I am sitting in a convenience store across the street from the hotel in downtown Sydney looking out at the rain that has been falling off and on all afternoon. It is a bit warmer than yesterday and very much like a San Francisco winter evening. Everyone is doing well and the students have been wonderful. Both flights here went well. On the long flight to Auckland everyone enjoyed the variety of movies available and some even managed to get some sleep. You would not have known the plane was full of over 70 teens. The pilot and crew welcomed and wished them well over the loudspeakers at both the start and end of the flight. Going through customs in Sydney also went well, with just one glitch with a flaxseed filled pillow. After loading onto our buses we headed into Sydney for a photo of the Opera House and Harbor. Everyone was glad to stretch their legs and wander a bit in the cold air. Next stop was Bondi beach for lunch and a dip of our toes in the ocean. Although the air was cool the water was slightly warmer than our Pacific in winter. The students headed off to meet their homestay families and the rest of us headed into the city to try and stay awake a bit longer and adjust to the time.
This morning we traveled to The King's School, a beautiful campus in the suburbs, a bit like Hogwarts without the castle. The choir and bands performed for the student body in a very nice theater. The school is an all boys school for 7-12 grades. The 1100 boys were a great audience and then hosted us in their dining room for lunch. We had some free time to explore the campus and talk with the students. Then it was back into the city for a little shopping in a huge pedestrian mall. The students have now returned to their families and will attend school with them tomorrow.
That's all for now. You should all be proud of the wonderful St. Francis ambassadors your students are.
