Letter to Students 22nd January 2008

Dear Reader

The heavens opened this morning, and the rain is still falling on this the day when Sir Edmund Hillary was farewelled in a state funeral in Auckland.  Maori say that if it rains on the day of a funeral, it is a sign that the gods are crying, a sign of the mana of the person who has died.  Sir Edmund Hillary certainly possessed such mana, and deserves torrents of rain to fall! I didn’t watch the funeral on the television, but heard it said that Hillary lived in the same house which he and his first wife built over fifty years ago.  Although the houses around them grew in size and prestige, his simple house showed none of the trappings of his success.  New Zealanders like people to remain humble and modest in their success, and therefore Hillary is the quintessential Kiwi.  In a negative sense, we criticize those who claim that they have done well, and this “tall poppy syndrome” can be very destructive.  There is a fine line between self advocacy, self confidence and arrogance!  I believe other cultures have a more balanced attitude towards the success of others.  How do you view the success of others?  Do you think it is okay for a person to blow their own trumpet or should it be left to others to say how good they are?

As I write, the skies are starting to clear, but uncharacteristically for me, I am delighted to see the rain and know that the plants are enjoying a most welcome drink.  Luckily for us, we do not have water restrictions, but we have had so many fine days that the ground was beginning to have that parched look and the leaves on the trees were beginning to wilt.  I love it when the foliage looks lush, and the lawn is green and soft underfoot.

What did you do this past weekend?  I enjoyed seeing my family on Friday night, and enjoyed a quiet glass of wine on the verandah of the cottage.  Unfortunately, I had to wake up early on Saturday morning because I had to begin early on some work.  The room in which I was in was so cold that I changed rooms so that I had a room with a lot of sun pouring in, the way it should have been on such a glorious day.  Having sunshine is so important in a room, and I hate rooms in which I feel chilled to the bone.  When I finally emerged, I was hit by the heat, and immediately felt on top of the world.  The tension of work was released as I headed back down the peninsula to my home.

The rest of my weekend was spent with my extended family, and we had two barbecues in as many days. Han cooked a big barbecue for our breakfast, more like a brunch, and what a wonderful way to start the day with all the children around us.  I truly believe that the more you give, the more you receive, and I feel sad that some people are unable to give.  By not giving, they get trapped in an inner web of self centredness and selfishness which makes it impossible for them to be truly contented.  They are afraid to spend any money on anyone but themselves, and yet by being so mean, they live hollow lives with no joy or real purpose.  I have met such people, and although their bank balance may be large, they are truly poor.

I am never any happier than when I am with my family.  Popping into the spa with wee Indi, I recalled the days when I used to have a Japanese bath with her mother, my Japanese daughter, Suny.  Suny had also hated water when she was young, and I was delighted that Indi had overcome her fear and proved it when she later hopped into the spa with her mum and dad, much to their delight.  Her birthday is February 2^nd and apparently that is the sign of the princess of the sea in Brazil!  We also caught up with some dear friends on Sunday night, and although we had a lot of laughs, we were brought back to earth when we heard that a dear friend of theirs had succumbed to cancer and died.  It was a timely reminder that we have to live each day, and not take a single day for granted.

Speaking of not taking anything for granted reminds me that I was talking to a teacher today about the power of positive thought.  This teacher had wanted to be granted a scholarship, and it was only when she was actually overwhelmed by the feeling of what it would be like to get the scholarship that she actually received it.  She said that she was walking along the road when she started wondering what it would be like to have the acceptance letter in her hand.  She suddenly had a feeling of sheer ecstacy as she imagined the letter in her hot hand, and tears welled in her eyes. Her friends had told her that she was unlikely to be successful, and yet she had this inner belief that they were wrong.  Her determination won out in the end, and not only did she get the scholarship, but she achieved her dream of coming to New Zealand to do her research.  I truly believe in that power of positive energy, but it must coincide with hard work and diligence of course.  You can’t just sit there and say, “I want a high IELTS score,” and it will happen, but you can say, “I want a high IELTS score,” and from today I will study hard and it will happen!

This is the first week that Robyn is not working with us full time.  I had the feeling that Robyn would come back to work after the holiday and say that she had had time to think over her life and had come to a decision.  The holiday period is a time over the new year when you reflect on your life, and often people make changes in their lifestyle.  I am delighted that she has decided to spend time with her new partner in the countryside, and has found a job for three days a week.  This will enable her to still come in to Dunedin and work with us, although further down the track, I think she will find the commuting too much of a hassle and will choose an easier lifestyle.  I will support this totally, as it is so important that we follow our dreams and be happy.  Karina has stepped in to Robyn’s role, and is such a special young woman, someone whom you immediately warm to for her inner and outer beauty.  Originally a student at our school from Chile, she has progressed from being a student, to a cleaner for us, and now working in administration.  We are indeed very blessed to have her work with us.

It is so important that you work with people whom you truly like, and share the same love of the job.  I like to think that we are an extended family here, and it is important that everyone, staff and students, feel affirmed and therefore happy to come to school each day.  It has been said that if you choose a career that you truly love, it doesn’t feel like going to a job each day, but is a wonderful part of your daily life.  May you enjoy each day, and feel that learning English is a wonderful part of your daily life. 

Love

Sharron