On Wednesday 11th May 2016, I got to go to iluminate at the US Ambassador's house in Lower Hutt.
To get there we had to walk through the rain down a long driveway. We had to give our names to the security guards near the Ambassador's house. Then we were allowed through the gate.
At the front door we met Ambassador Mark Gilbert and his wife Nancy. They were really nice. They told us where we could hang up our jackets because it was raining outside.
When we got inside, the ambassador let us go around to look at all the art. My favourite was a drawing of boots. It had lots of detail but it was drawn with pencil!
We saw a book on the shelf that had a photo of a gorilla on it. Ambassador Mark Gilbert came over and showed us photos of him and the gorillas in the wild forest. He told us that the gorilla came incredibly close to him. The photos he took were awesome and spectacular.
I told him I liked the picture of a big arch. He told me it was 40 metres tall.
We went to get a drink at the bar. We could choose lemonade or L&P or orange juice or water. My mum said no coke. I chose L&P.
Then Nancy Gilbert, the ambassador's wife, told us the adults could supervise the children to have some thing to eat.
I said,
"Finally we get to eat!" I was really hungry.
They had chippies and crackers. I ate exactly 15 crackers and I lost count of the chippies. My sister Isabelle and her friend Keira had sliders. They are mini burgers. They had a stick in the middle of them. She said they tasted good.
Aunty Caroline came and talked to us and told us the people from iluminate were getting ready. We waited a while then when it was time, I lead the way to the performing area. We sat in the second row on the third seat to the left. They turned the lights out and it was completely pitch black. I felt excited and an eighth nervous at the same time.
The music came on and then I was a little bit scared. But then the lights on the people turned on and I was amazed while they did their incredible dance moves!
My favourite bit was when three dancers linked up and it looked as though there was one person with big long arms!
After the dancing, they went to get changed and while they were gone, the ambassador and his wife told us all about being an ambassador and an ambassador's wife.
I learned that he used to play baseball for the Chicago White Sox. He also knows President Obama.
He asked us who would be the next president of the United States, and I said,
"Not Donald Trump!"
When iluminate came back, we got to ask them questions about themselves. I asked how many countries have you been to. They said lots of countries and I counted them on my fingers and it added up all together as 11.
I liked it when the man with afro did the moon walk.
After the talking, we went back to the table. There were black ginger breadmen with bright coloured icing. They looked like iluminate when I first saw them!
Then me and Dad, Keira and Belles went back to the bar and got another drink. That time I had orange juice. I finished it in five seconds!
We had our photo take with iluminate.
Then we had a photo with Ambassador Mark Gilbert.
When we left we said thank you for having us in your house. Ambassador Mark Gilbert and Nancy gave us a badge with the New Zealand and the American flags on it.
They also gave us some salt from America.
I ran down the driveway in the rain, but I didn't mind because that night had been a great night and I am glad that I had been invited to come.
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