Day 3

• What I did today 

 
Our second day of the trip started off with a beautiful sunrise, reflecting across the lake, making it my very first snapshot of the day... Not too long after, we jumped onto a duck. Not literally, though... It was an old WWII boat, that was remodelled and refurbished in order for it to look like a "duck-y" sort-of-thing. We went around town on a tour, learning about not only the historical significance of certain things, but also the cultural significances, too. Apparently, all of the houses in these areas cost millions of dollars, which I think is a lot of money! It was a lot of fun, especially travelling across two of the biggest lakes... I think it's pretty cool how each of the lakes has a name, like Blue Lake or Green Lake (no matter how cheesy they may be), and how they have a love story behind it! That's pretty neat. Quacking at all the people in town while we were driving was pretty funny, seeing as they would either wave nicely back at you, or just stare at you with a blank face... I started laughing every time the tour guide turned on "Mission Impossible" when we were about to enter the water from ground! It was very entertaining in my opinion! But, it was a little chilly in the morning. However, I didn't have that ruin my day.

Just right before we were going to go to our next stop, we stopped by a little cafe on the road to Auckland and got lunch... I got two mini pizzas (with ham, cheese, peppers, and onions with spaghetti and tomato sauce underneath... who knew you could do that!), chips (or fries), and L&P (which is a Sprite-y sort of drink with a lemon-y after-taste)... It was simply spectacular and delicious!!!
After everyone got refreshed and into new clothes, we boarded the bus and started heading to the Agrodome. I was excited! Ever since I heard we were going here, I had a picture in my head of what it would look like, smell, and feel... Turns out, I was nearly there! I got the smell part right, which was just like sheep or other cattle you would find on a farm, and then the feeling of it, which I thought I was on some farm... But I completely imagined it totally different! I thought it would be bigger, like a stadium, with a lot of people; but that's okay, I enjoyed it the way it was better! The person, who was the host of the show, was really 
funny! He made jokes about pretty much anything relative to what he was doing at the moment, or even 
interacting with the audience and the people, more 
specifically! It was a really interesting show, I have to say... It gave a little tid-bit on all things New Zealand, especially when it comes to agriculture, farmland, and animals! Looking back at today, I have to say it was one of the funniest shows I've ever seen! Even a sheep liked me...!

Before I knew it, we were heading to Whakarewarewa, or Whaka for short, a geothermal village where some of the Maori people live today. Here, we got an inside-look at the life of the Maori and their culture. I learned that they use geothermal energy for pretty much anything that needs to be heated up or cooked. In order to cook their food, for whichever meal it may be, they use these wooden boxes that are built upon a geyser, into which they put their aluminium foil wrapped foods in. After a couple of hours, the food is ready. Their heat inside their houses is also created using geyser energy... I learned so much about their village, including how and when they use the geothermal energy, and in which ways it is useful. Even legends and myths are created and have been to told to generations of Maori people using geysers and their eruptions! The geysers are so unique and cool when they erupt, which is said to be about every 10 minutes or so.

Every little part of the Whaka village has an importance to their culture, and I found this part of the day the most interesting and enjoyable! Having a Maori tour guide also helped in getting information across, because not only did I learn how to say a few Maori words, but I also now know the full version of the name of the village and how to pronounce it, which is Tewhakarewarewatangaoteopetauaawahiao... Quite long, isn't it? Surprisingly, a lot of the Maori words are long like this one, each one also having a shortened version. There's even a longer one! Going to Whakarewarewa was truly very inspiring and I learned a lot about the Maori culture, history, and lifestyle today!

After visiting the geothermal village, we went zorbing. Another popular thing to do in New Zealand! It's pretty much when you roll down a big, bumpy hill in a big ball filled with warm water... It's veryyyyy fun to do, enough said! To end our magnificent day, we went back to the hotel and enjoyed yet another Maori show, consisting of songs and dances, as well as a delicious Hangi dinner and dessert, which the Maori prepared for us. The Maori people showcased their traditional Maori dances and songs, inviting us to join in with them. Later in the show, they let us have a chance on-stage, girls dancing with the poi and the boys learning the Haka. I was one of the many girls lucky enough to go on-stage and try dancing with the poi. I have to admit, it may seem realllllllly easy, but it's sooooo hard! Not only do you have to have your arms firm and only your wrists moving, but you have to keep the poi in various constant motions and positions, all while singing and dancing around... It's so hard, but so much fun!!! I like it! And then there were the boys doing the Haka for the first time... Actually, most of them were really good, I have to say! I couldn't stop laughing at Mr.Barry's, especially Mr.Schagrin's, warrior faces... Wide eyes, tongue out, determined face... Definitely a good mix!!! Once again, there are so many motions and positions you have to know by heart, it's kind of ridiculous, but also very fun! No doubt about that! These two dances are a big part of the Maori culture and greatly emphasised to people around the world, especially in New Zealand! The Hangi dinner was very delicious! Amongst a big mix of many east and west styles of food, I tried the most famous "Kiwi" dessert, Pavlova! It was so good, I wanted more! Today was a day full of surprises, fully enriched in culture and very eye-opening!

• Journal of the Day 

Today was a day full of many, many, many culture shocks! Taking the Duck Tour in the morning, sparked a couple culture shocks before going to the Whaka village. I saw these really cute ducks, one with a white head, which I thought was really unique, just like a culture... When we DID reach Whakarewarewa, I was so surprised about how much Maori culture is hidden behind it! Many of the ancestors' kids live here now, all trying to make people aware of the Maori culture and lifestyles, as well as history. Having the village set on a big geothermal patch of geysers, gives the village many upsides. They use natural, geothermal energy in order to heat up their homes and cook their food, during spring, summer, fall, and winter! No matter what the weather is like, they always use these wooden boxes to cook their food (covered in aluminium foil), which are set on top of geysers. These geysers have also created history to their culture! They even have mud baths and public baths that are used for the Maori people to clean in, as well as cure or heal certain injuries. It's believed that these mud pools can also help one  stop from aging quickly... this I thought was interesting! As I've learned today and discovered, a lot of Maori culture, history, language, foods, dances, songs, and many other things, have been preserved in this village for a long time, and are meant to be for another long period of time. Family is also an important part. I also got to see their homes and churches... We had an inside-look into their village! Going to Whakarewarewa, I realised that every person has a different styl e adn way of doing things. Every culture, every heritage, and every family has unique traditions in their culture that need to be preserved... these cultures separate people from people, showing their individuality and who they really are on the inside. Their beliefs and lifestyle characteristics also shine through. This is the biggest culture shock I learned and saw today! It truly showed a different side of the Maori people, especially than of what I knew before coming here...