Autumn In Another Land

It is difficult to feel like it is actually Thanksgiving or Christmas season here in New Zealand. While usually trees lose their green vibrant colors and fade into the comfortable fall colors, they are actually gaining some of their green back in the Southern Hemisphere spring! Most trees and plants here in New Zealand have just been green year round, so there isn't much of a change in the hillsides. As well, the temperature is rising, the beach is becoming more inviting, and we are all wearing fewer jackets and socks.

And what would this season be without a big Thanksgiving feast? So our wonderful kitchen staff coordinated for all the students to be able to make their own special recipes at home to prepare for a large feast. Then we sent out invitations to everyone we could think of we've been connected to here in Piha as well as the greater Auckland area. Students together produced a most delectable meal of appetizers, breads, pies, turkeys, mashed potatoes, desserts, and drinks (including Horchata!) for the several guests we invited.




Homestay parents, different people from the Piha community, and even some more recent friends joined us in our hall to enjoy all of our American Thanksgiving food, hear a bit about what Thanksgiving means to us, and play a Turkey Day Jeopardy game. The game was Kiwis Vs. Americans, and for Final Jeopardy, Alex was clever enough to rig it so that we won by ONE POINT. I was in a nearby building and heard an eruption of cheer and protest reverberate throughout our property from that nice little trick.




Currently, Forest Ecology is well underway. Today we spent lots of our time in a local preserved Kauri grove examining and identifying all kinds of plants. We even spotted some great birds like Silver Eyes, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, and some Fantails.