Sunday (Your Saturday!)

I tasted Marmite today, and learned some of the names that New Zealanders call their coffee.

(Marmite is a paste that tastes and looks a lot like Soy Sauce. If you want a cup of coffee, you must ask for a long black, and if you want a double latte you request a “flat white”. My friend inquired, what do you call a single latte?” and the Kiwi we brunched next to said “Thet's jest a lette.” I've been working hard on my Kiwi accent. It's a really tricky one to imitate. So the word that I like to hear New Zealanders say is “Enthusiastic”.)

I arrived yesterday morning and spent the day walking around in the sun, which I believe is why I haven't suffered much jet lag. (I'm knocking wood as I type that. It isn't too late, I hear.) I met my friend Julie at the airport and we headed to her friend's house. This morning, we met with the rest of our group, and they are a smart bunch. We haven't set foot in a school, or begun a single “formal” discussion, but at brunch, I discussed play ground structures, looping and multi-age classrooms and what it means to “do” diversity, multi-cultural or anti-biased curriculum. Whew! We've arrived at the retreat center which will be our home base for the next five days and it's lovely. The place is an old monastary and is still owned by the Anglican church, so the rooms are small but the view is beautiful and humbling. I'm looking forward to dinner and then an early morning tomorrow.