I Heart NZ

Oh, New Zealand. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

North Island Sheep, May 2011

I was doing some math the other day and figured out it took me eight months to get here & come July, it will have taken me eight months to leave. For someone who bounced around and hardly kept still for an entire year, that says a lot in regards to how I feel about this little country. The beaches are stunning, the people are genuine and the air is clean. But when it comes to my epic crush on New Zealand, I think its the "little things" that make me love it so much....

The fact that the daily weather report includes the number of layers you should wear in order to be comfortable for the day. Today, for example, is a 2 layer day. I also love how, without fail, every time I walk the thirty minutes from my flat to my office, I see at least one instance of friends or acquaintances bumping into each other. Even in this capital city of New Zealand, you'll see someone you know on your way to work. Speaking of my walks around town (and let me mention that I love how walking clear across the city happens in 30 minutes or less), I love how any time of day, there will be a handful of street performers scattered around the city. Whether its a young girl singing along to the instrumental of an Etta James song, or that older couple that sing hippie folk songs outside of the New World Metro each night, or just a young boy with his guitar & a microphone, at any given moment, somebody is performing for cash on a Wellington street corner. Artsy fartsy in a charming & casual way.

I also love how, even though I work in a government office and am surrounded by Economists, Lawyers and Investigators, every single desk is empty by 5:30pm on a Friday. Kiwis work hard, but they put more value and emphasis on their life outside of work. After three years of law firm work & constantly hearing about people pulling all-nighters, missing anniversary dinners & cancelling family plans, I love that. I also love how I haven't been asked where I went to school since I got here. Not that I'm at all ashamed to say "Sonoma State- that's where!", but there's just very little emphasis put on labels here. I'm surprised how much I love that. I also love how there are so many backpackers/travelers that got stuck here. One of my closest friends here in Wellington is a girl from SF who came on a one year visa and is now applying for her third year residency. You also might recall that Liora, my friend from Palo Alto, came over to "check out New Zealand" four years ago and hasn't managed to leave. Talking with a few friends the other day, we started adding up all of the people we knew of that had meant to just pass through Wellington but haven't been able to pull themselves away. I'd be curious to know the actual figures on expats who arrive with the intention of staying for one year vs. those who end up staying for multiple years and applying for residency/partnership visas. I'm guessing somewhere close to 70%. The love for Wellington is contagious.

Speaking of people who can't manage to leave, I am leaving Wellington. Its finally time to head home. My mom is turning 60 and I hear the celebration will include a beach house, good wine and lots of cooking. How can I possibly miss that? My baby brother is turning 21 and having taken the responsibility to "obliterate" both of my other siblings on their 21sts, I feel compelled to do the same for him. Also, one of my best friends has a bun in the oven and having thrown her a blast of a bachelorette party three years ago, it would only be right if I invited the same girls (plus our moms) and threw her a baby shower. There are also other weddings and birthdays to belatedly celebrate, engagement rings to drool over & new houses and cars to see. Plus, I can't possibly miss another San Francisco Fleet Week. Its totally time to head home.

In early July, I'll finally board a plane for San Francisco. The good news is that I'll get a job, unpack my stuff, eat CPK at least every other day & finally be able to join my friends for their fun weekend adventures. The bittersweet news is that it'll be a temp job, a subletted room & there are only four months of fun that my CA friends and I will have together. Come November, the plan is to move back to New Zealand and work here through another Summer before heading down to South America for a few months of backpacking. (insert eye roll here) I know, I know. "Are you ever going to come home and stop traveling?" Not any time soon, no. Besides, not only am I in love with my plan for the next chapter, but it looks like I have one hell of a buddy who wants to do it all with me. Double win!

North Island, May 2011

Living the dream, loving it and never been happier. Like any good almost-thirty American, I do struggle with what this means for my future. When will I buy a house? When will I build up my credit? When will I get back to work on my 401k? But all I can think about lately is which city in Chile would suit me best? I wonder if its possible to get a working holiday visa in Argentina? What month does it really start to get cold in Bolivia? How hard would it be to get a job in Peru? Until my mind starts racing with thoughts of mortgages and babies, I'm going to keep up this lifestyle as long as I possibly can. At this point, all signs are pointing to "Forever".

March 16, 2010 - March 16, 2011

525,600 minutes

365 days
16 countries
4 visas
6 visits with loved ones from home
8 Paly alumni
6 rented motorbikes
4 rental cars
1 speeding ticket
15 islands
4 paying jobs
1 volunteering gig
20 doner kebabs

When I said goodbye to my family in the kitchen (Mom made the boys get up early for it) on the morning of March 16, 2010, I never in a million years would have predicted the way this adventure would all fall into place....

The fact that I am writing this while sitting in a McDonald's in Munich, Germany (treating myself to a Rittersport McFlurry to escape the rain outside) is proof that dreams do come true. I'm still at it- hell, I'm even flying over to London tonight and still have two weeks in Turkey with Seana to look forward to, not to mention three more months of living as a Kiwi in New Zealand after that. Rihanna may want to feel like the only girl in the world, but I am surely the luckiest girl in the world.

I just spent twelve incredible days traveling through Bavaria & Bohemia with one of my best friends from home: Munich, Pilsen, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, Salzburg, Grodig and then back to Munich again. Proper blog post about our adventure to come, but I feel so blessed to have woken up next to a buddy from home on this 365th day away and to have had the time/funds/ability to take that trip with him. And I still feel totally feel unworthy for what the rest of March will bring. Tonight, I will fly into Stansted for the reunion of all reunions. Somehow, the stars aligned (and our schedules matched up) for some of the CCPP volunteers from Cambodia to meet up for one wild reunion weekend in London. Samia from France, Oumaya from Spain via Morocco, Juliane from Germany and Priya, Victoria, Will and Luke from England. And its all happening over St. Patrick's day weekend. In true JJ's Beach Bar style, I brought my blacklight body paint & there is talk of drinking out of buckets. For memory's sake. London is in for a treat.

The amazing/international/lively group of friends I've made this year are like the gold coins you collect in MarioKart. Such a huge bonus to gather them as I've been going along on this solo mission. One year ago, I didn't even know these five gals and now, they are some of my closest friends. Come to think of it, I also didn't know how much I love to snorkel. Or that I love riding motorbikes. Or that I would be Skyping with loved ones all the way from New Zealand on Christmas morning. Or that I could manage to get by with just one pair of jeans in the rotation. Or that I could see myself settling down and living in either Vilnus or Sihanoukville. Like my Counseling 101 teacher used to tell us, "you just can't know what you don't know." True that.

This year has been spectacular and surprising. I ate a ton of curry, fell in love more times than I can count, got attacked by monkeys in Bali, trekked the snow capped Austrian Alps, slept in a sedan in Australia, got a tattoo in Cambodia and watched the sun rise in Goa. I feel like this past March 16th - 16th really helped me define who I am and what I want to be. But that's for me to know, none of your beeswax. But one thing is probably obvious. I intend to do a lot more traveling in my future! Thanks so much for following along and check back sometime in April for blog posts on the trips I'm in the middle of now. And before I forget, a few shoutouts...

Huge thanks to my financial support team (Mom, Dad & Kate), without whom I'd have already been home a long time ago. "IOU" big time. Also, a heartfelt thanks to Suzannne Levanas, Suzi Coleman and Asta Baskauskaite who might not even realize it, but are definitely three of my biggest cheerleaders. Additional thanks to my parents, my sis, Jess, Torrey, Mikhael and Seana for packing a bag, boarding a LONG flight and heading over to be my co-pilots for some of these adventures. Also, huge gracias to Liora for convincing me to make my way over to New Zealand. One of the best decisions I made this year! And thanks to Mikey for his patience. =)

Its been unreal. But it really happened. I have the pictures to prove it. I don't plan on trying to top this past year, but I am pretty darn excited to see what the next 365 days bring...

Kiwi Fun Facts

I dare you not to fall in love with New Zealand. For the amount of physical space it occupies, there must be some sort of record for number of gorgeous sights in such a concentrated area. Not only is the country absolutely beautiful, but the people are fantastic. Their dollars are more colorful, their slang is quirky and they have a serious obsession with competitive cooking TV shows; its easy to feel at home here.

If you're "keen" on learning a little bit more about the "cheeky" ways of Kiwis, keep reading.

All (so far, least) of the public bathrooms are clean. Its the strangest thing. They're mysteriously stocked with plenty of toilet paper and the seat is so clean that there's no need to squat and hover. Even high traffic public bathrooms at beaches are more pleasant than disturbing. Strange thing to get used to after many months of miserable Southeast Asian toilets.

Kiwis are not very well traveled. Considering the fact that their closest neighboring country is at least a 3 hour flight away, it kind of adds up- literally. Flying to USA translates to at least 24 hours in flight. Its shocking for me to meet Kiwis who haven't made it past Australia, but most of my generation ends up taking a path that leads to an "OE" in their mid to late 20's. After college, your average twentysomething Kiwi will spend a few years establishing a career while saving money and then do an "Overseas Experience" and try to check most of the boxes with one big trip. Although this is a new trend and only becoming more of the norm with GenY, when you compare NZ to places like Germany, UK and Australian, New Zealand looks like they lack the travel bug.

Every single inch of New Zealand is gorgeous. I recently spent close to 40 hours driving through the North Island over the course of a week and enjoyed every single minute of it. Lush green pastures dotted with sheep and deer; seemingly never-ending stretches of pine trees; breathtakingly beautiful sea shores with white sand and turquoise water. Kiwis tend to live a very clean and green life- they spend a lot of their time enjoying the outdoors and appreciating their land and resources. Maybe Mother Nature is glowing over here because of all the love.

Drip coffee doesn't exist in New Zealand. Even at American chains such as Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, your choices are limited to flat whites (espresso with steamed milk- see above), cappuccinos, lattes and mochas. I once asked a Kiwi if she knew of any places that sold drip coffee in town. After insisting that drip is not "real coffee", I was told I might be able to find some in a hospital waiting room. Ouch. Lucky for me, the kitchen in my flat comes equipped with a coffee plunger and the main grocery store in town has half an aisle dedicated to beans. Kiwis take their coffee seriously, but they sure don't take it black.



Any time a Kiwi impersonates an American, they do it in that terrible George Bush voice. Even if they're reenacting a scene from The OC, they apparently think that every last one of us has a southern drawl. That slow, dumb, enunciated and simple sounding country twang is used when giving an impression of anyone from the States, no matter which state they're actually from. Its unfortunate and inaccurate, but its way more entertaining than insulting. Besides, I don't have an accent- you have an accent.

Pedestrians do not have the right of way. Coming from a big city where walkers and bikers rule the road, New Zealand traffic is alarmingly different. Get this- when you're crossing the street outside of the crosswalk lines, you will often see a car speed up and show no sign of swerving to avoid you. Road rage, much? While at home, you can assume that a driver will slow down if they spot you in their way; in New Zealand, I would never even dare cross on a red.

Wellingtonians dress in costume for anything. In fact, they often dress up for nothing. Why wouldn't a Saturday afternoon with friends require a costume? From the simple Cowboy look of jeans & a plaid shirt to a full body cow suit with udders, nothing is off limits and absolutely nothing is even remotely considered "too much". At the bar where I work, its completely common for Wonder Woman to order a round of tequila shots for herself, Mr. T and Cruella Deville. February 4th is NZI Sevens, which is a national rugby tournament that takes place in Wellington; it basically becomes a citywide excuse to throw on a costume and spend the day drinking in sunny Westpac stadium with friends. Its Wellington's version of Bay to Breakers. And yes, I'll be taking part this year. 'Excited' is an understatement.

Naysayers & Song Lyrics

"Heavy footsteps to the dark unknown. This is a mystery, no security of home... Walk it alone, I'm not afraid. I have my wings to fly away."
-The Sun Song, Michael TolcherI once dated a guy who tried to convince me that this trip would be impossible. "Its an unrealistic fantasy", he would say. "You can't just quit your job and leave the country for a year with no real plan. Maura, you're 25 years old and you don't have enough savings to do that. Be realistic."

You be realistic and I'll be optimistic.

And he's not the only one. Plenty of people tried to steer me clear of this trip. I won't name names, but there was a crowd of naysayers. But you have a good job! The economy is hopeless and jobs are hard to come by! Some of the places you're going are unsafe! What if you run out of money? You'll get homesick. What if something terrible happens while you're in a foreign city?

Those are all valid concerns. But to me, the scariest "what if" would have been: what if I never tried it and never knew if I could have done it and what it would have been like? As Leona Lewis sings in "Happy", "I can't stand by the side and watch this life pass me by. So unhappy. But safe as could be. So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down? So what if this world just throws me off the edge, my feet run out of ground?" When that song came out in early 2009, I adopted it as my anthem and played it on full blast on my iPod any time I got overwhelmed with the fears of what could go wrong on this adventure. So what if something bad happens? I could always come home. I had to at least give it a shot.

Sure, I've been on a pretty tight budget this whole time and had to borrow a substantial amount of money to make it through the Australian leg of my trip. But that was after eight months of travel. And yes, it could be hard to find employment when I get home. But how can this year have made me anything but more employable, right? Plus, now I have bartending experience. ;)

Maybe there's something that we all feel like we HAVE to do. For one of my friends, its dying her hair pink. She's been talking about doing it since college but always gets talked out of it. For another, its picking up and randomly moving to a new city on the East Coast. Intimidating idea, but she's been toying with it for years. Maybe for some of those who enjoy more of an intellectual challenge, its going back to school or learning Japanese. Or becoming a chef. Or biking all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The idea of a "soul mate" is universal and something everyone is constantly looking for, but I'm proposing we all pay a little more attention to our "soul journey". Not the one person you want to spend your life with, but instead the one challenge or adventure you want to give your life.

I could have listened to my ex and stayed in a job and routine that would have led to 2010 being predictable and safe. But as the Rascal Flatts song goes, "there comes a time in everyone's life when all they can see are the years passing by. And I have made up my mind that those days are gone." Amen.

For any of you who are reading this and thinking, geez-so what? She visited a few countries and managed to avoid coming home for a year. Its not that big of a deal. To those of you I say, good for you. Clearly, you know the payoff of a trip like this outweighs the fears and cost. I could have used more opinions like those when I first started planning this trip!

My new year's resolution is simple. To keep living this way. Following my gut. Challenging myself with the joy of adventure. Taking road trips with no destination. Spending an entire Saturday afternoon at the beach with a bottle of wine, a deck of cards and a good friend. Attending music festivals, even if the ticket prices are outrageous. Taking naps and reading novels in the sun. In 2011, I want to continue to take a little time to enjoy the view. Its a beautiful thing. And this trip has been the most beautiful adventure of my life.

December 26, 2010 - January 2, 2011

December 26th, Liora and I embarked on a seven day tour around the North Island. Starting here in Wellington, we drove a relocation car (free 24 hour rental, as long as you take it one way to a specific city) the eight hours up to Auckland. On the way, we stopped for a break at the stunning Lake Taupo and had a nice little stop in Rotorua. See pics below. From Auckland, we took our second rental car and drove all over the northeast portion of New Zealand's North Island. Piha, Mangawhai, Whangarei, Te Puke, Tauranga, Whangamata, Coromandel and then back down to Auckland to catch a ride back to Wellington with our neighbors.



During the seven days, we slept in our car, pitched our tent at the epic CoroGold New Year's Eve music festival, rented a room at a sketchy airport motel, slept in a 10 person backpacker dorm & stayed at the childhood home of one of Liora's Kiwi friends. Along the way, we stopped at McDonald's for free wifi & directions, InfoCenters to inquire about the "must see"s of each town and generally got out of the car at any point where the view was spectacular or there was a good place to catch a tan while playing Scrabble. Both of us came home calling it "the best" road trip ever. We left Wellington with no real plans set in place, no hotel reservations, no tickets to CoroGold, no idea how the week would develop. Ironically, even if we had sat down with travel books, maps and a calendar and nailed down a specific itinerary before we left, we couldn't have planned it better ourselves.



Going with the flow is the best way to let things happen and is one thing that I've become seriously good at. As long as you're armed with the essentials (in our case: tent, sleeping bag, pillows, Scrabble & banana bread) and willing to be flexible and let things come your way as the plan unfolds, very little can go wrong. In my opinion, it can be the best way to experience life. If we had made reservations for a hotel, we never would have randomly stopped in Hamilton and watched drunk casino patrons sing karaoke for over an hour. If we hadn't randomly walked into the surf shop in Whitianga, we might not have found CoroGold tickets for sale. If we had purchased a flight back home to Wellington, we would have missed out on the brie, roast beef and pesto sandwiches that our neighbors/drivers provided for lunch. If we hadn't decided to take Adrian up on his random invitation to stay with his parents in Te Puke, we wouldn't have taken tequila shots with Pedro.

The best trips are full of adventure and the best adventures are determined by random chances and random chances can only enter into the equation if you're open to adventure.

Happy 2011!

Michele the Explorer

I had the pleasure of meeting Michele Martin while volunteering with Cambodian Children's Painting Project in July. She had such a positive and exciting experience while volunteering with CCPP that she decided she had to find a way to continue her work with the beautiful children of Cambodia. After a few months of planning & raising funds back home in Pennsylvania, she returned to Cambodia earlier this month. Sihanoukville is the first of many stops to come; Michele is planning to spend the next few months painting murals at orphanages & various childcare centers throughout Southeast Asia. If you want to learn more about Miss Martin's fantastic and inspiring adventure, you can visit her site at : http://www.teachingmitchell.org/

Michele recently posted this fantastic video, documenting the walk from the CCPP Gallery in Sihanoukville down the “main road” to Serendipity Beach. This exact path was one that I took at least once per day. Judging by the sunshine dancing on the water, I'd say she filmed this in the late afternoon, which was my absolute favorite time to head down to the shore. Along the way, you’ll see Cambodian construction workers, stray animals, big random piles of rocks/dirt, a motorbike taxi and even THE famous JJ’s Playground Beach Bar. As someone who fell head over heels for Cambodia, I had such a strong reaction to this video- think Michele has perfectly captured the essence and vibe of Sinville in this short clip. She also included a pretty sweet soundtrack (for some reason, sound doesn't kick in until :35) and though the footage is a bit wobbly, I think it adds to the charm. Not sure if this is a “you had to be there” situation, but this video gave me goose bumps and the desire to look up flights to fly back to Cambodia as soon as possible…. enjoy!

Watch the video by clicking on this link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJZ_gS_DCZA

Its. My. Life.

I am a huge believer in listening to & trusting your instinct; whenever I (rarely) ignore my gut, I end up somewhere I shouldn't be and don't want to be. At this point, I'm sort of waiting for the "green light from within" on when to head home. I haven't the slightest idea when that will be, which is why "when do you plan on coming home?" stumps me every time.


That being said, November 18th was a really scary day for me. For a full 24 hours, it looked like I was finally headed home. No funds + no employment = no way to keep on keeping on. Don't get me wrong; home is not a bad place by any means. When I do eventually return home, it'll be oh-so-sweet. However, I just *know* its not homeward bound time for me yet. Thankfully, I landed the job at Mac's BrewBar and more recently, a three-month position with the government. Phew. Funds replenished and mission extended.

Along with the aforementioned low points, there have certainly been some pretty sweet highs. In fact, you might have noticed that every time I've let myself hit rock bottom with finances or opportunity, something amazing usually happens. This time, my sweet reward came in the form of 4th row seats and backstage passes at the Bon Jovi concert in Wellington. Let's start at the beginning...

While working at Mac's on Friday afternoon, these two guys came up to me and asked me if it was a holiday in NZ or something. Basically- why is everyone dressed in costume? I explained that in Wellington, people dress up for no good reason. Any gathering that involves adults and alcohol will include at least a handful of costumes. Its weird, but I've become used to it. From there, they asked me where I'm from and it turned out we were all Americans: they're from Vermont and Minnesota. After a brief intermission so I could pour a few more pitchers and pints, I found them at the end of the bar and we discussed what brought each of us to Wellington and turns out... they're sound techs for Bon Jovi, who had a massive concert here the next night. Without much effort on my part, they offered backstage passes and tickets to the show. For free. Since Liora was vacationing in the wine country for the weekend (tough life), I invited my friend Kyle. I met him at JJ's Playground -THE bar in Sihanoukville- back in July and after talking, we figured out that we were both from California AND that we'd both be living in Wellington at the end of 2010.

Me & Takumi

Fast forward to Saturday, which just so happened to be the most beautiful day I've had in Welly, so far. After sharing a bottle of Chardonnay in the sunshine down on the waterfront, Kyle and I walked over to the WestPac Stadium, where Takumi met us at Will Call and handed us our official Guest Passes. Score. He escorted us around backstage, where we saw Jon & Richie's dressing rooms, met the rest of the sound techs, checked out the guitar selection, and were gifted something like fifty guitar picks from Takumi's collection. AC/DC, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi, etc. I don't play guitar, but I suppose they could be valuable at some point?

Above: Backstage with Richie's favorite guitar
Below: Richie onstage with his favorite guitar

We were invited to eat dinner at craft service with the media & crew and then met Takumi backstage to get our tickets. Turns out, he had scored some 4th row seats for us and managed to grab two extra copies of the show's set list for us to follow along. What a guy. The concert was fantastic and at times, felt like one big 30,000 person sing-along.

Jon Bon

JBJ definitely still has it going on, and he knows it- he was bouncing around all over the stage and even though he hasn't updated his moves since Bon Jovi's glory days, he looked pretty good up there. Personally, I found Richie to be far more talented than Jon Bon; better guitar skills, more powerful voice and less of a "look at me, I was huge in the 80's" factor. Although I was really only familiar with about 7 out of the 23 songs, I really loved the show- how can you not enjoy a live show when you're 4th row out of 30,000 seats? For free. The highlights for me were Bad Medicine, Lay Your Hands on Me, Runaway and Livin' on a Prayer (see clip attached).

Sweet, sweet view from our seats

The moral of this story has two sides. For starters, good things happen to friendly people. Had I not chatted up Takumi and Andy the same way that I chat up anyone who seems harmless and interesting, we wouldn't have even gotten to the whole "Bon Jovi" topic. I'm not bragging, I'm recommending.

On stage before the doors opened

Secondly, its ok to hit rock bottom. As the saying goes, "once you hit rock bottom, the only way is up". If you can manage to go with the flow, even it seems like you're drowning, hang in there - before you know it, you'll end up exactly where you're supposed to be. Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear. Oh, livin' on a prayer.

Family matters

From India to Germany to Cambodia to Australia, I have essentially been chasing Summer since I left home. No matter the country, my favorite thing to do each day is sit in the sunshine. Recently, I spent the afternoon walking up (and I mean UP- Wellington has some SF-style hills!) to the Botanical Gardens in town. Armed with a banana, a water bottle and my book, I found a bench among the flowers and sat there for a good hour, enjoying the peace and quiet. But this was not just any bench. I always need the seat with sun; direct sunlight. While out to lunch or drinks with friends, everyone knows that I'll gladly take the chair that has no access to shade. I can easily spend a full eight hours on a towel in the sand on a beach and be perfectly happy, even on a hot and humid day. If I'm in a city with good weather, I'll happily (and automatically) plan my day around any outdoor activities I can find. If there isn't one to choose from, I'll probably find a way to convince myself that drinking a pint at an outdoor cafe is a good use of time.

"I get it from my Mama." And well, she gets it from her father. My grampie was the classic "sun worshipper". I can't remember ever seeing him without a dark tan; he happily created outdoor projects around the house for himself, which conveniently allowed/required more time in the sun. If he wasn't working on something at home, he was probably helping out with a project for a neighbor or down at the church. But usually in the sun. Even in his final weeks, Grampie always insisted on being taken outside for our visits together. Luckily, Palo Alto is blessed with warm weather on what seems like 360 days a year, and Grampie took full advantage. My last visit with Grampie involved being outdoors, in direct sunlight, with a big grin on his face. Every time someone has jokingly (but seriously) called me a "sun worshipper" on this trip, I think of Grampie and instantly grin.

left: me & grampie, 1983
right: mooloolaba beach, australia in november

To most people, butterflies are beautiful and enchanting creatures. To me, they are a sign of guidance and assurance. You don't have to understand it, but for me- seeing a butterfly is my grandma's way of saying "I'm right here and you're doing great." When I was little, my dad's mom told me a story about how two butterflies had been lingering near the garden of a mother who had just lost her two sons in a tragic car accident back in Pembroke, Mass. I was pretty young at the time, but the story stuck with me as I got older and had to learn to deal with deaths of loved ones.

Although my dad's dad sadly passed away when I was a toddler, losing my grandma in 2002 was really my first time dealing with a death in the family. From her big laugh, to her bright white tennis shoes, and her "oh VOW!"s, she was one hell of a lady. The tattoo of a butterfly on my hip is my way of keeping grandma here with me at all times. But if I had a dollar for every time I've had a random butterfly land on me, linger near me, or come directly within my path, I could probably afford another eight months of travel. Maybe to you, they're just pretty moths. As cheesy and silly as it may sound, seeing a butterfly at random is the highlight of my day and I choose to think of it as my grandma's way of giving me a thumbs up sign.

left: me & grandma, 1983
right: kissing a butterfly on island of mainau, germany in may

On a lighter note, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at home! Figured I'd put up a "heavy" post to go with the "heavy" meal you'll be eating today. Wink face. If you're surrounded by family and food and wine today, make sure to appreciate every minute of it. Cheers!

New chapter in New Zealand!

I've been here in Wellington for a full week now. The kicker? I'm planning to stay for at least three months. It was strange to unpack my bags, knowing that I won't be packing them up again for a while. Liora Saad (another Paly '01 grade) and her awesome boyfriend, Matt, picked me up from the airport at 1 a.m. on Saturday night and brought me to OUR apartment. Yes, I have housing that doesn't involve bunk beds, cigarette smokers, binge drinking on random Wednesday nights or waiting to use the communal computer. Liora first came to NZ on a year long work visa (same situation for me) over three years ago, and has now established Kiwi residency. She absolutely loves life in Wellington and has acclimated to New Zealand life quite well! While she misses the GAP, Jamba Juice & Aveda products, she has adjusted somewhat seemlessly to NZ's relaxed and easy paced lifestyle- "island living".

Without wasting any time, I jumped right into job hunting on Monday morning- not because I was anxious to set an alarm & be liable for showing up at a certain place at a given time, but because Australia was expensive and I could barely afford to buy milk this week. Per Liora's advice, I had already booked an appointment in town with a temp agency she had used in the past. It felt strange to put on a skirt and cardigan, walk across town with an armful of documents, and then sit in front of a computer (typing/spelling/data entry tests) for a few hours. It felt familiar, but wrong; I'm not ready for desk work yet. Besides, there's plenty of that waiting for me when I get home. The next few days, I focused my search more on the retail and hospitality end of things. Ya know- the type of job that puts more emphasis on chit-chatting with locals and would be possible to accomplish with a hangover. Before you judge my rationalization for getting an "easy" job, let me just remind you that New Zealand produces some of the world's best Sauvignon Blancs and that just so happens to be my favorite white wine. I'm only thinking ahead and being realistic.

Water sculpture on Cuba Street

Beginning Tuesday, I'll join the waitstaff of Mac's Brewpub: http://www.thebrewerybar.co.nz/
Ironically, Liora took me to Mac's for lunch on my first day here in Wellington; its that kind of place- where locals bring their friends from out of town. Good beer, gourmet pub food in a laid-back but inviting waterfront atmosphere. Should be good. Unfortunately, NZ as a country doesn't typically tip their waitstaff, but this also results in lower service expectations. Overall, there's just a lot less "How is everything? Can I get you anything else? How is the food tasting?". Not mad about that.

I've also been thrilled to find out about FOUR potential visitors to NZ while I'm here! One of my oldest friends in the world, Virginia Levanas, is heading to NZ with her fantastic boyfriend Joe. I've hung out with the two of them a few times before, and somehow drinks are always involved. Drinks and lots of laughter. I'm really hoping it works out to see them while they're here! Also, my old boss from OMM (+ her new husband) in February, Victoria (CCPP) in December and possibly another- yes, another Paly graduate who I haven't seen in about a decade.

Window display in Welly

Life is good, Wellington is sweet, and this blog was totally overdue for an update. So there you have it! For the first time in eight months, I feel completely settled. A new job, a new cell phone, a new bank account, a new IRD number (NZ's version of SSN), and a new apartment. A whole new life.

The city of Wellington deserves its own blog post, so stay tuned for that. With the vibe of Berkeley plus the food scene of San Francisco, a splash of Venice Beach's street performing and a sprinkling of Seattle's outdoor lifestyle, its really no wonder that just a week ago, Lonely Planet proclaimed this city as the 4th Best City in the World to Visit (see link below). Either I have incredibly good timing, or good luck. Either way, its all good here in Welly!

http://www.3news.co.nz/Lonely-Planet-names-Wellington-4th-best-city/tabid/420/articleID/184146/Default.aspx

Thankful

It hasn't been the easiest week here in Sydney. A combination of factors- my funds have hit a painful new low (ouch) and I'm pretty sad (er- devastated) to realize that the "hard" part of my trip is basically over. I know; you're like, wait did I read that correctly? She's upset that the difficult part is over? Yes. I am. Being in Australia is so easy. Couldn't be any easier. I don't feel like I'm putting my mind and body to the test, like some of the other places I've been. The weather is comfortable, everyone speaks English, the food looks like it does at home and all of the TV channels feature familiar shows. Bo-ring. Aside from the possibility of meeting Seana Norvell in February for some more "hard" travel, it's been bothering me lately that the next five months (Australia & New Zealand) should be smooth sailing.

Junior year of college, I was enrolled in "Counseling 101", where we often took turns sitting in the middle of the classroom and allowed the nineteen other classmates to act as our communal Counselor. When it was my turn to sit in the chair, I talked about why I love to travel so much; how I love having the "sh_t scared out of me". I really do! But only when it comes to travel and exploration. Bungee jumping? No way jose. Riding Drop Zone? Nope, I'm good. But plunking myself down in a foreign land with only a map, a Lonely Planet and a camera? While most people would find that terrifying, I can't think of anything more thrilling and exhilarating.

I figured that this trip would sort of get the travel bug out of my system. Thats what I was hoping for, anyway. While I am looking forward to being back in the Bay, buying a Prius (hah!) and staying put for a minute, I'm not sure that this bug will ever leave my system. I mean, I'm still "traveling" here in Sydney, but I feel like I want more. Oops. Instead of extinguishing the travel bug, I think I created a monster.

While I've been interviewing for jobs and hanging out in Sydney this week, I've tried to deflect any feelings of "poor me" with thoughts of how MUCH I have to be thankful for, since there's plenty of that to go around. These past seven months have been absolutely incredible and among the people and places I am thankful for, here are just a few things that have helped make each day the best day I've ever had.

SKYPE

Without it, I wouldn't be able to see my parents happily sitting side by side as we exchange updates every few weeks. I wouldn't be able to see that funny eyebrow thing Mikhael does when he looks surprised or confused. I wouldn't have been able to take part in last Saturday's "Girl's Night" with four of my best friends from home. Skype is the best thing that ever happened to people who are away from home from long periods of time. And it's free! Double thank you.

ENGLISH

In any hostel, at any given time, English is being spoken. I can't even express to you how lucky we are to have our mother tongue as the default language between cultures. While on a snorkeling trip in Lovina, I was in a car with two groups of Germans, some Dutch and a two Spaniards. Without any hesitation, the conversation was in English. While I wish I was able to speak more than one language fluently (remind me to work on my Spanish when I get home) so that I could let other people be the ones using their native language, I am so thankful that English seems to be the universal language of travelers.

WORDS WITH FRIENDS

Constant entertainment, chat capabilities, and intellectual stimulation. By far the best App on my iPod & I am so thankful to have a fun and interactive way to stay competitive- I mean "connected" with my friends.

KATE

My sister is amazing. She responds to every email with lightening speed AND a genuine interest in everything I have to say. She keeps me up-to-date on everything from hilarious family antics to general Palo Alto gossip. She's always anxious for another Skype date, which makes me feel incredibly loved. She's shown unwavering support for me and my crazy trip, even though it means she's sans her best friend for 365 days. Our two week trip through Thailand together was more than enough to be thankful for, but I am so *grateful* for Kate Elizabeth. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine". =)

How To Speak Australian

Sure, we speak the same language as the Aussies. But its hard to understand these people, at times! Below is a little guide for some of the catchphrases and slang I've picked up on while I've been here.

"Macca's" - McDonald's. The focus on the Aussie chains of McDonald's is more on fresh & less on fast. Higher prices but much better food.

"Cuppa" - Cup of Tea. Ex: "Would you like a cuppa?"

"Brekkie" - Nickname for breakfast and often spotted on menus (including Macca's).

"How ya going?" - How are you doing? In fact, saying "how are you doing?" is a dead giveaway that you're not a local.

"Good on ya" - Nice job. Well done. Congrats.

"Is that all you're after?" - Will that be it for you? Often heard at the cashier stand of a store or the end of a meal.

"Skull" - finish or "pound" a drink. Often used when referring to beer. Speaking of beer...

"Tinny" - can of beer

"Stubby" - bottle of beer

"Goon" - box of wine

"Hash" - the pound sign or the letter "H".

"Gorgeous" - Delicious. Funny how we use the same adjectives but mix them all up so they have different meanings.

Oh and newsflash: despite the convincing advertising campaign (see YouTube link below to refresh your memory), Australians do not actually drink Foster's beer. Most of them have never even heard of the brand! Heartbreaking. In other news, they really DO say "barbie" (barbecue), which always makes me laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOOWbMIrYMo&feature=related

Surviving Sydney

Its been an interesting first week here in Australia. Within minutes of arriving at Sydney Airport, I was pulled aside at the Immigration Office and taken into a small room, where a very friendly but stern lady interrogated me about my plans in Australia. She "noticed" that this was the first English speaking country I've been to for a few months and asked how my funds were holding up. They are incredibly thorough with their immigration checks here! I assured her that my money situation was completely fine (total lie) and that I had absolutely no intention of working during my visit (even bigger lie).

Sydney is a gorgeous city and although I've spent my days trying to avoid spending money (aka, mostly eating off the McDonald's Dollar Menu), perusing Gumtree (Australia's version of Craigslist) and dropping off resumes all over the place, I have really enjoyed my visit so far. Australia reminds me of home in so many ways- its nice to be able to eavesdrop on stranger's conversations on the street; I enjoy blending in, since I could be a local just as easily as I could be a tourist- that hasn't happened since Germany; its nice to get directions somewhere and work with street names like Market Street and Elizabeth Avenue! Also, hearing actual (as opposed to extremely outdated) Top 40 songs in restaurants, bars and shops makes me feel a little bit closer to home. Teach me how to Dougie.

Coogee Beach

At the moment, I'm staying in a 10 person dorm at WakeUp! Hostel in the center of Sydney. I've had a really great time getting to know each of my dorm mates & love being able to say "Oh I was just there!", when they mention where they're from: Germany, Denmark, England, Finland and New York are all represented in Dorm Room 205. Most backpackers seem to have plans to stay in Australia for least six months and most of them (present company excluded) have work visas. I have no idea how the New Yorker got his work visa, since I was told over and over again that its essentially impossible for an American to obtain a work visa. In a nutshell, what I've learned this week is that Australia is shockingly expensive, my funds are dropping to an unhealthy low amount, and finding a cash job has proven to be a much more difficult task than I was envisioning.

Boxed wine = "goon"

But don't feel too bad for me; I have been having a pretty great time here, so far! My friend Ashley from Montreal (who I met while I was in Phuket, Thailand), has been living in Sydney with her awesome boyfriend Joe since July. They both work at an adorable little breakfast/lunch cafe in Randwick, which leaves their evenings available for exploring with me! They have been showing me a great time, including a minor run-in with the Australian police in Coogee Beach. Apparently its illegal to drink beer on the beach after sunset. Good to know! Saturday night, we met up in Darling Harbor for some fish & chips and then drank a box of cheap wine while watching the fireworks show over the harbor.

Fireworks over Darling Harbor

Despite far too many false alarms with employment, I am happy to report that I will be working Friday through Sunday at a Baby Expo at the Sydney Convention Center. Random? Yes. Hourly cash wage? Absolutely! On Monday, I'll head out of Sydney an into either a farm or coffee plantation or yoga retreat. Yesterday, I became a member of WWOOF: Willing Workers on Organic Farms. I was scanning through the listings of available locations and some of them sound so great! If you aren't familiar with WWOOFing, I'll let this article do the explaining:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/woofing-a-howling-success/2010/01/25/1264267963953.html

My friend Melissa recently WWOOFed her way through Europe with her husband- check out the hilarious and informative blog about their experience! http://nortonsvault.blogspot.com/

I think WOOFing will be a great way for me to experience Australia, without struggling to afford expensive cities like Sydney ($30 per night for a 10 person dorm room? Psh, I'll pass), and I might even learn a thing or two about organic farming! Who knows, I could arrive home and be able to make homemade soap or clean a cattle barn or plow a field! And here I was, thinking I'd have a hard time finding employment in SF. So many perks to traveling, I tell ya!

More later. Its about 90 degrees outside and I have a date with Bondi Beach today. Cheers, mate!

Maura the Explorer Down Under

Halfway There

So it turns out, a lot can happen in six months. Two of my oldest and best friends had their weddings. One of my closest friends since sixth grade got engaged and subsequently, relocated from LA to Boston. Another one of my good friends bought her first home with her boyfriend. My sister and The Russian moved into a new house in the Bay Area. My sweet Sadie Lady (my family's dog of fourteen years) passed away. There have also been break-ups, career changes, new boyfriends & girlfriends, fun group vacations and plenty of birthdays since March 16th. This is officially the longest I've ever been away from home. In some ways, it seems like a painfully long time to be away; in most ways, it feels like the months have flown by.

"I met a girl who kept tattoos for homes that she had loved. If I were her, I'd paint my body 'til all my skin was gone." - Something Corporate

Since leaving California, I've been lucky enough to find so many short term "homes that I loved" along the way. One thing I've learned about myself on this trip is that I can get very comfortable, very quickly almost anywhere, as long as I have some friends to play with (and ideally, a beach to play on). There was the Evershine Guesthouse in Goa, where I became instant life-long friends with Cat from England and Alice from Holland. I had an amazing three weeks in May traveling through Thailand with Erin from Australia, who I met as soon as I put my backpack down at the Pineapple Guesthouse in Karon Beach. The highlight of the trip was probably my "home" in Vilnius with Asta and Ramune, where I was so warmly welcomed and driven literally all over the country to meet relatives and see the highlights of Lithuania. And then there was "Sin-ville" with my CCPP cohorts. Similar to the way I still feel about my fellow abroad students from Madrid, a unique and strong bond was formed during that month we had together. I'll always have a smirk on my face when I reminisce about the Cambodian chapter of my trip. =)

While I feel incredibly lucky to have had these mini "homes" along the way, nothing compares to the parts of this trip that included loved ones from my real home. Being able to share this traveling experience with my Mom, Dad, Kate and Jess was more rewarding than I could ever imagine- and I think it made them feel better about my "adventure" as well, being able to witness it firsthand. Also, the generosity of people like Caren in Copenhagen and Liane in Germany allowed me to experience some of the more expensive locations of my trip with someone I already know and adore, without breaking the bank.

I could easily go on and on about what an enlightening, happy, adventurous, fulfilling, surprising, sunny and eventful six months I've had so far, but I think this post will be best summed up with a few of my favorite memories from the past six months. Enjoy!

Celebrating Uncle Jonas' 80th Birthday with a room full of relatives I never knew I had (April)









Fourth of July/Buckets & Paint Party at JJ's in Sihanoukville (July)









Spending the day exploring Gili Trawangan with Jessica (August)









Black Moon Party (August)









Sunset at Angkor Wat (June)









Biking through German countryside with Liane (May)













I hope you've enjoyed reading about the past six months as much as I've enjoyed living it. Next Wednesday, the Southeast Asia chapter of this journey will end, as I head over to Sydney to explore a brand new continent.

One love,
Maura

Six Things I Now Know About Bali

1) They love and I mean LOVE Barack Obama. As the opener to a conversation, most of the locals ask where you're from. America? Every single time, their next word is "Obama!". While Barack doesn't have any blood line relating back to Indonesia, his mother did marry an Indonesian man and I believe he spent part of his childhood in Jakarta. But the way their faces light up when they talk about him is adorable. I'll take that reaction over Bush comments *any day*.

2) You'll never see anything more beautiful than a Balinesian girl doing a traditional dance. Jess and I went to a traditional Fire Dance Show while in Ubud and we were completely blown away by the beauty of it all. The finger poses, the foot movements, the facial expressions, the way she looks like she's floating on air. The make up, the outfit, the hair. Its overwhelming. Without showing too much skin or shaking their hips, these girls can completely captivate an entire audience of parents, backpackers, teenagers and little kids. If you're ever in Bali, make sure not to miss this experience!


3) Young Thai women are to foreign guys as young Balinese men are to foreign girls. Perhaps its due to the "Eat Pray Love" phenomenon going on here, but it's almost unbelievable to me how the Balinese men flirt with the backpacker gals. The guy who I've been "renting" a lounge chair from on the beach each day keeps insisting on "we go dancing tonight?". No. We don't go dancing tonight. And that's not only because I've seen you ask the other three girls who are here alone. It might sound more bothersome or creepy than it is, but overall, Balinese men seem anxious to show foreign girls a good time. I'll pass.

4) Each morning, I have to carefully watch my step to avoid crushing one of the hundreds of "canang saris" on the ground. Actually- they're not limited to the sidewalk. I've seen them on windshields, motorcycle seats, on the steps of a temple (that one seemed least out of place) and even on the seashore. Hindus in Bali believe that spirits exist in all objects and elements of life, hence the seemingly random placement of the canang saris. As you can see below, the base is a square shape, made from a banana leaf. Inside, you'll typically find fresh flowers, a small portion of rice or fresh fruit, holy water and a few burning incense sticks. These offerings are a sign of gratitude for the gift of life; placing the canang saris out each morning (and sometimes again mid-day) is both a duty and an honor for the Balinese.


5) Kuta is Australia's Cancun. Sure, there are stretches of gorgeous white sand beaches and plenty of luxurious resorts with upscale bars and inviting swimming pools. But there are also packs of Australian teenagers, drinking 40oz. Bintangs for breakfast and hundreds of vendors, selling the same ten pairs of fake Ray Bans in their shop. However, there are always pros and cons to visiting a tourist trap like Kuta; there tends to be an ample supply of low priced accomodation (huge plus for yours truly), and you can always rely on plenty of Western style food in a town overrun by tourists. Thanks to the incredibly authentic and very affordable California-style burritos at Mojo's Flying Burritos, I'm willing to let the pros outweight the cons in this case. Plus- what kind of surf mecca would this be without a killer burrito spot?
(http://www.mojosflyingburritos.com/)


6) You'll never sit next to a Balinese person on the beach. You might see them walk by or they might offer to sell you a bracelet or cold beer. But they are not into the beach one bit; ironic, considering the Indonesian coastline holds some of the world's most spectacular beaches. Perhaps its because *every day* is a gorgeous beach day for them. Why rush out to enjoy it, when you know it'll be there again tomorrow? And every other day for the rest of your life?

BFFs in Bali

I jumped out of bed (well- the top bunk in an 8 bed dorm room) with a huge grin on my face on August 29th. In only a matter of hours, I would meet Jessica at the Denpasar Airport in Bali. Christmas morning had arrived. One ride on the KL metro, one hour long airport shuttle and one AirAsia flight later, I was still beaming with excitement. At Customs, I paid the $25 US for the 30 day Indonesian visa, took my receipt and got in line for the stamp. Only one hour until Jessica's flight lands and then its best-friend-time all-the-time for the next two weeks. Too good to be true. Next thing I know, the Official who is supposed to be stamping my passport is telling me that there's no more room on any of the pages and that he cannot give me a stamp. Talk about a mood change. My perma-grin was instantly replaced with a racing heart beat and tears welling up in my eyes. You're joking, right? After all of this, you're not going to let me into the country? My mind was racing- ok so I'll just wait here for Jess and we'll tackle this together? Or... I'll talk to someone immediately about getting an additional page sewn in? Ya right- I doubt they do that at the airport. But this kind of thing must happen all the time... right? I quickly grabbed my passport from him and started scanning the pages. Not only had I completely neglected to realize that, in fact, most of my pages were pretty close to full, but I also had no idea that the Indonesian Visa needs an entire page. Eventually, the guard's superior gave him the approval to only give me a stamp, but we finally agreed on a small corner on one of the pages where it would most likely fit. Right after he stamped, I gave a huge sigh, and homeboy whispered "Ok, I help you. Now you help me?" What?! He's asking for a TIP now? I explained that I only had $5 US dollars left and didn't have any Indonesian Rupiah in my possession yet. He seemed pissed and threw my passport on the counter while giving me a "you're useless, now go" sweeping hand motion. Welcome to Indonesia...?

My thirteen days with Jessica were, as she would say, "money". We had the MOST amazing time together; basically, I'll refer to that vacation together as our honeymoon. I mean, after living together for nine years and still coming out alive as the best of friends, we deserved something on the honeymoon-level, right? In true "Jessica" fashion, she arrived with enough Sephora products & samples for me to open a mini beauty store here (Jessica works at Sephora's Corporate Headquarters in SF). Face masks, toners, body scrubs, body butter, perfumes- I hit the at-home-spa treatment jackpot. And speaking of spa treatments, during our first few days in Ubud, we hit the spa twice. My only other spa visit was with Kate, when I treated myself to my first pedicure on Koh Tao. We found rave reviews for Zen Spa (http://www.zenbalispa.com/) on TripAdvisor and treated ourselves to the two hour Mandi Lulur Treatment. A traditional body massage followed by a body scrub with turmeric, sandal wood and rice powder, an exfoliation of yoghurt to eliminate toxins, and a fragrant blossom bath. It was absolute heaven, and it was less than $20 US. Win. We went back to Zen again the next day, where I treated myself to yet another pedicure & Jess enjoyed a foot massage.



From Ubud, we took a minivan and then a speedboat over to Gili Trawangan. Out of the three Gili Islands (Air, Trawangan, Mino), we opted for "Gili T", since we heard it had better nightlife and a pretty good backpacker scene. We ended up at the lovely little Sunrise Pondok Homestay; the walk down to the beach was on a small dirt road, usually swarming with overgrown bougainvillea, roaming chickens & roosters, stray dogs and adorable little Indonesian munchkins. During the day, we biked around the island and found secluded beaches, cozy little restaurants and usually stopped at a happy hour on our way home. One day we went on a snorkeling tour, which was a blast- we found Nemo AND spotted an adorable and slow moving turtle! For the most part, we opted for movie nights in our room more often than beers at the loud Reggae Bar down the street, but we did manage to meet up with Vanessa Reid! Vanessa is a fellow '01 Paly Grad who is taking her "bar trip" before joining the legal working world in the Fall. New total is FIVE random run-ins with Paly grads while traveling. Go Vikes.


Jess and I ended up staying on Gili T for seven nights before heading back to the mainland of Bali to tackle the Waikiki of Indonesia, known as Kuta. Unfortunately, our "three and a half hours" of speed boat + mini bus turned into eight long hours of waiting around and then sitting in traffic. Be warned, if you arrive in Kuta during high season, book ahead. We walked around town for over an hour (with our backpacks on- ouch!) asking for a double room at every hotel we saw. Finally, we settled for a room that was so grimy that I even refused to use the shower. There were strange smells and odd stains on the wall and Jessica insisted we find better for our last night together. Just like she did for our first night in Ubud, Jessica treated us to a gorgeous hotel for our last night in Bali together, and we spent most of the day lounging by the pool and planning the rest of my trip together.

The good news is that we had an absolutely perfect trip together. The bad news is that it's over. When I said goodbye to Jess, the reality set in that I won't see another friend from home (unless there are more Paly kids on the loose in Southeast Asia, hah) until Kathryn arrives in Sydney at the end of October. Que triste. On the bright side, I think I'll head to Sydney in a week or so, and I have a few friends from my travels who are currently stationed there. Familiar faces! I'll take it. Once I arrive in Australia, I'll find a room and a paying gig and actually have a chance to stay in one place for about two months. I'm both thrilled and devastated. I love moving around and seeing new towns and beaches and people all of the time. Will I go stir-crazy in Sydney or am I about to embark on the most exciting part of this adventure? Only one way to tell, right?

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,
Maura the "I'm so legit, my passport is full" Explorer