Driving around New Zealand visiting its volcanoes, natural springs and glaciers you are filled with a sense of awe at the beauty and power of mother nature. As you drive further and dig deeper you realise how fragile this mother nature is with rivers and lakes running dry and glaciers in retreat. I was here two years ago and have noticed a change in just that short period of time.

After visiting Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier I treked over to Christchurch to visit the " Coolest Classroom on Earth" and spent two days at the Antartic Centre with Greta Valley School  and Waimate High School, learning about how fragile this world of ours is.

Being from the Northern Hemisphere it was interesting and somewhat suprising to be told that what we are doing in the Northern Hemisphere is having an enormous impact on the continent formerly known as gargantua now known as Antartica.

The Antartic Centre is keen to educate young and enquiring minds and old fuddy duddy minds like mine to how important it is to treat the Antartic with respect.

I was a guest of Chief penguin Lindsay ....... Chief Penguin is his Antartic name given to him on his expeditions to the Antartic. His knowledge is vast and he is eager to share his knowledge to further the cause of saving Antartica and the rest of this wonderful world of ours.  Schools can come to this cool classroom during the day and/or overnight. There are educational packages aimed at both Primary and High School on the Antartic, the Environment, Climate Change, Global Warming, and preserving Endangered Species.

The Centre has a rescue centre and breeding  program for endangered penguins - Little Blues  and I was allowed to meet these little penguins and watch their rescue operation and breeding program. The centre is dedicated to education visitors to the conservation and preservation of these wonderful creatures and many schools come from far and wide including Australia and the UK to witness this special rescue program.

Lindsay is an Antartic veteran an expert in his field and his passion and committment to preserving the Antartic and the rest of this world of ours is worn proudly on his shirt sleeve.. As you listen to him talk you can hear the passion in his voice and see the compassion in his eyes.  Lindsay told me that  they have a saying at Antartica that  " If the Antartic is well then the rest of the world is well"

The Centre proves to be the Coolest Classroom on Earth that I have visited and we can learn so much from this Centre today and hopefully in many years to come!

Find out more at :  www.iceberg.co.nz

Many Thanks to Lindsay Johnston Chief Penguin  and all the staff and penguins at the International Antarctic Centre

http://www.iceberg.co.nz/