Today started with a scenic two hour drive from Auckland to Hamilton. Things are a bit different here in New Zealand. It has taken us a little getting use to driving and walking on the left side of the road; however, we do enjoy listening to the way people talk here.
Once we arrived at the University, we took part in a traditional Maori welcoming ceremony that involved songs and the pressing of noses. When asked to speak on behalf of our group, Dr. Haxton expressed our gratitude for their hospitality. We were then invited to sing our song which was an impromptu, off-key version of "Oklahoma" which delighted our hosts. We then enjoyed lunch and conversation before participating in an interactive Maori lesson to introduce us to their culture. This was followed by two sessions with University officials giving us an overview of New Zealand's educational system.
P.S. We had a definite upgrade in our accomodations:-)
It would have been fun to hear your choral version of "Oklahoma!". I'm sure it wasn't too bad a version of this international iconic song.
ReplyDeleteI'm also happy that in your discription you didn't describe the New Zealanders as driving on the "wrong" side of the road. You are truly showing your openness and embracing of other cultrual perspectives :-)
I figure maybe we are wrong...who is to say. I have finally figured out how to convert degrees Celsius to degrees Farenheit. I feel so smart:-)
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