
Monday – Thursday
So we were almost deported last week. Okay, that isn’t exactly true, but Cory did get a call from NZ Immigration at work on Friday. They called to ask some questions about paperwork, and then finished up their conversation by asking if he was at work. (I’m thinking they probably knew the answer as they’d called the hospital number listed as his “work” number.) They then mentioned that decisions on his work visa were hanging in the balance and suggested he discontinue his illegal activities and wait for further notice. I wouldn’t say the warning was delivered in an ominous tone, but the message itself was clear enough. So Cory left work early; it was supposed to be his late night, the one night that he stays ‘til 10:30 and takes any ortho calls that come in. He had to find someone to cover, so we took the kind guy a burger from BurgerFuel later that evening. (Thank you, Jerome!) A lady from the hospital who has been helping Cory get things set-up over here called Immigration or whoever it is you call and they said he’d have his visa by Monday. I thought it was pretty funny – when else (hopefully) will we ever be illegally working immigrants – but Cory definitely did not think it was funny and forbade me from telling the story to anyone until things were sorted. But, after months of waiting and re-submitting paperwork, our work visas and permits did arrive Monday morning. Ah, relief…
In the meantime, we’d been talking about buying bikes, so we went bike shopping last Saturday. We’re sharing a car, which is working out fine, especially as I only have obligations two days of the week right now. But Cory has been talking about biking to work and would also really like to ride some of the trails over here. Our plan was to buy some pretty cheap bikes and just sell them when we were ready to leave, but at the first place we stopped, the owner said that shipping bikes back by freight wasn’t too expensive. He even offered to help pack them up and send them off for us. Cory liked two bikes he saw there, but he is not an impulse buyer (this is an understatement), so we drove to all the other shops in town. We hustled to come back to the first shop and trial ride the bikes. Of course, Cory didn’t want to even think about buying until, as he put it, “our situation” was resolved. So now that we are no longer illegal immigrants, Derek, the shop owner, worked up a package deal for us. We’ll pick up our bikes on Satuday. I’m hoping that biking on the opposite side of the road will be something I pick up a bit quicker than driving on the opposite side. It seems there are probably more dire consequences should I mess up…
While Cory is talking about biking to work, I will not even suggest that is a possibility for me. I don’t actually work, of course, but there is no way I’m going to ride to the school I started volunteering at. It’s not that it’s really far away, but it is far enough for me.
I’ve been to Kaka Street Special School twice now; I went Monday and Wednesday this week. I’ve enjoyed it so far, but I’m still in that awkward stage of discerning my role and figuring out how things work. That will come in time. So far, I’ve helped in two of the four classrooms – one class of high school students and one class of elementary school students. All of the students have pretty significant mental disabilities and most have a concomitant physical disability. There are some things that seem different from the classes I’ve worked with before. Right now, I think that some things are different because it’s a NZ school, other things that seem different because it is a special school, and then there are things that are different that I would relate to individual teaching choices. I just haven’t figured out which of the above categories each of these “different” things falls into.
For example… School starts at 9:00; we have morning tea from 9:45-10:05, and we have lunch from 12:30-1:30. Okay, so I think that most schools start a little later than in the US, so we can assign that difference to the school being located in NZ. Having morning tea and an hour lunch (I get 30 minutes for lunch at Jefferson; during that 30 minutes, I feed students in my classroom) may be a difference that I can attribute to it being a school in NZ or to it being a special school. I’ll keep you posted on these fascinating ruminations…
It is really neat to see almost the whole staff gathered together in one room during morning tea, though. There are a few rotating staff each day that are assigned to supervise the students during this time, but otherwise, everyone, from principal to custodial staff, gather together for tea. There are community tea supplies (mugs and teaspoons; tea, coffee, and milo, a chocolate drink; kiwi; and some sort of baked good) and everyone helps themselves. The fact that everyone fits in one room is a pretty big difference in itself! Morning tea break just made my list of “favorite things about NZ”!
In the meantime, we’d been talking about buying bikes, so we went bike shopping last Saturday. We’re sharing a car, which is working out fine, especially as I only have obligations two days of the week right now. But Cory has been talking about biking to work and would also really like to ride some of the trails over here. Our plan was to buy some pretty cheap bikes and just sell them when we were ready to leave, but at the first place we stopped, the owner said that shipping bikes back by freight wasn’t too expensive. He even offered to help pack them up and send them off for us. Cory liked two bikes he saw there, but he is not an impulse buyer (this is an understatement), so we drove to all the other shops in town. We hustled to come back to the first shop and trial ride the bikes. Of course, Cory didn’t want to even think about buying until, as he put it, “our situation” was resolved. So now that we are no longer illegal immigrants, Derek, the shop owner, worked up a package deal for us. We’ll pick up our bikes on Satuday. I’m hoping that biking on the opposite side of the road will be something I pick up a bit quicker than driving on the opposite side. It seems there are probably more dire consequences should I mess up…
While Cory is talking about biking to work, I will not even suggest that is a possibility for me. I don’t actually work, of course, but there is no way I’m going to ride to the school I started volunteering at. It’s not that it’s really far away, but it is far enough for me.
I’ve been to Kaka Street Special School twice now; I went Monday and Wednesday this week. I’ve enjoyed it so far, but I’m still in that awkward stage of discerning my role and figuring out how things work. That will come in time. So far, I’ve helped in two of the four classrooms – one class of high school students and one class of elementary school students. All of the students have pretty significant mental disabilities and most have a concomitant physical disability. There are some things that seem different from the classes I’ve worked with before. Right now, I think that some things are different because it’s a NZ school, other things that seem different because it is a special school, and then there are things that are different that I would relate to individual teaching choices. I just haven’t figured out which of the above categories each of these “different” things falls into.
For example… School starts at 9:00; we have morning tea from 9:45-10:05, and we have lunch from 12:30-1:30. Okay, so I think that most schools start a little later than in the US, so we can assign that difference to the school being located in NZ. Having morning tea and an hour lunch (I get 30 minutes for lunch at Jefferson; during that 30 minutes, I feed students in my classroom) may be a difference that I can attribute to it being a school in NZ or to it being a special school. I’ll keep you posted on these fascinating ruminations…
It is really neat to see almost the whole staff gathered together in one room during morning tea, though. There are a few rotating staff each day that are assigned to supervise the students during this time, but otherwise, everyone, from principal to custodial staff, gather together for tea. There are community tea supplies (mugs and teaspoons; tea, coffee, and milo, a chocolate drink; kiwi; and some sort of baked good) and everyone helps themselves. The fact that everyone fits in one room is a pretty big difference in itself! Morning tea break just made my list of “favorite things about NZ”!
Saturday - Sunday
I have been cooking quite a bit and really enjoying it. I really do like to cook, but it is well-known that I simply don’t, or didn’t, much at home. Now, with quite a bit more free time on my hands, I’ve been cooking pretty regularly. Especially after living in a hotel and then traveling for a few weeks, now that we are finally settled, we’ve been eating in as opposed to eating out so much.
So in addition to my kumara experiment, I’ve been whipping up other New Zealand treats. On this weeks’ menu is ricotta, lemon, and parsley on pasta; ham and leek pasties; and potato soup with cheese scones. I also made some afghans, a popular and delicious cookie, to take to a friend’s house. I’m not sure, really, if it is a good idea, as an outsider, to take the national cookie favorite to actual New Zealanders. We’ll see…
But, it hasn’t all been me slaving over a stove. We’ve been out to eat a few times (and I’ve noted how challenging this can be for us) and it’s been good. Twice now, though, we’ve had what I would consider “American” food. This has been with some mixed results…
One night, Cory was craving pizza and we were looking forward to going to a cozy Italian restaurant a block or two from our apartment. We stepped out of the drizzle, glad to be inside and looked for a table. I’d pointed out a table for two when the proprietress zoomed over to tell us she had no tables and would not until 9:30 or so. Bummer. On our walk back, we decided that we might try Hell’s Pizza, which we’d seen advertised. I mean, pizza from hell can’t be all bad. But they didn’t deliver and the restaurant was 20 minutes or so away. So we opted for Pizza Hut – a medium pepperoni. It came pretty promptly and, by then, we were ready for warm food. But the pepperoni was a little different, and the thick slabs were not exactly what we’d expected. Cory ate up, but I think I’ll hold off on Pizza Hut for awhile.
We had much better luck with a “fast food” burger. Now there are Burger Kings and McDonalds all over in the larger towns. (The smaller towns, however, have been spared. Fast food in most parts consists of the ever-present pie - and you know how I love a good pie)! There is a Burger King just down the block from us, though we haven’t chosen to partake. But Cory has had the craving for a burger. A friend brought him one at work one night and he’s found his oasis in BurgerFuel.
BurgerFuel doesn’t carry your typical, straight-up burgers. No tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mayo plainjane burgers. You can do a hamburger, a chicken burger, a fish burger, a veggie burger (a patty of mushrooms and chickpeas). The toppings include beetroot, parmesan, stilton, peanut satay, relishes, etc. The regular fries are served with aioli, but you can opt for kumara fries too. De-lish…
In amongst all this eating, we have been able to get out a little, too. Today we headed to Kaiate Falls. It was stunning. Driving in the countryside continues to awe me. I’m sure there is something to say for novel surroundings, but there is also just some unbelievable beauty here. The falls themselves were stunning. It was a misty morning, but the area was just lush. I can’t really do the views justice; you’ll have to use Cory’s photos as the best available stand-in.
So in addition to my kumara experiment, I’ve been whipping up other New Zealand treats. On this weeks’ menu is ricotta, lemon, and parsley on pasta; ham and leek pasties; and potato soup with cheese scones. I also made some afghans, a popular and delicious cookie, to take to a friend’s house. I’m not sure, really, if it is a good idea, as an outsider, to take the national cookie favorite to actual New Zealanders. We’ll see…
But, it hasn’t all been me slaving over a stove. We’ve been out to eat a few times (and I’ve noted how challenging this can be for us) and it’s been good. Twice now, though, we’ve had what I would consider “American” food. This has been with some mixed results…
One night, Cory was craving pizza and we were looking forward to going to a cozy Italian restaurant a block or two from our apartment. We stepped out of the drizzle, glad to be inside and looked for a table. I’d pointed out a table for two when the proprietress zoomed over to tell us she had no tables and would not until 9:30 or so. Bummer. On our walk back, we decided that we might try Hell’s Pizza, which we’d seen advertised. I mean, pizza from hell can’t be all bad. But they didn’t deliver and the restaurant was 20 minutes or so away. So we opted for Pizza Hut – a medium pepperoni. It came pretty promptly and, by then, we were ready for warm food. But the pepperoni was a little different, and the thick slabs were not exactly what we’d expected. Cory ate up, but I think I’ll hold off on Pizza Hut for awhile.
We had much better luck with a “fast food” burger. Now there are Burger Kings and McDonalds all over in the larger towns. (The smaller towns, however, have been spared. Fast food in most parts consists of the ever-present pie - and you know how I love a good pie)! There is a Burger King just down the block from us, though we haven’t chosen to partake. But Cory has had the craving for a burger. A friend brought him one at work one night and he’s found his oasis in BurgerFuel.
BurgerFuel doesn’t carry your typical, straight-up burgers. No tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mayo plainjane burgers. You can do a hamburger, a chicken burger, a fish burger, a veggie burger (a patty of mushrooms and chickpeas). The toppings include beetroot, parmesan, stilton, peanut satay, relishes, etc. The regular fries are served with aioli, but you can opt for kumara fries too. De-lish…
In amongst all this eating, we have been able to get out a little, too. Today we headed to Kaiate Falls. It was stunning. Driving in the countryside continues to awe me. I’m sure there is something to say for novel surroundings, but there is also just some unbelievable beauty here. The falls themselves were stunning. It was a misty morning, but the area was just lush. I can’t really do the views justice; you’ll have to use Cory’s photos as the best available stand-in.
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