Holidays..

Tomorrow the autumn holidays will start and I have measured feelings about that.

Auckland's skyline.

On the one hand I feel really excited about the North- Island tour with Teresa, which will start tomorrow. Hopefully we will do so great activities like dolphin swimming and sand surfing :)
I can also visit the Cape Reigna, the highest place on the North- Island and Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city.

On the other hand it means two weeks no internet, no mails, no facebook and no skype :(
So if anyone writes me mails or messages, do not wonder if I don't response, it's why I can't.
The other thing is, that all German girls, except from Karla are on an other tour the whole holidays and I can't meet them.

Today I won't be sad, because it's gonna be a great last school day.. We will bake Crepes in French and I baked brownies yesterday to say good- bye to Christina.

Happy holidays
Maxine

PS: So mail me if there's something important, because we can't go on facebook at school anymore, it's blogged. My e-mail adress: maxine.1998@web.de

Water canoeing and Mufti day :)

Yesterday we did canoeing in the pool with my Outdoor Education class. It was so funny and I really enjoyed it! We did little races and at the end we practiced the "Eskimorolle" and it wasn't so scary, as I thought.

Today the most embarrassing thing ever happened!!     :o
It is mufti day, which means we don't have to wear the school uniform, but of course I forgot! I went into the school building and OMG! Immediately after I noticed that nobody wore uniform, I escaped to the toilet and I hided there till Sophie arrived. She gave me her PE clothes and I was saved. :)
That won't happen ever again!!

Blossom festival in Alexandra

On Saturday morning my host parents and I drove to Alexandra, a small town 2 or 3 hours from Dunedin. This weekend there was the Blossom festival, which is celebrated to welcome the arrival of spring. They have a bis parade, similar as carneval, but much smaller. The trucks were decorated with colorful paper and on each truck was a "Princess from Alexandra".

Furthermore there was a craft market, a little roller coaster and a merry go round. It would have been nice to watch the parade, but unfortunately my host parents escaped the crowd, which came about 1,5 hours after we arrived.

We had lunch at a really nice place and on the way back we cruised through the beautiful landscape, which reminded me on the one hand of the African steppe with its rocks and dry grass, but on the other hand there were the mountains with snow at the top, that looked a bit like Austria. We had tea at Sara and Neill's farm house and watched "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "Men in Black 3".

All in all it was a nice day, but I thought we would do a day- trip to Alexandra. I really would liked to see more from Alexandra.

**~**Fantastic formal**~**

Last Friday night was the Year 11 formal. It was an amazing event, but completely different to the german formal.
The theme was fairytale, which you could recognize in the really fantastic decoration (plants, white round arches). Furthermore they played the "Snow White" cartoon movie in the background. The Year 13 girls, who helped preparing the formal were dressed up as Snow White, Prince and King.

I got ready at Kie's house and it was funny :) Her host parents are very nice and we ate something asian... Her host sister Sandy helped us to do make up and hair. It took a while to do my hair, but finally she plaited (geflochten) my hair.

Kie, Honuka and I at the entrance :)

At the beginning you had to put your jackets and clutches in the Chapel and if i have had a partner I would introduced him to a very strict teacher in front of the entrance door.
We weren't allowed to drink alcohol before, during or after the formal, otherwise we wouldn't be able to go to the formal.
Unfortunately a lot kiwi boys and girls didn't dance, but we (germans) danced. The music was good, but the best part of the formal was probably the photo room, where photos were taken.
They had a separate room with a castle background and our Photography teacher took photos of everyone who wanted a photo.
They had crowns and swords to dress up as well.
When I became a bit tired from dancing and standing on my shoes (they weren't very high, but anyway I almost died) I went outside where they had prepared banks and heaters to cool down a little.
They also had little snacks.

The formal ended at 11 pm, so it took only 3 hours, quite short compared to Germany, but we weren't allowed to organise a after- party, because not everyone was already 16 years old.

Kie's host mum picked us up and when I arrived at home my biggest wish was "put of the shoes and go to bed" :) When I went to bed, I immediately fell asleep...

That was an awesome night and I would like to do it again!!!

Christina and me :)

Zoe and me :)

German girls with Harriet and Katy :)

Karri, Alice and I :)

Harriet and me :)

Latest photography shots

Curried Kumara Soup

I like this soup, because it has a different taste compared to the other dishes I ate. It doesn't take long to cook and is enough for 5-6 people. Looks similar to pumpkin soup.

Ingredients:

• 4 Kumara (sweet potao)
• 4 small potao
• 50g butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 4 t chicken seasoning
• 1t green herb seasoning
• 4 Cup water
• 1 Cup milk
• 2,5 t curry powder

 

Method:

1. Melt the butter in the bottom of a sauce pan.
2. Put kumara, potatoes, garlic & curry powder in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes. Don't brown the vegetables.
3. Add the water and the stock powder, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes.
4. Take of heat and blend or mash while gradually adding the milk to your liking of thikness.
5. Reheat and serve.

Chicken Sate

You can also put the chicken on sticks.

I ate this dish 2 weeks ago with my host sister and I love it. It's something different, not so healthy and it doesn't take long to cook.

Ingredients:

• rice
• chicken
• half tub peanut butter
• 1- 2 T honey
• 1-2 T sweet chili sauce
• T crushed garlic
• T soya sauce

Method:

1. Melt peanut butter slowly in a pot.
2. Add honey.
3. When melted put chili sauce, garlic and soya sauce in it.
4. Stir through and add hot water to thin down.
5. Fry chicken in a pan and add to the sate sauce.
6. Serve with rice.

Sight- Seeing with my host parents

On Sunday afternoon my host parents and I went for a ride through Dunedin. The weather was unexpected nice and warm. We went to the harbor looked at the big container on the big ships.
I also saw container from "Hamburg Sued". :)
After a few hours we had a break of the fresh air i a nice cafe in "Port Chalmers". I had a hot chocolate (which is made with hot water) and a cheese cake and that was very delicious.
Later we drove to the wonderful beach and I saw the really cute lambs, but they were too shy and ran away.. We walked along a long long path near the Albatros center and we hoped to see some seals, but no chance.. They were hiding anywhere. :(
Finally I took a photo in front of some really big teeth, which are a symbol for the harbor, because it's also called "mouth of the sea".

In the evening I cooked a pasta dish from my grand- mother and it was very yummy! I enjoyed to talk to my grand- mother again, because I miss her..

It was a great day and I really feel like a part of the family. Maggie couldn't made a better choice for me!

Little lambs.. soo cute <3

Looks like a big sand slide :)

My host father Mike and I.

My host mother Michelle and I.

Me when we walk a long path..

Rugby Game!

On Saturday night the german girls and me went to the Rugby Game "All Blacks" vs. "South Africa".
The Forsyth Barr Stadiumwas quite big and the atmosphere was amazing! When the All Blacks enterd the field the audience loved it and cheered loudly!
The game took two times 40 minutes and at the beginning before the game there was a men ballet and girls and boys who did acrobatics incredibly good.

The All Blacks won 21 to 11, but it wasn't their best performance and they had a lot luck!