Well, we got here! The flights weren't amazing, not to mention the months of preparation and anxiety before we even took off. Of course when we got to the airport 4 of our 8 bags were wildly overweight so we did that thing where you expose your underpants to the entire Air New Zealand staff trying to re distribute all of our stuff. Lili is a kind of packing rockstar - she has a spreadsheet with the contents of each piece of luggage (which because of the weight debacle wasn’t so accurate in the end) - we were truly prepared, physically. Emotionally is a different story. Every member of our family has taken turns having major melt down tantrums. Key detail is taking turns . It’s been less than a week but the constant emotional rollercoaster has made it feel a whole lot longer. Wellington is small but has a lot of character. Our rental home is gorgeous and quirky. Its beautiful windows look out to vast forests, but down the road you have all the shops (including a video store! VHS!)....
Natan: Okay! Thank you for joining us today for this interview. I understand that you attend Wellington High School now, how has that been for you? Ayala: Fine. N: Hmm. Tell me three things that are completely different about this school to your previous school? A: There's a lot more kids. There's a concert band. I walk there. N: I love how succinct you are in your answers. Excellent. Next question! What are three things about your new school that are the same? A: Well, one, the class size is the same. I see the same people all day which is a good thing. Two, we are learning the same thing in science - chemical reactions. And number three, I have a sort of advisory class called Rōpū , which is in Māori - the language of the indigenous people. N: What does Rōpū mean? A: I don't know. N: Okay great. A: 🙄 N: Okay. In the Commonwealth, schools typically have uniforms. What's it like for your school? A: We don't have one. The dress code is: No offensive ...
With Lili's advisor (sweet guy with beard) and a Victoria University colleague (lady) at the Fulbright Welcome Reception It's all very lovely to move to New Zealand, start new schools, figure out the supermarket and make new friends... but let's not forget the reason we're here. Our darling wife and mom received an amazing award - The Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Research - of which only a handful of people were awarded this year, and only one person from that group sent to New Zealand - Lili! While I'm being quite reductive here, Lili's research explores the strategies and impact of teaching literacy in vulnerable populations here in New Zealand - a country that has a very unique relationship with its vulnerable indigenous community, due to the historic signing of the Waitangi Treaty in 1804, which created a strong partnership between the British Crown and the Maori's of New Zealand. It's actually fascinating. Recently I accompanied Lili t...
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