I woke up at 7.30am that morning and because I still had 20min before I had to go to school I studied. Only a brief last minute study, what I hadn't learned in the last weeks I wouldn't get into my brain now, but it helped to calm me down a bit, feeling slightly more prepared.
Leaving my bag at the Intern. Dep. to not get into trouble I arrived at the gym at 10 to 9am where I met Ciara and my other friends. Once inside everyone was assigned a specific seat (The gym was full of desks, in orderly rows, to me it looked a bit like Hogwarts ! The organisation here is fascinating.).
The supervisors (teachers from other schools) repeated every rule (not allowed to leave in first 45minutes...) and then, finally, my Year 12 English Exam started at 9.30am. There were 3 whole hours to go but that still wasn't enough time for 3 papers ! We had to write an analysis of the 2 short stories (The Garden Party and The Doll's House, both by Kathrin Mansfield, for which we had prepared in class) and of either a movie (Lars and the Real Girl) or a novel (The Kite Runner) or a long poem (My Last Duchess). The third part was to analyse 3 items of unfamiliar text. Can you understand now why 3 hours are not enough for all that ?
After my exams I had my termly Interview with one of the International staff before I went home to be the babysitter of the day: looking after and playing with Beth Mikado, Domino and Puzzle whilst Tim is sitting with the sleeping Julia.
I really liked that !
At Sumner Beach the following day 16 international students plus Mrs Brodie and her son and 3 guides dressed up in wetsuits to go surfing.
First we had to learn how to "stand up" on the grass, quite hard ! At least it was a hot and sunny day although the sea proved to be veeery cold.
A 2h surf lesson followed where the instructors helped us getting good waves, but only 3 times I caught one on my own and surfed up to the beach on my board. The problem: When I had actually caught a wave I was so surprised that I forgot to stand up! I only got onto my knees before I was at the shore...
The time went by so fast !!!
After an hour Lunch with hot chips we got another hour to try to surf on our own. I still didn't get to stand up, but some people did and it looked like fun !
We had to head back at 2.30pm and again I enjoyed playing with the kids, climb our tree, jump on the trampoline, try a headstand...
The whole day I kept feeling the waves below me.
I have to try to surf again someday !
Upps, who is falling there ?
On Thursday the 15th of November 2012 I arrived a little late at school because it had taken me longer than expected to make myself the familiar Legolas hairstyle. Additionally I wore my green long elven-dress and Lisa's black cape because today the international end of year trip was going to visit Erewhon and climb Mt Sunday, the exact location where Edoras and the golden hall of King Theoden of the Rohirrim (the Lord of the Rings 2) was build.
Why did the students all want a picture with me ?
It took quite some time to drive out there, but at last we reached the Lakes Camp and Clearwater and our jeep entered Edoras (Rohan). I had been there before with the Mitchells, but this time we drove even further until we parked right at the bottom of the "small rocky outcrop in a valley surrounded on nearly all sides by craggy mountains, wrathed in mist and in sight of the silver streams".
So we climbed Mt Sunday and ejoyed the scenery. The only proof that the set was here was a nail in the ground and a hole where the buildings were tied to the rock to not be blown away!
Our guide gave us a few background information about where the actors were standing... (I stood at exactly the place where Eowyn looked down to see Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimly arriving.
And the whole time we carried some props, first I had Strider's sword then the huge and heavy Anduril because no one else wanted to carry them around... they also had Theoden's sword and Gimli's axe.
Our bus driver was very nice and I even taught him some elvish! We aslo found a geocache. Well, actually he showed us where it was because we had no GPS.
This beautiful afternoon ended with delicious ice cream before we got back to school at 5.
AMAZING !!! By the way, we were away with Hassle Free Tours, if anyone is interested...
Mt. Sunday in the valley
with Strider's sword ready to fight
You shall not pass !!!
Orc attack
Anduril (Aragorn's sword) as Excalibur
Theoden's sword
Gimli's axe, so heavy !
the only nail in the ground...
in the same position as Eowyn...
And here she is. Recognize the grey Evenstar-like shape above our heads ?
I call upon thee, first light.
Doesn't our guide look just like Gimli ?
Stranger, beware !
On Friday I helped the adults building
(even Julia hammered a few nails !) and then painted farewell gifts.
Theo came in the evening for Tim's help with Maths and I joined them.
The same on saturday.
On sunday we started pouring the concrete which was actually quite fun. The Fort is almost finished !The same on saturday.
Afterwards I packed a parcel, but it weighed 13.8kg without shoes or clothes so that could be a bit expensive.
Ok, a 2nd suitcase it definitely is then.
On monday the internationals went on a trip again, but this time our destination were the Sheepwash Falls
(or how were they called ?).
After a short walk through the forest we reached the cliff we were supposed to abseil down from. 35 metres with overhang !(or how were they called ?).
I wasn't afraid (I had done things like that a few times already and a lot higher), but I didn't really trust their security system without the little ropes for self-abseiling and they just held the other rope loose in their fingers instead of tied to their harnis like we had learned to do it in Outdoor Education. There wasn't even a knot at the end of it !
Well, I did it like I think everyone else as well eventually, but it HURT so I didn't do it again.
Much later in the afternoon in my singing lesson I prepared for the SMP recital on saturday.
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen