The Cook Islands and Mid Semester

Kia Orana!

I just got back from Paradise! For Mid semester break we went as an IES group to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It was truly the most beautiful place I have ever been. We did so many things, including biking around the whole island (32 km!), hiking to one of the massive mountain summits and snorkeling in the ocean. I can’t begin to tell all the stories so I will share one. I went to a school on the island and got to learn some of the language and talk to the kids. We got to have lunch and go to recess where they all enjoyed chasing, tackling, and dog piling on me. It was quite good fun. When I became light headed I sat down and one of the 10 year olds, Ethan, gave me some water and talked to me. They used rubber bands as sort of guns to shoot each other and I asked him if that was a popular thing. He said they played cowboys and war on the bus and shot at each other, but he had yet to shoot anyone because he refused to on the bus. I asked why and he looked at me puzzled and said “well, because they’re innocent.” One of the cutest things I had heard in a long while. They really were great kids. It’s a shame I can’t share more, but a week in Paradise is quite indescribable. I am keen to go back at some point. But until then…

Ka Kite Ono!

Clayton