As I move closer to my departure for Wellington, New Zealand on the 29^th, I find myself fluctuating between states of excitement and nervousness. I find I am nervous about the most insignificant things such as printing out papers, making food, and navigating the local transportation system. But, recently, a couple quotes I have been reading through have been very encouraging. For example, Henry David Thoreau writes in the conclusion of Walden,  “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours”. I have now convinced myself that mistakes will be made along the way, but greater success awaits.

New Zealand, and Wellington especially, strike me as a city bursting at the seams with life, culture, art and everything in between. From what I have previously experienced in NZ in ‘06, what I have researched this past year, and what I hear from friends on the ground in New Zealand, adventures beyond my wildest dreams lay before me. It is a personal goal/manifesto to live life to the fullest, move outside my cultural “comfort zone”, breath in the NZ air, take pictures, meet new people, and travel to places unknown to me. Along with these somewhat uncomfortable things to do, Massey University and the College of Creative Arts (COCA) program appear to be very rigorous, world renown in fact. COCA (College of Creative Arts). While these things may intimidate me, a liberal art undergrad and introvert, I see this as an excellent opportunity to challenge myself to grow. Bonus is…I think I am going to love it! I hope that my pursuit of art in another cultural setting would broaden my worldview and artistic perspective as a whole.

Currently, I am at home preparing for travel. I am working as much as I can painting houses so I can, in turn, use that money to pay for living expenses, art, and extracurricular excursions (hiking, biking, bungee jumping, etc.). I have just recently purchased a travel package during my Bridging Cultures program in Auckland to go white water rafting in Rotorua (Class 4/5 rapids!!!). Another bonus is I will be rafting with a good friend Lucian Green who will also be studying abroad in NZ attending Victoria University in Wellington (just a couple blocks away from my University). Needless to say, I am pretty dang excited about Rotorua Whitewater Rafting!  I am also working my way through several books some of which include, of course, Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Wendell Berry’s Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community, C.S. Lewis’ The Weight of Glory, and many more. Stay tuned for my personal thoughts about my New Zealand travels and, since I am an artist, many, many pictures! Peace.