Third time lucky

Either you’re here because you have a genuine interest in my GAP year, or you want to see more ranting about handheld desserts. If you are part of the latter group, you will be disappointed: there shall be no muffins, and unless something changes, no poems either.

But anyway, some background to my year in New Zealand. I will be working as a Tutor doing duties including, but not limited to:

a) Possibly to act as a Junior House Tutor in one of our six boarding Houses;

b) Possibly do one-to-one or small group academic tuition in subject strengths;

c) Assist with the Resource Centre and Library and such clerical duties as compiling the daily Attendance rolls and annual School List;

d) Take a novice rowing crew or assist with Junior cricket or tennis in summer, and a Junior rugby XV, soccer XI, hockey XI, or netball team during the winter terms;

e) To assist possibly, when the occasion arises, the P.E. Master;

f) Possibly to assist with musical or theatrical production.

g) Back up for the Associate Headmaster (or delegated Teacher) who is responsible for supervising classes when a teacher is absent. Junior Classes – Yr9-11

I know I am coaching the U15C team, so that is sorted- just need to draw up some coaching routines! However, I haven’t heard about whether they want me to coach badminton, though I hope they do, because it seems they don’t play it much, so there might be some untapped talent to work with.

I have my suits all sorted: a rather dapper grey jacket and trouser combo as well as charcoal trousers to mix and match. I also have my blue pin-striped suit that I can take with me if I have room.

That leads me on to one downside of this GAP year, namely that I don’t have enough baggage to allow me to take everything I need. Air New Zealand don’t let you take extra baggage, even if you are going for a year, so it looks as if I will have to have a trunk sent over to me with more stuff in it. Hopefully King’s will give me some stuff to wear anyway: I can’t imagine they will be pleased with me turning up to a training session with my Bournville Hockey top underneath an Albion microfleece!

I suppose it is only right that I talk a little about King’s in a bit more detail, and whilst I will do a post about the College when I actually get there, I can give you a rough guide:

King’s is located in the South of Auckland, and according to one residence guide I looked at, this has a high crime rate and is not one of the nicest areas! Nevertheless, it is very close to Auckland Golf Club, so it can’t be that bad, can it? The College itself has extensive grounds, as you would expect from an independent school.

As shown on the link, they have a water-based astro, but what is especially awesome is the extra ‘D’ on the end, which means that you can practise short corners without using the pitch.

The school has around 1,000 pupils, who are sorted in eleven houses, including separate houses for day-students and boarders, as well as separate girls’ and boys’ houses. As I mentioned earlier, I will be expected to be a house tutor so who knows which one I will end up in (I could work out a narrower selection (take out girl houses and day-students) but I am trying to adjust my body clock, and so am writing this at 1:30am)).

The main sporting rivalry is between King’s and Auckland Grammar, and the annual match that takes place between the sides is attended by hundreds of spectators. A video of the two sides doing a Hakka before one match can be found on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EZPLqD6cq8> Link- well worth watching in 480p .

Anyway, I think I should end my first post here. My next post ought to be from Auckland, so long as all goes according to plan. No muffins and no poems.