Rugby in New Zealand

In New Zealand the practice of sports its very common, specially rugby. Rugby in New Zealand is different than other countries because here it is a religion; it’s a culture, as people play rugby constantly and from an early age. This sport isn’t only cheered by men, but also cheered by girls and boys of different ages. Before every match they do the Haka a Maori challenge dance, the All Black specifically use the “Ka mate” Haka to challenge there opponent, this is the All Blacks “Ka mate” Haka

"Ka Mate"

In this time in New Zealand we have had the opportunity to live and feel the atmosphere for Rugby World Cup as in every store they sell things of the world cup, and the people are getting ready for it.

By Matthew Faille.

Botanic garden of wellington

The botanic garden contains a wide variety of plants that are not very different from those we have in Chile.
The Wellington Botanic Garden, covers 25 hectares of land on the side of the hill between Thorndon and Kelburn, near central Wellington.

The garden features 25 hectares of protected native forest, conifers, plant collections and seasonal displays. They also feature a variety of non-native species, including an extensive Rose Garden. They are classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture.
The Wellington Cable Car, a longer car than the Valparaiso’s funicular, runs up between Lambton Quay and the top of the Botanic Garden, and it is the most direct way to get from the top part of the garden to Wellington's Central Business District.

The botanic garden of Wellington was a very good experience, we saw a lot of differents plants and herbs that we can’t see in our country.

     

By Javier Castro.

The day a day in Scots College

In the city of Wellington, boys and girls they are forced to go to school, like in Chile.  In the mornings the country of New Zeland has some specials buses only for schools.

The transport you can use to go to school is the bus, train, car, etc. To pay this transportation you can use the snapper card only in buses that is like the bip card that we have in Santiago, and you can pay with cash in trains and

Buses.

In the school we have normal classes, learning new things in English and not in Spanish. Our first days in New Zeland was very hard to us to understand because of the English accent that here they have.
In the mornings I take a train in the Porirua Station to the railway station, and

then I take one of the buses to the Scots college. After School I do the same same but in the opposite direction, and also I take a bus from Paremata to my house.

By Joaquin Fuentes

Kapiti Island

Kapiti Island is a natural reserve that is separated from the main island by the Rauoterangi channel. The island is well known by the New Zealanders, considered one of New Zealand's most important sites for bird recovery, as well as a major breeding site for sea birds.

The Vegetation is very similar to the one we can found in the south of Chile, full of trees and different type of plants. When we were at the top of the hill (which took as about one hour walking), we had a very beautiful sight. We could see the sea and the whole city of Wellington. The sight we had over there was very similar to the one we saw at “Fray Jorge” last year on the trip to the north of Chile.

We had the opportunity to see different type of birds, but the one that I liked the most was the “Weka”, a type of bird very similar to the “Kiwi”. Unfortunately we couldn’t see any kiwi, as they go out of their shelters only at night. Some of the birds that are on this natural reserve are takahe, kokako, brown teal, stitchbirds, and tieke (saddleback), miromiro, piwakawaka, ruru, weka (hybrid of North and South Island subspecies), hihi, and toutouwai. The Brown Kiwi and Little Spotted Kiwi were released on the island between 1890 and 1910, and the island is now the stronghold for the latter species.


By Lucas Gonzalez.

Living with a new family

We have been only 1 week and a little bit more living with new families, but with this short tome, I can say that is a very good experience to live with another family, and this have a lot of benefits.

A benefit is the improvement of your English, because you speak all the day the language with your family. If you need something, the only way to ask is with English, because they don’t know Spanish. If you watch TV, the TV is in English. If you want talk, or if the family talks to you, they would speak you in English.

Other benefit is the independence, because if you want go to the downtown or to any place with your friends, you have to know how you can come back to your home. You have to take a bus, some people train, and other ferry; therefore you have to realize, in what bus or train you must get on, where you have to get down, and then where you have to walk, etc.

Other, is know better this culture, know how live this people, because you star to be one more of the house.

Other thing is that you must respect the standards and the schedules of your family. Therefore, you have to adapt to many things, like the time that you must be 

By Andrés Jahr.

Public Transport / Snapper Card

You will ask yourself “What is this?” the Snapper card is a very important thing in New Zealand, is an easy and faster way to pay the bus, the cable car and also the taxi. The way how you go from one place to another is very important here, because the places are not very close to each other so the way of transport is very important.
Other thing that is really important is how to use this card, is not difficult, you just have to put the card near a sensor and when you finish your journey start and repeats the charge you finish the tour, this is the Snapper card.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                            




By Javier Hasbun.