A No Turkey Day

Well we finally had our Thanksgiving celebration. It just worked out. We had invited Courtney, an American friend we had met through EIT to dinner Sunday night. Then we got a call from some of Glenn’s friends from the University of Idaho that were passing through so we invited them to dinner that night as well. It turned out to be a pleasant evening. We had garlic mash potatoes, kumara (a New Zealand sweet potato), stuffing, veggies, fruit salad and free range chicken—we have yet to see turkey in the grocery store but occasionally we see wild ones roaming around. For dessert Courtney made a delicious sweet kumara pie. Good food and good company what more could you ask for Thanksgiving.

I have been back in New Zealand approximately three weeks from my trip back to the states. What a busy few weeks it has been. I told Glenn yesterday I feel like I just got back because we have been doing something every night with visitors over for dinner or going to some ones house for dinner. It has been fun. I have tried to use any spare moments to work on the ceramic work I have been making out at Taradale Pottery studio. Yesterday, I unloaded my first firing—I have much to learn about glazing. The work was not bad but not spectacular either but I am still inspired to learn more and try some new things.

Last Thursday and Friday Glenn and I attended a Maori conference with Rose Marie Pere, a Maori woman that has written a great deal about Maori health practices and beliefs. The conference was quite invigorating and gave us a look at Maori culture. It was not a typical conference meeting—where you sit in uncomfortable chairs in a stuffy room and listen to someone talk extensively about what they know. Each morning before Rose began talking a prayer was sung in Maori, and not just one person sang this song, everyone in the conference sang it together. Then throughout the day someone would begin a Waiata (a song) and the rest of the room full of people would join in. Rose was not the only one that spoke in the conference either she insisted that each person in the room would have a chance to introduce themselves. So after she spoke for a few minutes she pointed to someone on one side of the room and said lets start with you. That person stood up “Kai ora” (a Maori greeting), said their name, and then proceeded to tell where they came from--their father’s tribe and mother’s tribe, what they did for a living and how many kids they had. It was an extensive introduction. I asked Donna, the woman that had invited Glenn and I to the conference, if this was traditionally how Maori introduced themselves. She said it was done this way because often time’s people would discover that they were related to someone or could relate to that person in someway. It was true people actually listened to each person’s introduction and responded. I had two men come and talk to me about having been to Idaho or known someone from Idaho. The Maori language is quite beautiful and I was reminded how musical it is and loved to watch the women’s hands dance the words of the Waiatas.

This week we are off to see the North part of the island, first up to Auckland to pick up our friend Megan and then maybe the Bay of Islands, which we have heard is quite breath taking. Hope to bring back some great photos.

We went to an orchid show this past weekend. I filled up my memory stick with pictures of the various flowers. Each flower was so original and with such striking colors. The rest of the weekend we were pretty lazy just relaxed around the house and did some cleaning up. The weather has been fluctuating from sunny to cold, rainy, windy, yuck but I guess that is what spring is all about sometimes. The one thing that is constant is that the weather is always changing so you must dress in layers or get stuck in a rain storm with your bikini on:) 

The story of my Snazzy Hair-Do and Jacket...

So had a few people asking me about my hair and my jacket I did not expand on the pictures that I posted, I guess now is the time. The hair-do was a free deal. There was a sign outside one of the many hair salons in Taradale reading "Looking for Hair Model." The girls in the salon told me they were needing someone that would not mind getting their haircut and styled for a final exam. The day of the exam I showed up at a salon in downtown Napier and met the girl that would be cutting and doing a perm on my hair. This was the first perm in my life. There were approximately six other girls that were there taking the test and six other girls getting their hair re-shaped. The feeling in the salon was tense, but my stylist was great and she passed the test with flying colors. It is pretty weird having curly hair but this style is pretty fun and easy to manage so it will be my New Zealand look.

The jacket was an early birthday present to myself from Anne S. a cool designer that is from New Zealand and hires New Zealanders to make her clothing designs. It reminded me of my mom as well. Maybe we will make a pattern off this one and make one for her. :)