The amazing thing we call life.

(Disclaimer: Extreme cheesiness follows. Reader discretion is advised. If you are feeling nauseous prior to reading this post, the words contained below will surely send you over the edge. If you choose to keep reading, please, for the sake of the flooring underneath you and any people who may be around you, have a barf bucket handy. Consider yourself warned.)

The past couple days have been really inspiring and reflective for me. On Saturday we went to Castlepoint (see post below), and as I took my shoes and socks off and felt the earth beneath my feet, I thought to myself how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to experience such amazing scenery with such wonderful people. New Zealand is so beautiful, and I have been so lucky to have been able to see so much of it already. I will also be embarking on a tour of the south island shortly, which I have heard is just incredible (prepare yourself for another picture overdose!). And it goes without saying that I have made some absolutely amazing friends since I've been here, and even though I'll be leaving them all in less than 2 months, I will always look back with fond memories of our time together.

Then last night at WYC rehearsal we sang some new tunes from our "lighter side" repertoire for the last concert of the year (which, sadly, I will not be attending, as it falls in the middle of my first week of school holidays and I will be traveling the south island), and we sang "And So It Goes" by the King's Singers. If you don't know that tune, you really should check it out - it's worth having a listen to; the harmony is absolutely incredible - unexpected suspensions everywhere - and so many rhythmic subtleties that make it an absolute gem to listen to and to sing. I was feeling really nostalgic as I remembered singing that very arrangement with some friends from Greystone Singers Executive at Disrobed a couple years ago, and it made me realize just how much I miss my friends at home. So I got a bit teary-eyed, and when I tried to comfort myself by thinking 'It's ok, you'll be back home with them soon,' I started to cry even harder thinking about leaving all of my new friends here. My mates here are amazing - I feel so much like part of the WYC family. I'm especially going to miss Julia and Jude when I go.... those girls are awesome. Anyway, I bawled my eyes out through our entire rehearsal of "And So It Goes," and when we finished that song Roger gave us our usual mid-rehearsal 10-minute break, so Julia gave me a big hug and let me cry on her shoulder, then Matt came over and rubbed my back while I sniffled and laughed and hugged back all at the same time. I love my mates here. It's funny though... it seems like a bit of a lose-lose situation (that is, in reality, a win-win situation) - I miss my friends at home when I'm in NZ, and I'll miss my friends in NZ when I'm at home. It's like if I have one, I can't have the other. But it really is a win-win though, because I'm so lucky to have such amazing people around me wherever I go. And there's a lot of room for love in this little Kiwinadian heart!

This morning I called Gerald at 8am (2pm on Tuesday back at home) to wish him a happy 1st Greystones rehearsal of the year. He was surprised to hear from me, but glad to catch up for a brief 10 minutes before I had to head off to school. I told him to say hi to the choir for me - I miss them a lot, and will be happy to be back singing with them in January.... now all we need to do is figure out some way to get the Greystones on tour with WYC!

Tonight Sam and I went on a mini-adventure to see some glow worms just outside the Hutt. There's a spot just off the motorway near Petone that you wouldn't notice while driving, but it's really quite neat. We took a walk to see the glow worms, then hung out on the grass looking at the stars. I found the southern cross and Jupiter, and Sam pointed out Scorpius. It was really awe-inspiring to see the sky full of stars, and to imagine the constellations upside-down in the northern hemisphere.... it once again reminded me of how big the world and the universe really are, and how small we all are in comparison. But, as Fivel the mouse sings in "Somewhere Out There" from An American Tale - "And even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to know we might be wishing on the same bright star. And when the stars come out to sing their lonesome lullaby, it helps to know we're sleeping underneath the same big sky..."

So, it has been a reflective few days for me. What I've taken away from it is a greater appreciation for those things that I already appreciated - friends, family, the outdoors, life, love, humanness..... this NZ experience has been life-changing for me. Thank you to those who have supported me through it all. You have no idea how much you mean to me. I miss you, my family and friends back at home, but just know that kiwi life has been treating me amazingly well, and I will be full of stories for you (and a new perspective with which to share them) when I get home.


Until then, stay tuned for more kiwi updates. Cheers, love, and good night.

(Scorpius, the moon, and Jupiter)