Finally arrived in the land of the long white cloud - Aotearoa (Maori for "New Zealand")!!! :)
Can't believe that I am really here, after all this waiting and doing my favourite activity: counting days. Everything's new, everything we do seems exciting, fantastic - unreal.
But let's get back to the moment when the big adventure started!
I've marked it in my school notebook, my friends marked it in their notebooks, my parents marked it in their notebook: the final day when I should be leaving Germany for a long long time. Friday, the 18th of January! dam dam dam daaaaaam
Okay, see what I mean? :D So, we were all prepared for this day; we thought that the night from Thursday to Friday would be the last one for me to sleep in my bed and the breakfast that I had on Friday should have been the last meal at our table.
But noooooooo, don't-ask-me-who-or-what didn't want our German group to have a nice and normal beginning of our trip. That's why don't-ask-me-who-or-what sent a lovely snowstorm to Europe on the said day so that our flight was cancelled! Jippiiiiiiie...
Well, you can guess that we didn't feel so happy about it because the consequence was that our group was seperated into 3 smaller groups which should all take another flight one or even two days later.
Anyway, on the 19th of January then, our flight to New Zealand fortunately started without any problems and we said goodbye to our family and friends for the very last time :)
I got into the plane with mixed feelings - on the other hand, I was looking back to the 'Goodbye Party' I had with my friends two days ago, I'd reaaaally miss them ; on the other hand I was looking forward and just soo curious about what will be waiting for me on the other side of the world!
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| my destination! |
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| my friends ♥ |
9 hours waiting at an airport in Japan - that sounds long and boring, doesn't it?
Well, it probably is, but not if you know how to make something special out of that time (:
Our group which was now flying over Osaka, Japan to Auckland, New Zealand consisted of about 20 German students. And I'm sure you all know this: When you're getting bored and you don't know what to do, stupid ideas come to your mind! :D
That exactly is the origin of our self-made pyramid!
... or of our cart race:
Though these funny actions, we were reeeeeally really happy to finally arrive on New Zealand ground, believe me! After about 32 hours we landed in Auckland, in the north of the country. From there most of us still had to get to Wellington because our preparation week took place in this city.
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| at the airport in Auckland - it's built up magically! :D |
On this following flight then (it took only about an hour, very pleasant) we had a great view on New Zealand and its coasts! With that picture for example, we already felt welcomed by our 'hometown' for the following 5 days:
During these first days we stayed in a hostfamily together with another student. Obviously this was not our 'real' hostfamily because after that preparation and orientation week, our German group spread all over the country in order to get to their final destination where the pupils are staying for 3, 6 or even more month.
That's why in this week, I stayed with a girl called Sophia at Yoka's house (this was the name of our hostmum, 67 years old, living with her two daughters).But the first thing we got to see when we arrived in Wellington was Wellington Girls College - the school we visited every morning to learn something about the country's culture, its origin, a.s.o.
This photo was taken in the school's gym, just when we came in. We were soooooooooooo excited to finally be there!
On this first day (or better: the part of the day that remained), there wasn't anything special planned for our group, so we were 'given' to our hostfamilies and were able to get to know them :)
Just after getting to her house and having a brief look around, our hostmum took us on a little walk through the village in order to get fresh air and to stay awake. This was actually a really nice idea because Sophia and I could already get our first impressions of New Zealand nature:
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| our hostfamily's dogs (: |
Nice weather, isn't it? Right, in New Zealand it's summer time now!! :D
Flight and first day: accomplished!
Next morning: School!
...Just kidding! Actually, there were just about 2 hours of lesson and it wasn't that bad as you may think ;) We got an introdution and then we were seperated into courses. Our teacher was real cool, always making jokes and teaching us Kiwi Slang!! :D
During the four days of the preparation week we learned some facts and details about New Zealand history, Maori language and their culture, New Zealand food and so on.
This was our class:
And later, after having lunch at school, we always had an excursion together! :)
I'll show you some of the pictures we've taken on our trip - actually there are huuuuundreds of photos, maybe a thousand, but I really don't want to bore you :D
On the first day, which was Tuesday the 22th of January, we went on a bus tour. Doesn't sound that exciting, does it? But it was!!! It was absolutely amazing! Especially for those of the group like me who had just arrived in New Zealand and who were getting those impressions right at their first day.
So look, this was the first place where we stopped: the Parliament of Wellington, the Beehive
Our second stop was on a hill at the Botanic Gardens.
From there you had a nice view over
Wellington! And the palmet trees there immediately gave us a great summer
feeling ;)
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| our view! – you can also see the cable car |
On the
next observation deck we climbed on the view was even more fantastic! Therefore we
went on Mount Victoria – it was gorgeous!! Having a look all around you,
you could see Wellington harbor and the beautiful sea, the skyscrapers just at
the coast and also in the city center, the mountains and all the houses.
Awesome!
Of course, the New Zealand flag had
to be proudly hold up! Watch out, we’re in the country now! :D …Unfortunately it was a bit windy,
as you may see:
Already
overwhelmed by all those new impressions and new pictures we had just collected
(new wooonderful pictures of Wellington!!), our group completely freaked out
when our bus tour went on to the beach! Really nothing could have been better
than the blue, wide ocean at this moment!
I
remember that when I was there - sticking my toes into the
sand, standing with my legs in the water, feeling the sun on my skin and breathing
salty air – I wished I could hold on for
a second, take this moment and keep it forever.
It was
just perfect! And everyone of us had a lot of fun at the beach:
But the
day hadn’t even finished: After our excursion a small group of our students
went to town. We wanted to explore the city of Wellington with its cafés and
shops J
I remembered it from America, that had been the first time I tried it and this chocolate just tastes sooo good! Maybe some of you guys know it, it's really tasty!
Well, even this exciting day got to an end
at some time. But before, Sophia and I definitely wanted to write our memories
and new impressions down. We both have a diary to note the spectacular events
of the day.
On the picture, we’re sitting at the table
outside and you can see the garden of our hostfamily in the background:
The following days were also full of activities and there were plenty of
new things to discover for our group!!
I’ll show you the main pictures of the next day, Wednesday:
After our lessons everybody of our group could choose
if he wants to do indoor climbing, biking or roller skating.
I chose climbing J
In the afternoon, some of us decided to go swimming! Because we didn’t
know yet how to get to the beach, we just stopped at a plank and jumped into
the water!
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| Laura and me jumping into the ocean |
That was real fun – I love spontaneous decisions like that :D
On our way home then which is always by train, Sophia and I noticed something
crazy at the train station in Wellington – something that made us feel transported
into the Harry Potter movies!! :D
Thursday: At lunch break Sophia, Alicia and I walked down to the
supermarket – the first time at a Kiwi supermarket, woooow! :b
First thing that came up to our minds: They've got a variousity of lolly!!! o:
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| YUMMIE! |
L&P - our new favourite drink!!!
It tastes similar to Fanta (:
It tastes similar to Fanta (:
The activity planned for our group on this afternoon was the visit of a Museum which presents New Zealand history, their way of life and culture and where they explain to you Maori tradition. It was good that the museum had some places where you could try out things on your own, for example an earthquake house. We also liked...
...the elevator because it was made of glass,
so you had a cool view :D,
...
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| Aren't they cool? |
...and the Hobbit trolls! :b
In the afternoon, a group of girls including Sophia, Alicia and me were really enthusiastic about going shopping! So we took the bus to Queensgate mall and - let the shopping begin!!
There were so many stores we didn't know from Germany! We went into almost every shop, couldn't wait to discover them all and to try on new clothes!
The ones we liked best were for example Dotti, Valleygirl, Cotton On, Supré, and some others (:
Here's a picture of us girls at the end of our shopping tour:
...The week went on - Friday:
This
morning Sophia and I were enjoying the beautiful view out of the train’s window
on our way to school for the last time: The train goes along so close to the
ocean that you feel like driving on its surface while looking out. I’ll miss
this, you don’t have a similar view on German trains.
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| Hope you can see it: the sea in the background |
So guys, now I definitely need to tell you my
favourite Kiwi slang words we learned during our lessons - some of them sound
really funny for me! :D I’ve never
heard them before and because of my ‘school English’ I also have another
pronounciation - so that was pretty cool for us Germans to be taught Kiwi
slang!
‘Sweet
as’ – I first thought it might have something to do with a sweet taste :b but nooo, it simply means ‘good’ or
‘okay’
‘Mufti’ – that’s a school day when you don’t
have to wear your uniform
As I told you the pronounciation seems
different for us, for example they say ‘bid’ for ‘bed’ or ‘eliven’ for
‘eleven’. ((:
Friday afternoon: the last school day here in
Wellington was over – after a yummie lunch with New Zealand food we said
goodbye to our teachers and thanked them for a really great week!!
Then we drove all together to our next
attraction of the day:
PAINTBALL!!! <3
Wuhuhuhuuuuu, we had been so much looking
forward to it!
Putting on our protective clothes and walking
into the area (which was a big territorium, mainly in the wood) some of us felt
like tributes in Panem :b Obviously
everything was just for fun!!
I was hit three times, once on my head – lucky
that we were wearing kind of masks all the time :D It hurts a bit, but the fun definitely outweighs, so you don’t
mind! I can reaaally advise
it to you!!
After our ‘colour war’ Luci, Sophia and I
decided to drive back to Wellington again and to relax for the rest of the day
at the beach. We were lucky with the weather and after some time walking along
Wellington harbor we arrived at the city bay!
Wellington harbor – restaurants
and cafés, live music, white ships – lovely
The city bay:
As Luci and I both do gymnastics in Germany
several times a week, we already miss it very much! So we just couldn’t help
doing it right at the beach J
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| Oookay, our handstands are not the best ones, however it was fun :D |
In looove with New Zealand!
All I now can say is:
Wow! Paintballing and the beach were really amazing
events and definitely two highlights of this week for me!
On Saturday morning, we already had to leave.
The preparation week was a great opportunity
for all of us to get to know New Zealand and to gain some first insights into
its nature and people!!! ♥
Our next destination: the hostfamilys!
My flight went to Christchurch, in the north-east
of the South Island.
From now on, I’ll be living at my family’s
house in Rangiora, a village near Christchurch.
Just a little foretaste: the South Island from
above ;)
In my next post you’ll hear something about my first days here in Rangiora, the school, my hostfamily – and of course the New Zealand way of life as I’m experiencing it time by time (:
See you soon!
Love, Yoko <3
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