Good Bye, New Zealand!!!

Tomorrow is our last day in New Zealand and what an amazing time we have had!

We are sad to go and wish New Zealand was closer to Oregon. I never thought I would ever live in another country and have it feel like "home." Well, New Zealand stole our hearts.

Dunedin is a beautiful city and I will truly missing walking around town. I think I will even miss the hills!

Sophia is going to miss her friends, and her fantastic teacher, Mr. Roche. She absolutely adores him, and he is one of the best teachers I have ever encountered! (I did say one of the best)

Leah has settled into Kiwi life quite nicely and has found a nice group of friends. She has loved playing netball, and thinks it is the best sport in the world.

The girls have also enjoyed many play dates, and one of their favorite places to visit our friends, the Cotters. Charlotte, Hamish, Lucy and Grace was very friendly towards the girls and they spent hours together running around.

Stas has had some great experiences at the "Uni"- with his Kiwi colleague, Jim. He has been able to do some top quality research, in addition to advising the Willamette students.

We had a great time with the Willamette students, with several of them coming and going through our house at some time or another. They were great to have around, and they have really become part of our family!

I was able to just enjoy this experience. I have met some kind and wonderful people here, and I hope I will see them again some day. I spent hours in museums learning about New Zealand, and enjoyed reading book after book from the library. I experienced new foods (most of them great) and did some experimenting in my own kitchen! Most of my experiments were actually edible!

We have already had tears from Sophia, and Leah has already said she wants to stay until November (she still has netball and camp to come). That tells me this was a positive, enjoyable and memorable experience- which is the best outcome!

Fun with Good Friends and Puppies

The girls have loved playing out at Roka and Kerry's house- there are horses, puppies, and lots of land for running around.

Kerry was a brave man, and took 5 dogs (3 puppies and two other dogs) and both girls out for digging for cockles. We call cockles- clams, and the clams they gathered were used in a chowder less than 1/2 hour later.

Whew! A very busy weekend!

It has been a very business weekend around here, as we are winding down our visit to New Zealand.

Friday we were invited to drinks at one of the neighbor's house. We had a delightful time, and they also have a 2 year old dog named, Millie- which have a the girls a great "friend" to play with!

A couple of Stas' students came up for an impromptu dinner, and ended up having a sleepover at our house! Shaffer then joined the girls and I for clamming early Saturday morning, and Elena watch the World Cup for most of the night!

After clamming we heading to our friends, Roka and Kerry's house, for a traditional Maori meal. Indian fry bread, clams, seafood chowder and a taste of mutton bird were enojoyed by us all. Roka, Kerry and their family have become dear friends, and we so appreciate their kindness, hospitality, and good company.

Saturday night we went to a comedy play called 39 steps which was quite lovely. The girls has another one of Stas' students as a babysitter- and of course played lots of games with Victoria.

Leslie, the last of the students here in Dunedin, was feeling a bit left out of the sleepovers, so after the play she stayed Saturday night at our house (along with Elena who is living here during soccer!).

Sunday we were invited to another neighbor's house, the Wyatt's. They have been so nice to us and we have enjoyed their company. In the States we have wonderful, dear neighbors who are like family to us. It was so nice for the girls to have neighbors here that reminded us so much of home. And, of course, we could not leave out Mrs. Wyatt's shortbread!

We climbed out way into bed early last night, to begin our new week!

Maori Learning Center

We were lucky enough to be able to spend a weekend at at Maori Learning Center, a few weeks ago.

Kerry, Roka and their family are some of the kindest, warmest and giving people we have encountered here in New Zealand. We spent the weekend learning about their story of being Maori, their language and beliefs. We ate together and spoke of politics, raising of children and of Mother Earth. We learned how to weave, while watching children run around playing.

The girls ran around the country with other kids, played with puppies, ate mutton bird and were lucky enough to ride horses. Leah got to ride one of the horses on the road home!

Ricky, who is Roka & Kerry's son, has taken over running the center and is also a jack of all trades. He is an artist, the main cook, hunter, and keeps the place running. Ricky and his daughters were very gracious to arrange to time for the girls to go and ride the horses. Ricky is telling Sophia how to greet and talk to the horse before climbing on for a ride.

Birds

We have had a wonderful time enjoying all the different birds in New Zealand. The local birds that do not fly north (yes north, no south) for the winter rely on city bird feeders to keep them fed.

We have had Tuiis, bell birds, silver-eyed birds, black birds, sparrows and starlings at our bird feeder. There are goldfinches that eat the from the lavender bushes in the front yard. We also see wood pigeons (Kereru) in the nearby trees. Wood pigeons are one of New Zealand's pigeons that look like a pigeon on steroids. They are HUGE!

Netball

Leah has signed up for netball and she is loving it. What is netball? Well, we are still trying to figure it out. I will at least give you some of the differences between netball and basketball. There is no dribbling in netball, there is no contact (really, no contact), only certain people are allowed in certain areas of the court, there is no backboard, and you can only shoot in a designated area. Oh! They also play in skirts.

Leah has made several baskets and has had a great time. She also has NOT dribbled during the game, which we consider a success!

Leah and I were also lucky enough to go see the professional netball players about a week ago.

Here is a small video of her- one bad pass followed by a good pass that ended up with a basket. I think this is her first assist!