Field Study Reunion

FYI: I tried hard to condense it, but this is a really long, reminiscent post, and probably only interesting to my fellow field study friends. Consider yourself warned. While in Utah, I got together with some good friends that lived with me in Tonga and New Zealand for Fall 2006 semester. It was wonderful to see them!

Since then, I've been thinking so much about how blessed I was to be a part of that trip. It was the semester right before I met Josh and it truly taught me so many important lessons.

I lived in such beautiful places:

New Zealand

Tonga

Met such remarkable people:

Family in Ha-apai

Family in Okoa

Made wonderful friends:

Family in Whakatane

Good ol' Butch

Robyn and Jane

Did some crazy fun things:

The Shotover Jet

Through the Canyon

Aukland's freaky bungy thing

"Camping" at the base of the Frans Josef glacier, without camping gear. Not on purpose.

But we survived the freezing night.

Bungy jumping in Queenstown

Just far enough to dunk my head into this river.

Played on the Buller Gorge Swingbridge. A little too wobbly for my liking.

And did some difficult things:

(Living a month in Tonga. Enough said. I'm a wimp.)

First night with Jane in Ha-apai. Scared out of my mind. Bathing in hand-sanitizer all day long.

Finding strange creatures in the sea. And then eating them. With the natives watching your reaction. (Difficult, but really awesome actually).

Octopus. The catch of the day. I lived with a fisherman while in Tonga.

This field study gave me awareness and appreciation. It tested and stretched my character. I grew tremendously as an artist and a person. I still reflect on the memories of my time in Tonga and New Zealand and the many lessons I learned.

Thanks to my dear friend Robyn, for the reunion lunch, and for reminding me of what an awesome experience we had!