Week 3: More Exploration

Hey all! I don't have a specific theme for this week's blog post, so it will consist of various things that I've done in the past week!

I'll start with what I've been doing in the classroom since that's my main reason for being in New Zealand. The theme for my school's term is humanity. The junior high classroom has been concentrated on the Civil Rights Movement, discussing how inhumane the treatment of African Americans was at that point in history and how they fought for their own humanity. So far, we've covered the desegregation of schools and the Little Rock Nine. This week, I read aloud a written piece on Emmett Till, who was lynched for flirting with a white girl. It's not an easy part of history to acknowledge and bring to the classroom, and I found it quite difficult to read this aloud to the class.

On a lighter note, I had the chance to experience Wētā Workshop Unleashed with my cohort on Halloween! Essentially, it was a tour that looked at the behind-the-scenes of filmmaking. This included three themed sections: a horror section that focused on VFX makeup and practical effects, a fantasy section that focused on miniature sets and creature design, and a sci-fi adventure section that focused on digital effects and filming on a large scale. It was highly interactive and such a fun activity to do on Halloween, especially in a country where the holiday is not celebrated as heavily as it is in the States.

Part of the miniature set in the workshop

The next day, I decided I'd finally venture into Devonport and explore a bit. It is another suburb of Auckland that is on the south-eastern coast of the north shore and is the main spot for ferries to cross between the north shore and downtown Auckland. I got fish & chips on the beach, which might have been a mistake. Apparently, Devonport seagulls love fish & chips. I hadn't experienced seagulls approaching me when I had some in Takapuna, but I suppose those seagulls have higher standards for takeaways. While in Devonport, I walked up Mount Victoria, the tallest volcano on the north shore. It was once the site of a gun fort built in the 19th century. I walked up the worst path possible, taking the steep drive instead of the gradual walk designed for people walking up the mountain. Luckily, the views from the mountain were great, and I took the gradual walk down Mount Victoria which was much more pleasant than the journey upwards.

A panoramic view from Mount Victoria

This week, I've been able to meet new people in Auckland! One person I met is someone close to my age from Japan. He hasn't been in Auckland much longer than I have and is spending time here working and exploring the city. We talked about our cultures, how they are similar, and how they differ. Additionally, I met a Kiwi-American family who are part of a church plant in the west Auckland area. It was neat to hear about their journey throughout New Zealand and then attend the church they helped to start.

A massive carving a Tūī bird

Sunday was quite a busy day for me, as after church I attended a sculpture walk in Devonport with my host family. There were over 100 sculptures on display in the park, most for sale (albeit for thousands of dollars). It was neat to see all the different types of sculptures in the park and experience another part of New Zealand culture. After attending Sculpture OnShore, I stopped by the Diwali festival in downtown Auckland. I met with a couple of others in my cohort, and we then grabbed Indian food and watched the dancing on the main stage. They had been there most of the day, so we didn't stay for long. It was still cool to experience a small part of the festival.

Sunday was also Guy Fawkes Day, a holiday that commemorates a failed attempt to blow up England's Parliament in 1605. Guy Fawkes was the main man behind the plot and on November 6th, 1605 he was caught with the explosives before they were planned to go off. Now, the holiday is observed mainly in Great Britain, but New Zealand observes it as well, mainly as an excuse to set off fireworks. In fact, November 2nd-5th is the only time you can legally buy fireworks in New Zealand. My host family set off fireworks at the end of the day, and I joined them to watch the display. I abstained from participating in anything related to America's Independence Day this year, so getting to experience fireworks was nice.

It feels like I've been here forever and my time in New Zealand is wrapping up, yet I arrived three weeks ago and still have much left to do, like visit Hobbiton or hike up Mount Eden! Expect more posts in the coming weeks!