June 13

Day 8

What did we do today?

Today was our EXCURSION DAY!!! We were planning on going whale watching today… but the weather was too bad and we couldn’t go. Some of my friends had taken Dramamine before they heard the news, so they weren’t feeling very good today. I luckily escaped that one! In the morning we went to a big market. Our group wanted to go upstairs to the mall. We spent all of our time there and didn’t really get to look around. I guess the market was underground… we didn’t get to go. L We went and got some lunch at an Italian restaurant… we got some pretty good pizza. Then we went to the Bridge Climb!! We got all harnessed up and had everything hooked onto our jumpers… even my glasses… We did a test run on a small rig and then headed up for the real thing! I loved the bridge climb. It was magnificent. Sydney is beautiful!! The climb was life changing… It showed me one of the wonderful examples of how incredible our world truly is. After we touched ground we went back to the harbor area and watched the light show on the Sydney Opera House. That night, I went out with Ms. T and Mr. Barry’s group and we went to a restaurant where I ate a pineapple burger. Then we headed back to the hotel.

Prompt: What does it take to travel on your own? Do you think you are ready?

Journal:

I love traveling- I caught the bug last year in China, and this year has been incredible! I would love to travel throughout my life. There is not a single country I don’t want to see. There are wonders everywhere you go, you just have to be willing to look. Traveling on your own can be a scary thing. It’s you and that’s it. You can’t rely on anyone for help in a tough situation. You not only have to know how to have fun, but you also have to know how to be safe. Safety and health are obviously a first concern. You have to know how to take care of yourself. The best way to figure out if you can handle it is to try it. Honestly, I’ve never traveled alone in my life, so I don’t know how I would react to being on my own. I would like to think I would be good at it, but truthfully, I really don’t know. Can I find my way? Will I know what to see? Can I set a rigid schedule for myself? Can I be spontaneous and adventurous while being safe and conscious? It’s a constant balancing act. You also need to know how to be adventurous. Being spontaneous is important while traveling, but it becomes difficult when safety is an issue. This is true not only when you’re traveling by yourself, but with a group that is too large as well. I feel like that’s how it has been on this trip. Don’t get me wrong- I’ve loved this trip and have enjoyed myself in everything we’ve done, but sometimes I feel like our excursion group is too big to do everything everyone wants to do. We can’t go off and explore because our group is too big to be safe in crowded public places. We’re a target when we’re huge. We’d also be a target if we were on our own though. There’s safety and dangers in numbers. But anyway… You also have to be charismatic while traveling. When you’re by yourself, you need to talk to others and become fully emerged in the culture. This is something a shy person like is continuing to get better at. It makes the trip more memorable when you connect with the people there. In the end, you just have to go with it! Have fun! Look where you are!

I don’t know if I’m ready to travel by myself. I mean, I definitely WANT to! I don’t think anyone knows what it takes to travel on your own until they’re put in the situation. No one’s ready until they’ve tried. Time to pack your bags, close your eyes, and point to where you’re goin’ next!

June 12

Day 7

What did we do today?

We got up and got ready. After breakfast I got some medicine because all of the rain was hard on my sinuses. Today Alec gave us a tour of the suburbs of Sydney. He showed us all of the really nice houses and beautiful beaches. We went to the Rocks. I had fun exploring at the Rocks despite the wind and rain. Next we went to Bondi Beach!! We had a lot of fun. The beach was beautiful! We saw a Portuguese Man-O-War!! I was very excited… I had never seen one in person! A rogue wave came and got us all wet though, so we were kind of uncomfortable the rest of the day. We went and got some hot chocolate and coffee to warm us up, but my tea latte burnt my tongue… Then we went to the Sydney Opera House. I was surprised because in all of the pictures I’ve seen of it always looked smooth and white. It’s neither. It looks less like a tent and more like a bunch of seashells. The roof is made of tiles and is cream in color. I found that very interesting. The birds here are crazy… they certainly like the food the tourists have. We took a tour of Sydney Harbor on a boat and went under the Sydney Bridge. It was a lot of fun! We then went to Sydney Wildlife World. I took lots of pictures of the kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, crocodiles, and the kookaburras. I had fish n’ chips at the Lizard Lounge at the Wildlife World!! It was really good! We walked back to the hotel and got to hang out and play games in Lexa’s hotel room. We also got to wash some clothes… which is a plus.

Portuguese Man-O-War!

Prompt: Reflect on all travels and how you have changed. Why do we travel?

Journal:

I feel like I’m changing on this trip… Every trip I’ve changed (hopefully, and I feel) for the better. Last year my parents noticed I was more open to change and was far more social. I felt comfortable trying to work with a group. Going to China was the farthest and longest I’ve ever been away from home. It taught me to be responsible and independent. This year the trip is longer and farther. I know that I’m changing and growing on this trip. I’ve seen it particularly in the way I’ve been testing my limits, stretching my comfort zone, communicating, and problem solving.


So far I have tried to participate in everything we’ve done so far. This is extremely difficult, especially when we’re so tired from activity I’ll get the most out of it. Whatever you can get out of the trip helps you grow as a person. I feel much more outgoing. It is getting easier for me (a shy person around people I don’t know) to feel like an influential part of the group. One of my goals on this trip was to be easygoing. The people of Australia and New Zealand are known for their laid back attitudes. I get stressed out while traveling because I’m worried I won’t be on time, I’ll lose something, or have something stolen from me. On this trip I wanted to be the true backpacker inside of me. I wanted to be open with everyone, be myself, and not worry about things so much. Hopefully I can achieve my goal… I feel like I’m on the right track. I’m not dumping my baggage or drama on anyone. I want to be free to anything our incredible wonder of a world has to offer!

June 11

Day 6

What did we do today?

We woke up at 4:45 this morning. ‘Nuff said. It’s tired out. We got on the bus and drove to the Auckland Airport. Today we took a walk around the city. We went to the park and saw a fountain, we to the Sydney Tower, and saw Sydney Harbor. We went to an Opal Factory and had lunch in a giant food court. I ate a pide… It was like a pizza without sauce. It had cheese, chicken, and pineapples on it. It was delicious!! We went to an open air market and I got to try out my awesome China haggling skills. I could only get the price down minimally though… Australia is nothing like China! It started raining when we began walking back to the hotel. We must have walked two miles in the rain… it was crazy! Our spirits were high though and we made it through. We were really tired when we got back though… We ordered pizza and had fun bonding at the hotel.

Prompt: Talk about Sydney and compare and contrast it to other major cities you’ve been to.

Journal:

Sydney is absolutely gorgeous! It looks more like Chicago than Auckland did because the buildings in Auckland were all mostly only a few stories high, whereas in Sydney there are plenty of skyscrapers. When we first arrived in Sydney, Katie turned to me and asked if we were really staying here for the next couple of days I told her yes and asked what was wrong with that. She told me it looks just like Chicago and that it was just a city. This made me think: well… why is this city so important? What makes it unique and stand out against all other cities across the world? It’s the similarities and the differences that make a place memorable. The similarities help connect the traveler to the place. Once the person has this personal connection to the area, they can understand and relate it back to their own lives. You’re no longer looking at scenery; you’re looking at something meaningful to you. An example of this is today when we saw how the buildings looked a lot like Chicago or when we saw a Subway restaurant. The differences between cities are important to see after you recognize the similarities. The differences show a city’s uniqueness and individuality. These are often the monuments, like the ones we saw today: the Sydney Bridge, Harbor, and Opera House. These things are unique to the city and make Sydney, Sydney. You can truly appreciate the differences once you can see the similarities.

The more you travel, the more connections based on similarities and differences you make. For example, the Sydney Tower allowed us to see for miles all around the city just like the Skydeck at the Sears/Willis Tower in Chicago. The Sydney Tower offers bungee jumping, but the Chicago tower offers aerial views. Another example is the smells in the city. It smells really clean and open in Sydney… I love it! Chicago doesn’t smell as nice as Sydney, and Xi’an smelled even worse than Chicago. There seem to be many green zones in Sydney which is similar to Hong Kong and St. Louis. Places such as Chicago and Beijing don’t have many of these.

The differences and similarities between cities is what makes you remember the important things in life and travel!

June 10

Day 5

What did we do today?

Today we woke up at 5:30… We went downstairs for breakfast. I love having kiwis for breakfast! The fruit here is wonderful. The best I’ve ever tasted! Today we braved ourselves for the vegemite. Yup… it was bad. We went out in the rain and took a public bus to get to the Redwood Forest. It was wet, very muddy, and rainy beyond belief. But, it was also a wondrous good time. Our group consisted of Maddie, Katie, Amanda, Steven, Bridget, Lexa, Reilly, Schags, Ewen, and Ms. Titus. We sang all the way through the trail. Mostly they were Disney songs… ‘Be a Man’ from Mulan was a popular one. We went back to our hotel and dried off as best we could. We got on the bus to Auckland and stopped to have lunch. I had a homemade burger and shared a weird chicken pie pastry with Katie and Steven. After we made it to Auckland we went to Rangitoto College!! I met Charlotte and she was so nice and adorable. We had so much in common! I really liked the Maori kids’ haka performance for us. They sang to us and we sang the national anthem to them. The barbeque they had for us was really good… I’ve found I really like sausage rolls. Katie, Amanda, and I stayed in a creepy hotel room that night…

Prompt: Talk about day 5.

Journal:

Today was so much fun! We went to the Redwood forest early this morning for a hike. I loved it! I t was one of the many examples of how people are getting to know each other and participate on the trip. I feel like we are stepping out of our comfort zones. In the forest, our excursion group was singing songs, laughing, and having a great time! We would never sing like that back home. I have also stepped out of my comfort zone while luging and zorbing. I love it!

I feel like everyone is beginning to be more open to change and excitement. We’re all starting to mingle and talk to people we normally wouldn’t. It’s wonderful! Out here we are all put on the same level. It’s out in the real world of travel that one’s true character shines above all else.

We got to meet the kids from the Rangitoto College today! The experience was amazing! I cannot even describe it… Even though our pen-pal buddies were a random pick, I feel like it was fate we had them. Me, Amanda, Katie, Maddie, and even some of the other kids from our school feel like they met their kiwi twin today. Charlotte, my buddy, is interested in all of the same things I am (including art, skiing, and travel!) and basically had my personality in a nut shell. She was so sweet; I can’t wait to talk and see her again!! J

June 9

Day 4

What did we do today?

Today we had brekkie in our hotel. The hotel was serving vegemite… we smelled it, but it was a no go. It smells revolting. Just sayin’. We woke up early today, so we went outside and watched the sunrise. It was incredible. The colors were indescribable and breathtaking. We took many many many pictures. We then went on a duck tour! We got to see Lake Rotorua but couldn’t go in it because there is an invasive weed living in the water. In order to protect the other lakes from the invader, the boats cannot travel from Lake Rotorua to any of the other lakes. We went to the Blue Lake next. It was really pretty but it was so foggy we could hardly see! Afterwards we went to another lake that was less foggy… there were so many different species of birds! The ducks dropped us off at the Whaka Village. We got a tour of the hot springs, saw the giant geyser, and watched our tour guide sing us a welcome song. After that we stopped in town for some lunch and free time in Rotorua. I had a very good steak sandwich at the Art Café. We also went to a fruit market and got some amazing apples. We got back on the bus and watched more sheep and cows go by… we even saw an emu! We went to the Agrodome and saw the show. Then we went OGOING!! The first time I went down the hill with Maddie and the second time Maddie, Alex, and I raced Steven and Nishant (we beat them!). So much fun!!! We dried off at the hotel and went to our traditional hungi dinner an hour later. We saw the Maori challenge (places down token), greeting (hongi- the touching of noses), and haka (war dance). Tonight we packed our bags for Auckland.

Prompt: Talk about the Maori culture we saw in the morning and at night.

Journal:

We went outside to watch the sunrise over Lake Rotorua. It was unreal… Incredibly beautiful! This was the perfect beginning to our day. It got us excited for the duck tour and the Whaka Village. We were greeted and invited into the village by a wonderful tour guide. He gave us a tour of the area, the hot springs, and the mud pools. I loved Whakawerawera because we got to see the two contrasting cultures working together under one meeting house. The traditional culture is in perfect harmony with the modern era. I loved how everyone was so in tune with the Maori culture. Everyone was involved. I think the fact that this pride for an ancient culture can be so prevalent in modern times is truly an amazing thing.

In the afternoon we went to the Agrodome and saw how the culture is applied to the modern day. We saw how a cultural aspect of the country has turned into an attraction for tourists. For dinner we had a traditional hungi dinner. We saw a traditional Maori greeting, challenge, and haka. The food was incredible and I loved the performances. It really gave us an insight to the Maori culture and how the people are today.

Me and Amanda's haka faces... How'd we do?

June 6-8

Day 1-3

What did we do today?

Today we met outside of the school and collected bags, said our goodbyes, and left for our adventure (June 6, 2011)! We waited in O’Hare Airport and boarded our plane to Los Angeles praying our bags would show up where we did. After arriving we transferred onto our plane to Auckland, New Zealand. After a tedious long flight, we made it!! We got on our bus ride to Rotorua. We stopped in the town of Matamata for lunch and some free time. I had a pineapple and ham sandwich. The town is famous for the Lord of the rings movies. After a few hours we left and headed for Rotorua. In Rotorua we went up a skyline gondola ride and went luging!! Luging is pretty much the best thing ever. J After our luging adventure we went to the hotel for an hour of free time. We went out to eat at “Burgerfuel” and I had pretty much the biggest burger in the entire world. It was called the biofuel and it was life changing. We then went to a “grocery store” called the Pack n’ Save. It was cool because we got to compare and contrast the Pack n’ Save to something similar in America, like Wal-Mart or Jewel. We walked back to the hotel and slept after a very long and fun day!

Prompt: Give a summary of events (first impression), discuss culture shock, and tell what you’re looking forward to.

Journal:

Today has been a very long day… fun, but long. We got on two planes to get to New Zealand. After almost missing our plane out of O’Hare due to technical difficulties, we landed in Los Angeles. We then flew to Auckland, New Zealand. My first impression, walking into New Zealand, was its open beauty. The air was clean and the sky was slightly foggy. New Zealand is an exciting new place; I can’t wait to see more of it! We left Auckland and began traveling to Rotorua. We stopped in Matamata to have lunch. The people seem very nice and curious about who we are and where we come from. The food seems interesting and unique. For lunch, I had a sandwich with ham and pineapples on it. I liked traveling on the bus to Rotorua; the land is so rich in color! The trees are a thick green and the earth is a rich red-brown. I loved how Rotorua is a really popular place to visit but it’s still a small town. Some of the things that shocked me were the way the people talk and the food. The food has been similar to the food in America, but with its own NZ twist. I expected communication to be relatively easy considering the New Zealanders speak English. This is not the case… We have to pay close attention to what the locals are saying because sometimes they are hard to understand. Luging was very fun today! I loved it! New Zealand is really free flowing and easy going- just all around fun! The people are very friendly and optimistic here (This, I have to say, is different from the U.S. Americans are usually nice but not always optimistic). Later in Rotorua we went to “Burgerfuel” to grab us some dinner. One of the workers, Leighton, was very nice and described his trip to America as we described our trip to New Zealand. It was a great experience. The burgers were amazing tonight! The beet root was an interesting touch to a giant burger. I love trying new things and can’t wait for more!

I’m looking forward to visiting the Whaka area and meeting the Maori tribe. I love catching onto new phrases and givin’ ‘em a go. I’m excited to see the Agrodome too. I’m really just excited for everything! What a great way to start off a trip!!

Green Eggs and Ham: Here or there?

One thing I find really unique and interesting about traditional Maori history is the way they viewed food and cuisine. The Maori people believed “…food was noa, or non-sacred” (Maori Cuisine 1). The Maori religious places and objects had to be separated from the food supply. Any contact with the food left these tapu, or sacred, items at serious risk. People such as high chiefs, tattoo artists, or anyone else engaged in tapu work were not allowed to handle food. They had to be fed by non-tapu people. I found this very interesting because I had expected the exact opposite. I had just expected the Maori people to find food as a very cultural thing. I was shocked that they not only found it non-sacred, but they saw food as being so non-sacred that it couldn’t come in contact with anything sacred. I suppose I had expected the opposite because to the Native Americans, food was important in their culture. When a native would kill an animal, they would be sure to use the entire animal, never wasting any part of it or over killing any species. This is commonly known with the bison they would hunt. Students are often taught in American schools that the pilgrims made peace with the native tribes over a shared meal. Although food wasn’t really seen as a religious item in the Native American culture, it was still a positive part of the culture. It certainly wasn’t as extreme as food was seen in the Maori culture.

New Zealand fern- Pikopiko

I’m certainly not as afraid about the food in Australia and New Zealand as I was last year in China, but of course I still have concerns. I love trying crazy new foods and eating the cultural foods I find in different places. If it’s something I can find at home, it’s most likely not going in my mouth (within reason). I want to and plan to eat as many new things as I can. The one thing I’m concerned about is when you’re traveling, it’s very easy to get a stomach ache and not feel well after eating something you’re not accustomed to. I don’t want to be sick on the trip and I hope I feel okay throughout the trip. I think the food on this trip will be safer than the food in China. I believe that we will encounter foods in Australia and New Zealand that are closer to what we are used to eating in America. I’m excited to see what we’ll find!!