An emotional week

Boy its been an emotional week. The tears have flowed a number of times. Still better out than in so they say.

The first round of waterworks happened last Sunday. It was Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand. A day to remember people who have been part of the military, naval and airforce history of these two noble countries. Mostly it is in remembrance of the huge loss of life during the Dardanelles campaign of the World War I, especially the Battle of Gallipoli. Often the Gallipoli battle is seen as pro Oz/NZ and anti-British as the colonial troops were sent into battle with the Turks in a very badly planned attack arranged by a great future leader of Britain - a certain Winston Churchill. I am proud to say I can hold my head high alongside the Oz/ Kiwi people on Anzac Day. My great grandfather was killed in the Dardanelles at the start of the campaign when his ship was mined. He was 23 and never met his only daughter (my Nana) who was born 5 weeks before he died. Also as I come from a military family then "Remembrance Day" is always filled with pride, pain and hope. A great big mix of feelings. Not far from where I live in Wellington is the Ataturk Memorial. It is high on the cliff above beautiful Breaker Bay. The plaque there is particularly moving, I quote..

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives....you are now lying in the soul of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnies and the Mehmets to us, where they lie, side by side here in this country of ours....You the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well" Kemal Ataturk


Then tears round 2 - Jessica's school have a group of parents who want to ensure Maori language and tradition are strong withing the family of the school. So each term they arrange a powhiri for all new joiners to the school. It was Jessica's Powhiri on Wednesday. It is a formal ceremony where the family "hands over" their child to the "family of the school". The children all love it and ensure the correct traditions are upheld to the extent the Haka group call us onto the "marae" and both groups are expected to recite their ancestoral links and sing and respond in Maori. It was an incredibly moving and welcoming experience. It was also our first time experiencing a Hongi - the pressing of noses and sharing of breath. Jessica and her family where made to feel very welcome and special indeed. See link for more information on a Powhiri.



http://www.korero.maori.nz/forlearners/protocols/powhiri.html


Finally tears round 3. I was hit by an intense feeling of homesickness late last week. An ex boss of mine who moved from the UK to Cananda a few years ago has said to me that it would happen and it would be an odd thing that would set me off. For her it was putting out the recycling one day. For me it was two things; our local cinema has put up a poster for Sex in the City 2, when I passed it late last week it was hit like a brick with huge "missing you" feelins for my lovely girlfriends back in the UK. I know if I was in the UK we would be planning a girls night out to see the new movie. While I always miss my lovely girls ( you know who you are) I was particularly hit by the movie poster. Yes I'm making lots of lovely new friends but its the old ones with "history" you miss. Its hard to describe the massive feeling of homesickness I had. It was instant and sort of hot and tears flowed like a flick of a switch and wouldn't stop. Wierd! More homesickness tears were added to the equation when I popped into the library to return some books. I had a little time to spare so had a flick through the magazines. The good old source of "property porn" was there, "Country Life". I was flicking through looking at the pictures of the seriously expensive and so out of my reach houses when the old homesickness tears hit me again! No it wasn't the houses, it was the stunning rolling green hills and "Contstable" skies of the UK. Now NZ is stunning, absolutely breathtaking but for a moment I missed the bright green fields and grey/ blue cloud filled skies of England. Sniff sniff. Homesickness hits you in strange ways when you least expect it.