Whew. The past few days have been a flurry of activity: my new acquaintances in New Zealand are living up to their world-renowned reputation of being gracious and friendly and all that and more. I have offers to visit nearly every town I first listed on my itinerary; several nights of free accommodation and meals; I've made some arrangements with a college professor and a university connection from Colorado I never knew I had; and am making last minute purchases to make my travel even more complete and productive. Today I even bought a digital voice recorder to help me capture the specific questions and answers about what makes life in the United States different from that in New Zealand so that I can more accurately reflect those differences in my journal and in writing a trade article after the fact. The preparations, large and small, continue in earnest, and now keep me more awake at night than I have been in a long, long time.
My training suffers though: it's a combination of the angst that comes from preparing for a major trip along with that tightening feeling we get that time is short for action and the now continuously grey and rainy days. I'm hopeful that this weather in Vermont gracefully transitions to a notoriously sunny New Zealand late spring once I land in Auckland. Do you know that my chances of becoming sunburned in NZ grow exponentially now that there is a giant hole in the Ozone directly above that country? Here's hoping that the sun graces the country abundantly during the visit.
My final thought for the day: I am incredibly grateful for the help extended to me from these new associates afar as well as from my family and friends who have stepped forward with financial assistance, words of wisdom, support, and love. I appreciate every extra penny and expression! Additionally, I am blessed with some pretty cool people I've come to know through work here in Burlington - it was great to see many of those come over today for my going away reception...pretty cool indeed. It clarifies how important connections and relationships really are. This all helps me feel increased excitement at the prospect of being more than a simple wanderer in New Zealand - I'm someone on a personal and professional journey of seeing communities from the inside, a journey that will lead to lifelong friendships and connections that add to a deeper and richer tapestry that I won't ever be able to forget. Yep, pretty cool, indeed.
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