Hello friends and family!
Time for a new post. It's going to be a short one this time, because in a few hours I am heading to Auckland airport where I will fly to Christchurch and begin my adventures in the South Island. I will be traveling for three weeks all over, tramping and camping whenever possible.
Quick update: I went sky diving. For anyone feeling stressed at the moment, overwhelmed by whatever card life has dealt you, drive to the nearest skydiving place and take the plunge. It's probably one of the most theraputic things I have ever done, and there is absolutely no feeling like it. I don't even know how to explain what it felt like to jump out of an airplane at 12,000 feet, but I can tell you that the fear right before is crazy. As I moved to the edge of the plane, I knew there was no turning back, and I was about to do one of the stupidest things ever. Slightly panicking, I tried to calm myself down and tell myself that parachutes almost never break. As I reached the door and looked down, I felt an utter hatred for myself. Why the hell was I doing this again? Shit. But I couldn't turn back. I had no choice. I had to jump.
But the minute we let go of our last source of security, all the fear stayed on the airplane as I began to free fall for 45 seconds. It was absolutley amazing. I just cannot really put it into words. Why do we do these things? Is it the feeling of cheating death? I don't know, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. Everyone has to do it before they kick the bucket.
Not much else to report. Oh, actually, I just found out that the current Prime Minister of New Zealand is a Jew....to all you Jews out there, thought you might like to know.
Ok, one more really important thing. For those of you who don't know, one of my friends at Colby is a participant in a competition for a grant and I need everyone to vote for her. Here is the explanation and how to vote. Please read it through and take the two minutes to vote for her. She has an incredible story and if given the resrouces, she can really change some lives. Please, I am asking you for your help. Also, if she wins, she wants to use some of the grant for Camp Susan Curtis, which is where I worked this past summer. It's an amazing place, and is very close to my heart, so it would mean so much to me if you could help out. Camp Susan Curtis sends kids from all over Maine to camp for two weeks free of charge. The kids come from low-income families, and this camp gives them an ipportunity to experience childhood in ways they really can't at home. It saves lives, so please do what you can to help! No paying is involved, you just need to follow Jessica's instructions which I have copied below...it will only take five minutes!!
Pepsi Refresh is a competition that awards grants to 32 lucky winners on the
monthly basis. This month, a proposal of mine has been accepted to compete in
the $5000 category. I am currently in 15th place out of ~300, and need to be in
the top 10 at the end of the month in order to win.
My proposal is inspired by my own experiences. As a first-generation college
student from a high-risk, low-income background, I am on a full scholarship to
Colby College. This is a financial aid package that most public institutions
simply cannot afford. By voting for my proposal on the daily basis, you will help
me in my journey to make this happen for other students like me. I was able to
accomplish what I did with a scholarship to an SAT course (which increased my
SAT score by 300 points), a kind teacher to pay for my college applications, and
a generous family who took me along on their daughter's college visits. By
voting for my project, you can help me do this for others.
To see my proposal, you can go to
http://www.refresheverything.com/jessicaboyle. You can choose to vote
through your facebook (if you have one), or through the Pepsi website. If
choosing the latter option, the site will require you to fill out a short
registration form when you vote for my idea for the first time. After you
register, make sure you go back to my original page and click "Vote" again, as
your vote won't go through the first time. After you do this once, you will never
need to register again, you can just sign in every time you vote after that.
Specifically, I will use the fund to implement improvements to the LIT program
at Camp Susan Curtis (CSC). As regular college visits demand a larger amount
than usual of the CSC budget, I will first and foremost use this money to offset
those costs. I will also use these funds to buy SAT materials for interested LITs,
and even pay for some of their college applications as they go through the
college application process.
I believe this method is tried and true, as it has proven to be effective in my
own life! I urge you to make this proposal your homepage for the month of
April, so that you can watch my progress and remember to vote daily, as well as
pass this message along to your friends and family. Please help me break the
cycle of poverty in Maine!
Again, the link is http://www.refresheverything.com/jessicaboyle, and you can
email with any questions you may have!
Respectfully,
Jessica Boyle
jcboyle@colby.edu
Ok, that's all for now. I'm sure I will have lots to report on when I return...if I return...who knows...
See ya on the other side,
Mickey
PS The above quote is Confucian...courtesy of Mark E. Ziffer :)
Friday, April 2, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sweet as, bro eh!
Hello hello! I have finally reached my one-month mark! I’m basically a kiwi, just gotta work on that accent.
So I’ll give you guys a quick update on the going-ons since I last wrote. This past weekend I went to the Bay of Islands, which is located in the Northland region of the country, and is very close to the northernmost point. It’s actually one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen (I think I’m going to say that about every place I visit, so get used to it). It’s basically a whole bunch of small islands on a peninsula. The water is this weird magical blue-green color that makes you want to run around like a little kid, giggling at movement of the waves.
I stayed in the town of Paihia, which is just a small beach town with a bunch of cafes and hostels (called backpackers here). Near Paihia is the town of Waitangi, which is a very important historical spot in New Zealand. It was where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in I think 1840 or so. So the British colonized New Zealand, and this treaty was signed by reps of the British crown and Maori chiefs. It’s probably one of the greatest cases of miscommunication, in my opinion. It established Britain rule over the country while recognizing Maori ownership over some land and property, and giving Maori the same rights as the British. However, because not many Maori spoke English and not many Brits spoke Maori, they had different understandings of what they were signing. The British understood it as them gaining sovereignty over New Zealand, like the true colonialists that they were. The Maori did not think that they were surrendering their sovereignty to the British, so this led to some conflicts. Despite the misunderstanding, this treaty is said to represent the beginning of NZ as a nation. So I visited the grounds where this Treaty was signed, which was pretty cool. (Side note: the treaty has been a subject of debate in this country, and in the 1970’s there was a tribunal set up to investigate if Maori rights had been neglected, as the Maoris had claimed. Since then Maori’s have been given more rights and play a dominant role in NZ politics…gotta love colonialism)
I visited Cape Reinga, which is pretty much the furthest north you can go in NZ. This place was pretty sweet as (pronounced sweet az, it’s a kiwi saying. ‘sweet as, man!’), because it’s the point where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. You can actually see a line where the water gets significantly darker. There is a lighthouse at the edge of a cliff where you can see the ocean really well. The Maori believe that the joining of the waters represents the joining of male and female, and symbolizes the creation of life. Ironically, they also believe that Cape Reinga is where the Maori spirits go once they leave the body, and from there make their way to where it is believed that the Maori came from, Hawaiki (it’s kind of a mythical homeland in Polynesia). So this place symbolizes both the start and the end of life.
I also visited 90-mile beach, which is actually 64 miles, and I don’t really know why it’s called 90 mile when NZ uses the metric system…I should ask. (another side note: are we really one of three countries that has not adopted the metric system? If you have any ideas as to why that is, please fill me in) It’s a beautiful vast beach where I felt as though I had literarily entered a weird kind of universe where everything is beautiful and nothing evil exists. I felt like I was two years old, and, I kid you not, I ran and did cartwheels and just yelled for about an hour. I’m pretty sure everyone I was with thought I had some kind of mental problem, and for the rest of the day kept their distance. But I couldn’t help it. for the first time in a long time, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted. I felt this almost sudden release of euphoria, or something like that. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. It basically felt like a huge trip. I also went sand-boarding down a huge sand dune. Pretty fun.
I’m going to my first rugby match tonight: Auckland Blues v. Australian Brumbies. This is not an All Blacks game, but it should be fun, although I know nothing about rugby and or any of the rules.
As for my classes: I’m taking one about capitalism. Actually it’s called capitalism and its critics. We are basically learning all about capitalism and how it functions and the different kinds of capitalism. We also learn about how it fails and the problems with capitalism, and then the problems with the alternatives. Basically, what I’ve gotten out of it is that any system we adopt is going to leave some people worse off than others. I also realized that the reasons why capitalism leaves so many unemployed and poor as bloody hell is because we are a naturally selfish and greedy species, and if we have the option to be incredibly rich rather than just moderate, we will take the former, all the while knowing that we are screwing others over because of our decision.
I also realized that because capitalism fuels competition, needs competition in order to function, there can never be any equality under a capitalist society, and there will always be this huge disparity between the rich/middle class and the poor. I said this in my discussion group today and got called a bloody communist. That was fun.
So I knew before coming over here that people outside the US weren’t particularly fond of us (Us being Americans). I knew people love to make fun of Americans…I lived in Israel for a year, and got plenty of that. But I’ve never truly felt it as much as I have being here. It’s not so much of a hostile kind of hatred. But learning about capitalism and international relations in another country has made me realize how much we have really screwed people over. And if you thought that people don’t hold any grudges against the US and that there are no hard feelings regarding the current economic crisis, you are mistaken. Huge grudge and very hard feelings. In both my capitalism class and my international relations class, I can’t even explain to you how often the topic comes up, and I feel myself sinking deep into my seat, hoping that no one will know that I’m an American. It’s funny though, because I’ve always known how we are perceived in other countries, or I could have guessed. But this really brings it to different level: we are bullies and people resent us for it. More on this later.
Oh, fun fact: New Zealand police officers do not carry guns while patrolling the streets. Instead, they carry pepper spray and batons. The idea behind it is that when there are guns, there is an incentive to use them, and with less guns, less violence. That’s why you can get a long ass time in jail if you are caught in an armed robbery with a gun as opposed to without one. Hmmmm….
Ok, my beloved fans. That’s all for now. I will write again shortly, so keep checking!!!!
Much love,
Mickey
p.s. Kiwis love to say bro, and love to put eh at the end of their sentence. But it's less annoying than the Canadians.
So I’ll give you guys a quick update on the going-ons since I last wrote. This past weekend I went to the Bay of Islands, which is located in the Northland region of the country, and is very close to the northernmost point. It’s actually one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen (I think I’m going to say that about every place I visit, so get used to it). It’s basically a whole bunch of small islands on a peninsula. The water is this weird magical blue-green color that makes you want to run around like a little kid, giggling at movement of the waves.
I stayed in the town of Paihia, which is just a small beach town with a bunch of cafes and hostels (called backpackers here). Near Paihia is the town of Waitangi, which is a very important historical spot in New Zealand. It was where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in I think 1840 or so. So the British colonized New Zealand, and this treaty was signed by reps of the British crown and Maori chiefs. It’s probably one of the greatest cases of miscommunication, in my opinion. It established Britain rule over the country while recognizing Maori ownership over some land and property, and giving Maori the same rights as the British. However, because not many Maori spoke English and not many Brits spoke Maori, they had different understandings of what they were signing. The British understood it as them gaining sovereignty over New Zealand, like the true colonialists that they were. The Maori did not think that they were surrendering their sovereignty to the British, so this led to some conflicts. Despite the misunderstanding, this treaty is said to represent the beginning of NZ as a nation. So I visited the grounds where this Treaty was signed, which was pretty cool. (Side note: the treaty has been a subject of debate in this country, and in the 1970’s there was a tribunal set up to investigate if Maori rights had been neglected, as the Maoris had claimed. Since then Maori’s have been given more rights and play a dominant role in NZ politics…gotta love colonialism)
I visited Cape Reinga, which is pretty much the furthest north you can go in NZ. This place was pretty sweet as (pronounced sweet az, it’s a kiwi saying. ‘sweet as, man!’), because it’s the point where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. You can actually see a line where the water gets significantly darker. There is a lighthouse at the edge of a cliff where you can see the ocean really well. The Maori believe that the joining of the waters represents the joining of male and female, and symbolizes the creation of life. Ironically, they also believe that Cape Reinga is where the Maori spirits go once they leave the body, and from there make their way to where it is believed that the Maori came from, Hawaiki (it’s kind of a mythical homeland in Polynesia). So this place symbolizes both the start and the end of life.
I also visited 90-mile beach, which is actually 64 miles, and I don’t really know why it’s called 90 mile when NZ uses the metric system…I should ask. (another side note: are we really one of three countries that has not adopted the metric system? If you have any ideas as to why that is, please fill me in) It’s a beautiful vast beach where I felt as though I had literarily entered a weird kind of universe where everything is beautiful and nothing evil exists. I felt like I was two years old, and, I kid you not, I ran and did cartwheels and just yelled for about an hour. I’m pretty sure everyone I was with thought I had some kind of mental problem, and for the rest of the day kept their distance. But I couldn’t help it. for the first time in a long time, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted. I felt this almost sudden release of euphoria, or something like that. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. It basically felt like a huge trip. I also went sand-boarding down a huge sand dune. Pretty fun.
I’m going to my first rugby match tonight: Auckland Blues v. Australian Brumbies. This is not an All Blacks game, but it should be fun, although I know nothing about rugby and or any of the rules.
As for my classes: I’m taking one about capitalism. Actually it’s called capitalism and its critics. We are basically learning all about capitalism and how it functions and the different kinds of capitalism. We also learn about how it fails and the problems with capitalism, and then the problems with the alternatives. Basically, what I’ve gotten out of it is that any system we adopt is going to leave some people worse off than others. I also realized that the reasons why capitalism leaves so many unemployed and poor as bloody hell is because we are a naturally selfish and greedy species, and if we have the option to be incredibly rich rather than just moderate, we will take the former, all the while knowing that we are screwing others over because of our decision.
I also realized that because capitalism fuels competition, needs competition in order to function, there can never be any equality under a capitalist society, and there will always be this huge disparity between the rich/middle class and the poor. I said this in my discussion group today and got called a bloody communist. That was fun.
So I knew before coming over here that people outside the US weren’t particularly fond of us (Us being Americans). I knew people love to make fun of Americans…I lived in Israel for a year, and got plenty of that. But I’ve never truly felt it as much as I have being here. It’s not so much of a hostile kind of hatred. But learning about capitalism and international relations in another country has made me realize how much we have really screwed people over. And if you thought that people don’t hold any grudges against the US and that there are no hard feelings regarding the current economic crisis, you are mistaken. Huge grudge and very hard feelings. In both my capitalism class and my international relations class, I can’t even explain to you how often the topic comes up, and I feel myself sinking deep into my seat, hoping that no one will know that I’m an American. It’s funny though, because I’ve always known how we are perceived in other countries, or I could have guessed. But this really brings it to different level: we are bullies and people resent us for it. More on this later.
Oh, fun fact: New Zealand police officers do not carry guns while patrolling the streets. Instead, they carry pepper spray and batons. The idea behind it is that when there are guns, there is an incentive to use them, and with less guns, less violence. That’s why you can get a long ass time in jail if you are caught in an armed robbery with a gun as opposed to without one. Hmmmm….
Ok, my beloved fans. That’s all for now. I will write again shortly, so keep checking!!!!
Much love,
Mickey
p.s. Kiwis love to say bro, and love to put eh at the end of their sentence. But it's less annoying than the Canadians.
Monday, March 8, 2010
March 8, 2010
Kia Ora (Hi)! Greetings from New Zealand! Sorry for the delayed start, but I was just waiting for the opportune moment, waiting for a variety of things to report on to keep you all happy. It’s going to be a long one, so bear with me.
Today marks the beginning of my third week in this new and exciting country. It’s funny looking back on it, because it honestly feels as though I have been here for at least two months. So the first few days was a lot of me getting over the ridiculousness that is jetlag when you are traveling to a country that is 18 hours ahead of yours. I left LA on a Tuesday and arrived on a Thursday…what the hell? I have no idea where my Wednesday went, and I was somehow in the future…talk about a mind trip.
That Friday my group went to the town of Leigh, which is North East of Auckland. We visited a marae, a traditional Maori sacred meeting place. They hold most of their ceremonies in the marae, anything from birthdays to welcoming visitors to weddings and deaths. It’s typically a beautifully structured building filled with artwork depicting the Maori ancestors inside. So when we got there, we were welcomed in the traditional Maori way, with a Powhiri, a welcome ceremony.
The tangata whenua, or host, wait in front of the marae while the manuhiri, guests, wait at the gate entrance. A Maori warrior known as a wero or taki approaches the visitors with a spear to investigate whether the guests are coming in peace or are enemies. This is what was and I guess is still done, but it was so interesting when it was done to us. Because clearly we were coming in peace; we came with a Maori tour group who bring tons of students to this Maori (It’s kind of like the staged bedoin tents in Israel, for those of you who have been there). But they went through every formality anyway. And the warrior who approaches doesn’t just walk up to the visitors. He kind of ceremonially dances his way, chanting and doing all kinds of funky with his spear. It’s one of the most intimidating ways anyone has ever approached me.
Once the warrior reaches the guests, he places a special plant in front of the guest. If the guests do not accept this, it is an indication that they come in war and wish to attack the marae. But as soon as the guests pick it up, which we did, the Maori know that we come in peace. Once this is over and done with, we the visitors wait for the karanga, the traditional Maori call. A woman from inside calls to us with a Maori chant, indicating that we can finally enter the marae. Without this call, no one can go inside.
So as this woman chants our way into the marae, we approach the meeting house, where we take our shoes off and move to the right of the house, opposite our hosts. They make a speech (in Maori) welcoming us and accepting us into the marae. Now, I have heard my fair share of languages in my life, with or without understanding them. And I think I’ve come to the conclusion that there is nothing like spoken Maori. I can’t really explain it, but it’s probably the most powerful language I have ever heard. It kind of takes you on a journey without understanding a single word. But every word and phrase is filled with so much emotion that you feel as though you do understand them. Their faces, especially their eyes, speak as loudly as their words. And it’s no bullshit either. You can tell that they are speaking from the heart, and they mean every single word that comes out of their mouths. While I sat there listening to the speech, I felt like crying, and I’m not really sure why. I guess it’s just the power of language; although we can’t always understand it, we can feel it, and that sends you on a crazy ride.
So after they make a speech, all the guests move to greet their hosts with a hongi, a greeting. This is my favorite part. Where we shake hands or hug or give each other a kiss on the check, the Maori choose something way more invasive: You walk up to the host and you press your noses together for a few seconds. So here we were, a bunch of American college students, walking up to elderly Maori men, pressing our noses to theirs. I think everyone was a bit nervous at first, but it’s actually quite beautiful. The idea is that when you press your noses together, you hold the third eye, and you share the breath. According to Maori tradition, it’s the highest tribute one can pay to another human being; you are breathing together, acknowledging the presence of another human breath. And that’s how they say hello, to people they are meeting for the first time as well as to old friends.
It was so interesting to gauge everyone’s reactions. Like I said, people were very nervous, especially the boys. It’s funny, because I think we come from a society where intimacy is somewhat of a taboo. We shake hands for crying out loud, can there be a more distant way of greeting someone? The whole notion of pressing your face against a stranger’s is unheard of to us, because we just can’t get close to another human being. Why are we so afraid of real human connection? I don’t know, but I would love to see Western politicians honging each other.
So that was my first but not my last encounter with the Maori. One of my classes is called Kapa Haka, which is all about Maori tradition and the importance of ceremonies and performances. And yes, I will learn how to do the haka. For those of you who don’t know what it is, it’s the chant the All Blacks did in ‘Invictus’ before playing the South African rugby team. You should YouTube it…there is absolutely nothing like it.
So I’m slowly falling in love with Maori culture. I’ve also found that although everyone says that Kiwis are the friendliest and most welcoming people in the world (which is pretty accurate), I have found that it is actually the Maori who should take that title. I have never met more genuine people in my life. If I had to choose a universal leader, a president of the world, I would choose a Maori, and the world would look pretty freaking different.
OK: I know that was long, I’m sorry, but that has been one of the most meaningful experiences so far. Besides that, I have been going to the beach and exploring Auckland and its surroundings. NZ is really breathtaking…I have never seen water so blue in my life. I climbed a volcano (Rangitoto) and have just been walking all over the city. Auckland reminds me a lot of Buenos Aires, to all those Argentines out there reading my post.
Also: Because of NZ’s geographical location, there is a HUGE Asian population here. And when I say huge, I mean that sometimes I don’t know whether I’m in New Zealand or in an Asian country. Downtown is filled with sushi places, Thai restaurants, all that good stuff. Half of the smaller supermarkets are full of Asian products, and it seems as though half of the city is like a huge Chinatown. I’ve never experienced anything like it, but I like it. It’s confusing and exciting and bustling and just great.
Also, the toilets flush straight down, to all of you who were wondering.
I joined the tramping club at the university. Since prostitution is almost legal here, the university wants its students to contribute to this rising profession, so they fund a tramping club. They teach you methods and techniques, best positions, all that stuff. So I am an honorary tramp…
JUST KIDDING! Ha I’m hilarious. Tramping in NZ means hiking (Sorry pops, I couldn’t resist ☺). I went on a tramping (hiking) trip this weekend with them, which was awesome. I think I’ll be hiking a lot, a great way to see this country.
ALso! (Sorry, one more thing) When we were driving to the marae we passed a special kind of town (forget the name) where it's absolutely and completely prohibited for any corporation to open any kind of store. It's all local, no multinational investment...how great is that?? Take that Strabucks.
Ok, I think I’ll give you all a break.
I’ll post a bit more regularly, as cooler things are beginning to happen to me.
Also, I love getting mail, so don’t hesitate to write! It’s only 98 cents!
Micaela Bronstein
71 Fisher Point Drive, St. Mary's Bay
Auckland, New Zealand, 1010
I miss everyone! I hope everyone is doing well.
Mickey
Kia Ora (Hi)! Greetings from New Zealand! Sorry for the delayed start, but I was just waiting for the opportune moment, waiting for a variety of things to report on to keep you all happy. It’s going to be a long one, so bear with me.
Today marks the beginning of my third week in this new and exciting country. It’s funny looking back on it, because it honestly feels as though I have been here for at least two months. So the first few days was a lot of me getting over the ridiculousness that is jetlag when you are traveling to a country that is 18 hours ahead of yours. I left LA on a Tuesday and arrived on a Thursday…what the hell? I have no idea where my Wednesday went, and I was somehow in the future…talk about a mind trip.
That Friday my group went to the town of Leigh, which is North East of Auckland. We visited a marae, a traditional Maori sacred meeting place. They hold most of their ceremonies in the marae, anything from birthdays to welcoming visitors to weddings and deaths. It’s typically a beautifully structured building filled with artwork depicting the Maori ancestors inside. So when we got there, we were welcomed in the traditional Maori way, with a Powhiri, a welcome ceremony.
The tangata whenua, or host, wait in front of the marae while the manuhiri, guests, wait at the gate entrance. A Maori warrior known as a wero or taki approaches the visitors with a spear to investigate whether the guests are coming in peace or are enemies. This is what was and I guess is still done, but it was so interesting when it was done to us. Because clearly we were coming in peace; we came with a Maori tour group who bring tons of students to this Maori (It’s kind of like the staged bedoin tents in Israel, for those of you who have been there). But they went through every formality anyway. And the warrior who approaches doesn’t just walk up to the visitors. He kind of ceremonially dances his way, chanting and doing all kinds of funky with his spear. It’s one of the most intimidating ways anyone has ever approached me.
Once the warrior reaches the guests, he places a special plant in front of the guest. If the guests do not accept this, it is an indication that they come in war and wish to attack the marae. But as soon as the guests pick it up, which we did, the Maori know that we come in peace. Once this is over and done with, we the visitors wait for the karanga, the traditional Maori call. A woman from inside calls to us with a Maori chant, indicating that we can finally enter the marae. Without this call, no one can go inside.
So as this woman chants our way into the marae, we approach the meeting house, where we take our shoes off and move to the right of the house, opposite our hosts. They make a speech (in Maori) welcoming us and accepting us into the marae. Now, I have heard my fair share of languages in my life, with or without understanding them. And I think I’ve come to the conclusion that there is nothing like spoken Maori. I can’t really explain it, but it’s probably the most powerful language I have ever heard. It kind of takes you on a journey without understanding a single word. But every word and phrase is filled with so much emotion that you feel as though you do understand them. Their faces, especially their eyes, speak as loudly as their words. And it’s no bullshit either. You can tell that they are speaking from the heart, and they mean every single word that comes out of their mouths. While I sat there listening to the speech, I felt like crying, and I’m not really sure why. I guess it’s just the power of language; although we can’t always understand it, we can feel it, and that sends you on a crazy ride.
So after they make a speech, all the guests move to greet their hosts with a hongi, a greeting. This is my favorite part. Where we shake hands or hug or give each other a kiss on the check, the Maori choose something way more invasive: You walk up to the host and you press your noses together for a few seconds. So here we were, a bunch of American college students, walking up to elderly Maori men, pressing our noses to theirs. I think everyone was a bit nervous at first, but it’s actually quite beautiful. The idea is that when you press your noses together, you hold the third eye, and you share the breath. According to Maori tradition, it’s the highest tribute one can pay to another human being; you are breathing together, acknowledging the presence of another human breath. And that’s how they say hello, to people they are meeting for the first time as well as to old friends.
It was so interesting to gauge everyone’s reactions. Like I said, people were very nervous, especially the boys. It’s funny, because I think we come from a society where intimacy is somewhat of a taboo. We shake hands for crying out loud, can there be a more distant way of greeting someone? The whole notion of pressing your face against a stranger’s is unheard of to us, because we just can’t get close to another human being. Why are we so afraid of real human connection? I don’t know, but I would love to see Western politicians honging each other.
So that was my first but not my last encounter with the Maori. One of my classes is called Kapa Haka, which is all about Maori tradition and the importance of ceremonies and performances. And yes, I will learn how to do the haka. For those of you who don’t know what it is, it’s the chant the All Blacks did in ‘Invictus’ before playing the South African rugby team. You should YouTube it…there is absolutely nothing like it.
So I’m slowly falling in love with Maori culture. I’ve also found that although everyone says that Kiwis are the friendliest and most welcoming people in the world (which is pretty accurate), I have found that it is actually the Maori who should take that title. I have never met more genuine people in my life. If I had to choose a universal leader, a president of the world, I would choose a Maori, and the world would look pretty freaking different.
OK: I know that was long, I’m sorry, but that has been one of the most meaningful experiences so far. Besides that, I have been going to the beach and exploring Auckland and its surroundings. NZ is really breathtaking…I have never seen water so blue in my life. I climbed a volcano (Rangitoto) and have just been walking all over the city. Auckland reminds me a lot of Buenos Aires, to all those Argentines out there reading my post.
Also: Because of NZ’s geographical location, there is a HUGE Asian population here. And when I say huge, I mean that sometimes I don’t know whether I’m in New Zealand or in an Asian country. Downtown is filled with sushi places, Thai restaurants, all that good stuff. Half of the smaller supermarkets are full of Asian products, and it seems as though half of the city is like a huge Chinatown. I’ve never experienced anything like it, but I like it. It’s confusing and exciting and bustling and just great.
Also, the toilets flush straight down, to all of you who were wondering.
I joined the tramping club at the university. Since prostitution is almost legal here, the university wants its students to contribute to this rising profession, so they fund a tramping club. They teach you methods and techniques, best positions, all that stuff. So I am an honorary tramp…
JUST KIDDING! Ha I’m hilarious. Tramping in NZ means hiking (Sorry pops, I couldn’t resist ☺). I went on a tramping (hiking) trip this weekend with them, which was awesome. I think I’ll be hiking a lot, a great way to see this country.
ALso! (Sorry, one more thing) When we were driving to the marae we passed a special kind of town (forget the name) where it's absolutely and completely prohibited for any corporation to open any kind of store. It's all local, no multinational investment...how great is that?? Take that Strabucks.
Ok, I think I’ll give you all a break.
I’ll post a bit more regularly, as cooler things are beginning to happen to me.
Also, I love getting mail, so don’t hesitate to write! It’s only 98 cents!
Micaela Bronstein
71 Fisher Point Drive, St. Mary's Bay
Auckland, New Zealand, 1010
I miss everyone! I hope everyone is doing well.
Mickey
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Lord I was born a ramblin' [wo]man...
Hello all. Welcome to my awesome blog. I'll post as often as I can, feel free to check it out if you ever find yourself wondering about my whereabouts.
Fun fact: The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, which loosely translated means 'Land of the Long White Cloud,' hence the name of this blog.
I head out tonight and will arrive on Thursday morning. New Zealand, here I come!
I head out tonight and will arrive on Thursday morning. New Zealand, here I come!
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