new zealand – Hello Hayley

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March 4, 2013

girls day in tauranga

this past weekend, we had a girls day to the beach in tauranga, which is a beach town about an hour away (past post here). we climbed up to the top of the mount on the beach and despite the millions of stairs and hot weather, the view at the top made it completely worth it. after, we grabbed lunch and smoothies, walked around the town, got some of the most amazing gelato i’ve ever had (who knew pineapple and blood orange were such a good combination?), tanned a bit and collected shells on the beach. one of my favorite feelings in the world is coming home after a long day at the beach exhausted and sunburnt, taking a shower and just chilling out. after we got back, we watched breakfast at tiffanys and had mexican food and proclaimed this one of our best weekends in new zealand yet

hayley

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February 26, 2013

around campus: 2nd semester

i know i did a post like this last semester but here are a few pictures of new things i’ve found and places i’ve explored this semester. lately, i’ve been in love with one of the little islands on the lake near our dorms. there are goats and peacocks and chickens on the island but the silly ducks that run whenever i come near and seem to gather to make plans to avoid me are by far my favorite.

hayley

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February 23, 2013

ccc camp

throughout the semester, we have the opportunity to help out with camps and retreats for local churches. this past weekend, i was part of a team that went to christchurch to help at their yearly family camp. the weekend was full of working in the kitchen, hanging out with the beyond adorable kids and utter exhaustion. it was a great weekend but i must admit it was also nice to come back to the ranch and get a good night sleep with a real pillow. oh the little luxuries we so easily take for granted. the highlight of the camp was a ‘hoedown’ we had the last night. from dressing up like cowboys (i was told i looked more like a horseback rider but close enough, right?) to accidentally exploding a huge bottle of ginger beer during the ginger beer taste tests, it was a night to remember and a great way to end such a memorable camp.

{hayley vs the evil ginger beer bottle}

hayley

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February 21, 2013

christchurch

christchurch is a beautiful city on the south island of new zealand. in 2011, the city was devastated by a 6.3 earthquake. even two years later, parts of the city are still vacant and in ruins and look straight out of the video game call of duty (yes, i am a nerd). driving through town was a bit eerie and it may be one of the saddest places i have ever visited. you can almost feel the devastation in the air. one area that escapes this feeling is castel street. the street is made up mostly of buildings made of shipping containers and the bright colors make it a really cheery place. the great coffee and restaurants aren’t too shabby either. another great experience was visiting the memorial for the 185 people who died in the quake. the memorial consists of 185 chairs of all different kinds painted white and lined up in rows. there are highchairs, wheel chairs, arm chairs, etc. it was really powerful and i’m so glad i got a chance to visit

{earthquake victim memorial}

hayley

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February 19, 2013

forest adventure

on our first day in christchurch, our team decided to walk to the beach from the camp we’re staying at. seems simple enough. we heard the beach was a 15 minute walk away so we started off around 7 at night hoping to be home before nightfall. we ended up getting lost and walking parallel to the beach in a forest for 8 miles until we finally got to the beach through a sandy, overgrown horse trail. needless to say, it was a grand adventure. we found a hedgehog which we lovingly named kent, took tons of silly photos, stargazed on the beach, found a street called ‘stalker road’ and made up our own stupid jokes to keep us entertained on the long, dark walk back. needless to say, it was one of those nights even pictures, which supposedly say 1000 words, would never begin to describe. and we all know those are the best kind of nights

hayley

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February 17, 2013

little things

i’m back and posting! my internet situation here has improved ever so slightly and i’ve been busy as always with classes, baking (i’m assigned to 8 hours of baking a week for the school… basically i’m in heaven!), reading, getting to know the new students here, brushing up on my french with my roommate (who is french but lives in australia) and going on adventures. this weekend, i’m in christchurch on the south island of new zealand to help with a family camp (expect lots of pictures). this semester has been nice so far and i’m learning to love the lack of internet connectivity. it’s made me focus on things that really matter: spending time with friends, homework, reading my bible, and just living life. this semester, my goal is to learn to be content and to “enjoy the little things” as my new jewelry bowl sweetly reminds me daily. i’m going to start a series of posts every so often of little moments and things that make me smile and make life great. enjoy!