Monday, January 11, 2016

Victoria Herdegen -- Australia (Delmar)


Thursday, January 07, 2016 10:23 PM 

A Kiwi Kristmas & A Harbours New Year

First off I have to apologize for the Decembers update being late. It got a bit crazy with the Holidays. 

This month started off with a normal countdown before the start of holidays or Christmas Break. What made this month different is that i wasn't counting down for a 2 week break, i wasn't walking to school in the snow and i wasn't getting ready to visit family. This year my countdown was to a 6 week summer holiday and I was tanning in the backyard and at the beach.

 To celebrate my host mums 50th birthday on the 31st, my host family decided to go to New Zealand where we spent the Christmas holidays partying amongst the Kiwi's. We flew into Christchurch and drove down to Queensland where we did a series of exciting and fun things. After driving back to Christchurch  from Queensland and 10 days of amazing fun we found ourselves back in Australia. We spent the new year watching the Sydney Harbour firework show from our hotel window and clinging our chamaign glasses filled with sparkling apple juice. Well at least mine was filled with apple juice. 

New Zealand is the most beautiful place in the world. Pictures could not even capture the real beauty and serenity that NZ's vibrant green grass and huge misty mountains created. Or the super clear, super blue and super cold water that ran down between the rocks creating gorgeous waterfalls. My host family and I had loads of fun on our vacation. My host sister, Chloe, who is an only child, was so happy that i could come with her so it wasn't just her and her parents. Chloe and i get along so well and i don't ever want to leave the Davies. The weather in NZ was a bit cooler. It was rare weather for NZ as it reached between 20-30 degrees Celsius (70-90 degrees Fahrenheit). It seemed to get warmer the longer we were there. 
The firework show in Sydney was the best firework show i have ever seen. It was amazing!! The next day Chloe and i got to climb to the top of the Harbour Bridge which was just a breathe taking sight. The city, the water, the opera house, its all just so beautiful! The weather consisted of blue skies and heat that reached up to 35 degrees Celsius (about 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit). One day it even reached 45 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). I had to remind myself so many times that it was December and almost Christmas. 

 December was definitely a great month and i am so lucky to be with the Davies family who want me with them just as much as i want to be with them. 

This has been the strangest but most amazing Christmas and new year that i have ever celebrated. It is definitely one that i will never forget. 

Thank you so much to the rotary clubs who not only sponsor me but who host me. It is such a privilege to be apart of these districts and i am so extremely grateful for this opportunity and i do not know how to stress that enough. THANK YOU!!
Looking forward to what the new year brings. 
Happy Holidays to all,
Torri



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