Mairangi Notes #3 — 2026.04.24

MHJ

my mairangi

Issue

2026.04.24

Yussi's Note

A new term has begun

At the children's school, a few new faces have arrived a little later than the rest, and a warm whakatau welcomed them in. The early mornings are hard — there's plenty of rubbing of sleepy eyes — but same time, same place, off they go. The nights are turning colder now, with wind and rain settling in more often. Even on the grey days, I hope each of your days captures the little sparkle behind the clouds.

Main Story

Home Learning · 2026.04.17.

Starting School in New Zealand

A practical guide to New Zealand's school system for newcomer families — structure, enrolment, transfers, short-term stays, and what to prepare before day one.

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Lunch Box

MON

Strawberry Sandwich & Riceball

This week's runaway favourite was the strawberry sandwich. Crusts trimmed from soft white bread, smooth cream cheese, and crisp fresh strawberries — a combination the girls couldn't get enough of. A morning tea winner. Orders started coming in for breakfast too, and two punnets of strawberries vanished in no time.

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Campus Notes

TUE

Days of Thesis Work

With winter placement on the horizon, thesis season is in full swing. It's a constant cycle — building a research plan from the theories we covered in coursework, drafting, meeting for feedback and supervision, then revising again. Each of us is tackling a different topic at our own pace, but one thing we share is how seriously we're taking it. To my peers walking this journey with me — cheers.

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English with Jin

This Week's Expression

“Can I play?”

Term 2 started with the last intake of Year 1 — any kids starting after this will go into a new Year 0 class. A lot of Jin's new classmates already knew each other from the neighbourhood, and she came home saying she'd played on her own. So we gave her a magic phrase for when she wants to join in. "Can I play (too)?" "Can I join?" also work. One little sentence to carry into a new school.

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Local Guide

🎨

Festivals

Printopia Festival — 1 to 3 May

NZ's largest printmaking festival, running across four venues in Auckland's CBD. Opening night on 1 May, with the print fair, hands-on activities and artist talks on 2–3 May. At Studio One Toi Tū, you can try live printing or join a workshop (tickets via Eventfinda.co.nz).

🇵🇭

Festivals

Takapuna Filipino Festival

Takapuna Filipino Festival, now in its third year, takes over Waiwharariki Anzac Square from 10am to 4pm. This year's theme is Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) — an outdoor market of food and non-food vendors, with live music and cultural performances throughout the day.

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From the Archive

Life in Aotearoa

Basketball Tuesdays

Schools in New Zealand offer children many opportunities to try various sports and instruments. Our eldest took up basketball—something she'd never tried before.

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

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