Tena koutou,




The wait is over all pens to the ready, we're off!



The first week of orientation has passed and we're into the serious aspects of college life now, like study. We have had some really great tutorials around academic study and I am privileged to have some of the colleges high achieves close by "cracked it" heaps of clever people to ask how to do things.




The orientation programme has seen us cover a number areas and as I mentioned the tutorials have been invaluable especially for those of us who haven't done any study for awhile. College life in general is good being around like mind people is great I would liken college to that of a rumaki reo, your submerged in it and you can't help but swim especially with the amount of support you get. The level of academic knowledge here is very impressive they have doctors, masters, theologians and people with more letters behind their names then I've had hot breakfast, seriously these people are clever.


We have been going to church out south to St Lukes a nice little place whanau oriented. I haven't been there long and have been given a few duties to do already. The second week they asked me to do the kauwhau and last week I led, what a blessing for me to be able to keep building on what I've been already taught, nothing next week though as we are off on our hikoi Friday heading down to Taranaki for a few days to learn about church history down there should be cool.



Additionally I have mapped out my study plans for the first simester and have decided to get a few of the Anglican Study Programme dipolma papers out of the way. This will complete half of the required dipolma compotent of my study here then looking at the second half in the second semister just to get that completed.



The boys are doing well in their schooling and Sonya has two day work in town and is at home being a mum for the rest of the week. We aint rich financially, but we're loaded in other ways. You'll have to come here to find out what I mean. We are all still abit home sick but I'm sure in time that will pass, sometimes you're to busy to be anything but busy.

Any way whanau ma te wa,

Kia ora koutou,

This is the first of many blogs to keep everybody updated on our progress here in the big smoke and my progress at St Johns.

We have been here for two going on three weeks now and are settled here in our new whare at 3/95 St Johns Rd Meadowbank, a pretty flash part of town. (You'll all have to tidy up before you come and visit us up here! lol). The whanau here have been great and we have been unofficially welcomed by the new tumuaki of Te Rau Kahikitea, Rangi I've forgotten Rangi's surname however for the Karetu Davis whanau he knew uncle Wally and attended his tangi.

I start school on the 7th February with the official powhiri for the kura everyone welcome. The powhiri starts at 4:00pm with the orientation week following that from Tuesday onward. the second week sees us on the road to Taranaki for the college's annual hikoi learning about church history in the area (I think?). Following that we are back to hit the books and study, study, study (dust those cobwebs off the brain).

I think one thing that is worth while sharing at this time is how expensive schooling is down here. It would pay to ensure that you put some money away for those sorts of expenses if you are planning on heading down this way because it can be a very costly exercise, my wife's onto it though praise the Lord.

Anyway whanau that's about it for now please call in and see us if your down or up this way what ever the case might be. Arohanui Tony, Sonya and the Boys