The Best of February and March

I was asked by some folks not on Facebook to share some of my photos here. These are some of my favorites from February and March!

A baby fern by Te Anga
Beach at Pauanui
Ready to Surf
Side street off of Queens St. in Auckland
Hagley Park in Christchurch
Top of Mt. Eden in Auckland.

At Takapuna Beach in Auckland.

The skyline of Auckland.

A crack in the road in the area where we were shoveling liquefaction.

A view from the train going to Kaikoura!
A sheep in Springfield

Blown About.

As we approach the end of March, I feel incredibly blessed to have had the month I did. My experiences have been varied and sometimes difficult, but they have been mine.

This past weekend I traipsed down to Tongariro National Park to attempt the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It is known as the best day-hike in New Zealand. Sadly enough, the weather did not cooperate and 60+ kph winds and low visibility due to rain prevented us from attempting the eight hour hike. Nevertheless, we decided to attempt a shorter and easier hike to the Tuma lakes at the base of one of the mountains.

The scenery was beautiful. The volcano featured in Lord of the Rings as Mt. Doom is situated in Tongariro and the area surrounding is filled with volcanic rock, vibrant moss, and swaying grasses. Due to the low cloud cover, Mt. Doom remained unseen during our stay, but I hope to get back and see it sometime. While we thought it would be relatively straightforward, the Tuma lakes hike turned into a rather funny adventure. As we tramped the first few hours of it and finally arrived at the first lake to eat lunch, it had been drizzling intermittently throughout the morning. Just as we were preparing for the steepest and most exposed section of the hike, gusts of intense wind and pouring rain swirled around the ridge. In the way of normal college students, we decided we could handle it and began the trek up the intense incline to the Upper Lake. I have never felt such strong winds or experienced horizontal rain. In a few short minutes, we were drenched completely through. As it made no sense to give up when our clothes, packs, and boots were already drenched, we battled up the ridge and finally made it to the summit overlooking the Upper Lake. To be honest, I didn't stay up there long. We quickly began our retreat and scurried down as quickly as we could.

The three hour tramp back to the car was filled with some more lovely scenery, water-logged hiking boots, and bouts of rain.

Overall, the hike was an adventure. It wasn't what I had planned for the weekend, but it was something I would do again. I haven't laughed as hard as I did when the horizontal rain began in a long time.

This past week was one filled with academic preparations. I have a rather busy and intense schedule this week with essays and lab reports due along with a chemistry test. When it's over, we will only have one more week to go before Fall Break (Rarotonga and the South Island here we come!).

As the time passes, I find myself missing simple things at home. I wish I could go to the cabin and sit around the fire with my extended family. I wish I could plop myself at the kitchen table and talk to my parents after dinner. I wish I could laugh about nothing with my boyfriend while we make cookies. I know I will be able to do those things again before I know it, but right now the next three months loom a bit long. I am excited for the many opportunities and experiences that lay ahead of me now, but sometimes I wish I could be home for a night or two. I wouldn't mind.

What a Quick Week.

Every week seems to go by more quickly than the last.

This week was no exception. It has passed in a whirlwind of school, scrumptious New Zealand cuisine, and a trip to the Coromandel Peninsula.

Schoolwork is beginning and, per usual, I am feeling a bit stressed by the looming prospect of grades. It is rather comforting to know that spring break is in three short weeks, yet strange as I only started school two weeks ago. I am not complaining. Wednesday marked the first day I sat down at my desk and did work at home. Good for me, huh? Perhaps that puts the productivity of the previous week and a half in question...

One aspect of New Zealand that I was not expecting and has been wonderful: the food. Everything is very fresh and meals frequently consist of three vegetable sides and a main dish. This week brought an especially wonderful meal and time to connect with more people: a barbeque get-together between the six families hosting the IES students from Christchurch. A table laden in fresh vegetables and salads was coupled with grilled entrees and recently baked desserts. Num. My host mother has graciously agreed to teach me how to cook. I sincerely hope we are successful in our risky endeavor. It will be interesting.

This weekend I, along with my friend Katie, accompanied Jan and Chris (my host parents) to their beach house in Pauanui on the Coromandel Peninsula. Their daughter and her family also went and it was a rowdy, loud, and crazy place during the day. I have never been witness to that much laughter, that many tears, and that loud of noise in such a short space of time. It was fun. Chris gave Katie and me a surfing lesson and we, to our surprise, did relatively well for our first time. I would love to try again some day. The nights were wonderfully peaceful (thanks to the four sleeping children) and filled with fire-cooked pizza, chinese lanterns, and laughter. I am incredibly blessed to be part of this family for the short time I am here.

Today brought some more beach time and the trip home. I am a bit drained and the school week looms ahead, but as I look back over my time here, it has passed so quickly. So too will the schoolwork and difficulties ahead of me this week. I am simply looking forward to the joys, and laughs to come. There will even be some dancing on Wednesday at the Bassnectar concert!

It is Well.

Today finds me almost a week since my last post. While much has happened and I still occasionally get pangs of homesickness, a certain measure of stability has provided me with joy. Last night I experienced my first purely happy moment since being in New Zealand. I was not wishing to be anywhere else. I was not worried about school, earthquakes or relationships. I began to realize how incredibly blessed I am.

My week has been full of wonderful things. I attended a rugby league game (apparently different from what we think of as rugby) and loved being part of the yelling mob of fans. Well, at least when I understood what we were getting upset about. I explored the harbor with a friend and marveled as the personal yachts and sailboats moored there. The demands of school required me to do some homework which was not to be avoided. Alas. I worshiped at church and had meaningful conversations with my host family and my friends. Skype and Facebook continued to allow me to connect with those at home.

I am looking forward to the many adventures to come this week, including a visit to my family's beach house and attempts to teach me how to surf. A barbeque with all the host families and their respective kiddies is being held tomorrow. It is going to be a great week.

The earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan have been on my mind and are events of incomprehensible tragedy. So many lives were lost and so many continue to be missing. When I consider the events of Christchurch and my own experiences there, I can only feel lucky and a bit ashamed. The nature of the disaster Japan has undergone is more devastating than anything I can imagine and yet my gut instinct is to say, "Something like that happened to me too. Don't forget about me!" God seems to be using this awful situation as a lesson. He desires to extricate me from my selfishness and remind me of the other people in need. Yes, I was emotionally traumatized by my own experiences, but God's greatest command is to love Him and others. I need to refocus my life away from myself and towards helping those in need. God, my family and my friends have shown me incredible love in the past and continue to support me with it now.

My goal for the week: to live passing on the love I've been blessed with. There are those in more difficult situations than mine.

Cricket, Classes, and My "Random Family"

Just as I do every morning, I woke up and drowsily evaluated my life. In my sleepy disorientation, I was shocked to realize I have been in Auckland for nine days. The time has passed so quickly!

With the starting of classes, I have rediscovered a truth forgotten over the last few months: professors require you to spend some of your free time doing homework. The problem with this lies in New Zealand's many attractions. There are so many verdant parks, sprawling beaches, trendy shops, and quaint cafes that also deserve attention. I'm not sure inorganic chemistry will be getting the incredibly dedicated student it desires, but I'm figuring out how to juggle experiencing this country while studying a bit. I suppose my father would tell me that ultimately I did sign up for a STUDY abroad. He always is so practical. Nevertheless, I plan to have weekends spent exploring islands, attending festivals, and doing homework (small amounts, of course).

That said, my classes (called "papers" here) are going well. Entering them a few days late raised some feelings of anxiety, but after talking to lecturers, discovering I have a student email, and purchasing my books, I am feeling significantly more settled. It will be a semester full of coordination complexes, latin grammar, mythology, and war history. That means a semester full of learning! My inner nerd is delighted.

Newly realized and appreciated aspect of my homestay: I have my own bathroom. I have never had my own bathroom. Ever. It is wonderful. More than that, I have found a place where I can come home for dinner, discuss my day, learn the rules of cricket, and (ironically) watch my first complete episode of American Idol. I like to call the Millers the "random family" I was paired with. They seem to enjoy that label. I think God paired me with them for many reasons and I am excited to continue discovering my place within their family and community.

While the events in Christchurch are ever present in my mind, I am looking forward to the coming months here in Auckland. I am going to the Pasifika festival tonight (a celebration of Pacific cultures), a rugby league game on Saturday, and possibly my family's beach house in a few weeks. Life is good and definitely more stable.

I hope to never take stability for granted again. Yet I reflect on my time of chaos, I am struck by the hand of God in silently and confidently guiding me through. My mother directed me to some wonderful verses earlier this week that have been on my heart since. Isaiah 43:18-19 read:

"Forget the former things;

Do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland."

These verses bring hope for every person in any situation. God is doing a new thing and working in our lives wherever we are. My experiences here in Auckland have shown just that.

Thanksgiving.

I have found a home.

Almost four weeks after arriving in New Zealand, I believe that I have finally unpacked for the last time. This morning, I met the wonderful family that is taking me in until the end of the semester. They have been incredibly kind and welcoming.

While the homestay situation is far superior to anything I could have hoped (I have my own bedroom/bathroom and a stunning view of the Manuku Bay), today was a difficult day. I found myself missing my own home and wishing I could simply be in the presence of those I am closest to.

In contemplating the homesickness, I realized an important thing. I have much to be thankful for. The wonderful outcome of my choice to do a homestay. The ability to my first Monday of classes since the earthquake tomorrow. Most importantly, the last month has been a month of unwavering support from those who care about me. I have been covered in prayer. My parents, friends, and boyfriend have all listened while I have processed my difficult experiences. They have had more patience with my tears and confusion than I feel I deserve.

My main thought at the moment is this: thank you. Thank you for your patience, comforting words, and listening ears. Thank you for your prayer, time, and wise advice. I could not have made it through the last month without all of you. I am incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a support system so vast and caring.

Today I attended church with my new host family. It was the first time since the earthquake and it felt right. My soul seemed to take a deep breath. At the same time, I knew almost no one. Yet I had the most important commonality with everyone there. I was reminded of God's support.

Thank you, God. Thank you, everyone.

More than Survival.

The past ten days have been the craziest of my life. I have started class twice at two different universities, survived an earthquake and the succeeding aftershocks, moved cities multiple times, and am preparing to embark on a homestay. Through it all, I have been away from my closest friends and family.

I am surviving.

I desire to be truthful and will admit this has been one of the most challenging periods of my life. I find myself frequently overwhelmed. No one thing if especially incapacitating, but instead the combined effects of the natural disaster and the sudden transfer to the University Auckland have made me more emotional.

In the lectures I was able to attend this week after registering Thursday, I was thrown back to the beginning days as a first-year at Gustavus. Sitting in a lecture hall, especially one filled with hordes of unknown faces, can be incredibly lonely.

The feel of the city is very different from that of Christchurch. It is much larger and very international. Everyone and everything seems to be constantly darting about quickly. Skyscrapers tower above the campus and crossing the street is a somewhat controlled chaos.

While here in Auckland, I have decided to live in a homestay. This involves vacating my current flat with those from my program and moving into a house across the city. The move will happen tomorrow afternoon. It will hopefully be a wonderful opportunity to experience authentic kiwi life and form meaningful relationships with those I am staying with. We shall see.

All of the aforementioned information sounds a bit depressing, but I am incredibly excited to learn more about Auckland and the events, trips, and sites available here. It is a wonderful city filled with a diverse population and a university who has been willing to accept all of us on such short notice. I am blessed in that department.

As I took the fifteen minute bus ride into the city from my accommodations, I was struck by the beauty of the Auckland skyline with the Sky Tower. While gazing at the buildings and attempting to organize my day, the theme verses from camp this summer began to scroll through my head. Psalm 62:1-2 reads:

My soul finds rest in God alone;

my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

The words circled my brain and I began to realize that I truly am held and loved by an amazing God. Whether I ever figure out my classes (or my life, for that matter), catch up on missed schoolwork, find difficult classrooms, or interact with my roommates, I must acknowledge the ultimate truth: God has a plan. He desires me to be shaped. It hurts, it's difficult, and it's inconvenient, but I trust that God has a wonderful plan when I finish.

In the upcoming weeks, I will hopefully be getting settled. My goal is this: to do more than simply survive. I desire to live expansively. I desire to see as much of Auckland and New Zealand as I can. I desire to appreciate the many blessings I have received. God has given us life and life to the full. I intend to use it for His glory here in Auckland.