A great night with YSA

January 22, 2011

 Jan 21st was my first day of my last two classes!! I have social studies and science for the next 6 days. Our science teacher was born to teach science. He likes to lecture but knows his stuff and did some fun hands on activities like giving us the opportunity to discover how to make a piece of paper float across the room by dropping it, not throwing it like you do paper airplanes. After we tried for a while he taught us how to do it. It was pretty cool and all of us were fascinated. If a bunch of 20,21 year olds are fascinated you know the kids we teach will be fascinated and engaged. I am excited to see what else he has to teach us even though he is giving us  a lot of homework.

 I really like our social studies teacher too. She taught us how to write a pi pi ha first thing which is a way for us to introduce yourself in Maori. I wrote mine...

Ko Hannah Kern Taku Ingoia
Ko Appalachian taku Maunga
Ko South taku whenua
Ko Atlantic taku moana
Ko Chattahoochee taku awa
Ko Georgia taku marae
Ko Kern English taku waka
Ko Shannon Kern me Marshall Scott Kern taku Matua
Ko Hannah ahau
Kia ora koutou katoa

We discussed the meaning of social studies during class and what children need to know, need to know how to do, need to do, and what the students should value. It was a great lesson for me and helped me to realize how much really is apart of social studies. I hate how social studies is so marginalized and forgotten about in some places or just seen as a subject that only needs 30min a week. Social studies is essential and so important the things our students/ kids learn in social studies teach them about the world and its people it prepares them and helps them become informed citizens who can make reasoned decisions for the betterment of other and the world. It is so essential to know about the world we live in, its people, the past, present, and future, the patterns that have occurred over time etc. Okay I'll get off my soap box but what can I say I love social students and history. It fascinates me.

After school Nancy and I hung with some of the other  BYU girls for a while before walking home. It was pretty fun. Katie and Becca are sweet girls.

Last night Nancy and I went to a multi-stake YSA activity. It was so much fun. We played some games inside and there was music, dancing, food, etc. Nancy and I played Ninja with Teina, Steph, Paige, Leone, Generva, and Pahu Li from our ward which was pretty fun. We have a great group of YSA in our ward. All of us girls also had some fun dancing around being crazy. I think it is kinda funny how the boys just hold up the wall just like in the states. There were heaps of YSA there though and Nancy and I made some great new friends including Chris, Roy, John, and Paige.They also had a variety show with great songs and they showed some dances the YSA did during their YSA conference a few weeks ago. I love how everyone here can sing and dance and are amazing at it. It is so cool. I loved how all of the YSA who had just been EFY counselors were still on a high from it. They all love that I was one in the states and love EFY since it is the second year they have had it in New Zealand. I got to hear the EFY cd for this year. It is pretty good, but I think last year's was better. Spending time with them makes me miss EFY and excited for it this year. I really hope I get to be a counselor again.Steph and Roy taught me some pretty fun dance moves including some rugby moves, skank (new zealand ragaee)and Roy's signature move. It was so much fun. They are so crazy and fun. I love having friends here. Afterward Nancy and I got some take out food with Steph, Roy, John, and Paige. Nancy and I tried Sea Dogs for the first time which are like hot dogs but with crab meat. It was pretty good and we had so much fun. The YSA here are so great and so fun. I love that I have YSA friends here and that I am going to get to have more fun with them. The people you know and spend time with can really make experiences even better. It was such a great evening.

Jan 22, 2011
Today, Nancy and I figured out phone stuff here so we could have a phone and keep in touch with people here. We also did some homework and hung out. It was pretty nice to just relax. It was a colder (high 50s, low 60s) rainy day all day. So kinda the perfect type of day to relax. This past week was pretty great I am loving being in New Zealand and the time here is flying by. I can't believe January is almost over.