At another place

Ninety Mile Beach, looking for mussels

 

What can I say, life is hard so now we have two weeks of holidays of exploring and enjoying, so I'll see you in May! See ya!

At lunch

The Feijoa ( Feijoa Sellowania or Acca Sellowania ) is also known as Pineapple Guava or Guavasteen.

It is a shrub or a small tree and a lot of Feijoa are grown in New Zealand, where it is a popular garden tree and the fruit is commonly available in season.

 

I am lucky to have found a couple of the Feijoa trees in the garden .. 

A picture says more than a thousand words, I am told..

 

At Taitokerau Festival

This year Taipa Area School had the honor to host Taitokerau Festival, which has been running for 30 years and brings schools together from across the wider region. There were 23 schools that visited Taipa.

 

And I was fortunate to experience this, being so far from my own french/swedish roots just feeling priviledged again. The entire school community has been puting in such an effort and making this such a great event. To see the kids giving their whole heart and being in the proud performances was just fantastic, so I invite you to watch Taipa Area School perform.

 

Two amazing days with a glimpse of the Maori culture !

At sea

     

Kia Ora,

        When the opportunity presented itself, I did not hesitate to jump on board to go sailing from Whangaroa Harbour last Saturday.
                                             
      I went with Mike Ryken, who together with his wife Joanne really makes me feel welcome here in Taipa and with John Lee the captain of the boat. We had a great day with some sun, some rain, some wind, some food, got some oysters and quite some laughs just enjoying being at sea.

                                                  
John Lee is a particularly talented teacher, who, apart for my mentors in science, I have followed in his class Career, to prepare students to focus on their futures preparing them for their last year at school then life beyond.

 

The oysters that Mike got for us ? We wouldn't let them go to waste, should we ?

 

 

At the beach

Taipa, Northland, New Zealand

Kia Ora,

 

Taipa Area School has about 330 students, where 60 % is Maori. The style of teaching gives place to the students to participate, such as discussions and teamwork. My classes in Secondary school correspond to the Swedish levels årskurs 9 and four years of Gymnasium.

Do you recognize the shellfish on this rock ?

I have had the privilege to be part of a biology-lesson that took place on the beach, a fieldtrip to discover and identify certain species. What a great way to use your environment for teaching!

At school

 

My new workplace

 

The Taipa Area School is actually situated at the beach. Apart from my physical work environment that isn't that bad, I have been really welcomed at school, where a relaxed and warm athmosphere prevails. My first two days, I have been getting acquainted with the surrondings, different classes and different ways of teaching, so now I am eager to see what comes next.

So, where will you be having your lunch today?

Going to New Zealand

 

 



Hong Kong,
waiting for a twelve hour long flight

Taking a 180 degree turn around the globe.
A whole new experience awaits, meeting new people, getting involved in another culture and - the main reason for this travel - my teacher training in Taipa Area School in the Far North in New Zealand. In this blog you can follow my ups and downs, my thoughts, my feelings and my kiwi-experience on the other side of the planete, and yeah, gravity works.