Last weekend I did the Tongariro crossing with some other AFS kids. It was 12 miles and took us 8 1/2 hours including lunch and snack breaks. We went across to a volcano, up the volcano, through the volcano, down the volcano, up a ridge, and down a mountain. The inside of the volcano looked like Mars and there was another active volcano right next to us. On the other side of the volcano are these crazy blue and green lakes, unnaturally blue and green, they look fake and edited. but they are really that color because of the minerals left over from the eruption. I now know nz has so many crazy mountains and volcanoes and earthquakes because it is in the convergence zone of two tectonic plates! Here’s some other cool global facts: in France you go to school from 8-5 everyday!(ew), in Brazil you get out at 12! but have to take 12 subjects and start at 7:/ in Germany you can buy alcohol at 16, and my favorite one: in Portuguese olive oil directly translates to the oil of olivia! 

The day after the crossing we stopped at Taupo to take pictures

Lis and I on the crossing

Lis, Coline, and I 

The other AFS kids and I

The blue and green lakes!

The day after the crossing we stopped at the falls

Coline (Frenchie) and I at the falls

On top of the volcano

Walking down the mountain

Me cheese'n 

Me and the lakes

Another river we stopped at the day after the crossing