Day 9 June 17th 2011

Top 15



1. Rangitoto College- I had probably one of the best experiences of my life. I never expected the kids from New Zealand to be so similar to those from America. I met a lot of new friends and I doubt I will ever forget them. It is #1 because not many people get a chance to do something like this. It is something that should happen more often because it is life changing.

1. Great Barrier Reef- One of the most known places in Australia and it is obvious why. The fish and coral is impossible to copy and many people never get a chance to see it. This place made me rethink my life goals, and not man times have I been forced to do such a thing.
2. New Zealand Food- This includes BurgerFuel, L&P, and Hanghi dinners. We are on the other side of the world and had a burger place the first night. New Zealand has its own twist on how they make their burgers; they put an egg in it. It might sound disgusting, but it was one of the best burgers of my life. L&P is a carbonated beverage that is hard to live without. I feel as if I am going through withdrawal still. The hanghi dinner is unique because of the way it is prepared.
3. The Rocks, Sydney- There were so many stalls that it had an essence of Australia in every way. There were food and souvenirs in the same place. Some of the most unique items are sold here and they cannot be seen anywhere else.
4. Whaka Village- A great view into the Maori culture and lifestyle. I had no idea they had isolated villages and I can understand their culture better. Also, the views there are breathtaking.
5. Aquarium and Wildlife Preserve- many people travel to Australia because of the animals that live there: crocs, sharks, kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas. There is a walkway under the shark exhibit where you can walk and practically touch the sharks. Also you can take a picture with a koala for a low price!
6. Sunset in Rotorua- one of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen in my life. The steam rising in the dark sky is very contrasting and one of a kind.
7. Cairns- the beach, the restaurants, and the night markets. The beach scene is really relaxing and I want to come backpacking here in college. I loved all the free time with the restaurants and I got a good outlook of Cairns.
8. Patty’s Market- a great place to go if you want souvenirs, purses, or even clothes! I was able to get everything I needed for a great price and little hassle. Even if I didn’t want to haggle, I could just head up the stairs and shop at outlets.
9. Sticky Candy- The best candy I have ever experienced in my life. My mind was literally blown when I tried this candy. The workers were interactive and friendly while they showed us how they made DIVINE lollies.
10. Duck Tour- a great way to see the sights of Rotorua while having some fun. The duck bill toys showed us how lively their city can be. The water tripe was a beautiful way to see the sights and houses in New Zealand. I was able to learn a large amount of Maori/New Zealand history.
11. Alec- The best part of a trip is a tour guide. The guide can make or break the whole time. You need a great tour guide to understand the history of the area without boring you. Alec did this perfectly, and that’s a feat for a group of teenagers from America.
12. Louging- the top of the mountain gave a great view of Rotorua, especially because it was our first time on top of a mountain this trip. Aslo, the louging was a great experience, even though I was afraid at first. I would definitely do it again.
13. Sydney Harbor- the prettiest view of the most important sights in Sydney. The sights were even better during the light show. It was amazing that we were able be in Sydney at the same time and have time in our schedule to see it.
14. Sydney Mall Area- the best place to go for any avid shopper. Heck, even people that don’t like shopping would like this place. Stores of every variety and prices of every range are available. I wish we had more time there because I saw a lot of cute stores that I probably never will be able to go back to. I did get to go by for 1 minutes and even in that time I was able to get a full outfit!

Day 8 June 16th 2011

The Great Barrier Reef

Today at the Reef was amazing! Because we were able to get such a good sleep, I was able to get a better experience from the day. On the bus ride to the pier, it was easy to tell that everybody was excited and in a good mood. The high speed boat was really cool. It was slightly colder than what I expected and the boat didn’t exactly help with the chill. As we were on the boat I was too excited and could hardly contain my happiness. The hour and a half was almost too much anticipation. I was one of the first people off the boat and onto the plateau. Of course, it took me a while to find the right snorkeling equipment, but once I did I was in the water. The water was absolutely BEATIFUL! The vast colors available in the reef just blew my mind. When I first went in, I almost couldn’t believe what I was seeing. At first I was freezing, but I quickly got over the cold and began swimming to see all of the sights. I kind of wish I had gotten an underwater camera for the trip, despite the fact that it cost 25 aussie dollars! That says a lot because I am a very bad spender and hate wasting money. The sights were just so beautiful that I would spend a lot of money to cherish. I spent about an hour and a half swimming around in the water. Once I went through the extremely shallow part of the reef and got cut on the coral. I had no idea I really touched one, but I came out with a scratch on my leg! On my first submersion into the water, I had on a life jacket and couldn’t really dive to be closer to the fish. I kept it on because it gave my body buoyancy and I didn’t have to work as hard swimming. I wanted to go out far and so I went a pretty far distance. I saw a lot of fish that I have never had a chance to see before. I saw Dori very often, like schools of them all over the place. Then at 12:30-ish I went and got some of the best food we had the whole trip. The tortellini and garlic bread was DELECTABLE! After the food, I had the opportunity to take a semisubmersible submarine and saw some beautiful sights. The sub trip was about 15 minutes, so it didn’t really detract much from my reef time. I almost immediately went back into the water, this time I did not use a life jacket and was able to swim right next to the fish. There was one HUGE fish that stuck closer to the bottom of the reef but got near me multiple times. Then I headed over towards the boat because people were waving us over. The lifeguard was handing out food to people and they were feeding the fish. There was a large amount of fish there and they were so hunger that they didn’t care that people were swimming with them! A couple times that swam right at me and touched me! I can truly say I swam with the fishes! Then I had to pee so I got out of the water. There was a live tank of fishes that one of the workers got today. I got to hold a sea cucumber and a starfish! After that I went on a boat tour with a glass bottom. I was able to see other types of coral and cool fish. We even got to see a turtle, it was huge! This trip made me rethink my career choices. When I was younger I wanted to be a marine biologist, and the reef made me want to re look into that profession. Overall the trip to the reef was awesome and beautiful. I doubt I will ever forget what happened there!

After the reef, we went back to the hotel. We had a similar dinner time. We got free time until 9 to see Cairns. We got pizza and saw what was at Cairns. There was a night market! This market had cheap souvenirs and uggs! It was so exciting because I thought my souvenir shopping was over! We finished and had an hour left so we went to the hot tub! It was a great day.

Day 7 June 15th 2011

Today was a travel and relax day. We flew from Sydney to Cairns and went to the hotel. The hotel has three pools! As a group, we walked to the man made beach. They gave us until 5pm on the beach. That was like 3 hours to chill and see the sights of Cairns with some friends! Then we met back at the hotel and they told us that we had the night free for dinner. So we just went to an awesome restaurant called Outback Jack's and ate. We walked back to the hotel and went into the hot tub to relax. It was an overall great, relaxing day. I loved it!

Day 6 June 14th 2011

What is a Good Traveler?

I think I'm a fairly good traveler. Why? I just like to travel so much, I work for it. Whenever I go someplace, I like to walk around aimlessly for an hour or two with no set destination. Other times I just ask locals what they like to do in their free time. In my opinion, a good traveler doesn't only travel to see the sights, but to learn; about the country, its people, or even him/herself. Evertime I travel I  learn something new about myself. Its one of the reasons I travel; to see the world in a new perspective and to see myself in a new perspective. I have always wanted to travel by myself. Right now I am alittle too young for that, but sometime in the future I want to do a backpacking-type trip. I know I am not the best traveler, but with time I think i will be. I need to be more outgoing and open to strange things before i am ready to be a solo traveler. I think i am a great traveler with a group because i know there is always somebody around in which i can go to for help. My goal is to be a traveler that can survive withot relying on others, just myself. Also a good traveler should love to fly. I do love to fly. For most of my childhood, Ohare airport was my favoite place in Chicago. A good traveler should be able to stay in even the most modest of hotels. Because in reality, a good traveler isn't in his/her room for long. You must be ready for even the most unexpected things to happen. Im not quite at that level, but i hope to be soon.

Today was the excursion day! We found out at around 7 that whale watching was canceled because of bad weather. So instead, we went to Patty's market! the bottom of the market was filled with people sellings things. They had souvenirs to actual clothing! The best part is that you were able to haggle for what you wanted! I was able to buy all the souvenirs i needed, and then we went upstairs. the top was filled with really cute stores and i bought even more! Then we had freetime at the rocks and i had a lovely lunch of italian pizza. It was great! After that, we still had free time so we just wandered. We got to see Sticky's! Best candy of my life, and they made it right in front of us. We went to the aquarium and headed over to the harbor. The light show was beautiful and we saw some techno didgeridoo-ers! then we went to the hotel, and some of us went out to get food. I got some Pad Thai! (:

Day 5 June 12th 2011

Top 3 new things you've done and their impact on you

My main goal/purpose for this trip was to try something new to eat every meal. So far, i have completely done my goal. I didnt think i would actually be outgoing enough to do the goal. I hate trying new things, but i did it! Some days i was almost too lazy to try soemthing new and just felt like getting a burger, but i decided maybe i should get a cool side or drink. Somedays it was as simple as L&P and cool sauce. Even today i tried some Fish and Chips. I know that doesnt sound interesting, but ive been wanting to try it my whole life now.All the time i see my dad order it but i have NEVER tried it. I actually liked it and will actually order it again if i get the chance. I also feel as if the quote "when traveling, you generally talk to people you wouldnt talk to at home". I think this quote is true in more than one way. I am more talkative and have talked to many different people on this trip. I have made alot of new freidns and i am happy about it. Another thing i am proud of is that i have been open to alot more things people suggest. I will legitimately try it or do my best to try it. I tried crocodile jerky and did not even judge it because it was crocodile. I even liked it! And im fine with all the walking through cold nights or mornings where im tired. I just trucked on and made the best of each situation. The day we ahd the iotion of taking the train or walking through the rain for miles, i went out of my normal bounds and went through the rain! I had a blast then and i havent regretted any of my choices thusfar. I love traveling because i learn new things about myself. I see myself being extremely comfortable with those around me and i try new things. I do things i would not normally do because i keep thinking to myself "this might be my last chance to ever do this". So i just go for it. So far, i have absolutley no regrets unless i think i should have tried something that i didnt. Traveling brings out the better/ more interesting side of me. Its a side that i just love to have. 

Today we went on a bus and saw alot of Syndey.  Then we went to the Opal factory and heard a presentation on the creation of opals. Then we got to shop in their store. Then we just had a tour of sydney lead by Alec. We went on a cruise of the harbour on a cruise boat. Lastly we went to the wildlife world and saw alot of Syndey animals! 

Day 4 June 11th 2011

Compare Sydney to Other Cities

Syndey has its own kind of style. There is a peacefulness of the countryside and the hustle and bustle of a busy city. I love the harbour area, with the view of all the major Sydney attractions. Also the mall was very unique. It was right in the middle of the city and had multiple parts. It had cool stores and I wish we had more time to spend there. The Rocks were amazing! All of the stalls has unique products  and good prices. I was able to finish all of my gift shopping easily, and buy a little somethingfor myself. The variety of options available shocked me for a little while. Sydney is kind of a quaint city; nice poeple, all of the attractions close by, and its easy  to get everywhere. Other cities are really busy, but our group was able to navigate fairly easily. Today in Syndey was a blast.  There were alot of opportunities to bond. On the plane, I was able to play games with people in different seats. We spent the whole day walking around Syndeywith the group and i was able to talk to alot of people. When some of us decided to walk instead of taking the train back to the hotel, some bonds were formed. I made some really good friends on the way back to the hotel. I think the walk was a really good experience to have. A group oof teens, manning up to be in the pouring rain, walking miles to the hotel can connect really easily. At the start we just had some of theboys go where they thought the hotel was but ended up going the wrong way. then we had to llok at a map to find out we had like a mile to go in a different direction. At that point we all just stopped trying and let loose. I feel as if the group let down their walls and bonded because of the memories. When we got back o the hotel, some of the teachers asked if anyone wanted to go out and find some place to eat. All of the people who walked decided to go back out, while the people who took the train decided to stay in and order pizza. I had a great time walkingin the cold rain for 2 miles, no joke. I have a large amount of good memories and would not go bback =and take the train. overall, it was a FUN NIGHT!

Today, we woke up early to take a plane to Australia! When we got there, we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and began exploring Syndey. We ate at the food court in an AWESOME mall and saw all of Sydney up in the tower. We hung out in Syndey most of the day. Then some of us walked back to the hotel in the rain and went out to eat. 

Day 3 June 10th 2011

Morning hike and Rangitoto College

I feel like today will be one of my favorite days on the whole trip. It didnt start out too well with the rain and earlyness, but the forest was beautiful. The tall trees and landscapes, despite the rain, made for some great pictures. That part of my day was just okay, but when we got to Rangitoto i had a ball. Literally, I can tell it iwll be my favorite activity of the trip. IT was so cool to meet people on the otherside of the world that are just like us. They have the same small groups, dances, and personalities.. I was shocked at how similar they are to us, despite all of the differences. As we walked in, the Maori people greeted us in such a cool way! The haka they did was just so legitimate compared to the one last night. It was really nice to learn a full dance, something that i could bring home with me and show others. I became acquantances with some of them and they were extremely nice to us all. Even cooler, the fact that they have such similar music. When Party Rock came on, which is kind of our trip anthem, one of the maori boys started fist pumping! I looked at the guy and made eyecontact, then fist pumped back at him.. it was great! The food there was delicous, especially the desert. It was interesting to see and hear the school dynamics. The fact that they only have one big dance, the ball (prom) is so different than our big three dances. Also they have a strict dress code, even though they are a public school! Even weirder, they have to pay for their school bus ride! No, not public transportation,but their school ride; $3.50 a day! I really like the set up of the school, they have buildings for each of the subjects.

I pretty much summarized all we did today in the reflection but it was a good day. We woke up early and went on a short walk through the Redwood forest. Then we went to the  Agrodome and saw a hilarious show! I pet some baby goats and a dog! then we got to our hotel, took a shower and got ready for the Rangitoto kids. We spent the night there hanging out with them and eating a barbeque. 

Day 2 June 9th 2011

New Zealand Culture vs U.S. Culture
Today we went to the Whaka village and learned alot about the Maori people. Whaka village was BEAUTIFUL. In a way, its like the Maori people are still a tribe. From what I have seen, the Maori tend to stick together. The fact that they live in a closed (ish) civilization makes it seems as if they are a closed off group. Also, the fact that they have the ability to give tours and traditional shows gives the sense that people really still appreciate their college. The native Americans don't really get much attention from Americans. We dont see them that often on the streets, but there are still little native american tribes around. I think a reason Americans arent as impressed by our natives is because many of our civilians are part native american. The maori have a more strict marraige policy and i think think they are allowed to have a kid with a non-maori person. The maori culture is beautiful in my opinion. I love that the people preserve it so well. Also every tourist attraction in New Zealand highlights the maori people in some way.  There are little key chains and hanghi dinners everywhere. The native americans dont have many special shows for tourists unless the tourist specifically looked for a tribe.

Which is funny because a lot of americans are part native american. The dinner was interesting. In my opinion, it seemed too commercialized. Yet i still loved the maori stories and songs they shared with us. New Zelanders really appreciate the maori people and want to show them off. The only native american we really put in a good light is Pocahontas. The fact that there are many maori stories that non-maori people know by heart shows how spread the culture is and how cherish it.
Today we woke up at a fairly early time. Before we ahd to leave, many of the kids in the group went outside and saw a beautiful sunrise.

I got some of the coolest pictures of it. Then we went on a duck tour. On it, we saw many sights from Rotorua and learned alot of maori stories. The duck tour was awesome and thedriver was really cool. We went to the Whaka Village. Later in the day we went to a Hangi dinner at the hotel. It was right next to the lobby so we didnt have to get dressed up much. We were there with another EF tour. The dinner was interesting. Their were alot of food options that i have never heard of but decided to try. Many of them were good, but some made me want to barf. The entertainment was probably the most interesting part of the night. The people showed us and told us about the Maori culture.

Day 1 June 8th 2011

First impressions, cultre shocks, and what i look forward to on this trip.

The first thing i thought when i looked outside was "Drat! It's raining". It took me a few moments to get over my pessimistic thoughts and notice New Zealand. It was hard not to be shocked by all of the green pastures and lush trees. On the bus ride i was CONSTANTLY taking pictures of the countryside.
As we walked to the bus, i think i was the first to tkae notice of the cars and their wheels. I was completely confused, but what do you expect? I was on a long flight! It took me a few seconds to remember that New Zealanders drive on the left side of the road. One day when im older, i hope to come back and try my hand at driving their way. And oh the accents! Some of the New Zealanders have a British-type accent while others have a more american accent.

In Hobbiton, Zoe Kaityn and I were walking down the street and some New Zealand teens asked us where we were from. When we told them "America" they were completely shocked. A few seconds later, some more of us wandered by and we could hear their gasps of"wow!" because they dont often see American teens walking around there. The New Zealand ppeople are so nice! I lost count of how many people smiled at me or said good morning. We walked inside one restaurant and the owner said "the bathroom is right through the back if thats what you were looking for", and not even in a condescending tone! In america, you have to pay for something to even think about using the toilet. Aslo, the men here dress somuch nicer than those in America. Here they seem to actually care about what they wear and try to match. In America, teens males just grab a random T-Shirt and some jeans. Alot of the guys even match their shirts with their shoes and scarves! Tomorrow, we are going zorbing! A zorbe is that giant hamster ball thing that people run around in. I am really excited to meet the kids from Rangitito. Having talked to them so much on Facebook, I can't wait to see what they are like in preson!

Today was really a day of adjusting to the time zone difference and getting used to New Zealand. We got off the plane and took a 3 hour ride to Rotorua. Beofre we arrived, we stopped in Hobbiton for lunch. Hobbiton is a tourist trap because many people want to see the area where Lord of the Rings was filmed. We only stopped there to get some lunch, and there were many options for food. We then continued to Rotorua and got our first experience with the fmaous Rotorua smell. Rotten eggs AKA sulfur deposits. We went Louging

 and went to the Jade Factory. Also we wnt to this awesome burger joint for dinner. Porbably the best burger i have ever had in my life!

food & cuisine

a. cultural influences
In my opinion, America has too many cultures present to be specific. It is, after all, called the "Melting Pot". Some major influences though are african cultures, mexican cultures, chinese cultures, european cultures, and what we created ourselves. If you walk into a town for a restaurant, you will most definately see a restaurant in one of these categories.
However in New Zealand, there is a more narrow list of cultural influences. A large part of their food came from Europe, Asia and Polynesia; they just added their own little flare to the cusines to make it their own. New Zealand is a country that is filled with unique and abundant food. They are able to eat fantastic food from their land and sea! Becuase of this,they areable to add their own technique to recipes.
For both countries, food is a large part of dialy life. One tradition that is prevalenti\ in both America and New Zealand, is our barbeques. Though the concept is similar, the act of a barbeque is largely different for both countries. In America, a barbeque is a lrge gathering of freinds and family that eat burgers, hot dogs, and other "american" food. In New Zealand, the whole idea is different; yes they gather as a group to eat, but what and how they cook may seem strange over here. Instead of a barbeque machine, a kiwi man will dig a hole for cooking. In that hole, hot stones a vegetables reside. On top of the veggies, the meet and other veggies are cooked. Even further,the whole contraption is covered and sealed with water! They yhave to let the fool steam for multiple hours before they can eat.
( i accidently did part b too, but  i thought the prep. was different because of a cultural influence: since they were a underdeveloped country for so long, the  Naori people probably haven't felt the needd to adapt to our ways of cooking. It is probably what they have always done, a native cooking technique)

2. I am definately most nervous about all of the animals they eat over there. The idea of eating a lamd or a kangaroo kind of disgusts me, but i hope i will push myself to try even a bite. I AM excited about the barbeque though, the way they create the food sounds really interesting and delicious.

Rabbit Proof Fence

The European settlers act as if they have complete control over Australia. As if they didn't recently find the land, but as if they were there the whole time. They treated the aoriginals like dirt, as if they were animals. They didn't deserve basic human rights or needs. The settlers were able to decide who deserved to lvie where and how. Natives were not classified as citizens to their own country, until recently. Mixed children were taken away from their families to an institution simply based on their fathers. The mothers were thought of as whores, even though the white fathers had a white wife back home. They cheated but were treated as if nothing was wrong. This type type of thinking also occured in the US. When the European settlers came here, they stole the land and power from the native americans. The natives were enslaved and put into camps. The women were raped and mixed children were also created. Settlers do not have a right to take over a country, like the Europeans have so often. Children should not be taken away from their families because of a invisible father. A white man should not ba allowed to father a child without taking responsibility, and have the innocent child take fault. The child has done no wrong, all they did was be born. The actions of the governement were not justified. The "governemnt" was not even a real governement to their nation. The natives had no choice in how the country was ran or by who. Because of that, they sould not have to be governed by their "leaders".

The Cane Toad

The Cane Toad is an toad species that originated in Central and South America. This toad is really big and has a large nest of eggs. The female toad lays a nest with thousands of eggs. The Cane Toad received its names from the Cane Beetle. The Cane Toad is known mostly because it feeds on the Cane Beetle. Before 1935, Australia had a large population of Cane Beetles. These beetles were in the process of ruining thousands of sugar crops in Queensland. In 1935, Australia received a box of over 100 toads from hawaii. Australians were hoping to use the toads to deteriorate the overwhelming mass of beetles to save their crops.

Instead of ending their pest problem, Australia gained a new pest population. The Cane Toad. Now, the Cane Toad has multipied to over a million in population. One problem caused by the toad is that they are killing off many native animal species. The toads have a strong venom that kills any animal that tries to eat it. Even household animals like dogs, might mistakenely try to eat the toad, and will die. In order to end the existence of this species in Australia, many people have been putting an effort forward to end the toad's distruction. In some places, people have planted fences around ponds and gardens to expel the toads. Also there are advisories for every who thinks they have seen the toad to report it for disposal.


An example of an invasive species here in America would be the Medusahead. This species is a plant native to the Meditteranean region. This grass is common in western rangleands in the US. This grass is destructive because it competes with other vegetation and causes a fire hazard. The Medusahead competes with other grasses/plants by sucking all of the nutrients and minerals from the soil early. Many animals cannot graze in areas infestead with Medusahead because it will poison them. The plant can alter soil to make in unattractive for native plants and animals.
No control methods have been implimented, but chemicals and burning can reduce the effects of the Medusahead.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taeniatherum_caput-medusae
http://www.cnr.uidaho.edu/rx-grazing/Grasses/Medusahead.htm
http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/profile_medusaheadrye.shtml

Invasive species kill off many native things that should stay. Many invasive specie situations are similar, no matter the country. USA shoudl listen to their scientists as often as possible with these kind of issues. Many scientists warned the Australian government beforehand that they should be wary of bringing in such a dangerous species. America needs to find alternative ways of pest control, than by bringing in more pests.

Fishies #2

Video #1: What is “Coral Bleaching” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW8nCALx5iA&feature=related

1.       What is a polyp? What does a polyp need to be considered “coral”? 
 A polyp is a tiny animal called a coral larvae that is settled in the ocean floor. As the polyp grows it becomes a colony that is called a coral.

2.       What types of things are coral sensitive to in the ocean? 
 The coral is highly effected by a rise in temperature.

3.       When does coral bleaching occur?
Coral bleaching occurs when the sea stay warm for too long.

4.       Why do scientists think that coral bleaching is occurring more now than ever? 
 It is occurring more because of climate changes.

5.       List three ways people can reduce their impact to climate change?
 -saving energy
-avoiding unnecessary car journeys
- reuse and recycle

Video #2: Why should we care about climate change/destruction of coral reefs? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcoyj2VPCOM

1.       How many species of: fish, hard coral, soft coral, sea birds, shore birds?
 1500 species fish. 360 species hard coral. 1/3 of the world's soft corals. 22 species sea birds. 32 species shore birds.

2.       What is responsible for warming our oceans? 
 Climate change.

3.       How does increased flooding affect the reefs and the fish that birds that live there? 
 Pollutes the reefs. Fish will have to migrate to other areas, and the birds will have nothing to eat.

4.       List three additional ways (not listed above) that people can reduce climate change: 
 -public transportation
-use environmentally good products
-donate instead of throwing in the trash

Video #3/#4: Educating children about the effects of climate change

Watch the following two videos that are aimed at teaching children about the effects of climate change.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnqJMInH5yM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEdoizgeNJk&feature=related

1.       List two benefits and two drawbacks to using this kind of media to teach this information.
- will get kids interested in what is going on
-keep the images in their minds
-easily distracted- looks at the images instead of listening to the information
-might get the wrong idea from the video

2.       After watching these videos, use YouTube to find and POST LINKS to videos that you feel would be more beneficial to teach the following types of people and WHY!

- If you're trying to teach a older student or an adult, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv7oOgwFNy0 , is a good video. This is because it has actual facts about why the bleaching is occurring and how.

-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvsaWYFm1_A has good animations to keep the attention of the watcher, but does  not distract the watcher from the facts.

Fishies #1

1.       The Great Barrier Reef is considered the “largest__________________ on earth”.

living structure

2.       What compound does coral extract from the ocean to make solid tentacles?

Calcium Carbonate

3.       How does red algae impact the structure of a coral? 

 The red algae acts like "glue" that keeps the coral pieces together. It cements sand, shells, and other coral together.

4.       What year did the Great Barrier Reef become a national park?

1975

5.       What percentage of the reef is protected from fishing?

33 %

6.       How old do scientists believe the CURRENT reef is? The ANCIENT reef? 

ANCIENT: half a million

CURRENT: 20,000

Physical and Sexual Abuse: The Life of a Stolen Child

The original australians, the aboriginal people, lived in Australia peacefully for over 40,000 years. They had no need to worry about being abused by others and survived in a natural means. The aboriginals ate food that many of the Europenas believed disgusting and uncivilized. They lived in harmony with each other, seperate from all other countries, until 1788. In 1788 a ship of European travelers arrived to the coast of Australia. These travelers claimed the land for themself, regardless of the fact that they simply visited an island that was inhabited for thousands of years. The Europenas thought of themselves as above the savage creatures known as the aboriginals and let them know so. They treated the aboriginals as slaves and not even human beings.
The settlers arrived on the island and completely took over. The families of aboriginals were no longer allowed to live where they wanted and their resources were dimished. The Europenas cut down forests and killed off many of the "foreign" animal species. The domestic animals they brought over ruined the homes of the aboriginals and messed up their watering holes.
In the early 1900's, the "Stolen Generation" began. This "generation" is a time where the australian government stole children from their family in order to civilize the aboriginals. during this time, one in ten aboriginals were stolen. for years this practice continued until in 1977, people began to call to question the treatment of the children. it was found that many of the children were abused, both sexually and physically, or used a slaves.
many of the children taken during this generation had their world ripped out from underneath them. imagine being ripped away from your family into a life of slavery in order to be "civilized". The government was working to "cure" the aboriginal culture. they believed they could assimilate the children with the whites to make the children more acceptable. this treatment is able to drive someone insane. in some circumstances, one might lead to a life of alcohol, and in others, early death.
the aboriginals in australian will never be able to forget about these tragic events. many of the children that were stolen had phsycological issues and have not been the same since. the children that were stolen have by now been able to have children of their own. only recently might they have learned of their true background and their view on life is rambled. this apology MUST be made because the aboriginals were treated horribly. the australian government stole the land form the aboriginals and took it over. they could not even show the minimal respect by letting the natives live in peace. the government owes it to the aborignals for their treatment and the loss of their family members.

Technology in Travel

Many people bring their phones and computers with them when on a vacation. They say they want to experience the wonders of other countries, but how can they when their face is glued to a computer screen? Christopher Elliot wrote an article about this and the affects technology has on travel. Elliot can undersatnd that poeple like the comfort technology, and that might be helpful to travel. Yet he also knows that too much of said technology can ruin the experience completely. People obsess with the idea of traveling, but not from the actualy fun and enjoyment of taking time off. Alot of people travel for the sole purpose of saying "oh, i've been to Australia before". They want everyone every else to know about their experiences. That's why people make a whole facebook album out of pictures for just one week. Elliot wants the reader to try traveling for THEMSELF. Not so others can see share the experience.

At first i wanted to go to Australia simply for the fact of going. After these classes, I see the possibilities of fun i can experience on this trip. i want to see all the sights that not many people ever  have a chance to see. I want the memories that can come, the memories that will stay with me forever. But how could i find those memories if im stuck talking to others on my computer? i cant. This article opened my eyes to what i ignored on some of my previos travels. i can see elliot's logic and i can understand what he is saying. sometimes, i like to just sit back and watc TV because i dont want to walk around. I can be categorized as a "lazy traveler", always taking the easy route. With this trip, i hope i can get out of that mindset and not be lazy. Hopefully i will be able focus on what i only have a few chances in my life to see and experience it to the most.

Well, we already have technology boundaries and i agree with them. I mean, it is only a week. A week of my life that i will never get to experience again in my life. I can set down my phone for a simple week, and so can everyone else in the class. No laptops of course, they would not bring much of a help to our trip.

Timeline

Both countries have a similar history. America, New Zealand, and Australia were under the rain of the British. America was claimed hundreds of years before both Australia and New Zealand. Many of the revolts and violence that occurred in Australia, had long ago happened in America. While in the 1770's  the americans were revolting against the English rule, the bristish were busy claiming Australia.


The natives of the countries were treated poorly and thought of as savages.  The native Americans and the Maori fought against their rulers. Revolts and wars sprang forward within 100 hundred years.


In 1769, an explorer finds New Zealand. A year later, Australia is claimed. This can lead one to believe they found Australia first, and while looking around, they came across New Zea land. New Zealand is a much faster operating country than Australia. The natives of New Zealand received their rights over a hundred years before the Aborigines. In all countries, a gold rush was formed. Australia in the 1850's, New Zealand in 1861, and America in the 1850's.


Both Australia and America formed a democratic government. Though Australia is a commonwealth and America is a democracy, they were both formed from their original colonies. America had the 13 colonies, while Australia had their 6 colonies. All of the ruled under their prospective government with a similar game plan. 

http://history-nz.org/timeline.html
http://www.dfat.gov.au/aib/overview.html
http://www.australianaustralia.com/page/History/238
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/history/history-home.cfm

Creation Stories

1. I love to learn and hate not knowing why. Why I am the way I am, or why others act the way they do. Many others share this same thirst for knowledge. We are scared of the what we do not know. The human race loves to be known as the most developed thing on Earth. These myths are a way for us to rationalize the world. All of the scary things we cannot understand become simpler with something to believe in, a way to explain what we cannot begin to understand. We need some sense of order to our world- we refuse to leave the unknown the unknown. Creation stories are the perfect way to explain the odd tendencies of Earth. While they are not believed in as strongly because of science, creation stories are still known around the world. They became bedtime stories to children, or jokes to non-believers. Sometimes they give ideas as to what is the truth about our creation, while other times they are far off.

2. From the Australian story, it seems that it is important to love your mother. She is the one that created you and you should be very grateful. They also might believe that even in the darkest of places, light can be created. That nothing is truly and completely evil, it can all be changed to beauty. Also, humans are very envious creatures. They believe that envy is an ugly feeling and can create hideous things. The Maori might believe that love is important, but should not be all en composing.
3. The stories have many differences and similarities. In the "Australia Aborigine", life begins with a ray of light and centered around creatures that loved their creator, the Sun Mother. She awoke spirits in the darkest of places with her light. The main source of their problems were their envious feelings towards each other. The morning star and the moon goddess were born and superior to all because they knew better to evolve. The Australians most likely had different experiences than the Maori. The Maori began in darkness where Gods were created from the mother and father. The mother and father would not focus on anything but their love, so their children broke them apart. The Maori probably had many issues with something similar to this. This story explains many of the strange occurrences like storms and other natural disasters. The Australian story is similar to God's creation story. Maybe somebody influenced them with their beliefs.
4. The myths reveal a lot about human nature. We are extremely envious people. Wars break out because we want power or the land of others. They slightly explain the morals and behaviors of us. Our need for attention is also shown. Creation stories play a large part in religion. They give people something to believe in that can explain the unknown. Though they might have changed over time, they still hold on to the culture and beliefs of our descendants.
5. I am a christian. Have been since I was in the womb (my father is a pastor). Every week we go to church, and when i was younger i used to spend all my days in the church because i could not stay alone. I believe that God created every living thing. Because of my religious beliefs, i am a nice person. I volunteer often and cannot walk by a Santa without giving him some change. They gave me my morals. Since i believe in God, i also believe in the Devil. I always wonder if the mistakes people make, make them bad people or just confused. I love to look at the beauty in what surrounds us and just think. I always take a large portion of my pictures when i travel on the scenery.

I Travel Because...

1. Why do you travel? Do your reasons align with Iyer’s essay? Please explain.

I have never analyzed my reasons for traveling as Iyer does. I simply believed it was solely to see new places, never even wondered why i felt the need to do so. One reason i travel is to see how small the world truly can be. Instead of measuring the distance between two places, i notice the similarities between the people. The reasons Iyer brings up also apply to. I do lose myself in new places. I'm carefree and try to make conversations with civilians if i can. Around here, i have school related stress and keep to myself/ my friends. Everything is so different from how they appear on brochures. I love being able to see it or myself and comparing it to what others said about it.

2. Iyer says, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new places, but in seeing with new eyes." What does this mean? How might this relate to you?

Iyer means that one must do more than simply looking at a structure. He can do that kind of thing on the computer at home. Instead he must look at the structure with a different perspective. He cannot look and judge based on his assumptions. He has to look at it by seeing what it actually is, not what he expects it to be. You have to look past yourself to others. Reach out to the natives of the country. When we are in Australia, i have to converse with the people that live there. Not other tourists, but the actual natives. I have to see Australia as they see it.

3. Iyer says, "What gives value to travel is fear." What does this mean? How might this relate to our journey?

Iyer means that people have a lot of fear when traveling, and that is what makes traveling so exciting. Being in the unknown exhilarates us. When you travel you go to a completely new and different part of the world. You leave your life people behind and only bring with you clothes and identification. Everything around you is different; the language, the culture, even the clothes! When you are lost, you have to guess or assume which way you're going. When purchasing souvenirs, you have to assume the amount of money that you should pay for it. In our trip, we will go to a place we've never been to before and explore based on directions and ideas others have given us.

4. Iyer talks about a traveler being a human "carrier pigeon", transporting ideas and culture from one society to another. Do you believe that travelers have a responsibility to share their knowledge and experience with all they visit and those they return to?

I don't think humans have the "responsibility" to transport their ideas to others. Rather, humans just feel the need to do such. We love talking about ourselves and can't pass down the chance to do so. When one has a conversation in the other country, he will tell of how it is around there. In turn, the civillian of the other country will tell him of memories in his life. When he returns to his friends he will feel the need to recount his journey. Who he met, where he went, etc.

5. "Travel, then, is a voyage into that famously subjective zone, the imagination, and what the traveler brings back is—and has to be—an ineffable (def: deep) compound of himself and the place, what’s really there and what’s only in him." As your teachers, this is our favorite quote. Please find your favorite quote and explain why you chose it.

My favorite quote from this essay is "If a Mongolian restaurant seems exotic to us in Evanston, Ill., it only follows that a McDonald’s would seem equally exotic in Ulan Bator". I laughed when i read this quote because it is so true. I always forget that I am not the only person in the world and that every country is not like America. When i travel i have to see things in other's perspectives. One time in a different country i told a guy that i thought his accent was cool. In turn he replied that my accent was cool. I was younger when this happened so i was baffled. Accent? I have no accent. All normal people speak this way. It took me a while to realize only people from Illinois spoke like me. This quote reminded me of the moment i realized that everyone and each place is unique. They all have their own characteristics that others do not. Or characteristics that others find new or strange.

Intro to Avery

Hello all, welcome to Avery's blog! I am a 15 year old sophomore at Grayslake Central High School. I'm kind of new to this whole "blog" thing, so I am extremely sorry for how this will turn out. So let's see.. I have a fish named Jeffrey. This fellow has been with me for over two years. He is extremely weird because he was supposed to last, at max, one year. Yet here he is, over two years later, still swimming around in his fish tank. I love animals. The reason i went to Australia with my mother was because i wanted to meet some Kangaroos. That was the sole purpose of my visit. If i see a dog in the street, i HAVE to stop and pet it. Even if the owner doesn't want me to, it will happen. Another interesting thing about me, is that I play soccer. I'm not too great at it, but i have fun with the sport. Even with all the running involved. Last thing i have to say about myself is that, even though it doesn't seem like it from my personality, i do pretty well in school. I hate getting up so early for it, but i don't really despise school itself. 

I love traveling. Every chance i get to further my experiences in other countries i take. Most people hate airplanes rides, they are like my bread and butter. O hare airport is my absolute favorite place in Chicago. It beats the Bean, the Water tower, Willis tower, all of it. I spent a lot of my childhood in the airport and many of my favorite memories are there. 

I love the moment i see a new place. A place that contains years of history, some that i can find out and some that i will never know about. I love the mystery behind every place. With this program, I am able to find out just a bit more that others might never have a chance to see.

First of all, the Sydney Opera House is beautiful. Such an outstanding and unique structure on the other side of the world. I want to experience the delight that everyone from previous year trips love to talk about. They rave on and on about how fun it was to visit places with your friends. I have only gone with my family and I know that probably decreased the appeal of traveling to the certain place for me. My mom's constant nagging easily ruins my mood for a whole day. That can distract me from the wonderful sights that i could have seen and i might have had a better experience. I really want to experience the wonders of this place without the constant struggles of family. Since i went a few years ago with solely my mom, i feel i lacked a few important memories that i could have done in this program. Hopefully with this program i will see all that i missed otherwise.

I think by having an insight in what I'm seeing before i actually experience it will open my eyes to all of the possibilities around me. Instead of wondering when and where of monuments, because i will already know, i can just look around and not analyze it. The fact that all around the world amazing things happen every day to people just like me. With knowledge of Australia/New Zealand already with me, i won't have to sound like an annoying tourist everywhere i go.