By Audrey Hackman

I’m nearing the end of the week, and the end of my time with Clea. At least I think that’s her name. She doesn’t know how to write.

The foreign students don’t know how to speak English. Well, they know a tiny bit, but not that much. Clea is so sweet though!

The Kapa Haka dance was okay. I was not aware that we had to wear costumes. And it didn’t exactly fit me right either. So there was a short dress, a skirt with strands, a headband, and a comb with feathers that stick up when you put it in your hair. It was so weird seeing a bunch of kids in this costume. But the dances were good, and the chinese dances were superb! They weren’t exactly cultural, however. Is Shake it Off a cultural song to the Chinese? They were very good, however. Afterward, we met our students. Clea looked so cute! We talked to her some and showed her around the school. Then we had to get to class. They don’t go to class with us. They have their own class.

We played with her Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and today at morning tea and lunchtime. Yes, I said morning tea. That’s what they call snack here. Anyway, me, Clea, and Ava had a lot of fun together. We were mostly able to communicate by talking slowly and using hand motions. And today we played basketball. Clea wasn’t very good, but she managed to make a basket! We all clapped. I am not looking forward to tomorrow, when we have to say goodbye for good.