Mairangi Notes #5 — 2026.05.08

MHJ

my mairangi

Issue

2026.05.08

Yussi's Note

To all the mothers out there

Today happens to be Parents' Day — 어버이날 — in Korea. It's the one day set aside for both mums and dads.In Korea, red carnations are how we say thank you on this day. Children fold and cut paper carnations with their small hands, and grown-ups carry baskets of fresh red carnations to visit their own parents and spend the day together. It's a quiet, meaningful day.Over here, Mother's Day and Father's Day fall on different dates, and it still feels a bit unfamiliar. Shops start putting up displays weeks ahead, and little hands get busy folding careful letters for Mother's Day. It makes me feel special as a mother.

Main Story

Home Learning · 2026.05.01.

[Y7] Intermediate Guide: Specialist Subjects

What Specialist subjects look like in Year 7 at a New Zealand intermediate, and what one Mairangi Bay family noticed in the first term.

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Lunch Box

MON

Mini Kimbap & Chickens

Kimbap is MHJ's all-time favourite. The original version has various ingredients including veggies and meat, but the mini version for the lunchbox only has 1–2 fillings inside. Today it's sliced cheese and seasoned rice. I also baked some chicken nibbles with salt and pepper.

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Campus Notes

TUE

Clearing small hurdles

Just before sitting down to write this newsletter, I submitted a 2,500-word critical analysis essay. I usually leave myself a day or two of buffer before submission, but today I was finishing right up to the deadline. As if that wasn't enough, my CV and cover letter for the Semester 2 placement were also due today.When the kids came home from school, I tried to sit with them for a bit, listen to how their day went, before turning back to the laptop with my mind still racing.Life, and study, is really just a series of small hurdles. You clear one, catch your breath, and the next one is already waiting. But those small steps, when they add up, are what build a better tomorrow — that's what I try to remember.To everyone reading this — I hope your own journey moves a little more gently this week.

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English with Jin

This Week's Expression

“Happy Mother's Day!”

Jin came home today with her hands stained in paint, carrying a small parcel she'd wrapped herself. Inside was a clay ring holder she'd made and painted at school, and a card — an upgrade from yesterday's, this one with little flowers stuck to the cover.
One thing I've noticed living here: almost every occasion gets a "Happy" in front of it. Happy Mother's Day, Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, Happy Easter. Back in Korea, each occasion has its own greeting, each one carrying its own wish.
There's something easy about "Happy ___ Day." You can say it to anyone, on almost any occasion. What makes a day feel special, in the end, is the greetings we pass along.
To all the mums out there — Happy Mother's Day.

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Local Guide

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Community

Ponsonby Mother's Day Market

Ponsonby Road turns into a street market from 10am to 2pm on 9th May. General Collective brings a curated line-up of stalls along Ponsonby Road between Pember Reeves and Franklin Road (opposite Prego). Bands and DJs from 12pm. Free entry, family-friendly, dog-friendly. Selected boutiques are also offering Mother's Day specials and a small free sweet treat with every gift purchased — while stocks last. 📍 195–217 Ponsonby Road · 10am–2pm

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Community

Pink Shirt Day

A heads-up for the week ahead: Pink Shirt Day lands on Friday 15 May, and most North Shore primary schools will be asking children to wear pink to stand against bullying. This year's kaupapa is Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora — Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying.The official tee, designed by Wellington artist Bonnie Brown of Studio Bon, is on the rack at Cotton On now, with 100% of net proceeds going to the Mental Health Foundation. A small pink ribbon or hairclip works just as well.

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From the Archive

Settlement

Back to School (What?!)

Cramming for IELTS while raising three kids—the chaotic true story of getting into Massey University's graduate program before our family emigrated to NZ.

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

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