Day 3 -- June 10

 

Summary (also Journal "Reflect on today's events"):

Kasia and I at the Redwood forest

Caleb and me in the rain

Today, when we woke up, the teachers said we'd be hiking through the Redwood forest in Rotorua. They told us that wearing our raincoats would be really smart, because it was pouring outside! We thought it would only be a light shower that would stop soon after we got to the forest, but it's still raining outside my window, at 9:00 pm. However, it's just misting now. We went to the bus stop and had to split up into two groups because we were too many people to all fit on the same bus. Personally, I love hiking, and I love forests, and I love rain, but after a while of walking around in what felt like the world's biggest shower, my skin started feeling clammy (damp and cold), and rainwater was seeping through my jacket. That made me extremely upset, because I liked my rain jacket, and it wasn't impervious to water. However, I still really enjoyed the hike, and soon made my way to the front of the group. As we trekked along, we got carried away and started walking faster and faster. Sadly (for us explorers in the group), the people in the back were the types to walk s l o w l y through the scenery, taking pictures of plants and trees and flowers and ferns... You get the picture. I was really sad when we had to turn back around and retrace our steps back to the entrance, because the teachers were wary and anxious that we might get lost (which, personally, would have been an exciting adventure!). Nevertheless, I still enjoyed our hike a lot. As we made our way back to the bus stop, we met up with the other group and started singing (belting) Disney songs to cheer ourselves up. By the time we got to the entrance, we were all in high spirits. We waited around for the bus, and had to be split up again. Walking back to the hotel from the bus stop in town, I noticed how soaked my clothes were and conceded somewhat belligerently that I'd have to change into a completely different outfit. The rest of the day was a traveling day. Remember the four or so hours it took to travel from Auckland to Rotorua, with nothing to pass the time except actually talking to the other students (*shudder*) and commenting on the beauty of the landscape fir about the tenth time in a row? Well, no, we were heading all the way back again. But luckily, we had more to talk about than the picturesque landscape now. When we got to Auckland (it was about five o'clock in the evening), we dropped off our bags at the hotel and drove to Rangitoto College (in NZ, middle school through high school are college, and college is university), where our pen pals threw a party for us. Not really knowing what to expect, I thought it would be all stiff and formal. Thankfully, it was nothing of the sort, and I enjoyed myself a lot. At the beginning, a Maori group of kids who were all around our age performed a welcome song, and we had to reply with our own song. Since Americans don't really have traditional native songs that we all know, we sang "The Star-Spangled Banner". We were about to stand up together and sing, when one of the teachers told me to start it! Terrified and embarrassed, I stood up and tried my best. Then, when we sat back down, the hostess mentioned that we had two birthdays in the room, one Kiwi, one American. To my horror and chagrin, she asked for "the American with the lovely voice who started their traditional song" to lead us all in a cheery rendition of "Happy Birthday"! I tried to hide, but everyone shoved me back up again and forced me to start it. Thankfully, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought I'd sound. I didn't think I'd have a Kiwi friend, because I never got an e-mail from one, but I actually got one! Her name was Mia, and she was super nice. She told me that she'd e-mailed me, but I never replied (because I never actually got the message), so she didn't know what to expect when she came tonight (she brought a package of Pineapple Lumps just in case -- this was good for me, because I really like those now!). The group of aforementioned Maori kids performed the Haka and other war dances for us. Also, they actually taught us the Haka (!!) and had us perform it all together with them. I thought the idea of the tribes scaring each other with the Haka was just silly, but in actuality, it's quite terrifying -- and that's just when seven kids do it. Now imagine four hundred grown men screaming and chanting and slapping themselves with bulged eyes and protruding tongues, and already you're quaking without even having seen it.

Mia my Kiwi pen pal!

             

Maori kids singing welcome song