Not Too Shabby, Abbie

" I have not forgotten the Way, but a little, the way to the Way. the trees keep whispering peace, peace, and the birds in the shallows are full of the bodies of small fish and are content. They open their wings so easily, and fly. So. It is still possible." -Mary Oliver Normally I don't start my writings with a poem (because it seems melodramatic and cliché), but I broke that rule to introduce the poet whose writings touched me today at a Presbyterian service at Knox Church in Dunedin, New Zealand.  I have been to many different services in many different churches of varying faiths, but never have I felt more welcomed than I did at this one tonight. The service commenced in a fairly standard way, with music and prayer and readings. But the moment the priest looked at my friends and me, sitting quietly in our pew in the back, and smiled, I knew this would be different. He kindly explained how they conducted their services and what we were expected ...

It turns out the farther "Down Undah" you go, the more beautiful and idyllic this country becomes. At least, that's how I see it.  As I approach the South Pole, the temperature drops, the architecture ages, and the noise of the city fades into the gentle quiet of an abandoned college town.  Dunedin is home to the University of Otago, one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. During the summer months (December through February), the students head off to explore the country and Dunedin waits quietly for their return. The few remaining summer school students can hear the soft scuff of their shoes as they journey to class in peaceful silence. Only during meals in the dorms' cafeteria will you hear the cacophony of noise that you'd expect in a college town. University of Otago, Dunedin I sit on the steps of the hillside facing a breathtaking building and listen to the toll of the clocktower, basking in the broad daylight peeking through the...

Before you read this post, do yourself a favor and google some pictures of glow worms.  Glow Worms, McLaren Falls Park Cool huh? Now stop googling, because I want to be the one to tell you about these little guys in my own highly scientific and professional way.  Glow worms are little cave dwelling maggots (yeah I know, way less romantic when you learn that) that have four stages of life, egg, larvae, pupa, and adult fly.  Egg Glow worms hatch from eggs. That’s... pretty much the most interesting part of this phase.  Glowey glowey larvae Glow worms spend most of their lives (about 11 months) in this stage, the devious little monsters.  They hang from the ceiling and glow like little stars, (hence the Maori name titiwai ,) to give wandering insects a false impression of an escape from the dark cave.  But nah. New Zealand Glow Worms Instead, the insects get stuck to some sticky strands of mucus (gross) ...

A Rundown of Week One in Auckland January 11 th We did some exploring in Auckland and went to check out the “night markets” that the local Young Single Adult Ward told us about. Turns out, its just a bunch of food trucks surrounded by beautiful silos and a random assortment of beautiful landscaping, street art, and stairways. We did a fair bit of wandering and humiliated ourselves, (a right of passage, as a tourist) and it turns out that the bloods and crypts are a thing here, so PSA: no flashing gang signs on the streets. The best part of the night for me, however, was when Kate, another study abroad student, and I were accidentally abandoned at these silos long after nightfall when the rest of our group rushed back for the nightly check-in with Dr. Callahan. Fortunately, we were chatting with two locals, Anthony and Cezanne, who are two of the coolest Kiwis on the island. These guys were kind enough to not only drive us home, but also took us to the world’s b...

The Language of Service Despite the fact that coursework here in New Zealand has yet to start, my brain is filled to bursting with fascinating, mind-blowing ideas. I should start off by mentioning how I know absolutely nothing about Polynesian of Pacific Islander culture, which is why it came as such a surprise to me that there are a ton of different Polynesian cultures with 97 different languages spoken on this beautiful island. We attended a welcoming banquet last night with some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life (I’m so getting fat here, but I can’t really bring myself to care). After we finished eating, we had guest speakers talk to us about the importance of preserving, honoring, and acknowledging the culture and language of their people. The main things that stuck out to me were these 4 ideas. 1: Be confident, but be pure One of the speakers, a twenty-something world traveler named Josh had a beautiful wooden spear that was made for him in excha...