Last Post

Well, it's here; the end of my journey...

Pshht, yeah right.

New Zealand was just the epic start to my sweet as voyage of this thing called life. There is no way to be there same after living out of the boot of a beat up station wagon, no cell or internet service, cooking food on a methylate spirits burner or fire, no showers, climbing mountains, flying wings, surfing waves, trekking glaciers, surving earthquakes, building friendships, in remote places in the most beautiul country in the world. This game of figuring out a career, a life path, and planning a future is an utter waste of time. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans," talk about my first experience finally listening to that. There is no more freeing and appropriate feeling than to just pass your entire life into the hands of the father almighty, and just enjoy the ride. "Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and PERFECT will" (Rom: 12-2). Score one for having a creating and ruler whose plan for you is the best and most awesome it could ever be. I'll tell you what, his will for me is freakin epic.

Here is my motivation and inspiration for taking off from my "Life" and heading to New Zealand. I knew it was my opportunity to "chase lions," and it was the best decision of my life:

"Quit living as if the purpose of life is to safely arrive at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you are not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion!"

-Mark Batterson: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

If you have time, go back through my posts from the semester. Not only for the cool as adventures I experienced, but for the blessings and clear examples of how God is working in my life. I met so many amazing characters (Kiwi, Aussie, South African, American, Samoan, Isreali, Saudi, Canadian, you name it) traveling, serving, hitch hiking, surfing, and exploring. The people are what made the trip so great. The Kiwi culture is so accepting and just low key that is effortless to live there. New Zealand gave me an opportunity to forget being a role model for people who have know me forever, basically forget and not care about what people say or think, and just focus on what God thinks. New Zealand is abslutely "God's Country," and I can not wait until I can return some day. Anyone and everyone needs to experience the Kiwi hospitality and way of life. It is so welcoming, loving, and overall just amazing.

Saying goodbye to the land, people, and experiences has been very hard. So much happened and people back home just don't understand it, so I hope that I can maintain relationships through text, Skype, Facebook, email, or whatever means to hold onto the feelings.

Thank you to every single person I met on my trip, and everyone back home who followed me and supported me through everything. It was was heartwarming having 47 Facebook notifications when I got online the first time after the earthquake seeing if I was Ok, asking if I needed anything, and just telling me they have me in their thoughts and prayers. The world is held together by love, and Im so blessed to have people like you who love so hard.


I love each and every one of you to death, and there is nothing you can do about it. Thanks for letting me share my life with you. Now it's off to Ohio until November for this bloke!

Love always,
Mitch

Travels Home

Well, my voyage home was the most ridiculous compilation of fail and win I have ever experienced. Welcome to my POV:

As I mentioned previously, I planned on skiing all of June in NZ. My parents brought my ski gear over with them on their visit and it never got any real use. So I was traveling around with a massavie as ski bag filled with my gear, speed riding equipment, and some other nonsense that needed to get home. On top of that, my large suitcase, my 45 liter pack, and my camera bag.

Flight 1 - Auckland to LAX: 12 hour flight

It all started off with checking my baggage: $112.50 NZD to check two bags. Fail.
But not quite fail as my friend Taylor had to drop $400 some odd on her stuff. Could be worse for me, so it cancels out.

Kate was on the same flight as me, and I was able to talk to the clerk and have our seats moved so we could sit together. Win.

Went through customs, got brought aside and into the questioning room. Someone reported Wootie on the Otago Peninsula for "Suspicious Wildlife Stealing." So after 40 mins or so of talking to a guy who definitely didn't want to be there but required to write down my every word, having my bags pulled off the plane to be x-rayed and searched for Kiwis or lizzards or something, I was back at the gate in time to board the then delayed flight. Fail.

Kate and my seats however, were the front seats of one section on a 777. Tons of leg room, I got window seat for good sleeping, and Kate got my shoulder for the same, some great tunes and videos on the screen (Jonsi, Animal Collective, Naked and Famous...Megamind, Rango, The Other Guys, Family Guy), and some solid tasting food. Win.

12 hours later, we arrive in LA. After a long as wait in line for customs, we both get through just in time for me to have to pay duty on my speed wing. Fail.
 Fortunately, I was able to confuse the guy with the purpose of the wing (as it is very multifunctional) and managed to only have to pay $30 for "Ski and Snowboard Accessory". Win.

After I get out of the terminal I found Kate and Lauren's mom (as expected), but Lauren was there too!! She got the day off of work unexpectadly and came as well. Super win.
Flight 2 - LAX to Charlotte, NC: 5 hours
I checked my flight that was supposed to leave in 8 hours, delayed. So I went to the desk to see what the other options were so I could get back home in time for the surprise party we planned for my parents (them coming to get me from the airport was the distraction). Flight got completely cancelled. Next flight to Albany wasn't until Junly 3rd. Super Fail.

With no cell phone, no Wi-Fi (LAX is rubbish) and only NZ notes still, I had to somehow pay for a phone call. Fortunately, I had enough calling credit on the prepaid card from Arcadia at the beginning of my trip to call home, have Ry find Lauren's number from my Google Voice account, and call her. They were stuck in traffic not too far away so they came back and picked me up. Win.
Plus, I managed to find the only currency exchange place on that side of the airport and get US cash, and buy Chex Mix. Man I missed that delicious taste of Heaven. Win

The next day and a half I spent with Lauren, her mum, her step father, and Kate. Uber win. (Check out the next post for details!)

Sunday morning, Kate and Lo Lo drove me to LAX to catch my rescheduled flight. Worked out perfectly because they planned on heading into the city anyway. Win.

Check in went well, but had to drop another $150 on baggage. Fail.

Got on the plane fine, but ended up giving up my seat to a newly wed couple who had to sit apart. They were very thankful and it didn't bother me at all. Win.

Got to Charlotte on time, 90 degrees, free Wi-Fi in the airport (Suck it LAX) to contact the parentals to confirm the schedule. Win

Flight 3 - Charlotte, NC to Albany, NY: 2 hours

Got on the plane right away after a short layover, sat next to a lovely older woman from Florida who was interested in eharing about NZ. Win.

Plane taxied out for take off, started to go, then stopped. Some sort of minor equipment malfunction. Fail
But was sorted and all sweet within 15-20 mins. So that cancels out too.

Landed in Albany on time for some typical NY weather: warm, humid, with a chance of thunderstorms.

Family was there to welcome me back with open arms. Can it get any more win?

Frustrating times flying for 20 hours on delays and cancellations with no easy mode of communication and high prices. But it's always about mind over matter. It's about trusting God's will and accepting the fact that it is all supposed to happen. His plan is always perfect and pleasing to him, so why get upset and whine about it? I am so blessed to have family that cares about me enough to help me out, and new friends who I would consider family now to take care of me in the difficult time.

God freakin rocks, life is awesome, this trip kicked ass.

Pit Stop

My flight home from LAX at 12:30am July 2nd was cancelled so I had to kill some time in California until 7:40am July 3rd. Thanks to my Dunedin flatmate Lauren, pretty much the sweetest girl in the entire world, I had a bed to crash at in Arrowhead, CA.

Lauren, her mum Cindy , and Kate (my first flatmate from Canterbury) picked me up from LAX and brought me to their home in Arrowhead (about an hour 40 from LAX with minimal traffic). Kate was making a pit stop to see Lauren on her way home to England. It was her frist time in America and shes gets to experience the 4th of July...

When we arrived to the house, Cindy and her husband Robert were over the top welcoming; bringing my bags in with me and showing me around. Sadie, their English Sheep dog, was not. Those of you who know me know how much I love dogs, so it hurt a little. Fortunately, I was able to win her heart and we are now pretty much bestfriends. As well as Tilly the cat, who reminded me so much of Kitty Kitty in Mason who I get to see soon, just not as fat.

Cindy made some home made pizza for us, while Robert cracked open one of his homebrew stouts. I don't know if it was the lack of good beer in NZ, the fact that it was free,  that it was 11:00 pm after 12 hours of flying, nonsense, and driving, or just a really, really good beer, but I am not sure if I have tasted such a good brew. Cancelled flight stranded at LAX to this...seriously, can a situation possibly turn around that drastically? I vote no.

The next day consisted of hanging out on the dock or on the boat on Lake Arrowhead in the 92 degree California sun. We ate some great food, met some great people, tie dyed some shirts for the 4th of July, saw some celebrity houses on the lake (Sammay Hagar, Dorris Day, Andre Agassi, Axle Rose, Jay Leno, and heaps more), and ended the night with some S'mores and a IBC Root Beer (NZ doesn't have root beer, probably their biggest flaw). Incredible day, amazing people, and absolutely a hand of God on the entire situation.

The next morning, Kate and Lo Lo got up with me at 4am to take me to the airport. I said my goodbyes to the animals, then to Rob and Cindy, and we took off. It wokred out perfectly for Lauren and Kate because they were able to beat the traffic in, drop me off, then hang out on the beaches, see some friends, and show Kate around Santa Monica and LA. This was the second time I had to say bye to Kate and the third to Lauren. Man, it hurts more and more every time.

It honestly blows my mind how blessed I am, and how wonderful people are. One of my fears coming back to the US was the culture shock I would experience from the crazy as Kiwi hospitality to the pretty common selfish American. It was so nice to have loving people take me in and care for me like that. I am so thankful.

Time to head home to he East Coast! See you all soon =]

Paragliding PG1 Certification

When I arrived in Auckland on Monday the 27th, Reuben (my paragliding coach) picked me up from the airport, and we drove straight to Waiuku for some flying because the weather was good. I made a hand full of solo flights, and a few speed wing flights. Great progression session, but stunted by some rain. Fortunately, it broke briefly for me to make a 500m vert speedfly run. So Awesome getting to take a long flight with my wing.

Weather was rubbish the next few days so I hung out with Alex and Bjorn, went to Cape Reinga, and took care of some last minute stuff around the city.

Today the weather was good again, so I took the ferry over to Devenport where Reuben picked me up and we went up north to Shakespeare Regional Park. Got a stupid amount of flights in and got to soar rather than just glide. The difference, glide is just starting from one point and going down to land. Soaring is where you use thermal lift and wind currents to increase lift and gain altitude. You can get hundreds of meters higher than when you launched if done right.

Here is some footage from today of me soaring. It is cut down a bit, but it was a 10 minute flight in all which completed my NZ PG1 Paragliding Certification. Check it out bro:

Man I love this sport. It is so amazing to be able to experience aspects of God's creation that most don't get to. Using wind, gravity, and human design all together to generate flight and float in the air, totally in control. So amazing. Praise God.

Cape Reinga

On the menu for today: Nothing thanks to rain and wind

Q: What do we do?

A: Spontaneous 6 hour road trip to Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of the North Island.

Alex, Bjorn, and I got up at 8am, ran some quick errands, and took off on the 6 hour trip to Cape Reinga in Bjorn's Peugeot.

Pit stop about 2 hours in at a I Site for a map to make sure we got there, then stopped at Paihia in the Bay of Islands. So beautiful.

Next stop was in Waitangi, which is where most of New Zealand's history revolves around. We went to the grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, and checked out the area. Rich in both culture and beauty, most of which is intertwined.

Continuing on, we made it further north, had to pull over for a flock of sheep to be herded down the center of the road in typical NZ style, and made it to the cape around 4pm.

Worth it.

After we got all our sights in, it began to rain. We loaded back up, and made it home by 11pm with a few brief stops on the way.

Great friends, great views, great country. Man God is great.

Move Out and Winterfest

We moved out of the flat, stashed our rubbish at a mate's flat, and headed for Central Otago.

My flatmates all drove to Queenstown with a crew of friends on Wednesday and Thursday. Alex and I decided to hitch hike so there was room in the car for all the gear.

We were dropped off just outside of Dunedin by our mate Dylan, picked up by a taxi driver who gave us a free lift on her way to pick up a client, then picked up by an Israeli soldier who was traveling around NZ for a while. He brought us to Milton where we hopped in with a Saudi Arabian student on his way to Arrowtown. We got out in Cromwell where we then got a lift by an Aussie who works for Treble Cone ski field. He brought us to Wanaka where we got some stuff and hung out for a bit. Then continued on where we watched sunset over Lake Wanaka as we walked out of town. We were picked up by a chick on her way through the Cardrona pass to just before Queenstown, and dropped off there. Then picked up by two girls heading to Winterfest in Queenstown who brought us right to all our mates. Total success and there in time for dinner with everyone.

Left to right:
Back - Matt, Taylor, Noah, Jackie, Kate, Lauren, Laura
Middle - Preston, Ryan, Me, Jess
Front - Abby

Winterfest in Queenstown was nuts. So many people out at the bars, live music, fireworks, ice skating, parades, everything you could ask for as a winter enthusiast. Queenstown is a winter getaway town, but with no snow, everyone is stuck inside just waiting. People come from all over the world to ski and work in Queenstown in the winter, so when there is a festival celebrating winter, they get wild and have a blast. It was so much fun. I said goodbye to Matt, Ryan, Preston, Abby, and Taylor and managed to keep it together. I'm really going to miss them.

Alex and I drove out to Aurthor's Point to crash with a mate of a mate that night. He was an awesome dude and lived in a beautiful spot.We got up and went back into Queenstown the next morning.

All of us met up with Jane Gunn-Lewis, our program director, to have breakfast and say goodbye. Then Alex hitchiked to Cromwell for a charity ball while we went to Snow Park NZ, the Mecca of terrain parks. I chatted up some really nice lady who turned out to be the general manager of all Snow Park. She was originally from Long Island and was excited to talk to a fellow Empire Stater. As you could have guessed, I got her contact info and she is mailing me some SWAG right now. I can't wait to come back again some day and ride there.

We continued through the pass to Wanaka, got some food, drank some beer, and played some pool at a great bar. It was Noah, Lauren, Jackie and I, and we spent our last night together relaxing and enjoying each other. What a way to go out.

We took off, picked up Alex from Cromwell, and headed back to Dunedin. We snuck into our old flat to sleep and shower, then in the morning packed again.

Got some breaky, Noah ran up Baldwin Street to complete a goal, said goodbye to 10 Mac and Wootie...

Then I took Noah, Jackie, and Lauren to the airport. It was sad to say goodbye, but what an absolute blessing to have met all of them. I can't wait for our reuinion this fall.

As for now, goodbye 10 Mac, it's been real. I love you guys.

Finals

Final exams here in New Zealand are a wee different than the US. As I mentioned earlier, papers (courses) consist of only a few graded assignments and a heavily weighted final exam. My exams were worth between 45 and 65% of my overall grade. Also, almost every exam was just a compilation of short and long essays rather than fill in the blank, multiple choice, or other typical styles.

I just finished finals month. Finals ran from June 3rd to June 23. I had exams the 9th, 18th, 21st, and 22nd. They were all quite difficult to prepare for, you could only take them if you had your student ID on you, had to be escorted to the toilet, and could not leave during certain periods if you finished. Very much like the NYS Regents exam setup.

It feels so great to be done!


We have to be out of our flat tomorrow morning, so it's time to pack up and clean up.