Yes, I know...it's a small world......sheesh!

I am amazed by our small world and this is not a reference to how I am connected to Kevin Bacon by six degrees of separation. It is an oft abused notion and unfortunately associated with a song/tune, which is benign enough but due to the repetitive nature of a certain ride at Disneyworld, can no longer be listened to and enjoyed. Having said that, it is a small world after all.

As we prepared to leave for New Zealand, I was struck by how many in and around our hometown of Wilmington, VT had been to or knew people in New Zealand. Most notably, a friend, Nicki Steel who had lived and worked in NZ and has been quite the support before and since we have moved.

Here come the NMH Hoggers?

Therefore, I was not surprised to learn about a group of students visiting Opunake H.S. from the USA. Opunake being a small town, their hosts were aware of us being here from America and asked if we would join them for a visit at their marae (communal meeting place of sorts but really much more). At OHS they ran into Eli and he noticed a shirt one was wearing with the letters, "NMH"  and he asked did that stand for Northfield-Mount Hermon, and the answer was an astounding, "yes." And in fact several knew Eli's middle school classmate, Will Capitani, who is now a freshman at NMH. Eli ended up hanging out with the group at school, afterschool as they went to our beach and then spent the night with them at the Manaia marae. Since they had been welcomed and made "part " of the marae the night before they in turn now welcomed Eli and Shelley in a traditional way. NMH has sent a class here for the past 8 yrs under the tutelege of NZ ex-pat Glen, now an instructor at NMH, and Meg...who shepherd a group for 6 weeks travelling throughout NZ learning history, culture and seeing the sights. The following morning the NMH crew returned to Opunake Beach for what they assumed was to be a 'dry' lecture regarding marine biology etc. but were in fact treated to a lesson in surfing by the Opunake Board Riders ...giving Eli a bit of a hard time as he knew this the night before but failed to let them in on the deception. They did great!

Yes, yes, I know...I know.....

Off they went after their surf lesson to Mt. Taranaki and the rest of their travels and we were left as recipients of another example of our global village.

A one and da two and da tree..."It's a small world after all...it's a small world after all...it's a small world after all...it's a small, small, world.............."