I'm sitting in my bedroom right now, listening to the Anstis family run around, plan the next weekend's adventures and rave about the 'massive swell' that's hitting on Sunday. Most important, however, is that I'm sitting in MY bedroom, on MY bed... because, it's true, I have a home now. It has been a while since my last post, but as you may have gathered, I'm not with the girls anymore. I ventured up to the North Island with my parents plus Leana, a friend from Arizona, and then ended up staying up here. Bought a Subaru Legacy (twin turbo, thank you very much) that has a mind of its own, but has managed to get me around. His name is Spike and, like Connie, allows me to escape into my own space. The girls mentioned they sit in the car and just chat for hours... a very similar thing happens with me in Spike. Except that it's not really chatting... just more like journal writing/reflection, etc. But yeah... I might occasionally talk to myself, as well..

Living with the Anstis family is wonderful. Les, Bronnie, Isaac, Heidi and Kate are each total characters, to say the least. Together, they create this one of a kind family that I feel blessed to be apart of, even for just a wee while. Isaac lives and works in Aukland, so right now it's just the girls and I holding down the fort, along with Les and Bronnie. Les is the CEO of a kiwi packaging company, an avid sportsman, loudly opinionated, and absolutely hilarious. Bronnie bikes to work (which in this country is quite a feat) can sew anything you want her to and is so soft-spoken that I often miss what she says. Heidi is 22, moving to the South Island to begin her accounting career, rocks at mountain biking, kite surfing, snow skiing, rock climbing.. everything.. and is probably one of the cutest people I know. Seriously. She blows my mind. And then Kate, who is 20... curly red hair, beautiful artist, studying psychology in Aukland, watches America's Next Top Model with me, and probably laughs louder AND more than most others. It's an experience, to say the least, staying with this family. I'm loving every minute of it.

They live in Tauranga, which is in the Bay of Plenty on the north end of the North Island. There's the occasional good wave around and a lot of rock climbing to be done, so I keep myself busy. Starting tomorrow, however, I become a real person because I... drumroll... Got a job!! Two of 'em!! Crazy. Tomorrow I start at an outdoor store that carries a lot of climbing gear and Wednesday I start at a sweet surf shop. It's actually one of my favorite shops that I've been to in the whole of NZ.. so i'm pretty stoked about the job. The shop is packed with boards from front to back and they are tempting me already... I have to keep reminding myself that I'm working to MAKE money... not spend it.

Being away from the girls has been hard at times, but it has been an absolutely amazing past couple months.. lots of adventures had and friends made. I hope to entice them on up to the North Island, where we might be able to reunite in Taranaki. We shall see. Until then, I'm stoked because I can talk to Lauren now! It just so happens that it is CHEAPER for me to talk to her in CA than it is for me to call her when she's in New Zealand. Go figure that one out...