Today we were forced to change our plans of white water rafting due to unsafe conditions in the river that we were supposed to ride. So instead, we're going to a supposedly better river on Sunday and this morning went to Taupo Bungee where several people from our group experienced the thrill of bungeeing over a river, including Kyle.
After bungeeing we traveled back up to Rotorua for a Jetboat ride on a river. This boat was able to carry about 10 people so it was fun to blast through the tight river corners and do 360's with a group of people. I sat in the back of the boat and got soaked on the spins from water dumping in over the sides. It was, however, totally worth it.
From Rotorua we traveled to another Maori tribe for an authentic Maori experience. The welcome ceremony for them accepting us onto their land is quite elaborate and detailed, and included speech making, singing, and the touching of the forehead and nose between us and the tribe.
They prepared a traditional meal cooked underground like the last tribe and it was again quite tasty. After the meal we were entertained with singing and dancing and even had the opportunity for volunteers from our group to learn two songs.
Following the show we spent some time in small groups reflecting on the Maori culture and figuring out ways in which we could incorporate their lifestyle into ours back at home. I have officially decided I want to get more in touch with my Dutch roots and plan to make a detailed family tree on my arrival back to the States.
Tonight we are staying in the Maori's longhouse, with all 41 of us sleeping in the same room on mattresses on the floor that are all touching each other. It's a pretty fun experience and definitely adds to the whole community building thing. As I'm laying in bed right now I can count 5 different people snoring, including the guys on either side of me. Another guy was sleep talking before and some girls have a noise maker on to try and get themselves to sleep. It's quite the set up we got running here and I wouldn't have it any other way.
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