Last Days

Hey all that are still reading up on this. Sorry to not have written for so long, I do apologize. I do have a valid excuse, I am having an amazing time and haven't figured out what I wanted to write about or how I was going to go about writing it.
I'm in a weird place right now. I got to New Zealand in the beginning of January and have been here for a total of 6 months. I didn't know anyone and I didn't know anything about New Zealand, except for maybe a couple movies have been made here and it is supposed to be spectacular, oh right they have an amazing Rugby team! Anyways I came with a completely blank slate. Didn't know much of anything or anyone and it has been everything I wanted. I have had adventures every where I turned. I have met some amazing people that will end up being life long friends. I have learned a lot about New Zealand culture and I have learned a lot about myself.
I went and stayed on a farm with a friend from the halls and got to wander around her land. We woke up early to feed the baby calves and she left for work.

I found an amazing spot on top of a hill and sat and looked out over the Waikato area for a great deal of time. The Waikato area is a large flat space surrounded by smallish mountains much further off. As I sat there I watched the rain clouds carry the rain across this flat space casting rainbows across the farm fields and houses. It was really nice view and a nice place to sit and relax and realize all that I have done. The time has gone by so quickly, but it has seemed like ages since I got on the first plane to Auckland. I changed strange faces to be great friends, through all of the experiences we had together. Now at University life I was changed from the crazy international student living in the dorms to a friend who will be missed. It is strange to sit in the dorms almost completely empty. I remember when I got here and, other than the RA's there was no one here. It was weird then to know that I did not know anyone there to now knowing so many of them that have left for home.

I will not be here when most of them come back and I will have to face the fact that I am leaving many great friends behind as I travel back to the states. The empty space, which was once filled with mystery for who was to come is now filled with memories and faces not so strange to me anymore. It is a weird place I am in right now and I'm sure when I get home I will continue to keep them in my memories and influencing my everyday life. I wish to keep in contact with all of my friends here and come back and visit some day very soon.

I believe the leadership course I was in has also influenced my current perception a great deal. And I look forward to bringing back my experiences from everything I have done here in New Zealand and continue doing great things in the states. I have great plans for when I get back and so happy that I had the chance to travel abroad for a semester (although I do wish it would have been longer).

It has been a fantastic time and I look forward to coming back to tell stories and create new ones. I will miss New Zealand very much and look forward to coming back in the near future!