Welcome to Amandine Veine
It was a real pleasure to meet Amandine Veine (pronounced Venn) at Wellington Airport on Friday 28 July. She had travelled to Paris from her home town of Brive-La-Gaillarde (referred to as Brive) which is 5 hours south of Paris and 3 hours from the Atlantic Ocean. From there she flew with Emirates via Dubai to Auckland, changing to Easy Jet for the last leg to Wellington. Unfortunately, her luggage didn't take the same flights and arrived a day later!
Amandine, who is 17, lives with her parents, Stephane (who manages a shop selling sportswear) and Sandrine (a District Nurse) and her sister, Margaux who is 22. She is clearly a good tennis player so we may need to find a club for her to join.
A small group of Rotarians met Amandine. Gaylene Lines, the District Inbound Coordinator, her first host parents, Jenny and Ron Lucas, Ken Gardiner, representing her mentor and counsellor, Cath Berryman, and Wendy Betteridge. Despite many, many hours en route, she appeared to be fresh and very receptive to everything going on around her. And the good news is that her English is pretty good! Jenny reports that Amandine has an amazing ability to observe and then follow suit as evidenced by the great action she displayed with a concrete trowel over the weekend.
Amandine's second host family will be Rhys Sinké's parents, Chris and Fiona and their 15-year-old daughter, Miya, who live in Whitby. More host families are sought so if you would like to volunteer, please let President Jenny know.
The Neighbourhood’s Brainiest: Can YOU Solve Today’s Riddle?
You see a boat filled with people.
It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat.
Why?
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Ryman’s Walk in Wednesdays
Ryman villages across the country are open every Wednesday in November.
Experience the Ryman lifestyle and learn about our living options, tour our showhomes and discover the wonderful amenities on offer.
Click to find out more information.
Wellington welcomes a Disney exhibition.
For the first time in New Zealand, Disney: The Magic of Animation is coming to Wellington, showcasing over 600 iconic objects, including rare artwork and original sketches. Visitors will journey through nearly a century of Disney’s animation history, with characters from ‘Steamboat Willie’ (1928) to ‘Moana 2’ (2024). Interactive stations and immersive experiences await visitors of all ages.
Early bird tickets are now available until the end of the year, with a special Christmas Family Pack deal offering 2 adults and 2 kids for just $50.
Don’t miss this magical experience—book your tickets now!