Mairangi Notes #7 — 2026.05.22

MHJ

my mairangi

Issue

2026.05.22

Yussi's Note

Out They Run

The mornings are colder now, and the children find it harder and harder to leave the warmth of their blankets. But once breakfast is done, the bags go on and out they run, calling the name of the friend across the road. The moment school ends, off to the playground, out they run. They come home, and at the foot of the stairs, shouting "I'm HUNGRY!!!!" toward the kitchen, up they run. A dozen times a day they go thundering down the hallway, and some days the noise spills between the ground floor and the garden, loud and cheerful.
Until night comes, until we switch on the heater and curl up close to fall asleep, the energy keeps leaping up here and there, as if to make up for the dropping temperature.

Main Story

Home Learning · 2026.05.15.

Learning Aid: Scholastic Book Club

How Scholastic Book Club works in NZ — sign-up, discounts up to 77% off, and why it's a quiet curation tool for immigrant parents.

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Lunch Box

MON

Inari Sushi Rolls & Sweet Spread Croissant

Rolled inari for Min and Hyun, who love it. I packed plenty, and still both boxes came home empty. For the youngest, who isn't keen on the tang of sushi rice, a croissant with olive oil spread and a sprinkle of brown sugar. For morning tea, mandarins and cucumber, the one thing all three girls agree on.

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Campus Notes

TUE

The First Thesis Interview

My first thesis interview is done. The master's thesis needs at least three participants, and a social worker I've stayed in touch with since my last placement kindly agreed to be the first. I've done plenty of interviews through work, but an academic one feels like something new. It's just the first step. Two more interviews and the transcription work are still ahead, and a long road stretches well beyond that. Time moves the way it always does, quick and slow at once, but steady.

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English with Jin

This Week's Expression

“Kind words, please.”

We packed Jin's favourite curry rice for lunch one day. A classmate said "Eww!" at the smell, and she came home upset about it. Funny thing is, this happens at our dinner table too — except it's usually Jin saying "Eww!" at whatever her sisters are eating. So we made a new house rule: We don't ewww at other people's food. And gave Jin something to say back when someone's words sting. "Kind words, please."

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Local Guide

🎨

FREE ACTIVITY

Hibiscus & Bays Art Awards

The 12th Hibiscus & Bays Art Awards open at Mairangi Arts Centre this Saturday 23 May at 12pm and run right through to 13 June. It's a free, no-booking exhibition bringing together painters, sculptors and mixed-media artists from across Aotearoa, with many works for sale and a People's Choice award you can vote on. It's only a five-minute walk from Mairangi Bay village, so it makes a calm, easy outing with children — pop in after the beach or a weekend coffee, and come back as often as you like over the next three weeks.

📍 20 Hastings Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0630

👑

COMMUNITY

King's Birthday Weekend

King's Birthday falls on Monday 1 June, giving everyone a three-day long weekend from Saturday 30 May. Schools, council offices, libraries and banks are all closed on the Monday, so it's worth planning ahead. For a free, low-key family day close to home, Glenfield Mall runs its King's Birthday Weekend on Saturday 30 May and Monday 1 June, 10am to 5pm, with face painting, a bouncy castle, craft stations and roaming characters — all free, no booking needed. A handy back-up if the autumn weather turns wet.

📍 Corner Glenfield Road &, Downing Street, Glenfield, Auckland 0629

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From the Archive

Local Guide

Orewa Surf Sounds 2026 — Fireworks at Shore

Free fireworks, food trucks, and live music at Orewa Beach. What to know about parking, the best spot to watch, and what to bring with kids.

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

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