Sunday night now, so I have one more weekend before we go! I have a family farewell planned for next Saturday afternoon. So all my family can see me before I go. We have a meeting on Tuesday night. We will be getting our gear and it is our last meeting before we go. Mum and I are booked into a hotel in Wellington for the wednesday night before we have to be at the airport at 4.30am!!
Not long now . . .
Georgia

It's only a couple of weeks left until Japan. YYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been getting prepped for it and have started getting my things.I have bought a new rainjacket and it is UGLY and it stinks like plastic real bad EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW LOL
I have been emailing Moeka who I will be staying with in Japan. She lives in Kyoto so I have to go in the car to the train and then on the bus to get to school. So it will take a while and I have to pay the most for travel.
I can't wait though it will be an awesome experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Georgiaxoxox

It has been about a week since the japanese exchange students left.
On Monday we all went on buses to Wellington, I get car sick but I sat in the back seat with Stacey.

We had the whole seat to ourselves so it was really cool we just streched our legs out in the space that we had. It was really good though because even though I get car sick I didn't even feel sick, because Stacey was just talking to me and we were also listening to music so that was all good.

                                                                                                             YOUR CRACK UP MATE LOL

Then we arrived in Wellington and were dropped off outside the the Beehive, it was really big.

Then we went in groups I was with Sidney, Conner, Nick and their Japanese students. We walked around town in our groups and went to different shops, we also got lunch and went on the cable car up to the cable car museum. It had a old cable car in it that was about 100 years old.

Then we went to Te Papa and saw the Collossal Squid and the korowai exposition and many other things.

We then got on the bus and went to wellington airport, we got to look around there for a while and then it was time for the Japanese students had to get on the plane. I hugged Aoi goodbye and she had to go I saw her crying and that made me sad to have to say goodbye. Then we went to the window and waved goodbye . We then had to get on the bus and go home. It was a good last day to spend with them.

I am missing Aoi and am about to send her an email :D

Georgiaxx

Today we went up town and looked around in the shops, after that we went to Cafe Solway and had lunch. I had a gourmet burger that I thought would have been smaller but it was HUMUNGOUS! Then Stacey and Kie came and we did some golf hits. I was not doing very welll then Stacey came and I started doing really well. So Stacey is like my lucky charm.
Then we went out on the field and got heaps of balls because the the machine ran out, so I had saturated feet and back from going out in the rain getting all the balls.

For dinner Aoi and I made sushi, she taught us how to eat it properly, it was quite nice, she had cut the  seaweed into quarters so it was really easy to make. She ate a lot more of it than I thought she would.

It was good to be taught so now we can make it again. Then we had pavlova for dessert, Aoi thought it was really sweet but she liked the kiwifruit.

Georgiaxx

Weekend Fun

Mt Holdsworth

Today (Saturday) Aoi, Tom, Mum and I all went to Mt Holdsworth to show Aoi what our NZ forests are like. It was a beautiful sunny day. We went in at Holdsworth Lodge. We walked to Donnolly Flats and then did the loop walk back to the car park.

We really enjoyed the day. Aoi got to feel our cold river water and we just enjoyed the time together. My brother and I were trying to piggy back each other, which was funny. It was nice to be in the bush.

Harakeke and Origami

Aoi and I have been teaching each other how to do Harakeke and Origami.

I thought it was impossible to do the origami but now I have the hang of it. We made cranes and people.

I have now made about 25 cranes (tsuru). Aoi was making putiputi today. She has got really good at them and we have made a bouquet that she can hopefully take home with her.

I think that harakeke and origami are very similar because you think they are hard to do but with a bit of practice you can  learn to do them.

Georgia xx



Sayonara Evening



Last night (Friday) we all met together at MIS for the Sayonara Evening. We shared some food together, including some interesting Japanese food. The Japanese students performed a whole lot of different items. Aoi was in a dance with her friends, they were dancing to a Japanese pop song - "Oogoe diamondo". They performed their Kapa Haka songs with us and we joined in a traditional Japanese dance. We were all dancing around the hall together. It was a good night.

Visit to Papawai Marae

On Tuesday morning we all met at school our Japanese students came with us to our classrooms. We introduced them to our class. We did some class work together. Aoi wrote peoples names in hirigana (Japanese writing).
Later we met with all the students to learn the waiata and haka together. We taught them Ko Wairarapa, E Rere taku poi and E toru nga mea. They learn very quickly because Japanese is a lot like Maori with its sounds. Atsushi was really good at leading because he was really loud!

After lunch we got in the bus and went to Papawai Marae in Greytown. We were welcomed in by a lady doing karanga. We all went inside and learnt about Papawai.
We had to do the haka really well before we could have a feed. We went in for our kai. We had hangi!! Aoi tried the hangi but didn't really like it.
I mopped up the floor after everyone had finished, Stacey (Sidneys Mum) was wiping down the tables. She saw that where all the NZ kids had eaten it was really messy but where the Japanese kids had eaten there was only a little bit of pepper on the table.
We learnt the Sasa while we were at the Marae but Aoi has told me that girls don't do the Sasa in Japan - but I really liked it it was fun.

Weekend fun
On the weekend Aoi and I went bowling with many others Aoi got a STRIKE and I won the first game overall.

Love the bowling shoes!!

On Sunday we went to Stacey's nana's farm with Dearn, Stacey, Kie and Shayne. We climbed up the hill and looked out over all the paddocks, then we went down and patted the horses, after that we went inside for lunch. After lunch we fed the lambs. Their tail's wagged really fast and hard. Aoi liked feeding the lambs.

Aoi and Kie on the farm

Stacey's nana took us on the motorbike. It was really funny 'cause the motorbike got stuck LOL. Stacey ditched to get her grandad to get the other motorbike. I had to help get my bike unstuck by putting hay down. We got really muddy.

After we got back from the farm we went to miniputt with Kyra, Michaela and Masaki. We were really tired after a busy weekend.

On Wednesday 1st August the Japanese students arrived in N.Z and came to the hall at about 5.00 the Kapa Haka group did a Powhiri to welcome them in. I did the karanga when they came into the hall and Momo Iwasaki replied, then Rhemus did a whaikorero. 

On Thursday Aoi went to Pukaha Mount Bruce and saw the white kiwi Manukura and they also saw the kokako, they fed the eels, they also fed the kaka and the tuatara.

Today we are going to Gladstone school where they are going to do a powhiri, then we are going to the   Park Vale Mushroom factory, after that we are going to the Taratahi farm to milk cows and see calves.

Aoi also taught me how to do the string games when you make shapes with string and your hands, it took me a little while to figure it out but she was a good teacher and I know it off by heart now.

Georgiaxx

The Japanese students come tomorrow!!!
I am doing the karanga to welcome them into our school.
I can't wait to finnally meet Aoi, I'm sure I can make her welcome and happy in N.Z.
One Japanese student from the group will also be doing a karaanga back to us , I understand how nervous she would be, she also only gets it on the way back to Masterton on the bus and has to learn it then.
Very exciting Can't wait
Georgiaxx :)