Sos I'm late.....

Hi all

Sos I’m a bit late this week!

Busy lady now you know.

School is fine – the kids are lovely apart from two little horrors in my class that is! But, hey that’s normal! Had enough of them both on Friday so packed off them to a scary Year 6 teacher for a stern talking to! Sent them both with a note (they had no idea what it said) – they got a bit of a shock upon arrival! What a meanie I am!

Each day after 9am exercise, we have a Maori prayer called the Karakia (I think that’s how it’s spelt).

Had the kids in stitches when I asked them to teach me how to say it.

At first, they were in shock - they couldn’t believe that their teacher didn’t know or understand it – they just assumed that I should.

After a long explanation about how Maori is not spoken in the UK and that it took me a very long time to get here from said country (not ½ an hour as some of them thought), they realised that I am indeed a true foreigner to New Zealand and in need of vital Maori teaching! Hence, we returned to the prayer with renewed vigour.

However – am slow learner and can only remember the last four words! Yes – I know – how pathetic! Although there is some light at the end of the tunnel – the kids reckoned that my pronunciation was fine!

Here is The Lord's Prayer in Maori just to give you an idea (it has the same ending as the one I’m learning – now you know why I’m so useless!E to matou Matua i te rangiKia tapu tou Ingoa.Kia tae mai tou rangatiratanga.Kia meatia tau e pai aiki runga ki te whenua,kia rite ano ki to te rangi.Homai ki a matou aianeihe taro ma matou mo tenei ra.Murua o matou hara,Me matou hoki e muru neiio te hunga e hara ana ki a matou.Aua hoki matou e kawea kia whakawaia;Engari whakaorangia matou i te kino:Nou hoki te rangatiratanga, te kaha,me te kororia,Ake ake ake. Amine.

The karakia used at school sounds lovely when the kids say it.

Hey ho!

Another 2 new Maori words I’ve learnt are Whare Hui (fah ray hoo eee) – it is the name of the meeting house that we use for Kiwi Can and assemblies.

Kiwi Can is great fun and my class have it first thing Monday morning after their exercise. Kiwi Can aims to change children’s attitudes from I can’t to I can. It develops confidence, self- esteem and respect. The children play lots of games and really enjoy it.

The guy that runs it is lovely - he is an ardent rugby fan and had an impressive display of NZ Rugby players on one of the Whare Hui walls. He was most impressed when he heard that my last home was situated in Rugby!

Have been given a very nice and solid wooden chopping board by fellow Kiwi teacher – brand new! She had a clear out and thought of me! It’s lovely and will come in very useful. She also provided me with lots of lovely lemons from her tree – so have been busy producing oodles (common Kiwi word) of yummy lemon squash. Must remember to take some in for her.

New friend also is a member of the Coastguard here and has got me very interested – it sounds really good. They have once a week training meets in the evenings and then you put your name down for a ½ a day every four weeks or so. You get to go out on boats and little aeroplanes! How cool is that! I will learn lots plus give back a little to the society that has been good to me so far! Once I’m settled in school, I will give it a try.

Had a call during the week asking for my help to usher for the Waitakere Brass’ concert on Saturday night – I enjoyed the Chrussy one so much that I readily agreed.

They had a wide and varied programme and the compeer was, as usual, very witty!

Have to say he coped very well whilst having a conversation with a certain male in the audience who, upon hearing about the Band’s up and coming visit to England, Scotland and Switzerland proudly pronounced that he had a relative in Scotland! “Well”, said the compeer (or words to the effect of – I can’t quite remember the exact wordage here) “ you never know, we may see her there”, to which the certain male pointed out in a very loud and clear voice that she was no longer of this world – ie she was dead! Well – the audience was in stitches and the band just about collapsed (reading this through – it sounds rather morbid – but it wasn’t at the time!) – took a few minutes for everyone to recompose themselves for the next part of the concert.

I loved the Pastime With Good Company (Henry VIII), the New Zealand music was beautiful (one of them was the theme tune to Billy Conolly’s NZ Tour programmes – sorry can’t remember the name – can hum it to you, but of course I do realise that it would be of no use whatsoever – therefore, will hum and send to you via ESP – ready – here we go!……..) and the rendition of Hello Dolly – not only played by the band, but sung by them too, was very impressive!

Some very interesting characters were noted by myself and the lady I was helping with ticket selling. Amongst them was a lovely blind lady with a one-eyed guide dog! (The dog was a gorgeous golden lab). There was also a man dressed in a pink suit complete with pink cowboy-type rather high heeled shoes, pink cowboy-type hat and pink metallic case – I was talking to the compeer at the time and he told me in an aside that the man in pink was his uncle (I think he was having me on – but was unsure as to what to say at this point, so just kept shtum and sold pink man 2 adult tickets).

My mental math skills were put to good use that night – especially when asked for 5 adult tickets plus 2 Senior Citizen – lady I was helping and myself froze and looked like rabbit in headlights at this point, but after deep breaths for brain feeding oxygen, we both got there!

Once the concert was finished, we all drove to the Band practise room for a drink and some pizza bought by very nice friend – we were starving – them having had no lunch or tea (therefore hungry with good reason) and me having not had tea (less of a good reason, but still deserving I feel). It was yummy – cheers!

Today, I have been mostly BODY BOARDING!!!!!!! Yay! Went to a new beach due to Piha having lots of boat type activities going on and a fear of oars bashing my head.

Our new beach de la week was Muriwai – and what a lovely beach it is! On the West Coast like Piha and seemingly a little further away than Piha – but it was actually much quicker and easier to get to and is FAB!

We met friends there and had a lovely time. They left a little before us due to imminent nitball trials for their youngest – good luck!

The waves are very big and I was again rolled around within one or two quite a few times – but it was great!

Took my camera – but unfortunately the battery was flat and the spare was left at home in the recharger – DOH! Will take photies for you all next time.

Have to say that I much prefer this beach to Piha.

We passed lots of vineyards (wineries) on the way plus a variety of fruit shops. Bought some lovely juicy Gala apples for son and a huge bag of green seedless grapes – yum – all very fresh and locally grown.

The fruit here tastes sooo good – just like when I was a kid. I feel like I’ve got my taste buds back again!

Am sat here – very tired with red sun-fried cheeks, but happy. Will now proceed to make tea due to son’s subtle hints at hunger. Have also got to finish planning for school – son is now being most annoying by making screeching noises and asking where his I-pod is……

See ya next week.

x Sue

PS - am very aware that I owe a few people in the UK lots of e-mail replies - will get onto it asap!