Mairangi Notes #15 — 2026.07.17

MHJ

my mairangi

Issue

#15

2026.07.17

Yussi's Note

Lazy Holidays at home

Over the school holidays, our house became a revolving door of friends. All three girls had mates coming and going — sometimes one at a time, sometimes all at once. Some days we shared lunch together, other days it stretched into dinner. Min's friends pitched a tent in the lounge and stayed up whispering half the night.There were mall trips that made them feel very grown up, spontaneous playdates after a walk, and the occasional bored afternoon rescued by calling a friend over to run wild in the garden. We didn't sign up for a single holiday programme this time. We stayed up too late, slept in too long, and let ourselves be properly lazy — a real holiday, for once.Sometimes it's the days with nothing on the calendar that turn a house into home, just a little more.

Main Story

Life in Aotearoa · 2026.07.17.

Popcorn, Blankets, and Movie Marathons

Four Toy Story reruns and one five-year-old declaring herself Moana of Mairangi — how we spend our no-plans school holiday.

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Lunch Box

MON

Beef Cream Pasta

Holiday lunches are usually simple around here. I boil spaghetti, brown some mince, and stir it all through a creamy sauce. A little pepper and parsley on top, and it's instantly the kids' favourite meal. Simple, but warm and satisfying enough that there's no rush to any part of it — making it, eating it, or cleaning up after.
No sooner is lunch finished than someone's back in the kitchen hunting for a snack. But sharing something good, filling everyone's tummies, and having the whole crew underfoot all day — it's really not a bad way to spend a holiday.

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Campus Notes

TUE

A Glimmer of Hope

At last, there's a glimmer of hope on the placement front. Everywhere I enquired had already filled their spots, and I was starting to feel stuck — until an organisation not far from home, working in exactly the field I'm interested in, got back to me warmly and offered an interview on the spot.
I happened to have a Zoom meeting with my placement coordinator that same week, and when I shared the news, she talked me through what to watch for in the interview and what to make sure I emphasise. I just want to climb out of this fog of uncertainty and get something — anything — moving. Even a centimetre forward means I'm not standing still.

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English with Jin

This Week's Expression

“Line up!”

One morning, I heard Jin calling out to her sisters — "Line up!" Something needed sorting into order, apparently, and the sheer authority in our youngest's voice made me laugh. She seems to be quietly absorbing the phrases she hears at school, pulling them out exactly when she needs them.
I catch the small moments too — the space between the language she's always spoken as naturally as breathing, and the one she's still reaching for. For now, she moves between them one phrase at a time.

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Local Guide

👾

Family Event

Monster Mayhem at the Sky Tower

Saturday 18 July 9:30am - 5pm
The Sky Tower teams up with Minions & Monsters for family fun 328m above the city. Kids can take on themed games and a 'monster dots' reflex challenge across the three observation decks, then get creative at the craft workshop on Level 53. Free parking included — the ultimate school holiday escape for the whole family.
📍 Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010

✨

Matariki

Te Ara Rama Matariki Light Trail 2026

Saturday 18 July 5:55pm - 9pm
Te Ara Rama Matariki Light Trail is a free annual outdoor lighting festival in Maybury Reserve, Glen Innes — a two-minute walk from the shopping village and transport hub. Over four nights, light and music installations across nine Matariki-inspired themes transform the reserve, opening each evening at 5.55pm with karakia and a lights countdown at the waharoa. The trail runs 6pm–9pm, followed by a fireworks finale.
📍 Taniwha Street, Glen Innes

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From the Archive

Life in Aotearoa

Sun Bathe, Rain Shower

An outdoor day in Mairangi Bay, a 33-hour storm, and giant bubbles in the backyard — a very Auckland kind of week for our three girls.

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www.mhj.nz · Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand

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