Gillie finished her 3rd week of school...Tracy is volleyball coach! (?!) ... and we tramped up the Mount this weekend!

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Hi again, it's Tracy.   Today is Monday, 21st February, 2011.  Gillie finished her 2nd full week, but 3rd week of school last Friday.  It was her first full week of "real" school, where they were not at camp or otherwise just having fun!  Gillie says the math is "easy", and she enjoys the other things she does at school, such as knit and learn about the Roman Empire.  

The students did not do much to celebrate Valentine's Day here.  However, they had just gotten back from camp and school has only been in session just over 10 days so I think that is partially why there was no big "party".  Gillie got a card from me, and she made me one at home :o)

This term in New Zealand (term 1), the students can join the school volleyball teams.  There is a team for Gillie's class 6 and class 7 students.   The school was looking for a volunteer to help with the teams, and I said I could help the coach out.    I showed up after school on Tuesday the 15th to pick up Gillie, and they were having practice!  Well, you know how that goes!  They did not have a coach so...now I am it!   I was a bit worried about this NZ volleyball...Gillie's teammates were telling me they can kick the ball (?!), hit it with their head (like in soccer), and even catch the ball then toss it to another player...Yes, these are all true things, in the lower level volleyball.  Luckily, Gillie's team is now in the "super league" level.   They can't catch the ball or kick it (thankfully), and the other big difference from "American" volleyball is that you can score a point anytime the other team misses/drops the ball, and they play one game until the time runs out.   We had our first game this past Friday the 18th, and I am happy to report the "Flaming Bonkers" (yep, that's the team name!) won their first game, 50 to 38.  Gillie did well, she had a few good saves. We have 2 teammates, Tiana and Robin, who serve well and another boy Zac who knows the game very well and is a good athelete.   Wish us luck for the rest of the season! 

Other fun things during the school week last week...Thursday the 17th Gillie went to her first "Young Mariners" meeting in the late afternoon/evening.   Here is some information on the YM from their website:  http://www.youngmariners.org.nz/

Young Mariners New Zealand is an organization for girls 8-19 years old.

Mariners provides opportunities for fun, friendship and adventure. Through our activity choices, girls are encouraged to reach their potential, be independent, confident and caring. We empower them to give leadership and develop their decision-making and life skills. Young Mariners helps them connect with their community and with the wider world. They also become amazing sailors!


On this first meeting,  Gillie got to watch some of the older girls set up the sailboats for an early evening sail.   She went out on one of the larger "small sailboats" with Amber, an experienced Young Mariner, and 4 other girls.   It was a nice night for sailing, the winds could have been a bit stronger but was good for Gillie's first sail ever!  She got to steer the rudder on the way back in.  There were about 6 sailboats out total, 2 a bit larger, and then some very small one person boats!  They sailed for about 1 hour.   There were adults out in small powerboats in case anyone had problems. 

Gillie enjoyed herself very much, and we'll continue to go to the meetings on Thursday nights.  During the nice weather, they just sail and the older girls teach the younger/newer ones.  The group is like a Girl Scouts on water!  We will also have a chance to go to one of their camps
March 18-20th.   We are looking forward to that.  We will be going to an inland lake and learning sailing techniques, and camping out in tents.   I will go with Gillie to this camp.   Another American mom, who moved here with her family from Minneapolis, encouraged us to come and
try the Young Mariners, and she'll be at camp with her daughter as well. 

Gillie getting ready for her first sail!
The Mount and Tauranga's skyline are

in the background.



Gillie's sailboat is the larger one on the right. 
They are sailing in Taurgana Harbor.
Thursday, 17th February, 2011

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Friday the 18th, we just hung out after the volleyball game at home (the "bach") watching a video.  We watched the "Tooth Fairy"...Gillie saw it a while ago, but I have not and I actually really enjoyed it!

For Saturday the 19th, our big trip was to "the Mount", or Mount Maunganui, to do some tramping (hiking) up to the summit.   We started the day off with breakfast, and just hung out at home a bit, then by accident Gillie locked the keys in the boot! (trunk) of the car!  Luckily, I have New Zealand AA out here (Automobile Association).   Did you know that if you have American AAA, many countries extend "guest membership" for free?   So, we did not have to pay anything for the membership, or for the nice AA man to come out and unlock our car. However, the boot release is broken, and our car is so old the back seats do not fold down, so he had to take the back seats out to get to the boot!   He was very chipper and smiling and did not mind.  Only took him about 20 minutes to get us all set.  Since this incident happened at home, it was no problem to just sit and wait for AA to get here and take care of things.   Gillie was a bit mad at herself but hopefully won't do that again as she gets older! ;o)

Here is the story of Mount Maunganui (called Mauao by the native Maori tribes)

The Legend of Mauao

In the ancient times of the Maori people there lived a nameless hill, he sat alone in a discarded inland area and was slave to Otanewainuku, the most prestigious mountain of Tauranga Moana. Nearby there lived a captivating hill whose name was Puwhenua, she was adorned with the beauty of Tanemahuta (God of the Forest). The nameless one desired the affection of Puwhenua, but alas her heart had already been won by Otanewainuku. This resulted in disparity which led the nameless one to decide to take his life by drowning in Te Moananui-a-Kiwa (Pacific Ocean). So he called upon his companions the Patupaiarehe (fairy people) who dwelt in the dark recesses of the forest. The Patupaiarehe were people of the night and possess magical powers, the nameless one knew that with their help his ambition to end his life will be accomplished. When night fell, they laced the nameless one with dozens of ropes and began to heave and pull. The land rumbled as the Patupaiarehe forced the nameless one from his position. A valley was gouged as they heaved him along, which is where you will now find that the Waimapu river flows. They continued along the Tauranga Moana channels where Hairini, Maungatapu and Matapihi reside. Upon their arrival near the great ocean of Kiwa, daybreak was fast approaching. Unfortunately for the nameless one this was proving to be quite a complex and problematic task. The rays of Tama nui te ra (Sun) began to light up the summit of the nameless hill and before they knew it, the Patupaiarehe were exposed to the rays of light, so they retreated back to the depths of the forests.
The Patupaiarehe decided to give the name Mauao to this mountain which now marks the entrance into the Tauranga harbour. The translation of Mauao can literally be termed as 'caught by the dawn'. In time this mountain has assumed its own great prestige and mana even over his once rival Otanewainuku and now stands as the symbol of all tribes of Tauranga Moana.

Gillie and I enjoyed our tramp to the top of Mauao.  It is pretty steep in some parts, and the steps are covered in somewhat slippery gravel.   However, lots of people go up and down this area, and it is a popular area for runners.  You will be very fit if you run up and down this daily! 

We enjoyed the view from the top, including the hanggliders (see the video on You Tube). 

After our trek back down (took us about 1 hour to get up, and about 45 minutes to get down)

we found a great, inexpensive 'hole-in-the-wall' pizza place called "The Mount Pizza", and we each enjoyed our own little pizza.   This was the closest to American pizza since we've been here.   We'll be back!


We also walked along Pilot's Bay on our way to the Mount.  This is a very nice beach, the water is calmer as it is protected from the main ocean currents.  We saw our first starfish here!  They are "stubbier" than the starfish I have seen in books, but they have a distinctive starfish look!

 

Saturday, 19th February 2011
Gillie on the beach at Pilot Bay.
(note the cruise ship in the background)



Saturday, 19th February 2011

Gillie at the top of the Mount. 
It may look like we're not up that high, but the ledge behind Gillie

basically goes straight down. 
(They are not big on safety railings here...you just gotta use common sense!)
Look at how small the people on the beach are!

Gillie looking over the paragliders.

Gillie pointing out towards where we live.

We live along the South Pacific Ocean, where you see the beach curve off to the left

at the top left of the picture.  (About 8km (5 miles) from the Mount, along the beach)

Pilot Bay and the cruise ship are just under Gillie's arm.





Gillie at the start of the tramp...this is the easy part of the hike. 
Tauranga is the in the background, along with one of the main
swimming beaches.  Lots of beach volleyball!