
Today was a most exciting day!
After weeks of emails, my new friend, Eddy Eagle, from Houston, Texas, finally arrived aboard the Mercury Cruise Ship early this morning! Eddy Eagle’s class and teacher, Mrs Wardlow are also involved in Project Lemonade and guess what? They will be our buddy class for the project! How cool is that?? Mrs W skyped her class back in Texas, from Ms H’s home computer. It was 1.30pm Tuesday for them, and 8.30am Wednesday for us. Ms W played 2 truths and a lie with her class. That was really funny as they tried to guess which of the three things about New Zealand schools was a lie.
1. Today is a National Holiday and students don’t have to go to school today.
2. Hats are compulsory at school and some have a neck flap to protect students from the intense sun.
3. New Zealand schools have the same school year as Texas schools and get a report card every 6 weeks.
The students couldn’t really agree on which one was the lie, but the majority thought either 1 or 2 were the lie. Ms H told them all about our 4 term year and two weeks off in between, with 6 weeks off at Christmas and one student exclaimed really loudly that she was moving to New Zealand!
Ms H and I guided Eddy Eagle and Mrs W (plus Mrs W’s husband and Mrs W’s Mum and Dad) around our awesome city showing off some of our most beautiful sites. First up was a look around Ahuriri, (and boy those Fishing Trawlers can really stink up the air!), then it was off to do the Art Deco Walk around town. Can you work out from the next photos where else we took Eddy Eagle, Mrs W + her family members?

Where did we stop for a bite to eat?

Can you see my new hat? Eddy Eagle bought it all the way from Texas for me! Where are we resting?

What city is that in the background?

Where is this?

Can you guess what flavour ice cream we tried? (Clue: Eddy had a real “kiwiana” flavour and I had something different! Ms H really likes this flavour!)
It was so cool showing Eddy Eagle around my home, because sometimes I think we forget the beautiful things that we have in our own backyard.
All too soon it was time to say goodbye and return everyone to the Port of Napier to re-board the cruise ship.
If you look closely in the photo below you can just see the cruise ship on the horizon as it passes by Ms H’s house on it’s way to Wellington, then Christchurch and Dunedin. Enjoy the rest of New Zealand Eddy, Mrs W + Family!!
