Catholic Farmers

I am still living on the farm with the family I met at Cape Reinga. They participate in an organization called Catholic Farmers which is dedicated to living in poverty and serving the poor. The food grown on the farm is used to support the farm workers and a local house that provides room/board to anyone in need. The farm is extremely old-fashioned and uses no electricity or city utilities. There is a gravity water system and all heat comes from the wood we chop each day. It is a simple, demanding, and fulfilling lifestyle. The entire family (the mother/father, 3 of their 9 children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren) all live in the two valleys and work together to survive. Some days are spent weeding in the gardens, while other days some family memebers help with projects in the community. Each day always brings a surprise. I have been involved in chasing cows, riding horses, towing "house-cars", building huoses, rebuilding car engines, picking up horse manure, kayaking down rivers, burying goat guts, singing Xmas carols on the beach, and learning how to brew the perfect cup of tea. Simply put, it is wonderful here!

Cape Reinga and the Lands

The first time I went to Cape Reinga, the weather was so misty you couldn't even see the water standing at the light house... But after retreating down the road and sleeping next to a Catholic church on the sideof the road, I made a second summit attempt to the Cape. And it was incredible. Cape Reinga (which is actually NOT the northern-most point in NZ) is a sacred place to the Maori people here. Apparently many spiritual leaders and chiefs have come to the Cape to seek enlightenment. As one truck driver I hitch-hiked with said, "I'm not into all that spiritual stuff, but at the Cape you can really feel it..." I spent several hours exploring the trails around the point and beaches. As I hiked up the parking lot, I met a group of cousins that were going for a family camping trip that night. They invited me along and I ended up hitch-hiking with them back to their farm on the West Coast. Currently I am living and working on their farm with is completely sustainable and open to anyone who wants join the community. I feel so fortunate to have met this family and glad I can participate in their farming. When I'm not working in the garden or helping make meals, there are endless trails that go into the forest behind their land. Yesterday I found a waterfall and went swimming at the base. I'm loving this simple lifestyle and learing more about where food comes from!

Bay of Islands and a true, modern Maori Experience!

After completing the mediation retreat, Malte, John, Phillip, and I traveled north together for a few days. We spent one night camping in a nature reserve on a peninsula on the East Coast of NZ. We were able to hike around the peninsula on an ecological trail and made a nice, illegal fire on the beach that night. We played some 2 vs 2 soccer (futbol) and John and I, the Americans, barely beat the Germans. In the morning, Phillip and I did some yoga on the beach and then went skinny dipping in the ocean. We drove to Goat island, a marine reserve, where Malte and I went snorkeling! That night, we camped in the "bush" and ate some pesto pasta which reminded me of home. Although I greatly enjoyed traveling with the boys, I decided it was time for a change of pace and some new company. So rather spontaneously, I decided to join some Austrian girls we met on the beach as they traveled north. That day, we reached Bay of Islands- a gorgeous bay with 164 islands spread out on sparkling blue water. My first view of the bay was absolutely breathtaking. The girls spent the night in a hostel and I camped out in the "bush." I used a camp stove I made out of two soda cans for the first time and made myself a hot meal.
With 3 days until the girls drove to Cape Reinga (the northern most point in NZ)- where the sea meets the ocean) I hoped to meet some sailors/fisherman with whom I could join on their boats- but no luck. Instead I met William and Alex Wiki!

They were both fishing out on the rocks and I decided to have a rest and talk with them. After some conversation, they invited me back to their house to have some tea and meet their family. One thing lead to another, and I ended up staying not one, but two nights with the Wiki's and celebrating the father's birthday with the family. I joined in their feasts of bacon sandwiches, fresh sea urchins (they call KINAS), mussels, sausages, potatoes, and beer! I felt so lucky to have met such a warm and welcoming family. In addition to working around the house and helping prepare meals, I also helped William, Alex, and the father collect scrap metal from around town and from neighbors- $160 worth in one day. Between the children, relatives, and guests there were 11 of us sleeping in the 2 bedroom house. May I think of this household if one day I have my own. May I welcome anyone and everyone and be as kind as possible. Share what I can and don't be afraid or ashamed to ask my neighbors for help. Teach my children honesty and respect, and realize that we all have good days and bad. As the sign in their window says "Stay calm and carry on" and like the music that was always playing and eveyone was singing along with said, "Don't worry about a thing, because every little thing is gonna be alright."

And like Patara and Reece, the two local kids who showed me around town when I got to Paihia, say this trip is "cool-as"!!!

10 days of meditation, and then rugby on the beach!

This morning I finished my 3rd 10 day Vipassana retreat and feel so fortunate for the opportunity to develop on the path of Dhamma. I find peace in simply living a moral life, practicing mental discipline, and understanding the wisdom that comes from experiencing life as it is. Learning to be balanced and calm in a constantly changing world is a challenging new way of approaching each moment. And I love it :) It is the truest and purest thing I have encountered in my life. Tonight, I am staying with a family I met before the retreat and we just had a fantastic dinner with lamb, salad, and bread. Tomorrow, Phillip and I will be traveling north with two people we met at the meditation retreat. A few tentative plans for the future, but of course the joy of adventure is nothing is set in stone!

Kind Kiwis, and an adventurous German...

I am overjoyed and amazed by the hospitality and kindness of the people here. Whether it is letting me fill up my water bottle or offering a good meal and place to sleep, everyone I meet is eager to help me and hear of my travels. While in Takapuna, I met another backpacker like myself from Germany and we have been travelling together for 3 days now. When I told him about the meditation retreat in Kaukapakapa, he immediately wanted to join me and went to an internet cafe to sign up! So, together we have been making our way up the coast to the retreat center. We took the bus/ hitch-hiked across the country to Piha Beach, famous for its great surfing waves. A family picked us up on the side of the road, took us to their house where they have an incredible view of the Auckland and the surrounding areas and gave us some coffee. Then, they drove us down to the forest to look for a trail head, but when we couldn't find it, they took us down to he beach where we found a place to camp! That night, Phillip, the German traveller, and I camped out on White's Beach. In the morning, we hitch-hiked all the way back to the main rode after walking for only a few minutes. Then we made our way up the coast by bus and camped out in the Woodhill Forest along the NZ West Coast. That was last night, and this morning we were picked up by a man who happened to be driving to the exact town we wanted to go today! We are staying at his house tonight and then will go to the retreat center tomorrow. Michael and his wife, Karina, stay on 20 acres of land with horses, sheep, cows, and pigs. Maichael works in construction and has a big shop out back. What an amazing place to live! For lunch, we ate ham and bacon (fresh from his own pigs) and will have lamb for dinner. Phillip and I are so pleased that everything is working out so well. We often tell each other how lucky we are to be on a good wave length with the universe. It's unbelievable how welcoming people have been to Phillip and I. The landscape is beautiful here and I am so excited to spend more time here. I could not have dreamed of better people to meet or places to see!

Sydney

Although the clubs and bars in Sydney are hoppin, they aren't my scene. The best part of my day was unexpectedly finding hundreds of people quietly sitting in the Sydney Opera House Park and enjoying the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I sat with them and reflected on how incredible it is that I am in Australia! Sydney, Australia! Then I played some soccer/futbol with some Aussies and walked around downtown. I have enjoyed my time here and hope to visit again if/when I leave NZ.

I must give my deepest thanks to all who have made this journey possible.

Last Day in the USA

The reality of this adventure is slowly sinking in. I say goodbye to friends and family, with no answer when they ask when they will see me again, and make peace with the places where I have lived. When people ask "why?", I have no specific response. The motivation behind this journey is difficult to articulate, yet it is the core of my identity and sense of purpose in this world. Mostly simply, it is to live. To be a student of life and bring a profound inquiry to each experience. Where it will end? I don't care. For as my father has told me many times: success is a journey, not a destination.