We've been noticing a few differences here...

You know life’s a little different when...

You’re riding down the gravel driveway and you see “brain” coral is part of the crush...

You’re sitting outside in the evening, cooling down to the gentle sounds of the pig snoring in the neighbours backyard...

You start keeping an eye out for overhanging coconut trees, ‘cause you have to swerve around a few nuts laying in the road...

It's 20C @ night and you want a blanket on the bed because you feel a bit cool...


Theres no such thing as channel surfing because theres only one TV channel with about a dozen commercials...

You haven’t worn shoes since you’ve arrived as you don’t really have a reason to...

You’re surfing the internet because you don't want to ask when’s the best time to pick the bananas hanging on the tree outside your bedroom window because you don't want to sound like a "tourist"...

The members of the national rugby league team show up at the kids school to take them for a training run and toss the ball around...

School notices are brought home by the kids AND advertised on the national TV station...

At first glance you mistake a cockroach for a small, brown rat...

You’re in the lagoon, standing on a huge “brain” coral with your kids, and the tropical fish start nibbling at your toes...

You start categorizing the local fauna...

Friend (eats the bugs)

Foe (stands outside the window and crows)

Friend OR Foe?... jurys still out...
(I would like to count this one as a friend)


Anyways, Nuff said for now...

School Daze

Heres a few words from the kids

Alina: Our plan for my schooling was all muddled up for a while. I remember a coupla years ago Mum was thinking that I’d go to Tereora, so in grade nine when teachers would ask “which high school are you going to?” and I would say “Tereora”, and then the teacher would say “...where?!” (hee hee) Then I heard from Maria that school in the Cooks ends at age 16 (now how old am I? Hmmm...) Mum was really starting to wonder what I’d do for school now, and Aunty Lena suggested that I try this online homeschooling program that her school offers. So our plan was that I would get homeschooled with an Albertan education and graduate at the same time as my friends. But it turns out that one of the many bloody expensive things here is the internet, which meant that online schooling was suddenly a bad choice. Mum and Dad investigated schools, and found one where you should graduate by age 17, like Canada. And my assessment results showed that if I work hard enough, I might graduate early. So now I’m going to school... at Tereora. ;D

Alina at her new school Tereora College

Morganne:  Fist day at school and I was bombarded by questions. I didn’t exactly care though, but I did have to repeat some answers for the kids. The teachers were impressed with my work, (as were a lot of the kids!) and a whole bunch of kids loved my art. They were also impressed with my speed at running.  That’s it.  Really.  Nothing else. Go have fun.

Kids in their new uniforms

Tere: On my first day of school, it came to rocky end. Mine and Morganne’s bikes fell over during the day. When we got them back up, MY bike was making a weird “donk” noise, and the back brakes weren’t working. Undeterred, we left school., and this “donk” noise was getting on my nerves. So I decided to check this out at a nearby rugby field. And I stopped, with a very bad front flip. Here’s what happened: There was a bar that held up a basket, and when we removed the basket, the bar was still there. So when my bike fell over, the bar was caught on the tire. Then eventually it catches and I flip over the handlebars and the bike falls on me. Fortunately Dad was driving by and he picked up the bike and drove home with one hand steering, the other was holding up the bike. And the one thing that amazed me was that my uniform didn’t get dirty when I crashed. And I only got a small stab on my palm. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, I’m out of ideas. Guess that’s it.  

Heading to school

Learning to ride,... getting there!!

Anyways, Nuff said for now

House number for the New Place??

This is an addendum to the previous post, I was reading through the paper the other day and there seems to be a move afoot to improve the house numbering system here!!!
I was laughing after reading the cartoon, but then, I thought that might be a good idea!...
This is what 'Kata' from Cook Island News had to say...

Actually, sounds pretty close, theres a big mango tree by the road and we have a green roof,... we're the fourth house past the mango tree so that would make us 'thingy' and our neighbour would be on fire!!!