Voice of Achieve 2B Issue 6

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Contents

Cover ...................................... 1

By Yuan

Contents ................................. 2
From the Founders Desk ......... 3

From Julia

Planning Day ........................... 4

By Julia

Interview with Lola ................. 5

With Jo

Interview with Taylor ............. 7

With Jo

Meet the Parents:
Lola’s Host Family ................... 9

By Julia

Meet the Parents:
Taylor’s Host Family.............. 10

By Julia

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From the Founders desk

Hello, Kia Ora and Malo e leilei,

It is hard to believe we are half way through the
year already. As we head into the cooler winter
months, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the
year so far.

In the beginning of the year, things looked rather challenging and
daunting, mid-year seems slightly brighter. Even in the cool of winter.

I am pleased that after a long struggle including blood, sweat and tears
we are set to have our 2018/19 Cohort embark on their international
exchanges. Lola, leaves for Tonga on the 1st of July while Taylor leaves
on the 13th of July. Thank you to all those who have made this amazing
outcome possible. Your commitment to, and belief in Achieve 2B and its
program is astounding. To Lola and Taylor, your Achieve 2B whanau wish
you the very best of luck. We have full confidence that you both will be
exemplary Ambassadors.

Achieve 2B is about to launch into the world of employment. Compliments
of Te Putea Whakatupu, we are now able to employ a Part Time
Programme Director on a fixed term contract. This is a very exciting
opportunity for Achieve 2B and comes at a particularly auspicious moment
as the organisation poises itself to broaden its direction.

As Achieve 2B heads into another chapter of its development, I am
reminded of the quote from the late Nelson Mandela:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest
fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light,
not our darkness that most frightens us.”

To me this not only captures the essence of the developing Achieve 2B
but all those future Achievers that will not only participate and benefit
from the program but will go onto be their own powerful and bright
shining selves.

Let’s build on our successes so that the
global wave ripples, enabling young people
with disabilities to continue to define
themselves.

Best Wishes,
Julia Hartshorne - Founder of Achieve 2B.

Planning 4
Day 2019
board members, volunteers and
Seasonal change others to come together for a
often brings with it planning day to help map the way
the opportunity to forward for Achieve 2B. This is a
plan for the days passionate group of people who
ahead to ensure care deeply about Achieve 2B and
wellness and its long-term success.
abundance.
The day produced some fantastic
Change, balance ideas and made us think about
and strategising how we can better utilise
for the future has technology and other tools to
been the focus of make intercultural student
Achieve 2B over
the last few exchanges a fulfilling
months. Reflecting on how you experience.
perform as a charitable
organisation is crucial and is time We are still considering
well spent as it allows you to look our options and will
at how things can be better. share these with you
once we have a new
And in May, we did exactly that. strategy in place. But what I can
say is reflection is anything but
After a identifying a few passive. It leads to insight, action
challenges, we decided we had to and engagement all of which will
pause and contemplate on where help Achieve 2B to flourish in the
Achieve 2B was and the path future.
forward.

The nature of
student exchanges
is different to what it
was years ago. The
days of a 12-month
exchange to another
country with a host family has . A
fresh new take on intercultural
student exchanges is needed if
they are to survive.
To help us explore new options
we invited parents, students,

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Lola’s Upcoming Journey

With Lola counting down the days before heading
off on her exchange programme, we got a
chance to catch up with her for an interview in time to share with you her
experience and excitement about the trip before she leaves.
I’ve seen her vlog, but it doesn’t quite do justice to the delightful sound of
anticipation lifting her voice, as if she’s already mentally floating on the
Tongan breeze.

Jo: So Lola, where are you going? Ocean of Light
International High School
Lola: Tonga, Nuku’alofa.
currently has a total of
Jo: And how long will you be there? 124 high school students,
but the entire school itself
Lola: A month and a week, so 5 weeks. ranges from kindergarten

Jo : Your vlog says you like travel, have (age 3) right through
you travelled before? primary and on to high
school. Started in 1996,
Lola: Yeah, I do. I went to South Africa a and nestled in among the
few years ago with my family. My family is palm trees of Tongatapu,
from South Africa, I’m the only one who a quote from the Bahá'í
was born in New Zealand. Anyway, we Song Project sums up its
went a few years ago to visit and I loved vision on the sign outside
it. announcing its presence:
“Ye are the flowers of one
Jo: Tell us about the school are you going garden”. The director of
to? Ocean of Light sums up
their guiding principles:
Lola: Ocean of Light International School.
“[to] promote unity,
Jo: Tell us about your host family? justice, tolerance,

Lola: A mum, who’s pregnant…then freedom from prejudice
there’s Dad and 3 little daughters 5, 6, 8. and excellence in an
environment that
Jo: Is that very different from your family emphasizes learning
at home? Do you have siblings? through action and
collective capacity
Lola: I have an older brother.
building through mutual
Jo: What do you think you will miss the support and
most on your trip?
encouragement“.
Lola: Family! Definitely, my family.

Jo: What are you looking forward to?

Lola: Experiencing the new culture and the
school.

6

.....Lola’s Journey Continued
Jo: What's your number one essential item to take on your exchange?

Lola: My phone - for photos, I want photos.

What do you wish everyone knew about your disability that would make
your life simpler by not having to explain it all the time?

Lola: That it's not just my eyes, it's to do with my brain as well. I process
things really slowly, not just visual things, but it just me a bit longer to do
things.

Jo: What have you learned so far with Achieve 2B that will make your trip
amazing?

Lola: That I have heaps of support.

Jo: What do you think you'll be thinking about after you leave home, but
before you meet your host family?

Lola: Nervous, unsure what to expect.

Jo: But you’ve travelled before? How come so nervous?

Lola: Yeah, but that was with my family, so it was great and they were
around. This is on my own!

Jo: I really like that space of being “on your way” and not anywhere in
particular in that moment. There’s nerves and anticipation, but it’s also a
chance just to “be” and think about where you are, who you are.
Sometimes travel lets us bring out parts of ourselves or qualities that we
don't get to show much at home. Is there something about yourself that
you are hoping you get to express more, or make stronger while away?

Lola: Sort of confidence, and…
Lola pauses for a moment and I wait, betting this will be
great. I’m not disappointed.
… this will sound strange, but… my weirdness?

Lola pitches her last word up like a question,
accompanying it with a tinkling giggle of embarrassment. Quickly, it
bubbles into something more comfortable as I laugh along with her
because I totally get it. Indulging in your crazy side, saying yes to things
you might not be bothered doing at home, like climbing that hill or singing
in the street with the buskers. It’s a chance to break out and get to know
yourself better, take some risks, and I’m betting Lola is going to just love
the ‘her’ that she meets in Tonga.

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Taylor Is Going To Australia!

After smoothing out the final Taylor:
details, we can finally confirm Yeah, it
that Taylor has a great placement will be different, because I have a
with our neighbours across the little sister who’s 10 years
ditch! Achieve 2B has worked younger. I’m looking forward to
hard to ensure that Taylor got to it.
go to Australia, overcoming
several obstacles in the process. I Jo: What do you think you will
spoke to Taylor this week about miss the most on your trip?
his trip.
Taylor: Being able to walk in long
Jo: So Taylor, now that we can grass and not having to be careful
confirm it, can you tell everyone of spiders and snakes.
where are you going?
Jo: Scary! And what are you most
Taylor: Melbourne, in Australia looking forward to?

Jo: And how long will you be Taylor: The experience of being
there? in a new city and all the new
scenery and just being in a
Taylor: Three months. different place.

Jo: Tell us about the school are Jo: So then, what's your number
you going to? one essential item to take on your
exchange?
Taylor: Fairhills College
Taylor: My phone – no, wait...my
To find out more about Fairhills passport!
College, visit
Jo: No surprises why that would
https://www.fairhillshs.vic.edu.au/ be the most important thing!
Have you travelled before? If you
Jo: Tell us about your host have, when was that?
family?
Taylor: I’ve been to Fiji. Last
Taylor: Not much, I haven’t done year about this same time of
the skype call yet. But I’m looking year, I found out I was going on
forward to it! the exchange about a week
before I left for Fiji. That made
Jo: You know who is in your host that trip even better, so I’ll be
family, though? Your host parents adding stamps to my passport.
and one adult daughter at
home...is that a very different Jo: What do you wish everyone
makeup from your family at knew about your disability that
home? Do you have siblings? would make your life simpler by
not having to explain it all the

.....Taylor’s Journey Continued 8
time? Are there things they could
do to help with that? from where
I’ll be
Taylor: That I like routine and it’s staying. I
hard for me to deal with change really like
to my routine. Give me time and trains.
advanced notice to get used a
new idea or upcoming change, Jo: Does
don’t spring it on me. this mean you’ll get to skip the
rest of winter this year?
Jo: What have you learned so far
with Achieve 2B that will make Taylor: It’s actually colder that
your trip amazing? Auckland, about the same
temperature as Wellington.
Taylor: I’ve learned a lot about
myself and how to interact with Jo: Is there something about
people better through the yourself that you are hoping you
orientations...built some get to express more, or make
confidence around it. stronger while away?

Jo: What do you think you'll be Taylor: I think being able to
thinking on the plane about after socialise more with people, a
you leave home, but before you bigger variety of people.
meet your host family?
If Taylor was anxious at all about
Taylor: I’d be wondering what speaking me on the phone
the host family will be like, (someone he hasn’t met before),
excited to meet them, wondering or going to a different country, it
how different they will be to what was hard to tell. He was really
I’m used to. And the places I enthusiastic about his upcoming
want to see... there’s one place I trip and sounds like he is more
want to visit, especially, which is than ready to have a great time
the Puffing Billy Railway, which and really grow. We wish you all
looks like it’s not too far away the best, Taylor – and can’t wait
to hear how everything goes with
you and your adventure.

Source: https://puffingbilly.com.au/

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Meet The Parents: The Chen Family
Host Family for Lola Kain

The Chen family are going to be the host family
for Lola. They are a family of five. A Mum (Nane) and a Dad (Seti) with
3 little girls – Christine, Eleni and Agnes - which has provided a delightful
edge. They have accepted the challenge to host a teenager (Lola) who is
bubbling with enthusiasm to be a BIG sister to the little girls.

The Chen family are strong Christian parents who are family focused and
still find the time to be avid surfers and beach goers.

Nane and Seti have had their own New Zealand experience as they were
University educated in New Zealand. The family are a real blend and
appreciation of the Tongan way of life and the New Zealand way of life.
They are looking forward to welcoming Lola into their home and making
her a part of their family.

We welcome the Chen family to Achieve 2B and hope they find their time
with us a memorable experience.

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Meet The Parents: The Centonze-
Williams Family

Host Family for Taylor

Shane and Alida Centonze – strong Christian family. Family
Williams family are going to be is everything to this family and
the host family for Taylor. They spending time together over a
have 5 grown children and meal, talking and laughing is a
numerous grandchildren. top priority.

Their youngest adult daughter – The Centonze – Williams family
Gabby have a wide
lives at range of
home and interests.
is excited This ranges
about from
welcoming cooking to
Taylor and art and
hanging music to
out with AFL
him are a Football.
family of They are
five. Alida looking
has been forward to
a mother welcoming
to not Taylor into
only her their home
own and making
children him a part
but to of their
many lovely big
others. family.

Shane is We welcome
very cross the
culturally aware as he has Centonze – Williams family to
engaged in a of volunteer work Achieve 2B and hope they find
overseas their time with us a memorable
The Centonze – Williams family experience.
are of Italian descent and are a