My Journey Home

April 18th-April 20th

On Monday, April 18th I left the beautiful country of Samoa to finally go home.Even though it was going to be a long day, I was so excited to finally be going home. We had lots of trouble with baggage the airport did not want to let us take our carry ons. They were only going to allow us one carry on that weighed less than 7 kilograms, but Air New Zealand had always allowed us 2. It took us about an hour to get all of it figured out and then we had to pay a fee to leave their country. It was so crazy. I had a 4 hour flight from Samoa to Auckland and once I was on the plane things went well. 

I arrived in Auckland on April 19th and had a 3 hour layover before boarding a 13 hour flight to LA. The flight to LA went so well. I watched a ton of good movies and got some needed sleep. All four of us were so excited about landing in LA and being back in the USA. As soon as we landed in LA all of us played the Hannah Montana song Landed in the LAX.... it was so fun. We were just so excited to be one step closer to home. In LA our numbers went from 4to 3 when Emily met her family. 

Anna, Nancy, and I called our family and friends to tell then we had made it back to the states. It was so good to talk to everyone and be able to use a cell phone and actually hear them. I loved getting to talk to my family and easily filled up my 8 hour layover with phone calls. Around 8 that night, our numbers went down to 2 when Nancy got on her plane for home. Then around 9 they went to 1 as Anna and I boarded our separate flights. I am really going to miss those girls.

 I had a red eye flight to Atlanta and landed at 6am on April 20th. The flight went well, but I was so excited and so happy as I got off the plane in the ATL. It felt so good to be home. I loved seeing all the green and breathing that southern air. I even had a gorgeous sunrise to welcome me home. I could not have been better. I loved seeing my dad at the airport and then my mom when I got home. I had missed them so so much and was so excited to see them again. After 33 longs flight hours, I made it home to my loving family and really could not have a happier ending to my New Zealand adventure. 

Give me Samoa

Living a Day Twice

Wednesday April 13, 2011

The first time I lived this day, I spent all day in the Sydney airport waiting for my flight to Auckland and then Samoa. It was a really long day spending 24+ hours on a plane of at the airport. When we arrived in Auckland for a layover, it was the 14^th, so we had to travel back in time to arrive in Samoa on the morning of the 13^th. To do so all we had to do was ride a plane over the International Date Line. I thought it would be really cool to live a day twice and I guess depending on how you spend the days, it is. Spending my first April 13^th in an airport wasn’t the most fun, but arriving in gorgeous, sunny Samoa on my second April 13^th was so worth it.

I walked down off the plane right outside the airport and it was sunny and humid and you could see the ocean, just like you expect Samoa to be. I was so excited. The airport was really small, and they definitely do customs the old fashioned way of just asking you what is in your bag and then having you show them anything you have to claim, nothing like the headache it can be in the states.

We took a taxi about an hour into town. The drive down was gorgeous blue blue ocean out the window, big palm trees, beautiful island flowers, and everyone we passed waved and was friendly. The guy who was driving us was so friendly and the perfect tour guide. He told us all about the island and its history, how there are only 190,000 people on the island, how the people in Samoa used to be cannibals, about one of Samoa’s kings, about the yellow coconut, etc. I learned so much on our drive and really enjoyed the views outside. Samoa is currently switching from driving on the right side of the road to driving on the left so roads are a little crazy. I would not want to be driving. There are also no such thing as a street sign over here, so a map is of no help is you get lost.  On the way to the motel, we saw at least five church buildings, the mission home, and the temple so that also made us feel really good. I cannot wait to go to the Apia temple.

When we got to out motel we were still feeling pretty confident and wanted to get to a beach to enjoy this sun. So we put on our togs and headed out. First we stopped in town to email our families and get some water bottles at McDonalds because you have to be careful about the water you drink here and it being safe. Samoa is still very primitive country, and the people live very simply. There are dirt roads, thatch homes, fruit in the markets, but the people here are very nice and very helpful and most of them know English. We walked through town and around the harbor for about a half hour looking for the beach everyone we asked just said to keep going, so we did. We walked until we got to the marine reserve where we could use their beach.

I was so excited; the water was so clear and warm. I could see down to the bottom even after I could no longer touch, but I had to be careful with my feet because the coral on the bottom was very sharp. I just float out there all day and I kinda did. I floated out in the water for a while and it just felt so good.  After wards we went looking for a beach that was supposed to be close, but never found one. Instead we found these 2 dogs that followed us for the rest of the day. I really wanted them to just leave us alone especially when we went by other dogs because all of the dogs would get angry and start barking. After about 45 minutes, we ran into a tour place to ask questions and the dogs finally just left while we were inside. We walked over to McDonalds and for dinner and to a grocery store but the grocery story had very little food. We got so lost in the middle of town afterwards looking for our hotel. It made us so stressed out because we kept getting honked at and just didn’t feel safe in the city because it was something we were not used to.  Once we made it back to our motel, all of us were in tears or on the verge of tears because it had such a bad day and we just wanted to go home, but all of us also really needed sleep because we hadn’t really slept in a few days. Something kept telling me though that tomorrow would be a better day and that we should be staying.

Apia Temple and Sliding Rocks

Thursday, April 14, 2011

I woke up optimistic for today and ready to go to the temple because I knew I really needed to go to the temple. The Apia, Samoa temple is gorgeous and big as. I would say at least double the size Hamilton was. I loved how pretty it was with the island flowers all around. And feeling the spirit on temple grounds just made me feel so much better.  Because we could not do baptism that morning, we asked when we could and found that there was a group doing baptisms at 3 that we could join. On the same block as the temple, there is the mission home, humanitarian aid center, and church college.

We decided to walk over to the mission home and talk to the mission office, so we could have a contact number and get a better idea about what we should do while we are in Samoa. When we were talking to the Elder Merrell, the secretary in the mission office, a lady in a car drove by and asked us what we were doing and offered to drive us around the island. Meeting her and talking to people at the mission home made all of us feel so much better about being here. Tina, the lady we met at the mission home, did charge us a little for the day and for tours we could do the next two days to see the islands. It was a pretty good deal and the only way we were going to see anything, so we decided to just do it. Tina is so nice. She joined the church when she was 21 and served a mission in Porto Rico. She also offered for us to have lunch with her family on Sunday.

Tina drove us up to the Papaseea Sliding Rocks about 15 min away. The sliding rocks are these waterfalls in the rainforest that you can slide down into the pools at the bottom. The rainforest with the waterfalls and island flowers was such a gorgeous sight. A picture does not do it justice. Climbing into the water felt so good, especially since it was 90+ and so humid. The four of us were a little scared about sliding down the waterfall the first time. We wanted these other girls that were there to so us how to do it. I was the first of the 4 of us to go down and it was so much fun. I slid down the falls and flew off the bottom into the pool of water at the bottom. It was so much fun. I really loved it. We all went down a few times and then swam in the pool at the bottom for a while before getting curious about if we could slide down any of the other falls. We found this one that was a little baby one with a pool that then flowed down into a big waterfall with a rock about ¾ of the way down that you would have to make sure you are going fast enough to get over. Anna went down first, and then the rest of us followed. It was so much fun and that big one definitely became my favorite. Afterwards we climbed back up and just sat in the sun for a while and took in the rays. Then these other tourists from Australia showed up and were even more unsure about jumping off the falls than we were, so Nancy showed then how to slide down the first one, and I showed them how to slide down the other bigger one that I loved. It was pretty fun.

We enjoyed the falls and sun for a few hours and then went back to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. It felt so right and much needed to be in the temple doing baptisms. I love going to the temple so much. I can’t wait to have one close and be able to go often when I get home and the Atlanta temple reopens. I am so excited. Going to the temple is first on my list when I get home.

After the temple we came back to the motel and were going to go to institute, but it got canceled. So instead, we spent the night talking and laughing together and watching Hot Rod. Such a funny movie. I loved it.

Beach Opposite Church, Fuipisia Waterfall and Piula Cave Pool

A drive through Paradise

Friday, April 15, 2011

Today was a fantastic day in paradise. I woke up and went to get an internet card so I could contact my mom and went to the markets. The markets have everything from food to clothes and jewelry. I got a flax fan that is going to be a life saver in this heat. Around noon or so, Tina picked the four of us up and we drove to the other side of the island. It was so much fun and so gorgeous.

Before we got started on the drive we had a traditional Samoan BBQ lunch, it was so good and there was tons of food. On the drive, we went by gorgeous island flowers, palm trees, tons of banana trees, and ocean ocean ocean. I loved it. Everywhere I looked was just spectacular and the waves and the ocean were such a sight to see.

We stopped at a beach opposite a church along the way and all of us were so excited to get in. I ran into the water and it felt so good. I could have stayed there all day with the cool ocean water and the nice warm sun. It really was paradise. Even after I could no longer touch, I could still see to the bottom as I continued to swim out in the clear water. There was beautiful coral on the bottom and I wish I would have had my goggles on me so I could go down and see all of it. I am definitely bringing them tomorrow. After spending some good time just floating in the open ocean, we went up to Fuipisia Falls.

To get to the falls, I had to walk through a jungle garden full of island flowers and plants. It was so pretty. I really could get used to seeing these flowers every day. The falls were absolutely breathtaking and so pretty. I could have watched them all day and for some reason we couldn’t swim in these falls, but I was perfectly content just watching the falls and enjoying my beautiful surroundings.

Our next stop was the Piula Cave Pool where there is a cave in the water you can swim through. There were tons of big fish in the water. I literally was swimming with the fish. The water was clear as and felt so refreshing. I loved swimming through it. Anna and I swam over to the cave and went inside. It was so cool and would be really romantic if you came there with a boy. Swimming the cave was so much fun. We just goofed off and relaxed in the water. I think you can swim under the cave as well and explore it some if you have snorkeling gear, but I am not sure because I couldn’t explore it with just my contacts and no gear to see under the water. I would have loved to explore the cave underwater more though. It was so much fun.

We drove back after that and saw dogs in almost every yard, pot belly pigs, and some missionaries. The drive was so much fun. When we got back to the motel, there was no electricity, which was a little of a bummer. We are all hoping it comes back on soon. I had my PB&J for dinner and then watched I Married an Ex-Murder and called it and early night, because tomorrow we have to be ready to go by 4:30 in the morning. 

Savaii

Ferry, Lava Fields, Swimming with Sea Turtles, Beach, Waterfall

Saturday, April 16, 2011

We took a ferry early this morning to the beautiful island of Savaii, the bigger of the two Samoan Islands. The sunrise from the ferry over the ocean was absolutely gorgeous. Probably one of the prettiest I have ever seen and I saw some spectacular ones in New Zealand. After a 1 ½ hour ferry ride, the 4 of us made it to Savaii and Tina took us to the markets. We looked around for a little while and then started our journey to see this beautiful island.

The drive was breathtaking. I have never seen ocean water so clean and blue. It really is paradise with the ocean, palm trees, and fales out the window. I have decided if I ever make it back here, I am only bringing a backpack and staying in one of the fales on the beach. It really was the perfect picture island scene. We drove through the black lava fields where everything was covered with lava and then you could see the ocean beyond that. It made for some really fertile ground.

Our first big event for the day was swimming with sea turtles. We pulled over to a house with a bunch of ponds that had sea turtles in them. I got to feed the sea turtles and then get in the water and swim with them. I even picked one up. It was so much fun. I would have never thought I would get that opportunity and definitely would not have been possible in the states. The sea turtles were gorgeous and big as. They were pretty heavy and strong too. One of the ones I picked up kept splashing me and moving his legs. I guess he didn’t want to be held. I really loved swimming with the sea turtles so much. I wish I could have stayed there longer.

We then drove to a white sandy beach and we all got out for a swim. It was one of the prettiest beaches I have ever seen and the water was so pretty and clear. I could see all the coral on the bottom and really made me want to go snorkeling. I enjoyed floating and swimming in the clear ocean water. I could have stayed all day and been perfectly happy. I really love the ocean. I found some really pretty coral with purple flowers. It was like I was swimming in a coral reef and really would have been the perfect place for snorkeling. I loved it.

Next on the trip was a waterfall into the deepest pool in Samoa. The fresh water at the falls was so clean and clear. Cleaner than most drinking water probably and it was so refreshing. I swam right up to the falls. It felt so good and was so much fun. Swimming under waterfalls really is something else. The water fall was gorgeous and having the opportunity to swim in it made it even better. I wish there were places like this at home.

We had all of these Samoan adventures before lunch time. It was such a great day. After the waterfall, we grabbed some Samoan BBQ for lunch and then went back to the ferry. The ferry ride on the way back seemed much shorter because after taking in the gorgeous view of the open ocean, I fell asleep in the sun to the rocking of the waves. The ferry rocked quite a bit and I was surprised that we didn’t see any marine life when we were out at the open sea. It is amazing to me that the Pacific Ocean can be so blue hear and look so different than it does in California when it is the same ocean.

 I had an amazing day in paradise on the island of Savaii and am so glad I got to go over and see all I did. My pictures do not even compare to all I saw. I would definitely suggest Samoa as a vacation spot to people and I don’t think many people from the states come here because whenever we tell someone we are from the states, they ask “what are you doing here.” I can’t see why more people from the states don’t come to Samoa. I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world and anyone who has the opportunity to some to this paradise should take it.

Samoan Sunday

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Today I had the opportunity to go to a Samoan ward for church. It was so interesting going to church where everyone was speaking a language I did not understand. It was such a great experience and really showed me how no matter what language is being spoken, no matter where in the world you are, the gospel is still the same and still true. The meetings went really well even though I did not understand what was being said. During sacrament meeting, I could feel the spirit so strongly and it made me so grateful that we were able to find a church to go to.

Sydney, Australia

A Night at the Opera House

Friday, April 8, 2011

I arrived in Sydney, Australia today, after a 3 hour flight from Auckland. It was a little crazy getting luggage at the airport, but the flight went well and I watched the newest Narnia on the flight. It was so good, I even cried at th end, I am such a girl. I am also in love with the Air New Zealand safety videos. They are so funny and so much better than the ones we have in the states. The landing into Sydney was pretty rocky; my mom would not have enjoyed it, but once we were off the plane, it was pretty much smooth sailing. We took a shuttle to the Tavelodge Sydney where we were staying. It was in such a great location, 10 min from Hyde Park, 30 min walk from the Quay (key), and 15 min bus from Bondi Beach. We could not have been in a better location. Emily, Nicole, Neeley, Nancy and I were so excited for the adventure we were going to have in Sydney. 

I have heard rumors from home, that Ryan Howells and Matt Pennington are placing bets that I am going to meet a boy in Australia or Samoa. Well first day in the hotel, I did meet a boy, but he was from Texas and we only talked for maybe 20 minutes, so no worries. And Ryan and Matt are going to have to hope I meet someone in Samoa to win their bets. ; ) 

Once we got to the hotel, we wondered around and ate lunch at Hyde Park, before checking into our rooms. Hyde Park is huge and o pretty, but is no comparison to Hyde Park in London. In the park, we saw these funny looking birds everywhere that kinda look like the kiwi bird and came to find out they are an ibus. Once we got checked in to our rooms, we had to stack our luggage on top of each other in order to make it all fit. I really hope I never have to travel with this much luggage again. I changed into my cute dress from Yellow Brick Road, and then all 5 of us took a train to the Circular to Quay (key) to explore and go to a ballet at the Sydney Opera House.

Using the train worked so well. It is just at helpful as the tube in London and can get you everywhere as long as you know what train to take.The view from the Quay (key) of the Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera house was gorgeous. We took tons of pictures of the opera house and went and picked up our tickets for the ballet. I never pictured myself having the opportunity to go to Sydney, let alone to a ballet at the Sydney Opera House. I was so excited. The architecture of the Opera House really is amazing. It must have taken a long time to build that spectacular building. 

Before the ballet, we had dinner at GuyLian  Chocolate Boutique over looking the harbor. It was so good. I had a vegetarian sandwich and then split a slice of dark chocolate raspberry cheesecake with Emily. It was so good. And watching the gorgeous sunset as we ate was an added bonus. 

I am so glad we decided to go to a ballet at the Opera House, so much better than just seeing the outside. The ballet I saw was Madame Butterfly it was amazing. I had a partial view seat, so I had to sit up straight to see all of it, but the music in the ballet and the ballet itself was phenomenal. And the inside of the opera house is spectacular. I loved it. I was so tired by the end of the ballet, that I just headed back to the hotel and hit the sack even though is was only around 10. What a great first day in Sydney. 

The City, Gardens, Pancakes on the Rocks, and Harbor Bridge

Saturday, April 9, 2011

This morning was my first full day in Sydney. Nancy Neeley, and I went exploring through the city, while Emily and Nicole went to Manly Beach. We walked to the Queen Victoria Building (QVB), which is this nice shopping center inside this Victorian style building. The inside of the QVB was stunning. I loved the work on the walls, stained glass, spectacular ceilings and floors, and the clocks with a ship going around with the or out a castle. All of it was such an amazing sight. We went in a fun toy store and were like little kids on Christmas. It was so fun. While we were at the QVB, the was also a Meccano Exhibition with lots of trains and other mechanical things. It was so cool. I loved the train sets. We walked through all of the floors and had so much fun. 

We then saw St Andrew Cathedral and Town Hall, which had gorgeous architecture as well. We then walked across Hyde Park to St Mary's Cathedral. St Mary's was gorgeous. The inside Gothic timed architecture with  stunning pillars and stained glass was such a sight. Even more gorgeous than some of the cathedrals I saw in London. I loved looking though the building and jut sitting there ans admiring how gorgeous it was. 

We ran into Jessica, Heidi, and Anna by the ferries and planned to have dinner together. We were so excited to see them. After one day, we already missed each other so much. The three of us walked up to the botanical gardens and governor's house.  The governor's house is in this old castle and is absolutely spectacular. The work on the walls was done with more than 20,000 stencils and there are over 100 rooms. It was so cool to take a tour of it and learn more about the governor of New South Wales. We when took time to wander through the botanical gardens. The gardens were gorgeous and there was a great sight of the bridge ans opera house from them. We walked forwards and backwards 3 times around the wishing tree and then saw some huge flying foxes (bats) hanging in the trees. The bats were cool, but freaked Neeley and Nancy out. There flying foxes are huge and dangerous, if someone is bit, they only have a few weeks to live after being bit. We also saw lots of wedding going on in the gardens. Tis the season. 

I walked down to the Rocks, which are another famous part of Sydney and Neeley, Nancy, and I met Heidi, Jessica, and Anna for dinner at Pancakes on the Rocks. It was so good. We were not very creative though. All of us either got Mexican crepes because we have been missing our Mexican food, or Pancakes with hot fudge, ice cream, bananas, and pecans. They were rich, but so good. I loved having dinner with the other girls. The 6 of us decided to walk across the Harbor Bridge after dinner. It was so gorgeous to see all of Sydney lit up at night as we walked across the bridge and we had so much fun doing it together. I can officially mark off Sydney opera house and harbor bridge off of my bucket list now. It was just so much fun. On the bridge, it hit me that I really am in Sydney and that all of this and the past 3 months is real. None of it was a dream. I lived and loved all of it. I really hope I always remember how amazing the past 3 months were. 

Darling Harbor and Museums in Sydney

Sunday, April 10. 2011

Since we were in Sydney on a Sunday and did not have a ward to go to, we decided to do the best we could to keep the sabbath day and enjoy Sydney. Neeley, Nicole, Nancy, Emily and I walked up to Darling Harbor, which is a really cute little Harbor. We wondered around and saw the Chinese gardens and Tamalong Park. It was so fun and such a nice day. At darling Harbor we walked over a cool bridge that turned for boats instead of lifting up and saw a fun carousel. I love carousels. We decided we were going to have to come back to Darling Harbor at night and see it all lit up. 

We then saw a triathlon on our way to St James Cathedral. We sat in on church at St James for a while before going to Martin Place where there are a bunch of business buildings with gorgeous old architecture. It was so fun and we took so many cute pictures. We continued our way back up to the Rocks and saw the Sydney observatory. There was a gorgeous view of the city from the observatory and I enjoyed just sitting on the grass and taking all of it in. The observatory was pretty interesting and I learned a good deal about the seasons of other planets. We then went to the Rocks Discovery museum and learned a lot about the history of the Rocks and George Street. Nancy, Neeley, and I really enjoyed it. It started to rain, so we walked over to the museum of contemporary art and were going to look in there, but the only good part of the museum cost money so instead we walked back to the hotel in the rain and spent the afternoon watching movies and trading pictures. It was a pretty fun day. 

Taronga Zoo 

Monday, April 11, 2011

On Monday, Nancy, Neeley, and I took a ferry over to the Taronga Zoo. I love zoos so much and going to this one just made me homesick for some of my favorite zoos at home. Nancy and I had a Wild Australian tour. We met with our zoo keeper and then started our tour. We were so excited. We got to see a platypus, which is a pretty amazing animal and a bird that is just as dangerous as a tiger because of one of the claws he has on his feet. It was cool to learn so much about the animals. We then got to pet a wombat. The wombat was so much cuter and bigger than I expected and loved having his belly rubbed. I then got to see and have my picture taken with koalas. The koalas were so cute and need to sleep for 18-20 house a day. That is such a long time. Seeing the koalas reminded me of the ones I saw and pet years ago in the St Loise zoo. It was just so much fun. We then got to see the walabees and kangaroos and pet and feed them. The walabee ate right out of my hand and was so cute. The one I fed was named Ally and I loved her. I also saw a mother kangaroo with its Joey and got to see what their pouch looks like. Nothing like what they make it seem like in Winnie the Pooh. I loved seeing the kangaroos. I also got to feed an emu. 

We then went and saw all of the nighttime Australian animals. I got to hold a feather-tailed glider that reminded me of the sugar gliders my cousins used to have only smaller, and pet some other animals. We also got to see the kitchen where they prepare the food for the animals, and pet a bilby. Not many people know what a bilby is, but it in an endangered Australian animal that looks a little like a rabbit, but much larger.In order to let more people know about the bilby, they started making chocolate bilbys around easter instead of chocolate bunnies so people would donate to the bilby fund. The bilbys were so cute and soft. Before our tour ended, we saw the Tasmanian devil. They were a lot cuter than I thought they would be. These animals are also endangered and may only last for up to 15 more years in Tasmania before all of the wild ones are extinct because of a disease they are getting that causes tumors to from on their face. It is so sad. I am glad the zoos are doing what they can to try to protect them though. We also saw some tree kangaroos that have adapted so they can climb and live in the trees. Our tour ended at a cafe where we got to enjoy a cake. A parrot landed on out table and started eating our crumbs. It was pretty cool, but Neeley would have freaked out because she doesn't like birds. 

I loved our tour of the Australian animals and afterwards, Nancy and I met up with Neeley and went through the rest of the zoo. They had so many animals, and it was such a big zoo. I saw lots of lizards that Bryson would love and a hippo, my dad would have liked. They also had great lions and tigers and some different bears, penguins and other animals that are not in the zoos at home. I loved walking through the zoo. We went at the perfect time on a great day because we were able to see most of the animals out and awake and 3 baby elephants and the giraffes at feeding time. It was so fun. We saw a seal show, which was fun and was not just for entertainment, but had a message about protecting the environment. Nancy and I also saw a really cool bird show with some gorgeous Australian birds. I loved everything about the zoo and kinda makes me want to go to one at home. 

After the zoo, we saw the sunset as we rode the ferry back and met Nicole and Emily for dinner on Darling Harbor. We had so much fun at dinner and the harbor was really pretty. I had a chicken avocado sandwich and chips. It is going to be weird to go home and have to call chips fries. The lingo on this side of the world is so normal to me now. I am having such a great time in Sydney. 

Temple and Bondi Beach

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

I was so excited to go to the temple in Sydney today, but all we had was the address of the temple to figure out how to get there. We got on a train that we thought would take us near the temple, but ended up going to far and had to get on another train, and then walk 45min up and down hill to get to the temple. It was crazy it took us forever to figure out how to get there and find it, but when we were walking and finally saw Moroni over the tops of the trees, we literally shouted for joy. I twas so excited to see the temple. The Sydney temple is gorgeous and I could feel the spirit as soon as I was on the temple grounds. We took some pictures in front of the temple and then went to ask if we could to baptisms. They did not have extra staff to let us do baptism, but they did let us go down and see the font. I am so glad we made the effort to go up to the temple. It took time to get there and was a little stressful, but so worth it. I love the temple and after this trip, I understand a little bit of the sacrifice some people have to make to go to a temple. 

After the temple we waked across the street to this mall and all of us were so excited when we saw that they had a Target. It was a little ridiculous that we got so excited about seeing a target when we hadn't seen one in 3 months. We then hiked 45 min back to the train station and took a train back to our hotel. 

We changed and took a bus up to Bondi Beach, which is a famous surfing beach in Sydney. The water at the beach was so warm almost like bathwater and the waves were perfect. The sand on the beach squeaked when we walked, which surprised me, I had never heard sand squeak before. We had so much fun on the beach and even had smashed Subway sandwiches for dinner on the beach. The birds were surrounding us as we ate and we even decided that these seagulls had been in the auditions to be seagulls in Finding Nemo. We found out that 42 Wallabee Way is a real place, but it is no where near the harbor, so Finding Nemo is pretty unrealistic. 

The sunset on Bondi Beach was gorgeous, and we had thought about going to Max Bernors for dessert afterwards, but it got to dark to feel safe going into the city, so instead we went back to the hotel and packed up. My time in Sydney went by so fast, I can hardly believe I will be leaving the Sydney airport in a few hours for Samoa. I have so much fun in Sydney and got to do everything I wanted to do. I am excited for so relaxing time at the beach in Samoa. 

Leaving Aotearoa

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

-Mark Twain

April 7, 2011

I leave the beautiful country of New Zealand tomorrow. I never thought that day would come. I looked forward to going to New Zealand for 3 years and now my time in New Zealand is over. I am going to miss it so much and have very mixed emotions about leaving. The time I have spent in New Zealand has been the hardest and best time of my life. It may be hard to believe that a semester in New Zealand during summer and missing the states winter with friends, travel, and teaching is one of the hardest things I have done, but it is. It was definitely not an easy adventure. I had such a hard time being away from family and friends and missing what was happening at home. I have never been more homesick than some of the days here. I have gone multiple times wondering if we will have enough food for another meal or if we will get to eat. I have lived with people that lie and steal. I have been through good and bad times with friends. I have lived without the internet, with limited water at times, out a suitcase for a month and out of a backpack on every trip. Some of this stuff was actually easy, but my home stay and not being able to communicate with family was the hardest.And I think even more this was the hardest thing I have ever done because of changes that went on inside me and challenges the Lord gave me.

I am so grateful for the hard things I have gone through and the way my faith has grown. I have so much more trust in my Savior now and go to Him with every decision I have to make or anytime I need someone to turn to. I know He is always there and that he listens. One of the hardest things for me was not being able to go to the temple because it was far away. I am used to going to the temple multiple times a week and it is one of the most important things in my life. Not having one close made me miss it even more and makes it even more important to me and more important for me to go often when I get home. It was hard to live in a home without the priesthood. I never realized how blessed I really am to have a father that holds the priesthood. I am looking forward to going home and having the blessings of the priesthood in my home again. The Lord has taught me how to live with and even love people that do not know how to treat others. He has taught me to love people so much more fully than I ever thought possible through the hearts of the children and some of the kiwis I met here. It was so hard for me not to be able to listen to conference and hear a prophet's voice, but I am so grateful for the internet and ways for me to now access it. I have learned to value conference even more now though and the trials of now having access to some of the blessings of the gospel have made me a stronger person and brought so much perspective in to my life. I have grown in faith and now have no worries about the future and unknown because being in New Zealand has taught me to trust in the Lord and to let Him guide me in every step of life. My testimony has grown in so many ways and I just want to share it with everyone. I want everyone to know how glorious the gospel is and what a blessing it is in my life and how much love I have for my Savior Jesus Christ and for Heavenly Father. I have changed so much in 3 short months and am so grateful for the woman I have become.

I went to visit room 6 today and was rushed by 15 five year olds in a bear hug. One of the most amazing feelings. These kids mean the world to me and it breaks my heart that I really may never see them again. They have changed me in so many ways and really showed me how to love. They are who I have to thank for the teacher I am becoming. I will never be the same because those children and Amy and others at Henderson South were in my life.

James Ahmu is also one I will never forget and one that has shown me what charity, love, and humility really mean. I admire him so much and will always be grateful for the time he spent with us and the place I have for him in my heart. This trip could not have happened without him. This trip also would not have been as meaningful as it has been to me without Dr Jacobs and Linda. They really made this trip, and I have grown to love them so much. Linda was the mother figure I needed here and was always there to talk to and to help me have a better day I am so grateful for her. Jim never thought he would be coming back to New Zealand, but I still remember the feeling I got when I got accepted and found out he was the director. It felt so right and I know he is the director I needed in New Zealand. He has taught me so much and it is from his example, that I have seen great faith and humility. He has such a wide perspective of life and people and I truly admire him for it. He was there for me through thick and thin during this experience and if any other professor would have come over I really do not think I would have gotten the experience I did in New Zealand or grown so much. He really helped me to do so. I will forever be grateful to him. I take great comfort in knowing that if I do not see the people I met here in New Zealand, James, or the Jacobs for a very long time that I will see them again and that I will have an eternity with the people I have grown to love here. This knowledge is the only thing that makes it possible for me to say goodbye. I know I will see each of the people I have grown to love again if not in this life, most definitely in the next.

James, Jim, and Linda are not the only family I have gained over here. I have also gained 15 sisters. I love each of the girls over here and each one of them brought something different to the group and helped to change me. Many of them were examples to me and have helped me to grow in the gospel and love my Savior more. They have become part of my family and it is hard for me to picture a life without them and to see us going separate ways. I will always hold each of the girls in my heart and I hope that all of us can remain close friends for eternity. I can't believe that all of these people now mean so much to me and that I have to say goodbye to them. I can't believe that some of the most important people to me my family and friends back home have never met and may not ever meet. I wish I could introduce my family to the incredible girls I spent the 3 months with and that they could meet Jim, Linda, and James. Leaving them and leaving New Zealand is so hard for me. Much harder than I ever expected and harder than it was for me to leave home because I knew I would get to come home. Saying goodbye to people you may not see for a very long time is so hard. It bring tears to my eyes every time I think of how much I love James, Jim, Linda, Katie, Becca, Allie, Kara, Nicole, Neeley, Emily, Whitney, Jessica, Christine, Anna, Heidi, Janet, Diana, and Nancy and how much I am going to miss seeing them and having them in my life. Life really will not be the same without my BYU New Zealand family.

What I am going to miss about New Zealand..... 16 BYU Princesses, Jim and Linda, James, the beautiful scenery, the beaches, the bush, New Zealand lingo, room 6, Henderson south, road trips in the vans, endless pb&js, seeing the most beautiful places on earth, the gorgeous skies all the time, sunset, sunrises, hiking, rugby games, Friends night with Nancy, talking to Katie on hikes, taking the bus with Gecko, walking everywhere, life without a cell phone, summer in January, glow worms, meat pie, jump jam, Nancy playing Friday for me, no school on Fridays, magnum bars, tastis, passion fruit, kiwi accents and hospitality, living on the edge, and so much more.

What I am looking forward to when I get home... seeing family, catching up with friends,being close to a temple, going to the temple all the time, ATL temple open house and dedication, last semester of BYU football games, conference in Oct, Easter with my family,  teaching, working, EFY, planning a wedding, being in GA, having a phone, sleeping in my own bed,seeing Alison and her kids, going to FL, driving, not having to worry about having food everyday, summer, mom's cooking, exercising, walks with mom, seeing my dogs, playing with my brother, talking with my sisters, games with family, watching my Disney movies, going to singles ward, going to pilgrim mill ward and coal mountain ward, lunch with my brother, getting a hair cut, printing off pictures, sharing my stories, going to friend's weddings, a summer full of fun and surprises, my adventure is not ending with New Zealand I am looking forward to going home and continuing to grow and get closer to becoming the woman Heavenly Father knows I can be and reaching my full potential. I have so much to look forward to. I really am so blessed.

Things I never would have done if I did not come to New Zealand... bungee jumped, zorbed gone to a sheep show, seen Hobbiton, seen 2 oceans come together, gone sailing, gone on the sand dunes, dug a hole on the beach to reach hot water, met James Ahmu, taught in room 6, luge, seen glow worms, tried fejoa, tried kumera, learned Maori, taken a train for 12 hours, taken a cable car, lived without a cell phone, lived without a dryer, ridden the world's largest swing, and so much more. But most importantly I never would have grown and changed so much in 3 months or met people that are now family. I would not change the experience I have had here for anything and I will never be the same again because of the difference it has made in my life.

Inside jokes... hands underground, sweet as, steam roller, take a picture girls, roll call, I want my nuts back, what's your major, hey ____ what are you doing today?, introducing the band of the New Zealand army- The New Zealand Army van, Friday, I have a song for you, make-shift pancakes, the face, etc. We had way too much fun together.

Life if a funny thing. You never realize how much is going to mean to you or how fast time is going to fly until it is over. This time I had in New Zealand, really was so short, but I lived everyday to the fullest and will never forget the experiences I had here. I will continue to be a changed person because of the experiences I have had in New Zealand. We came to Earth to gain experience, to grow and to change and to become like our Heavenly Father. I have so far still to go and so much to look forward to in life, but the experiences I have had in New Zealand have helped to refocus and open my perspective to a new understanding of life and all it has to offer, the importance of having experiences, and the importance enduring life's challenges well and living the motto "come what may and love it."  Everything I have experienced in New Zealand and in life I owe to a loving Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for His love for me and for His plan for me. I am who I am because of the knowledge I have of Him and his love for me and because I love my Savior Jesus Christ loves me, and because of this glorious gospel. I am so grateful loving parents and grandparents that helped me to get to New  Zealand and for friends and family that love hearing about the experiences I have had and helping me continue to treasure them. I may not know what is in store for my life after New Zealand, but I do know that I was supposed to come to New Zealand and that it was part of the Lord's plan for me. I know that He will continue to guide me as I leave New Zealand and continue on my journey home and throughout life and eternity.

Make-shift Pancake Day!!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

This morning, Nancy, Emily, and I got up to watch the sunrise. It was probably the last time I will watch the sunrise in New Zealand and it was a gorgeous sunrise. On the way back to the motel Emily brought up that we were planning to make pancakes for breakfast, but we didn't have a spatula or butter or oil for the pan. We were like okay maybe we can figure this out and just flip them in the pan and maybe we will get luck y and they won't stick. We ended up finding a spatula, but still did not have anything to grease the pan. Nancy suggested we make our own butter, so we started shaking there little milk containers like the ones you pt in coffee to try to make butter. No go. Next, we had some frozen cheesecake in the fridge so we tried putting some of that on the pan and using it instead of butter didn't work. Our room was pretty smoky  by now, but then I was like okay well now we have a layer of pancake on the pan so we can try to make them on top of that, but that did not work either. We were about to give up and just wait for a store to open and then just go grab somethings, but then I said, "wait why don't we make them in the microwave?" We weren't sue if it would work, but it was worth a try, so I put some pancake batter on a plate and Emily put it in the microwave and cooked it for a minute and guess what, it worked. You can make pancakes in the microwave. We told the others and they were unsure at first, but it so worked. The pancakes looked and tasted like pancakes. So now April 5th is official make-shift pancake day; we are going to celebrate it every year and make pancakes in the microwave. It was so much fun and we were laughing so hard when it actually worked. Emily, had learned to play the ukulele while we were in the Northland, so she made up a song about our make-shift pancake day to the tune of bruises. It is so funny and we even got a video of it.We then went and shared our pancake song and discovery with the other girls. That song ans making make-shift pancakes really made my morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgyF0jR2xdA

Before leaving the motel, we sang Te Aroha to James and then gave him our gift and then sang lean on me to all of them. I think just about all of us were in tears by the end because it finally hit us that we are leaving New Zealand and may never see each other again. We want to do reunions in Provo, but we will probably never see James again unless we get back to New Zealand, which makes me so so sad. I am really going to miss him. I am glad we are going to have reunions with the girls and Jacobs in the fall, but it will still be hard to get all of us together.I will have to make it a priority. I am really going to miss all of the other girls. We were so unified and as Jim and Linda say, out of their 9 study abroads, their best group. I hope I do get to see all of the girls again, we have become such good friends. I also hope I can keep in contact with Jim and Linda and James. Jim and Linda are so amazing. They really made this trip. It would not have been the same if Jim had not decided to do New Zealand from again. I have learned so much from him and he really has become a grandfatherly figure to me. I am going to miss him and Linda so much. The 16 of us decided that we want to make a children's book for him of our story in New Zealand with pictures. It is going to be so cute. We wrote the story on our drive back, and I love it.

Once I got back, I tried for a few hours to talk to my family, but it never really worked very well, internet and skype was in and out. I did finally get it to work to talk to my poppop though and I was so excited. I love talking to him and telling him everything. I am so glad we have grown closer while I have been in New Zealand.

A rainforest hike to Haruru Falls

Monday, April 04, 2011

Monday morning, I woke up bright and early to hike a 5k to Haruru Falls. It was the perfect day for a hike in the rainforest and was so much fun. We hiked through a natural kiwi habitat, but sadly did not see any wild kiwis since they are nocturnal. I am really going to miss hiking through the rainforests of New Zealand. Katie made up a story along the way about a knight and a jester. The knight was in love with the Princess of Pennsylvania, but the king and queen wanted the princess to marry the Slovakian man. The knight and the jester met the Slovakian man in the mangroves and plotted to have the crocodile eat his shins. The story was never finished, but was so funny. Part of the hike was through the mangroves of crocodile land. We are lucky there are no wild crocodiles in New Zealand. If I had been hiking through the mangrove swamps in Savannah, I would have most definitely seen some crocodiles. We also saw some birds that looked like penguins, but weren’t because they could fly.

I was surprised when we got to the falls at how big they were. I was definitely not expecting them to be as wide as they were. I took my shoes off and waded through the water and crossed the top of the waterfall to the other side. It was so much fun. I would have been the one to jump off the waterfall if that would have been allowed.  All of the other girls thought I was crazy for crossing the top of the waterfall. They were worried about me, but it was so much fun. We hiked back down through the rainforest (probably my last time to do so in New Zealand) and then went to the beach and soaked up the sun for a couple of hours. I am going to miss my almost weekly trips to the beach as well. Am I really leaving New Zealand this week? 

After spending some quality time on the beach, Katie and I headed into town to get supplies for something to give James. Katie told me we can't go shopping together anymore because she always spends more when she is with me. Imagine that. 

I came back and watched my last sunset in New Zealand. It was beautiful, but also sad I never actually thought that day would come. I have watched so many amazing sunsets in New Zealand though, and I am so grateful for each one of them. 

For our last Monday together, we had a phenomenal family home evening all together. Anna shared her favorite scripture found in Helaman 5:12, and then Katie gave a phenomenal lesson on Faith. Faith has been a guiding principal for each of us throughout our journey in New Zealand. It started when Dr. Jacobs had us read an article on fear vs. faith and then continued throughout our trip. During my time in New Zealand, my faith has grown more than it ever has before. I have grown to trust the Lord more and put more faith in Him. The decision I made about student teaching vs. an internship is one I started weighing in October. Before then, I was set on student teaching, but in October I started to really struggle because others were talking to me about an internship and an internship became a possibility. All of my professors thought I should do one and knew I would make a great intern and it would be a great opportunity to have my own classroom and receive half of a teacher's salary. I really had a hard decision to make and for a while I thought I would be cutting myself short if I didn't do an internship. In December, I started looking into what I would need to do to become a certified teacher in GA. For some reason I felt and continue to feel a strong pull towards GA and away from UT that I really cannot explain. It is a feeling I keep having though. I went to my bishop and talked about the internship and also to the advisement center in the McKay building to get input. I ended up deciding to apply for the internship before I left for New Zealand because it couldn't and it was better to apply and then decide later then to not apply and end up not having a choice. My first month or so in New Zealand. I prayed and fasted about whether to do an internship or student teaching almost every Sunday. Then when we traveled to the South Island, and while there, I was almost sure I was going to do student teaching, but I did not fully make the decision to do so until fasting some more a few weeks later. I know without a doubt that student teaching in the Nebo school district is what I need to be doing in the fall and that I need to graduate in December. As much as I would love to go back to GA after that and teach, I do not know what is going to happen, but I have faith in the Lord that He does and He will help guide me to the best path for me after graduation.

 Uncertainty and the future can be very hard things, but they do not have to be if I just press forward with faith. For the longest time, New Zealand was my goal and my future. Having the opportunity of going to New Zealand is one of the main reasons I went to BYU. It was what I looked forward to and planned on during my entire time at BYU and when I finally applied and got in I was so excited. I remember the interview like it was yesterday and remember getting accepted like it was yesterday. I found out right after a run and then called my parents, grandparents, and Alison to share the good news. I then went over and told the Jamestown 18 boys. I was so excited that I was going to get to go to New Zealand. After that is was a reality and planning for the journey. The day to come to New Zealand finally came and now after 4 amazing months that have changed my life, my semester in New Zealand is coming to a close. I never thought that day would come. As excited as I am to go home and see family and friends. I have very mixed emotions about leaving because New Zealand is now a home to me and I am going to miss it. But also because my goal for so long has been New Zealand, that has been my future, but now that time is coming to a close and I do not really know what is next. I know I am going home to loving family and friends, but also that life at home has gone on while I was away and things have changed. My sister Taylor started dating someone, got her first kiss, and got engaged all while I was in New Zealand, so even though my reality has been drastically different than everyone else's back home it has been my reality while life continued at home. I am so excited for my sister and Rudy. It will be great to have him as part of our family. So I have that to look forward to when I get home. I also have the Atlanta temple open house and dedication, which  I am so excited for that. I cannot wait. I am so glad that is the first thing I am doing when I get home. I am also looking forward to spending time with family and with Alison and her family as well as some other friends in GA. I am so so excited about doing EFY in GA and FL this summer. It is going to be great, very different than last year, but just as amazing.It may even be better. Then I have student teaching in the fall. The rest of my summer and everything after fall is kinda up in the air, which is exciting and nerve racking at the same time, because I have no idea what the future holds, but I do know that it will be better than good if I just trust in the Lord and allow Him to guide me. I am so grateful that I have realized all of this and that my faith has grown so much while I have been in New Zealand. 

After the lesson on Faith, we worked on our gift to James. We decided to give James a canvas with 16 reasons while we will miss James Ahmu. Some of those were his giggle, that he calls us girls, that he knows everything about New Zealand, that he knows everyone, his love of fruit, his driving skills, his stories, his roll call, girls take a picture, his music, his spirituality, his remedies knowledge of church history. I just loved it. We also decided to sing Te Aroha for him and then to sing Lean on me for him Jim, and Linda. I loved working on it. I am going to miss James so much. The New Zealand experience really would not be the same without him. He has always been there and was not only our driver but a friend and I would even consider him family now. I am so glad we decided to do something for him. I am going to miss him and have loved having him as part of my New Zealand family. I most definitely will never forget him. 

My last Sunday in New Zealand

It is so hard for me to believe that today was my last Sunday in New Zealand.  I am going to miss it so much. I am kinda sad that I didn’t get to be in Auckland for my last Sunday, but I did get to go to the Maromako ward in the Bay of Islands. A bunch of James’s family was in the ward and it was a fist Sunday. I like how my last Sunday in New Zealand was on a fast and testimony Sunday. James bore his testimony and told about the piper fish we saw yesterday and how the bigger fish had chased them into the rock pools and how we had to save them. His story reminded me of President Monson’s motto to go after the “one” or as it says in the scriptures to leave the 90 and nine to save the 1 sheep who has lost its way. I feel like all of us are that one lost sheep at some point in our lives or another and it is our responsibility to help each stay close to the Lord and grow in the gospel.

I am so grateful for the time I have had in New Zealand. My faith has grown so much over the past 3 months. I now trust the Lord more than I ever have before. Coming to New Zealand was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and it has been one of the best, but also one of the hardest experiences I have ever had. I have learned to communicate, talk to and live with so many different types of people with different personalities and values. I have become more sure of myself and the Lord’s love for me. I have learned so much about the natural beauty of the world and how much I have to be grateful for. Even though I have been far away from family and friends, I feel that through this experience, I have grown closer to my family and some of my friends. I have also gained a clearer perspective of what is most important to me, not only now, but in the long run and for eternity. I feel like I am leaving New Zealand as a completely different person than I was before, but I am not.  I am still the outgoing, happy, kind, thoughtful Hannah that everyone knows, but I am coming back having learned and grown a lot and gained a clearer perspective of life.

After church we went and looked in the original Maori chapel for the ward. It was pretty cool. They are renovating it to use it as an area for ward and family get togethers, but including family history of the original members of that ward when it was established on the walls. We made Hawaiian haystacks for dinner tonight with everyone, which were pretty good. A bunch of us then went to watch the sunset. The sunsets in New Zealand are amazing every night. I am really going to miss them so much I feel like we have pretty ones at home, but not every single night. The skies are just so gorgeous here. I loved watching the beautiful sky on the beach and talking with all of the girls. I also watched heaps of Gilmore Girl episodes with some of the girls. I really love that show and am so glade Whitney brought her DVDs so we could enjoy them.

As grateful as I am to be in New Zealand this Sunday, it also makes me sad because I am missing general conference. I love general conference, and I have attended it in the conference center every year I have been at BYU so far. I really miss being there for it. Conference is not broad cast here until a week later and by then I will be in Australia, so I don’t think I will get to see all of it until I get home. I cannot wait to get to watch conference though because conference really is one of my favorite times of the year and something I look forward to. I am so grateful that we have living prophets and apostles on the Earth today that continue to receive revelation from our Heavenly Father and I am grateful for the opportunity to hear from them twice a year a conference.