FAMILIAR FACES!

FAMILIAR FACES

It certainly doesn’t feel like you’re halfway around the world when your brother and his family pull up into your driveway. It was a bit surreal to see Jim’s 3rd oldest brother, Randy, wife Gayle and our niece Anna walking up to our flat here in New Zealand!

They flew into Auckland, and drove through the North Island a few days before arriving to Wellington. We had two-nights and 1 FULL day together in Wellington. We say it was a full day as we packed in the Botanical Gardens, town shopping, waterfront and beach walk, Parliament tour, cable car ride and the three highest city lookout points. They timed it right complete with a full moon and some of the best weather that Wellington can offer.

We gave them our best whirlwind tour of Wellington before they hopped on a ferry to the South Island on Good Friday. Good thing the ferries were running because much of the country is closed for Easter. (Holidays are done right in NZ as well as vacation with most people getting four weeks.)

Our family sure knew how to do their vacation right by celebrating Easter in the South Island city of Christchurch, before heading over to Wanaka and Milford Sounds. Rumor has it that Anna bunge-jumped. Perhaps we can upload a video of that if she sends one… hint, hint, nudge, nudge….

Ambassadorial Scholar's Orientation Weekend

On March 26 & 27 Angie attended the orientation weekend for all Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars in New Zealand for the 2007-2008 school year. Countries represented included the US, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Trinidad and France. In addition, there were three NZ outbound students will be studying in Senegal, the US (Columbia University), and Brazil. It was an amazing experience being part of such an international delegation. All geographical barriers seemed to disappear over dinner as we discussed food and wines (with our French expert!), fields of study, and compared our experiences and perceptions of being here in New Zealand.

A highlight for me was learning more about the native Maori culture, which is strongly integrated in New Zealand. The Maori language is taught in many primary schools, many public signs are bilingual, Maori greetings & words are used in public broadcasts, and there is a Maori TV channel. What surprised me most was a deliberate resurgence. The Maori cultural leaders have a strategic plan to ensure that the Maori language and culture does not disappear over time. Just one of the strategies includes a goal for the number of PhD's in Maori Studies annually. In fact, the Rotary Scholar from France is here pursuing a PhD in Maori Studies.

SHAPESHIFTER

The Rotary Club of Hutt City’s annual Shapeshifter sculpture exhibit took place for three weeks ending March 16th. The sculpture exhibit runs as part of Wellington biennial arts festival (Hutt city is on the Northern end of the Harbour on the Hutt River.) and attracted over 5,000 paying adult visitors. It is the biggest fundraiser for hospice, the arts and youth.

Over $1 million worth of sculptures came from artists all over New Zealand and were installed throughout a park in the middle of town, an almost forgotten public space. The Civic Gardens were hence transformed for three weeks by the Shapeshifter Sculpture event.

Yet its transformative effects will last much longer. By installing permanent fence pillars with removable fencing material around the Civic Gardens, the park is now set to handle more such events. A local paper wrote that it was a park long forgotten by members of the community. It was great to be part of its revitalization and see it as a source of renewed civic pride.

Angie and Jim pitched in their help from everything to erecting the fence, to helping transport and install sculptures, to bartending at the opening gala, as well as take shifts running the entrance table.

We’ll post more pics soon to show how sculpture and art are displayed throughout the Wellington area. It really is amazing to see a city put so much art and creativity into its public spaces.

Horse Riding and Rugby?

Horse Riding and Rugby had something in common Friday night. We volunteered with the Rotary Club of Hutt City to work at a Westpac Stadium concession stand, with all proceeds going to the Hutt Valley Riding for the Disabled (RDA) site. The Rotary supports this organization through events like staffing concessions at the Rugby games and its annual Shapeshifter sculpture exhibit (more to come about this). Angie had just visited the RDA riding site in the Hutt Valley this past week. Her interest was peaked because the Hennepin County Home School in MN has a ‘We Can Ride” therapeutic horse riding program that does similar work.

The Hurricanes made the local fans happy that night by blowing over the Chiefs (how’s that for sports/weather metaphors?) at the Rugby game. Though the game was quite different than we’re used to, sports stadiums appear the same everywhere with vast seating, corporate naming and box suites all around the top. The location is pretty spectacular right between the harbor and the train station that services most of the area that the Hurricanes represent.

It wasn’t a sell out crowd so we could break away from schlepping drinks to watch our first professional rugby game. U.S. football looks pretty tame comparatively. They hit and tackle just as hard in rugby, but don’t wear any pads. Like ice hockey, there are special rules if a player is bleeding. And a touchdown is called a “try”…. Hmm. Anyway, after the final horn, the game ended with a drop kick through the uprights, which we’re told doesn’t happen often. Nice try… I mean goal.