A Love Letter and Note of Condolence to New Zealand after the 34th America's Cup Competition

Dear New Zealanders, especially Mike~

          I hope you enjoyed seeing our beautiful city as much as my friend Andrea (1946-2010) enjoyed seeing your beautiful country back in 1971.  There’s no city in the world that I love more than San Francisco, but I also fell in love with your country during the month we spent there on our vacation from our jobs in Tonga, where we were Peace Corps volunteers.  We already had one Kiwi friend, Mike, who was a volunteer in Tonga and not on vacation, and his family invited us to dinner, as did families we had never met before. All the Kiwis welcomed us—whether at the Y or on the road.  Most of the time we stayed in Youth Hostels, but on a couple of nights we stayed at the Y for $1.00 a night, and Andrea used to tell the story of one of those nights when someone we had met earlier in the day knocked on the window at midnight with a roasted chicken, which Andrea woke up to accept through the window.  (John remained outside.  Then she woke me up.

          "Tina, it's midnight, and that nice guy John just handed me a roasted chicken through the window."

          "Oh," I said, "I was hoping he would. 

          We hitch-hiked all over the islands without fearing for our lives or waiting more than 10-minutes for a ride.  We got invitations from the woman managing a bookstore and from a Rumanian-New Zealand family who had a fish and chip place but took us home for an “even better dinner.”  People taking our passport numbers conversed with us between the digits.  It was truly an “awesome” experience, and as you can see, you made an indelible impression.  

           I am still I touch with Mike who, recovering from a recent stroke, sent me an e-mail several days ago while viewing (on the tele?)  San Francisco in America’s Cup—but guess what he mentioned first:  His concern for us after the fires in Yosemite and his hope that it wouldn’t affect our water supply.  (He meant our drinking water, I think, not the water in the bay!) 

          So while we raise a glass  (maybe not pristine water?) to the winners in this 34th competition for America’s Cup, here’s a toast to you, Mike, and to the New Zealanders with your kindness and spirit.  Your team impressed us too.  You are all winners

'Ofa atu,
Tina

When I've finished responding to essays, I'll be back with more teaching matters--what I got online for the students today (America's waste of good food & the overuse of antibiotics--fun, fun, fun) and the response I got from the head of CCSF's Student Health Center about an incident involving a student I felt compelled to drive to General Hospital last February.