Here we Come World

Sometimes it feels like just yesterday that we were standing in the San Francisco airport getting ready to board our plane to New Zealand. Barely any idea of where we would go once we landed, what we would find, or the adventures we would stumble upon throughout our undetermined amount of time that we would stay in the country.

Nine and a half months later we found ourselves with packed bags, slowly saying our goodbyes, and getting ready to hit the road.

A million things have happened since we updated the blog last.

We were living in Dunedin with the most amazing and beautiful Stock Family. We were intruders into the lives of a young family and loved every minute of it. No amount of Thank you's would do justice for everything they did for us. We made our exit plans, finished up work, an old primary school friend Jackie Bahue and some of her friends came through for a few days, and we caught a ride with them north.

On our farewell tour we stopped back into Nelson to say goodbye to the Francis family and sent our passports off for our Indian and Chinese visas to be added. Getting back to the big city found us with a week or so of work at the old owners of La Zeppa new restaurant called Ragu. Jo, Andy and Jimmy took us in for a last two weeks in NZ...Anna guest played on a U-15 soccer team as goalie, we worked a bit, did some closing down of our accounts/lives here in the country, and plenty of watching world cup soccer games and all of the sudden it was time to go.

Surprise! Anna is home and I headed over to Australia for a week. I stepped off the plane with NO plans and Christina's phone number that was missing a digit. I worked for accommodation from Monday-Thursday at a hostel close to downtown and I am now currently staying at a friend from Prep Christina Tidwell's place in Sydney. Australia has been really good to me and I've gotten around a lot of the suggested Sydney activities- some alone and a lot with people I met at the hostel. Traveling alone is lame though. The running commentary in my head needs Anna's ears.

I'm off to Fifa International FanFest to meet up with an Aussie I met at the NCAA basketball tourny last year in Portland then to watch the USA game. Boarding the plane to leave here on Monday morning to Seoul, South Korea to meet Robin. Words can't describe how excited I am to see more cheetos... I mean my mom.

Summer here I come again, I've missed you.

G'day mates. HA.

Jackie sans Anna

Oh, the Lessons We'll Learn

In no particular order, here are a few lessons we learned in New Zealand

- The extreme value of Thank You notes (Ok Mom and Dad, you were right all those years...)

- When in doubt, make sure the driver is the closest one to the middle line

- Fake it till you make it. Works every time.

- "Nice" serves as a great catch all adjective

- The all important difference between a Flat White, a Long Black, a Short Black, a Latte, a Cappaccino, and how to make them

- Shouting is hard on your wallet, not on your voice.

- The "unusual" can become "normal" quite quickly

- Always check the fluids in your car

- Nothing comes after "as" in phrases such as "mean as, sweet as, keen as, cold as, busy as, etc.

-Look right on when crossing the road.

- Kiwis swear more than Jackie.

- Sambuca is NOT an acquired taste

- Jorts are not an acquired style

- Nothing beats a good New Zealand Sav Blanc on a beautiful sunny summer's day

- Who knew Doritos (and importing Cheetos) could be so exciting?

- When somewhere gets too cold for shorts, that's a good time to get out!

- "WH" makes an "F" sound in Maori

- Appreciation for good fresh produce, delicious cheese, smaller portions, fine wine, and warm hospitality

- The importance of working somewhere you like

- Even the biggest city in a small country feels small - that is until you return from living on the South Island...

- Being socially accepted is often directly correlated with hair length

- Apparently the American accent is cool? Apparently we have one?

- Wombinations are funny everytime

- A little generosity goes a long way

- You can only romanticize being homeless and sleeping in your car for so long (for about 2 nights/3 days according our scientific research)

- Walking barefoot in the supermarket is surprisingly liberating

- The fine distinction between a Kiwi, Aussie, and Pom accent

- if u wud lik 2 txt, u cant rit alot

- CSB= Cool Story Bro, and other fine examples of Kiwi slang: keen, have a squiz, giz a geez, skuxx, the list goes on...

- "There's no such thing as a bad experience" - Andrew Clements

The list could go on Forever. Thank you New Zealand, for everything you have given us!

Guest Post By Jimmy Clements

The cake in the face for my birthday in Auckland & the GANG 

We would now like to take a moment to introduce a guest author for our blog; the one and only Jamie Jim Jam Jimmy Jimbo Clements.  She has generously offered to fill in some gaps that we have left out along the way and we are honored to have her here on the blog as she has come to be such an important part of our lives her in New Zealand.  CSB

Well now I think that I better start at the beginning. The very first lunch :) Where "the three Americans" got to see the quiet, shy Jamie that once existed to those that did not know me. But that all changed as you got to know me in the amazing place called Whangamta. The memories as we surfed... well we tried to anyway, we boogie boarded and we swam. Life was as simple and as fun as it had ever been. That was truly an amazing summer. From seeing a um UFO to people being rescued by the boys at the surf life saving. 

It all started when Kyle and Sebas decided to go out in the rough seas, when all of the rest of the gang finished their swim and headed inside my very observant mother asked where the "two boys had gone." My father then smoothly replied they had gone to "the hole in the rock". I think you really had to be there in order to experience my mum's face and he tone of voice as she said: "in this weather and this type of surf - they must be crazy." So we waited for their safe return... We waited... and waited... and waited until finally Clem also known to me as dad went to ask a lifeguard that was going past on his ATV if he could get the IRB to go out and have a quick squiz to see if they could see them anywhere. A couple skipped heartbeats (and a few extra worry lines to come in later years) later and no sign of the two. Dad panicking because as I would put things: he had blood on his hands. There was still no sign of them and the IRB had checked all over. Then the question was asked by the nice eyed lifeguard "you don't think they would be stupid enough to go to the hole in the rock, do you?" Nobody answered that properly. So the IRB decided to check in there anyway as the rescue mission/search was moved up to a "full scale search" and the swimmers went in to see if they could see the two because the life boat couldn't come through. We all rode to the surf club on the ATV while the boys were taken back with the kayak in tow. After a round of high 5's they shared their EPIC ADVENTURE with us all. After dad requested they give the lifeguards some thanks. All of us girls spotted the hottie - we found out later his name was Dan. Dad then invited all of the lifeguards involved to drinks, dinner and a night of Beer Pong afterwards. Dan came but then left, as we checked why he did not come we found out he was "socially challenged" so we were without the hottie as I (Jamie Clements) bet EVERYONE in beer pong  remember the name because one day I will become a champion beer pong player and you will all say haa I played with that girl once, she was brilliant. That night turned into a great summer. 

Following the drama we went Zorbing and i think it was around this time that all of the nicknames were in use: BJ or Bix Jnr. for Anna and also Mom from me for Anna and Jackie was The cat (really long story behind that one) so we were all getting to know the now famous nick names. We then followed on from Zorbing to see the AWSOME concert Ragga Muffin this was one of the high lights of my summer. 

After that brilliant summer i had to go back and go to school but hope was not all lost because I went down to the bach for my birthday, IT WAS THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER :) thanks guys. I had the lovely banner from The cat and a tasty Pavlova from Mom. It was truly great. When i was back in Auckland we had another party and i got the cake in the face from the amazing cat. We then went to wellington later in the month and had lunch there. It was great to see all of you again because i had already started to miss you guys :( I think that really over-all it was a great summer and the beach soccer which we FOR SURE WON topped the whole year off.

 Thanks also to Gigi and Steph who were to put things lightly; entertaining. It was so funny and fun to spend time with you all. So over many star gazes and drinks we had the best summer. That summer is going to be a hard summer to top. I think that when you are all old with your Zimma Frames and walking sticks and children i'll come see you again. After Law Uni of course. 

So really i am going to finish by saying how much of an amazing time you have created. You have made me a better person, i have enjoyed sharing stories and listening to your wisdom and your jokes. I think that you are amazing people and in all honestly ( i ankle swear) i love you all. You are truly the best americans i will ever meet and have met. Thank you so much for putting up with my craziness. ;) bye for now. Keep in touch and also a big HELLO from New Zealand to those that read this through! goodnight and goodbye.

Thank you for all of your time

Catch yizs lata!

Jamie Clements aka Jimmy

An Ode to Stewie

This one goes out to Stewie, the Stewman, Stew-rama, the Stewster, the Stewmeister...

Today Stewie the Sprinter leaves our lives forever. It is a very bittersweet moment in which we acknowledge that our lives would not have been the same without him over the past nine months yet recognize that we must now venture forth without him.

It has become clear in recent months that Stewie is as upset about this forthcoming change as we are, displaying signs of a leaky tire, an off center alignment, and a dying battery. Stewie we have heard you loud and clear and to this we say, "Sadden yourself not in the upcoming days that we will not be spending together, but rather, revel in the memories of all the treasured memories of the past."

So with that, and in honor of Stewie and all that he has given us over the past nine months and knowing that in a short two hours, we must part ways, we have spent some time below reminiscing some of our favorite Stewie memories:

- Driving off into our first sunset the day we purchased a vehicle that would come to be known as Stewie.

- Stewie's first day trip to Piha Beach.

- The several, several nights that Stewie became not only our mode of transportation but also our home, storing our clothes, providing us a place to eat a meal, and a comfy car chair to lay our head at night.

- The times Stewie was able to touch other peoples' lives through the hitchhikers we picked up together. Surely their lives were just as touched as ours was...

- Those dark days when Stewie fell ill and had to be nursed back to health. Those days created such a strong bond and reminded us of how much we had come to depend on Stewie as a part of our daily lives.

- The shade Stewie cast in the kiwiberry, pear, and apple orchards; relief from a hard day's work.

- The long hours spent together on roadtrips. You were there Stewie through the tense mountain climbs as your temperature slowly rose from the exertion, the philosophical discussions, the many gorgeous viewpoints, the random pit stops. You were there when we were lost, you were there when we were simply wandering, you were there whenever we needed you, at the end of the day Stewie, you were there.

So on this Tuesday afternoon, as your new owner makes his way towards us to take you on a new adventure, we raise our beer to you dear Stewster. You were the closest I've ever been to owning the car and, lets face it, probably the closest I will be for quite some time. So here's to you dear Stewie, here's to 20,000 glorious kilometres of New Zealand countryside spent together, we will miss you dearly, go forth, drive on, and please please please, don't die until we are out of the country....