Thanksgiving
Today is a day of gratitude and thanks in the US. A day to celebrate abundance, health, family, and home. I am definitely grateful for many things this year- my amazing friends and family, the incredible journey I experienced and am still experiencing called life. And the luxury I have of being able to travel thousands of miles away to study, live and love a different culture and country. My experience in New Zealand was definitely life-affirming if not life changing. I am now back (if you haven’t figured that out yet), sitting on my old bed, in my parents house listening to Allison Krauss with a full tummy, and fast internet (!!). Ode to the small things. Ode to my mum’s delicious cooking, and my dad’s piano playing! Ode to the city of brotherly love and pretzels and south street! Ode to trains, planes, automobiles! As you can tell I’m in a reflective mood. But how can you blame me, I’ve been gone for a year, and everything is definitely a bit strange. It’s not that things have changed. Really, it’s still the same. But I have changed. And I see things differently. And here I thought I had not. I was warned though, my friends who I talked to who had gone through this told me to be gentle with myself, and take time to get used to it all. Soak it up. Well I’m definitely trying that approach. But it’s tough. I feel like an alien.
On a side note, or more like a major note- I AM returning to New Zealand! On the 6th of December I fly out. I had to book it sooner because the prices were skyrocketing already and I didn’t want to chance it too close to Christmas. So I’m spending another Christmas and New Years down under. It feel strange as well. I’m just starting to get used to the Christmas feeling in the Northeast, watching the last of the leaves fall from trees, smelling the aroma of burning wood, mixed with aroma of pine wreathes. There’s really no place like the north to celebrate the holidays. And if there is snow, it’s just amazing. I have begun to appreciate it. But I know I will love it warm too.
I am going back because I am ‘visiting’ my dear friend (the director) of my last film to ‘help’ her out with it for about 3 months, and see how it all goes. I’m going to be in Auckland primarily because I sold my car, and am living on a sparse income. But I love Auckland in the summer. Beaches are close, lots of outdoor concerts, gorgeous weather. Looking forward to it! What I DO need is a place to crash. Anyone know of someone who needs a house sitter?? Definitely let me know!
The bonuses of fast internet: I’ve finally started uploading my photos again to Flickr (I’ll be putting more photos up with links to Flickr)- so exciting!!! Check them out sometime. Some of my favorites are of course the South Island ones. (By the way, the one above is just one of my favorite ones from Sydney…love the red flower)
