Here, There & Everywhere

Home away from Home away from Home

2010-09-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hello! After a nearly two month hiatus from writing, I'm back with a little update. Well, as many of you know I am back State-side. How does it feel? What am I doing now? You anxiously wait for me to answer. Moving across the world and back again is actually a bit of a wonder as to how it would feel. I shared over a year ago when I arrived in Wellington just how I was feeling then. But you know, I never anticipated what it would feel like coming back. I was seriously so very busy the last 6+ weeks in New Zealand as I was finishing up a photography class that I was teaching, spent a week in Australia, re-packed my life into a couple of suitcases (harder than it sounds), said my tearful goodbyes, and traveled back to LA where I spent another whirlwind week with friends and my sister. Once I FINALLY reached my destination back at my mom and dad's house in MN, I was in a more than slight state of exhaustion. I actually had almost no jet lag from the 15 hour time zone jump I made crossing the Pacific, but completely felt the 2 hour difference from LA to Minnesota. Nonetheless, I was extremely excited to see my family and reunite with friends back at "home"and it's been wonderful catching up with everyone. How grateful I am for the amazing people in my life. After a reunion I was highly excited about, life, as it does, settled back in for the people around me and I found myself at a standstill while the world was moving all around me. Not in a dramatic way...it's just that my time before was filled in and busy and all of a sudden it wasn't! Seventy mph on the freeway to a screeching halt. Now what do I do? Of course I had plenty of personal tasks to work on...writing, photography study, getting my photos from NZ sorted, etc. With all of the time on my hands I realized that I don't have a home. I have three of them. Each place I've lived has truly become a home for me, each in their own way, and each has taught defining lessons that I'll carry the rest of my life. Home really is where your heart is.

I started this blog at the beginning of my journey in New Zealand and have decided to keep up with blogging. I'll be using a different title and layout to make it a bit more full circle in adding tid-bits of stories, adventures and life outside of traveling. Though I will certainly keep up with all the travel I {hope} to embark on in the future! Thank you all so much for your support, love, encouragement, excitement, compliments, and dedicated friendships. You are inspiring to me and I hope this blog has inspired you in one way or another...hopefully to visit New Zealand someday! If you do, let me know and I'll help in any way I can...

See you over at www.rachelkwrites.blogspot.com

Love, love...

Rach

Here are a few photos from my last road trip up the North Island with Abi and Emma...as you can see, we had a lot of fun!

Goodbye Wellington...

2010-08-07T04:02:00.000-07:00

Welp. Goodbye to my beautiful New Zealand has come rather quickly. I remember very vividly my first days here one year ago and it really does seem like all of that just happened. But no...lots has happened in between that beginning and this ending. I'm leaving a home tomorrow, one I'll never forget. I'm so very grateful and feel beyond blessed for such an incredible year, and while it's always sad to say goodbye, I am looking forward to the next adventure. What may that be, you ask? I've had this question quite a lot as I depart "here" for "there" & my answer is this. I'm not sure yet! It's true. I'm heading back to Minnesota through the Holidays (or longer?) & I have a few things up my sleeve as to what I might take up next. But for now I'm looking forward to seeing my family, heading to Nashville to visit my dear friends and other 'home', and living joyfully in the contentment I have knowing that God will open doors that need to be opened in the next season of la la la life! As I leave tomorrow I am taking with me one of the best years of my life...

Goodbye Wellington. I love ya.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooo

Rachel

A few fine {f}otos

2010-07-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

My wonderful, beautiful, talented flatmate, Abi, shot some cool photos of me on a recent outing. Here are a few of them!! This is Titahi Bay on a lovely day...

Back to the beginning...

2010-06-30T03:41:00.000-07:00

I took this photo in Queenstown almost a year ago.

A year!

I've recently been going through the photos I've taken throughout this past year and wow, more than anything it's humbling. I'm so very grateful for so much.

I am so very sad I have to say goodbye.

It's amazing to look back at the photos I took when I first arrived & that I can remember exactly how I was feeling at that point in time. Uncertain what would happen over the year or why (the bigger reason) as to why I was even here, but completely happy & excited. So much has happened in this little life and heart of mine...I had no idea when I took this photo just how amazing the next several months would be. As I sit here, I don't even know how I'm going to be able to articulate it for you. I'll try though {in writing to come} because I want to share.

Love.

Bigger than small, but smaller than big. Waves: a Surfing tale.

2010-06-24T02:04:00.000-07:00

I had my first surfing lesson earlier this week! When I was young we'd spend summer days at the local "Wave Pool"....woooo! Besides lakes, this is the closest thing us landlocked folk have to the sea. Well, here in New Zealand the sea is almost always in one half of your view. The kiwi's enjoy life on a tiny little green gem perched in the middle of the big blue. It's grand, really. Surfing is a way of life around here.

Being that I have just over a month left here, I've naturally stressed a little bit over a few things I haven't yet done but definitely want to before I take off. Surfing is one of these things. I mentioned this to my nice friend Ben & he kindly offered to take me out one morning. We drove to a local surf beach called Titahi Bay, suited up, and headed in. I was a wee bit nervous right off the bat, but after the first test ride it was all fun. I loved it and only wish I would have started earlier! Oh, and it's winter here, so the already cold water is supposed to be extra cold at this time of the year. In all honesty, it didn't feel cold to me at all. Must've been a pretty cozy warm wetsuit!

Things to do... 1. Surf NZ. Check.

My instructor, Ben.

I almost got up a few times, but attribute sore arms from the gym as my biggest hurdle. It was hard to be quick!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 weeks. 8!

2010-05-30T02:16:00.000-07:00

That's all. Eight weeks is all I have left in lovely, beautiful, hilly, wet, caffeinated, wonderful Wellington, New Zealand.

It's begun...the scramble of events leading up to the harsh reality of actually having to say goodbye to a place and people who've come to mean so much. AND the sweet reality that on the other side of my journey lies home & my family who I miss a lot. How is it even possible to dread and look forward to the same moment? Hmmm.

The next couple of months hold lots of to-do's, wrap-ups, & miscellaneous tid-bits.

I am of the sentimental sort so I tend to be the person who wants to leave having given each person I've met a personalized little something or other; card, photo, etc. I am also of the creative sort so it needs to be...you know, creative. Lastly, I'm of the "I'll probably have overweight luggage and need to pay the fee" sort so my sentimental creativity needs to be costly cheap, not cheaply cheap. I'm happy to announce...no stress here. I have an idea and it's halfway done. Yes. Check.

Back up a bit...luggage. This is my biggest stress at the moment. My bags were overweight when I arrived and I got away with it, crazily. They were even maxed out overweight. Honest to goodness I did not bring that much stuff!! To LIVE in another place on the other side of the world and only bring 2 suitcases, a guitar and 1 carry-on. I should get a medal. And airlines should get real. Regardless, I have to downsize. The madness.

Travel. I head over to Melbourne, Australia on July 21st for about a week & then spend my final week and a half in Wellington before road-tripping it up to Auckland where my flight to LA departs from. I'll then stay in LA visiting friends for a week {and where my sister is meeting me!}, then finally to Minneapolis. Oh, I have a layover in Tahiti. Tahiti!! Anyone else get red mustaches from those syrupy sweet tahitian treat drinks as youngsters? I sure did. We're there only for a wee bit, but long enough for a drink in their open air-airport. Ahhh...

I'm also teaching an after school photography program for high school students during these final 2 months as well. We've met twice now and it's been great. The kids are cool and the challenge is needed.

Oh, and I have lots of coffee to drink before I'm nowhere near a flat white of any sort, photos to take, places yet to see, people to spend time with, 3 little boys to cuddle lots before I'll leave and they'll grow up fast, and a wedding I'm very much looking forward to...Stu and Fritha-my cool employers.

That's me for now.

Love,

Rach

Seasonal Associations & Favo(u)rite Things...

2010-05-20T16:43:00.000-07:00

The earth has revolved around the sun per usual and as June approaches so does winter here in New Zealand. With the ringing in of the season, jackets, hats, layers, hot drinks, I am ready for Christmas. 'Tis the season to be jolly' comes hand in hand with winter, it's a seasonal association. It seems a bit anti-climactic to have such cold weather with no holiday cheer to warm our hearts and help us forget that we can't feel our toes. But just as I was in December when BBQ's and flip flops were in full swing, I am reminded that the world is much, much bigger than just how I've known and experienced it. A simple swap of seasons has opened my eyes to the fact that normal to one is not always to another.

Cheers to that.

I have compiled a little list with photos of some of my favorite things here in Wellington & it goes a little something like this...

Feijoa's.

Delicious. Feijoa trees bear a seemingly endless supply of these things when they're in season. Just cut them in half and scoop out the middle.

Frankie, Ted & Sonny.

The 3 wee fella's I hang out with a few days each week. They are beautiful little guys.

Flat White's.

To stay. Or, to take away.

Roti Chenai.

'Nuff said.

Cuba Street.

Has it all, including my favorite cafe's and people watching benches.

Public Transportation.

I've actually loved my car free year. Trading a car for the bus, less convenient? Slightly. Less stress? Ummm, YES! All I have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride while the driver battles traffic and getting through town. My biggest stress is deciding what to listen to on my ipod.

The Novelist.

A Wellington band that happens to be made up of 4 friends. Tim, Matt, Travis & Rene. Check them out at www.myspace.com/thenovelist.

The sky.

More often than not it's beyond amazing, especially if you catch it at sunrise or sunset.

Unreal.

Gigs.

Always interesting.

Always fun.

Bushwalks.

City, sea, bush...all within an arms reach.

There are many more favorites, but these will do for now!

Love, Rachel

Coffee? Yes, Please.

2010-05-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

Growing up I never understood why my mother loved coffee so much. It looked, smelled and tasted not so great to me, yet she almost always had a cup in hand. Even up until last year I wasn't really into it. I'd get it when someone would do a Starbucks run at work, but I wasn't at all a daily devotee of the liquid poison.

Shortly after arriving in Wellington I realized that I truly am my mothers child. Wellington is THE place when it comes to perfectly roasted, perfectly ground, perfectly pressed, perfectly frothed, perfectly made coffee. They are serious about their coffee & it's amazing. I've crossed the line & now feel a bit off when I don't get my cup. I'm a grown up. I'm the grown up I looked at when I was a kid and wondered why or how they could drink so much of that no good stuff. Funny.

Not only is the coffee here quite grand, but the cafe's are also very much a staple to the culture in this city. Cafe's are to Wellington what Pizza spots are to Chicago. You don't go to Chicago and not get a famous slice of chicago style pizza. Just the same, you wouldn't come to Wellington and not indulge in the coffee. Unlike back home where there's a Starbucks nearly every 10 steps...there are only 3 (that I know of or have seen) in this entire city. They just aren't up to par and I'm pretty sure that most of their customers are school kids getting Frapp's and tourists who don't know any better.

The menu's are simple...notice in one of the shots below a list of most popular coffee's. Flat White's are my favorite. Sometimes they come in glasses, and sometimes in bowls (for the American visitors...ha). But the standard is just a regular little mug with a moderate portion. Just right. They also roast most of their coffee beans right in the city and a lot of the cafe's are fair trade friendly. Major plus.

I've started my coffee addiction at the top and I think I may have, by default, become a bit of a coffee snob. In a nice way, of course.

Love,

Rach

Saw this in the bathroom at one of my fave

cafe's. I just love it so I wanted to share...

Road Trip!

2010-04-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

Two of my cool kiwi friends & decided to take a wee road trip a few weekends ago. It was fun to say the least & unforgettable to say the most. I'm sure this has come across in previous posts, but Wellington is (in my opinion based on my short time & travels here...) in it's own little bubble. It's just different than any other place in New Zealand. The weather is different, the culture is different, the layout is different, it's different. I love it and in fact every time I leave to do a bit of traveling I miss it. But unlike anywhere in the States, in New Zealand you can drive a few short hours in one direction or another and literally be in a completely different climate. This makes getting away for a few days all the more fun. So...one of my flatmates, Abi, grew up in a small-ish town about 5 hours drive Northwest of Wellington called New Plymouth which is part of a region known as Taranaki. Abi, our friend Emma and I decided to take a trip up to hang on the beach & pay a visit to Abi's cool Nana. In the 'Naki' as they say, you'll find the Surf Highway which is just that, miles of black sand beaches with some of the best surf in NZ. There is also a lone Mountain called Mt. Taranaki that can easily be summitted and back in a day. The weather was amazingly warm and there wasn't a sun-less day. The whole weekend was just plain fun. One night we decided to overindulge on many levels and hit up a schnazzy 'All You Can Eat' Buffet. Not such a novelty in America, but here it kind of is. We definitely went in hungry, definitely spent over 2 hours there, definitely got our money's worth, and definitely didn't regret it. Well, Emma might've a wee bit. Abi showed us all of the good spots around town, including an amazing park where they did some of the filming for 'The Last Samurai' and it also hosts big outdoor concerts during the summer (the photos of the bridge & flower were taken there...). Nana proved to be great company and a lovely host as well.

I loved New Plymouth and of all the places I've been this definitely ranks high on my list of favorites.

Love Love Love,

Rachel

Limited Edition.

2010-03-30T02:47:00.000-07:00

Ok guys. I'm very sorry for my lack of consistent posting as of late. I'm sooo grateful to all of you who check in and read my blog, it's really cool to have this place to share the happs of life over here where it's not as easy (time difference) or cheap to connect in real life. I've got a number of ideas for new posts and no shortage of pictures so please persevere, keep checking in and I promise to be more diligent at setting aside time to write.

I guess part of the reason I haven't been writing is because I've been busy. Not the kind of busy I was before I moved here, the kind I needed so badly to get away from, but good busy. Busy getting to know the people around me, busy reading, busy playing my guitar, busy learning how to live and love, forgive and forget, dwell in good, in God, not in the past or in worry, doubt and fear. It's not all a walk in the park, as they say, but boy has this season been a huge breath of fresh air.

Randomly the other day the phrase "Limited Edition" came to mind and hasn't left. I don't really know where it came from, but it came. It got me to thinking about my time here in New Zealand. I'm only allowed to be here for a certain amount of time before I will be required to politely go back to where I came from. New Zealand is to me & I am to it similar to what one might consider Limited Edition. I, of course, knew from the beginning how long I would be here. I knew when the beginning would begin and when the ending would end (thanks to my e-visa!)...but I didn't consider the middle. I didn't know what would happen in the middle. Turns out it's amazing & as time unfolds is proving to be one of the most defining years of my life. So much provision and preparation for time to come, depth and meaning, awareness and understanding. It's not overwhelming. It's consistent and freeing. My foundation, which is my Faith in God, is solidifying. It's stronger. When you have a strong foundation you can build upon it with quality, sturdy, lasting materials. While my heart will undoubtedly break when it's time to say goodbye to my limited bit of time in New Zealand, with what I've received I pray I'll be able to walk humbly forward & GIVE.

Words.

2010-03-08T01:45:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I was wandering around Wellington and as I strolled along one of my favorite parts of town, Oriental Parade, there out of nowhere stood a giant, white, magnetic cube. On each side of this cube were hundreds of tiny magnetic words. We've all seen them. Quite frankly they aren't that interesting & can actually, in my opinion, be a bit tacky when scattered about on one's personal fridge. But this is the perfect example of how something can be ordinary in one setting and extraordinary in another. When you place something like this out in public, for anyone and everyone to use freely to 'express' him or herself, it would be nearly impossible for it not to be interesting. As I stood there examining all of the words & reading what people who had visited earlier put together, more came to do the same. The words were constantly moving, sentences or phrases were changing, some were serious, others were funny, and no two were the same. I love that we are all different. That no two people can bring to the table in the same exact way. Definitely a cool aspect of life & the big white cube with the tiny magnetic words reminded me how much I appreciate it. Here are a few shots...

Love, Rachel

Just want to say...

2010-02-11T02:50:00.000-08:00

I love you.

I recently moved into a new flat out in a suburb of Wellington called Petone. The house I was living in prior to this went on the market, so we (me & the 4 other flatties) all ventured out to find a new place to call home. I really liked it at 21a Treasure Grove...lovely flatmates, nice house, beautiful ocean view. If we wouldn't have had to move out I'd still be there. I'm a total 'bright sider'...completely optimistic, glass half full person & will find the happy bits of any situation. But I authentically believe that everything happens for a reason. Here's the story...about a week before I was informed of the flat being put up for sale, I was at dinner with some friends when one of them casually said "Rachel, you should move into our flat!" I laughed. Great as it sounded, Petone is actually clear across the entire city from Seatoun, where I work. I brushed it off. Even when found out I had to move, I still didn't consider Petone because of the distance & started searching flat closer to work. As my friends gradually heard about my need for a place to rent, one by one they encouraged me to consider cute little, wonderful little, crazy little Petone. So I did just that. I considered it.

Living in the other flat I hadn't realized that I was missing something. We all had different schedules, and essentially different lives. It was rare to all be there & it often times felt like I was living alone. I thought I liked it, but I didn't. It made me less social, less productive, and for the first time ever, ever, ever did I catch a glimpse of loneliness. Laying everything out on the table...Cost, distance, work, friends. It was my friend Emma who said to me "For your time here what's more important to you, being a convenient distance from work or living where you can actually be in community with your friends??" that helped me put it in perspective and I decided to go for it. In the end, it's not even an inconvenient distance from work. What is convenience anyway? When it's all said and done I really don't care if I took the long way, I'll take whatever way it is that brings fulfillment, fun and LIFE.

From the day I moved into my new place I've felt so at home. It's been a breath of fresh air & I am once again amazed at how God really does know what we need, when we need it & provides it. Even when we're completely oblivious.

Which brings me back to the beginning. When I say I love you, I mean it in a seriously big way. I've said it before, I'll probably say it again & again...but I just cannot get over how many amazing people I have in my life. I can't for the life of me figure out how I could possibly deserve such a blessing. It blows me away to think that I moved clear across the world not knowing even a handful of people, yet I've found a family in the friendships I've made & the home I work in each week. And that I get emails & phone calls from friends, previous co-workers & patients & family back home filled with encouragement and love and plans for when I get back. I am well aware that there are a lot of people in this world that don't or have never experienced love in any capacity. Breaks my heart more than I can say. But it also gives me hope...those of us that have extra can certainly share.

Please do.

To Nelson and back again....

2010-01-18T22:36:00.000-08:00

Alright guys...I'm back! It's been almost a month since my last post but I have a good excuse & now lots of pictures to show you! I've been doing some traveling in both the North and South Islands...over New Years & my birthday I spent about 5 days with a few friends in a region of the North Island called Hawkes Bay. Then this past weekend I went down South and spent 4 days in the Northwestern city of Nelson. I'll break this up into two posts and will start with my most recent trip to the South Island.

When I first moved to New Zealand I spend almost 2 weeks down in the South Island. The first night I had dinner with some new found friends who I met through one of my random connections back home, and was told Nelson was a 'definite' place to visit during the summer. So, one day I came across some very cheap flights and booked a weekend trip. Best decision. I had a really great time and would love to make it back there again before I leave. The first day I arrived in the afternoon so before dinner I hiked up a fairly short trail to a lookout that claims to be the very center of New Zealand. Once at the top I met a fellow American, also traveling solo, so we went on and did a bit more hiking and then he and I grabbed dinner. This is one thing I love about traveling alone, it's really easy to meet new people and just simply enjoy a meal or a drink & conversation. The next day would end up being my favorite of the trip and one of the best I've had traveling in NZ. I booked a day trip to the Abel Tasman National Park, spending half the day kayaking and the other half hiking. The Abel Tasman is NZ's smallest National Park, but is a really good mix of bush walking and beaches. I was in charge of steering the kayak I was in and have to give big props to the poor guy paired up with me. I mean, I did ok...it was actually quite comical & in the end we made it back safely and managed to stay pretty dry! It's beautiful as you'll see...

Later that night I met up with a friend from Wellington who was in Nelson for the weekend as well. His parents actually let me stay with them for the rest of my time there which was great! We went out to Lake Rotoiti, I hiked around it during the first trip, but this time is was late at night & pitch black. I was blown away by the stars. I have never seen a more beautiful night sky in my life...there were so many more stars than I ever remember seeing back home. One of the highlights of the trip for sure. The next day my friend, Tim, and I drove over the hill to Golden Bay. I thought it would be long beaches, which apparently there are if you drive a few hours. But we mostly saw NZ farmland and did a couple of bush walks. My favorite walk was called Harwood Hole, it was about a 30 minute walk through tall trees and over boulders to an overlook of a deep cave. It was cool because the forest was really quiet and it felt like we were in a completely different place. We also went to Te Waikoropupu Springs to see the "Cleanest water in the world". I would love to head back to Golden Bay at some point and make it to the beaches.

The rest of my time was spent in Nelson City checking out the shops, cafes, museum, gardens, oh and I went to a coffee shop that had a pond with tame eels (???) I definitely touched one and have a picture to prove it. My Sunday night flight was cancelled due to poor weather in Wellington. Let me tell you, the weather here is unbelievable...you can literally be in one part of the country soaking up the sun while just a few hundred kilometers away there's rain & fog. Coastal living? Overall it was a brilliant weekend... :)

Life Lessons...Part 1

2009-12-18T00:50:00.000-08:00

I've been learning a lot since being over here.

I know, you're thinking "Yeah right...look at all of those beach pictures, she just lounges around in the sun all day." I AM enjoying the beautiful surroundings I'm so very lucky to have at my doorstep this year...

But it's true I actually, really have been learning a lot.

I've realized how important it is for me to write. Even when I don't feel like it or don't think I have anything to write about. Because every time I sit down with a cup of coffee, my latest i-tunes purchase humming through my ipod and my journal I learn something.

One thing I've learned since being over here, away from home, with waaaay less distraction and waaaay more time to actually think is that I am constantly living in the future. I'm always thinking 10 steps ahead...never noticing what's right in front of me. I'm not going to lie, it's been a disheartening realization because I can recollect many moments, friendships, experiences I've unintentionally missed out on due to my own lack of understanding. Understanding that life happens whether or not we pay attention. People come and people go, opportunities come and opportunities go, seconds-minutes-hours-days all come and go. What we do with these things is up to us. For me, having spent the better part of the last year or so thinking about and wondering "what's next? where? how? when? what if?" has been exhausting to say the least. But more than that it's gotten me nowhere real fast & for the first time in my 25 years I'm looking back with regret. Regret that I missed out on fully grasping and experiencing a lot of really cool moments because I was stuck in the future.

I am, however, grateful for this lovely little slice of a life lesson. That I'm learning it at almost 25 instead of almost 50. One thing I've been getting asked more and more over here & by some friends back home is "What do you think you'll do when you get back?" I do have a few ideas of what I might like to do...BUT I now answer like this..."Well, I have 7 months left here. A lot can happen in the next 7 months to change any ideas I might have, so I'm just taking it one day at a time and we'll see what happens." :) It's been really freeing to let go of 'What will be' and focus on 'What is'.

Love,

Rachel

Christmas in July...

2009-12-14T00:47:00.000-08:00

...Or so it seems! It really is December and it really is 'that time of year....again'. Christmas. Normally for me'Tis the Season is full of all the winter wonderland, holidazzle goodness. You know how when you grow up with something or just experience it a certain way, you think that everyone else experiences it the same way. Like...Christmas. I mean, even back home there are plenty of places that celebrate a tropical Christmas, but growing up in Minnesota Christmas was always just as it is portrayed in the movies...feet of snow, sledding, wool socks, hot chocolate, snowmen. I'm telling you, it was the closest thing to 'Santa' and the North Pole. It NEVER crossed my mind, seriously (well, I KNEW it wasn't a snowglobe everywhere for Christmas...but) until this very year that on the other side of the world it might actually be SUMMER during Christmas. So my geography teacher was right...the Northern and Southern Hemispheres DO have opposite seasons. And a bunch of other differences. Crazy as it is, this year will be my very first Summer Christmas. BBQ's are in full swing and flip flops are everywhere. The school year is just finishing up and summer holiday is about to begin...it's weird. Because of all this it just doesn't actually feel like Christmas to me, which in turn is making it a lot less hard being away from home this year. Family means a lot to me & we're all very close so it's not easy missing out on seeing them for an entire year, especially during this time of the year. But, by having an out-of-sorts in every way Holiday, being away is just a wee bit easier! Enjoy the snow everyone...I'll be at the beach. :)

Wishing you all a very, very Merry Christmas...

Love,

Rachel

Auckland

2009-11-29T01:28:00.000-08:00

A couple weekends ago I flew up to the Northern part of the North Island to Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. My friend Claire from Nashville was living up there for a little while so it was the perfect excuse to get away and visit her and the big, bad Oakland...(as they pronounce it).

I almost moved there. Like, had everything arranged, mind made up, it's a done deal almost moved there. Then about 3 weeks out I completely changed my mind and decided to move to Wellington instead. So when I visited Auckland I kept thinking about how different life over here would be had I not flipped the coin at the last minute and stayed with my original plan to live in this city. I haven't spent enough time there to give you an accurate portrayal of the city, but my first impression and experience was quite different from what I had imagined. It's BIG and sprawling. To give you a picture, the population is similar to that of Nashville at around 1.4 million but the amount of land mass it takes up is similar to Los Angeles with 3x the amount of people. So you have a lot of city/suburbs and relatively speaking, not a lot of people. Looking at a map you would never think this tiny country could have a city large enough to have to deal with "LA" style rush hour traffic and 30, 40, 50 minute train rides out to suburb areas. Compared to Wellington's 'walkability' and lack of extended commuting time it is quite different! Overall though, I had a wonderful time with Claire & also had a chance to meet a new friend, Kieran, who I got in touch with through a friend in Nashville. :) Rach

Skytower

Can you count the lines on ths sailboat?

Auckland "City of Sails

Ahhh...my ride has arrived. ;)

Street musicians here are legit...dude was rockin out!

Claire & I in this super rad little book store...

Auckland skyline and a crater...

NZ flag

View from my window seat on the plane

Tiny bit of NZ on the bottom and pretty ocean & sounds off in the distance

Wind, Surfing and Southerly's...

2009-10-30T02:10:00.000-07:00

Wellington is a windy city. I'm sure that if Chicago wasn't dubbed the 'windy city' (which I would definitely not consider windy compared to Welly...) that Wellington would rightfully own the title. It's actually the 'city of harbours' (yep...everything with an 'or' ending gets spelled with a 'u' here...why? I'm not sure). Today was windy and cold with a bit of sunshine. Today's wind and coldness was from a Southerly. Wellington is plagued by these huff, puff, blow your house down Southerly/Northerly winds. It's crazy how powerful they can be...now that Spring is here people are busting out the flip flops and shorts, but when a Northerly or Southerly hits the layers come right back out!! Despite the chill I decided to tag along with one of my flatmates, Brodie, and his friend Simon (who is dating an American girl...smart fella!!) to Lyall Bay, a popular surf spot here in Wellington. I brought my camera to see if I could get a few good action shots. There were a few guys out with their surf boards and I managed to get some pictures of them. Brodie and Simon were kayak surfing so they are the ones with the paddles. There were also some windsurfers kickin' it out there off in the distance. It was a lot of fun to watch these guys battle the waves and I'm looking forward to trying it myself when the weather and the water are a bit warmer!! Enjoy...

P.S. I've had requests for pictures featuring yours truly. I've been playing photographer and have sort of forgotten to put myself in front of the camera along with the beautiful scenery for a few. I'll work on it and post some soon!!

My story...

2009-10-20T23:52:00.000-07:00

Soooo...as you know, I'm on the other side of the world. I still can't believe it sometimes when I'm just walking around that I'm actually here. What's even more amazing to me when I think about it is the fact that getting here took very little effort on my part.

Really. Here's my story...

It all started about 2 years ago when I saw a band play in Nashville. I found out afterwards that they were from New Zealand. The second I heard 'New Zealand', something clicked. Have you ever had that? Where you hear something, see something, read something, or meet someone and instantly know that it's different? It just clicks with you, it resonates and you can't ignore it? For me, I've had two hugely defining 'click' moments in my life, and one of them was moving to New Zealand. In fact, one of my best friends, Trish, can attest to this one. I called her the day after seeing this band and stated very bluntly, "I'm going to move to New Zealand when I'm 24." At this point I was 22, had only been in Nashville for a year and had just started a great new job. From there, life went on, I fell in love with Nashville and my "I'm only going to stay for a year" turned into two years, then three years, then 'this is home'.

To be honest I didn't think about New Zealand much at all during this time and there were moments I wasn't sure it was ever really going to happen. Regardless, the idea of moving over here had cozied itself up somewhere in my heart and even when I wasn't thinking about it or didn't think it would happen, it still never left.

Then last November I went along on a dental mission trip to the Dominican Republic. It was great in so many ways, but one thing that really flipped the switch on about moving was that I met a few amazing people from the states, my age, living and working in the DR. I remember talking with them about their experience and thinking how amazing it was that they were there, living out an experience they will never, ever regret having stepped out of their comfort zone to be a part of. This was a huge turning point for me and I started thinking about New Zealand again, this time more seriously.

Come March of this year, I found myself at a standstill. I needed to make some changes in my life which required me to step back, take a good look and make some decisions. I prayed, and thought, and prayed, and contemplated. The only thing that seemed to make sense for this season of my life was to pursue my dream of living abroad. The timing finally lined up, I applied for my Visa and once I was accepted picked a 'go' date and bought a ticket! From here, things literally came together like, well, like it was meant to be. I started meeting people with connections/friends/family over here...so when I arrived I had a warm welcome and a place to stay. I also had lots of coffee meet-ups with the other people I managed to connect with via email or facebook while in Nash. Before I left I was only able to get the technical stuff lined up, I hadn't actually secured a job or a place to live permanently. But I had this crazy amount of faith that this was all going to be taken care of so I wasn't worried in the slightest. Not. At. All. Within 2-3 weeks of arriving, I found a place to live and was offered a job for exactly what I was looking for...working for a loving family a few days a week as their Nanny! I met some awesome new people and started going to a really great little church Sunday evenings. Easy Peasy...like I've lived here my whole life! Two months in and I bump into someone I know every time I'm out and about in the city!

All of these things are wonderful and I'm having an incredible time. But, of all that has happened, what I've learned the most is what Obedience and Faith really mean. This whole thing pretty much landed in my lap...all I had to do was go when the light turned green. God worked everything out for me, I just packed my bags and got on the plane. Thinking about it from this side now it just seems so crazy. To pick up and move across the world with just a few bags and a smile. Oh, but when you give up the weight of the world to a God who can lift it with His pinky, all you need is to follow in the direction He's pointing and smile. I wonder if God is up in heaven looking down at us humming from John Hiatt's song the line "Have a little faith in me..." If only we did more boldly and more often.

Love,

Rachel

new perspective

2009-09-30T01:18:00.000-07:00

I started writing in a journal regularly last summer. I did so after heeding the advice of a songwriter who made the point that songs are inspired by observations, feelings, life...just write and when you look back on the details of your life, you may be able to pair a melody with some parts. So I bought a journal, taught myself how to sit still, and started writing.

This simple, newly formed habit has changed my life.

Really. When I write I am honest with myself, to myself. I write about my hopes, dreams, struggles and defeats, fears, doubts. I also write out prayers & lyrics. Although my incentive was to start working on writing music, I fell in love with the freedom & simplicity of just writing and even if a song never comes from the pages of this journal, I won't regret having started. I don't often write when I'm happy-go-lucky and 'all is well in Rachel's world', though I need to...I'm prompted to write more when I'm either really inspired by something, deeply moved, or when I'm feeling contemplative, indecisive, faithless, or stressed. It seems that writing, for me at least, sorts things out and often leaves me with a better grasp, and certainly more perspective on whatever situation I find myself penning.

Inspired by my friend Allies blog (link can be found to your right @ the top!), I've decided to start writing a few more posts that reflect upon what I'm feeling, learning, understanding, and how I'm growing & changing. Up until now I've mostly shared with you my experience moving to and living in New Zealand. While I will definitely continue posting all about life here and the adventures I find myself in, I really want to share some more personal, candid moments as well. I think as humans we long to be understood, and when we're bold and honest about our lives & can share it with others who are able to relate, there in lies the connection of the human spirit! This is why quotes become quotes, stories become stories, and heros become heros...live, share, inspire.

To kick off this new journal-like blog post mentality...here is a quote posted by another friend that really resonated with me.

Happiness is inward and not outward; therefore it depends on who you are and not what you have.

So True.

I love you all,

Rachel

Sitting on a House and a Dog

2009-09-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

So...for the past 2.5 weeks I've been dog/house-sitting. This is one of my most favorite things to do. There's something fun & exciting about living in someone else's house. It's like a mini-vacation except that you never leave your city. In fact, your house is just a few minutes away but because you're on your own 'vacation', you put that in the back of your mind and make a point not to go home unless it's absolutely necessary. These past couple of weeks have been filled with runs along the ocean with Wendy the dog, weekly walks to the nearest little town for groceries and movies, taking advantage of the amazing scenery for photo-opps, plugging in my ipod to the big stereo, turning it up loud & dancing, dragging a chair into the bathroom with my acoustic guitar because the sound is amazing in there, cooking, baking, and candlestick making. Just kidding about that last one. I also spent the time learning how to drive a manual car & I also learned how to make coffee. Yes...up until now I've just purchased the liquid magic, oh but now I would consider myself an ameteur Barista. You'll see...the machine I learned on is at the top of the totem pole, not just your average appliance.

It's been eventful, peaceful, relaxing, and fun. What's even better is that this is where I get to come everyday during the week to care for 3 cute-pie little boys. While it won't be nearly as quiet, it'll be adventurous, entertaining, and filled with jumping, crashing, loud boy things. So thankful I am for this home...

Here are a few pictures from my time here!

Always,

Rach

Eternal Ocean

2009-09-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

"Can you imagine what it is to cross an ocean?

For weeks you see nothing but the horizon, perfect and empty.

You live in the grip of fear.

Fear of storms,

fear of sickness on board,

fear of the immensity.

So you must drive that fear down deep into your belly.

Study your charts,

watch your compass,

pray for a fair wind,

and hope.

Hope.

Pure,

naked,

fragile,

hope.

At first, it's no more than a haze on the horizon.

So you watch.

You watch.

And there's a smudge,

a shadow on the far water.

For a day,

and another day,

the stain slowly spreads on the horizon.

Until,

by the third day you let yourself believe,

you dare to whisper the word.

Land.

Land,

life,

resurrection,

a true adventure coming out of the vast unkown,

out into new life."

Quoted from the film 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age'

This portrayal of the ocean as an image of eternity is so beautifully written. We live our lives not knowing what's next, not knowing what's on the horizon; yet we must take each step with faith, walk through our fears, and hold on to hope. Life is our ocean. Sail on.

Buses & Such

2009-09-01T03:06:00.000-07:00

Before moving to New Zealand I did quite a bit of research on the Country and each of it's larger cities. Taking into consideration location, population, culture of the city, and my personal interests, the country's capital Wellington won hands down as home base. Giving it just a little bit more of an edge was their public transportation system...I would be living without a car for an entire year!! Here are a few facts from wellingtonnz.com:

More people use public transport in Wellington than anywhere else in New Zealand
About 26,000 people commute into the City every working day
28% use public transport compared with:
* 18% in Auckland
* 9% in Christchurch
* 10% in Australian and North American cities on average.
11% of Wellingtonians walk to work

All a part of the adventure...I was excited to have to find my way around the city using the buses and my own two feet.

An adventure it has been!! Figuring out which stop to get off at (thankfully the drivers will tell you if you ask!), which buses to transfer if needed, timetables, maps, and ticketing. The system here runs like a well oiled machine, it's quite amazing. I've only made one fumble so far in grabbing the right bus number but in the wrong direction. I waited at the stop across the street from the one I needed, rode the bus ALL the way through the route, ALL the way back, THEN to where I needed to go in the first place! I missed my transfer by a long shot, wasted an hour, and forked over $30 for a taxi. I gave the bus driver a good chuckle & took away from it a lesson in direction! Taking the bus has forced me to slow down, give myself plenty of time, and is what I like to call 'conveniently inconvenient'. Sure, if I had a car I would get to where I need to be quicker...but I'm not here to be anywhere quick. Quite the opposite actually, I'm here to slow down, think, enjoy, discover.

Once you get off the bus there's usually some sort of walking involved in getting you to your final destination. Some bus stops are right outside where you need to be and these are always fun. There's something special and celebratory about being able to hop off the bus and be where you need to be!! Something we take for granted having our cars to zip around everywhere & DRIVE-THRU to get what we need! Wellington is the City of Harbours...ohhhh, but it's also the city of WIND and HILLS. Since more often than not the bus stops a good 5-10 minute walk from your destination, your pretty much guaranteed a good workout everyday for free. No gym membership required. This is what a day looks like walking through/to/from Wellington: up stairs, up a hilly street, shortcut down a hillside through bush, downhill along a curvy road, flat...for just a second though, zig zag up a steep pedestrian road access, up stairs, up a hill, down a hill...BAM you're there! Then when you're done...walk back. If I don't return home with a nicer bum than when I left something went terribly wrong!!

You'd think that not having a car would give me less freedom, but it's really given me more. I've been round and round the city which has made it quite easy to remember landmarks and find my way around. I don't have to worry about traffic, gas, car insurance, locking my keys in the car, or getting the oil changed. My heart appreciates all of the walking. I can listen to music & podcasts while on the bus. I'm learning to appreciate the importance of time & that it is not something to be wasted.

Next time you're in a city that uses public transport try it out! Or, consider parking in the area you'll be spending your day and walk around to all of the places you need to go instead of driving to each parking lot. Just a thought... :)

City life (I)

2009-08-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family! I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post! I've been busy settling into life back in Wellington after my trip down South. All is well and I'm working on a new post with a full update to be shared with you soon! I wanted to put up a few pictures I took the other day walking around Wellington. These are mostly shots from just outside of the busy streets with all of the great shops and cafe's, on sunny, beautiful Oriental bay. It's a great area with beaches, marina's, restaurants, ice cream shops, & amazing views. Here you will find lots of runners, rollerbladers, skateboarders, wind surfers, and ducks chasing you for any type of bread or carbohydrate you might have! There is plenty more of the city to be shared...but here is a start. Note, the tree resembling pictures were taken outside of the famous 'Te Papa' museum, they are made completely of wire! Welcome to Wellington...

Love, Rach

Dream a dream

2009-08-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine posted this link via Twitter today. I love it. It's such a great reminder to live with the imagination and endless scope of possibilities of a child...and to never grow weary and become hopeless. I wanted to pass it on in hope that it will inspire you as well to "Dream a dream as big, as big could ever dream to be."

http://www.veryawesomeworld.com/awesomebook/inside.html

South Island: Part 2

2009-08-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

Tuesday I boarded a train from Blenheim and headed down to Christchurch for one night before flying to Queenstown. This was my first time on a train & I have to admit that I was quite excited about it! During the trip I had amazing 360 degree views with my left side being coastline and my right side snowcapped mountains…this spectacular landscape is what I came to see. I arrived pretty late to yet another new adventure…staying at a Backpacker lodge for the first time. I can’t stand the word ‘hostel’…which is the official coined term, so I’ll call it the backpackers. It was quite nice actually. A comfortable lounge and kitchen where you can cook to your hearts content. Clean bathrooms with plenty of hot water, a comfy bed, and all for the low price of $30NZD/per night ($20 US Bucks!!)

Wenesday morning’s alarm went off at 5:30 am so I could catch an 8:30 flight down to Queenstown. The bus drive from ChristChurch to Queenstown is 7-8 hours which is long, but when you want to see the countryside it is a great, cheap way to travel. By plane it takes just under an hour. Since I am only spending a little over a week in the South this trip, I wanted to take advantage of cheap one-way flights so I grabbed a flight down to Queenstown for one leg, and will bus it back for the other leg. Great idea…except that flights into Queenstown are often a game of rush & roulette as it is common for the finicky weather to defer a lot of air traffic. My flight was delayed 2 hours and the weather decided not to lift as expected at take off, so we had to land at an airport in a very southern NZ city called Dunedin. There we were greeted by coach buses that would take us on a 3 ½ hour drive back up to Queenstown. My 9:35 arrival time and day in Queenstown turned into a 5:30 arrival time and a very hungry me. I also missed out on some great aerial views and photos from the plane due to the weather. Looking at it positively, I was able to see much more of the South Island than I had planned which sure didn’t disappoint, and I have a great excuse to come back down here again!

Thursday I took a day trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound, it's in Fjiordland National Park a very preserved and protected part of the country, and the drive over takes you right through the beautiful mountains. The road we took had been closed the previous 2 weeks due to a massive avalanche that blocked the access. I saw first hand how destructive one of those can be! I then boarded a small cruise boat and floated through the Sounds past spectacular waterfalls & we even saw some fur seals. It was an unforgettable day. Today (Friday) was my day to explore the city. I took a long walk along the edge of Lake Wakatipu and got some great shots of the Mountain view. I also picked a lunch spot right on the shore & did a little window shopping. Here are a few shots from the past few days, mostly from Milford Sound & Queenstown.

Cheers, Rach

South Island: Part 1

2009-08-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I sailed the ocean blue taking the Ferry from the North Island to the South Island. We floated across the Cook Strait and down through the Marlbourough Sounds this beginning my 11-day journey through the South Island of New Zealand. Really a trip to the South Island should be planned out through an entire month so you have enough time to actually enjoy the beauty instead of rushing from place to site to bus to tour. Giving yourself a plentiful amount of time will also allow you to do proper tramping (Multiple day hiking trips), skiing, mountain biking, bungy jumping, paragliding, skydiving, bush-walking, or any of the other crazy fun things to do here. I will be here for a year and can come back anytime so I'm cheating and taking a quick solo tour... :)

I was greeted at the Ferry dock, in a small town called Picton, by a friend of a friend from back home in Cambridge (one of those small world things!) Strait-away we went for a walk called ‘the Snout’ which was a beautiful incline up to an amazing view over the Marlbourough Sounds (the Sounds are comprised of a series of interlinked flooded valleys running down from the Richmond Mountain Ranges into the Tasman Sea at Cook Strait.) Fun fact…Marlbourough is the sunniest area in New Zealand & because of this there are many vineyards in the area. We then drove to the house located in a town called Blenheim (pronounced Blen-em) just south of Picton. The next morning we took a trip to Nelson Lake National Park, a popular tramping area about an hour drive away to do some hiking. Both days were beautiful and because the sun was out it was WARM (remember it's still winter here!!).

Wellington City!

xo, Rachel

To the South...

2009-08-12T01:22:00.001-07:00

THIS is the South Island of New Zealand. Locals call it the 'Mainland' because it is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. From the snowcapped mountains of the Kaikoura's in the North, to the Milford Sounds & fjiords in the South, to the many skiing, snowboarding, bungy jumping, sky diving, heli-skiing enthusiasts that holiday in the 'Adventure Capital of the World' Queenstown, to the wine vineyards of Blenheim...you can find it all here! Before I start working in this great land, I want to see it. I planned an 11 day journey through the South Island taking me on trains, planes, boats, and buses from top to bottom and back up. You can refer back to these maps to find each city as I blog my way through the trip! (Click to view full size) Cheers...

Spectacular Views

2009-08-04T02:43:00.000-07:00

Monday was absolutely beautiful here in Wellington! This city is known for having unpredictable weather, so a calm, sunny, blue sky day is definitely one to be taken advantage of. A short walk from my flat is THIS view! From one of the Harbors you can look out and see the beautiful open ocean one way (the next bit of land is Antarctica...brrr!), and if you look the other way you can see some of the incredible snowcapped mountains in the northern region of the South Island. Here are a few pictures from my first couple of days here in New Zealand!

NZ Lingo

2009-08-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've only been in New Zealand for a couple of days and have already heard a lot of new names for some of the most common things. Here are a few:

-Sticky Plaster (Band-Aid)

-Rubbish Bin (Trash Can)

-Dairy (Covenience Store)

-Heaps (A Lot)

-Tog (Bathing Suit)

-Jandals (Flip Flops)

-Judder Bar (Speed Bump)

-Lollies (Candy)

-Aerial (Antenna)

-Bonnet (Hood of the car)

-Boot (Trunk of the car)

-Singlet (Tank Top)

-Ta (Thank You)

-College (High School)

-Varsity/University (College)

Sticky Plaster is my favorite! I'm sure there will be more to come...

Cheers!

Rachel

The other side of the world...

2009-07-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

...is where you can find me. I arrived yesterday in Wellington, New Zealand where I plan to live for the next 12 months! Just before I left I had many people ask how I was feeling about my upcoming trip...my response each time was "Very excited, ready to go, not really nervous at all." It's true, I was all packed and ready for a new, beautiful adventure...I didn't have a stitch of hesitation about going and I really was not nervous about anything (except the possibility of my luggage getting lost in the mix and not making it all the way, thankfully it did make it and I was spared having to walk across that bridge!) My flight(s) over were pretty uneventful...all of them were on time, smooth, and went by relatively quickly. Even the long 12.5 hour stretch across the pacific zipped by with a couple of movies, some halfway decent rest, and two excellent meals (seriously, they were better than what I've had in some restaurants!) I sat next to a young girl from Switzerland on this flight who is on the final leg of a 5 month "trip around the World" ticket! Then at the airport, I met an older couple from NZ who just spent a month traveling in the US/Canada & offered for me to stay with them and get SCUBA certified when I get a chance this summer. I also met a girl from Tahoe spending a month in NZ for a snowboarding competition. I love meeting new people!!

A friend I made through a connection in Nashville gladly opened up their house to me for the first week or so as I get my feet on the ground here. He met me at the airport, loaded my luggage into the car and off we went, on the wrong side of the road, to the house. We talked a bit, then I took a shower and crashed around 6:00 pm.

I woke up at a just past 5:00 am this morning to my first real day in NZ. I am so grateful to be here and have such a unique opportunity to stay for an extended amount of time in another part of the world. I want to get as much as I possibly can out of the next year not only in learning and experiencing a new country and culture, but in personal growth as well. In my relationship with God - making it stronger and closer, in my creative passions - I want to write more and continue climbing upward with photography, and in my heart of hearts - I want to be honest with myself about the things in my life that are the most important, cling to them & pray that God will lay down a path for me that includes these things. I would be lying of I said I wasn't missing my family and friends back home already, because I really, really do...but I know you are all there cheering me on and have truly made this possible with your endless amount of support, encouragement, and love.

I'll end this post with one of my favorite quotes, it's one that a patient of mine from Dr. Wells' office in Nashville sent to me after hearing about my trip. I hope you find inspiration from it as I do.

"If I were to wish for anything I should not wish for wealth and

power, but for the passionate sense of what can be, for the eye, which, ever

young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility

never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so

intoxicating as POSSIBILITY?" - Soren Kierkegaard (unknown year)

Love to you all,

Rachel