Saturday, August 14, 2010

Reflections of New Zealand

Hello all,

For those of you still reading, I salute you. This will be my last post on this blog, and I must again apologize for taking so long in writing this. It's taken a while to sort out my thoughts, and what with trying to enjoy the last bits of summer in Traverse City, I haven't had a ton of time to sit down and process everything. It's been over a month since I returned from New Zealand, and I miss it more and more each day. It seems totally surreal to me that only a month ago I was on the other side of the world, living on my own in a complete paradise. I only just got home, and already I can't wait to go back. I hope that it's sooner rather than later.

One of the biggest differences that I keep telling people between the US and NZ is the level of stress associated with everyday life. In New Zealand, the "no worries" attitude is everywhere, and everyone just has a good time. Over here, it seems like every second of my day is consumed by stress, trying to get one thing done after another, with no time to spare to just ENJOY life. For me, that has been the hardest part about being home, and it makes me long for the simpler days of my time in New Zealand.

It's wonderful to be back home and see all of the people I left behind, but now I have a whole new set of friends to miss in the people that I met while over there. I am excited to start my senior year of school soon, and I am hoping that not TOO much has changed in my time away. I know I certainly changed while I was over there, and it has been quite an adjustment for me easing back into my old life while wearing a new outlook.

Now I'm just rambling, and I had hoped that this final post would be so much more deep and thoughtful, but I guess it's hard to really put into words how I am feeling. I left a piece of my soul in New Zealand, and I hope someday I can return to that place and feel whole again. Until then, I will enjoy my life here to the best of my abilities, and try to spread the positivity that I absorbed while in New Zealand to everyone around me.

To all those who read this blog, though it was incredibly infrequent and disjointed, I thank you. I hope it was enjoyable to travel along with me :-)

To all of my friends that I met while in the Land of the Long White Cloud, I miss you terribly, and I promise you I will see you all again before too long.

To Aotearoa itself, you captured my spirit, and helped me find my way. I am forever indebted to you. I will see you again. I promise.

That's all for now.

Much love to you all,

Connor