F.H.E.

On Sunday the Olsen family in our West Harbor Ward invited Anna, Heidi, Christine and I over for dinner and FHE on that coming Monday night!  It was so sweet of them to be thoughtful enough to invite us over.  Even though we love our non-member families we are staying with, there are certain things that we miss.  Priesthood in the home and FHE being on the top of our list!  The Olsen family was more than generous with a wonderful meal and dessert.  They have six lovely kids Faust, Aiden, Kayla, Zion Israel, and Vanz.  The kids loved showing us all their art work, toys, musical talents, and more.  Their youngest son Vanz even performed his haka for us!  It was the most enthusiastic, cutest thing I have ever seen. He was totally serious but you can't help but smile when you watch.

School is still going well.  My students have started their pen pal writing to my last practicum class in Provo.  I read the letters from my Provo students and showed them pictures of the kids.  My students were so excited! I've never seen them more excited to do a writing project!  We started taking a few pictures after school to send to our Provo school friends but I think we'll try again because to many of them were making funny faces.

The kids have to wear these school uniforms everyday.  They also are suppose to be wearing their school hats every time they are outside, but this was the end of they day so they were all heading home soon.

 They all loved posing for the camera!

Colleen took my camera for awhile and started taking pictures of herself and anyone else she could find.

On Tuesday all 16 of the BYU girls were invited to attend a powhiri.  This is a Maori welcoming ceremony with song, dance, and a hongi.  The powhiri was held at Henderson South Primary School.  All the students in the school met together in their assembly hall and sang, danced, and chanted as all 16 of the BYU girls and a small group of new students entered the room.  

When the children were singing in Maori there was a very special feeling that filled the room as we walked inside.  Once we were in we sat across from all the students. The principal of Henderson south got up and gave a speech in Maori, welcoming us to New Zealand.  

Dr. Jacobs then spoke for our group, saying a few lines in Maori as well.  He then presented the school with a gift that he had brought from home.  It was a beautiful Navajo sand painting.  Next it was the BYU girls turn to sing this maori song that we learned from our earlier classes.  I will have to record us singing the song because the song sounded so wonderful.  The words are             

Te aroha

Te whakapono

Me te rangimarie

Tatou, tatou e

Next the students sang and danced for us again.  Finally we got to the hongi.  I was a little bit nervous for this part.  All the teachers lined up and our group went down the line pressing our nose and foreheads together to "mix breath" with our new friends.  Some of the teachers kissed our checks and shook our hands.  It felt like a little bit of an invasion of my personal space, but for them it is completely natural.   By the end of the line of about 15 people I started to get the hang of it.  

The Henderson South principal then invited all 16 of us back for morning tea.  Each of the schools have morning tea every day.  It is like a morning recess for the students and a time of the teachers to drink milo, coffee, have a snack, and talk together.  This particular morning tea included a feast of cookies, brownies, sandwiches, meat pies, and more.  Each of our girls left morning tea very full from all the wonderful food they provided us with.

I am loving the New Zealand culture here so much.  The people have been so welcoming and I am grateful for their hospitality.  It has helped me enjoy my trip even more.