I can hardly believe that I am sitting at a laptop computer right now, in New Zealand. I keep telling myself and reminding myself that I am here, six billion miles away from home I am sure, yet it is not real. I am sure once I become a little more familiar with the city and witness a little surfing, that I will feel right at home.
First impressions - I think I love Kiwis! They are so friendly and so nice and I love their cute little accents. The city seems old yet so new all at the same time. It seems accessible and easy. It seems warm and friendly, sincerely nice people surround us. It seems familiar and comfortable, being with my four fellow Canadian friends. It seems foreign and strange. What can I say? I am feeling a lot of things right now that I know are natural yet I still wish that I had everything all figured out. Today will be a day of exploration and from there, I will see where I end up.
Being here though, makes me ralize my true independence. Although I miss home and family, it is not so much that it is intolerable or that I feel the need to go home. It is just enough that I can appreciate all that I have temporarily left behind and realize that in a way, I am kind of on my own. Being here makes me realize that I can do anything and that I am okay alone, in a foreign airport where I am stuck in one country and not allowed into the next. Being here makes me realize that I could travel alone, that I can make all of my own travel arrangements and get from one place to another with elatively no problems. Being here makes me realize that if I choose to go to Korea to teach English for a year, I will be okay.
A few more things about Christchurch. It truly is a beautiful city. It is hard though, to come from Thailand where you can eat an entire meal for $2 and now have to pay $2.50 for a small bottle of water. I just need to forget about the Baht! But Lindsay and I went around yesterday. She showed me the square, the grocery store and a store called Farmer's where I got cheap teacher clothes and am somewhat mad at her for showing it to me :) We went to the Warehouse which is a crappy version of Wal Mart minues all the good deals. I got a New Zealand bank account and I met all of my new "flatmates."
So all around, so far so good. I am in New Zealand!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Lost: A piece of my heart in Thailand
Well, where do I begin? Do I talk first about the amazing sights I've seen? The Troubles I had travelling? Or all of the amazing people I've met along the way? Seeing as how I sent e-mail after e-mail out to friends and family and wish not to torture them with it all again, I will talk about my own journey through the lands of Thailand.
Being the first big trip I've ever taken, I was naturally very nervous for the whole thing to come together. All went off mostly without ta hitch (other than a few minor travel problems) and I found myself safely in Thailand.
As I look back, I can't say that this trip has changed my life or that I am a completely new person because of it. Instead, I find myself a little more content with life, overjoyed at the thought that I have been to Thailand and am now lucky ebough to be living in New Zealand. Lookng back too, I tried to always be thankful for where I was and for what I was doing. There are very few of us who are lucky enough to get to go to university and get a degree, let alone travel the world while doing it.
I have also never been so proud to be Canadian. I loved when people asked me where I was from because I would look then in the eye and say "Canada." Pretty much everyone loved Canada and thought it was great that they had met another Canadian (guess there are a bunch of us out there). It is funny to think of myself before I left, probably really only able to identify myself with other Albertans, differing myself from Saskatchewaners and Newfies. Meeting Canadians in Thailand, however, was such an exciting thing for me, the familiarity and commoness of it all, feeling like we had much more in common than things different between us. Identity has become much more apparent in my life.
I also realized how much home meant to me. I always knew how much I loved family and how much I loved home, but the simple things became so much more obvious to me. I missed the quiet and comfortable simplicity of Lethbridge, I missed my parents being just a phone call away, I missed winter (I was surprised at this myself), I missed ceasar salad, I missed driving, I missed working at Costco, I missed having a hot shower, I missed sleeping in a place where there were no bugs. But most of all, I missed my friends. These are all things that I know I took for granted at home but now realize how lucky I am to have had them. And its funny, because I am the type of person who often tries to look at my life and be thankful for what I have and try to see how I can use my experiences to make myself better inside and for those around me. I realize this even more so now. But you know what, I wouldn't trade the gross sheets, the cockroaches, the cold showers, the noisy hotel rooms, and the lack of personal space, for anything in the world, I have been to Thailand and am darn proud of it!
However, I am not going to lie. A part of me was more than anxious to leave the busy streets of Bangkok, the Tuk-Tuk drivers, the markets, the street vendors, the people selling stuff on the street who never cease to leave you alone. I looked forward to a rountine, to not living out of a bag, to have a consistent place to sleep, and to not to pack and unpack my huge traveelling backpack every three days. I am ready for the holiday to end and I am ready to start the last leg of my university career. I am ready to start teaching, as nervous as I still am. I am ready for the challenge and I am ready to meet new people. I am ready to see how I can and will grow as a person, and I am ready to see what New Zealand has to offer.
Being the first big trip I've ever taken, I was naturally very nervous for the whole thing to come together. All went off mostly without ta hitch (other than a few minor travel problems) and I found myself safely in Thailand.
As I look back, I can't say that this trip has changed my life or that I am a completely new person because of it. Instead, I find myself a little more content with life, overjoyed at the thought that I have been to Thailand and am now lucky ebough to be living in New Zealand. Lookng back too, I tried to always be thankful for where I was and for what I was doing. There are very few of us who are lucky enough to get to go to university and get a degree, let alone travel the world while doing it.
I have also never been so proud to be Canadian. I loved when people asked me where I was from because I would look then in the eye and say "Canada." Pretty much everyone loved Canada and thought it was great that they had met another Canadian (guess there are a bunch of us out there). It is funny to think of myself before I left, probably really only able to identify myself with other Albertans, differing myself from Saskatchewaners and Newfies. Meeting Canadians in Thailand, however, was such an exciting thing for me, the familiarity and commoness of it all, feeling like we had much more in common than things different between us. Identity has become much more apparent in my life.
I also realized how much home meant to me. I always knew how much I loved family and how much I loved home, but the simple things became so much more obvious to me. I missed the quiet and comfortable simplicity of Lethbridge, I missed my parents being just a phone call away, I missed winter (I was surprised at this myself), I missed ceasar salad, I missed driving, I missed working at Costco, I missed having a hot shower, I missed sleeping in a place where there were no bugs. But most of all, I missed my friends. These are all things that I know I took for granted at home but now realize how lucky I am to have had them. And its funny, because I am the type of person who often tries to look at my life and be thankful for what I have and try to see how I can use my experiences to make myself better inside and for those around me. I realize this even more so now. But you know what, I wouldn't trade the gross sheets, the cockroaches, the cold showers, the noisy hotel rooms, and the lack of personal space, for anything in the world, I have been to Thailand and am darn proud of it!
However, I am not going to lie. A part of me was more than anxious to leave the busy streets of Bangkok, the Tuk-Tuk drivers, the markets, the street vendors, the people selling stuff on the street who never cease to leave you alone. I looked forward to a rountine, to not living out of a bag, to have a consistent place to sleep, and to not to pack and unpack my huge traveelling backpack every three days. I am ready for the holiday to end and I am ready to start the last leg of my university career. I am ready to start teaching, as nervous as I still am. I am ready for the challenge and I am ready to meet new people. I am ready to see how I can and will grow as a person, and I am ready to see what New Zealand has to offer.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
All About Me
I am doing this post as an introduction of myself to either my school or just my class. So here it goes...I am Canadian and proud of it! I was born in Fort McMurray, AB, home of the largest oil sands producer in the world. My step-mom drives a 400 ton truck out in the mine. I actually got to drive one of these trucks for about six hours before I decided it was just too big for me.
When I was fourteen, I moved to Drumheller, which is home of one of the world's largest dinosaur museums.
I have two younger brothers, 21 and 12 and they as well as the rest of my family, mean the absolute world to me. Interesting fact: I have never had a pet in my entire life, not even a fish. I love golfing, baseball, and waterslides as well.
Once I was done high school, I moved to Lethbridge and began my studies as a teacher at the University of Lethbridge. Since then, I have taught in a 1,2,3 split class and in a grade 5 class all of which I have loved.
More stuff about me: I love snowmobling, quading, and walking in the summer. My Dad is a firefighter and was raised to be a hunter and a fisher and therefore, as a family it is a delicasy to eat raw moose hamburger. My mom and step-dad own a bed and breakfast in Drumheller.
Well, that is about all I can think of for now. I will add more when I think of it.
Monday, January 1, 2007
The nerves are beginning (oh And Happy New Year!)
So there are only three more days until I leave. Wow! I never imagined that time could go by so incredibly fast. Christmas, too, has already come and gone and I am happy to say that my travelling funds are now a little larger. Christmas was amazing, so much time spent with family, and too much time spent on eating. It has just been an all-around amazing little break before I depart. And I even made it to the tube park which was the most thrilling fun I've had in a while.
Over the holidays, I find that everyone I see or meet asks me about my trip. I won't be surprised if tomorrow, some guy I don't even know asks me about New Zealand. Seriously, that is how much I have had to talk about this trip. And as I tell everyone that I am really excited but also nervous they're like "oh you'll have such a wonderful time and you have nothing to worry about." Oh yeah? Nothing ot be nervous about? What about the freaking bomb that just went off in Bangkok? Or the 24 hours that I have to spend alone in LAX airport? Oh I'm nervous all right even though I know this trip will be amazing.
Ok, so that was kind of joking. I'm not that stressed out although I do find myself waking up every morning to a somewhat quicker heart rate. Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine and dad says its good to be nervous because then I'll be more careful. Oh Dad :)
And I've already gotten the lecture from so many people (especially my brother and father) : "Shannon, you can't be so friendly when you're over there. You need to be more cautious of the people you meet and guard your things." Hello! I know! Don't worry people, the nice factor will be toned down a few notches at least until I get to New Zealand.
Alright yes, let's talk New Zealand a little. I am very excited to start teaching and just to see what it is like there. I fly in on the 28th and it was bloody expensive to get there. Not complaining of course. I am really looking forward to meeting new people, doing new things, and unravelling more of who I am to myself. I know that sounds cheezy, but this experience will change me so much as a person and how I see the world that I can't wait until the process begins! And although I was scared of teaching in a different country with a different curriculum and a different accent of which I know I can barely understand cause I met a New Zealander a few days ago, I am ready! I am ready for the challenge and the experience and meeting the kids, which we all know I love so much!
But I will miss my family and friends and already do. Wish me luck and the only thing I hope for so far in the New Year is for safe travels (and the possibility of meeting my future husband- ha just kidding Dad) :)
Over the holidays, I find that everyone I see or meet asks me about my trip. I won't be surprised if tomorrow, some guy I don't even know asks me about New Zealand. Seriously, that is how much I have had to talk about this trip. And as I tell everyone that I am really excited but also nervous they're like "oh you'll have such a wonderful time and you have nothing to worry about." Oh yeah? Nothing ot be nervous about? What about the freaking bomb that just went off in Bangkok? Or the 24 hours that I have to spend alone in LAX airport? Oh I'm nervous all right even though I know this trip will be amazing.
Ok, so that was kind of joking. I'm not that stressed out although I do find myself waking up every morning to a somewhat quicker heart rate. Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine and dad says its good to be nervous because then I'll be more careful. Oh Dad :)
And I've already gotten the lecture from so many people (especially my brother and father) : "Shannon, you can't be so friendly when you're over there. You need to be more cautious of the people you meet and guard your things." Hello! I know! Don't worry people, the nice factor will be toned down a few notches at least until I get to New Zealand.
Alright yes, let's talk New Zealand a little. I am very excited to start teaching and just to see what it is like there. I fly in on the 28th and it was bloody expensive to get there. Not complaining of course. I am really looking forward to meeting new people, doing new things, and unravelling more of who I am to myself. I know that sounds cheezy, but this experience will change me so much as a person and how I see the world that I can't wait until the process begins! And although I was scared of teaching in a different country with a different curriculum and a different accent of which I know I can barely understand cause I met a New Zealander a few days ago, I am ready! I am ready for the challenge and the experience and meeting the kids, which we all know I love so much!
But I will miss my family and friends and already do. Wish me luck and the only thing I hope for so far in the New Year is for safe travels (and the possibility of meeting my future husband- ha just kidding Dad) :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
