We’ve Got Accents!

What a whirlwind couple of days!! After a quick trip to Wai-o-Tapu, Thermal Wonderland, we made it down to Napier and are getting settled into our new little cottage.

The drive was absolutely breathtaking!
 And it feels really cool to see a speed limit sign for 100 (even if it is in km)!

In front of our cottage with a Kiwi-goodie bag from my CT! 

Our host family is absolutely lovely!! R & K (our “foster parents”) welcomed us wholeheartedly into their home and even brought us toast the first morning! What a lovely surprise! They have exceeded all expectations. Their two little ones M, a smiley almost-8-year old, and L, a giggly little ball of energy, are brilliant! Their dynamic reminds me so much of Steph and me. And we can’t forget Polly- the big curly-haired pup! There is a cat somewhere, but it has been a bit elusive and I can’t say that I mind. They are all a blast to be around and will surely make the next few months great fun.

Today we ventured out on foot to see what we could find. Just below our hill, Bluff Hill, is town and the walk down the hill is marvelous. You trek down the switchbacks of the worn cement through a lush forest of ferns as big as spruces and flowers so fragrant and bursting with color you’d think they were fake. (I don’t think NZ does dull colors- everything is vibrant!) Turns out, we found a bustling downtown (with a plethora of chic boutiques, unique cuisine, and earthy cafes), a couple of Countdown grocery stores, and… THE OCEAN!

This is seriously a spectacular sight. The water is a dazzling turquoise that laps tirelessly upon an endless path of steely-grey pebbles. Apparently it is a dangerous beach to swim in, but it sure is stunning! (The beaches in either direction are more suitable for play.) I could sit out there for hours on the hot stones listening to the waves crashing!

This evening we had a lovely dinner over at my cooperating teacher’s (CT) home with her family and our host family. She has two utterly charming children as well who attend our school. Her mother, V, is our supervisor through the program and we were lucky enough to have her join us for dinner as well! It was a grand affair with fabulous food and a spectacular view of Cape Kidnappers.

My CT also showed us the school today!! We got to see our classrooms and pictures of all of our lovely children! We start school on Monday and I know we are both so excited! Now, we just have to get our MSU assignments out of the way so we can be fully in this remarkable experience.