Blogs 6-7-17

6-7-11

 prompt: goodbyes for two weeks.

today we left for New Zealand we flew to Las Angeles it was a like a four hour flight but just waiting in O'Hare airport for what seemed like and eternity because their whole system crashed so it took even longer I think I slept through the plane ride to L.A but then we got to L.A I didn't see an celebrities I was a little disappointed but still it was fun because I was talking with people. Then we got on the international plane that took us from LAX to the New Zealand I slept the whole way I was sitting next to two people that were probably from New Zealand and they were really nice. 

6-8-11

Prompt:reflection of first day-3 things thats shocked you-culture shock-looking forward to.

Response: when I arrived in Auckland, New Zealand I didn't expect much I thought it looked like any other place on earth but it wasn't. It felt so clean and open it was green every where. There was so much foliage it was insane. I found out that their main source of power is produced by water. There was also a lot of live stock like sheep, cows, and horses. Leuging was really fun it was just like go-carting but on a sled and you had handle bars to steer your way across the path. At first I thought it would be scary but I saw these little kids that were like 8 or 9 go down and I forced myself to go and after I saw them go down I didn't feel so afraid and I was thinking if they can go down and not be afraid then I can to. It was really fun but the sky-car thing was the most scariest part of the whole day but I got over it. It was really scary because I'm scared of heights but I got over it pretty quick. The three things that shocked me was that it was open, clean, and green. The air around me felt so light and open not like in the city where it is filled with pollutions and dust. It felt so open because buildings and homes were spaced apart there was also no tall buildings blocking my view like in the city. It was green because there was a bunch of foliage everywhere and just beautiful green hills and pastures filled with farm animals like sheep. It was also green because of how they produce their energy like its powered from water and not nuclear power in-fact our tour guide Alec said that nuclear power was actually banned in that country because it causes so much pollution. The thing I'm looking forward to is meeting the Rangitoto kids 

6-09-11

Prompt: cultural differences in the morning and the afternoon.

The cultural differences I saw in the morning was the the Thermal Village with all the Maori artefact's. It amazed me how the newer generations still value their ancestral heritage we really don't have that in the U.S. Because in our culture we still value our ancestral heritage but its not as strong as the Maori ancestral heritage. During the tour of the Maori Village they explained why the thermal vents were valued by them and all this other stuff that yes we do have in the states but we don't value it as much as they do. They also use the thermal vents for cooking their food. They explained how they used them to cook their food in the olden days but then they explained how they use them still today because its a really efficient way of cooking something. The Maori people use the environment in a unique way that people in the U.S usually take advantage of.

The cultural differences I saw in the afternoon was the Sheep-Sheering show. We don't have things like that in the U.S. This was a show where they showed all the different breeds of sheep and where all the sheep come from like what countries they come from. It was really amazing when the host of the show was naming all the countries to see where all his guest came from. It was also funny when he was making jokes about people and just different thing in general there was also a nursery where there were baby goats, bunnies, ducks, and a cow. It was really amazing how you could view all the sheep and things.

6-10-11

Prompt: reflection of today

today was fun and wet. This morning was rainy and a little cold. My clothes and shoes were soaked and my feet were wet. The hike was ok I really didn't get anything out of it. But when our group was waiting around for the other group we would just starts sining random songs it was really fun. In the afternoon we visited the Rangitoto students. It was amazing they were amazing they were all so nice and welcoming. Like all of us American kids said that we were going to move here and it was just fun like actually talking to them in person instead of just looking at their pictures. We all just connected with them so well and the food that they cooked for us was amazing and so good. I was glad that we were going to actually meet them in person. And when one of their school clubs taught us the Haka it was really funny because most of us didn't know what we were doing and everybody kept making weird faces it was just a really fun time. They asked us a lot of questions like what is American school like, do you have big lockers, what are the school rules, how many kids do you have in the school and just a lot of stuff that they don't have in their school and how their school is so different from ours like their school is like a college but for high school students. The person I talked to her name was Christina she said that she got lost for two weeks when she first started going there. Then we had to leave it was really sad because when we first met we all instantly connected and then we had to leave it felt as if you had lost something really important to you when you just got it. Like some people were actually crying and they were running after the bus after it drove away it was really sad. I wish we could have spent more time with them like they could have been our host families but that probably wouldn't work out or something I almost wanted to cry because I felt like they were my family.

6-11-11

Prompt: compare and contrast Sydney to other cities.

Sim

tall buildings

parks

busy streets

loud

lots of people

lakes

traffic

weddings

food/restaurants

inter-racial citizens

public transportation

street performers

museums

fish

difference

Sydney

Sydney bridge

Sydney opera house

whit taxis

open spaces

big mall

made into islands

Tasmanian sea

Sydney aquarium

Chicago

sears tower

john Hancock building

yellow taxis

closed spaces

no mall

stuff is easy to find

everything is walking distance

no islands

lake Michigan

Shedd Aquarium

06-12-11

prompt: 3 different experiences and reflection

The three different experiences that I have experienced while traveling to these countries is that I'm being more open about trying new foods like Thai food. The second thing is that I'm being more adventurous like with the luging? Because I was scared to try it but then everybody was trying it so I forced my self to try it and I'm being more outgoing and talkative like if we were back at home I probably wouldn't have talked to half of these people like I did tonight instead of sitting by my friends I sat by Alex, Paige, Zach, Ty, and Nishant and I have never talked to them well except for Paige but they were really nice and funny. By trying these new things I can see my self expanding and growing. When I tried these new experiences I felt accomplished and excited that I'm trying things that I have never done before and I'm being more spontaneous and more open about these things. These countries have made me experience more things that I never would have done at home. Like if I was in school right now or I wasn't going on this trip I would never have talked to these people that are now my friends. I'm making new friends like Lexa, Steven, Shelby, and many other people and I will probably be friends with these people forever. My new friends have made this trip so much more fun and exciting than lets say going with friends you see everyday because if you go with friends you see everyday then it wont be as fun as going with people you don't really know and getting to know them throughout the trip. This has really has been the trip of a life time and I will never forget it and the friends that I have made while on it.

06-13-11

prompt: good traveler yes or no and could you travel alone.

Yes I think I would make a good traveler because I like exploring and finding new things. This trip has opened a lot of doors for me and about traveling. I could travel alone but I would rather travel in a group. I would travel in a group because if I did get lost I would rather get lost with people I know or at least people in the group than by my self. And if you get lost in a group then you have a bunch of options on how to find your way back and what to try and just arguing over who is right and who is not and also arguing over what way to go. With me I like traveling in a group because its not as awkward when traveling alone and getting lost by yourself. By also traveling in a group you get to experience new things like food like say you all go to the same restaurant and everybody gets something different then everybody can try each others food. I would make a good traveler because because I like trying new things and new foods and just accepting what this country has to offer and I embrace it completely because I feel so accomplished when I try new things now that I haven't been able to before because I was scared to, but now I have new friends that make me want to try new things and just experience what the country has to offer and just have a good time while still being responsible and having a good experience. 

06-14-11

prompt: great barrier reef recap

today at the Great Barrier Reef was just incredible. It was so beautiful and colorful; I had a great time. When we were first going on I was again afraid of snorkeling. I was scared because I have never done that before and it was cold outside but I forced my self to try it because if I didn't I would regret it for the rest of my life just missing out on the beautiful fish and touching the coral it was amazing. The fish were really pretty I was really disappointed that I forgot my underwater camera and that I didn't see a nemo fish because they are my favorite in the whole world. Today was an amazing experience that I will never forget like seeing all the beautiful fish in their natural habitat and just seeing them chilling and swimming around its just indescribable and amazing. The Great Barrier Reef is definitely an amazing place and lives up to its name. 

06-15-11

prompt: top 10 list

Australia sunset – I see the sunset back home all the time but seeing it here was different it looked so natural and calm and beautiful against the water.

Rangitioto College Kids- seeing all the friends that I have talked to on face book and talking to them face to face was really fun and it was amazing how we all got along so well.

New Zealand Sunrise- actually being up to see the sunrise was amazing to see the mist and the fog hanging over the water and seeing all the birds flying in the

sky it looked like a scene from Jurassic Park.

Trying new food- I tried Thai and Indian food for the first time and I actually liked it it was really good at the Thai place I had sweet and sour chicken and at the Indian place I had lemon grass chicken with this stuff on it and it was really good.

Leugin?- I was really scared to try it but I forced my self to try it and it was really fun I definitely do not regret trying it.

Ogo- I didn't try this because it was cold and I was getting sick anyways but it looked fun but it was really fun watching other people try to stay up and fall down in the water.

Bonding time and spending time- this was really fun meeting people you never knew and making new friends that I will probably have for the rest of my life and I'm really glad to have met them.

Bridge climbing- was totally awesome! It was so cool going over the city and seeing the opera

house from such a high view it was such a great experience and seeing the opera house from different points of view it was so cool.

Markets- seeing all the markets and all the hand made crafts and nic- knacks and jewelry made me realize how much they actually care about what they are selling to their customers it really amazed me.

Food in general- It really surprised me and I'm still in shock over how they like hand cook and home cook all their meals to perfection for their customers their foods are really good and it still surprises me over how much they care for their customers this never happens in America in America they may seem like they care but they really don't.

6-16-11

our final morning in Australia I'm going to this country I just fell in love with it ever since we landed here. Today we are taking four plane rides to get back home. Because were flying from Cairns to Sydney then from Sydney to LAX then from LAX to ORD . Its going to be a long day lots of flying and junk food eating watching in-flight movies and maybe some turbulence but at least were going to be able to see our families. I'm going to miss these countries and I hope to visit them sometime in the future.

6-17-11

we finally made it home it took a long time but we finally made it I was really happy to see my mom, sisters, grandpa, and my pets. Now I get to relax and just try to get back to normal. Hopefully I can get off Australia time and then a week from Wednesday I'm headed to Florida with my grandma and two cousins to see my aunt uncle and other cousin. This trip was most definitely a trip of a life time it was so much fun and the people were amazing if I could I would do definitely a good experience to have and to remember.