Camp Wakarara

Today was the end of my first week of practicum with Room 16 of Heretaunga Intermediate. It is hard to believe how quickly this week has gone by but to be honest it has been such an enjoyable week that I am glad the week did not go any faster.

This week was my first week with this fantastic class and talk about a way to be thrown in the deep in. First up for my first ever practicum was School Camp! Camp Wakarara - a camp that I personally had not been to before but that friends as well as a family member or two had been to before. I knew that it would be colder than Hastings and I also knew that there was to be an extremely long walk on the Thursday up to Sunrise Hut but that was pretty much all that I knew.

Looking back on such and adventure filled week, I am pleased that I did not know much about camp or how the week would run at the beginning of the week. I feel that I would not have learnt as much during the week if I did know. Lets just say that there is a lot more to a school camp than meets the eye.

Camp Wakarara 2010......

• Problem solving,
• surviving without electricity,
• making hot chocolate for 30+ on a small gas cooker with hot milk and chocolate,
• long drops,
• fun and games,
• class work,
• cooking,
• camp fires,
• tent pitching,
• hiking/tramping,
• laughing,
• growling,
• taking photos,
• BBQ's,
• steam studies,
• early mornings,
• long days,
• endless nicknames,
• late nights,
• smores,
• night patrol,
• bush walks,
• camp food,
• cold showers,
• getting to know students

and so much more were all part of my incredible week this week.

Room 16 of Heretaunga Intermediate, you are all super troopers and such awesome people. I have had a fantastic week this week and just wanted to say thank you very much for letting me be a part of your camping experience. It certainly was a great way to get to know you all and guess what.... WE ALL SURVIVED THE WALK TO SUNRISE HUT!

Each and every one of you should be proud of what you have achieved at Camp Wakarara for 2010 and I hope that you remember this camp for years to come.

Look after yourselves, look after each other and ALWAYS reach for the stars - strive to be the best that you can be and you will go far in life.

Love and blessings,

Miss Stewart

Practicum 2010 begins!

So today is my very first day of Practicum for 2010!!!!

I know it will be a challenging time during practicum and I also know that there will be a few students who will just want to keep pushing my buttons no matter what I or they do but another thing that I definitely know is that this week is going to be incredible. This week I am heading away with my class and my Associate Teacher to Camp Wakarara for four days and three nights and going to have a blast - apparently it was very cold up there last week so hopefully the weather will be nice for us this week.

But honestly, Camp for my very first week of practicum - could anyone ask for a better first week of practicum, a better way to get to know their students and build up trusting and supportive relationships with them?

Time to go as I need to be at school at 7:30am but have a great week everyone and keep tuned for more postings when im back from camp.

Over and out,

xx

DONE DONE DONE!

Today I finally finished my very last assignments for 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS FREEDOM TIME - for a day or two at least!

All assignments are done, relaxing in Hawkes Bay, family dinner is done and now just pre-practicum visit and sorting out my bedroom to go! Yay for having a break :)

This year has zoomed by, i now only have four weeks teaching to go and then I am officially one third of the way through my teaching degree - considering during our easter holidays this year we were all saying we were one twelth of the way through and now its ONE THIRD!!!! *happy dance*

From the bedroom of Kathryn Stewart in Hastings,

ta ta for now!

Last night at Taurima

My last night living at Taurima was an eventful night and I can not believe that the year has come to an end so quickly!!!

After shaving my hair on Saturday, I thought that I had just done the most radical thing of my life but maybe after my last night at Taurima, im not too sure. Anyway,here is a blog which my neighbour Nicole, posted on her blog after our awesome outing on Sunday 17th October 2010.

"Ladies and gentlemen (gentlemen? Do any guys still keep track of my blog these days?), it is official: I am now a Liberated Women. I am free from the constraints society puts on us. Not in an angry-scary-feminist way though, I should point out, since that's vaguely the first thing that comes to mind. I am Liberated in an awesome-free-feminist way. As of Sunday night, I am a member of a secret sisterhood of Liberated Women.

Sounds very over the top, I know. But it was that sort of night. What started with a year-long running joke, spurred on by the fact it was Kath's final night at the hostel, ended with some very intense bonding in the middle of a field and a night none of us will ever forget. It was brilliant. Thank you, Mama Laura!!

So, now I'm no longer running across fields in the moonlight, what is it to be a Liberated Woman? I'm not a hundred percent sure of the definition, or if it's even definable at all. However, there's this quote on my bedroom wall which immediately caught my eye when we returned to the hostel. I think this sums up my particular brand of Liberation quite nicely:

You're only a teenager. You're not yet married, so go with the flow, laugh tonnes, use manners and try something new. Trust your feelings, spend your cash, introduce yourself, take a chance, study hard, seek happiness and regret nothing. Don't laugh at people's dreams and wish on 11:11. Challenge yourself, take pictures and appreciate the memories. You should always make time to dance in your underwear and learn from the past. Play dress up and then take all your clothes off. Have the time of your life."

Thank you to Laura and Nicole for the most epic outing that we have had. Rachel Griffiths, thanks for putting my with my weirdness on that last night.

October 17th 2010 will certainly be a night to be remembered for years to come... and who says that Christians don't know how to have fun. Lol

Mop Chop Time!!

On Saturday 16th October, 2010... im sure I did pretty much the most radical thing that I have ever done - I got my hair cut and shaved for an incredible charity known as CanTeen!

I had been thinking about this and planning this for a while but honestly, I was so freaked out and nervous when the day actually arrived. Im now sitting in my bedroom back in Hastings and looking in the mirror actually in love with my new style and wondering how it will go down when I go for my pre-practicum visit tomorrow!

One of the awesome things about the hair shave was that before it actually happened, one of the girls in my hostel ended up praying with me - just for the whole thing. I was so scared before she prayed with me but after saying our prayers, I suddenly felt so much calmer and was actually excited.

The time came and as I sat down in the hotseat, I had Loren (one of the girls from Taurima), holding one of my hands, Nathaniel holding my other hand and literally a whole crowd of support that it was actually amazing. As my hair was being tied up into ponytails, I was actually enjoying the moment and laughing... as soon as the first ponytail was cut off however, I did not want to even see the hair, my reflection or photos. I was so sure that I was going to cry.

about 20mins after I sat in the hot seat, I stood up and looked out at the crowd with my newly styled hair. I could certainly see some tears in the eyes of some people and although I new it was a major change and I had just lost over half of my hair, I had not cried! I was so happy with myself :)

The day was a great success and I was so lucky to have so much support and encouragement from friends and family! You guys rock and I love you all very much.

Taurima 2010, I could literally not have done this without all of your prayers, thoughts and encouragement over the last few months.

You all said that I was brave and amazing but to be honest, i think it is people like Talia, Amy and my brother who have faced the battle of cancer and have come out victorious - they are the brave ones, they are the inspiration!

Night Before Hair Shave

Some of the photos taken the night before my hair shave - October 15th, 2010

Photography by: Chelsea McConnell

Location: Waikato University Campus & Cameron Road - Hamilton East

Thanks so much Chelsea McConnell - you are incredible and it was such a cool time taking these photos with you!

Semester B is over!!!

Friday signalled my last day of classes for the first year of my Teaching Degree! Thank goodness that classes are now over, now its time to get crack-a-lacking on those assignments and TRY and get everything done that I need to before moving out of Taurima.

Im so grateful that no matter what I have felt like with uni this year, I have stuck it out and finished all my classes - its such a fantastic feeling when I look back and know that I had my ups and downs but stuck at it and have succeeded.

2 assignments and 2 portfolios all to do before I move out... yikes

RA Application Update

Okay, so for those who do or do not know, I am currently in the process of applying to be an RA (Residents Assistant), next year at Taurima Hostel. Pretty much it is the coolest way to spend a year of my life, studying at uni, working at the hostel and spending time playing a major part in the lives of those who I will meet - guiding and supporting people through their first and second years of university.

On Wednesday morning before I had class, I had my interview for the postion of an RA and before going into the interview, I was completely terrified and nervous. Looking back, im not sure why I felt like this but I did and now it just seems silly.

Hopefully this interview also went well in the eyes of those who were asking all the questions. I guess I will find out soon enough wether I am an RA next year or not but till then, I guess it is head down and studying hard to finish out this semester and my first year of university.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE INFO!

My dear and oh so wonderful blog (and blog readers),

I have missed you mucholy! Its been a long time since I have written and I can not believe that I have neglected you so much.

Last week I was out at Totara Springs Christian Centre for a few days, being a leader at a Ministry Camp out there - Junior Kids Camps are amazing! I had a blast and it was such an awesome week. The campers were great, I needed a break from uni, my co leader was fantastic and my Leader In Training aka Activity Helper was such a blessing to have. Overall, it was just a blast and the days went by so quickly. Before I knew it, it was time to come back to Hamilton and head to university again.

Oh and also, while I was at Totara, I had my interview for Summer Staff there so fingers crossed that I will hear back about that sometime soon. :)

The days are flying by and im not ready to turn those hi's into goodbyes!!!

17 days and the clock is ticking.....

This week it dawned on me, how quickly this year has gone and how amazingly fast this semester has gone. Its all coming to an end so quick and in some ways im excited but in other ways im deeply saddened by just thinking about leaving Hamilton.

I only have just over two weeks left in Hamilton - 17 days to be specific and a few of those days I am not even in Hamilton but will be in Matamata for a Ministry Camp at Totara Springs.

February seemed so long ago and I remember sitting in one of our very first meetings/lectures that day and finding out who would be in our tutorial groups etc etc etc. Thinking back to that specific day, I can remember everything so clearly and I also remember sitting in that massive lecture theatre with every single other first year student who was studying any form of education and there were definitely a lot of us. On that day, we all were thinking that flip this year was going to go by so slowly and to be honest, the first semester did seem to go by quite slowly.

Now im sitting here, in Taurima Hostel, loving my life, loving uni (sometimes) and in love with Hamilton (not quite as in love as I am with Wellington) and knowing that in 2 weeks today, I have finished my second semester of study at Waikato University.

One year is almost down and there is only two years to go!

The next two weeks are going to continue to fly by I know and its quite a scary thought but I know at the same time that they will be incredible weeks. So much to do and so little time.

The end is insight and to be honest it feels fantastic to be thinking about teaching in a classroom for four weeks but I know there will also be many tears shed in the next month - I just don't want to say goodbye... not yet!

TICK............TOCK .......................TICK ..................... TOCK ..................TICK...........

This afternoon as I was walking back from university, I turned into Cameron Road (the road which I live down), and for some reason I thought about that very first day that I tried finding my way to Waikato University - looking at directions on my cellphone, stopping people and asking for directions and realising that I was heading the complete wrong way down Cameron Road and I made the walk about 15 mins longer for myself than it should have been and although I left in plenty of time, I was still like 10-15 mins late for church that particular day....

Thinking about this now is just crazy as all you have to do to get to uni is walk down our driveway, turn right at the end of the driveway, cross the road, walk to the end of the street and walk around the corner (turning left at the roundabout) and then you are on Knighton Road which is where the main gate of uni is - oh man, how the heck did i get lost all those many weeks & months ago? Just reading over that paragraph it sounds a bit confusing but hopefully you understand what I mean.

The first time we head off to do something, it seems so scary and daunting but once you are familiar with the journey you are taking, it becomes much easier to navigate your way through life :)

So anyway, as I said, when I was walking home from uni this afternoon, I thought back to that very first day when I tried to find my way around Hamilton East. This got me thinking about how when we first look at some things in our lives, from a glance they seem so simple but when you are in the midst of that particular thing eg heading to uni, things do not seem so simple anymore. When you are going through that thing it is sooooooooooo much more difficult.

Once we have gone through that particular thing once or twice, it starts to get a little more comfortable and not seem so risky/scary.

The thing is though, sometimes in our lives we can get a little too comfortable and get stuck doing the same routine day in and day out.