| As I have not posted anything in quite sometime, I thought I would fill in some of what I've been up to for the last few weeks. I've posted here some excerpts from my personal journal (thanks again Ang and Cynthia!) about places I've gone, sights I've seen and things I've done. Hopefully this will get some people (ehem*theCore*ehem) off my back about my reliability. Did anyone seriously think I was going to be consistent about anything dealing with a computer? I mean really people, come on. Anyway, here are some excerpts from the last few weeks:
Jan 7, 2005
I'm sitting in my room of the International House of the University of Auckland, atempting to do at least some of the reading for next week's classes. In reality I'm staring out my window at the rain and listening to jazz. It's been overcast everday since I arrived and though it has rained some in that time, today is the first day there has been an honest, continuous shower; a slow-soaking spring shower type of rain. It makes me remember how much I like rain. Not Seattle rain though. Seattle rain is rarely more than a heavy mist - a passive aggressive drizzle that makes one feel depressedand mildewed. Rain like today's gives a feeling instead of cleansing, a slaking of thirst anda baptism for the dusty, wearied spirit. Perfect for good quiet jazz music.
As for other aspects of my trip so far, I have decided that my initial assumtion was correct: New Zealand is not the main source of culture shock for me. Instead my main source of disorientation comes from the CHID classes themselves and my trip mates. I had not really appreciated until now the bubble in which I have spent the last several years - immersed almost entirely in science and medicine. I have taken non-science classes (just a few) but they were lower level courses and in disciplines like history that are still very linear and science-like in their own ways. Not CHID. Or the CHID kids. Not all of them are CHID majors and I do get the sense that many of them are struggling a bit as well but at least they have some experience and tr4aining in this kind of subject matter. I had not realized until now just how trained in science I have become. I always sort of assumed that I was just memorizing (and forgetting) series of facts, formulas and specialized vocabulary. Now I realize that I have in reality been learning an entirely separate way of thinking - one in which ever question you pose is expected to have some kind of finite, clear, eventually accessible answer. Even though scientists are constantly revising theories and we generally accept the fact that nearly any theory or hypothesis can be refuted we generally work under the assumption that we do have some knowledge, some kind of stable foundation from which we can devise new experiments and test theories. That is not the case at all with CHID. The underlying idea in this kind of study is that there are no solid answers - everything is in flux and is constantly changing; any answer you come up with is relative to your own background and position. This is very different. As such I think this will be a very good experience for me and, like most good learning experiences, hard.
Though I have come to realize how different I am from my trip-mate, this does not mean that I feel entirely isolated or have made no new friends. Aside from some very cool and interesting international students I've met here in the dorm, I have also struck up some very interesting (and perhaps unexpected) friendships with some of my trip mates. Each person on this trip seems to have such a different take on things than all of the others, different background, different skill and different stories. I'm really enjoying this chance to dive into a totally new group and see what sorts of personalities shake out. It's been quite eye-opening so far: there's the sorority girl and her frat-boyfriend; there's the kid from Oakland who plays jazz piano and the Korean girl who spent the last term in Paris; the Native American girl who grew up on a rez and the girl from Colorado with green hair and multiple face piercings. So many unique characters who in their own ways both simulatenously fit and defy sterotypes. I love it.
Jan. 15, 2005
Yesterday was one of the most incredible days of my life. our whole troupe rented vans and took off for a day at the beach. Piha Beach. Physical proof of God's existence in my mind. We went to Mission BAy beach last weekend and while that was lovely, it was nothing spectacular: your basic white/tan sand, minor waves and lots of families. Piha is something very different.
Piha is technically in west Auckland but in reality it is a 45+ minute drive from town and is in a pretty isolated area – I’m not sure if you cross actual mountains to get there but regardless it is a very steep drive. The beach is on a pretty rugged stretch of coastline and the sand is volcanic – brown and black. On either side of the beach, which faces west onto the Tasman Sea, are craggy cliffs with one free standing crag separating the swimming/surfing beach on the south end from the longer, unpatrolled stretch where you swim at your own risk.
We (by which I mean myself, and a majority of the group, especially the girls) spent the afternoon napping in the sun and later playing in the waves. I can’t remember the last time I swam in the ocean. It must have been Ibiza though the last waves I encountered would have been Virginia as that cove, and the Mediterranean in general, were pretty calm when I was there. In any event, calm is not the word to de3scribe that surf.
I haven’t played with such unrestrained joy since I was a chilled. The waves were delicious. They came one after another, lifting us up weightless or breaking right on top of us and sweeping us up like flotsam. Sea and salt, sun and wind filled my senses until no thoughts remained, only feelings of utter delight. Nothing could be so fabulous as to alternate between fighting playfully against the irresistible surf and surrendering completely to its whims and eddies. Later, after some more sunscreen and another nap in the sun, a group of us went exploring, in search of a beach other members of our crew had found earlier in the day. After climbing to the top of the southern cliff bordering the beach and finding some of the most exquisite views we’d yet seen, we came into view of the most stunning secluded beach I have ever been blessed to witness.
Surrounded by cliffs on the north, south and west, backed up by a brush covered hill on the east, there were two portions of the beach. One was a sort of swimming hole facing southwest with a narrow, rock-strewn channel letting in the sea. The western cliff, a free-standing affair became an island at high tide but was accessible at low tide when a second, north-facing part of the beach was exposed. A gap in the base of the cliff served as a portal for waves to come through and through the other side of the cave/arch you could see the free standing northern cliff of the main swimming beach. After taking as many pictures as possible I waded back with David and the others, the main beach accessible from the secluded one at low tide (at high tide you would have to hike/rock climb to get between the two, which is how we got there in the first place).
By this point the lifeguards had gone off shift, most of the families had gone home for the day and the only ones remaining were surfers out in the water and our group watching the setting of the late afternoon sun. After dinner/beer (a glass of wine for me and half a burger) the group split up with half heading home and the other half of us staying to watch the sunset. Two hours or so later, having taken more gorgeous pictures and strolling along the unusually clean low-tide edge of the sea, we rinsed off our feet and piled into the van, homeward bound. With a shower and application of body oil to my sunburned shoulders and legs, I went to bed and slept the sleep of pure contentment and blissful exhaustion.
Yesterday was one of the most spectacular days of my life. However, right now is not half bad either. After some breakfast I put on a loose skirt, halter top and cool linen shirt. Adding my tramping sandals and travelling purse with wallet, camera, journal and radio, I set out for a bit of exploring. Crossing the bridge south east of my hostel I scouted out a “liberal” Catholic church I might attend tomorrow. Then I scouted the coast-to-coast walkway (a 14 km path through Auckland that starts on the Pacific ocean and ends at a beach on the Tasman Sea) which I may tramp later in the trip. After that I wandered around the Auckland Domain, a large park in the middle of the city. Larger and less formal than the lovely and luch Albert Park, with its fountains and manicured gardens, the Auckland Domain is great for having a bit of space in this often bustling city. I found a lovely, full leafed shade tree and have spent the last hour or so sitting underneath it, writing and listening to the radio.
Wonderful as the last few hours have been, I think I’m going to head back, get some sushi from K-road (the local term for Karangape Road, Auckland’s equivalent for Seattle’s Broadway) and read for class. I have a presentation on Tuesday and have a lot of preparation to do. I will come back to this spot again though; it’s too nice to resist.
Alright folks. I hope this makes up for my silence over the last few weeks and wins me some brownie points for what I realize is a very long entry. As I said, these are excerpts from my personal journal so forgive me if they sound very flighty and dreamy. That’s just how I get when I’m writing for myself. I don’t know when the next instalment will be but I hope I'll have a chance to write soon because I had a fantastic time this past weekend in the Bay of Islands and can’t wait to tell you all about it. As for now, I need to get back to my books and get ready for tomorrow mornings class.
Cheers!
P.S. I’ve started buying postcards. Anyone who sends me their snail-mail address is guaranteed to get a postcard in the mail so don’t miss this one-time opportunity for an actual handwritten note from me. I rarely send anything by post (honestly, I’m bad enough with email) so this is a pretty big deal. |
