Old News

Well, Welcome to my first Blog Page Ever! I am posting a copy of my first mass e-mail that I sent out, just in-case you didn't get it before....(i constantly struggle with the mass e-mail list making and hopefully this will work better!)

Hey Friends! 1 March 2007

Life in NZ is incredible so far, and I have been soaking in every minute! Life here in NZ is going wonderfully! I have already been on some crazy adventures... Last weekend I went on my first backpacking trek (4 days), it was burly, no trail only occasional markers, we climbed two mountain passes, forged rivers, swam in waterfalls, picked flowers in fields, walked across swinging bridges, traveled in small cart over rivers, climbed through forests, got lost in fog, we sweat, we sang, we bleed, ate/rationed, blisters, battle wounds, attacked by sand flies, slept in a cow field, drank water straight from river, climbed 3000 feet in less than 3 miles, total 44 km, new friends!

I've moved into an apartment with 5 house mates (Texas, China, Germany, Srilaka and PLU)they are wonderful! Campus is full of trees, streams with bridges, flowers, plants. School started monday... geology, psychology, Maori culture (always 3day weekends!) Sheared sheep, jet boating, I bought a car in an auction! free concert, live music, sunburned and peeling, eating BBQ's, peanut butter sandwiches, oatmeal, riding buses, wearing "jandels" (sandals), put gravy on salad thinking it was balsamic, danced with locals in a pub, jumped waves at beach (30min away), ate fishin'chips, walked where Lord of the Rings was filmed, climbed the gigantic stones in battle scene of Narnia, met locals, met internationals, met lots of Americans, surfed, ate free sausage on campus, road a unicycle, learned to skip rocks (6skips!), played cards, gone running, laughed, cried, napped, prayed, sang, climbed, hiked, and still smiling!

"classes" are "pages"

"lines" are "cues"

"sweetas" means fantastic, wonderful, choice, great

Most of all, it is is gorgeous here! Indescribable. Never have I seen anything so beautiful than standing on top of the mountains, alongside turquoise river or within twisting forests. When in the mountains tramping, each muscle aching, working, sweating, somehow you become connected mentally, physically, and spiritually. Each step purifying and humbling as the scenery leaves me standing in awe, and speechless. God is good.

thinking of all of you...

love, Annika