Dear [insert name here],
I know I just got to Fiji today, but apparently the internet on the island we're going to tomorrow is insanely expensive so...
Hello! I would like to say hello from the warm, tropical island of Fiji. I have never been swimming on the beach before, so I think Fiji is a good start, right? I am sad to leave New Zealand after making such a connection with the people, the land and the culture. I would love to fly back and stay another month in New Zealand, or maybe just a full year or lifetime. I love it so much in Aotearoa, and now I'm just rambling.
But now I'm in Fiji for a short amount of time, and I know it'll be fun as well. I'd like to make a shout out to all the friends I haven't seen in forever, because the only thing I don't like about this trip is the clique-iness and the talking crap from a bunch of bratty girls. I miss my friends. Waaah.
I also miss my cat. Even though he's stupid.
Also, I would say I miss my family, but I'll be fine another week without them :)
Love,
Sarah
7.23.2010
7.19.2010
Update 3
So, this may just be my last post before I actually get back home to the States.
New Zealand has been so much fun. I know that sounds really generic and obvious, but it really has been. I would love to stay here another month or two, as long as a few people didn't come with me.
So, just a few things that I've done in the past two weeks on my adventure tour:
Well, love you all and I'll try to have fun.
New Zealand has been so much fun. I know that sounds really generic and obvious, but it really has been. I would love to stay here another month or two, as long as a few people didn't come with me.
So, just a few things that I've done in the past two weeks on my adventure tour:
- Bungy Jumped 134 m
- Went on the world's largest swing at a whopping 300 m arc
- Jumped 13,000 ft out of a perfectly functional aeroplane strapped to a man named Scruffy
- Sat in a mud bath and hot water spa, then later ate the same kind of mud used for bathing (it's supposed to have lots of minerals)
- Zorbed. This is when you get into a giant plastic ball with a little warm water in it and roll down a mountain. Talk about FUN.
- Went to a Kiwi reserve. I finally got to see the most famous bird in New Zealand, which everyone knows is the Kiwi. They are super cute, fat, and just super cute.
- White water rafted and went down the world's most commercially rafted waterfall (at a soothing 7 metres)
- Went to the Tamaki Brothers Marae, where we watched them perform the Haka (the real one, all you BYU posers...) and had an excellent dinner
- Went to Te Papa, a super awesome and exciting museum in Wellington. It's the museum where the actual body of the first colossal squid that was caught is housed
- Spent all day hiking a glacier which involved slipping and squeezing through crevasses, sliding through tunnels in ice, and scaling down ice walls
- I went sea kayaking. It was harder than I thought
- I saw Mount Doom. AHHHHHHHHH! My life is complete
- I went to New Zealand, folks. That's pretty much super excellent in and of itself!
Well, love you all and I'll try to have fun.
7.09.2010
Update 2
Kia ora, mates!
I want to make this update a little shorter than last time's, but I'd like to first say that New Zealand is fabulous. The people are so friendly- they stop to talk to you and ask you where you're from, and they always want to know how much you're enjoying New Zealand. I always rave about how much I love it!
I would love to state the numbers of my group's accomplishments, but I want to get to the point.
The volunteer work was fabulous. I got good ol' Godzone dirt under my nails, but it feels good to make a difference.
The people are fantastic, and it was hard saying goodbye to some of them today. It was hard to say goodbye to Daryl.
Ah, Daryl.
He was our bus driver/Kuaka leader/bad-a man. He could beat the crap out of anyone who tried to mess with you. He was funny, he had an accent, and he was attractive in the older man, rugged and awesome sort of way. I'm not the only one who thinks this. We're all obsessed with Daryl.
Anyways, tomorrow I'm going bungy jumping, which first originated in Queenstown. I'm also doing a shotover jet, a LOTR tour, a skyline luge and more. I'll keep you posted, eh?
Jandals = sandals/flip flops
bob's your uncle = end of story/that's that
Sweet as!
I want to make this update a little shorter than last time's, but I'd like to first say that New Zealand is fabulous. The people are so friendly- they stop to talk to you and ask you where you're from, and they always want to know how much you're enjoying New Zealand. I always rave about how much I love it!
I would love to state the numbers of my group's accomplishments, but I want to get to the point.
The volunteer work was fabulous. I got good ol' Godzone dirt under my nails, but it feels good to make a difference.
The people are fantastic, and it was hard saying goodbye to some of them today. It was hard to say goodbye to Daryl.
Ah, Daryl.
He was our bus driver/Kuaka leader/bad-a man. He could beat the crap out of anyone who tried to mess with you. He was funny, he had an accent, and he was attractive in the older man, rugged and awesome sort of way. I'm not the only one who thinks this. We're all obsessed with Daryl.
Anyways, tomorrow I'm going bungy jumping, which first originated in Queenstown. I'm also doing a shotover jet, a LOTR tour, a skyline luge and more. I'll keep you posted, eh?
Jandals = sandals/flip flops
bob's your uncle = end of story/that's that
Sweet as!
7.02.2010
Update 1
Just a quick update from New Zealand:
The group I'm in is called Kuaka, whose main purpose is to restore the environment in New Zealand to its proper state. What I first thought was, "what? New Zealand has environment problems? Weird." After getting knee-deep in the invasive blackberry thorns, covered in mud, and sore legs from walking all day, I now know that New Zealand really does have a lot of problems. There are these animals called Possums (not oppossum) that have invaded and are killing the endangered Kiwi Bird. There are a myriad of other animals that are invasive and very destructive, but I don't have my notes with me now.
One thing I didn't know was that there are only 2 mammals natural to New Zealand- one went extinct and the other is a bat that walks more than flies. Everything else is birds. Birds, birds, birds, birds, birds. It's amazing how many different kinds of birds they have. Also, they don't really have spiders, and they most definitely don't have snakes or anything like that. They said that the only thing that will kill you here is the bush (or the forest) itself.
The winter here is the mildest, most lovely winter in the world. I can go outside in just a t-shirt and jeans in the daytime and I'm just fine. The nights get a little chilly, but nothing a thermal and two pant layers can't handle.
The place I'm staying in is Aongatete Lodge (On-Guh-Tea-Tea), which is basically a cabin-like deal with six rooms, each with four bunk beds. It's not heated at all, so a need for a warm mummy bag is high. There is a common room where we eat, play cards and have discussions. There is also a place to play volleyball, and it's pretty dang cold in there at night.
The trip is a blast- I only really have one complaint. The people I'm with don't really have the same view on life as I do. They talk about drinking, sex, and drugs almost constantly. I've heard the f-bomb dropped more than any other place I've been to, and I've just heard... too much. I love the program, the country, the work, and the culture, but the people can be too much to handle. I miss church and being around people who understand the things I do. It's not compromising, it's just frustrating.
Actually, right now about 90% of the group is out drinking. Most of them were drunk at dinner, and they have gallons of liquor to go. I actually just got some beer spilled on me, but that was my fault. I knocked over a Norwegian's beer (he's not in our group) and it splashed on me.
Well, I'll be back again another day!
I'll have loads of fun, okay?
The group I'm in is called Kuaka, whose main purpose is to restore the environment in New Zealand to its proper state. What I first thought was, "what? New Zealand has environment problems? Weird." After getting knee-deep in the invasive blackberry thorns, covered in mud, and sore legs from walking all day, I now know that New Zealand really does have a lot of problems. There are these animals called Possums (not oppossum) that have invaded and are killing the endangered Kiwi Bird. There are a myriad of other animals that are invasive and very destructive, but I don't have my notes with me now.
One thing I didn't know was that there are only 2 mammals natural to New Zealand- one went extinct and the other is a bat that walks more than flies. Everything else is birds. Birds, birds, birds, birds, birds. It's amazing how many different kinds of birds they have. Also, they don't really have spiders, and they most definitely don't have snakes or anything like that. They said that the only thing that will kill you here is the bush (or the forest) itself.
The winter here is the mildest, most lovely winter in the world. I can go outside in just a t-shirt and jeans in the daytime and I'm just fine. The nights get a little chilly, but nothing a thermal and two pant layers can't handle.
The place I'm staying in is Aongatete Lodge (On-Guh-Tea-Tea), which is basically a cabin-like deal with six rooms, each with four bunk beds. It's not heated at all, so a need for a warm mummy bag is high. There is a common room where we eat, play cards and have discussions. There is also a place to play volleyball, and it's pretty dang cold in there at night.
The trip is a blast- I only really have one complaint. The people I'm with don't really have the same view on life as I do. They talk about drinking, sex, and drugs almost constantly. I've heard the f-bomb dropped more than any other place I've been to, and I've just heard... too much. I love the program, the country, the work, and the culture, but the people can be too much to handle. I miss church and being around people who understand the things I do. It's not compromising, it's just frustrating.
Actually, right now about 90% of the group is out drinking. Most of them were drunk at dinner, and they have gallons of liquor to go. I actually just got some beer spilled on me, but that was my fault. I knocked over a Norwegian's beer (he's not in our group) and it splashed on me.
Well, I'll be back again another day!
I'll have loads of fun, okay?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
