Christmastime in Christchurch

family away from family at Lyttelton Harbour

I think I may be reaching new heights of depression tonight… I don’t want to leave this amazing country!!!  =)  And, this past week has been one of the best of my entire trip.  I truly feel as though I've been staying with family this week. I am so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life.  As with most time spent with family, this week has been chock full of fantastic family events including a grade school awards ceremony and concert, working in the vineyard, a mini road trip, my very first zumba class, Greening the Rubble, and Christmas carols at the local church (just to name a few).  The weather has gone through all four seasons and back again, but it hasn’t deterred our adventures in any way.  I will touch on a few highlights from the week, but what I’ve enjoyed most of all has been the companionship; the nights spent catching up over a bottle of wine.  Thank you, Murray family, for really making me feel at home.

huge nerd in the vineyard

The first of the week’s highlights took place Thursday morning.  I got to help Laura out in the vineyard!  We were just pulling vines up off the ground and running them up through the wires, but it was fun to participate in a “local” activity and try something entirely new.  I would not want to work in a vineyard for life, but it is an experience I feel fortunate to have and will not soon forget.

The next highlight of the week occurred later the same evening.  We all went to the local high school auditorium for Wilson’s award ceremony and school concert.  Wilson won an award for a painting he did that will now be displayed in the school!  Additionally, we got to hear samplings of a rock band, recorder ensemble, ukulele group, violin duet, the orchestra and the choir, including a Christmas classic that was new to me, Christmas at the Beach.  =)  (A side note to my parents – you are truly amazing for all of the school concerts, sporting events, ballet recitals, etc., that you attended in support of me.)

Highlight number three was a day trip around Banks Peninsula. We stopped at various gorgeous harbours en route to Akaroa, a perfectly picturesque beach town.  We had lunch, walked around the local church market, and then made our way through the display area of a car show complete with Santa and Christmas carols.  The pictures from the drive are stunning and can be found in the album for this post at http://picasaweb.google.com/smichelle.manning/Christchurch?feat=directlink. (I have also downloaded the rest of my pictures from my past two weeks.  You can find them all at http://picasaweb.google.com/smichelle.manning.)

Capoeira

My last morning in New Zealand was spent at an event for a project Leicester is involved in called Greening the Rubble.  They are a group of Landscape Architect students who are turning demolished buildings (from the earthquake) into temporary parks.  It was a rainy day for a launch party, but I did get to see morris dancing for the first time in my life (check it out on youtube, it’s pretty fantastic) as well as Wilson trying his hand at capoeira.

And to finish up my Christmastime in Christchurch week, Laura and I went to the local church this evening for a Christmas carol service.  I was shocked at how many of the songs I had never heard before!  Apparently the weather isn’t the only difference between Christmas here and Christmas in the States. 

Tomorrow I am getting on a plane to Canada before flying down to Montana for Christmas.  Thank you all for following along with this journey!  I plan to post another blog from Vancouver, but if I don’t post it before Christmas, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!!!

~All my Love~

XO