Rain Rain Rain

The past week was defined by water falling from the skies all over Middle Earth. No lightning and thunder; just rain. The sun didn't show its bright face once. The only breaks in between the rainfall were grey overcast clouds. A whole month's worth of rain dumped in a day, every day. I'm surprised that I didn't get cabin fever from staying inside. Well, I did go out for groceries and to the cadet corps I volunteer at, but I had to be armed with an umbrella, gloves, and a warm jacket. Rivers overflowed, flooding roadways and buildings, causing road closures and evacuations. The scope of damage is still being assessed and residents in some areas of the country are still waiting for the water to recede so that they can clean out their flooded houses.

My debriefing at the college on Friday went without a hitch. The associate dean who looked after all teaching placements was pleased with my results and signed me off with a pass. He also fast tracked the publication of my marks so that I could apply to graduate in absentia. Yeah, it would have been nice to attend the grad ceremony but that won't take place until October & I'll still be in Canada by then.

Job searching for the 2011 year in NZ has so far turned up nothing, most likely because it's still Term 2 and too early for schools to know if there're any openings. While I search, I also have to register with the NZ Teacher's Council & the PPTA Union in order to be allowed to teach in Middle Earth. And when & if I get a job offer, I still have to apply for a working visa. Paper work is a pain.

My flat was alive on Saturday night because one of roommates was celebrating her 23rd birthday. From what I remember, the party theme was to dress like a ninja, around 15 people attended, and the birthday girl fired two champagne corks off the balcony. The corks landed on the roof of the common room so nobody got hit.

The sun has made good timing on showing itself for this week because I'll be travelling to Queenstown on my own for 4 days to explore the area. I decided to get one last trip in before I head back to Canada in mid-June. Researching the town has shown that there's plenty to do but I'm going to be spontaneous and choose activities when I arrive. The weather in Queenstown looks promising with the sun staying out and the temperatures going as high as 10 degrees Celsius. Naturally, I'll be documenting this trip so there're plenty of pictures and stories to look forward to. I can't wait.

Kickin' Back

Time seems to be flying quickly these past few days. It's already been a full week since I completed my teaching practice at Riccarton High School. I came close to getting dressed in formal clothing before realizing that my practice had ended and I could sleep in. It feels great to be able to sleep in until noon but then you feel a little disoriented because the day is much shorter.

I've been occupying my time with whatever I can find: playing games, reading, writing music, hanging out with friends, and walking around the city centre. I barely went into town during my teaching practice so it was a surprise to see several changes. For starters, the 21 bus route has been changed to go around Hagley Park & passed the City Bus Exchange. The next big shock was to see the Battlelink Gaming Cafe across the bus exchange gone. It either moved or went out of business. Hard to believe the latter because the place was always packed with gamers when I went there. The street malls look more pristine with newly installed tram tracks & concrete walkways. Last year, the city centre was one big construction site, making it a hassle to get around.

The weather seems to be getting colder by the day. The sun was out yesterday but today is another grey overcast. The leaves on many trees have changed colours & have been falling to the ground for some time. I have plenty of winter clothing & hot chocolate to keep me warm. Hopefully, the weather will be better in the coming days, despite the fact that Middle Earth is heading into the winter season.

Well . . . that's pretty much what happened this past week; just kickin' back & relaxing. Oh yeah, I've also been planning for the future by looking around for a teaching job here in New Zealand. There's a surplus of teachers back home I have better chances of landing a job here in the 2011 year. So far, nothing yet, but I'm still looking.

Week 7

The final week of my teaching practice was mostly about wrapping up & returning the resources I borrowed for my lessons. Carrying all those resources (books & CDs) to & back to school was a pain but at least I didn't have to go to the gym to stay in shape. As well, I got an extra workout helping out the music & drams staff move into our new office space. The school paid to have several old music rooms merged & renovated into one big room for us teachers. The old office was small, tight, wedged in between the main music class & drama room, and a mess because of all the papers lying around. Personally, I would have done the big move after school but the teachers were too eager to get out of that small room. The former music/drama office will be turned into a mini-computer lab for students.

The other student teachers had already started counting down the days, looking forward to sleeping in, and having time to relax. As for me, it didn't feel like the teaching practice was coming to an end at all. And I wasn't counting down the days because the practice was going to end anyway; it was inevitable. The student teachers & I reflected on our time spent at Riccarton High School, sharing many stories of school life, what they will & will not miss, what they learned, and what they hoped to get on their final reports. For Thursday, we put on a Morning Tea consisting of savouries and chocolate squares as a way of thanking the teaching staff for their guidance & tolerance. I personally thanked my two associates with a bottle of wine and a thank you note.

For most of the week, my Year 12s & 13s were working on their own, but I finished teaching chord progressions to my Year 12s and corrected the activity that went with it. My Year 9 English class were tasked with created an advertisement poster in pairs, so that left me to walk around and assist. On Friday, all my students bid me farewell & wished me all the best. The teacher's lounge was surprisingly packed for the after party, and even all the other student teachers were there. We stuffed ourselves with many finger foods & wine, while talking with our associates for the 'last time'. Before leaving, I personally thanked my associates, and the principal for letting me teach at the school.

After seven intensive weeks, I have to say that the teaching practice turned out quite well. My final report was very positive as well as the two observations the college did meaning I'm guaranteed a passing grade. Seven weeks may sound a lot but all that time gets used up pretty quickly. If I had stayed longer, I would have accompanied a Year 9 & 10 class on their 4 day trip to the Kokiri Lodge on the west coast of the South Island. With the teaching practice now out of the way, I have a month to spare before I head back to Canada for the summer. Aside from my upcoming college debriefing, I'll probably drop in at the College of Education campus to practice piano & guitar. Oh yeah, I also have a ukulele to pluck.

I'm thinking of going on a short trip somewhere before my time runs out in Middle Earth. So far, I'm pondering on Stewart Island, the Queenstown region, and Auckland. Only time will tell if something happens. I'm also considering going to see a rugby and/or cricket game. Sad that it's my second time in Middle Earth & I have yet to attend a live game. Come to think about it, I need to research the rules to rugby & cricket because I still don't get it!

Weeks 5 & 6

The last two weeks of teaching practice have come & gone, and as I write this, it's already Week 7, the last week of teaching practice. I would have written about Weeks 5 & 6 (April 26th - May 7th) earlier but lesson planning and writing about my North Island Adventure needed to come first.

My Year 9 English class was away at camp for Week 5 so that gave my associate & I a spare period to relax and plan future lessons. Riccarton High School operates the Kokiri Lodge Programme for the Year 9 & 10 curriculum. For 4 days, junior students stay at the Kokiri Lodge on the west coast of the South Island where they participate in a rigorous outdoor program. Students travel on the TranzAlpine Express train, a route that I took with my parents back in 2008. If I had the time, I would have gone along but I had to teach my Year 12s & 13s. The Year 9s had plenty of stories to tell when they came back on Week 6. Once those stories were out of the way, my associate proceeded to teach them a new topic: advertising. At the end of one lesson, I showed the class some creative advertisements that I found on the Internet.

Week 5 was dedicated to getting my Year 13s ready for their Baroque Era Quiz on Thursday, meaning review, review, review. I stressed to them that if they knew the definitions then they would be set for the quiz & for life. The quiz was written in 3 parts: listening, definitions, and long answers. The results were quite good with the majority passing and five students achieving very high marks. For Week 6, the Year 13s had to choose a topic for their research assessment and work on it.

My Year 12s were instructed in the creation & structure of an 8 bar melody. To make sure they really understood, I tasked them to write an 8 bar melody for Friday, in a major or minor key, with a time signature, and a simple bass accompaniment. Before they got working on the keyboards, I showed them several tricks with melody writing: repetition, inversion, retrograde, augmentation, and diminution. The melodies I received on Friday & the following Monday were impressive and written in different styles. The following week, I introduced them to primary & secondary chords, and they were given time to work on their final musical compositions.

The alternative Year 9 music class finished learning about Ice Cream Chords that were popular in the 1950s. The examples that were used by my associate were 'Those Magic Changes' from the musical Grease, and the annoying 'Heart & Soul' by Hoagy Carmichael. After that, there turned their attentions to learning how to play the melody & chords of the popular New Zealand song 'Renegade Fighter' by the rock band Zed.

My second & final observation from the College of Education happened on Friday of Week 6, with me teaching my Year 9 music class. I had to teach & control students with ADD & ADHD. The topic was learning the structure of the song 'Cruise Control' by the NZ band Headless Chickens, and getting the students to play the melody. Overall the lesson went better than I expected but I have to admit that if my college associate wasn't there, I would have had to refer several students for disruptive behaviour. When it comes to students with learning difficulties, you have to be constantly working them, otherwise they quickly lose interest and chaos ensues.

The month of May is New Zealand Music Month, a Middle Earth oriented promotion run by the NZ Music Commission. Basically, all media outlets (TV, radio, internet, etc) advertise & show off Middle Earth's best & brightest musical stars. Of course, there are also many live concerts that are staged across the country. To show my support, I've been wearing the NZ Music Month pin; white circles on a black background. During Week 6, the school jazz band, barbershop chorus, and kapa haka group performed at the library to celebrate New Zealand Music Month. The performances were all well done & the audience gave all the acts a standing ovation.

I should also note that several days ago was May 4th, unofficially known as Star Wars Day where fans celebrate Star Wars culture & the landmark films by George Lucas. 'May the 4th be with you.'

N.I.T.: Rotorua Museums & Final Thoughts

The next day, I walked back to the Government Gardens, intent on visiting the Rotorua Museum of Arts & History. As always, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, but the wind strong. The museum is located in the historic 1908 Bath House which offered therapeutic treatments for arthritis, rheumatism, and 'cases of nervous debility' until the 1940s. The museum opened in 1969 followed by the art gallery in 1977.

At the time of my arrival, one entire section of the museum was closed for renovation. However, there were still plenty of exhibitions to see. After paying the $12 admission, I walked upstairs to take pictures of the gardens from the second floor windows & enjoy the Mirror Magic exhibit. Mirror Magic interactively explores the science of reflections & reflected light. You get to play with mirrors, toy objects, and beams of light, like in a Grade 10 Science class. Also on the top floor was an exhibit dedicated to the famous Tudor Towers Restaurant that operated out of the Bath House between 1965 & 2000. Many upcoming & already famous NZ music acts performed at this establishment that specialized in fine dining, dancing, and cabaret performances.

From there, I descended back to the ground floor, passed through a couple of doors & the museum cafe to explore the 28th Maori Battalion Gallery. The exhibit primarily focuses on B Company of the Battalion, showcasing letters, medals, pictures, and a map of their epic battles in Greece, Crete, North Africa, and Italy during the Second World War. I believe it was the German General Westphal who remarked, "Give me the Maori Battalion & I will conquer the world,' often mis-credited to the 'Desert Fox', General Erwin Rommel.

Next to the Battalion Gallery is the Te Arawa Gallery with a huge collection of treasures and artifacts from the Te Arawa iwi (tribe) that settled in the Rotorua region back in 800 C.E. There're are many paintings, carvings, weaved baskets, and written accounts to explore in this exhibit. If cameras were allowed, I would have snapped a few pictures for my BLOG readers to see.

And lastly, there was the Bath House exhibit, where spa treatment met crazy science. While in operation, the Bath House was the site of crazy experiments being conducted to discover better treatment of illnesses. One such experiment was to bathe in electrified water (non-lethal of course). The white tubs & saunas in each of the rooms were built into the ground, tapping into the geothermal activity. The biggest problem was the cost of maintenance. The sulfur & steam corroded the wood, paint, and iron pipes, costing thousands to repair and replace.

The next museum on my list was the Caterpillar Museum, located just north of the city centre along Fairy Springs Road, past theSkyline Rides. It took me around 30 minutes to get there on foot. The Caterpillar Museum is the first of its kind, housing over 30 refurbished Caterpillar vehicles that were imported to New Zealand since the early 20th century. The museum may look shoddy from the outside because it occupies a large warehouse building, but inside, the layout is well done & organized. The $20 admission is a little expensive but it's probably because of the high cost of maintenance. There are four TVs that show four different videos about how the Caterpillars were used in New Zealand & throughout the world. When you think about it, at any given moment, there are various Caterpillars carving out the planet to suit the needs of millions of people.

For dinner, my brother & I chose to dine at Macs Steaks on Tutanekei Street in downtown Rotorua. A portion of the street had been closed to vehicles, letting nearby restaurants use the street to set tables & chairs for customers. We parked ourselves in front of the bar & ordered some drinks. Since it was our last night Rotorua, I ordered a Steinlager Pure in a 1 litre glass mug. Best $18 ever spent! From there we shared a plate of garlic bread before receiving our main courses: T-bone steaks with side orders of fries & salad. I was full after the steak but my brother decided to indulge in an ice cream dessert. The bill came up to . . . um, well, let's just say it was high but worth it. Give this place a try when you find yourself in Sulfur City.

On the morning of April 17th, my brother & I checked out of the YHA Treks, hailed a cab, and got dropped off at the Rotorua Airport with our bags. We checked ourselves in and waited for our separate flights. My brother would fly to Auckland then to Australia, whereas I would fly back to Wellington to board another plane to Christchurch. After exchanging goodbyes, my brother boarded the small plane & was off to Auckland, leaving me to mope around the Rotorua terminal for another hour. After several more hours, I was back in my Christchurch flat, unpacking, and throwing out my vegetables that had turned rotten. Overall, Rotorua is a nice place but the sulfur smell is tough to get used to. I'll have to go back to check out Tamaki Maori Village, Mitai Maori Village, & the geysers of Wai-O-Tapu.

Despite my best efforts, not everything went according to plan. I had secretly planned to tandem skydive from 15,000 feet above the Rotorua skies but the unpredictable winds made it impossible for a safe jump. Even though I reassured the NZONE staff that I could swim, had previously jumped in Christchurch, and didn't mind landing way off course, they still would not let me go up because of the risks. Plus, the company was still in damage control because of a news story about a landing accident in Queenstown that exaggerated the injuries and damaged the company's credibility. I guess I'll have to conquer the Rotorua skies on another day.

Aside from the Great Upset, the two week trip turned out quite well. I saw a lot of cool stuff, ate a lot of steak, drank plenty of beer, and took 290 pictures & 2 videos. The only downside, of course, was that my brother & I only had two full days to explore each city. That's tolerable because this trip was more about quantity than quality. Another trip will be needed to explore the remaining neighbourhoods. If you've got the time, money, will, and strength (my brother & I walked everywhere), then experiencing a trip like this will be totally worth it!

End of North Island Tour Series.

(Post 10 of 10)

N.I.T.: Enter Rotorua

The city of Rotorua is located in the Bay of Plenty region on New Zealand's North Island & has a population of roughly 55,600 people. The city's full name in Te Reo Maori is Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe, meaning 'The second great lake of Kahumatamomoe.' The two main lakes in the area are Lake Rotorua & Lake Roto Iti. Kahumatamome was the uncle of the Maori chief Ihenga, whose Te Arawa iwi (tribe) settled the area before the arrival of the Europeans. The city is a major tourist destination because it's a major centre of Maori arts & culture, and due to geothermal activity meaning geysers, mud pools, and hot springs. This would be the fourth & final city my brother & I would visit on our North Island Trip.

Our bus left the small Napier Bus Terminal at 1130 on April 14th, and made its way to the town of Taupo to drop off the passengers transferring to the double decker Auckland buses, before continuing on to Rotorua. The 4 hour bus ride was mostly uneventful & I passed the time listening to my MP3 Player. Once in Rotorua, my brother & I walked to the 5 star YHA Treks hostel just north of the town's centre. Our Twin Ensuite room was small but had two separate beds & a private washroom. My only complaint is that there is no lock on the washroom door (sliding door in this case)! I can't understand why some hotels overlook privacy concerns. There must always be a lock on the washroom door, regardless if you trust the people you're travelling with.

The town's centre is similar to Nelson: two/three storey buildings with shops, cafes, fancy restaurants, and fast food outlets. A large white tarp sits above the Hinemoa & Tutanekai intersection for street performances and buskers. I'm not sure if this happens frequently, but during our two day stay, upright pianos had been placed in random locations in the city centre for people to play. Some pianos sounded good while others needed tuning.

Rotorua's major inconvenience are the hydrogen sulfide emissions that drench the area in a constant 'rotten eggs' smell. The city's two unofficial names are Sulfur City & Rotten-rua. At first, I couldn't smell it, but when I walked down to the lake to explore the Government Gardens, the stench immediately made its presence known. The intensity depends on the wind; one minute the smell is light, and then the next minute it's unbearable. I had to spit several times to get the rotten eggs taste off my tongue. Sulfur is Mother Nature's gas. If I had known how bad it can be, I would have brought a gas mask.

The Government Gardens were created as a recreational area along the southern shore of Lake Rotorua during the late 19th century. The 50 acres of land were given to the city as a gift from the original Maori owners. The Gardens is also where the Rotorua Museum & restored bath houses are located. Hundreds of birds flock & swim along the southern shore, hoping to get some food from tourists. The black swans are friendly & will come really close to you expecting food. Other introduced birds include mallards, red billed gulls, and black billed gulls. I should warn you that these birds have a nasty habit of leaving feces on the public walkways so be careful where you step.

Kuirau Park is one of the best places to experience & photograph Rotorua's geothermal activities. Located just a few blocks to the east of the city centre, this park contains many hot bubbling mud pools and lakes with floating mist. And the smell isn't bad either! For safety, the mud pools are surrounded by wooden fences, and you're only allowed to walk on designated wooden paths when exploring the lakes. I'm not surprised because we're dealing with extreme boiling temperatures. You know those bubbling sounds you hear when you boil water on a kitchen stove? Those are the sounds the bubbles from the mud pits make. The best time to visit the park would be in mid to late afternoon because it's quieter & peaceful.

To Be Continued . . .

(Post 9 of 10)

N.I.T.: Aquarium & Port

I spent the next two days exploring Napier, starting with the National Aquarium of New Zealand. Admission for adults is $16.20; I don't know why the extra 20 cents is needed. The aquarium offers many exhibits such as: dinosaur fossils, living coral, tsunami display, kiwi enclosure, reptiles, squid display, and a large fish tank called the Oceanarium. Secretly, I always wanted to have pet fish of my own, so walking around the aquarium gave me ideas on what kind of fish I'll be buying for my apartment. The fishes on displays were divided into geographic areas such as African Cichlids, Asian Tropical, Asian Paddyfield, and Koi & Goldfish.

One fish I particularly liked were the black Pacu fish that can grow to 80cm long! There was a tank dedicated to the piranhas - the fish with sharp devouring teeth. I could use some of those fish for security purposes at my future apartment. On a historical note, the aquarium displays a surviving fish from the Second World War: a white, black spotted Panther Grouper (pun intended). Come to think about it, I've also wanted to have some pet reptiles too. My apartment is going to be a wild jungle! Some of the reptiles on display were: a large crocodile that didn't move (I should have asked if it was fake), turtles, lizards, and a large sea turtle. As for the Kiwi Enclosure display, it's dark & you can't use flash when taking pictures of the Kiwi birds. That's not really a problem since it's near impossible to get a good picture of them in the dark. I managed to spot one at the back, hiding behind the bushes.

The best display is the Oceanarium, a large tank with a glass walkway going through it. You can walk & enjoy the hundreds of fish swimming over & around you, giving you the feeling that you're under water. After photographing the sharks & stingrays in the Oceanarium I bought a snack from the aquarium cafe & left.

I proceeded north towards the port, passing by children playing, and skateboarders trying to show off their abilities to onlookers. The port is located on the northern tip of the city & is surrounded by barbed wire fences and train tracks. There wasn't much activity happening that day but there were plenty of cargo crates to look at. From there, I continued to walk around Bluff Hill along Breakwater Road, and then around Hospital Hill using Ahuriri Road & Hyderabad Road. The scenery along this northern coast is mostly industrial but there are some hotels, shops, and a marina as well.

For dinner, my brother & I decided to try the nearby Steak Out Restaurant on Marine Parade Road. Because of a light headache, I decided not to have any alcohol. I ordered a T-Bone & my brother ordered the Monster Rump Steak. The steaks were good but I have to say that the salad bar was not up to standard. The vegetables didn't taste fresh; more like raw & decomposing. Maybe the decline in quality was because the restaurant had been up for sale for the last 3 weeks.

The following evening, (after exploring the Onekawa & Pirimai neighbourhoods), my brother & I chose to celebrate our last day in Napier at Rosie O'Gradys Irish Pub. There was already a crowd inside but we managed to get a table after showing identification. I still get ID'd despite being way over the legal drinking age. My friends have previously described me as a '16 year old who can buy alcohol.' Having worked up quite an appetite, we started with a shrimp cocktail, followed by a plate of nachos, and finished off with a plate of fish & chips. To wash it all down, I had two glasses of Guinness & my brother had Coke. The food was good, the atmosphere was great, but I was unable to get the waitresses phone numbers. After paying our tab, we headed back to the hostel, packed our bags, and went to sleep.

In my opinion, Napier is a vacation town while trying to mimic Los Angeles and/or Miami with all the palm trees. The people here are pretty laid back & there is stuff to do and explore. The best time to come would be in mid-February because that's when Art Deco Weekend happens. The last time something bad happened was the 3 day Napier Siege back in May 2009 so it's pretty safe. If you need to take a break from travelling the North Island, consider the town of Napier to be your resting stop.

To Be Continued . . .

(Post 8 of 10)