One Month to Go

There is one month to go...there are still many things to do and places to see. I have plans for some of them and a couple more weekends left to fill.

It's crazy how mixed my feelings are about leaving this place. I have seen and done so many wonderful things here but I have also missed so many wonderful people back home. It is now almost exactly one month from the time I will be back in Canada and I really can't say if I'm excited to go home or wanting to stay here and do more stuff.

Welcome to June

So, one month has passed since my arrival here in New Zealand. I thought I would sum up the first month with some lists... [CAVEAT: These lists were created on the spot with little forethought. They will be very incomplete.]

Things I like about New Zealand

• The beauty of creation that abounds around me everywhere I go
  
• Listening to people talk
• Learning new things about living on my own (not in residence/at home)
• Cooking my own food
• Tramping (hiking)
• Tuesday night basketball (low skill, but high fun)
• Getting to know a great group of people that I work/live/travel with
  

Things I don't like about New Zealand

• Separate Faucets for hot and cold water...what a ridiculous way of doing things
• Some issues with housing
• Restrictive Internet (see line above)

Things I miss about home

• Intramural Sports
• Singing Hymns
• Singing A Capella music
• Communities of Faith
• Too many people to list...

Some posts about this weekend are upcoming...

Departing

I leave now in under 12 hours. Departing on Apr. 29 at noon and arriving on May 1 at 8:20am. It will be a long journey.

I just enjoyed a wonderful evening with friends and family and am ready to go. Bring it on NZ.

A Time for Leaving

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak.

This is a time of uprooting, leaving many things which I love and entering in the unknown. It is thrilling and exciting, nerve-wracking and terrifying (mostly the first two).

I leave on Wednesday at noon. And have 10 tasks to complete tomorrow before leaving. It will be a busy day.