2-24-14

Playgroup was special today because it was being held at the Grey Lynn Pools not at the normal Plunket where it’s usually conducted. Brooklyn and I had a blast with all the children running around the park, playing on the jungle-jim, using the skate ramp as a slide and learning to surf in the wade pool. He is so imaginative! At one point while we were in the wade pool he would use a boogie board as his “steam ship/fishing boat” to go between “islands” and catch a variety of sea life which he then took to the market and sold. He always uses his mind to think up scenarios where he is doing things like adults. It truly is interesting to see how things in the adult world make sense to a child and the way he picks up on things around him. he uses his sense of awareness, sight, and hearing to notice routines around him in the world and work out what they are doing. Brooklyn also uses his sense of critical thinking to ask questions about why people do things or if he doesn’t know the answer to something. I love to help his curiosity grow and teach him how to research by asking him how he thinks we should find out or how he thinks things work. By making him think about the process it takes to discover, I hope that I can instill a sense of yearning to learn and also teach him how to not only learn from just asking others but also learn that he can do his own research as well through books and other tools. He truly is a bright kid and I enjoy chatting with him. I’m sure we will have many more chats in the future I hope! Some of the ways I am helping his desire to learn grow are by reading books, visiting libraries/venues that can give information, and researching questions that he asks with him on the internet with him.

2-26-14

After dropping Brooklyn off at school I met Thomas and we headed into town to the University so he could get his CV checked by one of the departments there. It is registration week so there were tons of things happening on campus and I was able to get a taste of university life here in Auckland. After stopping for lunch at a Kebab place and enjoying some live music there on the quad we headed back home. I was able to Skype with my family which is always nice. Honestly, you have no idea how much you will miss your family until you are forced to find ways to communicate with each other. I miss them so much and am so thankful for Skype so that I can continue to chat with them and know what is going on in their lives back home as well as tell them about my own experiences too. Tonight was a special Wednesday because Nicole’s Mum was scheduled to arrive. The boys picked her up from the airport after basketball and we had a lovely evening chatting before bed.

2-27-14

Thursday Nanna, Brooklyn and I went for coffee at Jimmy’s before we came home and made some blueberry muffins. Unfortunately, we were having so much fun playing games after school with Bailey and Brooklyn that we forgot swimming. I enjoyed having Nicole’s mum here. She is always great company and she sets the boys in line which always helps. She is a wonderful woman and I’m glad I got to meet her through Nicole.

2-28-14

Nicole came home in the morning so Brooklyn, Nana and I picked her up from the station and I played games with Brooklyn while the two women went to Pilates. After they came home they took Brooklyn off to swimming and I was free the rest of the day. Thomas finished near the same time I did but he was exhausted so we went back to his place and watched a movie. We chatted with his mum for a bit and just had fun relaxing and having tickle wars. I won of course! ;) When he had to head off to swim training I came home, got changed and headed off to meet Ricarda at Greenlane for the Blues vs. Crusaders Rugby game at Eden park. We ended up catching a ride with one of her other friends who was attending the game and we had a wonderful time cheering and trying to understand the rules of the game. Funny thing is Kent was also at the game because apparently it’s a pretty big one between rivals, Auckland and Canterbury (Christchurch). Auckland reins strong however, because the Blues defeated Crusaders by quite a bit. After the game we met up with Sina and her friend for ice cream before we headed home.

3-1-14

Prequel: The beginning of an epic weekend.

I left the house at 6 am and headed off to Greenlane to catch the bus to Lenora’s house to meet her and Gina for Snorkeling at Goat Island. Snorkeling was awesome! We were able to see tons of fish and other sea life. Even though it was outrageously cold we went out twice for quite a while. On the second outing we headed around the island where we were able to find some sweet caves. I learned a valuable lesson the hard way when I headed toward a cave opening thinking I bet there is some sweet stuff over there. Before I realized my mistake I was being sucked into the cave. Luckily I was able to catch myself on a rock before I got sucked into the current entering the cave. As consequence of catching myself on a rock I cut up my hands a bit, but in the grand scheme of things that was nothing compared to what could have happened. When I was on top of the rock I looked over and watched the currents before jumping into the outgoing current and swimming my way out. As we headed around the island I was able to spot a sting ray in between the blowing seaweed vines! I was pretty stoked so I motioned for Gina and Lenora to come over as well to see. While we were snorkeling we were able to meet two other lovely people from Auckland which I’m sure we will be meeting again at some point.

Now this is the part where the weekend gets crazy. So here is the backstory, this trip was planned via Facebook and there was a comment saying we should go up to Paihia after snorkeling. No mention of sleeping or anything like that or when we would be returning. I figured hey why not? (Mind you I have no tooth brush, no extra clothes, nothing but food and some swimming equipment in my bad with me as well as my book. Most of the time I am prepared for everything but in this instance I found myself unbelievably ill prepared. Anyways back to the story. So we make our way 2 hour drive over to Paihia in a racing hurry to meet up with Lucy, Roxanne and their friend Dan for a boat party. After arriving around 5:30ish we get things sorted and get ready to head out on the sail boat. For those who do not know the difference between a normal boat and a sail boat is they all take varying degrees of work. Sail boats take the most because you have to set up the sails and constantly steer the boat.

me driving the boat!

 
We had a blast throwing back a few drinks and learning how to drive a sail boat. By the end I think we all gave it a go at least once and we weren’t half-bad. Another unique thing about a sailboat is it tilts to the side so much so that you feel like you are going to capsize and you have to balance out the weight which is normal. Throughout the night this caused us to have a few falls but in the end we were all alright minus a few bruises. We brought in the dingy to the beach at the end of the night and headed back to Dan’s flat where he was kind enough to let us crash on a mattress on his floor. Thus we stayed in Paihia. The original plan was to be up and hitch a ride back to the car around 8 so we could make it back to Takapuna by noon however, Dan slept in and ended up being late so when we finally made it down to the car it was about 10 therefore I had to call and change the Takapuna booking. Lenora and I had a great conversation on our ride home. Communication ended when radio was invented! Needless to say her car radio was broken so we entertained ourselves very well by chatting about life, love, and what it’s all about! When we finally rolled into Takapuna around 1:30 we grabbed a quick lunch at Countdown. I was feeling a bit meat deprived so I bought an entire roast chicken and ate over half of it before I had to hand off the rest to Lenora and go Paddle-boarding down at the beach with my German friend Ronja. My second experience paddle-boarding at Takapuna what much easier than the former one at Pt. Chevillier. Ronja and I had a great time chatting and paddling around the bay before we returned our equipment and went for a swim. The weather was so lovely this weekend and I had a great time catching up with Ronja. After we were done at the beach she dropped me off at the bus station and I caught the 2 buses back into the city-then on to my house in Epsom. I took a much needed shower as soon as I got home then headed off to Thomas’s to meet his brother’s family for the first time. We had tea with them and chatted for a bit before they had to go. It was really lovely to meet them. I found their family so inviting and quite diverse. Thomas’s mother is Croatian/Brazillian, his father is South African, Thomas is basically Kiwi, his brother has a South African accent and his wife is Russian. It’s really cool to be able to spend time with such a great mixed group of people. After dinner I headed back home to my host family and the boys were so excited to see me which was really nice to know that they missed me.

 3-3-14

 Re-coop day was much needed this Monday so I slept, relaxed, cleaned and went for a walk down to Royal Oak to pick up some necessary items before working that night at 6:00.

3-4-14

Today was pretty uneventful. I took the boys to school, did some cleaning and reading in between and then went to dinner with Thomas later that night. At a restaurant on Wynard quarter called Miss Clawdy they were having a Mardi Gras event so we were able to see some colorfully dressed dancers perform as well as listen to great music and eat some tasty southern food. I had spicy grilled corn, Jambalaya, and some chicken. We went for dessert at our usual place on the waterfront before heading home.

 3-6-14

Brooklyn and I took a bus into New Market so we could catch the new “quiet” electric trains into the city. The first train we took however was not very quiet at all. We got off at Britomart and spent the morning exploring the ferry wharf, boats and various parts of the city along our way to Jellicoe Park in Wynard Quarter. He is so keen on discovering things about modes of transportation. We saw tons of boats and he kept asking where each one went and what it was used for? I was amazed at the intuitiveness of his thinking. For example, when he would look at a boat he would know whether it was a sail boat or a speed boat. Whether it had an engine or used sails, if it went fast or slow. All these details he remembers and recognizes whenever he sees them. We were able to watch the bridge go up and let the boats through 2 times which was a treat. After we finally made it to the Jellicoe Playground we ate morning tea before we played for a while there. That didn’t last long before we were hot and keen on getting some ice cream. On our way back up the wharf to the ice cream shop we stopped in at the outdoor library where they were having a playgroup event. Brooklyn had the opportunity to play with some sweet toys, “become a train driver” by pushing the trolley, and play some drum instruments before we headed off to get some ice cream at Movenpick. After we had both finished our yummy cones we headed back to the train station to catch a train back to New Market then get a bus back home. We were in luck the second time around with the trains and they did seem much more quiet than the first train we went on. Brooklyn gets so excited on trains and so focused. He makes sure everyone is quiet around him so he can look out the window and see everything. The conductor was so nice; when Brooklyn and I got off the train, we waited until the train was leaving and he tooted his horn for us and waved at Brooklyn 4 times. Brooklyn was so happy that the conductor was waving just at him. I’m so thankful the conductor was kind enough to make the small gesture for the little boy, it made his day! Throughout the day Brooklyn was very well behaved and great at staying close to me since we were in the big city. He used his safety skills to make sure no cars were coming whenever we were crossing a road and to only go into the road when the “green man” says go on the traffic lights. Also Brooklyn used his sense of sight and critical thinking to formulate questions and discuss the ins and outs of boats, ferries, and ships in the harbor. We also discussed some geography in regards the where the ships could travel and how far each boat could probably go before it would have to stop in a port again. I love learning and helping him answers his questions. In the future we will continue to foster his learning by communication, visiting new places, and taking advantage of each opportunity as it is presented to us. I have noticed his interest in modes of transportation since I first arrived and we have done many activities to support growth in that area. For example, we went to MOTAT, The Auckland Museum, as well as taking buses, trains, and the car to various other functions. Each time we are out we learn new things about transport and how it works. Brooklyn has an excellent memory and I hope he is able to accomplish everything he wants to and never loses his yearning for learning!

3-7-14

After I spending the morning with Brooklyn while Nicole went to Pilates, Nicole said I could have the rest of the day off so I headed into the city to see if there wasn’t something I could get up to. I ended up going in to Aotea Square and finding some live music. The Mambo artist performed for a couple hours for various groups of people all sitting relaxing there on the lawn/ in bean bag cushions there in the square. While I was sitting there listening to the music and reading my book some random dude came up and asked if he could sit beside me. I said of course! (it’s a free country after all). So I continued reading my book and after about 30 minutes he says, “so which one is that in the series?” I commented it was the 2^nd. Then he said, “ya, it was a good series until the American’s took it over.” I diplomatically agreed that I had not seen them but I had heard the Swedish version was much more worth-while than the American version of the film. Then I mentioned but I’m American! His next move was to ask me where I was from because I had the strangest accent he has ever heard in his entire life. I said well I’m from a bit of everywhere but Arizona mostly even though I’ve been living in New Zealand for nearly 6 months which might explain the accent. So we chatted for a while longer and he tells me his whole life story and ends up asking me to join him for dinner where he works as a chef. I said I was busy but thank you anyways and he went off to work a little while later. Just another one of the crazy people I run into. I swear I just attract craziness because these types of scenarios happen all the time… It got a wee bit hot where I was sitting so I switched cushions to one in a more shady area and spent the rest of the day reading my book and walking through the city.  I've decided i love living in a large city(specifically Auckland)... there are always cool places to visit and do mundane things like read my book; i never get bored because even if there is nothing to do, i can always people watch! and finally i love the rhythm of the city-the steady business and flow of people all going in different directions from all walks of life and how i can be walking through the city and walk upon 3 different spontaneous concerts (and that's normal because it always happens). I'm so thankful to be here in Auckland and experiencing a truly great city!

3-8-14

Ashley came in to meet me so we could go to a fashion show in the city on Queen Street. Apparently it was the longest catwalk in New Zealand and so we got a taste of runway fashion and the up and coming style here in NZ. Honestly there were some cute items but the ensembles were a bit obscure and the overall theme was outrageously bright shoes with dull pastels or greys/blacks to match for clothing. In any case it was a great experience. Thomas met us for the show as well and made a point of adding snarky comments about each of the designs as they ran down the runway. Afterward he gave us a ride over to the Pacifika festival on his way back to his swimming competition. The Pacifika festival was not quite as exciting as I expected but it was still pretty awesome. There were 11 islands there, each with different stalls and performance stages where there were many cultural demonstrations going on. We had a great time meeting up with Gina and Lucy there at the festival and learned a bit about the south Pacific island region. After the festival we met up with Lenora and all headed over to my place to change before dinner. On our way toward dinner my neighbors stopped and asked if we wanted to come in. I have been trying to meet my neighbors for ages now so I convinced everyone to go in to the party just for a minute. It turns out they were having a costume party and most of them were quite nice however, one of them was quite frightening. We walked in and no sooner had we been introduced did one of the boys turn around strip down his singlet and start flailing himself around like a lunatic. Needless to say he had had a bit too much alcohol and was acting rather rash! It was really uncomfortable and awkward for all of us so we headed out and on to dinner. Unfortunately we couldn’t get into the Malaysian place so we settled for Turkish Kebab’s instead. Which were quite delicious, and then we headed over to Thomas’s place for games before heading into town.

3-9-14

In the morning we were all super hungry so we headed over to Mt. Eden’s Circus Circus café for breakfast before we all split ways. After everyone head home Thomas and I went back to his place to clean up and watch a movie. Later I came home and hung out with my host family for the rest of the night.

3-10-14

Brooklyn and I went to play group and I played a long game of basketball with bailey after school.

3-11-14

I spent the morning with Annabel after I dropped off Brooklyn for school and we had a blast going through the Auckland Art museum as well as getting things for St. Patrick’s day at a costume shop. Then I spent the afternoon going over Thomas’s CV and learning the difference between American and New Zealand Resume’s so that I could help him create a winning one for review that will hopefully help him get a job in the near future in his field of interest.

3-12-14

Today I went with Thomas to the University and read my book while he had his CV reviewed by the career center there. Afterward we got lunch and headed home so I could be back in time to get Bailey from school.

3-13-14

Brooklyn and I decided to try out Music Play today for a change with Lenora and her children. The event was having some technical difficulties but it seemed like the kids had a good time playing the instruments, dressing up and singing songs for an hour or so in the morning. Afterward we headed over to the sprinkler park and played on the playground there before catching the bus home. On our way home we stopped off at the pet shop. We got to pet a lovely fluffy puppy and see tons of fish everywhere. Later I took Bailey to swimming and then stopped by the rugby office to sign him up for rugby.

 3-17-14

St. Patrick’s Day was so fun at playgroup. We had facepaint, decorations, and made mini pancakes! Later after work I met Annabel and Thomas and we all dressed up in our green attire and headed to O’Hagan’s Irish Pub which was fantastic. Gina was working with Tom behind the bar and it was packed. It was so fun!