2016

Hello every one,

We cannot believe 2016 is already gone and we are already into 2017!

2016 was a very busy and productive year for the three of us. As expected, it brought a number of changes for all of us and some things remained the same.

Papamoa Beach

Murruwai Beach

Early in the year, as a family we went camping to Papamoa where the beach and grounds we find fantastic. We went quite late trying to catch an evasive summer! Later in the year we spent a few days in Rarotonga with one of John’s high school friend and his family.

Mario took a few surfing lessons and it is becoming an interest of his and John’s. Mario also did a season of sailing using an Optimist boat and he was able to pick up the skills quickly but he did not developed a taste for it. He has also tried badminton but preferred tennis returning to lessons later in the year.

At The Rarotongan

He is starting secondary school this year. We are lucky that our local high school (Selwyn College) has been under a successful and modern leadership team for the past few years. The principal and her team received an award from the Ministry of Education in 2016 and she has been invited to Harvard University to talk about her experience turning the school around in less than a decade.

Mario will be in one of the two accelerated classes which makes John and I very proud but cautious since the whole experience will be very new to him. Mario has developed a passion for computers and all digital affairs. He built his own desktop computer and managed to hack his own phone (whatever that means!)

John continues his work as a Business Annalist contracting for Chorus. Last year during one of his surfing adventures with Mario he managed to tear a forearm tendon and he will go under surgery in early February this year. He has been attending the gym for fitness, but now he is taking to running to work. Later in the month he will be attending the Australian Open in Melbourne with his two best friends.

I continue working in the same school teaching Year 2 and this year I was made permanent. I also got a leadership position that is combined with a role of representing the school in a group of central Auckland schools who work together to improve the reading and writing levels in the area and to make uniform the writing National Standards in such schools. I am also given the task to support some staff who need help with the use of Google Apps, computers in general and connecting with schools around the world.

I was able to lose 25 kilos and I go to the gym 4 times a week to keep healthy!

A highlight of the year for me was to meet Sir Graham Henry when he came to my room to read a couple of stories to the children as part of the Book Week at school  - his grandson was in my class last year.

Our best wishes for 2017!

John, Patty and Mario

Sir G. Henry