NZ part Last

(This post has been a draft while life got busy again: sick kids, tropical storms, housing stress, etc. Sorry for the discontinuity, but here's the post.)

Okay, this is the last one, then we'll move on with life like normal healthy people.

For those following the logistics, we flew from Queenstown back up to Auckland, spent the night there, and the next morning flew to Samoa and then on to American Samoa. Since Ephraim's arrangements were made through work, we flew on separate airlines. He took the luggage, I took the kids.

Given that traveling is always stressful, we did fairly well. I have vague memories of losing Isaac in the Auckland airport (don't worry, I found him again), spending my last NZ dollars on a canvas tote and a snowglobe, making puppets with airsickness bags in the plane, and breaking the snowglobe in Apia.

I wrote about the mucky condition of our house and our dead car here.

When I come back to reality after a nice trip, I always feel like I'm putting on a familiar heavy pack. Then I have to get up and move on--hopefully with new motivation and resolve.

We are happy to be back home, but if anyone needs a travel buddy for a NZ excursion, I'm there!

A few lingering thoughts in New Zealand:

> I went with a goal to understand the Maori people better (Native New Zealanders), specifically how the climate played into their Polynesian culture. I'd been picturing Samoans living in old Ireland, and it just didn't work in my mind. I reread Potiki by Patricia Grace (BYUH folks, remember that one?) to help me picture village life in rough seas, rocky beaches, and pine forests. It also demonstrated the racial conflicts that exist/ed, and it gave me a glimpse of the language, which is quite different from Samoan. Then when we went to Te Papa Museum and saw photos of chiefs and village life, I understood that the Maori bore a strong similarity to Native Americans with bare skin under thick capes (made of feathers), homes with walls (not like Samoan fales), and carvings of ancestors (like totem poles). To survive in the harsh climate they used kumara or sweet potato instead of tropical crops like taro or breadfruit. Ephraim commented how their clothes were like Native Hawaiians living up in the cold Big Island mountains. But ultimately, the Maori are unique, and I loved learning about them.

> The Toilets. When flushing you get to specify your flush. #1 or #2. It's like a gameshow. And you always win! Flushing's fun again.

> Price Rounding. New Zealand has gotten rid of their pennies. Their lowest coin is 5 cents. At the store prices are still $1.99, but they adjust your total at the register so you don't get a penny back. They round up or down as needed. Genius. I mean, pennies, who needs 'em?

> Happy Parents & Kids. Of the many hours spent observing family interactions in public places, I was amazed that generally parents appeared genuinely happy to be with their kids! I never saw threat, a spank, or a raised voice. Just kids and parents talking and getting along. Even this one strong-willed little girl's mom just wisked her away from the situation when she was getting worked up. I felt coarse calling my kids "Buddy" and "Kiddo" like I do when around me I heard "Darling" and "Gorgeous". So now I try to throw in a "Yes, Dahling" now and then.

> The accent. Sometimes I couldn't understand people. But I got used to their flattened vowels and odd expressions like "Oh Shivahs!" Ephraim harbors resentment toward Kiwi BYUH guys because all the girls were drawn to their accents. What can I say, it's intriguing. I loved not looking like a tourist, but I sure sounded like one! Except when we met European travelers, they couldn't distinguish NZ vs US accents.

> Murray from Flight of the Conchords kept popping up on billboards and on TV. It's easy to be a local hero in a country the size of Colorado.

> Green-land. Way eco-conscious. I was happy to be charged for plastic bags at the grocery store. Recycling bins everywhere. Less plastic, more reusable materials. Very refreshing to be around people who care in a place that's big enough for good ideas to work. Our friend Anne in Wellington orders organic food online that gets delivered to her door. She pays a flat rate and they drop off whatever produce is fresh. And at this website for the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch the background is black to reduce electricity used to light your screen. I'd never thought of that. (Btw, Mac users I accidentally discovered that ctrl, alt, apple, then 8 makes the screen negative and maybe saves energy. Try it and let me know.)

I already mentioned the sales tax, the short shorts, the thrilling playground equipment, driving on the left, and other quirks. I hope I haven't given away too much about the country that you feel you don't have to go there. Hopefully you can make it there someday. I'll leave you to discover all the other wonderful things about New Zealand. Promise you'll tell me all about it.