i am in love

That's right, folks. I am in love. It's a perfect, pure love. Not the fleeting kind, but the committed, lasting kind of love.

New Zealand is perfect. Even when it rains and is windy, it is perfection. I can't get over how beautiful it is. I have seen a good deal of the North Island, and with each town I visit and every hill I climb, I think, it can't get better than this. But then, I travel on, and find a city and mountain even more spectacular than the last, and it catches me off guard each time. The people here are totally spoiled by the exquisite land that they live on. It is really unbelievable.

And for now, if you have never meandered to this gorgeous place, you will have to take my word. I am having the worst luck with loading pictures. I will load them as soon as I can. Be patient, I have to be.

A lot has happened and much has been experienced since my last entry. I will try to sum stuff up better than the last million word entry.

Hamilton (5 Days, 4 Nights):

-Real fun. I stayed with the Astons, who have officially become my Kiwi Family. I met them through couchsurfing and they are the greatest. Carol is a real fun lady who is a very talented artist. She is really sweet, and kind. I have a blast hanging out and talking with her. Her husband Tim is great. He takes me into town, picks me up from the bus stop, and even took to the Waitamo Caves on Tuesday. He is so nice, and also great to talk to. Their son Nick is real class; he lives in the shed, so I have only gotten to talk to him a few times. He is real funny and nice. All in all, a loving (and Christian) family.

-They are the ones who live in the country.

- Hungout at an Irish pub with a dude I met through couchsurfing. Was a fun night.

- Chilled around the city and on the farm. All in all my time in Hamilton was great.

Rotorua (5 Days, 4 Nights):

- Seriously smells like rotten eggs. Rotorua is world famous for their natural hot springs and thermal pools. And for smelling like poop.

-Rotorua, the city, is situated in the crater of a volcano. If erupted, I would be dead. And it is not extinct. The last time it erupted was in 1889, totally destroying the settlement their and a few Maori tribes. Freaky.

- I stayed with my friend Sean's friend Kirsty, who he went to high school with. She is awesome. We got along so well. So sweet and welcoming. We listened to a lot of music, played cards and LAUGHED a lot. I am hoping to go back to Rotorua to celebrate Thanksgiving with her and her friends (she's an Aussie, but an MK, so she has been celebrating Thanksgiving for years with other missionary families).

-All of Kirsty's friends are healthcare professionals. They are either nurses (like Kirsty), GPs, surgeons, or whatever else. I felt like I was in Grey's Anatomy or Scrubs. I was just waiting for Zach Braff to show up, but sadly, he never did. It was really funny to be amidst all these professional people my age, you know, being unemployed and homeless. Classic.

- Chilled in a thermal pool my first night. So hot. And my rings tarnished from the sulphur (I think the sulphur). And my shorts still smell a bit funny because of it.

- Cafes, museums, thermal pools, Braveheart, outdoor bowls, the bathhouse, Redwood forest.

- I was suppose to leave last Thursday, but my bus broke down, and I ended up having to stay another day, but it was nice hanging with Kirsty.

New Plymouth (4 Days, 3 Nights):

-TOTALLY AWESOME! New Plymouth is right on the west coast of the North Island. You could see the Tasman sea from where I was staying out on their front porch. Then, go the their kitchen, look out the window, and there is Mount Taranaki. So beautiful. This snow-capped volcano (I am telling you, there are volcanoes everywhere). If you have ever seen The Last Samurai, the entire film was shot in New Plymouth and Mt. Taranaki was Mt Fuji.

- The couple I stayed with, Barbara and Craig were totally awesome. They picked me up at the bus stop, bought me dinner, showed me all around New Plymouth, took me to the Sugar Loaf Islands, took me to down town, made me dinners, took me on walks, let me use their internet, took me a scenic drive around the area and to black sand beaches, taught me more about rugby, and watched a really cool documentary about Blues Music. Basically, they were awesome and I had a blast.

- Went to the city museum. And you will NOT believe this. They had a traveling exhibit. About dinosaurs. And it was Sue. The T-Rex. From the Field Museum. In Chicago. I have grown-up going to the Field Museum almost annually. To think, the most familiar thing that I have seen in the last month has been a dinosaur carcass just cracks me up.

Hamilton (Again. 3 Days, 2 Nights):

- I was suppose to go to Wellington, but I couldn't find a place to stay. So, Carol and Tim let me come back. Actually, Carol wanted me to stay forever! Haha. It was really neat to go somewhere, and recognize people and places. I was only there for 2 nights, but it was great to go "home".

- Tim and I went to the Waitamo Caves and went on a glow worm tour. Pretty cool. I am planning on going back in the summer (Dec) and doing black water rafting. Basically, you ride down the river, in inter tubes, in the dark. Sweet as.

WELLINGTON!!! (Just got here yesterday)

-I am finally here, and it is awesome! I contacted this guy named Steven, he is my friend Ashley's friend from college, and he found me a place to stay (I told him about my places to stay falling through, and he asked his friend's family if I could stay with them).

- I am planning on living here, and I am so psyched about it. It is a cool city. It has a very unique feel and style. Welly --its nickname-- is often compared to San Fran, but greener. There are hills everywhere and it, Wellington, sits right on the water. Too bad no beaches, but still choice.

- Today was a beautiful day. Sunny and warmer than it has been. Great weather for exploring the city.

-The girl I am staying with, Angelic, is really nice. And her fam is great. She picked me up at the bus stop, along with Steven and their friend Sam and we all went out for burgers. I enjoyed hanging out with people close to my age (I don't do it often. Either older couples or just myself. That's one reason I totally loved being in Rotorua with Kirsty).

General Info:

- I am doing real well. I am still loving my time here. Some people have asked me if I am getting lonely, and mostly the answer is no. I had a hard time, about a week and a half ago, but I called my parents at 2 am their time, and made them talk to me. I felt a little better after our convo (part of it was that I didn't have a place to stay the next day, and I was getting all anxious and nauseated). But than I went back to Carols and had a nice, long talk with her, and everything was better. I stayed with them a few extra days, so no worries, I haven't slept in a park yet.

- My clothes are starting to smell funny. I have done one load of laundry, but I need to do more ASAP because I am starting to STANK.

- I am sick of spending money. Stuff is expensive!

- I have a job interview tomorrow for a short term nanny position, and I really want to get it. Pray that is works out! The funds are depleting, and I need to be saving money and making some as well.

- Our close family friends, the Fores, are going to be in New Zealand in a few weeks, and I am going to meet up with them! Mr and Mrs Fore's twin girls, Katie and Meghan are studying in Sydney, and they are traveling around AUS and NZ for a bit. I am meeting up with them in Queenstown, and I am SOOO excited to see people I know. It is going to be great.

- Umm, I have read 5 books since I have been here. And I am in the process of reading 3 more.

- I miss my bed.

- I really love watching rugby. And I understand it a lot more now.

- If you haven't given me your address already, and you are not in my church directory, give it to me!! I am sending postcards, and you don't want to miss out. Also, I am trying to see how long it takes for them to reach people, so if you have received already, let me know it arrived! And if you haven't yet, don't worry, your time will come.

-Also, if any of you see my parents ever, give them a hug from me.

love from aotearoa,
jewels