home.

so it's been a little while. i wish i could say that i've just been so productively busy that i haven't had time to update, but that's not entirely true. i have been busy, but i could've taken a little time to write...

on 18 march i had officially been in new zealand for a month. i realized that this should suggest that i was homesick, or at least missing the things i was used to. now, before my friends and family get all up in arms going 'oh, so you don't miss us?' i'm going to say yes, i do miss you. but really, the people i know and left are the only things that i miss. the people and food. i would kill for steak 'n' shake.

but despite missing my loved ones, my dog, and the crap food that i used to stuff myself with, i'm extremely happy. i had premonitions of being here, completely miserable and alone. i can't tell you how many times i would ask my mother 'do you think i'll make any friends?' yes, she did, and i am. slowly, but surely. in fact, this coming weekend i had my first encounter with conflicting plans. it felt good. i rarely had that happen in gainesville, let alone across the world. i've met some awesome people so far, whom i'm going to omit telling you about (at least for now), because there's not too much to say yet.

bu recently i had an epiphany. something universal, something not unique to myself, and probably pretty obvious to the majority of people on the planet: i've discovered what life can be, and i'm amazed. i hadn't realized it could be so full, so exciting.

life is sweet. life is fun. life is going to the beach and climbing on rocks, peering into tidal pools, and wading in the waves. life is dodging seaweed, and life is getting drenched. life is wearing wet jeans in the now-i-have-to-sit-in-these-for-the-next-five-hours way, and being absolutely fine with it. life is being on a cliff watching the moon rise to your left and the sun set on your right. life is discovery. life is almost being bounced from a pub because your florida driver's license is not an acceptable form of id anymore. life is going into a shop while it's sunny and coming out when it's raining (or maybe that's just auckland). life is fish and chips wrapped in paper. life is language barriers, even when you and whom you're talking to speak the same language. life leaves the windows open. life is being excited to get up in the morning.

i was scared, i was worried, i was anxious. i didn't know what to expect, i didn't know how i was going to feel. i was scared, deep down, that i was going to want to go home, and ache for it every second of the day.

i'm not scared anymore, though. after only a month, it's amazing to me just how easy it is to call this place home.