A Sneak Preview of Whats to Come...

A new place to call home...

The Emerald Forest

Back now from a month spent in the Northland sub‐tropical rainforest with a great family(phew) including three kids, 1 dog, 14 chickens, and a guinea pig in an off‐grid home with solar electricity and sole use of rain water. It was a great month overall, and I was sad to go as I adapted to the new and exciting bush life quite easily. The dinner of my first evening was interrupted by what was made into a family event of “possum plucking.” Possums are nonnative pests that pose a serious threat to NZ’s biodiversity, able to wipe out entire species of trees, plants, and birds. They are EVERYWHERE and therefore the murdering of them is greatly encouraged. Plus, possum fur is warm and makes great sweaters over here in NZ,so the fur is actually bought for a pretty good price by local retailers, thus encouraging a culture of kiwi family possum murderers. Anyhow, I was introduced to this first hand after one had been caught in a trap outside the kitchen window and the dad proceeded to shoot it in the head and bring it inside for all the kids to pluck. A few moments later after a good hand‐washing, the family resumed back to the dinner table letting the dog happily rip apart the carcass outside the door. “Welcome to our home,” the dad said. Apparently a German girl left the next day after witnessing her first possum plucking. I, however found this quite hilarious and was eager to learn more of whatever this family's home had to offer.
My living quarters were in a wee little sleepout under green tropical canopy. No electricity,but a hammock alongside a bubbling stream kept my off‐hours occupied. My days were spent doing the never‐ending laundry and cleaning, gardening, and most of all-cooking in the kitchen. I made evening meals, always had a pot of soup made, learned to make sourdough and other breads, made kefir (a dairy culture like yogurt), biscuits, pies and cakes, sauerkraut and jams. While I wasn’t busy being a domestic goddess, I helped feed the chickens, take care of a worm farm (liquid fertilizer yumminess), take the family’s new puppy on stream walks in the bush, and take care and look after the kids. The kids were cool, and I be‐friended 8‐yr old Ruby early on in my stay when I helped comfort her after she realized one of her pet chickens was missing, only to be told by her parents that the chicken dinner they had the week before did not come from the store (ironically the chicken’s name was ‘Fingers’).
My favorite WWOOFing duty was helping bring in the family’s supply of fish. The family lived 10 minutes away from one of the best fishing spots in NZ, and therefore maybe the world, and their diet revolved around eating a LOT of fish. For those of you that know me, if I had known this little tidbit of information…lets just say I probably would not have chosen this family. But my dis‐like of fish was transformed after going through the process of catching the fish, preparing it, and eating what I caught the same day..sometimes just a few hours later. My first day fishing (and first time fishing ever), I managed to catch 4 descent‐sized fish, all while cringing at their brute strength to hold themselves in the water and their croaking noises once they were caught. I had my host pierce my hook with oozy squid guts for bait and politely thanked him each time before I threw my line in the water. Our catchings that day supplied the family’s food for two weeks, allowing me just enough time to get accustomed to eating fish and by the next time we went out, I was no longer a scaredy cat and didn’t mess around. I put all my focus into feeling the slightest tug on my line, prepared to reel up a big one, willing the water gods to surrender up some fleshy meat. Our boat must have been giving out some serious hunter‐gatherer vibes because my host, his friend and I caught so many fish we had to throw a huge amount back. At one point, my host’s friend struggled for 15 minutes to reel in what we were hoping to be a gigantic king fish, but to their dismay and my horror, he slowly reeled up a 40lb shark. I jumped around the boat like a whimpering 6 yr old as they worked together to hold open the shark’s mouth and unhook the line. We let it go of course and watched it swim back into the sea. It was quite an experience to be hunting your own meat. Catching and supplying this family's meat made quite an impact on me, and it was pretty amazing to be in an area where the natural resources easily supplied your food.
The area of Northland is one of the most heavily Maori populated areas in New Zealand. The Maori and Pakeha (white, or European) cultures are extremely interwoven up North with many Maori immersion schools accompanying the normal school district, street signs,local businesses and public buildings all in Maori, and Marae’s dotting every neighborhood and area of land from beach to bush to farmland. Rather than continue to oggle at all the parents with fully‐tattooed faces (called moko) at Ruby’s gymnastics practices, I got my hosts to drop me off on a local marae for a flax‐weaving workshop weekend. Twenty‐or‐so other women and I sat around the common house tables and wove, wove, wove for an entire weekend. Most of these women were accomplished weavers, and some of them‐the top in the country. And then there was me with no experience. I spent hours trying to manipulate my baskets into something worth using, or looking at for that matter. But with one‐on‐one help from a woman named Pere, I managed to learn the basics and make some pretty nice things. They even decided to photograph my work and my hands step-by-step weaving for a traditional flax weaving book they were putting together. They said it was okay because the pictures will be in black and white, so my pakeha hands will not really matter. Cool, black and white or not, my hands will be published..fine with me! (Pictured is Pere and I sitting together *note the MASSIVE piece of greenstone we’re leaning against!) It was an amazing experience to be amongst these women. They sang songs in Maori and spoke in a cross between Maori and English. They also listened to Michael Jackson, told crude jokes, and swore like fishermen. I took breaks between my weaving to laugh at loud at these women’s sense of humor. Every minute spent with them was fantastic...that is until I piled into a small room with them at night. These strong, powerful, Maori women all snored like grizzly bears. Oh well,I left that weekend fully‐sleep deprived, but with a fine set of weaving skills, some nice looking bags and baskets, and extremely happy that I got to experience a bit of the indigenous culture that is so rich and fully part of New Zealand. When I wasn’t on fishing boats, maraes, or helping out in the home, I basically just drooled at how beautiful everything was. Northland is secluded, has very few people, and the land is virtually untouched except for a few generations of farmers owning it since Maori rule. My host’s home was surrounded by some of the area’s largest pa’s (Maori villages), and the bush trails that I walked the dog on every day were trails that had existed for over 200 years. The Maori were an extremely violent people, and my hosts said that there are certain places in the woods where your hair curls on end where Maori warriors probably butchered the colonists (the Maori invented trench war‐fare and beat the Europeans in battle so many times the English were forced to almost gave up). I tried not think about this as I sat outside shivering in the dark with my camera photographing the night sky. Actually, the night sky was so beautiful, the last thing I was thinking about were ghosts of warriors, and rather how amazing it is was to be witnessing picture perfect constellations over head.
I made sure to travel to the very tip of the country while I was in the area. Cape Reinga is special because it is where the Tasman Sea, on the left, and Pacific Ocean on the right meet,causing tumultuous 20ft wave crashing of the two bodies of water on a rough day. An added bonus, to get there you drive along the state highway called 90 Mile Beach.
This is an actual beach used as a highway by tour buses and locals who follow the tides(though there is a plethora of car doors sticking out of the sand where entire cars were swallowed by the tide and quicksand streams). God, I love New Zealand. I hopped on a tour bus up to the Cape with another German WWOOFer girl I had met, and enjoyed the most beautiful highway I have ever seen. Cape Reinga was the cherry on top though, with its sheer cliffs and breathtaking views. Cape Reinga is also considered to be one of the most sacred places in NZ to the Maori, and it is said that the spirits of Maori people travel to the Cape after they die and enter down into the roots of the 500 yr old Pohutukawa tree (you can just see it in the picture) and travel back to their Native land of Hawaii (the Maori originally sailed over from Hawaii…who knew?)The German girl and I both talked about how laid‐back New Zealand culture is slowly melting away every cell of rigidness in our bodies, and that we only hope we can fully bring this effortless, calm‐kiwiness back into our lives back home. Speaking of home, I guess I should let those of you who don’t already know, that New Zealand has won me over for the entirety of the year, and that my ticket is booked for December. That means I’ve still got 6 months ahead of me, woohoo! Of course I’ve got that nagging voice that tells me I need to be home getting a job yada yada, but its nothing compared to how happy I am doing what I am doing. I am learning more than I ever have in my life about myself and about life…(but I’ll leave my philosophical ramblings for another time) So guess what I’m doing next?? After 2 weeks of chill time here in Wanganui, consisting of lots of sleeping and doing nobody elses dishes but my own, I’m headed back down to Diamond Harbour on the South Island. I’m living with the same family I stayed with before,but this time staying with them for 3 months or so through the winter. This is great for me because I’m growing a little tired of being on the move all the time, and this family is great so I know I’ll be in good company (see earlier post to remember troll‐child Charlie and my favorite 7‐yr old Lucy). PLUS there’s an added bonus this time around… The family is affiliated with Mt. Cheeseman Skifield where the dad will be living full‐time. Thus, during the week I’ll help with the kids and then on the weekends I’m free to zip around the mountains of Middle Earth on a snowboard. I’ve also managed to get a ‘skinanny’ job for some of the time where I’ll be living up on the mountain playing with wee ones in the snow and snowboarding the Southern Alps on my off‐time. Not bad, eh? I’ll admit though, I am a little nervous about my snowboarding skills shaped by a few measly seasons at Greek Peak 6 years ago. I’ll let you know how that goes…
So there’s my month in a nutshell. It was great. I'm great. Enjoy your summer you Northern Hemispherians, and I’ll see you in the mountains.

A Hostel Holiday

In the Bay of Islands now..unfortunately it is rainy, rainy, rainy, and unfortunately I have seen nothing that resembles the beautiful picture I got off google. darn. Despite the weather, I have been thoroughly enjoying being on my own schedule and being layed back. Saw a movie (a new NZ indie film..we'll see if it makes it to the states. It is VERY kiwi and made by one of the writers of Flight of the Conchords, http://www.boythemovie.co.nz/), made it to some yoga classes, and have entered into the sub-culture of the New Zealand backpacker. Many of the places I'm staying have long-term backpackers doing seasonal fruit-picking work or are working in local restaurants, stores, and bars. While the hostels themselves have a cool international environment, many of these travelers have yet to make it out of the areas their living in to see other parts of NZ. Many do the big touristy bus trips for their sight-seeing, and spend the rest of their time working, living, and partying with other international travelers within the hostel. While I'm sure this could be a lot of fun, I don't think that is REALLY seeing New Zealand. I couldn't be happier with the shape my own journey has taken-through having family in the country and through all the friendships and connections I am making with Kiwis through WWOOFing.
I am definitely not a local, but I don't quite feel like a tourist in this country either. I'm always eager for what my next family is going to teach me and for trying out their way of life. It also makes the long-term travel aspect go a little easier. Five months away from home now-it forces you to become right at home with whomever you're living with. You've got to trust them from day 1 (or maybe day 2)and to stay open-minded or else you may not end up having a very good time. It is very cool to see how large I can expand these connections into what feels like family-and it certainly is an amazing way to experience a country. Tomorrow I'm headed off to an area North of Kaitaia along 90 mile beach. You can see on the map where I've been and where I'm going. Waiheke Island is off the coast from Auckland, the Bay of Islands are North from there in Kerikeri and Russel, and further North from there is Kaitaia and 90 Mile Beach. My next host family sent me photo of their home surrounded by rainforest. Pretty cool, eh?
And LASTLY, I figured out how to upload videos (the trick is they have to be short). I randomly chose one of Jasper rocking out to his daddy playing the didge in a cave (normal family bonding time). Enjoy...more stories to come!

Waiheke Island Wonder

I arrived on Waiheke Island several weeks ago where my hosts drove me to the highest point on the island and welcomed me to their straw-bale, country farm-house home, surrounded by acreage of permaculture grown gardens and fruit trees, chickens, semi-tropical forests overlooking autumn-tinted vineyards and rolling farm land- all surrounded by white sand beaches and the aqua-marine South Pacific sea. Again, another one of the most beautiful places in the world that I’ve gotten to call home.
Culturally, Waiheke is full of ex-Auckland urbanites wanting a slower paced life and artists and wine-makers catering to the influx of tourists that swamp the island over summer months. I didn’t exactly find the exotic “island life” I was looking for, but rather an affluent population of families with young kids and an old-timer community seeking peace and quiet. I couldn’t complain though, as picturesque postcard views became part of my everyday life. My hosts Darren and Laura were an eccentric couple who were world travelers and worked in the NZ music festival business for years. Thus, they seeping with cooky creativity and were caught in between a constant balancing of maintaining that go with the flow, world traveler/festival go-er partying vibe while making a living and raising a family. And that’s where I came in. My first weekend there we attended a 50th birthday party of the man who founded SPLORE (the amazing festival I went to a few months ago), and some high-up guy in the kiwi film industry. The party was set amongst Whatipu-probably one of the world’s most beautiful beaches with a setup using ideas from SPLORE-disco balls hanging from trees, light shows and a massive, high-quality sound-system, dj’s, etc. The guest list included 200 musicians, set designers, directors and other NZ filmies (almost all of whom I was told were involved with the LOTR movies). My ticket in to this strictly VIP party was as, of course, as the the nanny.
I went on beach walks during the day with the wee ones and spent my nights amongst sleeping toddlers and babies, rocking them back to sleep in the night so their parents could partay. A costume code was strictly enforced, and after going through my hosts’ closet, I found myself transformed into a groovy psychedelic wizard. One night, I couldn’t get a balling newborn back to sleep and swaddled the babe in my wizard robes and meandered through the crowd of aliens, monsters, fairies, and merpeople until I found the parents. I’m telling you, WWOOFing can lead you to crazy things.
Jala
When I wasn’t at exotic, high-end film-industry parties, I spent my days caring for 14 month- old Jasper and often 6 yr-old Jala too. From the second I woke up, little Jasper was in my arms throughout the day until his bedtime came after dinner. Despite being punched, regurgitated on, pinched and pooped on, we became good friends. Though after the first week of working close to 10 hour days, I almost cried. The workload was not one that I expected. I was getting paid $200/wk which seemed enticing as a WWOOFer, but hardly seemed worth it for the amount of hardwork, care, and love put in for their kiddies. The parents had far too much on their plates, and it seemed the WWOOFer bore the burden. I decided to cut my time a week short to a total of 3 weeks and go through my days making the best of it. I am constantly learning more and more about raising children and about the kind of parent I want to be and the kind I don’t. The intensive live-in nanny experiences are teaching me two things: one that kids are great and I think that I am going to make a damn good mom, and two I think I’ll happily wait a good 15 years to have any. Phew kids are tiring.
In the meantime, I’ve learned much from living in a home fueled only by the sun and the rain water. After weeks of draught, washing dishes in a wee bucket, not taking showers for days and days, not flushing toilets (we poured dishwater back into the toilet...it’s sort of like flushing..sortof), I’ve never appreciated rain more. On an overcast day I blew the power vacuuming and running the washing machine at the same time. I learned to run the generator on nights I needed to charge my computer, and I learned to love my sleepout with no power at all, but dimly lit candles at night. It all seemed so foreign at first, but I am learning and seeing the importance and benefits more and more of sustainable living. Take note of the family’s massive rain storage unit.
On my last weekend, the family and I drove to the nearbye Coromandel Peninsula where we stayed at a large eco-community for another friend’s birthday. After two nights with the family in a campervan, I was pleasantly surprised when they offered to leave me behind on the peninsula to explore by myself for 2 days and then taking the ferry back to Waiheke. I spent 2 nights in the sleepy, quaint, fishing town of Coromandel relaxing in a hostel and sleeping in to what seemed like a heavenly hour of 8oclock. I returned to Waiheke for several days to say goodbye to the family. After seeing some of my jumping photos, they insisted on having one of their own. Our last morning together was hectic as always-packing lunches and getting everyone off to school and work in time, but we managed to snap a pretty decent photo. What do you think?
After Waiheke Island, my next family is located at the very tippy top of the country-past the northern most town of Kaitaia, deep into the untouched Northland bush. Here, I’ll be staying with a family who lives completely off the grid with their 3 children. It is both challenging and exhilarating seeing how self-sufficient one can live. I expect this new family and bush-life experience to teach me a lot.
But FIRST, because I decided to leave Waiheke a week early, I’ve got 10 days to travel to an in-between destination called the Bay of Islands. There I’ll stay in hostels in wee little fishing villages and explore what the Bay of Islands has to offer (a total of 144 islands in the area). Looking forward to re-fueling with some more solo time and giving my back a break from carrying babies all day. Spending the night in Auckland before I head up North. The bustling, culturally rich city excites me as much as the mountains do (that is... as long as I’m not here too long). Off to explore Auckland relishing in independent travel, culture, beauty, beach, people, art..a very cool city! I’ll write more after my mini-Phoebe vacation in the bay of islands. Peace!

Magical Mackenzie Country

After leaving my beloved banks of Diamond Harbour, I journeyed on to remote farm country-the Mackenzie district of New Zealand. Here, I soaked up the high-country farming lifestyle, spectacular night skies, and was awed by the surrounding majestic mountains. I was introduced to a new type of kiwi culture on my second day when I attended the annual Easter Mackenzie Highland Show.

This fair was worked towards all year by the local community and showcased the best sheep dogs, cattle, llamas, ponies and horses, sheep wool, best locally-grown produce, best baked goods, local art work, highland dancers, and my favorite-a log-splitting competition performed by huge, burley, New Zealand farmers I would not want to get in the way of when angry.



My host family also had 4 highland cattle, 12 chickens, and bee hives on their property, that when I wasn’t helping upkeep, I spent my time frolicking around being the city girl that I am (Ithaca constitutes a major city to NZ standards) taking pictures and soaking the splendors of simple, self-sufficient lifestyle.





I also spent a day drooling as I ventured to nearbye, Mt. Cook- New Zealand’s tallest mountain 12,316ft (still has nothing on the Rockies). Nevertheless, I was blown away by the beauty of this mountain and humbled by its continuous threat of avalanches and the loss of countless mountaineering lives taken on its summit.





MT. Cook’s base is also home to New Zealand’s biggest glacier with iceburgs and all. The Tasman Glacier extends in some places 600 metres deep, but of course is slowly melting like most glaciers in temperate climates. This was way cool, as I have never seen glaciers before (by the way kiwis say, glah-see-ers…weirdos). Also stunningly beautiful in the Mackenzie basin area, drawing hundreds of tourists and drawing myself to take hundreds of photos- was Lake Tekapo, an aqua marine, crystal clear, glacial lake perfect for taking mermaid photos (am I right?)


But PERHAPS most majestic of all for me was the unbelievable, crystal clear, night sky that loomed above each night, taunting me saying “look what you’ve missed out on your entire life.” I had never seen a night sky so beautiful and was humbled to experience such a sight so many people on the Northern Hemisphere never will.

The area around Lake Tekapo has been deemed a world heritage site for its night sky, as it has the perfect atmospheric conditions for star-gazing and is also located in the boondocks with the nearest NZ city being hours away. It was my visit here that it was confirmed to me that I really, really like stars. And even better, the Southern Hemisphere’s stars are COMPLETELY different leaving me just about speechless every time I looked up into this foreign and other-worldly, astronomical land.

I must admit I spent many of my evenings in the back paddock with the cows -camera propped up on a stool trying to capture the stars by long exposure. I don’t have a tripod and don’t have a cable release or remote control to hold my camera shutter open, so I obtained many shaky photos-but its cool. Unfortunately the one night I stayed in watching movies, the best Aurora Borealis in 7 years shined bright all night unknown to me. Oh well, you take what you can get I guess-and New Zealand is doing nothing but giving, giving, giving. It is so beautiful here, I am in a permanent state of awe.

I made my way back up from the South Island to Wanganui, and am headed next to Waiheke island off the coast of Auckland. Here I will be a nanny, get to experience island life, AND get payed! I am doing quite well on my spending, but to find a WWOOF host that pays-that’s like finding the golden ticket! Four months down, and still having an unbelievable time. Seeya on the other side of island life!!