Famous Sights - Day 17

Before you leave to head home, you will want to dedicate a few days to sightseeing in your country. There are dozens of beautiful buildings and gorgeous natural wonders. Scroll down to see pictures of three of the most famous landmarks in each country.

Canada

CN Tower – Tallest building in Canada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CN_Tower

Niagara Falls – Largest waterfall in the world

Canadian Rocky Mountains – Largest mountains in Canada

           http://bestwesternalberta.com/attractions/lake-louise

Chile

Torres del Paine National Park – One of the largest and most beautiful national park in Chile

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torres_del_Paine_National_Park

San Cristobal Hill – Second highest hill in northern Santiago  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Crist%C3%B3bal_Hill

Lauca National Park – Beautiful national park in the far north of Chile

http://www.mountainphotographer.com/lauca-national-park/

Germany

Brandenburg Gate – Beautiful arch in downtown Berlin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate

Neuschwanstein Castle – One of the oldest castles in Germany

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuschwanstein_Castle

Berlin Wall – The most famous symbol of the Cold War in Germany. It used to separate the east side from the west side of Germany.

https://kuruc.info/r/4/160532/

Malaysia

Petronas Towers – Tallest buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas_Towers

Batu Caves – Famous Hindu temple and shrine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Caves

Gunung Mulu National Park – A large national park in Sarawak, Malaysia, with lots of caves and beautiful rainforests

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunung_Mulu_National_Park

United Kingdom

Big Ben – Largest clock tower in England

http://www.aboutbritain.com/BigBen.htm

Stonehenge – An ancient circle of stones

http://www.oxfordscientificfilms.tv/portfolio-item/secrets-of-the-stonehenge-skeletons/

Buckingham Palace – Home of the royal family in London

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/event/27250576-buckingham-palace-tour-summer-opening-2016#5xKQigfsWIOQi2yB.97

Mexico

El Castillo, Chichen Itza – Mayan temple

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Castillo,_Chichen_Itza

Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral – Largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas

http://www.mendaily.com/top-sights-of-mexico-city/

Gruta de las Canicas – Cave with 2.0 million pearls on the cave floor

https://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/la-gruta-de-las-canicas-al-sur-de-tabasco.html

South Africa

Kruger National Park – Home to dozens of African animals

http://www.gateway-africa.com/kruger-national-park.htm

Table Mountain

https://dumirocks.wordpress.com/tag/table-mountain/

Apartheid Museum – Museum honouring important events in the history of South Africa

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid_Museum

United Arab Emirates

Burj Khalifa – The tallest building in the world

http://creativedig.com/burj-of-khalifa-a-skyscraper-in-dubai

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – Huge, contemporary mosque

http://luxeadventuretraveler.com/sheikh-zayed-grand-mosque/

The desert

http://www.abudhabidesertsafarionline.com/

Japan

Jigokudani Monkey Park – Famous hot spring with live monkeys

https://nz.pinterest.com/pin/294845106824206181/

Himeji Castle – Best existing example of Japanese castle architecture

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3501.html

Mt Fuji – Highest mountain in Japan

http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/mt-fuji-earthquake-caused-volcanic-eruption

Australia

Uluru (Ayers Rock) – Huge red rock formation in the middle of the desert

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/australia/

Sydney Opera House – Most of the most iconic buildings in the world

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/06/7e/de/b0/caption.jpg

Great Barrier Reef – One of the largest ecosystems in the world

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/australias-great-barrier-reef-will-disappear-within-two-decades-with-no-intervention-2014-3?r=US&IR=T

Activity 1

On your blog tell us which of the icons you would most like to visit in your chosen country. Be sure to tell us why you have chosen it!

Answer:

I have chosen Torres del Paine National Park from Chile. I chose this icon because the moustain is just stunning. It kind of reminds me of Mount Fuji.

Activity 2

Let’s imagine that you have been asked to host a visitor from another country. They are going to come and stay with you for three days. During that time, you are expected to take them on a tour of New Zealand and show them some our most famous icons. Where would you take them? If it was me, I might take them to Mt Cook in the south island, to the Sky Tower in Auckland and to Chums Beach in the Coromandel. What about you? On your blog, tell us which three famous places in New Zealand you would go with your visitor.

Answer:

The first place I would take my visitor to is Rotarua. To relax in the hot springs.

The second place I would take my visitor is The Sky Tower. I might even take him/her to Fortuna.

The last place I would take them is Mission Bay at night and treat them to some delicious Ice Cream. Yummy!

Bonus Activity

Take a picture of yourself standing beside a popular place in your community. It can be anywhere that’s pretty popular in your area (e.g. a store, a restaurant, a marae, etc). On your blog please tell us about the landmark. What is the name of it? Where is it? Who goes to it?

Art History - Day 15

It’s the final day of Week 3 and you are feeling more and more comfortable in the country. You decide that you would now like to learn a bit more about the people and the history of your country so you spend the day exploring the art galleries and museums. There are so many different options to choose from! You decide to start with the local art gallery before moving on to see the national history museum.

Activity 1

When you walk into the local gallery, the first piece of artwork that you see is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky called ‘Swinging.’

http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/work-251.php

While you are looking at it, a staff member at the gallery comes up to you and asks you for your opinion of the painting. What do you think of it?

On your blog please tell us:

1. What do you think of this painting? Do you like it?
2. If you could buy it and give it to someone, who would you choose?

If it was me, I would give it to my sister because she really likes bright, bold colours and abstract pictures.

Answer:

I think the painting is fantastic. I think the use of colour really makes the painting stand out. If I were to buy it I'll give it to my cousin, because she is an art freak. Wassily Kandinsky is her favourite painter to so I think she'll be so happy I brought her that painting.

Activity 2

After exploring the gallery you decide to walk across the street to the national museum. It is an amazing place! There is so much information about the history of the country in this museum. It’s hard to know where to start!

After walking for a little while you come across a display with pictures of children that were taken in 1901 (over 100 years ago)! In this picture, the children are working on a local farm, milking cows. They are not going to school. Back in those days, children usually went to school until they reached the age of 12 or 13. They then left school and went to work. Imagine that you were alive 100 years ago. How would you feel if you had to leave school at the age of 12? Would you be happy or sad? On your blog, tell us how you would feel.

Answer:

If I had to leave school at only 12 years old I'll be VERY upset. I don't think I have learnt enough to help me with my life in the future. I think that wouldn't be fair for us because, how are we going to get a good job. We might work long hours and hardly get paid. 

Bonus Activity

In New Zealand we have many museum and galleries. One of the largest is called the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa or ‘Te Papa’ for short. Inside Te Papa there is a huge exhibition called ‘Gallipoli - The Scale of our War.’ It has information about a special battle, the Battle of Gallipoli, that took place during World War I. Many New Zealanders took part and many lost their lives.

The battle started on 25 April 1915. We commemorate this battle every year by celebrating Anzac Day on 25 April. Visit the Gallipoli website. It will give you lots of information about this famous battle. On your blog, tell us three things that you learned about the battle.

Powerful People - Day 14

You are now fully recharged having spent the last few days watching TV and listening to music in your hotel room. You decide to go for a walk. As soon as you step outside you see a big bus drive past. On the side of the bus is a huge picture of the leader, the president/prime minister, of the country. They are the most powerful person in the whole country.

Scroll down to learn more about the prime minister and/or president for your chosen country.

Country + Title	Name	Information	Picture
Prime Minister of Canada	Mr. Justin Pierre James Trudeau	Justin Trudeau is the current Prime Minister of Canada. He became prime minister on 4 November 2015.  His dad, Pierre, was the prime minister of Canada in the 1970s. Before Justin became the prime minister he worked as a teacher.
President of Chile	Ms. (Veronica) Michelle Bachelet	The current President of the Republic of Chile is Michelle Bachelet. She was first became president in 2006 and is the first woman in the history of Chile to be the president. She speaks five languages - Spanish, English, German, Portuguese and French.
President of Chile	Mr. Joachim Gauck	The current president of Germany is Mr. Joachim Gauck. He became president in March 2012. Before he became the president, he was a minister. He is married and has four children – Christian, Martin, Gesine and Katharina.
Malaysian Prime Minister	Mr. Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak	The current Prime Minister of Malaysia is Mr. Najib Razak. He is the 6th prime minister of the country. He became the prime minister in April 2009. He is married to his wife, Rosmah, and together they have five children.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom	Mrs. Theresa Mary May	Mrs. May became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 13 July 2016. She is the leader of the conservative party and only the second woman to ever become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Mrs. May has been married to her husband, Philip, for 36 years. They do not have any children.
President of the United Mexican States (Mexico)	Mr. Enrique Pena Nieto	Mr. Nieto is the 57th President of Mexico. He was elected on 1 July 2012 and took office on 1 December 2012. He was originally educated as a lawyer and had been the governor of Mexico prior to becoming president. Mr. Pena Nieto is currently married to a soap opera actress, Angelica Rivera. He has four children.
President of the Republic of South Africa	Mr. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma	Mr. Zuma was elected as president in 2009 and re-elected in 2014. He is also the President of the African National Congress (ANC). Mr. Zuma is currently married to four women and has approximately 20 children.
President of the United Arab Emirates	Mr. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan	Mr. (Sheikh) Khalifa became the president on 3 November 2004 after his father, the former president, passed away. He is the head of the government, the army and the supreme council for the UAE. His family is worth approximately $150 billion dollars. Sheikh Khalifa is married to Shamsa bint Suhail Al Mazrouri. He has no children.
Prime Minister of Japan	Mr. Shinzo Abe	Mr. Abe is the prime minister and the president of the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan. He was first elected as prime minister in 2006 but had to resign in 2007 for health reasons. He recovered and was re-elected as prime minister in 2012. He and his wife, Akie Matsuzaki, have no children.
Prime Minister of Australia	Mr. Malcolm Turnbull	Mr. Turnbull became the prime minister on 15 September 2015. He was not elected by the people of Australia but, instead, by members of his own party, the Liberal Party. They had a special vote because they were not happy with the work that the current prime minister, Tony Abbott, was doing. Mr. Turnbull was then elected by the people of Australia in the 2016 election. He is married to his wife Lucy and they have two children.

Activity 1

Here in New Zealand, the prime minister of the country is the Honourable Bill English. Imagine that you are Mr. English and you have the power to create laws (rules) that all people in New Zealand would have to follow. If I (Rachel) were the prime minister I would make a rule that everyone should eat lollies for breakfast. What three (3) rules would you make up if you were the prime minister? On your blog tell us what your three rules would be.

Answers:

1. If I were the prime minister I would make a rule that you must give each poor person you see on the street a dollar or two.

2. My second rule would be in every 5 months we will all receive 300 dollars each, just to help with the bills.

3. My last rule would be we will all receive a package of treats ever 3 months.

Activity 2

Some people say that the most powerful person in the world is the president of the United States. His name is Donald Trump and he became the president this past November when he beat out his competitor, a woman named Hillary Clinton. Google ‘Hillary Clinton’ to find out a little bit more about her. On your blog, post three interesting facts about Hillary.

Answers:

1. In college she was the president of her senior class at Wellesley College. I think that's what gave her the inspiration to run for president.

2. She studied law at Yale Law School, which she graduated from and volunteered at New Haven Legal Services to provide free legal advice to the poor. 

3. In 1995 she said, Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights.” This helped start a global movement for woman's rights. 

Bonus Activity

Being the prime minister of a country is a big responsibility. Would you like to be the prime minister of New Zealand one day? On your blog tell us what you think. Would you like to be the prime minister?  Why or why not?

Answer:

I think I'll be responsible enough to be prime minister of New Zealand one day. I think I'll like to be prime minister of New Zealand because I'll be able to help a lot of people on the streets. Maybe help them apply for a job and they can earn the money to get back on their feet.

As Seen on T.V... - Day 12

Today you wake up and you are feeling quote tired after all of your sightseeing so you decide to spend the day relaxing in front of the TV. When you turn on the TV you decide to scroll through the channels to see what local television programmes and movies are like in your country. You are amazed! In some cases it is pretty different from what is on TV in New Zealand. To see what is popular in your country, click on the links below and watch the video. In some cases, they will be in different languages!

Canada – Caillou – Fun in the Mud [22:02 minutes]

Chile – 31 Minutos – Episode 1 [4:48 minutes]

Germany - Lowenzahn – Episode 1 [1:58 minutes]

Malaysia – Upin & Ipin – Full episode [19:25 minutes]

United Kingdom – Britain’s Got Talent – 2016 Final (Boogie Storm) [6:27 minutes]

Mexico – Maria Belen [1:35 minutes]

South Africa – Pumpkin Patch: Introduction Song [1:00 minute]

United Arab Emirates – iCarly Episode 3 [2:00 minutes]

Japan – Anpanman: Ironman vs. Japanese Ghost [2:47 minutes]

Australia – The Voice ~ Australia: Best Blind Auditions (2016) [5:59 minutes]

Activity 1

On your blog provide a short review of the video from your country. In your review please tell us - Link to The Moe Show

1. The name of the television show
2. What you liked about the show
3. What you didn’t like about the show

Finally, at the end of the review, give the video a rating out of 5 stars with 5 stars (*****) being amazing and 1 star (*) being terrible

1. The name of one of the most well-known tv shows is The Moe Show.

2. Something I like about "The Moe Show" is that it teaches kids how to speak their native language (Maori).

3. One thing that I don't really like about "The Moe Show" is that it doesn't come on tv that much ao we don't get to watch it.

Activity 2

Most of us like to watch TV when we have the chance. One of my favourite television shows, at the moment, is called Veep. It’s a show about a woman who becomes the President of the United States. It’s pretty funny! I watch Veep on HBO every Monday night.

What is your favourite television show at the moment? On your blog, tell us the name of your favourite television show and tell us, briefly, what it is about.

Answer:

My favourite television show is "The Loud House." It's about a 11 year old boy who is the middle child in his gigantic family. He has 13 people in his family which includes 10 sisters, they all have different interests and personalities.

Bonus Activity

Find a Youtube clip of a popular television show from New Zealand. Upload the link to your blog. Beside the link tell us the name of the show and tell us what is happening in the clip.

The Loud House - In this episode Lincoln and his family are going to a Road Trip. A lot of the seats in the van have a lot of problems, except for one. So Lincoln tries his best to be the first on that "Sweet Spot" before his sisters do.