My time in New Zealand

Over the Christmas break I was very privileged to return to a place of my mother's upbringing. I remember listening to stories of my mother playing in the bush. Getting chased by wild boars with the local Maori children. She used to teach us the Maori dances. She would tell us the legends and play there music for us. I grew to love the Maori and my mothers connection to their culture. Thus I decided to return to the place I had been raised loving. Conveniently I was accompanied by a long time friend and my parents. One of my favorite ways to travel is by bicycle. I cannot think of a more fitting way to explore a land that I truly desired to experience. We rode one thousand miles across New Zealand in a period of ten days. The rest of the time we were seeing the things we couldn't see by bicycle. I put together a few things so that you can see a little bit about our time:

Along the way we met some very interesting people who were very important to the success of our adventure. To those people I say thank you.

When I set out on the journey many things that I had been working so hard to accomplish were hanging in the balance. Without my attention the outcome could have been devastating. In addition I was given a once in a lifetime experience to be with some of the people I love most, doing things I love, in a place I love, and then to return to such a favorable situation there is no way I cannot feel humbled to reflect from where I stand. Not to say that I do not struggle daily. But with this perspective I was humbled to the point of change, as should be the case any time you gain a new perspective. it should be a motivator of change. At the end of the trip we spent some time with local Fijian people. With the governmental situation the people are in a crunch. To see their struggles with the mentality that I was maintaining after my time of reflection in New Zealand, I was brought to a hightened sense of my blessed situation. To those around me who have enabled me to be in this situation I am overwhelmingly grateful. Thank You.