Exchange Student

“I have the sign,” said Lee. “I will hold it up. Kiri will know who we are because I have a sign.” Lee was at the airport. Lee and her mother were picking up Kiri. Kiri was an exchange student. She was from New Zealand. She was going to stay with Lee and her family. She would stay for the summer.

Lee saw a girl come out of the gate. The girl smiled when she saw Lee’s sign. She walked over to Lee. “Hi,” said the girl. “I am Kiri. I am your exchange student. I have come to stay with you. I will learn about the United States. I will teach you about New Zealand. We will trade, or exchange, news. We will learn from each other.”

Kiri saw how people in the United States lived. Both Lee and Kiri learned new things. Kiri learned the name of the national bird of the United States. The bird is the bald eagle. She liked the bald eagle’s white head. Lee learned the name of the national bird of New Zealand. The bird is the kiwi. The kiwi cannot fly. It has a long bill. The bird’s nostrils are on the tip of the bill! The kiwi lays only one egg. The egg is large. It is about one-third of the mother’s weight!

Kiri and Lee learned how their countries are alike. Both of their countries have geysers. A geyser is a special spring. The spring shoots streams of boiling water and steam into the air. Only three countries have geysers. The United States has geysers. New Zealand has geysers. Iceland has geysers.

Lee learned that people called the Maoris settled New Zealand. They came long ago. They came in boats. Probably they came before 1,000 A.D.! Before the Maoris, all the mammals on New Zealand could fly! This was because the only mammals were bats! Non-flying mammals—like rats, cats, and sheep—came with people.