Dreamhouse, Sheephouse

We left the land of Oz - vegemite, kangaroos, and surfing - six days ago, for New Zealand. We arrived very late in the evening, so our New Zealand experience officially began as we awoke to birds chirping, sheep walking near our tents, and a cool breeze blowing from the coastline. We were all in awe of the deep green, rolling hill farm pastures that were surrounded by the aqua blue of the ocean. How lucky were we to start our time in Miniwhangata volunteering for five days.

The days flew by as we walked miles, pulling weeds in the pastures, working on the spring garden, and stripped fences; all to help improve the national park so it will be around to serve generations to come. Although these activities were rewarding, the best day in Miniwhangata was our second to last...

That morning we all loaded in the van and headed to the local elementary school (that only had two classes, equaling 35 kids). We introduced ourselves to the 9-13 year old children following traditional Maori practices and then described where we lived and what made that place special to us. It was moving to see how when the children were asked what made their home special, the majority of them replied with a comment about their family or the kind people in the community. This reiterated the fact that creating relationships is core to the Maori culture.

After the introduction we chopped wood for the school until lunch time - during which we were able to test our athletic abilities against the energetic kids. The entire school met our group on the field and we split evenly into two teams for capture the flag. "Team Warriors" competed against "Team Hashtags" for 30 minutes as foot races, cheering, and strategy unfolded in the game. "Team Warriors" ultimately won and afterward the children had to go back to class and we headed back to our home for the week.

Capture the flag alone would be enough to place that day above the others but, as the traveling life seems to frequently provide, it only improved as the hours continued. We arrived back at our cozy, rustic woolshed and began gathering wood to cook the evening meal, a lamb sizzling over a fire. Learning and participating in the process was time intensive but seriously enjoyable. We started a fire and burned it until there were only coals left. Although the fire looked to be dying, it was hot enough to burn you from a few feet away. Afterward we balanced the lamb, which was wired to a gate, above the fire using a cement trough and cement blocks. Those of us who helped cook the lamb sat by the fire and listened to individuals play the guitar as we frequently flipped the gate until the lamb was fully cooked. Once the meal was prepared, we all arranged our plates with what was quite likely the best meal any of us had consumed so far, and then we took our food and crowded around the fire light. As the sun slowly lowered and the moon began to peak over the horizon we shared stories and laughed until the night came to a close.

That night, laying in my sleeping bag trying to get comfortable, I reflected on the words a Maori man had shared with us the previous day. He said, "It is not by chance we are where we are in our life." I pondered that quote and felt enlightened when I replayed the day in my head. For one reason or another all of us signed up for this trip and in one way or another we will all learn throughout this journey. It is not just chance that we have met one another and have/will experience the cultures and destinations of New Zealand and Australia together.