Despite over 18 hours in the air, my flights were a breeze! The biggest setback was when my right ear popped during the descent of my first flight and I looked like a crazy person in the San Francisco airport, chomping loudly on gum and shaking my head around trying to solve the problem. Eventually I closed my mouth, pinched my nose, and blew which did the trick (FYI in case anyone is ever in a similar situation!). Once my ear was un-popped I settled into flight #2, watched the first LOTR movie, and woke up when we were almost to Auckland- awesome!
My plane landed around 5:15 am on Saturday (NZ time) and then I went through a passport check, baggage claim, and security which took over an hour (although I encountered very cute security puppies being trained along the way!). Through the arrival gate I was met with the most lovely welcome from Erin (her and her husband, Scott, are hosting me) and their children, Paige (7) and Lachlan (4). They greeted me with wide smiles, despite the early hour, and a wonderful homemade welcome sign with NZ images!
The beautiful sign made by Paige and Lachlan! It includes pictures of a kiwi, a monarch butterfly, sheep, a hobbit hole, a pavlova, jandals (NZ word for flip flops), and Rangitoto (a volcanic island).
I have been having a great time with my host family so far! They have made me feel extremely welcome and comfortable as I get used to my new surroundings. I have lots of fun playing with the children, sharing American games and songs with them while they teach me some of their own! And my host family is teaching me lots about New Zealand culture. On my first night we had a traditional kiwi barbecue with sausages and steak, NZ sauvignon blanc wine, and pavlova, a delicious dessert! Erin is a wonderful cook and I already plan to try out some of her recipes when I am back in the US!
Delicious pavlova made by Erin! It is meringue-based with cream and fruit on top.
Today we did some sight-seeing around Auckland. First we went to the Auckland Museum which was huge and had some neat exhibits. I was excited to see some Maori history and architecture, local wildlife in the natural history section (including a kiwi!), and we participated in a volcano simulation. There was also a very cool exhibition called the "World of Wearable Art" which featured outrageous fashion pieces!
The Auckland Museum
World of Wearable Art exhibit
The highlight of the day for me was when we went to the top of Mount Eden which is one of the many volcanoes in the area! I was flipping out since it was my first time up a volcano, while it was a normal sight for my host family. There was a huge crater in the center with lots of volcanic ash and rock spread over the area. From the top there were great views of Auckland including the other volcanoes in the area.
Panoramic view of Mt. Eden (photo credit: Erin)
Zoomed out panoramic shot of the crater (photo credit: Erin)
Other nearby volcanoes and Auckland sights
My new buddies, Paige and Lachlan posing in front of Rangitoto and showing off volcanic rock. Everything is fun with them!
I cannot wait to explore more of this beautiful country. I am also very excited for my first day of student teaching tomorrow! I'll report back soon!
Lots of Love,
Katie
Fun Fact: The pavlova dessert is named after Russian dancer Anna Pavlova when she toured New Zealand and Australia in the 1920s. There is some debate over which country created the dessert, but research generally credits NZ. What is indisputable: it is delicious!
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