My first 48 hours

“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you

control it.”

John Steinbeck

I finally arrived in Auckland after a grueling 24 hours of traveling. The 13 hour plane ride wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be – when you walked in it was like a club atmosphere and there were some awesome pods that first and business class had. Then I made my way to my seat and it was nice and comfortable. The guy sitting beside me was from DC and we was flying down to Auckland for 2 weeks to backpack and hang with a friend of his who was also flying down. The most fun part of the flight was when Bear Grylls did the safety presentation! I have seen others (LOTR version but never this one!) it was hilarious and made me pay attention!

no clue who the woman is... :) 

The sweet pods!!! 

Bear!!!

 My plane!! 

Sunrising before arriving in Auckland! 

I really wanted to be on the Hobbit plane..

View from my bedroom window! 

I finally arrived, met my driver from the school I will be at, and off we went through Auckland to the North Shore (20 mins away from the city) to my home for the next 3 months! It is a very nice place. My host parents are semi-retired and work a bit through the week. They always have international students staying with them (usually younger) so they are used to the routine. They have two sons, one living in Spain and one that lives next door with his wife and 2 year old son (adorable). Whenever I see him I always miss my Godson and his baby sister. There family is so kind and welcoming.

There is another American student teacher staying here, she arrived around 3 pm on Monday. She is from Iowa, teaches science and very kind and I am excited to get to know her more. It’s nice to have here at my school with me so we are in it together!

On Monday we relaxed, unpacked, visited, walked around the neighborhood and took a drive around town and school. I am teaching at Westlake Girls School. It is a beautiful school, wonderful and welcoming teachers, students, campus, and sports program. It is only a 20 minute walk up and down huge hills to school each morning and afternoon and so it is easy to get back and forth. I will explain more about my school and what I will be doing while I am there later – I don’t really know quite yet (hopefully I will be assigned tomorrow). Oh and at dinner we had steak, potatoes and peas- pretty simple but filling.

Tuesday we reported to school at 8:30 (which is soo nice) and was greeted by our point person while we are at Westlake, Robyn. She is so kind and welcoming. She took us around campus, introduced us to all of the administration, we met the Principal, and got some things straightened out. I also observed a technology class, which remined me some of Shop class in the states. The girls were making tables out of wood. Its really complex but quite interesting. I also observed a Geography class as well.  We were then allowed to leave around 12:30. We walked back up to our home and took naps and relaxed.

After dinner - chicken, peas, pumpkin (which I think is butternut squash), salad, and sweat potatoes – my host mom, my other “roomie” and I went down to Takapuna Beach to watch the beach series. Takapuna beach looks over a dormant volcano on Rangitoto Island. It is stunning and I can stare at it all day long! We took a long walk around the beach and then watched the series which was a blast.

 The State Beach Series is a unique fitness event which takes place on Auckland’s picturesque Takapuna Beach. It runs over seventeen Tuesday evenings each summer and individuals can sign up for multiple weeks or just participate once. The State Beach Series attracts all types of athletes from the elite to the casual exerciser. There is a fun atmosphere and a lot of support for first timers. There are a ton of families and children who participate as well.

The State Beach Series was created in 2005 and has evolved over that last seven years from a ski paddle event to what is on Takapuna Beach today - a choice of 11 different event categories to choose from each night….

This season they are offering participants four popular sports to choose from each night, with a range of 11 event categories - something for everyone:

•   Junior Stand-Up Paddle 500m

•   Junior Swim 300m

•   Junior Run 2500m

•   Social Swim 500m

•   Social Walk 2500m

•   Social Stand-Up Paddle 1000m

•   Swim 1000m

•   Swim 1500m 

•   Stand-Up Paddle 3000m

•   Ski Paddle 5000m

- Run 5000m

It was a great time watching all the families participate and some elite sporting members as well! Below are some pictures of the events and the beach. Afterwards we headed back, watched some TV and went to bed. I will tell you about my day today some other time J Miss you all back home!!! Sending all my love! 

ps. Can't wait to tell you all about my weekend plans!!!! 

My Last Week in America!

“Home is behind, the world ahead,
and there are many paths to tread
through shadows to the edge of night,
until the stars are all alight.”

J.R.R. Tolkien,The Lord of the Rings

I finally ARRIVED in AUCKLAND!!! Wow this whole 23 hours of traveling thing isn’t too bad (ask me that in a couple hours and my opinion may change). I will tell you more about my flight and my first day in a bit – after I sleep. But onto what I did this past week (mostly in pictures).

My last week in AMERICA! Below are some pictures of this awesome week!

So after I said goodbye to my students I packed up my apartment and put all my stuff into storage along with the big furniture from what was our Indianapolis home. Thank goodness for my dad and mom who came to Bloomington and saved me from my worst packing nightmares. - thanks guys!! 

Then off I went! I flew to Houston, Texas for the week to visit Jeff who was on spring break! We finally after 5 spring breaks had the same one!  We grilled outside, went to the Houston Rodeo and saw Kenney Chesney preform! We also took a road trip to Dallas to see his sister preform – and it was beautiful!

Then we spent two days relaxing and then I was off! Miss you all back home! Wish I could have taken you all with me! 

Enjoy the pictures!

PS. My skype name is cassiecaccavo – please add me! I would love to chat! And I have voxer, viber, and tango which is texting apps that work overseas as long as I have wifi – oh and if you have an iphone we can imessage as long as I am connected to wifi (which is at my house and school) FYI!!! 

Yay for fitting it all in!!! 

 I wanted rosie to come with! 

Bye Bye Indiana! 

 Yes we ate that - not too bad..very Texas :) 

 So big! 

Hello Dallas! 

It all fit!!!  

Bye Houston! 

So Long, Farewell...

Friday was the day! I finished my student teaching at North and said goodbye to all my wonderful students! Looking back on the experience being there, with an amazing mentor, the best kids, and the most supportive atmosphere I realize I am so blessed and fortunate to have this wonderful experience student teaching. I have heard the horror stories and I am so glad I don’t have any to report!

The hardest thing to do all day Thursday and Friday was to say goodbye to my students. I gave each one a exit survey about my experience and I was blown away by the comments (in a good way J ). Being there with them everyday I didn’t know how much they liked me or what they thought of my grading, lessons and activities until I read what some of the students wrote. It is times like this where I am at a loss for words – below are some of the comments my students wrote. I was also so surprised when some of the students who I tired to connect but felt like I didn’t came up to me after class and gave me a big bear hug and told me they would miss me. That is something I will cherish forever. These students have no idea how impactful this experience has been on me, and how they have influenced my teaching style and pedagogy.

Teaching has totally exceeded my expectations. Teaching these kiddos is the best thing, and that I was something I somehow hadn't anticipated. I thought it was all about the subject but the children are the thing. They keep you on your toes. You have to be on the top of your game, and I think it's great to have that sort of pressure in your profession. The stuff they come out with is absolutely brilliant – what comes to mind is my class discussion on the death penalty – that really was a great teaching moment. When you become an adult you can forget what it's like to be curious, but the kids remind you – and it is truly an exceptional feeling.

I know some are finally reading this (Hello North juniors and seniors!) – I gave them the web address before I left so they could keep up on me and I just want to thank all my students… thank you for showing me how wonderful it is to be a teacher. My mom came on the last day of my student teaching, she had to get out of my apartment and take a break from packing my stuff up and when I was walking her out to her car she said to me, “ your kids are so respectful and really seem kind and respect you as a real teacher.” I said – DUH I am their teacher – they better be respectful! It was just a great complement to my students and our class environment we have built since December. So thank you all for making my student teaching so memorable and rewarding, it was truly a blessing being with all of you these past few months!

So after my goodbyes, packing and moving all my stuff out of my apartment I finally flew to Houston to visit with Jeff (the boyfriend for those who don’t know) for the week. He is a teacher here at a wonderful charter school and he is on spring break too! It has been a blast here – the weather is amazing, we have been grilling and sitting out in the sun daily, and we drove to Dallas to see his sister sing at a conference (at the Opera House- beautiful by the way!). It has been a perfect week to relax, apply for jobs, and appreciate my surroundings before heading over seas.

Okay I am tired of writing but I will give you all an update about my host family (address so you all can send me stuff), school and other NZ things before I head out on Saturday mid-afternoon. Oh and some pictures of this week! Miss all my friends, students, and family back home! J