BACKOur trip to Rotorua was unforgettable. It started with everyone in separate friend groups and we quickly became one close whānau through shared experiences and laughter. From the beginning, the whole atmosphere of the trip was comforting as we didn’t have our phones. We had to make our own fun.
We visited many different Māori cultural attractions that opened our eyes to the way many different places celebrate and live in Te Ao Māori. Whether we were learning about the traditional practices of our ancestors or watching activities, each moment I will remember.
One of the highlights had to be the dancing competitions between the vans. It started as a fun idea to pass the time, but quickly turned into a whole professional dance competition, with everyone contributing in some way. It broke people out of their shells in the best way possible and made everyone laugh at how funny and good some of them were. It helped everyone be less shy as well as connect in a way that felt natural.
Another highlight of this trip was eating cooked corn from the thermal hot mineral waters. I’ve never liked corn, but it was delicious and had a natural smoky taste.
We stayed up on our last night at the marae just talking, joking around, and trying to connect through energy and guessing games. We started to get good at it while filling the wharenui with our loud laughter and probably keeping people up. By the end of the time we had at the marae, Rotorua gave us so much more than just a trip. It gave us a connection and an escape from others’ expectations of us. We were just being free.
By Ashlee Lidgard (Y12)
