teresaleenz

[teresaleenz]

31.01.19-02.02.19 WELLINGTON/NELSON Flight to Wellington - It was only on this flight that I realised my parents had not been back to Wellington in 10 to 15 years while I had visited 10 times in the last few years myself. This trip is going to be awesome for them and it’s made me look forward to it a lot more. Te Papa - The main reason for visiting Te Papa was to see the Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality exhibition. It was magnificent. 700,000 workers created approximately 8,000 of these two metre tall soldiers, none of which are the same, over 40 years. And I think I work hard. Ha. We also went into the Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War exhibition and the hyper-realistic 2.5x figures created by Weta Workshop will definitely be unforgettable for my parents. Weta Workshop - A must do! How splendid is it that Aotearoa is on the world stage doing film design, production and digital editing! Weta has a team of 4000 and the work they do is so distinctive and creative. What a wonderful place to work at and what wonderful work they create. Dragons Restaurant - For my Cantonese family, we felt pampered! Complimentary entrees, soup and desserts were definitely a hit. A restaurant to visit again! Asiana Day Spa - As I am just such an athlete, I tried a deep tissue massage for the first time and this was greatly enjoyable! My masseuse complimented me on how I could handle a firm massage despite my young age. I feel proud. DoubleTree by Hilton Wellington - I truly believe this is the best hotel in Wellington in many ways! The Intercontinental may have a greater sense of grandeur and a lounge but DoubleTree hits all the right spots in a different way. Interislander Ferry to Picton - The ferry was fine but the food on the ferry could definitely be improved! Taxi Picton to Nelson - WARNING: Do not attempt to book a rental car on the day! New Zealand is not as advanced as you think. Unfortunately, we had to pay for over $300 for a taxi from Picton to Nelson as there were no rental cars left. Don’t make the same mistake!!! Lake Rotoiti - Pretty as a picture. Lake Rotoiti was so picturesque, it was like I was transported into a Lonely Planet book. Mid-City Motor Lodge - Average but that was to be expected. Abel Tasman National Park - A must do. We signed up for an experience with a company called Wilson’s. The experience involved a two hour boat ride, a two hour trek, a tan on a stellar beach and some good yarns during it all! Hawkes Lookout - I can see why New Zealand always makes it onto the top countries to travel lists. Te Waikoropupu Springs - If you’re looking for clarity, this is the place to go! These springs have the clearest water in the world. Note that you cannot make contact with any of the water as it is a spiritual place of significance but it is worth a visit! Skydive Nelson - Everyone must go skydiving! It was insane. No wonder it is on everyone’s bucket list. Instead of feeling like a rollercoaster or turbulence of bungy jumping, it really felt like I was flying. The photos of my face are hilarious as well. Bonus! Tahunanui Beach - Another beautiful New Zealand beach! How lucky am I to live in this country. Miracle Asian Restaurant - Not too bad but not too authentic either. Cable Bay Adventures - Mum and I tried out the Skywire activity and it was pretty fun! Not worth the money but definitely a cool activity nevertheless. World of Wearable Arts and Classic Cars Museum - My expectations of this museum were not that high but I ended up really enjoying the wearable arts sections! How could a fashion designed not want to be involved with this? Nelson Oriental Restaurant - Authentic!!! My parents couldn’t stop chatting with the Cantonese owners who had actually moved from Auckland after owning a Cantonese restaurant there too. Flight to Auckland - I felt like a corporate on this flight doing fulfilling work and all that. A glimpse of my future life hopefully???

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27.12.18 - 02.01.19 SYDNEY

Flight to Sydney - Standard, watched lots of American Dad. Mr Stonepot - We ordered about 10 dishes! Each were varying flavours of MSG. Waldorf Woolloomooloo Apartments - Funny to be serviced in a serviced apartment instead of servicing a serviced apartment. Ironic. St Mary’s Cathedral - Beautiful as are most historical cathedrals. A random side note is that I would greatly appreciate knowing where the donations are spent - are they only on maintenance? Hyde Park - This isn’t going to sound very scientific but they have these big white and black beaky birds everywhere and this was highly exciting for every member of my family. Including me. Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck and 4D Cinema - Imagine the Auckland Skytower Observation Deck but there are actually cool things to look at. Sydney Tower Buffet - I typically adore buffets. This one was DISAPPOINTING. It was extremely average and I would not recommend spending your money here. Aiyah. Sealife Sydney Aquarium - Farm Girl/Animal Lover/Dog Whisperer, call me what you want but I am always infatuated with animals. How could I not enjoy the aquarium? Madame Tussauds - We decided to take my Grandma to see wax figures since she had never seen any before. She must think our generation is crazy. Actually, she probably knows our generation is crazy. Chinatown Night Market - My blog is starting to become a Sydney vs Auckland competition. In terms of Chinatown and night markets… Sydney 1 Auckland 0. Westfield Sydney - Sydney 2 Auckland 0... Train to Thirroul Station - Jamaica is currently based in Woollongong so I took this three hour train to meet her and it was just the most lovely train ride. It could be a tourist attraction in itself. Bulli Beach - Nothing beats an Australian beach on a sunny day. Train to Kings Cross Station - Long public transport trips really bring out my love for books and podcasts. Perhaps cars are not only destroying the environment, they’re also destroying opportunities for reflection and learning! Big Bus - Dad and I went for a spin around Sydney on the Big Bus. We both had a pretty good time and I think I tanned more on the top deck than I did at the beach the day before. Opera House Tour - The Opera House is like a female. Not just pleasant to look at, lots to learn about and learn from too!!! Amazing #feminism. Chinese Garden of Friendship - What a spot!!! The garden really felt quite traditional and I started feeling like I was in a Chinese TV series about emperors and empresses… until I got interrupted by an Australian lizard in the middle of nowhere. Grounds of Alexandria - Fantastic! White people sometimes do have great ideas. Sydney Fish Market - I’m a big fan of seafood so it was awesome to both see the range available and also to taste some freshly fired up scallops and fish! Kirribilli Airbnb - You know those Tumblr pages dedicated to great living spaces for the young working professional. This was a prime example. Move over New York or London, this quaint Kirribilli apartment was perfect. Sydney Fireworks - SPECTACULAR!!! Our view was beyond amazing and the fireworks were a carefully curated performance. That is, besides the typo “Happy New Year 2018”… someone definitely got fired. Bondi Beach - I suspect that Bondi Beachgoers are not only sunscreened, they’re also screened on attractiveness. If Australia collected data with beautiful humans as a demographic, Bondi Beach would definitely have the highest density of beautiful people in one area. Myer - Farmers or Smith and Caugheys or David Jones… but so much better? Maybe I’m too impressionable when I’m in Australia. There are a lot of better things in Australia. Don’t stress, New Zealand is still CLEARLY a lot better. After all, we invented the pavlova. North Sydney Olympic Pool - That’s right, I became a wake-up-early-go-for-a-swim kind of inspirational figure on this day and it was empowering. Doesn’t mean it’s become a habit or anything. Let’s not get carried away. Flight to Auckland - Back to reality and back to realising all the things I need to do in 2019! Eek!

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03.07.17 - 09.07.17

SYDNEY

Flight to Sydney - As good as a flight can be when you’ve woken up at 3:30am for it. King St - K Road’s better twin. I’m looking forward to the day I have enough money to go on a crazy spending spree buying vegan treats and artsy artwork St John’s College - Hogwarts’s subtler twin. Chinese Noodle House - Jamaica is now hooked on handmade noodles - and why wouldn’t she be? Chatime - Don’t share drinks with Jamaica cos she’ll spit back into it HAHAHA. Meet Fresh - Another hesitant-at-first Jamaica. Another won-over Jamaica. Another hooked onto Chinese food Jamaica.

University of Sydney - Old school and very cool. Body Pump - One thing Auckland beats Sydney at! If I wasn’t already enough of Les Mills Auckland City ambassador already, I definitely am now. Side Bar - I never went to one of those cliche themed year 8 socials but I think I managed to live the experience at Side Bar this night.

Cali Press - Could anything with granola be shit? Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk - Stunning weather, stunning coastline and I guess Jamaica wasn’t too shabby of a tour guide too ;) Hyde Park - From afar, I spotted a dog that looked like a loofah and he turned out to be a poodle that wasn’t groomed O.M.G. All poodles should follow his lead. ANZAC Memorial - Not a fan of the giant models of bullets - how insensitive? St Mary’s Cathedral - Heckin’ majestical. Sydney Tower Eye - After debating with Jamaica over whether there is a bungee jump off the tower, we got nice and close to see that there wasn’t one... I was right - as per usual. Museum of Contemporary Art - Kader Attia’s exhibition was original and thought-provoking. Jenny Watson… not so much… People either love or hate her work…you can guess how I feel.

Hanging with Andy - Heaaarty breakfast at some Cafe on King Street. Broadway Shopping Centre - Consumerism is so wonderful over here. Hanging with Chris - Vegan Vietnamese…HELL YES! Not to mention, first-rate chats. IVY - Business suits galore. High-end decor galore.

Manly - It’s like a better Sydney that’s still part of Sydney. Pylon Lookout - This was on my agenda before I came to Sydney and we managed to accidentally pass through the Lookout on our way to Luna Park teehee. Sydney Harbour Bridge - Quite the scenic route to Luna Park. Highly recommend :) Luna Park - Jamaica and I managed to go on every ride for an amazing online Friday nights deal and BOYYY it was an unexpectedly brilliant time. The fear-fall, haunted house, ice rink and dodgems (which I won) were such such fun.

Glebe Markets - Both made me feel more hip for being there and less hip for not exactly fitting in hahahaha. Yumcha at Zilver - Chicken feet are definitely not the goods for Jamaica hahaha. Lux Massage - Jamaica and I grabbed a $35 oil massage on Groupon and it was bloody brilliant. Chinatown Noodle House - YUM. Doughnut Time - Creme de la Cream was a top of the cream choice to top off the day.

Flight to Auckland - Currently typing this all up on this flight and my eyes are so dry, I am genuinely considering applying pawpaw ointment to them.

[teresaleenz]

22.06.17-27.06.17

VANUATU

Flight to Port Vila - A surprise dinner meal was provided on our three hour Air Vanuatu flight - they really know the essentials. Room with a View - A convenient place to stay for the night before our next flight. Not to mention, the parents would not stop asking the Chinese owners about local yumcha restaurants.

Flight to Tanna - Beyond being one of the only flights shorter than Auckland to Wellington, I happened to sit next to a local from Tanna Island. I found out he was a police man and also faced the challenge of describing what Ken Kesey’s ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ was about…hahaha Mount Yasur (Old Man) - One of the most stupefying experiences to date. We headed up the well-behaved volcano whilst it was still daylight before seeing the sun set and the “fireworks” go off in the dark setting. The spectacular and persistent Strombolian activity truly justifies its name of “Lighthouse of the Pacific." If you’re looking for a unique experience you will never find anywhere else, this is it. If you’re looking for some lit photos, this is it. If you’re looking to be 200 meters away from the pure force of Mother Nature, this is DEFINITELY it. White Grass Ocean Resort - Exactly what you envision a beautiful resort in a tropical paradise to be like and more :)

Lokalangia Kustom Village at Lowinio - Before I delve into the Kustom Village, I thought I would do a big shoutout to our driver, Thomas, who drove us for 45 minutes into the jungle - 35 minutes of that with a broken wrist after jamming it between his ute’s mirror and another ute! The collision occurred due to the squidgy and muddy dirt paths we were travelling on. My dad not only had to pull Thomas’ distorted hand back into shape but also drove us back from the Village later. Now, the village was epic. Their 35-person tribe is entirely self-sustaining and has resisted Western influence, with their lifestyle based off ‘kustom’ executed by the Chief as the supreme authority. Besides our guide who had learnt English from speaking with tourists, the entire community only spoke their tribe’s language and they live off the land. Our guide noted that the cyclone had destroyed much of their infrastructure and crops but they were lucky to have had no fatalities. Using a Banyan branch, one of the young men showed us how to start a fire (watch out, University of Auckland) and they all performed a traditional goodbye dance which I joined in on (not sure if the kids were laughing at me or with me #languagebarriers hahaha). Mum and Dad can’t stop talking about the roasted banana we tried or the tapioca the cooked in a similar way to a hangi. Visiting the Lokalangia tribe was another eye-opening experiences - I do wish my mum didn’t ask if they used clocks though…did someone say embarrassing parents... Giant Banyan Tree - When we first hopped off the ute, mum thought the Banyan tree with a 5 meter diameter next to us was the attraction. Then came the gasp when she looked down the valley at the glorious beast we were about to make our way to. Considering it is the world’s largest Banyan true, I’m not sure why I was so surprised at how much of a monopoly it was. But WOW talk about taking up someone’s personal space, it was pretty much a forest in itself. Catholic Mission, Council Building, Police Building, Open Air Supreme Court Building - All conveniently located in one area and a great contrast to the Village this morning. Lemnap (Blue) Cave - After hopping onto a small fishing boat with a couple from Melbourne, we sped our way past the stunning limestone coast waving at the scattered locals. We found a park in the moody ocean and off I dived INTO the rock to reach the cave. My, it would suck if you were playing tag with your mates and accidentally fell through the 5m diameter hole into the cave...a rough landing with an impressive view. Flight to Port Vila - Short and sweet. Thai Massage - I can’t say I would have minded if it went on for a tad longer.Warwick Le Lagon Resort - The resort seemed a little far from the city centre but the distance was worth how amazing it was.

Port Vila Markets - A.B.U.N.D.A.N.T. Every tropical fruit and vegetable can be found here and more amazingly, we bought fresh vegetables which the local cooks stir-fried for us. Y.U.M. Mele Cascades - What I loved about the 15 minute hike was the progression of photos I was taking - every single one more magnificent as the time went on. The waterfall itself was hidden unless you trod into the cascades and made your way through the splashing veil. Of course, I had to nag my parents into taking off their shoes and doing it but they confirmed it was more than worth it. Blue Lagoon - Whilst leaping into the lagoon was some good childish fun, the highlight was meeting one of the workers at the Blue Lagoon. He happily picked a couple of papayas from the trees and craftily sliced it open for us to eat. As fresh as it gets. Kava Bar - The three of us shared 100 Vatu worth of kava and then continued with our day with tingly tongues.

Port Vila Markets - This visit was the mandatory souvenir visit and I have happily brought back a unique pair of earrings. Aroma Massage - For those visiting Vanuatu, the Thai Massage we visited across the street was better but nevertheless, who doesn’t love a massage? Flight to Auckland - The flight itself was amazing but my body knew I was heading back to drab old Auckland and my eyes were so damn dry and irritant the entire time hahaha. Also, Mitchel was our lovely driver for our days in Port Vila and his details are below if you ever visit: Mitchel Iou (678) 5405749 roseleemaniou@gmail.com Le Lagon Taxi Tours & General Taxi Service

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30.01.17 - 05.02.17

NEW YORK

Glenn Denning - Glenn was an encyclopaedia of knowledge regarding sustainable development. He talked through how there were many sceptics who dismissed the MDGs either as they saw global goals as unrealistic or because they disregarded anything to do with the UN. However, they achieved quite a lot especially in terms of extreme poverty, malaria and HIV. The SDGs were an upgrade as they considered how the MDGs were too top down, did not address inequality or environmental issues and did not involve a lot of inclusive development as poorer countries were focussed on. Of course, the SDGs were criticised too and mainly for being seventeen of them. Glenn noted how this was a result of inclusive discussions and strong advocacy from groups. The increase from eight to seventeen was the price of cooperation and one would struggle to justify one of them being unimportant. On the positive side, there is now more direct responsibility for richer countries and the SDGs have captured the attention of a wider community of stakeholders. This is one of the pros of the UN - the UN is formed by governments but have the ability to mobilise non-governmental organisations, businesses, etc. The other issue Glenn deliberated was why people are hungry considering there is more than enough to go around. A few reasons include inaccessibility, increasing population, food security and wastage where not only food is wasted but the energy into making the food is blown. However, the most significant reason was that people’s diets are changing particularly in rapidly developing nations. For instance, China’s shift towards meat consumption means we need more animals, and hence, more grains to feed the animals so grains are taken out of the market. Policy instruments such as food stamps and vouchers need to be utilised. It is also time to demonise fast food and sugary drinks like tobacco has been. A side matter we discussed were GMOs and he pointed out that the populations’ unease at them is due to fear of the unknown and scientists are too geeky to make it look promising. If only the marketing department of Coke could help. University of Columbia - 100% would be one of the top results for a search on “university aesthetic tumblr”. Times Square - Overwhelming as expected... but not anymore than any of our own minds. NZ Permanent Mission to the UN - Most of the session was Q&A and we discussed how NZ were a large voice despite being quite small as we were committeed to the UN since the start, have no vested interest due to location so we are seen to be impartial, have a comparatively good human rights record, bravely called out what was happening in Rwanda during the genocide, have people in key position and we always taken a principled approach based on merits. NZ is a good person. School of Rock - Firstly, what a buzzing and epic show! Secondly, TALK ABOUT CHILD PRODIGYS??? WHAT THE??? Share some of that talent around, why don’t you.

9/11 Memorial and Museum - Despite this being my second visit to this museum, its effect was not diminished whatsoever. The museum presents a multitude of voices of those involved in the attack and does so in an authentic manner. Personally, I find this quote from James Gilroy to be the most memorable: “She had a business suit on, her hair was all askew… This woman stood there for what seemed like minutes, then she held her skirt and then stepped off the ledge…I thought, how human, how modest, told down her skirt before she jumped…I couldn’t look anymore.”  A melancholic reminder that we’re all human. Masterchef - Julia and I were on mains so we created the first thing that came to mind - nachos shaped in the head of the Statue of Liberty, of course. Our combination of blue corn chips, the smallest pinch of mince amongst a crowd of pinto beans, finger-licking good cream cheese and yummy guac deservedly won 1st place.

Youth Assembly Day 1 - All of us hustled in and were VERY excited to finally be at the Conference we had been buzzing about. Aaaand it was shit. Luckily, I do have a funny story to make up for it :) I wasn’t there but Michael was grabbed by a girl who said “You’re so cute, I’m bringing you back to Nigeria!” and of course, that served to be a good chuckle for all of us. That’s not even the good bit... The next day, Antoine complimented Michael on his tie and I told him to be careful or a Nigerian girl would snatch him away. A girl in front of us turned and looked at me with an unimpressed face and I assumed she thought I was being racist. The interaction then followed as such: “Oh, let me explain! Yesterday a Nigerian girl grabbed him and wanted to take him back with her.” “Yes, that was me.” “...Oh.” Funnily enough, she then tried to sass me: “You don’t recognise me but I recognise you.” My defense was easy enough: “Hun, I wasn’t even there.” WHOOPS UN Development Programme - In the middle of the day, we just had a casual meet up with Helen Clark, no biggie. She was COOL. Cool fact #1 from cool Aunty Helen: Syria will need 30 years to revert their GDP back to their previous GDP. Cool fact #2 from cool Aunty Helen: Turkey and Lebanon have hosted over a million refugees and have not complained. And cool fact #3 from cool Aunty Helen: Developed countries can help less developed countries beyond providing financial help by helping them to apply for financial help, such as with writing proposals.

Youth Assembly Day 2 - Again, no change. Again, shit. Youth Assembly Mexico Mission - Learning about Mexico’s activity with the UN was really insightful as it was something I knew nothing about. Our host, who I have annoyingly forgotten the name of, was such a gracious man. An interesting point he raised was that many discussions at the UN revolve around statistics in order to decide on indicators. He believed that the greatest threat against success of the SDGs is nationalism and this nationalism came from those who have been negatively affected by globalisation which is, unfortunately, fair enough. As expected, I also learnt plenty about Mexico! Mexico has the largest network of free trade agreements, was the first country to have law on climate change and all employed Mexicans have free healthcare! Metropolitan Museum of Art - The main attraction was The Costume Institute’s ‘Masterworks: Unpacking Fashion’ exhibit in the Anna Wintour Costume Centre. Just a tad better than my own wardrobe back home...

Visiting family - Going to New York on this trip meant I was able to see my grandma and visit her new place in Queens Boulevard. It was really touching because I could tell my visit was very precious to her and with a little luck, I’ll be back for YumCha with her again in a year or so :) 

Avenue Q - An absolute killerrr!!! Relatable, hilarious and such a good time! Not to be missed!!! I’m starting to sound like their marketing guy but seriously, it’s uproarious!!! Hahaha…go see it.

Flight to Auckland via Los Angeles and Sydney - 30 hours of flying resulted in quite the movie binge; I ended up watching Keeping Up With The Jonases, Focus, Anna Karenina, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Red Dog! Keeping Up With The Jonases didn’t have much on Keeping Up With The Kardashians but the rest are definitely recommended :)

[teresaleenz]

26.01.17 - 29.01.17

PARIS

International Federation of Human Rights - Antoine and Jean-Baptiste discussed IFHR’s use of social media with us. They were quick to point out that social media is a double edged sword as absolutely anyone can use it - even those whose actions you are advocating against. Traditionally, political organisations influence journalists who in turn influence citizens. Nowadays, the web allows the complete reversal of this. Their own recipe for the perfect campaign is emotion + simplicity + injustice = a viral movement. Two awesome examples are their #BeingBornAGirl and #StopThisMovie campaigns. Needless to say, there are issues with simplifying complex and sensitive issues. Another contemporary issue we discussed was slacktivism/clicktivism. On one hand, it’s a terrific way to raise awareness and build a collective voice but on the other hand, is it right for slacktivists to feel so much personal contribution when not contributing to practical efforts? Better than nothing…? Sandemann Walking Tour - Our group managed to scuttle around Paris successfully to see and hear the stories of the St Michael Fountain, Notre Dame, Supreme Court, Pont Neuf, Arch Bridge and the Louvre. Musee d’Orsay - Excitingly, my exchange partner from Year 10, Ava, and I reunited very romantically at McDonald’s WOOHOO before heading to the museum. The impressionism section was my favourite. After all, it is a slight upgrade from the one Picasso and one Monet in the Auckland Art Gallery.

UNESCO - Vincent Defourny said that scientific diplomacy is one of the areas where international cooperation isn’t unusual and so is, a great way to encourage countries to collaborate. Our second speaker, Bernard Combes pointed out that 70% of what we learn is outside of formal educational systems. He also stressed the importance of geographical balance when collating information and this is something I am both-hands-big-thumbs-up about. Nadia Rafai then gave us a brisk tour and the snazzy echo chamber was quite the highlight - only the person standing in the centre can hear their echo #physicsgoals Eiffel Tower - Half my photo album is now this tower. How surprising! Arc de Triomphe - Napoleon sure knew how to encompass that Charlie Sheen #winning spirit in an arch. Champs Elysees - Just to showcase how much of a cheapskate I am, the only item I bought on this renowned street was one pound earrings from H&M. The Louvre - Everything is as marvellous as you would expect apart from the Mona Lisa who is hidden behind a thick screen of glass and multiple crowds of fans who cannot take photos for their lives.

Sacre Coeur - The interior is breathtaking but I can’t help but feel a great sense of disapproval at the commercialisation of the Church. SMH. Montmarte - Julia and I had a fantastic time serenading each other to The Titanic/The Notebook/Marty and Me level of emotion harp songs before jamming it out to some bangers produced by a good ol’ guitar. Not to mention, the arty fartiness of the whole place was charming. Sainte Chapelle - Our tour guide for the Sandemann Walking Tour described how dazzling and intricate the Church was but being there was something else. Awe-inspiring is perhaps the best word I can use to express it’s magnificence. River Seine Bateaux Mouche cruise - As glittery as it was cold. Flight to New York via London - The entire flight made me feel the emotion of EEK because EEK NEW YORK!!! Hostelling International New York - MEGA RECOMMEND/10

[teresaleenz]

23.01.17 - 25.01.17

GENEVA

CERN - The 45 minute lecture for the most part told me I needed to brush up my physics. However, I can gladly say I did learn quite a bit. CERN work on fundamental research in particle physics. Namely, the elementary constituents of matter, the origin and structure of the universe and the fundamental forces. These fundamental forces are strong nuclear (explosive), weak nuclear (radioactivity), electromagnetic (electricity, magnetism, chemistry) and gravitational forces. It was fascinating to learn about all their equipment such as the super proton synchrotron and the large hadron collider (LHC). The LHC is the coldest place in the universe where super-fluid hydrogen is used and the temperature is only 1.9 degrees above absolute. In every second, two billion protons collide in the LHC. It was also fascinating watching the lady in the informational video speak whilst riding a bike alongside the LHC for no apparent reason. UN Office at Geneva - I think I speak for almost everyone in saying the high point was the ceiling of one of the conference rooms. With multicoloured and irregular protrusions all over, every person will see something different. The artwork perfectly reflects the nature of perspectives. NZ Permanent Mission to the UN - The most memorable point for me was that the UN is as strong as the member states will let it be AKA as strong as the weakest link. Unfortunately, it suits some countries to have inaction and inertia.

UN Development Programme - Adam Rogers spoke to us here and he did so oh so eloquently. Before I delve into content, Adam described himself to be an anomaly in terms of career path. He didn’t attend high school, travelled for years where he talked to many people, read many books and had a “spiritual journey.” To shut up the critics, he graduated with an MBA from the London School of Economics YAHS. Moving now to what he said, he noted how there are seven billion of us on a rock spinning through space yet our weak human minds create a 'them' and hence, an 'us.' Inevitably, this leads to a constant divide - we go so far to create physical limitations (borders) and we should aim to transcend these to see things as they are - Syria, of course, is a relevant example. By seeing all of us as one society and one planet, we can work towards Earth’s national interests instead of countries’ national interests. We should organise societies that allow everyone to reach their full potential, where everyone exchanges knowledge from their experiments and experiences. Secondly, he mentioned how bodies are the cars we drive and we often fail to see who’s driving the car AKA the mind. What a fucking brilliant way to think about superficial outer appearances. He also mentioned how our outlook on life is shaped by the language we speak as a language will provide a certain paradigm. When you learn several languages, the mind learns that there are several perspectives  and specifically, perspectives that challenge your own ‘right’ view. Words have a subconscious energy so there will always be a nuance in meaning when one word is translated. Get ready for another beautiful phrase: “A different language provides a different view of the same puzzle we are all trying to work out.” My quote book would provide a standing ovation if possible. World Health Organisation - The WHO must always take a scientific point of view so does not consider moral/ethical aspects when considering a case. Another cool fact is that lifestyle diseases are now the biggest threat to our health so it was perfect timing to hear from WHO whilst our 2017 resolutions are still being established. International Red Cross Museum - Shout out to the curator for using such a wide range of mediums. A small but worthwhile museum.

Reformation Wall - As I knew nothing about it, this Wall made me do a bit of research and I’m glad to say I now know what a Christogram is. Musee Rath - The first level was what you expect from any art museum and then the second level was HECTIC. To give you a taster, we watched a 13 minute video of a woman having a deformed star stitched into her back. Yup. Train to Paris - The sudden emergence of several blog posts can be attributed to this one hour of undisturbed transit. Considering the business of day-to-day GDT schtuff, this really was completely bliss.

[teresaleenz]

20.01.17 - 22.01.17

BRUSSELS

EU Parliament Tour - Michael said that the guide clearly hated his job so trapped students in rooms to vent and I don’t entirely disagree. Nevertheless, I learnt that the EU is made up of 28 member states and each has an elected commissioner who have a five year tenure. It is made up of two parts - the European Parliament who discuss initiatives and the Council of the EU who are responsible for implementation and they simply seem to love their readings. UN Women - Operational work, coordination work (accountability mechanisms) and normative work (influencing global agendas) are the three focuses of UN Women. In particularly, they campaign for peace and security, economic empowerment, global participation, the elimination of violence against women and assist with strategy building in governments. SDG 5 is getting slayed. International Crisis Group - Here I found my QOTD: “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” Their process begins at analysis, then policy recommendations and lastly, implementation where demonstrating impact is of paramount importance. It was quickly pointed out that there are many shades of grey in solving international crises and there is what you would do in a dream-world vs. the real-world.

Paal Frisvold - Not being a history kiddo, this meeting was particularly intriguing and challenging as I was completely out of my depth. It did, however, produce a list of things I need to research such as Bretton Woods, the general agreement of trade (GAT) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). An issue Paal was passionate about was the Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon (GAFA) invasion. In particular, they exploit globalisation and weaken the welfare state by not only evading tax but also by providing an imbalance in media voice perspectives. When logarithms ensure we only see what we follow, our political consciousness is affected and hence, the overall system of democracy is deluded. He further elaborated on the two aspects that form the foundation of a welfare state: taxation (the redistribution of wealth) and education (lifelong learning). When both systems function, the country can develop wealth for more. Belgium Frites - The one off the ground was particularly nomnomnom.

Mokafe - Whilst the waffles, tarte and hot drinks were finger-licking good, the profiteroles were finger-licking SPECTACULAR. Janneken Pis - Despite being locked behind bars, the Janneken Pis still reminded me greatly of all the times I have needed to pee on road-trips #reminiscent. Manneken Pis - Love your work. Grand Place - A place that screams ‘grand’ in your face. The only thing we missed out on were all the flowers they have in certain seasons…guess I’ll have to visit back soon. Museum van Cacao En Chocolade - Although I’d like to say I was learning a lot about chocolate, I ended up just eating a lot of chocolate instead. Belgian Comic Strip Center - 100% a place to visit when in Brussels due to its uniqueness and utter adorable-ness. Flight to Geneva - Each flight has been a failed attempt to read Pride and Prejudice and this flight was no exception. Geneva Hostel - The water pressure was definitely its’ X-Factor.

[teresaleenz]

17.01.17 - 19.01.17

COPENHAGEN

Sandemann’s Walking Tour - The tour equated every instance I open the fridge after a grocery run; beyond chilly but a true spectacle. Watching the Queen's soldiers' march was SO delightful. UN City World Food Programme - The two interns highlighted the importance of the ‘window of opportunity’ which refers to the first 1000 days of a child’s life. Every window that is missed results in a devastatingly substantial loss in human and economic potential. Ankara Buffet - The word ‘buffet’ should immediately indicate my level of satisfaction.

House of Green - The interactive centre presented some rad phrases: Economic responsibility and environmental sustainability are two sides of the same coin. Investment in green energy is investment in security of supply. Low carbon technology requires upfront capital but there is a short payback time and long lasting effects that provide a competitive edge. City of Copenhagen - Some of the strategies that work in Copenhagen include infrastructure making cycling the most convenient option, urban life > urban space > urban building, multi-functionalility, focusing on liveability for all in neighbourhoods and urban governance which is all about decision-makers walking the talk too. Christiania - The chillest littest community.

Arki Lab - The architects categorised sustainability into economic, environmental and social - with the latter being the driver of future cities yet being the most overlooked. They work bottom up through education on rights as well as top down by mediating being people and institutions/policy makers. Their initiatives of CoCity App and Arkinopoly are swell. Rita’s Smorrebrod - Delectable but with my appetite, I could have annihilated the entire delegation’s smorrebrods…is that the plural for smorrebrod? University of Copenhagen - The Professor discussed how one of the biggest barriers in sustainability is that despite demand and hence, clear market potential, production systems are lacking. He also reminded us that politicians must constantly think about re-election so dictators might not be too bad of an idea - good dictators of course. Additionally, he convinced me that there is a future that includes insect consumption - the Western world should firstly be less wasteful and properly utilise our limited food resources. Flight to Brussels - Having a whole row to myself was bliss. Jacques Brel Youth Hostel - Spacious! The table tennis was solid entertainment but do feel free to fix your elevators LMAO.

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i11.01.17 - 16.01.17

LONDON

Flight to London via Melbourne and Dubai - I managed to watch The Secret Life of Pets, Miss Peregrine’s Home of Peculiar Children, Snowden, Life of Pi, Skyfall AND The Grand Budapest Hotel so I ended up being more productive in those 30 hours of travel than I was for all of 2016. Via Lewisham - Absolutely SHITE.

London Waste and Recycling Board - Stuart introduced the concept of a ‘circular economy’ where products, components and materials are kept at their highest use and value. Strategies include a ‘sharing economy,’ a ‘performance economy,’ prolonging product life, recovering value at the end of a product’s life and using waste. Shoutout to Adidas ocean plastics shoes, Bio Bean and Entomics on their sustainable approaches. Also, good on London for aiming to be a 0 carbon city by 2050…especially as they exceeded their annual air pollution target in five days. Brief sightseeing - I would elaborate but it was really just a crisp power walk past St Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Westminster Abbey. Very crisp. Institute of Business Ethics - Doing things ethically vs. doing ethical things and obligatory legal practices vs. discretionary ethical actions were two fantastic dichotomies explored in this session. Ask about the loyalty challenge presented to us if you bump into me :) Hummus Bros - A place of unlimited hummus and happiness. British Museum - Just lots of cool stones that have cool shapes. You know, like the Rosetta Stone or the army of Venus (AKA Aphrodite SMH @Romans) statues scattered everywhere.

National Gallery - The painting of paintings or the ‘Cognoscenti in a Room hung with Pictures’ by an unknown Flemish artist blew my mind. What a parallel to the memes about getting tagged in memes that are about getting tagged in memes. Mind = blown. Another highlight might have been Olaf’s head photobombing all of the photos I took outside. Guess Olaf was never really a considerate one. Jamie’s Italian - Not disappointed in the food whatsoever but highly disappointed Jamie didn’t make time for a quick chat with us - fame has gone straight to his head. Covent Garden and Oxford Street - Shopping in London after a lifetime of shopping in Auckland, need I say more? Le Hanoi - Describing ‘pho’ to white people is as difficult as it sounds. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Park - An epic play with an epic pupper in an epic box seat at an epic price.

Tower of London - Debate: This house believes the Tower of London would be the perfect place for a one night stand. Globe Theatre - Not watching a performance here is the perfect reason to be back soon. London Bridge - First hand experience tells me Fergie hyped up London Bridge extremely appropriately. Tate Modern - 15/10 is the rating I would give the gallery after 15 minutes of exploration so I can only dream of the rating it deserves after a lengthy inspection. Harrods - Wondrous bathrooms. I would like to share my opinion of everything else in Harrods but that would require being wealthy. Which I am not. Tommy Hilfiger - The little black boots I bought here surpasses any little black dress teehee :)

UN Global Compact - Steve’s opinion on companies with unsustainable practices was a straightforward Simon Cowell style ‘no.’ Hence, to the many many companies reading my blog, just be feckin’ sustainable; there are no excuses to not keep up plus you’ll fail LOL. NZ Trade and Enterprise - Little NZ tends to do pretty well in the big adult world - especially in terms of scoring the building with the best view of London. Flight to Copenhagen - Would recommend the company of Rafael and Young but would not recommend Ryanair, oh dear. Urban House - Urban House felt like Paratai Drive  after Via Lewisham but even better as it was located in the red light district ;)

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29.12.16 - 30.12.16

NORTH ISLAND #3

DAY 1

Huka Prawn Park - Spent an afternoon feeding prawns with the intent that they will feed me back in the future Ohope Beach - Second to none spectacular-ness White Island Rendezvous - A meh 3.5/5

DAY 2

White Island Tour - All the photos accompanying this blog post are from this tour! Luckily you don’t have to experience all the vomit accompanying it... if vomit had a plural, I would be using that word. Beyond everyone else on the boat emptying out their Christmas feasts, White Island was a true “you learn something new every day” kind of adventure. Afterall, it isn’t every day I climb a volcano more alive than myself.

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28.11.16 - 1.12.16

BALI #2

DAY 5

The ONE Legian Hotel - Crawling with tourists, I say as if I am not a tourist myself :) The restaurant food was delicious but the Wifi wasn’t so delicious. Mama’s German Restaurant - Refer to my thoughts on Mama San below and then think of the opposite and that would be Mama’s. Sorry Mama.

DAY 6

Waterbom - What a hoot!!! The rides I recommend AKA the rides that satisfy those dark post-exam desires are Smash Down 2.0, Boomerang and Twin Races. We also spent a lot of time in the pool wrestling and playing underwater volleyball. Actually, WE didn’t really play underwater volleyball, Sachin did. Against a group of 10 men. By himself. Mama San - Tasted like Asian Jesus but better. Best meal in Bali and a strong contender for best meal in Teresa’s 18 years of life.

DAYS 7-8

Back at The Stones Hotel - Jen and I ended up bringing the crew back to The Stones because we loved it so much. More popsicles. More magic towels. More buffet. More good times.

And that wraps up Bali. Team and I will be back soon.

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24.11.16 - 27.11.16

BALI #1

The first time I took the lens caps off my Canon, everything went foggy from the VERY humid conditions of Bali. Hence, these photos can be credited to my iPhone 6 - at least they reflect my shitty eyesight.

DAY 1

Warung Coco - $13 including a squishy bed, pool usage and breakfast...To the Auckland housing market, take notes.

DAY 2

Satay Chicken Stall - Street food doesn’t get any better than this. The peanut sauce was sugar, spice and everything nice...probably chemical X too... Legian Beach - Our surfing adventure here included several beauty treatments including deep nasal salt cleanses and some chafing-level exfoliation. Other than that, you could say that my first time surfing was pretty swell. Kuta Central Park Hotel - Extremely extremely difficult to decide whether the pool stools for happy hour, satay night buffet with the bestest shittest red wine ever or the couple’s massage was the best part...man, it’s such a burden being pampered. Skygarden - Lit. So lit that people actually smoke inside the club. Luckily, we were producing enough sweat to prevent any fire hazards. Not to mention, I definitely went home smelling like smoke and sweat.

DAY 3

The Stones Hotel - Jen wrote a RAVING review on TripAdvisor so I hope this doesn’t pale too much in comparison but OH MY GOODNESS. WHEN YOU WALK IN, THEY GIVE YOU A POPSICLE THAT PROGRESSES FROM WATERMELON TO MANGO TO LIME AND ALSO ONE OF THOSE MAGIC TOWELS THAT LOOKS LIKE A MINT BEFORE IT IS SOAKED IN WATER AND THEN BOOM, HAND TOWEL #miraclesdohappen. Moving on, the pools provide a true mermaid experience and they delivered a spectacular grilled Cajun chicken pizza to us poolside. I mean the poor guy had to walk halfway round the pool (it’s big in case you didn’t get the memo) with a tray on his shoulder with a pizza that wasn’t even his #givehimaraise. Other food was SPECTACULAR too. Notably, the breakfast buffet included everything from fresh fruit to mie goreng to oatmeal to bokchoy to pho to pastries; a buffet on steroids. Our room itself was magnificent with our own bathtub that we watched the Peanuts movie in, an espresso machine and a topnotch mattress. When we saw the place, our S hit the F and we’re likely to visit again if it isn’t obvious.

DAY 4

Pandawa Beach - Just like a peak summer day in New Zealand but just with a little extra unapproved photo taking from Indonesian men. Satay Club - I don’t know how many times we had had mie goreng by this stage but it just kept getting better and Satay Club did not disappoint.  Suluban Beach - Cute stairs, cute caves, cute surfer boys. What a dynamic trio. Uluwatu Temple - Instagrammable from every angle apart from when we watched the Kecak Fire Dance and they started chucking fire everywhere. Frankly I figured it’s not such a good idea to be focussing on angles when your life is in danger. Then again, I figured I can’t have my large fanbase missing out on the excitement so y’all might have caught all the lit happenings on my Snapchat story. La Joya II Biu Biu - Get this; a three-tiered infinity pool, a spa pool protruding from a cliff and a free massage. It was like a honeymoon I never signed up for.  

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28.11.16

A DAY IN SYDNEY

Perfect city. Perfect weather. Oh, and perfect travel buddy.

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NZ does pretty well out there in the big adult world. Sheep, Lord of the Rings, Lorde of the Grammys… just some of the things we’re mentioned for alongside being part of Australia and more recently, an item being thrown at Steven Joyce’s face. However, what we aren’t mentioned for is that we’re 10th in the world when it comes to income inequality on the normalised Gini index. Yes, I am here to name and shame by disproving myths regarding the gap between the rich and the poor.

First, what is income inequality? It refers to the extent to which income is unevenly distributed among a population. 30 years ago, NZ’s wealthiest 10% were earning 4 times as much as an average person but now, they’re earning 8 times as much. The income of top earners has doubled whilst the bottle half has stagnated - the myth of the ‘trickle down effect’ hasn’t occurred due to our government actively introducing policies that disproportionately benefit the wealthy, such as halving tax rates in the 1980s and consistently ignoring tax loopholes.

But to my second point, why is this disparity so pressing that even my dear friend, Barack Obama, labelled it the “defining challenge of our time.” Real data, not hypothetical data, collated by Professor Richard Wilkinson highlighted how income inequality correlates with life expectancy, homicide, imprisonment, infant mortality, teenage births, obesity, mental illness including drug and alcohol addiction, math and literacy scores, immunisation rates, bullying, even economic growth and the list goes on. No society can surely be flourishing of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable. Think of the expense as the poor live substandard lives and taxpayers have their money drained into paying for avoidable consequences. Income inequality hits hard all the way along the social hierarchy.

Perhaps these effects do not resonate with you but let’s move onto my third point that we all fall victim to - chronic social evaluation anxiety. To break it down: income disparity leads to status competition, a sense of superiority or inferiority, leading to an increase in our cortisol or stress response leading to all of us trivially worrying about how we are seen and judged. Maybe you want the next iPhone or maybe you question whether you’re attractive even though you are all bea-u-ti-ful. We find that the monetary gulf reflects social cohesion, indicating the level of social connection each and every NZer experiences. Ask yourself, do you think more about your neighbour’s well-being or more about the next pair of Nikes you desperately need?

But my fourth point is what truly irritates me to no end - the increasing presence of the ‘you earn what you deserve’ myth that comes hand in hand with increasing income inequality. It’s the mentality that everyone was born with the same spoon in their mouth. Put yourself in the shoes of an eight year old girl in Auckland, sleeping in a damp living room with 5 other family members, having to walk to school in the rain in your red leaky Warehouse shoes - you can’t remember the last time you ate breakfast. Currently, 305,000 or 30% of real NZ children, not hypothetical children, live like this. Do you believe that girl and all the other children were and will be offered the same opportunities as everyone else and end up ‘earning what they deserve?’ It is ignorant to believe that we do not have a system where wealth is essentially dispersed as a lottery of birth.

Now I have exposed the intolerably unequal state NZ is in and its tangible and intangible effects. Luckily, you have me to tell you the means to an end via… this short article. For starters, it is super rad that we have signed onto the new Sustainable Development Goals and can be held accountable. So now, we, as individuals and as a collective, rather than blame me and my extended Asian family for the housing crisis, must relentlessly demand three things before anything else: That we increase overall standards of living by pegging the minimum wage to inflation and hence, adopting a living wage That we allow for rewarding opportunities for the disadvantaged by raising the welfare benefit to the same level as the superannuation And that we create a fairer tax system by implementing a CCIT (comprehensive capital income tax) that will feedback into cutting PAYE (pay-as-you-earn) tax.

We have an obligation to be a voice for those without by actively advocating for an equal and thus, sustainable NZ. It is ridiculous that our ‘total poverty gap’ or amount it would take to lift everyone out of poverty is just $800 million yet we let income inequality continue being detrimental to our society’s health, our community spirit and most importantly, the lives of individuals filled with potential. What hurts that girl with red leaky Warehouse shoes hurts us all.

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23.06.16 - 27.06.16

A COUPLE DAYS IN MELBOURNE

Melbourne truly was all the rage for the vegan and I. Half the time was spent campaigning for the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and half the time was spent voluntarily placing myself into poverty so all in all, having the biggest blast.

DAY 1

Donut Time - YES MATCHA YES. Grill’d - I managed to order the biggest burger and our Uber driver tried to take a photo of me eating it... ALP Calling - T’was a new experience being on the other side of the line volunteering for Stefani Perri, the Labor Candidiate for Chisholm, but it provided me with some good laffs considering we had a Donald Trump caller :) Emporium - See ya $. Australian Unions Calling - With a little luck this will be my job when I attend Melbourne University next year ;)

DAY 2

Deakin Pre-Polling Campaigning - The flyer Jamaica and I were handing out read “Vote for Marraige Equality. Put Michael Sukkar last.” Turns out Michael Sukkar was two metres behind us. Heh. Eastland Shopping Centre - See ya even more $. More ALP Calling! Lord of the Fries - Fast food heaven for vegans! DAY 3

More Australian Unions Calling! Hosier Lane - Best part was wandering around awkwardly when we were trying to ask someone to take a photo of us and we just lost all sense of self esteem somewhere. National Gallery of Victoria - Found myself mesmerized by Henry Talbot’s fashion photography - think about how graceful I am and then think about the opposite and that’s what those ladies back then offered. Night strolling along the Yarra River - Auckland City was already not that captivating and this just made it even more so. Eureka Tower - Yes to the high life.

DAY 4 Raw Trader - LOL when people think vegans only eat lettuce cos I could seriously do with a vegan cake everyday (if I had $) (which I don’t). State Library of Victoria - Jamaica managed to play an entire game of giant chess against herself and that was more than interesting so when she walked into a glass balustrade I almost cried. Other than that, this is a library that would make studying enjoyable so MELBOURNE UNI HERE I (ATTEMPT TO) COME. Melbourne University - Pretty. Darn. Awesome.

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15.04.16

A DAY IN WELLINGTON

The Young Labour Conference was a great excuse for Tess and I to skip a day of school and go exploring in the (other) capital: Wellington. Not to mention, I got to catch up for a few moments with Abby!!! 

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa - Second time visiting the Gallipoli exhibition and it was just as amazing as last time. It is an exhibition like no other with monumental life-like sculptures where even arm hairs aren’t forgotten. It is the perfect way to display history - and a good reminder to not repeat the past.