Author: Tsurumoto Sayana

I worked at Adventure Valley Childcare. It took me about 15 minutes to get there on foot. There were 8 teachers and 25 children at the preschool. The teachers were very kind and fun, and the children were cheerful. They played with me all the time. My work started at 9 a.m. and finished at 3 p.m. The work was harder than I thought it would be. The children took me to the garden and said, “Look at me!”, “Come on!” and so on. I had to observe them and be alert for danger because you never know what children will do. Also, they would cry or get angry as soon as they didn’t get what they wanted. It was difficult for me to calm them down. I didn’t know what I should do when that happened. I somehow managed to stop their crying, but I couldn’t find a  good solution. I learned about children and working in the childcare industry. I was able to work without causing any accidents. It was a good experience for me. I feel gratitude to those who supported me.

I went to Rainbow’s End with Mizuki and Ayumi. Rainbow’s End is an amusement park in New Zealand. It took an hour and a half to get there by bus and train. It is about the same size as Kashii Kaen. The entrance fee was $59.99 for adults. First, we rode the go- carts. It only ran around the course 5 times, so it wasn’t very fun. The other people looked like they were having fun, though. Next, we rode the aerial swings without Ayumi. She doesn’t like thrill rides. This was a ride that swings while rotating, so she couldn’t ride it. Next, we rode Gold Rush. It was unstable and smelled like an engine. We also rode many other rides. The most impressive ride was the roller coaster. It had one turn and two twists. It was a little scary, but we enjoyed it. On the way back, we went to a nearby mall and enjoyed window shopping. This is a very good memory of mine from New Zealand.

My host mother’s name is Natasha. I call her “Tasha.” She is funny and full of humor. She works as a Mental Health Support Worker.  My host father’s name is Sean. He is a builder. He usually does the housework. The meals he cooks are very delicious. My host family’s daughter is Zoe. She is 16 years old. She attends Waitakere College, so she is not at home. I’ve never met her. My host family’s son is Jamie. He is 9 years old. He usually plays video games and watches movies on the computer. He attends Henderson Valley Primary school. Also, they have a cat and two rabbits. (I couldn’t catch their names.) My host family’s hobbies are riding horses, driving, having movie nights, and taking trips. They are very kind to me. On Saturday, I went to the pool with my host family. On the way there, they were singing the whole time. They looked like they were having so much fun.

On Friday, February 14th, I went to Shakespear Regional Park after school with my classmates. It took about an hour and a half to get there by boat and bus, and it cost $10. It was very hot that day. I enjoyed walking in the forest and down the roads, and the landscape was very beautiful. On the way to the park, I found a sandy beach where some people were swimming. I wanted to swim, but I didn’t have a swimsuit. Also, a vast land spread out through the forest and I found many sheep. When I noticed how late it was, I ran through the woods because I wasn’t ready for the bus to go home. I eventually got to the bus, but I was very tired, so I slept all the way until I got home at dinnertime. I didn’t know there was such a beautiful place. It is a little far from Auckland city, but I think it is worth going.