Hey friends, family, and dedicated fans!! I am so sorry I haven't blogged sooner!! I am having the most amazing and life-changing time in Australia (formerly New Zealand). If you have ever seen pictures of New Zealand, you know that it it breath-taking. Except, you actually have NO IDEA. It is not breath-taking. It is something more. It is here that a person could really become an artists because it is just SO DARN INSPIRING. In New Zealand, Cities hit rolling hills which hit thermal springs which hit tropical rainforests which hit magestic mountains...and all this is surrounded by calm and crisp seas. It is truely nature at its best. Downsides, you might ask? Yes there are some. Two words: meat pies. I will never eat another one again. And fish and chips were fun the first time I experienced them (and the second and third time I suppose)...but the eighth? Not really. I am finding the food in Australia to be quite yummy though. I am anxiouisly awaiting the day I can experience a kangaroo burger. Today perhaps. Australia is magical, even in the city. I haven't actually left Sydney yet, but today I am off to Cairnes. There will be rainforests and reefs and it will be epic. The school visits are amazing as well. I have seen the greatest practices and met the best kids! And I can now say I have friends all over the globe. Luycky me!! So blessed. I miss my family tremendously though!

Getting urban in NZ

What an adventure the past few days have been! American Airlines (and every second of every airport) was torture, and then we boarded Air New Zealand. If anyone is planning to go to a fancy resteraunt anytime soon, I mean real expensive and high-class--dont!! Just buy a roundtrip of Air New Zealand. The food was great and I had my own television with a million movies and tv shows to choose from. You know I was in heaven. However, the flight was 14 hours long and in that time I had much opportunity to contemplate the absurdity of my decision to come here. I really didn't think this one through--a month is a very long time. And now that I have arrived here, I am slowly realizing many other things I didn't think through, such as: When they told me that it was going to be freezing cold here and we would be experiencing glaciers, I thought "hmmm...awesome. I'll bring a jacket" not "hmmm...awesome. I'll bring ALOT of very warm clothes". I am thinking of buying a big sweatshirt here and rocking it throughout most of the southern island. I have met som many new people here from so many places. I made very good friends with a couple of Australian girls who were EXACTLY what I expected. I loved them. In my adventures I have met many Irishmen, which is odd because you would think that I would be meeting people from here instead of somewhere else. But that is how it is here, especially at the hostel. Everyone is from somewhere else and everyone is eager to get to know everyone else. There have been lots of friendly faces. I have explored Auckland's city center very thoroughly, looking at all the local markets and checkingout all the local shops. And yesterday I started the day with an overdose...of adrenaline! I jumped off a bridge. Yes, a bridge. I bungee jumped off Auckland Bridge. The water was so clear and the city was just starting to come alive. Diving off the ledge was definitely a crash course in facing my fears and I can't wait to do it again. This place is gorgeous, even in the middle of the city. It is amazing how the old smashes into the new, and the beautiful and magestic mountains and harbors intermingle with the metropolitan city. Auckland is called the "City of Sails" and it is very apparent why. There are sailboats everywhere and it is so peaceful just to watch them. I love it here but I miss home very much. I hope I survive a whole month. I am very eager to see the rest of the island and explore further south, but I have to wait until Thursday (Wednesday, YOUR time). We are going to the World Congress of Reading starting tomorrow, then we are headed to Rotorua on Thursday to check out some of the Maori culture--which I absolutely CANNOT wait for!! Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I am not entirely sure when I will have the opportunity to blog again, but keep your eyes peeled for any updates. I miss you all and can't wait to show you all the pictures I am taking!

Sending my love from New Zealand...

Here I Go

Wow. I've been planning for this day since November and I still do not feel prepared. At all. Today I embark on what is sure to be one of my greatest adventures. No, it has nothing to do with food...I know you were all thinking it, and I am proud to say that this one is a little bigger. Today I will board a plane. I will likely be frisked and interrogated about why I have a pair of tweezers in my possesion, because only the most hardened criminals carry tweezers--knowing the damage they could cause with such a mighty weapon. Just kidding. I checked them. I will wait hours in line to give my ticket, or get it, or send my luggage through the fancy check-your-bag machine...as you can see I dont do this very often. Then, at 4:50 p.m., I will soar into the clouds headed for Down Under. New Zealand comes first, then Australia. Can you say terrified? Go ahead, say it, because there is no other word to describe what's going on in this crazy head of mine. A month is a long time and I'm afraid I haven't thought this one through. I have always had someone I know (very, very well) right beside me to hold my hand (thanks Sarah), and I am positive I won't have anything like that this time. What if Mom can't handle the garden all by herself? What if Sarah and Mom don't let Dad watch his strange shows or the History Channel (I'm his only ally on these matters)? What if my dog starts losing all his hair....again?! Poor Elvis, all the other dogs will make fun of him. Okay, so I know that the family will do just fine without me, but it doesn't make this any less scary. I have given alot of thought into what I'm bringing back for everyone, however I have neglected to give ANY thought to the fact that this is a big event. I mean, really BIG. But I think it will be a good, BIG change. If I survive it...which I am really counting on. I'm going to see the most amazing things this month, and I hope I am able to record it all for you, here! I am visiting my number one, most desired destination (seriously, NUMBER ONE!!) and through my sheer terror, I am taking in all I can. Or atleast that is the plan. Mark Twain once said, in all his brillliance: "Twenty years from now you will be more dissappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Thanks Mark! That's exactly what I'll do...