Post-Departure: We Made it. Thankfully?

And we did it. I and all others have thankfully returned home to America safely with only a few stressful hiccups along the way (ask my friend Megan Remaley about LAX, or maybe don’t :o). It was bitter sweet to get on all of those buses and planes to make it back to below freezing winds in Chicago. All my friends were back at school and I was jealous, but damn I did not want to leave. Traveling around New Zealand is easily the best life experience I have ever had and I am so glad to have done it when I did and especially with the group of people I was lucky enough have along the way. Looking back to the day I wrote that pre-departure post “Haven’t Left Yet”, I would say I was a little too worried about the nature of the New Zealand people. I was right to think maybe we would be obnoxious Americans, but I do not think I have had a warmer welcome from the natives of any country I have visited than I experienced in New Zealand. We can definitely learn a lot from them here in the United States. I was also right that there was a lot of rugby consumed and played throughout the country, but again was too focused on the famous All Blacks. My eyes were truly opened to how ingrained rugby and sport in general is in New Zealand culture. It was truly awesome to see the passion New Zealanders hold for sports as an activity to be enjoyed rather than a means to wealthy end as it often is in America. It was another part of why I felt so strongly about staying and has me trying to plan when I can go back. As for “exploding with excitement to engage in many new adventures”, I was not disappointed in the slightest. I rarely get to see nature in all its wondering and beauty so I came out feeling fulfilled yet hungry for me. Bungy jumping was the wildest thing I have ever done in my entire life and I am not sure my parents were too happy about it, and my friends called me insane but were admittedly jealous. I already miss New Zealand, its people, and all it has to offer. I would be lying if I said I did not have an interest in working in sports in the country, especially as my favorite sport of basketball has begun to grow in recent years. Thank you to all who were on the trip and hopefully had the experience of a lifetime by my side just as I did. Also, I slept on the flight so to past me, stop worrying so much.

The Final Post-Blog Entry 15: Post Departure