It’s been a few days since my last report, been busy with UHH work duties, and dealing with a pressing technology issue there.
On Tuesday we had a meeting with the International Student Dean and principal at M?lia’s school, Logan Park High School. After reviewing her transcripts from N?wah?, they put her into year 13, which is the same as senior year in Hawai’i. She’s already done one semester of junior year at home, and NZ schools are just starting their school year now. As a result she doesn’t have to wear the school uniform, and has a choice of a number of classes she can take. That will all be figured out when she starts on Feb. 4. We also met a very nice, funny and energetic Maori teacher who teaches PhysEd and coordinates a bunch of programs, including a Maori singing and performing ensemble. His girlfriend is living in Hawai’i and he has a strong affinity for it. He treated us to lunch, invited us to his place for dinner this weekend, and is trying to recruit M?lia into his programs, and have her teach hula to the other students in the academy.
Marie and I had a number of errands to run near the Octagon (city center) yesterday, and put in a few miles in doing so. The first and foremost was to locate the NZ Immigration office. I had been asked to do three lectures in each of three different ethnomusicology classes on the subjects of my choice relating to Hawaiian music, and to lead one in ethnomusicology readings. My academic supervisors consider this part of the Ph.d. program, and will work with me in my preparations for these classes. I needed to apply for a work permit as I am only here on a student visa. It took about 20 minutes to fill out the application, but the kind officer read through it very quickly and approved the request. It cost $200 to submit (our visitor visas were free!), but as I will be paid to teach it will be worthwhile in the long run, and expose me to come theoretical concepts in ethnomusicology that may be applicable to my own research and writing.
