YSA Jams!

Our weekend in Dunedin was honestly one of the most fun weekends of my life. We started out getting dropped off at the Southland surfing competition. Music blasting, vendors selling, waves crashing, wetsuits wandering... it was just amazing. I made friends with a surfer dude and watched little punks ride their skateboards up to unsuspecting cars and get free rides :)

Next we met up with the other (meaning, non BYU students) YSA's and divided into groups and got in vans. We stopped at KFC on the way. Mags gave me a pack lunch, so I felt no need to waste money on fattening food. Well, it was then and there that I learned first hand that Cook Islanders DO NOT let people sit at a table with food without eating. It defies culture. They bought me a 3-pc chicken set with mashed potatoes, chips, and a refillable drink. And that was that. We arrived at the awesome lodge, got settled and played every group game you can imagine. (i.e. Samuri's Unite, Boogidy Boogidy Boo, Zip Zip Bong...) We had pizza for tea (love it!) and just got to know each other and played all night long.

8 am came early after a late bedtime. We headed to the beach for our service project. I wore a sarong (sp???) and flower in my hair- courtesy of Annie and Trio, the girls from our branch her in Invers (how the locals refer to Invercargill). It was fun to walk along and pick up trash- I was sort of surprised how much we collected. We came back for a "light" lunch (nothing is ever light) and then back to the beach for group games. The most fun game was basically chicken wars on land. Except it's scarier since the goal is to retrieve a bandana wrapped around your opponents face, and since your opponent is more likely than not, large, brown, and very maori. We played other games involving full body rolls in the sand, untying knots with your teeth, and frantically chasing each other short distances. Too much fun :)

That night we had an awesome Hangi (INTENSE Maori meal cooked IN the ground/earth) and I learned 4 new chords on the guitar. I am SO excited about the guitar. I can't wait to get home and practice practice practice. It really has become a passion of mine here in NZ. If there are 2 things I've gotten more passionate about, its the guitar, and oil painting. We had a dance party with DJ and all that night. Can I just say, it was a lucky thing me, Brooke and Ben were there to get the party started because those YSA's had some serious issues conversing/socializing with the opposite sex. Regardless, it was a fun dance!

We had the sacrament and testimony meeting Monday, followed by rotating workshops on finances, personal revelation, dating and goal setting. I've many to many a workshop on dating, and this trivia game was the best one BY FAR. Talk to me later for details. We had a panel discussion that night which mostly flopped. There were a few good things answered... The questions were not sensored which made for a highly inapropriate and awkward setting, there was only one (soft spoken) female on the panel, and the countless "what if" questions concerning temple divorces and family unity got really old. Ben and I lightened up the discussion by inquiring what the President deemed to be the best hand holding technique :)

Monday brought bowling games with old car tires, and a rousing game of soccer, the latter of which I did not participate. I borrowed Harry Potter 7 from the Library the day before we left, and that poor boy needed my attention. I am completely and utterly absorbed in the book- always anxious to discover what adventures or information the next page holds. I don't know HOW I've managed to survive this last year not knowing what happens to Harry. (FYI- I'm currently on the chapter titled, "The Deathly Hallows." I've read the entire book aloud to Ben and Maggie, which has slowed down my pace, but given me friends to converse with as I discover the wonder that is: JK Rowling.

It always takes longer to clean up camp than you expect. That was a long process, but we had soup and leftover pizza to enjoy on our way out of camp. We said our goodbye's and headed to the steepest street in the world!!!!!! Baldwin Street We had tons of fun posing for pictures, racing up, doing cartwheels and just messing around. President drove us, and in efforts to please the American kids, attempted to drive up the hill, disregarding the sign reading "NO heavy vehicles beyond this point." Well, we didn't make it to the top, and my lungs were tired from screaming by the time we reached the bottom again. After realizing we were not going to make it (in a full 12 passenger van with all our luggage) we proceeded to roll backward, back down the hill. Scariest thing of my life.

Cadbury world was pretty great. not as great as anticipated due to the fact that it was a public holiday and all the employees were out of the factory. We still saw the production DVD, tasted cocoa beans, experienced the world's largest chocolate waterfall, and ate chocolate from the handrails where it had splashed. Fun times.

The weekend was so much fun, and I'll always remember the fun people I met there and the good memories we made. It was really cool to spend time and become friends with the saints my age here in Southland, as we are all growing in the gospel together.

Party Central.

Hey ya'll. It is late. I am tired. But I just thought I would give you a little goodbye note. I am going to Dunedin (party central) tomorrow morning until late Monday night. I will be busy having fun and playing. I anticipate this YSA conference will be much like youth conference. Except with kiwis. I will be touring Cadbury World while in Dunedin and will visit Baldwin Street- the steepest street in the world! Don't worry, I'll take pictures and even video clips, so you'll feel like you were there. Love. Love. Love.

Sudden Loss.

The branch here in Invercargill is small.  It's even smaller when the BYU students aren't here visiting...  The saints here have the right idea, but as a whole, lack commitment to the gospel.  When we came, there were approximately 4 Priesthood holders total.  

Well, last night at the Young Men's activity, the newly called (as of just last Sunday) Young Men's President died of a heart attack.  Brother Bennett, age 48, was playing soccer with the guys and felt short of breath.  He sat out and then decided to go to the hospital when his breathing became patchy and restrained.  The heart attack came just leaving the parking lot, and he died on the spot.  The branch president and the other leader gave him the medical attention they were capable of before the paramedics arrived, but it was too late.  Brother Bennett was the only tenor in our choir, and all the BYU students' favorite branch member.  He cooked the meat at both branch BBQs and gave us rides whenever we needed them.  He came with our group on our day trip to the Catlains, and brought coloring books for the primary kids.  He was so sweet and gentle with the low-functioning special needs man Puta who just adored him and followed him everywhere.  He was a major jokester, and just a really likeable guy.

Although I was never terribly close to Brother Bennett, I knew him well enough to mourn his death.  He began feeling signs of sickness just 30 minutes before he died.  I will miss his example of leadership in the branch and I know our small congregation here will feel the effects of his absence.  Brother Bennett's sudden passing inspires me to treat everyone as if it were our last time together.  

I LOVE.

I love vanilla mint Crest toothpaste.  I love nailing a jump rope routine on stage. I love wearing North Face clothing. I love scratching backs at church.  I love the first few strokes of a new oil painting.  I love feeling invincible after accomplishing something hard.  I love chatting about things that don’t even matter.  I love Thai and Indian food.  I love home theaters.  I love playing with kittens.  I love French braiding. I love reaching the peak of a mountain.  I love popping around corners to scare people.  I love long car rides.  I love spending all day and all night scrapbooking.  I love eating like a Queen over a bunson burner.  I love watching things expand in water.  I love doing things I am good at.  I love screaming as waves crash over me.  I love being cultured.  I love going out to dinner in the city.  I love hailing cabs.  I love doing things that are not required of me.  I love living with “the locals” in foreign countries.  I love winning.  I love a complete set of colored highlighters.  I love glass shower doors.  I love living near an IKEA.  I love eating bananas with hazelnut spread.  I love reading my scriptures on temple grounds.  I love solving miscommunications.  I love flipping upside down.  I love sneak previews.   I love putting my head between my legs to blow dry my hair.  I love doing science projects.  I love eating saltine crackers in bed.  I love finishing a large set of push ups.  I love shopping with a purpose.  I love talking with insecure people.  I love tying knots.  I love creamy ice cream- no matter the flavor.  I love fabric.  I love nice cameras.  I love long hugs.  I love the color green.  I love dressing up in costumes when I quilt.  I love conference calling.  I love flaring my nostrils to intimidate people.  I love sorting photos.  I love grosgrain ribbon.  I love having ambitions.  I love eating the same thing for breakfast every morning.  I love long-sleeve t-shirts.  I love playing competitive games.  I love talking to famous people like we’re old pals. 

The Iron Bladder Award

Presented to:

MARCINDRA GLAD

Marci hiked 3 hours of the Routeburn track with a full bladder. Not only was she tramping (creating discomfort in itself), But Marci walked through water and passed too many waterfalls to count. She allowed the group to press on due to her incredible ability to "hold it." Regardless of her internal state, Marci made our trek toward Te Anu one I will never forget. Congratulations Marcindra!

Wanaka CLIMBING Trip

All 34 members of our group went on a rock climbing trip to Wanaka this week! We spent Monday through Wednesday based out of Glendahu Bay holiday park and went climbing each day. Here is a run down of how things rolled out:

Monday March 10

We met at SIT at 9am but didn’t leave until about 10:30. Meanwhile, I played hand games with people and threw around my Moshi pillow. Boy is that popular. Well, the car ride there was really fun! It was longer than I thought, but it was fun to be sandwiched by Ben and Haree in the back back. We got to the camp site and set up around 3 pm and immediately went to our first crag. A smaller group of us went exploring in a river until the climbs were set up. We ended up lunging up a cliff bordering the river and then Lisa had to jump in the water to help us down. Bless her. The climbing wall was good- it was kind of hard, but fun. Climbing isn’t by favorite thing but it went okay. I think I just need to remember that it is okay to fall! There are belayers below ready to catch you- so just go for it! We got back to Glendhu Bay holiday Park around 8pm and I had pasta for dinner, prepared on the stoves accessible to all campers. I made friends with about 5 other campers (all age 50+) from England who were here on holiday. I played Nertz with Marci in her tent, but it was too small and cramped so I went to the beach and sang hymns to myself instead. We learned from Curtis about the stars in the southern hemisphere. That night was EXTREMELY cold and even more windy! I wore 3 pair of ski socks and woke up at least 5 times in the night which I am NOT accustomed to.

Tuesday March 11

We left camp at 9am after a nice breakfast of oatmeal and fruit. The climbing site was only about 5 minutes away. My first climb of the day didn’t go very well, so I was sort of scared the rest of the day which is a real shame. I did two abseils, one with a prussic and the other with a bottom belay and I learned new knots including the: clove hitch, italian hitch, alpine Butterfly, figure of 8 (one handed), double figure of 8, rethreaded figure of 8, handcuffs, tape knot/water knot, half hitch, whole hitch, and I learned to professionally coil a rope.

We took the written test after climbing all day and I did pretty well :) We attempted to play kick the can and ultimate spoons, but it was kind of a flop. We ended up eating cookies on the beach with us four, and Lisa and Maggie. Then I joined Taylor’s tent and we told stories until about 1 am. I didn’t care that it was late because I knew I would be too cold to sleep anyway.

Wednesday March 12

This climb is called "Tombstone." It's that big rock that looks like a tombstone. It's pretty hard to climb. I had to wedge my body in the crack like so:

We left camp at 8 am this morning, which meant 7 am wake up to pack up, put away the tent, eat pasta for breakfast, and get mentally ready to rock climb. At first, I spent some time on the top of the rock and just enjoyed being in New Zealand. I did a couple easy climbs in the morning, and then attempted the lead climb! That's where you hook yourself into the wall and have a much greater potential to fall :) I had a lot of fun looking for the next bolts and hooking my screwgate karabiners into the wall. Lead climbing was fun and challenging because you fell a lot farther and your life was more in your hands/legs instead of your belayer. It was so fulfilling to reach the top of the climb and just know you made it. I liked Wednesday's climbing a lot more! The tombstone crack climb was SO fun! There were parts when I didn’t think I was going to make it, but I just never gave up. On parts of the wall it seriously feels like there is just nowhere to put your feet and no handholds! Incredibly frustrating! Well, I eventually made it to the top and was rewarded with time to sit on the top of the rock and just look out and enjoy. I liked staying at the top for a while and feeling that sense of accomplishment. I can see myself getting into climbing for the photography. Once I reach the top what a better view of the landscape, and more importantly of the other climbers coming up! Abseiling down was actually the scariest part because you just have to fall backward and trust yourself and your gear. Here is an artistic pic of abseiling: (Which do you like better? The very topp pic or this one?)Bob was doing things to scare me on purpose- he had so much fun taking advantage of a dramatic person… I like Bob a lot and Nathan was just great! I totally scored with my instructors! We left back for Invercargill around half past one and got to SIT at 6. I slept/rolled in dirt on the floor of the van on the way home- it was surprisingly comfortable! Luckily Ken hadn’t left his office yet, so we showed up and just asked for a lift home. Mags was excited to greet us and we had chicken legs, rice and salad for tea. I was glad to shower off and put my things away. For future reference: It's always easier to put stufff away right when you get home.

Japanese Scissors

I decided to cut my hair the other day. It’s kind of a bad angle in this picture, but it gives the general idea. I put some more layers in front and took off about a half an inch. It feels/looks a lot healthier, and I just get a kick out of cutting my hair :) Ben called the other day and asked for a haircut. He biked on over after tea and I cut his hair for FREE! (That is a rarity around here.) He was very brave to trust me with his curly hair (not much experience there) and we had a rousing conversation in our 2 ft. kitchen. (and p.s. He kissed me RIGHT as Ali took the picture. That was not planned.)

It looks like Ali may be going skiing. Don’t be deceived. This is what we wear at home to stay warm. My “pajamas” consist of about 5 layers (including 3 pair of ski socks) and I still go to sleep cold. Please be grateful for central heating!!!

One SUPER Saturday

Mormon Helping Hands Day
"Mormon Helping Hands Day" had been advertised in the Branch announcements for several weeks. Finally Saturday morning arrived and the troops showed up at the chapel ready to serve! We all put on these sweet jersey’s and got in members’ cars to head to the service site. We ended up cleaning out some ancient, southland author’s house. By “cleaning out,” I mean: doing the dishes, mopping the floor, swiping cobwebs, organizing books, weeding, de-bushing, ripping off walls of the home, sawing and nailing up new boards, painting, and all sorts of renovation. We installed a toilet too!

An Urban Picnic
I took a little cat-nap midday, and then headed to our favorite grocery store Pak-n-save for dinner. We got ingredients to make cookies (not to be confused with biscuits which are hard as a rock) at Cam and Tyler’s homestay that night. Ashley and I went in on a loaf of bread and yogurt together for tea and then debated on where to eat it. After much “conversation,” Ashley, Lisa and I ended up eating in the median on Tay street :) (That means I won!) That is one memorable picnic dinner.

Cookie Party!

The bike ride out to Otatara was long and hard, but worth it! It was such a windy ride, but the thought of actual cookies made it easier to bear. With 7 people, we made about 5 different cookie recipes and watched High School Musical together! What a way to spend a Saturday night. I learned, yet again, something about my character. Or maybe it’s just about cooking. I really, really, really dislike it when people tell me exactly what to do in the kitchen. I want a domain to work within, but I feel so helpless and dumb when I’m told to pour in 1/3 cup of this or drop in a stick of butter. I just feel like I’m five. Maybe I’m too sensitive, but I just like to be in charge of something and not have people snapping at me if I do something differently from them in the kitchen. There. Venting over :) Their host dad Philip drove us home with our bikes since our new program rule makes it illegal for us to bike after dark.

Fun Fun Fun!

So it's been a long time since a blog post.  My bad.  I have no excuse, I'm not going to lie.  I think it's at this point of the study abroad (kind of in the middle) where I am sort of taking for granted my time here.  The THRILL of being here has worn off and I'm not cherishing the "last" time of my activities.  There is about a month to go, and I'm getting jazzed up for the fun to come.  I have so much fun playing with pictures and reflecting on the great things I've done so far... I need to live in the present and take every opportunity possible!  With this new resolution, I will be attending ward volleyball tonight :)  It gets kind of tricky because that overlaps with Mags' tea.  

I volunteered at the school today- that is going really well.  The kids get SO excited when the "American girls" come and were following me around with shirts and school books to autograph today.  They were pretty bad jumpers for the most part, but their accents and uniforms just make them so cute :)  It's a good thing I'm not a teacher because I definitely pick favorites... I told the teacher of my class, Mr. Goodsir a bit about the gospel and what we believe.  Today is Mary's (the facilitator) 20th birthday so we threw 20 bags of assorted treats at her during class.  I think Mark was a little annoyed :)  

This picture is from the other week when we biked to Oreti beach after school.  We weren't in togs (swim suits) but I took the liberty of "doing" Tyler's hair with wet sand and shoving some down his back :)  The fun just escalated from there!  I started writing a letter to Matt, and then my friends got a look at what I was doing... before I knew it, they'd all written about a paragraph and drawn pictures all over!  Boy is Matt going to get a fun letter!  Anyway, enough of my random goings-on.  Love ya!

MXC

That last post was pretty desperate. Well, justly so... The track was hard and I spent 3 days living in a cloud. By the second day, I literally could not remember what it meant to be dry. It started raining the first night, and didnt stop until we pulled into the driveway. Good timing, I know.
Well, we didymo-ed our boots before starting the track, and then came upon the most gorgeous, "rushnormous" (new word for rushing and enormous) waterfalls in the world! Only half of our BYU group went on the Routeburn hike, and that group split into 2 as well. So my tramping group of 11 started at the Queenstown side and ended in Te Anu where the other group began. It worked out well because we just swapped keys in passing on the trail and then took each others' cars home. Most trampers pay alot of money to get shuttled back and forth since they have no vehicle waiting at the other end.

The first night, we stayed in "huts" which basically means shelter!!! It was amazing to get there and have a dry place to keep our stuff. We cooked on the stoves they had there and played some AMAZINGLY funny games of Mafia where the killers usually ended up winning. I wish people would just believe me!!! We met/made friends with Hollandish trampers and one Bulgarian. It was amazing how global our track was! Trying to be positive about the torrential rain, I told Ben it would be great since we'd get so many more waterfalls! Ben jokingly replied, "the track is going to be a waterfall Stef!" Little did we know, that was NOT a joke.
There were parts of the tramp where I felt like I was on the show MXC (Most Extreme Challenge). THere was NO POSSIBLE WAY to make it across without falling in the river, but you have to go for it regardless. We started trying to find a way to avoid pure river and balance on high rocks, but after 10 minutes, we all bagged that idea and just embraced climbing waterfalls. All Marci wanted to do was ring out her socks. We reached the peak of the mountain and counted 50+ waterfalls from one spot! The mountain was just flowing! It was fun to hike alone part of the time, and fun to walk with the group and listen to/tell stories. It was such beautiful land and so magnificent! I have such spiritual experiences in the mountains and every time I go tramping, I just want to stay forever! The land is gorgeous and I learn so much about myself and others when I take the time to get away and appreciate nature. You should try it!

The second night was... wet. EVERYTHING was just soaked. We tried to hang it dry, but to no avail. When we got to camp the girls just started stripping like crazy. The boys turned the other way when they realized what was going on... It was the pits to put on wet clothes and sleep in puddles. Everyone had an awesome attitude and since there was nothing we could do, we just got through it together. We ate like kings over a bunson burner and warmed our noses with our dinner tins and ate chocolate covered almonds in bed. We went to bed at like 5pm because we had nothing else to do... I shared a 2 man tent with Erin and Marci- that was a thrill :) When I woke up I really felt like both my shoulders had been dislocated. Any direction I moved, pain. My hip made me feel like I was 90, and I had to crunch into a ball to avoid puddles.
The next morning we faced more torrential rain, and encountered teh MOST amazing waterfall of my life. If you even tried to walk through it, the wind would push you back and the rain pelt into your eyeballs like daggars. I can't even describe it- it was just AMAZING! So we took the flood evacuation route which turned out to be super cool! I dont have pictures because I love my camera too much to loose it to water. We couldn't even talk to each other by the waterfall because it was so loud! Cameron told us stories to keep our minds off our aching bodies. We tramped out the rest of the way and hurried to the toilets as fast as possible!!!

It may seem as though I had a miserable weekend. Do not be deceived. I really did have a great time and would do it again in a minute!