Traveling School

First Trip Report, September 9, 05
Hello everyone!!
We are in Rotorua, which is on the northern end of the North Island, to have a "town day." We have been staying on nearby Lake Rotoiti and will be there for the next week. I am slowly picking up the rhythm of the routine, it has been a lot to adjust to! My entire body is sore from our workouts and activities that begin at 6 a.m. School is going to be very challenging and most of the academic day outside of class is spent studying. The teachers are absolutely incredible and the course work exciting.
It is a really great group. Everyone has grown so much in the first five days and I can tell we will have a great time together. With ten of us it was surprising to find that everyone is trying their hardest and wants to be here. After the first few days of slight sadness I am jumping with enthusiasm and the time is starting to go quickly. I have rarely has this much strength (or developing strength) and energy.
New Zealand is even more beautiful than what I have thought! It is like walking through the pages of a storybook, and imagine that this is only the beginning! We will soon be heading to a traditional Maori town for two weeks where one of our teachers has connections. I am going to have some great stories from there!
I hope everyone is having a nice fall. My heart goes out to everyone in the United States in the wake of hurricane Katrina, but maybe some good will come of it. For more reports on our trip you can always visit the website www.travelingschool.com (it has pictures too).
Cheers,
Tara
Junior, from Colorado

September 12, 2005
Greetings families and friends of the Traveling School,
Warm hellos from chilly down under! Yesterday we celebrated one full week of our New Zealand adventure and it is hard to believe how much we accomplished. Lakeside Holiday Park has been our home since our arrival last Sunday. Our cottage sits between Lake Rotoiti and iridescent green rolling hillsides and amazingly has enough beds for all thirteen of us. We have a tidy little kitchen and a long dining table, suitable for great dinnertime conversation, not to mention plenty of laughter. We have already figured out who the jokers in this group are, namely Miss Katie Kat and her accomplice Cameron-io.

The enthusiastic Genevieve met us at the airport Sunday morning with an armful of flowers and enough energy to get us all vamped up for the drive to the lake. I would have guessed that all the girls would have crashed on the drive, but everyone had their noses to the windows. I was fortunate to have Tara as a co-pilot. With wonderful questions and unexpected insights, she made the drive go by very quickly. Once we settled in, Erin, Allison, and Mida joined me for a walk to the nearby waterfalls. I think we were so excited to be off the airplane and out of the car that we ran down the trails, laughing and shouting to each other, “can you believe how BEAUTIFUL this place is?!” The nearby waterfalls are a sort of Mecca for river runners from all over the world. We were lucky enough to watch a raft come down a 7m waterfall. We couldn’t help but high-five each and cheer on the rafters. We returned to the cottage to find that some of the girls had already started dinner for us, spaghetti and meat sauce. Perfect. And to think, that was day one.
The following day, we started a half-day of classes and basically laid low. Mellow morning work out and afternoon naps were a great way to quiet jet lag. Tuesday, after another mellow morning workout, we ventured into Rotorua for a guided tour of the Museum and some free-time downtown. We met for lunch in the park by the lake and broke into our mentor/mentee groups. It was great to break off into smaller groups and begin getting to know the girls better. Clearly this is a formidable group, but it is meeting the individuals that is truly spectacular. Forget mistaken first impressions. These girls rock. Immediately Annie and Mikaela have melted me with laughter and stories.
Wednesday was our first full class day and everyone hopped on board. It was a big a day and I know that everyone is adjusting to our new classroom situation. After study hall that night, everyone crashed. Maybe a little jet lag still? Or maybe so much academic excitement wiped them out? Hard to say, but by Thursday morning work out, which happened to be our first Ultimate Frisbee game, everyone was up and running, going after that Frisbee like they’d be doing it for years. Lucky for us, we had Morena to show us a few new tricks. By December, we’ll be unbeatable. That afternoon, some of us ventured to the nearby hot springs for a soak. In no time, we all turned to jell-o and that evening’s sleep was more than welcome.
Friday was another full class day, followed by a night free from study hall. Part of our group decided on dinner and a movie in town, while the others stayed in. I think everyone was pleased to have some old-fashioned entertainment. An excellent way to start the weekend. First thing Saturday morning, we loaded up the vans and headed to nearby Kaweru for the National Woodcarving Festival. As you may know, Maori people are known for fine craftsmanship in woodcarving and we were definitely in the right place at the right time. There were exhibits and demonstrations for everything from delicate hand carved sculptures to larger than life chainsaw art. The girls were given a history assignment to interview one carver about their art and turn it into a story. Just today the girls read their stories in class and I was duly impressed at their enthusiasm for this homework. They shared stories about Maori and Pakeha culture, past and present. This is an incredible environment for a history teacher to share with her students because of the proximity of history to the present era. Maori stories are very much a part of every day life. Even the local school children have something to share with our girls.
Sunday brought the quintessential day at the beach. A little bit of Frisbee, a great-looking sandcastle by Mida, some beachcombing, and general relaxation by all meant the perfect end to an exciting week.
Week one of our trip is now completed. Is it possible to feel nostalgic already? I feel so lucky to be surrounded by this diverse group. I have heard from Genevieve and Shayna that their classes are going well and I am not surprised. This is a talented and sensitive group of women, full of astute observations and practical answers. And a few tricky dance moves, to boot. (Thanks Kayla for the wonderful rendition of the washing machine!)
We head to Te Kaha on Saturday, where we will be for two weeks. I can’t wait to meet Genevieve’s former host family. They sound very excited to meet us as well. We have many great trips planned from there.
We will be in touch soon.
Shannon Ongaro
Academic Program Director

October 4, 2005
Dear families and friends,
In our sixth semester with The Traveling School, I am still in absolute awe by the energy and imagination that these groups create. I just returned from ten beautiful days in New Zealand where I was able to visit classes, meet people in the local community, and visit with your dynamic daughters – what a treat! I caught up with them on the North Island with a stay in Te Kaha, home to the tribe Te Whanau-a-Apanui ("The Family of Apanui"), one of the largest Maori tribes in New Zealand. We spent the weeks enjoying ceremonies with community prayers, songs, and performances.

ACADEMICS
We could give away thousands of dollars in scholarships if I had a dollar for each time I’ve heard students say, “this is so much harder than my regular school.” Then they usually add, “but I like it.” The girls this semester are no exception and are busy writing, discussing, learning, and questioning everything they see.

Mathematical Applications: The girls continued to work on their budgets. They outlined their spending for the entire semester and are tracking where each New Zealand dollar goes. I heard Katie moan, “I don’t want to go in to town – I blow my budget every time!” And when I saw her later in town, laden with packages, she said, “Oops, there goes the budget again!” The girls were also tracking gas mileage at every gas station (working in kilometers and liters of gas), and beginning their life projects – where do you see yourself in your life, and what financial and professional decisions do you need to make to get you there? Tara’s father wrote us to say, “She said one of her hardest recent assignments has been something to do with looking ahead to her future after high school. We asked her why and she replied that it is because she was so 100% engaged in being here now. For a child who has spent way too much time living for the future, this was the best indication to us that her experience has been right on.”

Natural Science: The girls were studying climatology and biogeography, learning about world climate zones and the biological organization they cause. They were working to understand ocean currents, wind, and the Coriolis Effect. In class, they discussed and hypothesized about climate trends. They have also been hard at work on their science field journals, studying various plants and recording scientific observations in their journals.

History and Government of New Zealand and the South Pacific: The girls continued to study the indigenous culture for the South Pacific and the Maoris in New Zealand. The girls are studying the ancient tribes of the Polynesians that discovered and settled New Zealand sometime between 950 and 1130 AD, and learning about the Moriori people who settled the Chatham Islands, or Rekohu, a small group of islands off the coast of New Zealand. This discussion included the community of Te Kaha, with its Maori influence as the cultural heart of New Zealand. The students had numerous guest speakers from Te Kaha, lecturing about ancestors, Maori history, tribal traditions, religion, relationship with the earth and more.

Literature and Composition of New Zealand: The girls were finishing their first novel, Potiki, by Patricia Grace. Written by a traditional Maori woman, it is a tale woven with local traditions, mythical language and the gentle story of a Maori community. In a Maori community, elders have carved sticks that represent their heritage and stories from their ancestors. Haki showed us his stick and told stories from his ancestors. The girls also created their own sticks and decorated them with sparkle and paint to represent their own stories. The girls are currently working on their first paper, a descriptive essay talking about an object or a place that is meaningful.

Spanish: The girls continued to work through their Independent Study Spanish course with the books from their home high school. They were distracted a bit during their time in the Maori community with their desire to learn local Maori words and greetings. Their study of Spanish continues, and will grow to include an intensive conversational component with the addition of Anna Taft, the Spanish teacher.

Global Studies: The girls have learned a wide variety during their Global Studies course. Part of the course focused on the development of a group and understanding the personal process that each individual needs to undergo to become part of a functioning group. They had solos on the beach to reflect on their experiences, and they learned about group dynamics with a study of Cog’s Ladder and mediation. They worked through a large cultural component in their involvement with the local community. Teaching classes in a local Maori school, participating in opening and closing ceremonies for the Kai-aio Marae (a meeting house), and writing their R, R & R’s.

PE: Workouts have included horseback riding, hiking, river crossings, running on the beach, strength training, aerobics at a local community center and Ultimate games so fun that everyone’s stomach hurt afterwards from laughing.

CULTURAL
The Maori community in Te Kaha truly embraced the girls and the group. Te Kaha is home to the tribe Te Whanau-a-Apanui, the second or third largest Maori tribe in New Zealand. Te Whanau-a-Apanui is a very outspoken tribe that has held on to their traditions and ways of life. Many parts of their native ways are still seen throughout the village. Their Marae (where the group stayed), burial grounds, and sacred lands are all very respected and well cared for. The Maoris here are very open to educating Pakehas (foreigners or non-Maori people) about their ways, because they believe that teaching outsiders about their way of life will protect their tribe. There are often ceremonies, including community prayers, songs, and performances. The ceremonies keep the knowledge of the ancestors alive while teaching the Maori youth about their heritage.
The Maori community in Te Kaha is financially poor; the majority of people live off the land and out of the sea. One afternoon we found our kitchen stocked with fresh lobsters and avocados people had brought us as a gift. The lands along the East Cape from Opotiki to Gisborne are a well-protected sacred Maori area. Our girls spent a day horseback riding in the mountains, and another day hiking. The mountains have thick bush with enormous wild boar and huge elk, and thanks to Genevieve’s local connections, the group was able to secure permission from the tribal leader for these excursions. Te Whanau-a-Apanui's tribal leader is Matua Tutarangi Gage, and he stopped by the Marae on a regular basis to visit with the group. He is a bush hunter and very active community man. He is the main advocate for Maori children's education and helped the girls when they went to visit local Maori schools for a day.
The local schools are very small with few resources. The Maori schools are bilingual, multi-grade classrooms with an average of eleven students in each. The students often ride their horses to school bareback, barefoot, and shirtless. Students spend gym class swimming on the school's beach. Students often begin the day with a school-wide ceremonial "powhidi" which consists of sacred song and dance in the Maori language.
The people in the local community also gave our group a welcoming and farewell ceremony that blew our socks off. The final evening, a group from the local community came to sing and dance for the girls. They sang in harmony, alternating from men and women’s voices, and spun “poi” as they danced. Our girls reciprocated (as is tradition) with a song of their own, looping their arms around each other’s shoulders and singing, “Lean on Me.” On the last morning, many of the elders and community members gathered on the steps of the Marae for the closing ceremony. We thanked them with gifts, speeches, and another song. They thanked our ancestors and us and invited the members of our group to return in the future. Morena said, "The event of leaving the Marae in Te Kaha affected me strangely. The way it was carried out and the emotions afterward were very strong. Especially Haki's sincerity as he told me to return."
Allison said, “We experienced a "Haere Ra," a farewell ceremony. It was a re-opening of the Marae's arms who had graciously welcomed us and closed around us. In Maori Culture it is taboo to just leave without first participating in this ceremony. This is like resetting the Marae so she is ready to receive her next visitors. This is a time for the leaving party to reflect on their stay and to give a gift to the Marae and her people. Our group talked about how special our experiences were and the knowledge we gained from them. I mentioned how I admired the value they put on the land, and how I would like that to be incorporated into our culture more. This has really made me think and has made me want to find other meaningful ways to say goodbye."

ACTIVITIES
Since leaving Te Kaha, our group has continued on to Gisborne, where the girls have fallen in love with surfing and surf culture. Mida wrote, “"Gisborne seems like a heaven for surfers who are having a great time getting by in life riding Mother Nature's waves. With economic security and community support, a person can truly lose themselves in the waves of the Gisborne Coast."
Tragically, the father of one of our teachers was killed and Shannon has temporarily left the group to be with her family. Cameron wrote, “Losing a family member, especially a parent, would be so incredibly difficult. I feel that many people, including myself, often forget how important our parents are to us. I really feel strongly that people who are on bad terms with their parents should work through their problems. For advice to everyone I strongly believe that everyone should love and appreciate their parents. When you leave them or say goodbye on the phone, you should always say, "I love you.”
This sad event has had a profound effect on the girls. Kayla wrote, “When we arrived to Gisborne, unfortunately that night Shannon got a phone call informing her that her dad had died. It was so tragic for her and I wished more than anything that I could give her comfort and make it all go away. Since Shannon left I realized that I needed to do my part to be responsible, cooperative and just helpful to anyone or anything that needed to be done in our group. Genevieve is so strong on keeping this whole trip moving and she does of wonderful job of it, but we all know that you need to do your part. The rest of the girls have also taken notice on the jobs that need to be done here and have been doing a wonderful job. For example, Annie helped organize events. I think it is really cool how everyone does whatever it takes in their power to be the best they can be for this group." Mikaela added, “As a group we have clearly come together. We are no longer individuals, we are a team. We have each taken on different responsibilities and I am truly amazed at the effort and leadership skills that EVERYONE has shown! Tara, the youngest, has stepped up and shown some of the most responsible and mature leadership skills. I am truly amazed.”
Shannon will rejoin the program soon, and a teacher from the South America semesters, Anna Taft, is also joining the group. They are an amazing troupe and I enjoyed spending time with them.

October 18, 2005
Dear Parents and Friends,
Since we left Kaiaio Marai in Te Kaha, we have filled these weeks with many adventures, academics, and lots of surfing! The girls are currently with their homestay families, where they will enjoy the New Zealand farming and rural life. Shannon returns this week and we’re planning to have three full academic days and two days community service. The girls are excited for Shannon’s return to the group. They miss her smile, jokes, sound advice and, of course, her history classes!

A local Maori teacher named Pricilla taught the History and Government of New Zealand and the South Pacific during Shannon’s absence. She was referred to us through our surf instructor, Magoo, and heard all about our school program through “Magoo stories.” Family ties span the east coast of New Zealand, and everyone is related - even if it is ten generations back. Magoo grew up in the bush with his seven siblings, including Pricilla’s mother, in a one-room cabin with no running water or electricity. Pricilla grew up with Magoo as a playmate as he was the youngest of his siblings and Pricilla’s mother was the eldest. Magoo is a local legend on the North Island, not only for his world-class surfing abilities, but also for his bull-riding successes in New Zealand’s rodeo circuit. Pricilla is also a local legend as a teacher. She has traveled the world teaching about Maori history and language. She is very passionate about Maori culture and was thrilled at the opportunity to teach a few history classes for The Traveling School. For example, a single class turned into four hours of intense discussion, questions, and a demonstration of Maori dance and art. The girls were taken by Pricilla’s teachings and stories. Pricilla was absolutely delighted by our school program and was thrilled to see a group of young women so interested in her culture and the history of her people. Annie and Tara received special attention as they asked some intense and intriguing questions about Maori culture. I think Pricilla will never forget our amazing American traveling students.
We spent two weeks in Gisborne learning to surf. By the end of our 14 days of surf lessons with Magoo, all of the girls were riding and carving waves. I loved watching their confidence grow as they progressed and gained new skills in the ocean. It was impressive how quickly they picked up surfing and made friends with our local surf guides. The girls have also had a few adventures in the mountains. One of our activities was a day at some nearby waterfalls, a natural slide made of rocks, and some beautiful rock pools. The girls put on wet suits, grabbed boogie boards, and cruised down the slippery rocks into deep pools of water. They jumped in waterfalls and swam in rock pools. A week later I asked the girls what their favorite adventure was so far on the trip, and four of the girls said it was the day at the waterfalls. I would not be surprised if some of these ladies come back to Gisborne again in the future. I know Katie and Morena both said sincerely, “see you again very soon!” to the friends they made. They all made friends, enjoyed surfing, and took pleasure in what the town had to offer. The chalet where we stayed was safe and comfortable, and the girls felt like they were starring in their own Reality TV Show in New Zealand. What would happen if you put girls and teachers in an amazing chalet all to ourselves, had lots of academics, a whole lot of fun and hilarious locals to guide us for two weeks? An amazing Traveling School experience!

Anna Taft arrived in Gisborne last week. Since she’s arrived, we’ve packed three class days, two surf days, a full backpacking trip and a full day of skiing! The girls are excited to have Anna’s knowledge and patience during their first Traveling School backpacking trip. Anna taught them the basics of hiking and camping, along with a course on “How to Operate Cook Stoves,” and “How to Study in a Tent in the Rain.” A highlight of the rainstorm was when Anna and I were planning some classes in my tent when Erin knocked at the tent door. Through the pouring rain and wind, Erin asked about an English assignment. What dedicated students. Erin deserved the Academic Award for the week with that motivation – she got out of her warm sleeping bag to ask homework question! During the Awards Ceremony, the truth came out that it was actually Allison’s motivation and convincing words that got Erin to make the rainy-day walk to the teacher’s tent. We enjoyed some good laughs about that!

We came out of our Mount Doom backpacking trip with plenty of time for a few classes, burgers, pizza and our weekly Awards Ceremony. The night turned into long group conversations about first impressions of each other, the fun adventures we have had, the fun adventures to come, thoughts about homestays, and many questions fielded to Anna. The girls continually comment about how cool it is to have Anna in the group and how well she fits in. I absolutely agree!

The day after backpacking we headed to the mountain toting our rented ski gear and our sunscreen. After a few rainy days backpacking, the sun came out for an entire day of skiing on Mount Ruapehu. We had incredible views of the surrounding volcanoes in Tongoriro National Park. Our Natural Science courses have been spectacular with the setting of the active volcanic area made famous in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We skied on a volcano that erupts every decade leaving amazing signs of lava flow, ash deposits and lahar slides. As the science teacher, I was in heaven teaching about New Zealand’s volcanic activity along the “Ring of Fire” and about geomorphology as we trekked and skied along terrain recently altered by volcanic activity and glaciations.

In New Zealand Literature and Composition class, the girls finished Potiki and have started The Bone People. Anna recently had them reading poetry in the backcountry. She not only had them reading poetry, but they were screaming poetry in a large circle. I came out of my tent during English to find the girls reciting a poem over and over again as they got further and further away from each other. By the end of the activity the girls had the poem memorized as they bellied out the words to each other across the glacial valley beneath Mount Doom.
In Mathematical Application, the girls are preparing their “game of life” characters. They are assigned to prepare their budgets for their first years away from home. What kind of job will they have while in school? How will they save money? What will their first apartment cost? What bills will they need to pay and how do you take care of monthly expenses? They are all getting excited about being financially savvy and independent with their new understanding of practical-life mathematics.

The students are continuing with their Independent Study courses and the teachers are preparing to spend some intensive one-on-one time with each student during midterms. The girls will have a few extra hours to be quizzed and intensively tutored, enabling successful completion of their coursework. Mida and Allison have been working together with their Calculus and College Prep math and Annie has been popping around helping students who have Algebra or Physics questions. I think we have some pretty amazing teachers-in-training in this group!

Anna is excited to get these girls speaking Spanish aloud and is impressed with the range of materials and progress that these girls have made. The Photography students are working on photographing different aspects to contribute to their photo-journal project. The students have been sharing their photo essays and discussing the composition of their favorite photographs.
I could go on raving about these amazingly wonderful and wild women. Their spirits are inspiring. Allison, Erin, Mida, Annie, Tara, Katie, Cameron, Morena, Mikaela and Kayla are some of the most beautiful and intelligent people I have had the opportunity to get to know. More than that, I have had the chance to enjoy their company surfing, skiing, backpacking and jumping into pools beneath waterfalls. We have all been students, teachers, friends, sisters and mothers. This group has become a family of traveling women who inspire each other every day and open each other up to new experiences and adventure. I have no doubt that this group is fulfilling and encompassing the Traveling School philosophy and mission of “enriching the lives of teenage girls with an enduring educational experience focusing on overseas exploration, academic challenges, expanded outdoor skills, and a deeper comprehension of the world we live in.”

We have come so far and we still have so far to go….
The students will write the next trip report and let you know all about their homestay experiences.
Thank you all for your support and being part of our family at home

November 12, '05
Greetings family and friends of the Traveling School,

Our recent adventures here in New Zealand have taken us from our homestay experiences in cozy Bulls all the way down the West Coast of the South Island. There are so many wonderful details and stories from every day that it is difficult to decide where to begin.

Our group reunited the last evening of their homestays at the home of Cecilia and Hugh Dalrymple, Erin's homestay family. They hosted a farewell dinner for all of the girls and their families, and invited the teachers as well. That was an invitation we could not pass up. Watching everyone laughing and enjoying each other, telling funny stories about their experiences, it was clear to me that all of our girls made new friends that they will keep close to their hearts for a long time. All of the families truly spoiled us with an amazing feast. The following morning, we met in Bulls. Many hugs and tearful goodbyes later, we piled in the vans to begin the next leg of our journey.

We had one sunny afternoon in Wellington, a beautiful seaside city. To be sure, I had the girls chasing me all over the city from the Te Papa museum to the walking streets downtown full of groovy boutiques and wonderful cafes. A great dose of city living before heading for the hills!

The following day we boarded the ferry for the trip through the Marlborough Sounds. As we pulled out of Wellington, Erin, Allison, and I headed to the top deck to take in the outstanding views of the city. It was an exciting moment, leaving behind the North Island full of fresh memories and new inspirations to see what could come next on the South Island, unknown terrain both in terms of the landscape itself and our newly reunited group. How we would function together would become clear in the days to come. I don't think anyone expected it to be such a smooth transition.

After repacking and reorganizing, a seemingly endless activity, we made our way over to Abel Tasman Kayaks for a morning of instruction and gear organization before we embarked on our six-day trip into the park. Some girls opted for the tandem kayaks while other went for the solos. That first day was certainly exciting, complete with stormy skies in the distance. Mida was our leader of the day and did an excellent job making educated decisions for the group. The sun decided to appear in the afternoon and made our first day in the boats a perfect introduction to the Abel Tasman National Park.

The campsites in the park are very well organized and tidy. Outdoor kitchens and available filtered drinking water felt like wonderful luxuries. With other travelers from all over the world, the Abel Tasman Park has an interestingly cosmopolitan feel to it. French and German words echoing around campsite served to remind us that we were sharing our adventure and that perhaps some of the notions of globalization we'd been discussing in our Global Studies class were happening right before our eyes.

Day 2 of our trip, Mikaela took a fall at a swimming hole during one of our excursions. Once we got her back to the beach, we determined that she needed to be evacuated right away. Fortunately, water taxis run through this area all day, so we were able to flag one down quickly. We were sad that our two pals, Mikaela and Genevieve, could not continue with us and we sent them away with good energy and thoughts of a speedy recovery.

Two more days of incredible kayaking with white sand beaches bordered by lush green carpets of cloud forest, rocky islands offshore and seals playing off the noses of our boats, we had found a tranquil paradise that, believe or not, was also conducive to completing some strong class days and getting some good work done. The second day of the trip, the girls had a history essay exam. Some of the topics they wrote about include the Maori musket wars, notions of Maori land stewardship colliding with early European ideas of ownership, the Waitangi Act of 1840 (a hotly debated historical event) and the ambiguity of its translation, and early commerce in the South Pacific. I know that this is an exceptional group of young thinkers, but I was blown away at the sophistication of some of their responses.

After three days of kayaking north through the park, we dropped off our boats and began the three-day hike back to where we started. Much of the trail followed the coastline high above the beaches. It was wonderful to have such a different perspective of the route we had taken earlier in the trip. Outstanding vistas!

On one of our class days, we postponed science until the sun went down and the stars began to twinkle. We slipped into our sleeping bags and lay back on the grass as Anna led us through an introduction to astronomy, starting off with an explanation of some of the differences between the constellations of our northern skies at home and these southern skies before us. She talked about how early ocean navigators used the stars to figure out latitude. My favorite part was the explanation of the mythology of the stars (not necessarily astrology), for example, how cultures all over the world have described the changing positions of the stars and the relevance to humankind. Other science classes during the trip included readings and conversations about population and diversity dynamics in different biomes.

At the beginning of the kayak trip, we began having a student leader per day. This is how Leader of the Day works: the evening before one's shift, the student meets with the teachers to find out what needs to happen the following day, for example, which classes need to happen or travel we must complete. The teachers give the student as much information as necessary, and then the student determines how the day will go. This is a great opportunity for students to explore different leadership styles and to take some ownership for how this trip happens. During the kayak/hiking trip, Mida, Katie, Erin, Tara, Kayla, and Allison each had a leader day. Once a student completes Leader of the Day, she has a writing assignment for Global Studies where she must consider her experience as leader, what she did well, and what she would like to work on. The essays have been honest and introspective. Everyone seems to have been challenged by this exercise, but also surprised by the confidence and ability they brought to the task.

Three days of hiking meant that our more tender-footed sisters were walking with less spring in their steps, so the first thing on the agenda was a Study Day/Rest Day. On the beach at Punakaiki, we took kicking back to a whole new level. Reading, homework, strolling on the beach, and some blister maintenance gave us new energy. We decided to set up camp in Punakaiki and stay put for a few days. Our first stop on the famous West Coast, Punakaiki is known for its "pancake" rock formations. We camped beside the ocean and waited patiently for the arrival of Annie's parents, David and Christy. That evening during our nightly meeting, they strolled into camp with big smiles and bear hugs.

Monday we returned to our regular class schedule with a full day of classes. Morena was the Leader of the Day and planned an afternoon outing to visit a nearby glass artist. The artist welcomed us into her studio and explained some of her techniques. While we had many questions for her, she had just as many for us. "What do you mean- a traveling high school? How does that work? Can I come?"

After a quiet Tuesday morning, we drove up to Charleston to join Norwest Adventure Guides for a guided tour of the nearby cave system. Donning wetsuits, helmets, and headlamps, we walked into the darkness of the cavern's first level, carrying inner tubes at our sides. Our guides quizzed us on the formation and geology of New Zealand and were impressed with our knowledge, especially Mida's as she recalled in detail the processes that created the islands. We learned about the tannic-acid-laden waters that dissolved the limestone and the straws, stalagmites, stalactites, and other formations we encountered in the cave. For the final step of our underground journey, we floated on the inner tubes, marveling at the thousands of glowworms creating a celestial ceiling above.

Wednesday meant another full class day, but for our math students it also meant having a guest speaker who lectured them on the relationships between financial planning and happiness. David shared his experiences of investing in property and how compounding interest of investments can provide for healthy economic stability. His lecture however extended beyond the details of monetary decisions to include making healthy choices regarding one's happiness in life. "Dream BIG," he implored the girls. Tara commented that David's talk reminded her of some of her own core beliefs, namely that one must choose to be fulfilled and happy. David sparked Kayla's interest when he said; "your friends and family are going to be way more valuable to you than money." Kayla wrote a beautiful paper about figuring out what's important and following one's passions. Cameron observed that she felt inspired to push herself beyond measure and to step outside her comfort zone. David's talk came on the heels of recent math discussions about credit, debt, and school loans. It was timely then for David to relay real stories about they concepts they had just been studying.

We said goodbye to David and Christy for a full travel day to Fox Glacier. On the way, we stopped in to Okarito, the town where The Bone People takes place. The book's author, Keri Hulme, is one of about 30 full time residents of the small village. The English class has been steadily working its way through this profound and challenging text. Discussions about the characters, themes, and symbolism have been lively. Everyone has gotten a little obsessed with Simon, Joe and Kerewin, the characters in the story. We circled up on the beach next to town and Anna gave the girls a journaling assignment for class. The assignment was to imagine one of the three characters ten years from now. What were they like? Who had they become? It was an interesting exercise in imagination, especially because of our surroundings. It was inspiring to think that this was the exact place the author had in mind as she was creating her story.

We are now in Fox Glacier Village. We had a full class day yesterday. Today our plan had been to join a local guide for a trek up the glacier, but we woke up to a raining downpour. We have rescheduled for tomorrow, weather depending. So today is an added catch up day, in addition to free makeovers provided by Katie. (I got mine last night, and boy, I looked ravishing!)

It is hard to believe that we have 5 weeks left. Time seems to go faster as the end draws nearer. Some of the highlights coming up include a trek in Mount Aspiring National Park, side trip to Milford Sound, city time in the college town of Dunedin, and yes, SAT's for the lucky girls who are planning to take them. We have a remarkable group of women here. This is exactly what it means to be in the right place at the right time. Everyone has something unique to offer and our group operates seamlessly. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Sincerely,

Shannon Ongaro
Academic Program Director

Dec 12, '05
Greetings from the Traveling School!

We decided to get the girls in on the action this time, so we asked everyone to contribute. Upon re-reading these stories, I am reminded of our many adventures and how far we have journeyed. With our departure just around the corner, time seems to be gaining momentum. I can't believe how much we have accomplished. I hope you enjoy these mini-travel articles.

Lying face up on an inner tube, I closed my eyes to more blackness. Tannin-dyed water trickled over the rounded rocks, as I pushed my hands against the cave walls to propel myself downstream. I reopened my eyes to the galaxy of glow-worms on the cave ceilings like a living Milky Way. We had just spent a science class in a cave, studying the rocks, waters, formations, and living things that exist in Punakaiki.

--Annie (on caving in Punakaiki)

Our trip to Fox Glacier was an intriguing adventure, as we stomped around on top of a glacier, peering down crevasses and watching our step around swirling moulins. Our tour guide Mike, with pick-axe in hand, led us up a rocky path along the side of the glacier. We secured the spiky crampons to our boots, and then Mike started out in front of us, chopping off pieces of the ice steps carved fresh that morning. A highlight of the day was when Genevieve gave us Snickers bars while Mike explained how glaciers flow like the caramel over the rocky peanuts. The crevasses and icefalls are like bends in the chocolate bar. The cold wind blowing off the glacier made the warming chocolate that much more satisfying. We walked up next to the meltwater stream with huge ice cubes and opted against a refreshing swim. The glacier looked like it was following us as we walked out of the park. In a way it was; it is one of the only glaciers in the world that is advancing. At its terminus it advances one meter per day! It was a great science class!

--Mida

The quaint town of Glenorchy barely has a main street, but the dramatic mountain peaks make the quiet utterly enjoyable. It was the perfect place to have classes and workouts, watching dawn play across the mountaintops. All nine of us girls sprawled out in one dorm room, getting the chance for bedtime dance parties and carpeting the floor with stuff!

--Tara (describing class time before and after backpacking)

As we all piled our stuff into the back of a trailer and climbed into a big bus taking us to the trailhead, no one knew what to expect of this five-day epic journey into the Southern Alps. Starting at a slow pace, we managed to lose our way off the track and have to take off all of our hiking gear to do several river crossings. You can imagine how happy this made us. But that was only the beginning to our nine-hour day. Soon enough we hit a meadow of bogs where Morena and Mida both ended up face down in the mud. We all got a good laugh and sat down for some lunch. Let's just say one thing: we are never eating Nutella again! We ate so much of that the rest of the day I felt like I was 200 pounds heavier. Despite the water and bogs, the scenery was amazing. Looking up, we saw towering mountains with snow caps all around us, lush trees, and cascading waterfalls; one of the most beautiful sights was the little hut perched on the other side of a swinging bridge, beckoning us to take off our wet boots! We had a quiet evening and went to bed - nice and early for the next part of our uphill journey. The next morning, we all reluctantly put on our wet boots and started trudging up to Dart Hut. We saw lots of keas that continually tried to rip off Katie's head, and the mountains ahead of us kept getting closer and closer. We all seemed to be enjoying ourselves besides the prickly plants. When we sat down for lunch by a river, out came tortillas and peanut butter and jelly as everyone refuelled on energy and got ready for the steep climb ahead of us. When we finally reached the top of the steep climb, Annie exclaimed, "I feel like I'm in The Sound of Music!" It was absolutely gorgeous and the climb was definitely worth it. As we continued on our way down to the hut, we spat out names of countries all over the world in "the name game." Our worries were far behind us, and we were soaking up the gorgeous sun and towering mountains. When we reached our destination, some of us ran down to the river to do a little swim and get the last rays of the day; for, little did we know, our next day would not be as gorgeous on the weather side as we would have hoped.

--Kayla (on the first two days in Mount Aspiring National Park)

The last two days of our backpacking trip were exciting but challenging. We woke up to a downpour, but because we were worried about rivers flooding and becoming too high to cross we decided to tough it out. Within twenty minutes, the waterproofing on my raincoat and rainfly wore out, but I was too busy singing and chanting with Katie to pay much attention. The trail began to turn into a river, so we barely noticed when we had to cross the real thing—raging water three feet deep. Seeing the hut across the field was such a relief, and it was great to peel off our steaming clothes once inside. There was a mutiny against the teachers, and class was put off for a day so we could gather our lost energy. Almost the full five hours of the last day was filled with my recounting the full fifth and sixth Harry Potter books in as much detail as I could remember to Katie. Although we weren't fighting evil as Harry was, we too were on an epic journey. When we finally reached the base, a wave of accomplishment washed over me. The trip had its ups and downs, but after reaching the parking lot I knew it had been totally worth it.

--Allison (on the last two days)

Our group over-indulged on Thanksgiving in Queenstown. Thanksgiving Da was spent preparing family dishes in borrowed kitchens from Cameron's and my parents' accommodations. We were glad they had come to spend Thanksgiving with us. Annie and I spent several hours peeling, cutting, and pouring brown sugar and maple syrup over kumara, a Maori name for a vegetable similar to a sweet potato. Morena made an amazing cookie cream dessert from a recipe she learned from her homestay family. Although we lacked the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, we had honey ham and chicken. Pumpkin pie seemed impossible to make at first, with no pumpkin concentrate, but my mom came to the rescue and made it out of pumpkin soup. It had only a slight aftertaste. Our Thanksgiving was very filling, and afterward we went on a nice walk around Queenstown.

--Erin

The small campground of Albert Town was the dust bowl re-enacted. Surrounded, as the case was with most of New Zealand, with spectacular scenery—booming mountains and morning-glory water—it was reminiscent to some of us of camping in Montana. It was quite a spot until fierce wind gusts added some protein from dirt to our food. But all's well that ends well and we had a jolly time poking around and swimming in the river.

--Morena

Rock climbing in Wanaka was very challenging, but extremely exciting. Many of the girls jumped right into their gear and started climbing like monkeys up the rock face, while others were hesitant about it. Our wonderful guide Jeremy gave us a great lesson on tying the ropes, preparing to climb, and rappelling. Each of the girls was so interesting to watch, for we all had completely different reactions once we had begun the somewhat treacherous climb. My parents were visiting the group and came along for moral support. My mom stood at the base, taking thousands ofpictures, while my dad climbed right beside me. All of us did wonderfully, and some girls decided to take it to another level. Tara and Mo climbed blindfolded, and Annie and Tara climbed barefoot. This was a fantastic day filled with many unforgettable memories.

--Cameron I had been begging and pleading since Gisborne to go surfing again, and the chance came in Dunedin. Although we had already learned to surf, we needed a guide to use University surfboards. Once we met our surf guide, I wasn't as annoyed with the idea; he was pretty good looking. Our first time out in the water was discouraging, but once he moved us to a weaker undercurrent, the girls were hopping up onto their boards in no time. My last wave was amazing; it was my biggest of the day, and I just rode it to shore. I know that it was our last surfing experience with The Traveling School, but it was just the beginning for me.

--Katie

Just nine days left. We are in the middle of review week, then finals. We are here in Dunedin now and have spent the day in the University of Otago library, utilizing their wonderful facilities. I laughed as it was the first time this semester we used actual classrooms. Tomorrow we begin making our way north, with a few stops. Maybe one or two surprises for the girls? You bet! I hope everyone finds their holiday preparations enjoyable. We will see you very soon.

Shannon Ongaro

Academic Program Director

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