New ZiggyLand: September 2007

My New Digs

I know it's been a few weeks since I last posted. I've been on school holiday for a week and spent most of the time with my friends down at their farm in the land of dial-up. I'm back at my place and bought a couple of things to spruce the place up.

This is my bedroom. I didn't take a picture of the spare room, it's just full of boxes right now. But, I do have a spare room and it's available for whoever wants to use it.

All the furniture came from diferent people. I can't get over how people I just met who heard that I didn't have anything gave me a bed, table and chairs, a sofa, a fridge, and a bunch of little things like dishes, pots and pans and so many other things.

The little tv is in the corner by the window because it blew up last night. I had just had my dinner (cereal) and then the tv started sparking and hissing and smoking. It was quite a show - better than most of the shows they have here. Somehow, New Zealand has managed to get all the b-list tv shows from the states. So, now I can't watch shows that I never would have even thought about back in the states.

My First 3 Days

Well, I made it through the first 3 days and so did all of my students. Monday was pretty rough. I haven't taught high school in 3-4 years and I forgot how tiring it can be. The kids are no different than those in the states - except they wanted to know if there were gangsters at the school where I taught, if all the kids have guns, and if I've ever been shot at.

I had a tough time controlling the classes on Monday, but whatever I did must have worked because they came in on Tuesday and today ready to do whatever I asked them to do.

There are so many policies that I don't know and I figure that when they are important, someone will tell me. I found out at 12:45 today that school ends at 1:50 every Wednesday instead of 3:25. For the first 2 days, a student has come around to collect an attendance sheet. I don't know how to fill out - so I just leave it blank. Maybe I'll find out before the week is out.

I'm getting to know the people in my department - the department head is a joke stealer though. he asked if I knew any good american okes, so I told him that best I had - the chicken joke. He liked it so much that he went and told the rest of the faculty and all of his students. He's a joke stealer, Jerry.

In all my years teaching, I've never taught in a classroom that has been in such bad shape. I've put some pictures on so you can get an idea. I cleaned it up a lot - I'll take pictures of the new improved room tomorrow and post them.

Thanks for all your prayers - I needed them this week. I have 2 more days and then I have a 2 week holiday (aka vacation).

Weekend in Waikato

I drove down to Steve and Kathy's last weekend (they haven't gotten tired of me yet - even though they are my only friends here so far) and we went to the Waikato rugby game. It was Waikato versus Wellington; the mascot of the Waikato team is a cow and the fans ring cow bells at the game.

I've never seen a game as intense as rugby. It doesn't really remind me of American Football - I think the closest game it compares to in the States is Smear the ______. (I don't think we're allowed to say the name of the game anymore.)
We had a fun night with the kids even though Kathy and I didn't have a clue what was going on. Half way through the game we stopped asking each other if the other person knew what was going on.

That Road

It was an absolute beautiful day today - just the kind of day made for driving to Auckland and standing in line at immigration to finalize my work permit.

I started the day in Pukekohe - here is a picture of the town centre (that's how they spell it) and a picture of the high school. The high school has 1600 students and is hug. Most of the school has been renovated, unfortunately, I am in the part of the school that hasn't been touched in about 80 years.

Next stop was Auckland - everything was fine on the way there, I was having a great time singing to I Got You Babe and then after a couple hours at immigration, a parking ticket, and drving around and around the city, I had to get out of there.

I took a detour to the town of Waiuku, which has a road that leads directly to the beach. I didn't relaize that, but a very nice woman gave me directions - "You are parked on this street - it intersets with that street - that street will lead you to the beach - stay on that street until your feet get wet. " So, I followed that street and it lead me directly to the sea and to another amazing sunset.

Sunsets

Well, here I am in Pukekohe. I don't have any pictures yet of the town - hopefully I will be able to take some today.

I had a tough start to yesterday. I found out that a friend, Sue, suddenly passed away. She was an amazing lady. I met her and her husband, Marv, in Singapore and they were my surrogate parents while I was there. They helped take care of me for two years - she even made my lunch a few times and he drove me to school in the mornings. I can't imagine what Marv and their daughter April are going through. I know how hard it was for me to hear the news.

I was thinking how tough life is. I just wanted to sit and be still, but life keeps moving and I had a huge to do list. So, I had to get on with my day - dry my tears and get going. As I went through the day, my to-do list was not getting done. People here are definitely on a different schedule than I am. The teacher recruiter kept telling me to relax and not to take things too seriously.

As I was driving back from Auckland to the town of Pukeohe, I kept thinking, what have I gotten myself into? I crested a hill just before coming into town, and got to see one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen. He reminded me that he is in control and the God that makes the sun rise and set is the same God who can help me through the to-do list, through the culture shock, through the lonliness of not having my people near me. He is the same God who can comfort Marv and April and hundreds of others as we mourn Sue's loss.

Now, I'm off to the school and to check more things off my to-do list. I know that I will need to be reminded of who God is again and again and the plans that He has for me - hopefully he'll send another amazing sunrise or sunset for me to see.

life on the farm is kind of laid back...

I arrived. Kathy picked me up from the airport Friday morning, and I'm spending the weekend with her family on the farm. It was a beautiful first couple of days. On monday, I'll head up to Pukekohe and meet my new principal. Here's a few pics of my first days.

This is the view from the deck of their house.

The kids - Lydia, Shona, Owen, and Ella.

Kathy and Steve doing the morning chores.

The local Flea Market in Matamata (aka Hobbiton)

My last 2 days in the States

After Hatteras, I had 3 days in Baltimore before packing up. I got to go to one last Hamiltopia and celebrate Di's birthday one more time. There were so many tearful goodyes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I was still crying when I got on the plane, the flight attendant didn't know what to do with me, except give me two complementray bottles of red wine (when asked which wine I preferred, I said red) to calm me down.

I got Diana before she puffed her cheeks out and blew out the candles.

My last Hamiltopia. We had it at the Blackmans', and things got a little wierd.

The new face of Taco Bell. I got the chance to meet up with an old friend in LA. I had a 7 hour layover in LA and Calvin picked me up from the airport, took me to the Santa Monica pier, walked on the beach, and then I had my last meal in the US - really good Mexican food. In case you walk into a Taco Bell, he is the new face of Taco Bell.

Hatteras

What an amazing week. I stayed in Hatteras North Carolina with friends and family. It was a great last week to spend here in the States. The goodbyes are getting harder nand harder, but I wouldn't have it any other way. We made so many memories this past week. Enjoy the pictures. I wish I could put all of them on here, but there were over 500 pictures taken.