The call started off with a conversation about a typical daycare/school in New Zealand. Our contact, Jordan Daniel, spoke of her children who attend a rural school with around 140 students, where it is not uncommon to see kids bringing a lamb or baby cow along with them. She then told us a story about her husband, who used to walk barefoot to school during the winter, and would have to step in cow manure to keep his feet warm. One of her sons, Liam, just discovered a new hobby: eel catching! He indulges in this hobby at the river just across from their house. Our contact also said that New Zealand rarely freezes in the winter, and is extremely humid in the summer to where their humidity can reach up to 100%. They had an unusually wet summer this year, so they used rainwater for house water. We then transitioned into politics and learned that New Zealand's election cycle is 4 years long, just like in the U.S., but there are no restrictions on how many terms their Prime Ministers can serve. In fact, New Zealand just recently elected a new female Prime Minister. Unlike America, the town in which our contact lives in has a small police force, and their officers typically don't carry guns. One of Mrs. Daniel's favorite artists is named Tikitane, although she's not a fan of popular music. A lot of local music is influenced by the Maori island culture. Popular fast food options include fish and chips as well as pies. There are also many Mexican restaurants popping up in big cities. We also learned that their most important holidays include the Queen's Birthday and Guy Fawkes day, which is comparable to the American 4th of July. The most prominent religion in New Zealand is Christianity, though there are almost just as many atheists living in the country. As we mentioned before, Mrs. Daniel lives in a rural area, so public transportation is scarce, and her town only has one taxi, who recently passed away. There is one amusement park, but she has never been there because there is only one rollercoaster. Their currency, the New Zealand dollar, is printed similarly to the British pound, being colorful in nature with certain designs such as penguins or mountains. The call was concluded with a light-hearted atmosphere when Mrs. Daniel showed the students her dog, who stole everyone's hearts.
Friday, March 9, 2018
Twelfth Call, New Zealand
The call started off with a conversation about a typical daycare/school in New Zealand. Our contact, Jordan Daniel, spoke of her children who attend a rural school with around 140 students, where it is not uncommon to see kids bringing a lamb or baby cow along with them. She then told us a story about her husband, who used to walk barefoot to school during the winter, and would have to step in cow manure to keep his feet warm. One of her sons, Liam, just discovered a new hobby: eel catching! He indulges in this hobby at the river just across from their house. Our contact also said that New Zealand rarely freezes in the winter, and is extremely humid in the summer to where their humidity can reach up to 100%. They had an unusually wet summer this year, so they used rainwater for house water. We then transitioned into politics and learned that New Zealand's election cycle is 4 years long, just like in the U.S., but there are no restrictions on how many terms their Prime Ministers can serve. In fact, New Zealand just recently elected a new female Prime Minister. Unlike America, the town in which our contact lives in has a small police force, and their officers typically don't carry guns. One of Mrs. Daniel's favorite artists is named Tikitane, although she's not a fan of popular music. A lot of local music is influenced by the Maori island culture. Popular fast food options include fish and chips as well as pies. There are also many Mexican restaurants popping up in big cities. We also learned that their most important holidays include the Queen's Birthday and Guy Fawkes day, which is comparable to the American 4th of July. The most prominent religion in New Zealand is Christianity, though there are almost just as many atheists living in the country. As we mentioned before, Mrs. Daniel lives in a rural area, so public transportation is scarce, and her town only has one taxi, who recently passed away. There is one amusement park, but she has never been there because there is only one rollercoaster. Their currency, the New Zealand dollar, is printed similarly to the British pound, being colorful in nature with certain designs such as penguins or mountains. The call was concluded with a light-hearted atmosphere when Mrs. Daniel showed the students her dog, who stole everyone's hearts.
