Ewing的紐西蘭遊學日記

2024/7/19

On the first day I arrived in New Zealand, I felt the fresh air, beautiful nature, and the warmth of the people. After staying at Joe's home for two days, I moved to my homestay. The host family treated Ray and me very kindly. After Jamie introduced us to the home, we had dinner together. The next day was our first day of school. Ray and I felt very nervous about this new place.

2024/7/22

Ray and I, along with some other Chinese students, entered a classroom where students were already waiting for us. They sang to us, but I didn't understand the song, so I just stood there, doing nothing. Afterwards, a student who could speak Chinese helped me find my buddy. It took some time, but after 15 minutes, we finally found Tristram playing basketball in the gym. He invited me to play football, and I joined them for a while. Then Tristram introduced me to the school, and I followed him to class. Although I couldn’t fully understand the lessons, Tristram was always very patient and told me what to do.

At lunch, I saw some students playing football on the field. They invited me to join, and I had a lot of fun. After school, I returned home and enjoyed a great dinner with my host family. The next day at school, my friends told me I could join the football team. I was thrilled, as I love football.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I trained at a local football club. Everyone there was kind and friendly. On Thursday, I joined the school football team's second squad, and they said I did really well. I was happy and enjoyed playing with them. On Saturday, I joined a match and our team scored nine goals.

That weekend, Ray, Kevin, and I visited Joe's home again. We played games and had delicious ramen. It was a wonderful weekend.

2024/7/30

On Tuesday, Tristram told me that Mark said I could join the senior football team. I felt excited and a bit nervous. The people here are fun and kind, and I'm grateful they want to be friends with Ray and me. Though we are international students, they treated us like everyone else.

This was my first time training with the senior team. The players are strong and talented. Two of them are only 15 years old, but they are some of the best. I enjoyed the training, although I couldn't play in the first team match due to certain reasons. Instead, I played with the second team and we won 2–0.

2024/8/4

Ray, Kevin, and I woke up early for a holiday. We met Flora at school, and joined others for a trip to Hobbiton. After a long drive, we arrived and took many photos, enjoying the beautiful scenery. It was an unforgettable experience. Later we went to McDonald’s for lunch and met Leo and his family. Then we headed to the day's highlight—Black Water Rafting. After putting on our suits, we entered the cave. It was dark, cold, and dangerous, but very exciting. After three hours, we exited the cave. It was amazing, and I'll never forget it.

2024/8/5

Monday again, but I've learned a lot these days. On Wednesday, I was supposed to train at the football club, but Mark and Tristram suggested I try with the second team. I messaged my host parent to ask if I could join that session. Though he said yes, I felt sorry for breaking my original promise and causing inconvenience.

The next day, I looked forward to Saturday’s match, but Flora told us we would go out with friends. After thinking, I decided it might be better to spend time with Flora's group. On Friday, I told Mark that Ray and I wouldn't play in the match, and I asked if I could join the first team next week. He said maybe I could play with them on Friday. I was thrilled.

2024/8/10

On Saturday, we had an English breakfast. Honestly, it was expensive, not tasty, and we had to wait a long time. After that, we hiked a small mountain and took many photos. The view was breathtaking. In the afternoon, we went tree climbing. It was fun but scary. The trees were over ten meters tall. I'm afraid of heights, so I kept screaming. It was safe, but I couldn't stop imagining the worst. As I continued, I became braver.

The next day, we visited Ayrton Farm, where we saw a performance involving dogs and sheep. It was amazing, and I admired the trainer's skills. For lunch, we went to an all-you-can-eat restaurant. I ate too much and ended up vomiting. Later, we went go-karting. It was dangerous but exciting, and we kept bumping into each other.

On Monday morning, I had diarrhea and felt terrible. Ray and I decided to take the day off. I rested well at home. For lunch, I made toast with medium-rare goose and some cheese. For dinner, we had sushi.

The final day of school was my graduation. Ray and I joined a class of international students, took many photos, and said goodbye. The next day, we visited Aunt Flora's home and had lots of fun playing games and eating Taiwanese food. It reminded me of home, and both Ray and I missed Taiwan very much.

Time flew by, and suddenly it was our last day in New Zealand. We thanked Flora's family for the unforgettable memories. We packed our bags, headed to the airport, and said farewell to this beautiful and dreamy country.

Thank you to Flora's family, my teachers, friends, Tristram, Leon, Ryu, and everyone who supported me. I'm deeply grateful. I hope everyone reading this diary will one day have the chance to visit New Zealand and experience its beauty and culture.