Happy to be Tired

This is the second day that I've been up since five, and with three days in this week left to begin at such an early hour, I couldn't be happier. Things are starting to come together just a bit and it's comforting. I am still a bit troubled as to what to do with the upcoming year, but I'm sure things will work themseleves out. It has been quite a while since I've written and this must be short for my enthusiasm for typing is non-existent right now so here we go:

New job offer. Great job offer. Will probably take it, but will mean leaving my amazing childcare job and probably moving out of the city.

New Bike. Great Bike. It's fantastic to have a roadie again and I've already been out and boppin around on it with Claire, my boss at the childcare center. It's been awesome getting to know her and I hope to stay close to them even if I end up leaving the center. She entered me in a triathlon, a little one, but it's in two weeks so we have lots of training to do anyway.

New people. Cool people. Met some Canadians, both swimmers, did a set with one of them today and it felt great. He kicked my ass but it was fun. We are probably going to compete in a little master's meet this weekend just for fun. Good times.
Julia, a girl I work with at the center, is amazing and we crack up all day. So cool. And Pauline, wonderful Aussie, sweetheart, so glad to know her.

Not much else to talk about, getting dinner ready. I'll be back with more details once I have more time and I've figured stuff out. Regardless of my decision to move outside the city or stay inside the city when my new job starts, I will definitely be moving. Long story, will give full details once things are concrete.

All my love to peeps back home. Miss you and hope the holidays are going well.
-Nicole

In search of a Niche

This week has proven to be quite busy...and full of opprotunity. I have been offered chance to manage a business, working around 5 hours a day and eventually sharing in the profits of this company. It is a private pool about 20 minutes outside the city, the owners want me to teach lessons, aquacise, manage the entire thing. This would allow me a lot of time outside the city, in a beautiful home, on a beautiful faym. I feel lighter and happier when I think of working there on a daily basis, when I think of becoming a temporary member of this family. It leaves me questioning a lot though.

With this change in jobs would most likely come a change in location. Since they have offered me the chance to stay at their place for most of the week it would seem nearly pointless to have a house in the city, to be paying lots of rent and bills for a place I'm not even living. Brett has offered me his place on the weekends if I want to come into the city to attend performances or simply go out on the town, but I'm not sure I want to burden him with that. I'm nervous, however, of living so far outside the city. Will I meet anyone? Will I be bored? Will I feel lonely and removed from all chances of meeting more people my age? Essentially what will become of my social life? I'm beginning to wonder if meeting a group of 22/23 year olds may not be the ultimate przie of this trip; that maybe it's ok to find your closest friends in a 34 year old mum (who is amazing) and her husband. Maybe having one or two american friends here, maybe one or two younger kiwis...maybe that is all I'm supposed to have. I think of Hil and Jackie and how they are in positions where they may not be finding "cliques" to be a part of. I think that maybe that is part of this process. Besides, I came to New Zealand to experience the culture...not just the party life. And I think spending time on a farm will help accomplish that much more than spending time in a bar.

Anyway I am ranting now and must be off. Maybe I'll bring you all more later.

-Cole

The A&P Show

Much like the state fair in New York, the A&P show proved to be a very long, but enjoyable day. Since I was actually going to work in the show, I was given a member's entrance pass and ticket and had a very easy time finding parking...and a free admission. Once I arrived I made my way towards the livestock paddock which was just another huge warehouse-like building filled with animals. As I arrived at nine, I searched for the people I was showing for, but with no luck. So after wandering the paddock for nearly an hour, seeing some of the largest cows I have EVER seen, watching men shearing alpacas (which look hysterical once they have no wool), seeing baby ostriches, piglets, ducklings, etc, I decided to have a look around the showgrounds.

It was not yet a hot day but I was thankful for my 30 proof sunscreen all the same. I have found that one can easily burn in 15 minutes outside in this very unfortunate country (the ozone is basically gone). I watched the horse jumping, the equestrian trials, the sheep hearding, the woodsman competition, the strongman competition. I walked through a tent labelled "the taste of Canterbury" where you could try samples of delicious food items from restaurants and companies all over Canterbury (that is the greater area that Christchurch is in). I finally met up with the people I was helping and found that I would be walking their llamas in the grand parade. So after a few more hours of walking around, the day getting much hotter throughout, I returned, took up my llama, and did my thing. He was quite finicky as this was his first show and we only just trained him to keep a harness, but it was nice all the same. The parade was huge and we walked them through the giant oval in which the horses were competing earlier. There were thousands of people and I realized just how much bigger this whole show was than I originally anticipated.

Afterwards we went and walked about a bit more, enjoyed some cool drinks and biscuits where the llama-owner's had set up "camp" and then finally left. It had been more than an eight hour day and I was exhausted.

On top of all of the animals and really interesting competitions (the woodsman competition was sooooo cool) there were rides and food tents, all sorts of sales tents, motorcycle shows, drag racing, everything you can think of. It really reminded me a lot of home and the fairs I had been to when I was younger. And again I realize that, despite the 9000 miles of land and ocean between my home and here, there is so much that is the same it is ridiculous. The planet is now a much smaller place thanks to flight travel and the like. I can't imagine that the A&P show has always been so "american". Then again, maybe it's just some human intuition to, when they have a fair, have it in that exact way.

Ah well, whatever it is, I had a great time and got to participate in one of the biggest days in Christchurch. It is a public holiday in this city with everyone getting off work that day!

What a lovely long weekend it has been.

-NMK

Chlorine, Kids and a little bit of Music

As yet another week draws to a close, I have become increasingly aware of my surroundings and the life I am now leading. There is much to do folks, and finally, there is plenty of time to spare.

I come home each day from work, from the gym, from the forest, from the hills, and I see someone (who shall remain nameless) seated in front of the television, mindlessly wasting away, while the world is happening all around him. As I watched this individual, I realized just how much I detest that blasted machine. I also realized, after nearly getting sucked into its clutches, just the type of life I am currently leading. Let's examine: After settling into my jobs and training schedules, I found myself coming home to make dinner, wash up, clean my room and do chores and errands necessary to live a happy, clean life. Then I found myself seated next to our John Doe, in front of the television, flicking away at channels, searching mainly for movies, but allowing myself to become "zombified". After two days of this I sat and realized two things--I was wasting my wonderful time in this amazing country, seated in front of the Idiot Box. The second thing I realized came as a pleasant surprise. For the first time in my life, I actually had so much free time on my hands, that sitting in front of the TV was not some relaxing thing to do at the end of a beastly long day of classes and swim practices; rather it had become something to fill the hours of spare time I had. Because I would nearly always resort to popping in a movie, flicking on LOST or 24 to take an hours break from studying or work or anything else, it kind of became that "when you have a free moment" thing to do. Now that I have the energy and the mass amounts of time, I've sworn off television (except for exceptional movies) and I'm now basking in the glow of my wonderous freedom. No longer are my hours from 6-8am or 4-6pm to be completely blocked out on my calendar for five months of the year. I've no more classes to attend, tests to study for, papers to write. My one committment is work (which I love) and the rest of my life is for me only! Like I told a friend recently, "I would rather be on my sixth hour of biking, ready to pass out from exhaustion, with limp legs and a sore body than spend even one unecessary moment in front of that television. To watch someone waste away as I've watched Mr. No-name for the past three weeks, well, that is just not for me. Parents, throw those TV's away, we are creating a generation of imbeciles.

That being said, onto the week.

Chlorine:
I have been swimming on a regular basis, accomplishing a strong 3200 meter set on my final day of 'training' this past week. It feels amazing to get in the water and just swim. I love being an unknown here. No one knows about my past because I have made sure of it. I have been in close contact with the head coach of my pool and he said it would be great for me to come in and swim with the JASI swim team from 6-8am. No expectations, I can swim for me, and if I feel the itch to compete, "go for it". If not, then who cares? It is amazing to see this sport in a new light and it feel beautiful to ease myself along in the water. I could never give it up, no matter how up and down my past has been.

Kids:
Work was pretty hard at the childcare center this week. I played Operation, Sorry!, Candyland, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Boardgame, and Pick up sticks. On Monday I sang Karaoke, on Tuesday I learned how to play cricket, on Wednesday I taught the boys Baseball, on Thursday I hoola-hooped and watched Shrek 2 and we had a paid holiday on Friday. Rough week. Did I mention I played Candyland? For serious though, I have the best job ever at that place. We play all afternoon, the supervisors get to have afternoon tea with the children, they are some of the nicest kids ever, and the other girls I work with are fab. Oh and my bosses are amazing. That's pretty sweet too.

A little bit of Music:
I attended the symphony this past Wednesday and found it simply breathtaking. Choosing to ignore the naysayers who suggested it would be horribly boring, I went and for a lovely student price of 11 dollars witnessed the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in all their glory. I think having played the Clarinet for a number of years aided in my appreciation, but it all goes back to the "time" thing. Before, I would have been too tired to attend such a performance and I would have chosen instead to stay home and “veg”. I figured that even if the symphony was wretchedly boring, it would have been fathoms better than sitting in front of the TV. I made a fantastic decision. It is amazing what thoughts and memories the act of sitting, listening to beautiful music, watching the grace of the orchestra can invoke. So many things that I probably would never have remembered or even thought of came rushing back to me. It was a brilliant moment and I have decided to attend as many live performances of theatre, music, comedy, or any other medium I possibly can.

All that being said, there is one last note I must make before heading off. I have finally acquired a road bike…in theory of course. I will not actually possess it until November 24th. After much deliberation I have decided to buy one here. Although it is not my darling Milo, it will definitely suffice. The brand is KHS…the specks are rather—impecable—if I do say so myself. It will be the first bike I have ever owned with carbon forks. I am nothing short of excited. And happily, thanks to my three wonderful jobs and New Zealand’s unbelievable assurance that one can live MUCH more than comfortably off Min. Wage, I will soon be proudly riding the roads of Canterbury.

Oh, I lied, there is still one more thing. I will be showing llamas in the A&P show tomorrow for some friends. It will be an all day thing and I am very excited. More to come on that.

And now that I’ve found a cheap broadband internet café within two second’s walking distance to my house, pictures should be up VERY VERY soon.

-NMK

This Life of Mine

"It's about you. What you value, where you want to be and if the things you are doing right now are getting you there."

Wise words spoken by one of the smartest and most inspiring men I have ever met. My boss, Brent, has already taught me so many things that I've been hoping to learn. Things they don't teach you in school.

This journey, in part, has been to celebrate the completion of my undergrad education...it has also been a time for self-realization. A time to figure out who I am and what I want out of life. For those of you who know me really well, you'll be able to testify how intensely I concern myself with my future, yet how bad I am at making huge decisions. I constantly second guess myself and worry that the decisions I make will be mistakes. I am always focused on the far future, so much that I don't even allow myself to enjoy the present.

After speaking with Brent, today was different. I didn't think about what I want to do for a living. I didn't worry about when I want to come home from NZ. I forgot about money and expensive items and materialism.

For the first time in five years I sat and enjoyed an entire Friday.

In short I am currently asking myself what I value, what I love, what I want from this life of mine. Though I can't yet answer questions like "where do you want to be in two years?" or "is what you're doing right now helping you to get there?" I am able to understand the simplicity that the answers to those questions will grant me. Life is meant to be lived, not bought and displayed around one's house...not driven with the loudest bass...not viewed on the biggest television screen.

Today was a whole new day for me. I felt light-hearted, excited to run and play; to learn cricket and teach some kiwi children baseball; to make dinner and even do the dishes afterwards. And tomorrow will be even better. The plan? Get up, go play, and soak up every single drop that my Saturday has to offer. We have a limited number of Saturday, November 5th's in our lives and I plan on celebrating the 2005 edition with great enthusiasm. An enthusiasm I have denied myself for quite some time now.

-NMK

Born in the USA

Since travelling here to New Zealand I have been many, many places. To the northmost point where the oceans meet, to the rainforest, to the eastern beaches of the north island, to the caves of Waitomo and all across the South Island. I have many more placecs to visit, but I have realized that those places do not simply exist here in NZ. Since being here, after talking to my flatmates about their own country and fielding questions about mine, I have discovered that I have taken for granted the place of my birth. I have been made aware of the wonders that the United States contains, from the Grand Canyon, to Yellowstone, to the Rocky Mountains and everywhere along the way. I have even managed to allude NYC, even living just three hours away.

That is not to say that I haven't seen quite a bit of the US...San Fran, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, etc...but I really feel that a trip around the United States is much overdue, especially now that I have seen more of NZ than I have of my own country. Yes, yes, this place is much smaller, but at the same time, if you do a ratio, it works out.

Well, that is my great insight on my need to become closer to home. Interesting that one needs travel 9000 miles away to realize they have taken their home for granted.

In other news...I chopped my hair off. Well, not in most people's terms. I definitely had five or six inches cut off, so even though it is still long, it is not nearly as long as it was before. I love it though. Much easier to take care of and not so ratty looking. I know you were all worried about my hair...so no need to fear it is doing fine.

Not much else to talk about today...just typical, work, bike, play, hang out, etc. It's strange not having homework to do in my free time. I visited Erin's University yesterday and it made me miss school a whole lot.

I would like to wish the Hamilton Swim Team the best of luck in their first day of practice. I hope it is nothing short of amazing (as it always was.) Good luck this year crew!

-Knappster