Inquiry Day 10

During this day we went to an Aborigine museum area and learned about how the Aborigines lived. We also watched a few shows and got to throw spears and boomerangs.
My inquiry was not a normal inquiry. Instead of doing something on nature, I decided to mix it up and do something about people. My question was "At dinner, would Mason talk more then Erik?". So during dinner at the pizza restaurant, I counted in my head when either of them made a new conversation or added onto the old one. I took trials in durations of one minute and I did 3 trials. My results were that in the first minute, Erik talked once while Mason talked twice. In the second minute Erik talked twice and Mason also talked twice. During the third and final trial, Erik talked once and Mason talked three times. The results were in three minutes Erik talked four times while Mason talked seven times. My hypothesis was that Mason would talk more then Erik so I was correct.

Top Ten

1.Great Barrier Reef: I loved all the animals and plants. It was cool to swim in something that amazing that you only hear about or see on tv.
2. Blue Mountains: Even though it was foggy, the mountains were still amazing. The landscape was beautiful and I loved climbing everywhere and seeing the water falls.
3. Rangitoto: It was interesting to see a school in New Zealand and also very fun to meet students who go to the school and ask them questions. I will never forget it.
4. New Friends: Going into this trip I didn't really know anyone because most of the people on this trip were not my age or even went to Central. During the classes I made new friends which helped me have more fun on the trip.
5. Zorbing: Zorbing was easily the most adventurous thing I did that did not involve nature. Being in a ball rolling down a hill at that speed was such a weird feeling. I loved it and I would definitely do it again if I ever get the chance.
6. Maori Village: The village was such a great experience. It was educational and fun. I learned so much about a culture I had never even heard before and the tour guide was so cool.
7. Cairns: Cairns was probably the nicest place we went to. It was so warm and the beach made it seem like such a chill place to live. The downtown area was also very nice and I loved all the shops.
8.Sydney Harbor and Tour: Seeing the opera house and the bridge was amazing. I don't think I have ever taken that many pictures of the same thing. Everyone knows about those two structures. They are probably the most famous things in Australia and I can now say I have seen them in person.
9. Duck Tour: The duck tour was fun because we got to see more of Rotorua. The guide was funny and very informative.
10. Baby Kangaroo: Even though this is number ten, I will never forget this. Seeing a kangaroo in the wild was incredible. It was kind of weird at the same time because I have only seen them in zoos, never in person. It was like I saw a secret animal that not many people have ever seen.

Day 8

This was the day that we went to the Great Barrier Reef practically all day and then walked around downtown Cairns for dinner.
 I think my favorite place now is definitely the Great Barrier  Reef. Even though the whole trip has been amazing and everything was memorable, this was probably one of my favorite parts. Just the fact that I got to swim in a place that not many people in the world have been to and that not many people will ever get to go to either. This is because of global warming and pollution from humans.  It’s very sad that something that beautiful could be gone so easily. This is definitely something I think everyone needs to see. It is probably not what people picture. It’s not that colorful but the plus is that the fish actually get close to you. I can admit that I am not exactly a fan of the ocean but I am so glad I did this. What we did to get there was we had to take a boat for about an hour to the reef because it was so far out. There was this big station looking thing at the reef that had tables and stuff to eat and get ready. I think one of the coolest parts was when the lady threw food into the water and all the fish would swarm by your head. They got so close to your face and some would even bite you. I think the only bad part about the Barrier Reef was we had to stay in a designated area. Also sometimes when the tide was down the coral would stick out of the water and you could get cut on it very easy. But besides that this trip was amazing. It was so cool seeing something you usually only see on tv or read about.

Day 7

This day was when my group got to hike the Blue Mountains which I definitely think was one of my favorite experiences. We got to be so close with nature and even animals, including seeing a baby kangaroo in the wild which was amazing.

     I do not think I could do this alone. I would easily get lost. There is way too much walking and I also don’t think I would know what to do. I’m glad Alec is with us because without a tour guide I wouldn’t know what to look at. He brings us to the places that I would not find if I was alone. He brings us to places that would only get me lost. I think one of my strengths is that I try to stay organized. I like to have all my stuff ready to go so I don’t lose any time when we are leaving. I think this is probably one of the most important things because you never want to lose something important on the trip or waste time looking for things because you weren’t organized. I think another one of my strengths is that I’m up for anything. I live by my motto “you only live once” which means I’m not opposed to trying anything new. I love challenges and adventures. I don’t want to be that one kid that just complains because I feel pretty fortunate to be on a trip like this. I think one of my other strengths is that I don’t like to just chill. I want to be doing something I couldn’t do in the US. I want to be living a life that not many can say they have done.

Day 6

I have to say one of the hardest parts of this trip is the walking. Every day is nonstop walking. I don’t remember the last time I walked this much. We have walked through cities, villages, towns, forests, you name it. IT is also not a slow pace either. It’s a pretty fast paced walk, mostly in the rain, because we have to get places faster than normal. The next hardest part is probably the sleep schedule. Before this trip I went to bed late and woke up as late as possible because its summer.  This trip is the exact opposite. I have to get up really early which leads me to try and go to bed earlier. The first few days were even harder because I barely got any sleep because there was a baby crying on the plane. Having to stay awake all that time was definitely was not fun but I am getting used to it. I think the last hard part is being with new people the whole trip. I don’t really know then but this trip is making me have to start to make new friends and learn more about everyone.



   

Day 5

                      Day 5 was when we really got to see more of the city. Lots of walking and lots of sights to see.
Sydney was a small city but it was still fun. We first walked to the Rocks and got to see the view of the Opera House and the Sydney Bridge. Both looked even cooler in person. We then went into the mall to eat and then after went up the needle. The needle was so tall and I took so many good pictures of the landscape below. Then after we went walking around Rocks Market which had a lot of crafts and art stud. I bought a sweatshirt that I thought I got a pretty good deal on. I think Sydney was closely related to Milwaukee. It was a nice city but it wasn’t very big. It was still very beautiful. It didn’t smell bad either which was nice. The shops were all very nice and the restaurant smelled and looked amazing. It is definitely one of the nicest cities in my opinion because it is nice and small but the environment around it is still amazing. It definitely has a lot nicer of parks then Chicago except Millennium but the walkway with trees was beautiful. I also thought it was nice that the harbor was so close to the city. Unlike big cities, I felt like I could walk the whole city.

Day 4

Day 4 was basically just a flying day. We got up kind of early because we had to catch a plane to Sydney from New Zealand. When we got to Sydney we walked around and then we went to our hotel. From what I saw that day I could already tell it was going to be a nice city. It didn't look huge or dirty. Instead it looked like a very nice city with great landscape. We walked around and Alec showed us some views including a view of the Sydney Opera House that everyone wanted to see.

Day 3

Day 3 consisted of waking up early to go on a walk in a redwood forest. It was raining pretty heavy all throughout the day sadly. Then later in the evening we visited the largest school in New Zealand named Rangitoto.
 Of course waking up early and going on a walk did not sound fun. To add to the awful sounding morning was the rain but surprisingly the walk was fun. We walked in a forest that basically consisted of lots of red woods. They were massive but they weren’t that small either. The rain did take away from the trip but it was still nice. I enjoyed just walking in a direction and not knowing which way we were going and not caring. The nature in New Zealand is surreal. Everything is so green and growing. Although the walk was fun, I wish we could have had more freedom and also I wish it could have been longer and without rain. The school trip was so cool. It was awesome meeting kids from a different country and getting to learn so much from them. I know that all the answers I got from my questions I will always remember. I learned a lot from the students. It was cool to see a different countries school and how they learned and about the similarities and differences. In general it was a fun day that got better as it progressed.

Day 2

  Day 2 included going to the Maori village and learnign about their culture.
 I have to say my favorite part of the trip was visiting the village so far in the trip. Getting there in the morning did not seem like it was going to be the start of a fun day. I felt like the village was going to be some boring tour but it was actually the complete opposite. The whole village was incredible. It was cool to see how the Maori still lived in that village even though society was changing. The tour guide was awesome. IT was interesting to learn to actually learn about the village from someone who knows about it and lives there. The village itself was amazing too. There were geysers everywhere. They use the geysers and the geothermal heat to still cook their food. You can instantly tell they really try to stay with their ancestral ways by the way they live. They even saved their language by going to the government and making it a national language. They also make sure the kids stay in Maori school and learn about their past which is a good way to keep tradition. The tour in general was fun and it was nice to learn about the ancient and present life of the Maori.

Day 1

Today was the first day in New Zealand. We walked around and ate lunch and went to Rotorua and saw the hotel we were staying in.

   My first impression of New Zealand is that there is a so much nature.  Everything is so open and there are so many farms. Reminds me of a green Indians. While it doesn’t exactly smell good because of the geothermal heating, it is still beautiful. I don’t feel like there is that much culture. One of the things I did notice though is the driving. The whole driving on the other side and driving on the other side of the car is different. I always get so confuse when I look outside at the road. It is so different. I also get confused when I have to walk across the street because I don’t know which way to look. I think I most interesting in ogoing or zorbing. It looks like so much fun and I can’t wait to be trapped in the ball trying to stand up. I’ve actually seen videos of people doing that before on the internet and I have always wanted to do it. Besides that im looking forward to seeing more nature and people. Some other culture shocks had to be how nice the people are and the scenery. I’m not used to everyone being so nice because people generally aren’t in the US. Also all the nature is different then Grayslake because it is so green and mountainous.

  

Food and Cuisine

1. While New Zealand and Australia are very close in location, there cooking does differ. I think the biggest difference I am noticing is how sweet one is. I think New Zealand uses a lot more sugar and sweater ingredients then Australia. For example, the squares and biscuits both include lots of sugar and sweetener, while the patties and wedges include more spices and herbs. New Zealand on the other does not look like it uses herbs as much as Australia.
2. I am definitely nervous about trying new foods. I am more nervous then excited because I consider myself a pretty picky eater. I want to try all the candy I can while in Australia and New Zealand because candy is definitely something I am not picky about. Fish and other stuff, especially vegetables sometimes are not foods I enjoy or want to try.

Aborigines

1. The westerners and Aborigines began interacting in Australia around 1788 when the English first started to arrive.
2. The Australians were very cruel towards the Aborigines. Since the Australians felt that the Aborigines did not have a set government or a a dsesignated area of land, they told them to move. The English also brought them various diseases such as smallpox, measles, venereal disease, influenza, whooping cough, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, which the Aborigines were not used to. This lead many of them to die. The new Australian whites also decided to cut down forest and bring their own animals in order to take control of the land.
3. The Lost Generation is made up of about 100,000 Aborigine children who were taken from their parents and then given to white families in order to try and bring them into the white culture.
4. Being a part of the Lost Generation can definitely negatively affect you throughout the rest of your life. You will never know who your real parents are and that can often lead you to feel like you have been missing something since birth. Many people also feel like they have been mistreated since they were taken away and yet have not received an apology.
5.Many families still feel like they are missing something ever since they were taken away. Although the government did try and offer money, the stolen generation did not accept. People still know they have lost their lives and they will never get them back.
6. An official apology needs to be made simply because the Aborigines were here first. You cannot take someones land and then later when you realize what you did, hide and pretend like everything is back to normal. These people were hurt badly when they were taken from their families and although nothing will ever fully compensate them, an apology would help.

Rabbit-Proof Fence

1. When the European settlers begin to colonize the western coast of Australia, they did not view Aboriginies as equals. There were many injustices that the Aborigines faced during the white colonization. One of the main injustices was that the Aborigines did not have rights in the eyes of the whites. In the Rabbit-Proof Fence, the Nyungar people were punished for using their traditional laws because the white settlers only used their own lays and neglected natives rights. This is a huge discrimination and a violation of their rights, especially equality. Another example of an injustice was when the settlers pushed out of their land without any consent of the natives. This is a violation of the right to own property and the freedom of discrimination because the natives were powerless against the settlers. Yet another example was when the people were removed from their homes and taken to other islands in chains and usually never returned. This is a violation of freedom of arbitrary arrest and exile. The whites never told them what they did wrong because the natives rights were not even valued by the settlers.
2. While the "civilizing" of Australians might seem unthinkable in other countries, the United States history shows otherwise. One of the darkest periods in American history was the cruel and gruesome treatment of the Native Americans. Like the Aborigines and other tribes, the Native Americans were not given any rights while being discriminated by the white settlers. The Native Americans also were pushed out of their own land without being able to stop white settlers, similar to Aborigines being removed from land to live on reservation type areas. Manifest Destiny was also a cruel period in history. Whites felt that their rules and rights were superior to any other peoples, so natives rights should be neglected. Whites wanted to integrate natives into their societies, similar to how whites tried to force Aborigines into their societies. While Manifest Destiny was about the spread of Christianity, either way the whites were trying to force their way of life on natives without realizing natives were better off without white rules.
3.While many feel the relocation of children of mixed descent was justifiable, I do not. Taking children away minutes, even seconds, before they realize it is a huge violation of their rights. Humans have a right to life and liberty and by taking them away from their families they are forcing a false life on them. Humans also have a freedom against discrimination so white settlers taking natives away because they are mixed race is an atrocity. Because the whites violated their rights, I do not believe the taking away of children was moral.

Invasive Species

The Cane Toad, native to South and Central America, is a large toad whose olive and red brown skin help it blend in easily against predators. The Cane Toad helped make its way into Australia in 1935 when it was ironically released in sugar plantations in Northern Queensland to fight off the invasive French Cane Beetle and Greyback Cane Beetle. The Cane Toad, now located in Queensland, New South Wales, Northen Territory, and even recently in Western Australia. The Cane Toad also survives because of its high toleration to difficult environments. It ranges from urban areas, to wooded areas, and to grass areas. The Cane Toad has a negative effect to Australia because it is very poisonous. Every stage of the toad is poisonous, even the tadpole stage. This is devastating for its predators, including the egret, snakes, fish, and even crocodiles. The government has had many ideas to try and fix the problems. These ideas include ijecting them with viruses, creating sterile males, setting up fences, and using a lung parasite to weaken the toad. So far none of these ideas have had a huge effect on the toad. Another invasive animal that is ruining ecosystems is the wild boar. The wild boar was released into the United States around the 1500's for food and game. Many boars escaped their fences and reproduced. The boar is a major problem because it competes with many other animals, such as bears, bobcats, and foxes, for food. This competition is a negative effect for the other animals becuase the wild boar is a massive fighter. In order to stop the boar, people have places fences to contain the boar but usually the fences are not strong enough and way too expensive. People have also tried hunting and trapping and in Oklahoma there are not any rules on hunting of the wild boar. Some of the predators include bobcats and hawks who feed on young boars, but these predators do not do enough damage towards the boars population. I believe invasive species are a huge problem because the effects they have on ecosystems can be drastic. Becuase native species are not used to the invasive species, the invasive ones are usually unharmed when first brought in but do many harm. While Australia is having a bigger stuggle economically with rabbits and other invasive species, America also has its fair share. Carp and other species are effecting the wildlife and devastating whole populations.

A massive wild boar                     map of current population of cane toad and predicted areas                                       

Coral Reed Blog

Blog #1 Exploring Oceans
1. The Largest Living Structure on earth
2.Calcium Carbonate
3.Acts like glue by combining shells, sand, and coral with calcium carbonate.
4.1975 it became a national park
5.33% is protected from fishing
6. Current: 20,000 years old. Ancient:500,000 Years old.

 Blog #2
             Video 1
1. Polyp is almost like an upside down jellyfish that transforms after the larvae and attracts algae. Then grow into coral
2. Sensitive to temperature change
3. Bleaching occurs when the color loses its main source of food and color. Happens when the temperature increases and stays changed.
4.happening more now because of climate change
5. People can reduce their impact on climate change by reducing energy used, reducing emissions, and reusing and recycling.
              Video 2
1.   Fish:1500 species
      Hard Coral: 360 species
      Soft Coral: 1/3 of the worlds species
      Sea Birds: 22 species
      Shore Birds: 32 Species
2. Climate Change is responsible
3. Flooding polutes the reef which moves the fish into cleaner waters. This then hurts the food population for sea birds because all the fish have moved.
4. You can use environmentally friendly, donate old things instead of throwing them out, and not buying things with a lot of packaging.
               Video 3/4
1.Some benefits to using videos like these is that it teaches people about the coral and it is very simple. The video includes lots of facts and is also easy and entertaining. Some drawbacks are that the video might be too childish for some people and also not as informative as it could be. Yes it helps kids understand the video, but it might not be right for anyone older.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=526n0WhyJGQ&feature=related This video includes more detail for adults and goes into greater depth about coral bleaching and even gives examples.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_fiEedQx_8&feature=related This video helps talk about all the oceans and the climate change in all of them so that it can relate to foreginers so they will know more when they go to Australia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4R0FqkywxE&feature=related This video shows tourists what they should be looking at when they see the coral. It talks about different types and includes the bleaching and the colors.

This is an example of the red algae        

 
This is a picture of the coral and the effects climate change has on it.

Savor the Trip

While technology can help you capture moments on your trip, it also can ruin your experience. Christopher Elliott's "Savor the Trip, Don't Tweet It", is all about how technology is often overused on trips. His main concern is that having too much technology on a trip will take away from the true value of the trip. Elliot believes that "vacationing mean[s] leaving the world you knew for a world you didn't". Technology is definitely a world we know so during vacation we should go against using it. It can also take away from the reality of the trip. I feel like my purpose for going on this trip is because I will probably never get this chance again and this is not a place I nomrally would be able to go to. I think that I will probably only bring my phone(although I'm not sure about service there still) and my camera for pictures. After reading this article I agree that using technology too much will just end up taking away from the trip so I am going to try and limit the pictures I take. While technology can be a problem, I do not  believe it will be that big of a problem in Australia. I think just limiting use on your electronics will be enough for boundaries.

Similarities and Differences between the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

One of the first comparisons between Australia and the United States would be the colonies. Both the United States and Australia were colonized by Britain. Britain settled six colonies in Australia in 1788 and the first colony in the United States, Virginia, was settled in 1607. The United States ended up having thirteen colonies when the last one was settled in Georgia in 1732(http://www.timepage.org/spl/13colony.html). While New Zealand was never colonized, it was at one time ruled by Great Britain also. Britain took control in 1840. New Zealand, the United States, and Australia also have the fact that they all gained independence from Britain in common. The United States gained independence way before the other two in 1776. Australia was second to gain independence in 1901 and New Zealand finally gained independence in 1947. Another thing that they all have in common is gold. The gold rush in all three places was a major event in their history. Australia had their gold rush in the 1850's. The gold caused many people to flock over to where it was and abandon their homes. Although lots of gold was found, the largest piece was supposedly only 9 ounces(http://www.oldmogotown.com.au/goldrush.html). New Zealand had its gold rush starting in 1861. The gold was first found by Gabriel Read and the largest one is called Hon Roddy and is near 100 ounces(http://www.essortment.com/gold-mining-new-zealand-44185.html). The United States also had a significant gold rush in California that started in 1848. During the gold rush almost " half-million people from around the world descended upon California in search of instant wealth"   (http://www.ceres.ca.gov/ceres/calweb/geology/goldrush.html). In all three cases of gold rushing, many people left their homes in search of riches which increased the populations of the US, New Zealand, and Australia immensely. Another thing these three places have in common is their governments. All of them have a democracy. One difference though is the United States does not have a parliamentary government while Australia and New Zealand both do(http://www.australia-migration.com/page/Government/234 and http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107834.html).
  Hon Roddy Nugget from New Zealand

 New Zealand Parliament building

Examination of Creation Stories

1. I believe that almost every culture decided to form a myth about creation was so that they could try and explain to themselves and to others in their tribe or group what could not be explained by science. They wanted to give their own personal touch on how they felt that they were created so that other people who view it the same way. I think people did this so they could explain the unexplainable so they could feel like they knew everything about the world around them instead of having questions inside them that could not be answered. I think this shows that humans are very impatient because they always want an answer about something and they want it fast so often times they will just create an answer that suits their needs. I think creation myths still do have an affect on the world because they are religions all over the world who are making their own stories up about how something was created. You can see these religions all over the news because people fight over them.
2+3. I think these stories reveal a lot about both tribes. Both tribes believe in Gods which shows they are very spiritual. The Aborigines specifically believe in animals and they value those animals. The Aborigines also believe that you need to overcome fear while the Maori believe you need to overcome conflict. Both stories include men and show they are superior so both tribes value them. The similarities are that both tribes believe in Gods and that in both stories their creations turn on them. The differences are though, that Aborigines believed a lot in animals while the Maori believed a lot in children. I think this shows how the two tribes valued things in their societies like how many children they would have or how to treat nature.
4. The myths definitely reveal that people need to not try and be so greedy because it will have terrible outcomes. In the Maori story the kids wanted their parents seperated so they took upon themselves to do and it ended terribly. In the Australia story it talks about how the animals wanted to change a lot, and in society today their are many people who want to change also but in the myth it is frowned upon by Mother Sun. The problems that these myths have in today's society is that many of them are different. This leads to people thinking they are right and wanting to fight for it. These myths cause people to not want to cooperate with people who blieeve in something different then them.
5. I sort of believe in a creation story. I mean I do not go to church often but I still believe in God and the Bibles version of how life came to be, but I kind of do not believe in it also. I guess I am kind of in the middle of believing the Bible and more of a science approach also. I think I mainly believe this because of everything I have seen on tv or read in a book that goes against the Bible, but also at the same time I believe in the Bible because of all the years I have gone to church. This is kind of confusing but I am really indifferent on the creation of human life.

Why We Travel

1.I feel that I travel for many reasons. One big reason is that I want to see something new. I want to experience a place unlike anywhere I've been before. Another reason, which is also like what Iyer said, was that traveling helps me see the world clearly. I should be able to see the world in many different ways, and not just the way that I live it. I also travel to learn and see more about places I can only read about or see on tv. Iyer also feels the same way and I agree that we travel in order to compare our lives to others.
2. I believe the quote, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new places, but in seeing with new eyes" means a lot. It shows how in order for you to really take in all of a new environment, you have to step in the shoes,or eyes, of the native people. This also means that the best way for you to get maximum culture in take is to live the time you're there as if you were someone who lived there. I feel this relates to me because in Australia I am going to be in a new place and I need to view it in new eyes and not just walk around looking at it as if I was just in a new part of Grayslake.
3. I believe Iyer's saying is very true that "what gives value to travel is fear." The fear in travel is what you will best remember. This means that if you aren't going to step out of your comfort box then you aren't going to take in everything. You need to live knowing that you might do something new and exciting, but also scary, but that in the end you will always remember that moment. This relates to our journey because instead of just doing everything that we read in a book, that instead we should be looking for fun and new places that at first you know you might not want to try.
4.I do believe that travelers should share their experiences with all they visit and those they return to. This way, those who were not there can imagine how it could have felt like to actually have been there during that moment. Also, this way your experiences will never be forgotten because people can just keep passing the stories down to other people who can hopefully get a better understanding of the world around them.
5.My favorite quote in this article is, "But for the rest of us, the sovereign freedom of traveling comes from the fact that it whirls you around and turns you upside down, and stands everything you took for granted on its head". I chose this quote because it truly shows that people take too much for granted and then when you visit a different culture that everything is changed. Fear once again comes in mind when you leave that comfort zone and are now "upside down" as Iyer would say.

First Blog

My name is Caleb Stoneman Munk. I was born in Naperville, Illinois and I moved to Grayslake around age 3. I go to Grayslake Central where I play soccer and I am also part of the environmental club. In my free time I enjoy playing sports and hanging out with friends.
1. At first, I did not want to go on this trip. I usually just like hanging out with friends over the summer and I am busy enough with family that another trip didn't seem like fun. Before I ruled it out completely I talked to someone who had gone on the China trip and they said it was an amazing experience. Another reason was because I don't really get to go out of the country often and I knew this would be a great trip.
2. Basically, I hope to learn to a lot. I can't wait to see how people live in Australia because all I have ever seen is pictures. I also cannot wait to see all the different wildlife there is. I think most importantly though, I hope to learn more about myself. I want to push myself out of my limits and enjoy life outside of Grayslake.
3.There are many things that interest me about Australia and New Zealand. One of the things that interest me most is seeing a whole new culture that I probably will only see on tv for the rest of my life. I am also really excited to see a new environment with all the new animals and wildlife. I think most importantly though, I am interesting in meeting new people who are going on the trip and making friends and memories that will last forever.
4. I believe learning about where you're going before you go will improve your experience because that way you know what you should be looking for. Also, that way you can find out different details about their culture so you know something to look for and also how you should act. I feel it is better to have an understanding of the country instead of just going into it blindly.