Since I last blogged, obviously, so much has happened.
The Tangariro crossing didn’t happen, the mountain was to snowy and icy. So we did a 2 hour walk instead. Britnee and I got our shoes fairly muddy and Britnee managed to get her sock completely covered in mud therefore making the inside of her shoe muddy. Ohhh dear!
Britnee and I were not asked to provide a criminal record check before we left to come here, but apparently we did need one, and now we aren’t able to teacher aid in the school or even go to visit the girls on their break. We have been kept busy with Te Ora Hou, and helped get a Hangi ready. A Hangi is a way of cook
ing food in the ground, something that the maori people have been doing for ages. We made 370 little trays of stuffing, cabbage, carrots, potato, pumpkin, chicken, pork, and mutton. It took a very long time, but was well worth it. Then the next morning we had to get up at 3 in the morning, and put wood in the pit that was already dug up. The point was to burn wood and hot stones so that it would be hot enough to cook it. At around 6am we lowered the cages of little trays all wrapped in tin foil into the ground. We covered it with sheets of tin foil, sheets that had been soaked in water for hours, old, wet potato sacks, and then a large canvas. We then shovelled dirt on top, making it impossible for the steam to get out. Britnee and I then killed some time by watching some movies, and then having an encounter with a little boy from school, who wanted to buy tickets. We were at Greg & Judy’s house, and no one was home. So when this little boy came up to the sliding glass window, we didn’t know what to do, or how to open it for that matter. We ended up opening the window just a crack and talking to him through that, but with Greg & Judy’s pet bird freaking out and doing flips, and the confused look on the boy’s face, it was a won
der, that I was able to keep my pants dry. It was such a hilarious moment. Then at 11am, we brought the cages out and quickly wrapped them in newspaper, and handed them out to the people who had ordered them. Britnee and I got to try some of it, and.. well.. it was good, but had a very distinct smoky taste to it. Britnee and I also got to try lambs tail. OH YES. Lambs tail. The tails are cut off the lamb and then put on the fire. When the tail whistles, that’s how you know it is done. Then you pull the now burnt wool off and put salt on it, and then dig in. Well, let’s just say Britnee and I weren’t the biggest fans of it. It was pretty disgusting.
Britnee and I have found ourselves attached to a church called Equippers Church. We go to their Youth groups on Wednesday nights and also go to their young adults service on Sunday nights. The passion in that church is so tremendous. It is quite amazing. They listen to a group/band called Planet Shakers, which is equivalent to Hillsong United. You should check them out (: We are getting to know some of the girls there, and some of the leaders quite well, its starting to really feel like home for us. We are also involved in Melody’s groups that she leads after school on Wednesday and Thursday afterno
ons. The girls come from the Girls College (highschool) just down the road. They are growing attached to our ‘Canadian vibe’ we share.
This past labour weekend, we drove 9 hours to a Marae, which is a house type building that maori people would stay and live in. There were around 50-60 of us, and we used our time serving the small communities local Church. It took two days but by the end it was finished and completely beautiful. We were covered in paint, but it was such a great feeling of accomplishment that we felt, that the paint on our clothes, bodies, and hair didn’t really matter. There is a show in New Zealand called Shortland Street, which is equivalent to Gossip Girl I would say. There was a guy from Shortland Street at this weekend gathering, and he was helping paint and connecting with all of us. Of course Britnee and I didn’t have a clue that he was from the show or famous for that matter. But it is definitely cool to say we met him, and see people’s reactions.
For those of you who don’t know, we have a van that we have been cruising around in. But this beauty of a van didn’t have radio. WELL. A boy at youth was kind enough to let us borrow his spare radio and now we are jamming to some tunes. YES! Hallelujah!
So now, Britnee and I are heading into a more lax weekend, involving baking cookies, watching movies, and maybe having a spa! I will be in touch!
Tata for nowww <3
ing food in the ground, something that the maori people have been doing for ages. We made 370 little trays of stuffing, cabbage, carrots, potato, pumpkin, chicken, pork, and mutton. It took a very long time, but was well worth it. Then the next morning we had to get up at 3 in the morning, and put wood in the pit that was already dug up. The point was to burn wood and hot stones so that it would be hot enough to cook it. At around 6am we lowered the cages of little trays all wrapped in tin foil into the ground. We covered it with sheets of tin foil, sheets that had been soaked in water for hours, old, wet potato sacks, and then a large canvas. We then shovelled dirt on top, making it impossible for the steam to get out. Britnee and I then killed some time by watching some movies, and then having an encounter with a little boy from school, who wanted to buy tickets. We were at Greg & Judy’s house, and no one was home. So when this little boy came up to the sliding glass window, we didn’t know what to do, or how to open it for that matter. We ended up opening the window just a crack and talking to him through that, but with Greg & Judy’s pet bird freaking out and doing flips, and the confused look on the boy’s face, it was a won
der, that I was able to keep my pants dry. It was such a hilarious moment. Then at 11am, we brought the cages out and quickly wrapped them in newspaper, and handed them out to the people who had ordered them. Britnee and I got to try some of it, and.. well.. it was good, but had a very distinct smoky taste to it. Britnee and I also got to try lambs tail. OH YES. Lambs tail. The tails are cut off the lamb and then put on the fire. When the tail whistles, that’s how you know it is done. Then you pull the now burnt wool off and put salt on it, and then dig in. Well, let’s just say Britnee and I weren’t the biggest fans of it. It was pretty disgusting.Britnee and I have found ourselves attached to a church called Equippers Church. We go to their Youth groups on Wednesday nights and also go to their young adults service on Sunday nights. The passion in that church is so tremendous. It is quite amazing. They listen to a group/band called Planet Shakers, which is equivalent to Hillsong United. You should check them out (: We are getting to know some of the girls there, and some of the leaders quite well, its starting to really feel like home for us. We are also involved in Melody’s groups that she leads after school on Wednesday and Thursday afterno
ons. The girls come from the Girls College (highschool) just down the road. They are growing attached to our ‘Canadian vibe’ we share.This past labour weekend, we drove 9 hours to a Marae, which is a house type building that maori people would stay and live in. There were around 50-60 of us, and we used our time serving the small communities local Church. It took two days but by the end it was finished and completely beautiful. We were covered in paint, but it was such a great feeling of accomplishment that we felt, that the paint on our clothes, bodies, and hair didn’t really matter. There is a show in New Zealand called Shortland Street, which is equivalent to Gossip Girl I would say. There was a guy from Shortland Street at this weekend gathering, and he was helping paint and connecting with all of us. Of course Britnee and I didn’t have a clue that he was from the show or famous for that matter. But it is definitely cool to say we met him, and see people’s reactions.
For those of you who don’t know, we have a van that we have been cruising around in. But this beauty of a van didn’t have radio. WELL. A boy at youth was kind enough to let us borrow his spare radio and now we are jamming to some tunes. YES! Hallelujah!
So now, Britnee and I are heading into a more lax weekend, involving baking cookies, watching movies, and maybe having a spa! I will be in touch!
Tata for nowww <3
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