Back Again

Here I am once again in my cozy little room at home in Indiana. Its amazing to think about all of the things God helped me to accomplish this semester.  I had so many adventures while in NZ, met some awesome people, and grew in my teaching skills.  I am so unbelieveably grateful that I was able to go, and that God was with me every step of the way. I am sad my time there is over, and will miss my friends, some students, the beach, beautiful scenery, and the warm weather.  I am glad to see my family, friends, my dogs, my violin, and am ready to graduate.  I am also thankful for the Christmas season here, I dont think it would ever be the same in 70 degree weather =)

I cannot sum up why I wanted to teach in NZ or even one main reason that I am glad I went.  I am grateful for all of it; the process before I got there, and the process in me while I was there.  I do know that it was a God thing that I was there, and I know that I was used to change students' lives and people I met were used to changed mine.  I cant help think of the song from the musical Wicked: because I knew you, I have been changed for good. I also thought of the song that some of the kids sang in choir at Tamaki, Believe: "I can do anything at all, I can climb the highest mountain, I can feel the ocean calling wild and free, I can be anything I want with this strength to guide me onward, if I can just believe in me."

I miss you New Zealand, I will be back someday.

~The rest of my life starts now.~

Update from NZ

Hello! Sorry its been a while mates!
School is going really well.  We are doing festivals around the world, and learning songs from each country discussed.  Lately we have been doing Gung Hay Fat Choy; yes it uses the pentatonic scale and yes it is stuck in my head. We have been using the glockenspiels with that, and making fun music. 

I had a bit of a problem with some boys last week, and decided to make them do some push-ups.  I had them sit silently for 5 minutes and then gave them a behavior I want you to succeed speech. They know I mean business.
Mostly the students are lovely, always eager to come to music and have fun learning, but there are of course the occasional havoc wreakers.  They usually come around after consistant consequences are followed. 

I only have a few more weeks here, I cannot believe how the time is flying.  Please pray that I learn to take every day and every moment at a time, and to persevere to the end. 
Thank you so very much, have a blessed week!

~Miss

Teach to Learn

I took a lovely walk today after school on a bike/running trail.  It was so beautiful, the bright sun, big blue sky, and the interesting plants all around.  I asked God what He was trying to tell me and wanting me to hear.  My thoughts wandered from how beautiful New Zealand is, and I imagined myself back at home telling everyone how wonderful it is.  I saw myself as a sort-of Ambassador from NZ, bringing back all the stories and adventures and tales of beauty. And felt Him say, "This is just how you are an ambassador of me.  Sharing what you have seen and experienced in me."  And I thought yes! Thats exactly right, thats what it feels like, to share with someone, anyone, everyone what I have seen, heard, lived, experienced, and learned from my God.  My thoughts also went to a student today. Her name was Sina, and she just wasnt getting the chords on the uke.  But then she would ask such great questions and knew she was understanding, and she would show me the right way to play the chords.  And then I would have her start over and show me the chords, and she would say "I dont know how to do that." I said "yes you do, you know, you showed me and I know you can do it."  And then I heard God speak to my heart that this was how He saw me.  I know how to teach, I know how to love students, I just need to do it and do it with everything I've got. I know what Jesus has done for me, I know that everyone needs Him, and I need to tell them and show them with everything I've got, everything I have been given. 

I am sorry this is somewhat deep and personal, I dont normally write things like this so publicly.  But when all those thoughts clicked on my walk and I knew that God was speaking to my heart, it was such a cool moment, and I wanted to share it with you.

These are kids from my last placement.  I miss them all so much, even the bad ones =)

More Photos

Here are some pics of the backyard at the house.

I like to call this the Pineapple Palm Tree, because well, it looks like a pineapple. (This one isnt the greatest example but dont worry, I will get another for you).

First Time Driver

I just drove for over an hour in New Zealand.  In the dark. In the rain. Through about 20 round-a-bouts. On the left side of the road. On the left side of the car. It was tight! (Thanks Sara for teaching me)
Maybe I will have to get a video of this up and running =) I didnt do too bad, Sara said I did pretty good actually.

Today was a great day, great weather and great day of classes.  I taught the last class of the day, girls ukulele, and it was so fun to see their faces light up when they got to play and played chords together.  I will be getting pictures of them soon, but I have to send permission slips to parents yet, stuff like that.
Tomorrow is going to be another great day, and small group is in the evening.  I've met some really awesome people here, and again, it was really great to worship in church down here in another culture.
Until next time,
Hannah

Another Adventure

Yesterday I had the privilege of going to Bethel Beach with some lovely people and had such a great time!
I didn't know what to expect exactly, but thats ok, I like suprises =)
We walked up a path to a sand dune.  Uh huh, in the middle of rolling green hills.  It was so funny, and there was a film crew filming what we later found out to be for the show "Seekers".  We were asked to walk around the sand plateau so that they could continue to film =).
So we keep walking through the sand, trying to not fall because we are on the edge of the thing so we wouldnt be in the way, and I realized that the sand was black. It was different, I was told it was because there were iron and other metals in it. I actually had my camera in my pocket at one point and pulled it out to find little magnetized sand particals stuck to the battery part of my camera.

So we get to part A of our journey, which was a very very steep sand dune with water at the bottom.  Then my adventurous friends start sliding down it on boogie boards. Yeah.  It was so funny! They didnt go very fast because the sand was wet, but it was hysterical to watch =) It was sooo steep so I didnt want to do it at first, but I was told I had to (thank you Sara).  It ended up begin fun the second time =)

Then we walked on ahead to a little cove between the hills that had a hidden lake in it.  It was so pretty! There were green hills and tree covered hills and blue skies and a mountain of sand, and then a lovely little lake. It was so much fun, being in good company on an adventure.

Then we walked back across the 'sand plateau' and the film crew were finishing up by that time and rolling out.  We got in the car and drove a bit to another sandy path.  This one lead to a beach! It was such a gorgeous beach, again with black sand.  There were a few people walking and running and many had their dogs with them.  The sun was near to its setting stage, but we had the most beautiful hour or so to explore the beach.  There were rock precipices on either side, and a big rock formation on one side, which some of us climbed.  The view out onto the ocean and the setting sun was so unbelievably breathtaking.  I felt so alive, such a part of God's glorious creation.  I felt like I belonged there.  I dont know if that sounds crazy, but I dont really care, it was magnificant.  I could have stayed in that one place on top of that rock for hours listening to the crashing waves and watching the calm yet brilliant display before me. 

Bella Nota

First Week of Classes

So the first week of classes is underway, and almost 2 weeks is up. I can tell its going to go by quickly =(
Every day is different, with a different schedule of classes. I have so many names to learn, so many students to get to know.  We are usuing the ukulele and guitar, and maybe some keyboards to learn about music around the world.  A really cool class that I teach is called Band, and its not a regular band but a group of auditioned students who play pop songs using drums and guitars and vocals, and mostly they get to choose what they want to play. 
Here are some pictures from the classroom, and there will be some more posters up representing the countries we will be talking about.