Ernst Haeckel Gymnasium Werder (Havel)

After an exciting weekend in which we got to see more of Auckland and go on trips with our exchange students, we had to say goodbye to them on the morning of the 13th of October. Everyone was eager to go on this week-long trip, but there were also some emotional goodbyes, as many had formed close friendships in just a week.
We departed around 9:30, marking the start of another adventure. On the bus ride to our first stop, Ruakākā, we listened to music. Once we arrived, Simon, our bus driver and tour guide, told us about the significance of the location. We also had our lunch break there and got to enjoy a beautiful view of the ocean and some islands close to the beach.
After that break, our journey continued to Whangārei Falls. It was an absolutely incredible view. We had a few minutes to take it in before it was time to leave again. On the bus ride to our next stop, we drove past hilly countryside with many cows and sheep.
Before arriving at our final destination, we had the opportunity to stop and look around one more place: Hikurangi. As Simon explained, this was the site of the final battle of the War of the North—Te Ruapekapeka—which took place in January of 1846. I was especially impressed to learn that this was the origin of the trench warfare later used in the First World War. Overall, I think we all learned a lot at this site.
Afterwards, we continued on our final bus ride to the hostel. When we arrived, we were all stunned by the view. It was right next to the beach, and from the kitchen, you had an amazing view of the ocean. The kitchen was also where most of us went first, as we were all very hungry. After dinner, some of us played games or explored the area, marking the end of another great day here in New Zealand.

Just like every other morning, this 12th of October began with breakfast with my host family, who have really grown close to my heart by now. Today, we just had the typical Cornflakes. We talked about what everyone had planned for the day, and I got to learn a lot about the daily life of my host family.

Since it’s Sunday and I’m staying with a Christian family, we went to church together. That was a completely new experience for me, because I don’t usually go to church. We sang a lot of songs, prayed, and at the end, there was food for everyone.

My host mother is a professional breakdancer and she had a performance in the city today. She planned to take me and Charleen (my German friend) along with her. So in the early afternoon, we made our way towards Auckland City. I was really looking forward to this trip, and you could already see the famous Sky Tower from a long distance. And just like so many times during the past week, I was once again overcome by that unbelievable feeling — I’m really on the other side of the world!

We parked in the middle of downtown. My host mom headed off to the location for her performance, and Charleen and I started to explore the city. Our first stop was the shopping mall “Westfield Newmarket.” I’ve noticed that there are an incredible number of shopping centers in Auckland — this must have been at least the fourth or fifth one I’ve come across in the past week. The Westfield Mall is a huge, five-story,: modern building with lots of different stores. But first, we grabbed something to eat, since the food here in New Zealand is really delicious and we were both very hungry. After that, we strolled through the various shops and had a few conversations with people along the way. I noticed again how incredibly friendly and interested people in New Zealand are. Later, we took a bus into the actual city center because we really wanted to see the Sky Tower up close. It’s unbelievably tall and stands like a pillar right in the middle of the city. In the hotel across the street, there’s a large souvenir shop with all kinds of items — especially noticeable are the kiwis, which you can buy in every imaginable form. I picked up a few souvenirs for home and a birthday present for my dad.

Since it had gotten quite late by then, we took the bus back, but the traffic in nighttime Auckland caused a few delays. Finally we made it to the meeting point we had arranged with our host parents, and we drove home. There, we had dinner with the whole family, and then one by one, we all went to bed.

And that’s how my weekend in Auckland came to an end!

(AW)

Hello everyone, its Niclas. Today, I would like to explain what Kiwis usually eat and in what way their habits might differ from ours back in Germany.

Since we arrived very early at Aukland Airport on Tuesday and not everyone was satisfied with the food Qatar Airways served us, most of us had breakfast right away. It is quite common to have cereal for breakfast as well as hot porridge as an alternative. My host family also loves ‘Wheat Bix’, they contain nothing more than compressed wheat and when put in milk taste like cold porridge. To spice it up a little bit you can add a preferred amount of sugar. There is even a factory around Auckland that produces them. When it comes to bread the culture shock gets real because in New Zealand, like in almost every other country, you will just find white toast. As more of a specialty you can get darker toast if you are lucky, it contains little seeds too. But all the experiences here make it quite easy for me to spare my good German bread.

For example, when it comes to lunch which is usually after 1 o clock at school, lunchboxes can contain really cool stuff. Either the parents prepare something, or it is also common  to pick something up in the morning. I have never seen that in Germany before, but some restaurants are already open in the mornings for children or both children and parents to stop and get something fresh for lunch. We picked up freshly made sushi that was nicely packed and  it survived the first part of the day easily without getting mushed or soggy. And when it was finally time to get out my lunchbox it tasted so good. To really understand how preparing food works, students at Lynfield College are responsible for the ‘tuck shop’ where you can buy freshly made drinks or little snacks which is also so different from the Cafeteria at EHG.

In the afternoon my family and I  enjoyed a lot of snacks so far, just like banana cake, smoothies, carrots and celery with a dip or toasted ‘crumpets’. The crumpets reminded me of little, crispy Pfannkuchen and you pour sweet ‘golden syrup’ over it.

Since you do not host students from Germany every day, my host family and I sometimes ate out for dinner. But I have to say they are excellent cooks and the meals they cooked taste very good. I hope you are not hungry and always have a snack in reach. Lovely greetings from New Zealand, Niclas.

(NL)

 

The day started with attendance and a short meeting in the staff room, where a few teachers talked about some things that are happening at school and a couple of upcoming events. Everyone seemed a bit quiet at first, but it was a nice way to start the morning and kind of get into the day. After that, we had a workshop about New Zealand’s culture, history and identity, which turned out to be really interesting. The main focus was the Treaty of Waitangi — when it was signed, what it stood for, and also the problems that came with it afterwards. It was actually quite fascinating to see how something from such a long time ago still affects the country today and how it shapes the relationship between Māori and European culture. You could really see how both sides are still trying to exist next to each other, keeping their traditions but also finding ways to connect. We also talked about New Zealand’s national holidays and how they are celebrated differently across communities, which showed how many different traditions coexist here. It became clear that New Zealand really tries to protect and value ist cultural diversity, and that’s what makes it feel so open and welcoming. During the session, there were a few points where you could really think about how culture builds identity and how everyone kind of carries their background with them, even if they don’t always notice it. Later on, we went to the Year 9 assembly, which had a really positive and funny atmosphere. Students who were always on time or had perfect attendance were acknowledged, and the names of those with 100% attendance were put on a big spinning wheel. The teachers spun it to pick one student for a small prize, and the whole thing was actually pretty entertaining to watch. It was a simple but creative idea and showed how the school manages to make even small achievements feel fun and appreciated. After that, we joined a poetry and identity workshop, which was one of the most creative parts of the day. We read two poems, including Afakasi Chameleon by Selina Tusitala Marsh, which explored mixed identity and belonging. The discussions showed how differently people understand identity, and in the end, we wrote our own short poems inspired by animals we felt connected to — a surprisingly personal and reflective activity. At the end of the day, we had another workshop, this time focused on Samoan culture and language. A few Samoan students joined and told us about their customs, some greetings, and even explained the meaning behind a few traditions. It was really nice to hear it from them directly because it made everything feel more real than just reading about it. The way they spoke about their culture showed a lot of pride and warmth, and it tied in perfectly with the things we’d learned earlier about cultural coexistence. Altogether, the day showed a lot about what school life here is like — a mix of learning, community and openness towards different cultures and ideas.

Ein zweiter Blick auf den Tag:

After morning attendance and a quick meeting in the staff room about some upcoming events, the first workshop started with the topic of New Zealand’s culture, history and identity. We mainly talked about the Treaty of Waitangi — when it happened, what it meant, and what problems came with it later on. It was interesting to see how important that treaty still is and how it continues to shape New Zealand’s identity today. We also looked at how Māori and European traditions are balanced in modern life and how holidays bring different communities together. One could really see how much effort goes into keeping those traditions alive and respected at the same time. During the second period, we went to the Year 9 assembly, which was actually quite fun to watch. Some students got recognised for always being on time or having perfect attendance, and their names were put on a big wheel that the teachers spun to choose someone who’d get a small prize. It gave the whole assembly a really cheerful energy and showed how the school values consistency but in a light-hearted way. After that, we went to a workshop on poetry and identity, which was probably the most creative part of the day. We read two poems, one of them being Afakasi Chameleon by Selina Tusitala Marsh, which talked about mixed identity and belonging in a really powerful way. We had some great discussions about certain lines and how identity can mean something completely different for everyone. Towards the end, we wrote our own short poems based on animals that we felt connected to, describing how those animals might represent parts of who we are. It was surprisingly personal and reflective, and it gave everyone a chance to express themselves through writing. In the last workshop of the day, we learned about Samoan culture and language. A few Samoan students came and shared stories, taught us some greetings, and explained the meaning behind a few of their customs. It was really interesting to see how much language and culture are linked and how strongly people identify with their traditions. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, and it felt like a nice way to end the day — learning about something new but also seeing how all these different cultures connect and influence each other. Overall, the workshops were varied and creative and showed how much identity, history, and self-expression are connected to one another in everyday life.