February 2012
1 post
What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the...
I’m currently reading Edward Bernay’s book Propaganda published in 1929. Among his varied accomplishments, Bernay is personally responsible for popularizing cigarette smoking following WWI. Through a campaign sponsored by the American Tobacco Company, he told the press at the New York City parade that a group of women’s rights marchers would light “Torches of...
January 2012
1 post
"I have always loved both the freshness of...
The start of 2012 seems like the ideal time to write about the conclusion of a wondrous year abroad. I’m back in Atlanta, in the state of Georgia in the USA. Being back felt a bit strange at first but it’s funny how quickly the dust settles and one falls into a semblance of normalcy again. I find that I still love this city. I like the view of the skyline when I’m driving south...
December 2011
1 post
November 2011
6 posts
I first fell in love with New Zealand 3 years...
…On a 10 day university-led trip to Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. New Zealand had an effortless charm that reeled me in immediately. I was captivated. But what was better than the dense ferns on the hillside or the sea that stretched for leagues was the people. I stayed with a host family that welcomed me as one of their own within clock ticks of our meeting.
I was reminded of this when...
misadventuresofacraftaddict asked: hey:)) thank you SO much for following!! following back btw, cause wow, your life is an adventure:) thank you again!!
October 2011
12 posts
5 tags
Country Life
Visiting Martinborough evokes streams of consciousness like nothing else:
Brilliant greens. All shades imaginable.
“fresh” as a smell. Pure.
That proverbial peace and quiet that Ralph Waldo Emerson idealized.
The click-whistle-squawk of a tui. The song once sounded alien to my ears but now I know I’ll long for its sweetness when I leave.
The steady hum of creek.
Color!...
VOGUE: Travel in Style: Fashionable Outfits for... →
vogue:
by Emily Holt
Photographed by Justin Hollar As the world seems to become even smaller and while we traverse it ever more frequently, the question of what to wear on said journeys—be it by plane, train, or automobile—still vexes. On the one hand, you want pieces that are comfortable (even…
I want to be THAT person on my next plane ride. Won’t be long!
WatchI thought this was a still photo initially, but it gives you a little bit of context for my weekend in Martinborough. My mom and I were staying at my host family’s country home where my host dad insisted we chase the sheep about the paddock until we caught them. So we did. Gumboots and all.
Memories drawn & Lessons learned
When I was 14, I went to Nicaragua for the first time. It was a first of many things: the first exposure to unrelenting poverty, the first international trip alone, the first time I was expected to physically labor on behalf of others. The group was providing aid to communities that had been devastated by hurricanes. We worked to help these Nicaraguan communities become self-sustainable: we built...
10 tags
Revisiting Kiwi words: which ones stick?
If you consult a Kiwi-English dictionary, there are all sorts of words that might arouse a guffaw or two.
Among my favorites are “colly wobbles” (nausea associated with being nervous) and “bugalugs” (a pet name). I cheerfully anticipated the day I would meet these words and be fit to respond without question.
Alas, that day never happened. Not yet, anyway. So I thought I...
3 tags
Soy sauce taste with cake icing consistency. Yum!
Some people ask:
What’s your favorite New Zealand food?
And I answer with resounding certainty:
Marmite!
For many, it inspires bouts of gagging. To me, marmite is a delectable treat.
4 tags
Good as Gold... or Dearer.
This entry was inspired by a recent visit to a locksmith. Silly me, I misplaced my key! (turns out it was lodged in the washing machine. That rascal!) So I lackadaisically stroll to a shop down the way, without worry or hesitation.
“You cut keys?” With a nod, I hand him my flat mate’s skeleton key and he disappears wordlessly. As I wait I survey the keys on the wall and note...
4 tags
Rugby World Cup Fever
I’m no sportsman. Sportswoman. Whatever. Anyways, while I can appreciate the zeal of an animated crowd or the shapely curve of a fit athlete, I have other more pertinent interests.
Tangent: one of them (my interests) is dancing happily about my room to the song Moves Like Jagger. My goodness that song is catchy.
Despite all of that, I’ve got the fever! The Rugby World Cup Fever! I am...
6 tags
High Tea
Best savored in the company of girlfriends or dearest mother whilst wearing a wide brimmed hat and your Sunday finest. According to Wikipedia, the phrase describing this English tradition indicates which table the meal is eaten from. A high tea is an evening meal eaten from the dining room table whereas the low tea is served at a low table, such as the coffee table, in the afternoon.
The...
2 tags
Change
Sometimes I wonder what I do differently now in the 8 months that I’ve been here.
When my friends from Atlanta came to visit, they said they noticed differences in the words I use. We giggled about saying “rubbish” instead of trash. We would use it as frequently as a possible, in a put-on, ironic sort-of way.
But I suspect there are other changes, changes I may not readily perceive. For instance,...
3 tags
The tug between two homes
On Friday I was given a farewell lunch at my internship.
My dad always says the best part of traveling is not the sights or the souvenirs but the people you meet along the way. He is right as usual … and will probably don a gloating smile when he reads this. Don’t get me wrong; the internship wasn’t only about networking. Performing various tasks at the office was important and observing...
September 2011
7 posts
3 tags
6 tags
Airport Culture
I wrote this entry about a month before I embarked on my journey to New Zealand. I always meant to share it on my blog, but quickly forgot it amidst the whirlwind that accompanies an international move. Anyways, I rediscovered it and hope you can relate to my insights on airport culture.
January 2010—
Airports. These places are of myriad interest to me. I’ve spent a lot of time in...
“Yank”: endearing or insulting?
Following the kiwi term trend from below, I thought I would shed some light on a term I’ve only recently become acquainted with: “yank”.
I will say I heard it once before arriving here. It was during a story my parents tell when they reminisce around trips to Ireland. They’ve flown over to track our ancestry (and just have fabulous vacations). The first time they turned up on Cousin Paddy’s...
A new kiwi term learned today
Colleague: If you brought your economics book on holiday, you must be a girly swot.
Me: a what? A squat?
Colleague: a girly swot. It means you study all of the time.* A male who does this is called a beastly swot.
*Hm. I'm not in the position to confirm or deny this label.
1 tag
7 month reflection: Cultural Comparisons
Every time I think I’m going to get on top of my blogging, I realize a month has passed and nothing has been posted. Apologies!
Before diving into filmy waters, I want to preface this entry with a disclaimer. I in no way intend to stereotype or offend when drawing comparisons between the USA and NZ. No doubt there will be several whose experiences and opinions will be quite the contrary. So I...
August 2011
2 posts
Earthquakes
Earthquakes: worthy of examination. A ubiquitous topic that hangs on people’s mind… on the forefront or otherwise. Earthquakes are not my topic of expertise.
As a South Eastern American, our biggest fear of natural disaster tends toward the occasional hurricane (Let us not forget Snowpocalyse 2011. Read: It snowed twice in one season and was quite a mind blow).
I remember the first...
Woowee! Life sure did catch up with me these past few weeks. In fact, it feels like it’s several strides in front of me at this point in the race, but that’s alright. Richard Cumberland, the philosopher, says “It’s better to wear out than rust out”.
Tonga was a fantastic affair. The video below is of the blow holes on the Tongan coastline. Essentially, these cliffs...
July 2011
1 post
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June 2011
3 posts
Colonialism like I've never known
Hours after my flight from Tahiti has landed back in Auckland, I find myself staring blankly at a cashier in an airport store.
“Have a nice day,” she says courteously.
Wanting to reciprocate, I intend to thank her, but cannot.
…During my past 5 months (gasp!) in New Zealand I have handily acquired “cheers” as a colloquial show of gratitude. Simple, laid back...
What could be better?
What could be better than climbing into a camper van and setting out on a journey with two of your most admirable friends? What could be more humbling than gazing up at a million year old glacier? On the south island, snow capped mountains tower like giants and shades of green endlessly mystify. The raging rivers, the lazy sheep, the place where the cliffs kiss the clouds, all if these things...
Pralines
Cooking has never been my strong suit. After a taste test of my concoctions, any response without bouts of gagging or involuntary eye-watering is a marked success. However, I do have one claim to fame in the kitchen.** I can make the Southern confection known as pralines.
A few years back I visited historic Savannah and besides an obligatory haunted tour and stroll riverside, I visited River...
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May 2011
9 posts
Mark Twain ventured to Wellington, NZ
December 12 (1895)
[Wellington] is a fine city and nobly situated. A busy place, and full of life and movement. Have spent the three days partly in walking about, partly in enjoying social privileges, and largely in idling around the magnificent garden at Hutt, a little distance away, around the shore.
I suppose we shall not see such another one soon. We are packing to-night for the...
Visit to the US Embassy
This afternoon I met with a Public Affairs Officer at the United States Embassy in New Zealand. I learned a few neat things:
Upon mentioning the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, the Officer I spoke with immediately admitted to knowing other Foreign Service Officers who got their start with the same scholarship. Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation groom individuals to become world...
Reality: Cultural Collisions
Collisions: just short of the Big Bang, collisions tend to yield negative results. Imagine car collisions, train collisions… even when hot and cold air collides it renders a storm. So what happens when differing cultures collide? We see it every day in our newspapers and in response to social, political and economical conversations. Curiously I’ve felt the discomfort of it on a micro level and in...
7 tags
An Easter in Autumn
I have found myself remiss in blog writing the last wee while and so I owe you a rather long one this time. I have just finished a two week Easter holiday and celebrated a birthday and the Royal Wedding. Without any attempt at subtlety, I had an eventful vacation and it was just the proper dose of adventure and repose to return to the second half of the semester motivated.
^ Mount Tongariro as...
April 2011
8 posts
“Caresse: “It is one of those things; I went through a severe sequins...”
Celebration!
I’m celebrating because I’ve finished all of my first major assignments but more importantly because *trumpets flourish* this is my 100th entry! Oh the energy that has poured into this little corner of the internet. With blog writing one must constantly invent ways to reinvent poppycock, which I can assure you is no paltry task. I baked you all a cake as a celebratory gesture, but rather than be...
3 tags
Instinct
9 times out of 10, if I were to respond to an attack with my fight-or-flight mechanism, it would likely lean in the flight direction. Such a route would yield the greatest likelihood of self-preservation.
HOWEVER, there are those unpredictable instances where the spirit of ATL would envelop me and I would respond with fight… as I almost did last night when an oblivious (and harmless) dusk...
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