Australia...

We've been doing more traveling around again! This week we visited Hillsong, Canberra, Collaroy (drove by Clondarf on the way), and hung out in downtown Sydney. More details below:

Sunday - Hillsong
On Sunday we visited Hillsong. To be completely honest... I didn't really enjoy it that much. It was a good experience and I'm glad I visited, but I don't think I could do it every week. There were some good things that I learned and some things that I didn't appreciate quite as much. I think I was one of the only ones from our group that didn't get too excited about it.

Monday - Canberra
Monday morning, we went to the Canberra War Memorial. Australia was founded as a nation in 1901 – not so long ago. So the only wars they have been involved in were the two World Wars. We didn’t do a whole lot more in Canberra, which I was kind of disappointed about. I feel like there is still a lot of Australian history that I don’t know a whole lot about... but there will definitely be more opportunities to learn about it in the future.

Monday was also declared “Boost Brent’s Ego Day." It was definitely a lot of fun. We made comments all day like, “Brent, you’re such a good driver,” “Brent, you do such an excellent job eating candy bars,” “Brent, you do such a good job taking care of us,” "Brent, I don't know anyone else who can finish off a Solo can like you" (Solo is a really good carbonated lemonade drink they have here). There were definitely a lot more of those types of comments, but I can’t remember very many of them. Although the whole day was kind of a joke, I really do appreciate Brent’s leadership. We’re really going to miss him when he leaves us in China. He really does take care of us well.

Collaroy Highlights (Tuesday & Wednesday)
You all might get a little upset with me. In my journal I found myself writing: "Here I sit in the beautiful sunshine by the ocean complaining because I have two days to do nothing but relax by the beach. This is definitely ridiculous." I'm ashamed to admit it... but that's honestly how I was feeling. There wasn't a whole lot to do in Collaroy besides go to the beach. And since I’m not much of a beach girl, I was kind of disappointed. I only spent probably a total of one or two hours on the beach. But I ended up having a good time (even though our hostel kind of grossed me out at times... I don't think you would have liked it, Mom).

The good things that happened:

• Katie and I went to see the movieKite Runner. It was intense, but so worth seeing. What an incredible picture of what Jesus Christ did for me. Just as Amir scorned Hassan and mistreated him… and Hassan took Amir’s beatings (shed blood for him) – my Jesus has done for me. I am so unworthy of His incredible lovingkindness.
• On Wednesday morning, Katie and I made pancakes for everyone. It was so much fun! I loved being able to greet our team members with a cheery “Good morning!” as they walked into the kitchen. I’ve been craving chocolate chip pancakes (with peanut butter) for the longest time. A longing fulfilled is indeed sweet. :)
• Wednesday afternoon, about seven of us went to one of the Australian national parks and hiked around for about 2 hours. We were actually in the Australian Bush, which is kind of exciting to say. We caught a glimpse of a wallaby (no kangaroos, unfortunately) and saw more spiders than I ever care to see again. These spiders were humongous – most of them as big as the palm of my hand… and very poisonous (I think that’s what bright colors mean). There were a few times we almost walked into their webs. It was at those times that I was incredibly thankful for my short stature and others leading the way. All of us returned to the van unscathed and had the opportunity to drink in some beautiful mountainous forest scenery. I preferred this much more than the beach.
• On Wednesday evening, I met a girl from Corsica. I can’t remember her name… I think it was something like Acheela. She speaks French and is your classical postmodern European. We had so much fun together, though. We talked for hours (literally) and spent a lot of that time laughing together. We got kind of bored of sitting, so we walked through the halls of the hostel – which took all of five minutes. It was fun to share our stories with one another.

Our Last day in Sydney...

Today was our last official day in Australia. I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown by! We left the hostel around 10:00 and spent the majority of the day in downtown Sydney. We originally were planning to visit the Botanical Gardens. However, it was almost a torrential downpour for a good part of the day. So, Katie, Kari and I ended up finding a cozy place to sit at Starbucks with some warm coffee and sweet conversation. I like those girls a lot.

I don’t feel too nostalgic about leaving Australia. This is probably in due part to our short amount of time here. I do wish that I would have been exposed to more of the history and culture of Australia. Although, there were some aspects of the culture that I would have been just fine without being exposed to. Our time here has been good for my heart. Many of my dreams have been revived here and I am excited about what the future holds.

I am also super-excited about going to China! We leave tomorrow morning around 10:35 a.m. It’s going to be another LONG day of traveling. I’ve got plenty of things to keep me occupied on the plane, though. I’m not too excited about returning to cold weather, but I am excited about a slight change of wardrobe choices. It’s been stretching to live with only a few outfits for weeks on end – but a good kind of stretching I think. It’s amazing how much we can do without.

Okay... I will update again when I get to China. And hopefully I'll be able to give you all some pics then. :) I'm looking forward to being somewhat settled again. :)

Psalm 40:5

Chinatown and Mars Hill

This morning we had our first Chinese test – 15 characters. I am pleased to report it went well! I felt pretty confident with my studying time and am actually enjoying my study of Chinese thus far. It is definitely a challenging and overwhelming task, but also somewhat exciting to me.

For the afternoon, we went back into downtown Sydney and decided to visit Chinatown (one of Jana’s suggestions for us). It took quite a while to walk there from the Sydney Opera House, but I didn’t notice on the way there because I was just enjoying soaking in the sites of the city and being with our group. Once we arrived to Chinatown, our group dispersed to do some shopping. By the time Katie and I decided to leave the market, everyone was doing their own thing. So, we found a map and figured out how to get back to the Opera House. I am pleased to announce that we navigated the city successfully. I was nervous about getting back safely, but we made it just fine. I wish we would have been able to spend more time… but I think we'll be going back later this week.

Tonight we went to a coffee shop called Mars Hill Cafe. Some of the people here at Southern Cross College work there and are really enjoying connecting with people in the community. It was really interesting to talk to them about coffee shop stuff. We had quite an adventure, though... it took us an hour to get to there when it should have only taken about 15-20 minutes. Apparently, Australians don't like to label their roads very often. it make for quite the experience. We had a fun time, though. I'm glad we went. It was a great experience... and the coffee was amazing ,which is always a plus.

In the morning, we will be going to Hillsong, which I'm really looking forward to. After that, we'll go to Canberra (the capital of Sydney) to spend the night and learn more about Australian history. We'll also do spend a couple of the days on the beach... and probably spend all day Thursday in Sydney. I'm hoping to go to the botanical gardens. It should be a full week... but a sweet week. I'm so loving Australia and I’ve really been blessed to see how our group is getting along. I feel like a lot of walls have fallen down and we are becoming more unified.

I just love life...
Missing you all...
~Holly

P.S. I promise I will post pictures... but probably not until I get to China. I should have unlimited internet access there, which will definitely help. :)

February 22, 2008 – Friday

Today we went to Bondi Beach – a beach with incredibly powerful waves. (When we were in NZ, we watched a rescue show featuring Bondi Beach and a man that was killed by the strong waves). I went into the water for a little bit, but after a mouthful of salt water, I returned to my beach towel to study Chinese and soak in the sun.

I went to Hope Central Café with some of our friends tonight. We were invited to their youth group yesterday when we stopped by as we were walking back to the college. Sally, the owner of the café is a youth leader and was very discouraged. We were able to talk to our Dad with her, which was sweet. After that she invited us to come to their youth group.

While we were there, I spent most of the evening with a girl named Samantha. She rededicated her life to her Dad after my friend shared his real life story. It was really cool. Be thinking about her if you remember. I enjoyed spending time with youth again… it’s been awhile. It was sweet to see my Daddy working too. I think I'd really love to do something like that someday - have a coffee shop where teenagers can come and hang out...

February 21, 2008 – Thursday

This morning we took a walk through Chester Hill, thinking about the people there and their different needs. We noticed lots of elderly people. When we got to the park, we met a Fijian woman in charge of several men that were part of a group home. It was interesting to talk with her for and the boys for awhile. After they left, we spent some time in thinking about them and singing together. It’s cool to see what our Father is doing with our group.

After lunch, we went to a nursing home and sang some songs… ranging from Oh Danny Boy to Amazing Grace to Blessed be Your Name to Dancing Matilda. I was asked to sing a solo on the spot. It was an interesting experience for sure… didn’t go as well as I would have liked, but I think the people appreciated it.

After some singing, we had tea with the residents and just sat and talked with them. I spent the most time talking with a resident named Harry. It was hard to understand him – he didn’t have any teeth and his accent didn’t help. His daughters don’t talk to him anymore and he’s lost contact with almost everyone. It was interesting to spend time there after reading Tuesdays with Morrie. I really enjoyed our time there, but was tired out by the end. It takes a lot of energy to sit and try to listen/understand for so long.

Following dinner, we went into downtown Sydney and spent about 4 hours there. We did a lot of walking, starting off near Darling Harbor (I love that name!) and ending up at Sydney Opera House. I never realized how ritzy of a city Syndey is. It is really pretty and fun. As we were walking through the streets, I couldn’t help but think of Jana… knowing that she walked the same streets in the fall of 06.

We didn’t get back to the college until 12:30 a.m. at least. It was quite an interesting van ride back...

February 20, 2008 - Wednesday

Here we sit in another airport… departing from Auckland to Sydney. It’s hard to believe our time in NZ is over already. We said goodbye to Matt early this morning. We didn’t get to bed until 11:45 p.m. last night and then loaded the buses this morning at 2:45 a.m. Needless to say, I’m tired!

[time lapse]

Today was a very long day… and interesting one. We stayed at the Sydney airport for 3-4 hours after our flight arrived. While we were waiting, I decided to start reading Monica’s book, Tuesdays with Morrie. I really like it and made significant progress on the book. I hope to finish it maybe as soon as tomorrow.

We are staying at South Cross Bible College near Chester Hill (just outside of Synday). I really like our accommodations. Katie and I are roommates. I realized that I've really missed having a roommate...

I’m so encouraged because I feel like my Father is giving me dreams again... which I've been asking him for. There are so many things I want to do and see! I'm overwhelmed with the sweet opportunities that I've been discovering...

February 19, 2008, Tuesday

Today was our last day in New Zealand. I finished Amy Carmichael’s biography on the last van trip.

We went to the Skytower Restaurant for lunch. It was pretty fancy. We all got dressed up and had difficulty reading the menu. It was fun to get dressed up again. All of the girls at my table (except Katie) ordered tortellini. We split three desserts among the seven of us, which was fun. The seating area rotated around the entire tower as we were eating, so we were able to look out over all of Auckland.

After we checked into our final accommodations, we headed into town (Mt. Eden) for dinner. Half of us had fish and chips, half of us had kebabs. I really enjoyed the fish and chips. We took them to the top of Mt. Eden for one last time.

Loving Waihi Beach...

Today was a “free” day… which meant no schedule and lots of relaxing. I woke up around 8 a.m. (much earlier than everyone else) and was kind of hungry. So, I decided to try to find a bakery. The lady at the reception office was so kind and offered to allow me to “hire” (rent) one of the Holiday Park bikes for free. I decided that I was up for an adventure…

So, I hopped on the bike and went off to find a muffin in downtown Waihi Beach. I am pleased to announce that I had no problems finding the bakery and had a delightful rhubarb muffin.

The rest of the day consisted of resting, making lunch (which was a 4 hr. ordeal), swimming, biking with Katie Cline, enjoying my team, playing several games of Euchre, reading, and worshipping on the beach. It was amazing...

Okay, time for me to go to bed. Tomorrow will be our last day in New Zealand. It's going to be sweet...

I promise I'll post pictures as soon as I have more available internet access that I don't have to pay a bunch of moolah for...

Whim Day

From February 17, 2008, Sunday:

Brent officially declared today “Whim Day,” which included the following adventures:

Picking flowers for each of the girls in our van as we left the “Cosy Cottages” (on a whim)

Stopping to take pictures (on a whim) in front of a big dog and a statue of Jesus as we were driving through Taoro.

Pictures in random hats (on a whim) in the sheep souvenir shop.

On the way to Waihi Beach, I decided (on a whim) that I wanted some coffee from McDonald’s McCafe… usually it is delicious, but unfortunately, the girl that made my coffee didn’t do such a good job. I was kind of disappointed.

After a dinner of amazing chili, Katie and I decided (on a whim) to go to the beach. There weren’t many people on the beach at all and it was SO gorgeous… so we danced and sang around the beach. We could see the reflection of the clouds on the wet sand (there was a very thin layer of water on a large stretch of it). So amazing… what a Creator we have!

Funny story: As we were leaving Taoro, Matt’s van got separated from ours, but Brent didn’t realize it until we got to Matamata (about 20 minutes away) because there was another van following closely behind us that was identical to Matt’s. Since Matt didn’t have a cell phone and his walkie-talkie was out of range, we had a little bit of a predicament on our hands… We drove back to Taoro in attempt to find our group… which ended up being unsuccessful.

We then drove back to Matamata, hoping they would call Brent’s cell phone soon. In the meantime, we went to find a place to eat. As we were getting ready to purchase our meal (had food on the trays and everything), Matt called, informing us that he was in Matamata. So, we left everything (bought 2 meat pies) and went to meet the group and had PB & J for lunch.

We were originally planning to stop in Matamata so that people that wanted to see Hobbiton would be able to go on a tour. Luckily, Matt arrived just before the bus was leaving for the tour… and our people were able to catch the bus. It ended up working out perfectly.

While Katie, Emily, Jon, and Jessie were on the tour, we decided (on a whim) to drive up to the Hobbiton farm (called Squire’s Rest) to pet sheep. It was sweet. We actually got to meet members of the Alexander family (people that own the property that Lord of the Rings was filmed on).

I like whim day. I hope to have them more often.

Rotorua, Zorbing, & Luging

From February 15, 2008, Friday:
After doing some shopping in Taupo, we headed to Rotorua and had our long-awaited fish and chips for lunch. I am pleased to report that I tried fish and chips… and I enjoyed them! I even had an extra helping of fish.

When we arrived at our “Cosy Cottage” in Rotorua, we had a low-key afternoon – checked out the boiling mud pools, walked to the lake, enjoyed the mineral pools, played Euchre, and had some time to just talk and hang out with our roommates (I stayed with Katie, Kari, and Sara, which was sweet). After dinner, all of us girls had ice cream and Tim Tams, which made for a delightful dessert.

From February 16, 2008, Saturday:
None of us slept very well last night, so we were very tired for a good part of the day. Since my team was in charge of making breakfast (French toast), we had to get up extra early.

After breakfast, we headed to Te Whakarewaretanga o te ope taua a Wahiao (“The Gathering Place” in Maori, Te Puia for short). At Te Puia, we had the opportunity to learn more about the historical culture of the Maori people. While we were there, we had the observed several things:
Geothermal activity – The Pohutu Geyser and the Ngamokaiakoko Mud Pool. Although the mud pools were very tempting, we were told that we could get burned instantly if the mud touched us (it was boiling). The sulfur from the geyser smelled like rotten eggs.
Kiwibirds – the nocturnal, flightless, national birds of New Zealand (also an endangered species)
Haka dance – the famous warrior dance of the Maori people. It was meant to be intimidating toward Maori enemies. In order to appear more intimidating, the Maori enlarged their eyes and stuck out their tongues. Some of us tried to do the same thing.
During the cultural show, several of us girls got to join in on a dance on stage. We were instructed on how to use particular instruments that they use in dance (I forgot what they are called). It was interesting… to say the least.

For lunch, we had peanut butter and jelly at a redwood forest park. Katie and I took a sweet hike afterward. It was lovely!

I was pretty nervous about zorbing, but decided to follow through with what I had already planned on. I had never heard of zorbing before New Zealand. Basically, you roll down a big hill in ball with water in it. It was way fun… kind of felt like a water slide. Sara was my partner – and she very graciously put up with my fears.

After an amazing spaghetti dinner, we went luging, which was so sweet! Luging is kind of like go-carting down a mountain. I wish we would have had more time there… Brent treated us to ice cream afterward. It ended up being a pretty sweet day.

Taupo, Valentine's Day, and Duck, Duck, Goose

Okay, so I have many updates written up... and am going to load them up in separate posts. I'll post pictures later...

We stayed in Taupo Wednesday and Thursday nights. The Holiday Park that we stayed at had a giant jumping pillow outside of our little cabin. We played Duck, Duck, Goose and took silly pictures. It was fun.

Thursday, a bunch of people went skydiving and bungee jumping. I was the only one in our group (besides Brent & Matt) that didn’t do one of the two extreme activities, which I was okay with, since I was planning to do luging and zorbing later on. I honestly had no desire to spend tons of money on things I don’t even enjoy.

We also celebrated Valentine’s Day on Thursday. I have always enjoyed celebrating Valentine’s Day… It has always been just a sweet reminder of God’s incredible love. I definitely don’t like to refer to it as “Singles Awareness Day.” If anything, it makes me more aware of the Father’s love.

After people went bungee jumping, we went into town for about an hour. I found a cute maroon New Zealand shirt with hearts on it in the shape of the islands of NZ. It was a perfect Valentine’s Day shirt. I also found a bone carving necklace in town that I’ve been waiting to buy for the longest time… hoping to find a bargain. It definitely was a sweet deal, which made me happy.

That night, all of the guys made dinner for us. They made haystacks and brownies that said “Happy V-day to our Ladies.” It was so thoughtful and definitely was a blessing.

I’m so thankful for the love of the Lord - which endures forever. God has definitely done great things. I’m thankful for His constant love.

Farewell Te Kareti Paipera O Aotearoa!

Translation: Farewell Bible College of New Zealand!

I have SOOO enjoyed my time here! It has been incredibly refreshing and much-needed. I loved our class times... the scenery... and my room. This afternoon, Katie and I went around and took some pictures, which I will now share with you:














Our place of residence for the past four weeks.






















The beautiful fountain...











My desk. I loved having a nice window view!















My closet-ish area. (I feel like I'm pulling a Jana in this picture for some reason...)















The greatest sign ever:















































'
Oops!



















This is where we had our classes - going through the Gospels... and Mandarin.




















The "nice" lounge. Spent lots of days here studying... lots of nights playing Euchre and/or watching movies (i.e. emailing).



















Sweetness!

I'm definitely going to miss the Bible College. It has been so refreshing to be here. I have loved getting to know Rina, Rebecca, and Christine. I have had wonderful conversations with each of them and will miss them.

As a final farewell, the chefs made us a "kiwi" traditional dinner. (New Zealanders refer to themselves as "kiwis.") They made pavlova for dessert, which was delicious and ridiculously sweet.



















Definitely forgot to post this picture with the last post... night kayaking was one of the highlights of our trip to Whangarei and the Bay of Islands.

I will do my best to keep you all updated over the next couple of weeks, but we're going to be doing a lot of traveling and will not have a whole lot of Internet access until we get to China on March 1.

Missing you all...
~Holly

You've Been Asking...

Here you go! Finally some pics from our trip last week!!! (Special thanks to Miss Katie Cline for supplying the photographs.)


One of our many lovely sunsets...
















On the way to Whangarei... Brent decided it might be worth stopping for a few photos. (I think he was right!)
























This symbol is quite common in New Zealand. If you look closely, you can see a fern all closed up, getting ready to unfurl. It is supposed to symbolize new beginnings... pretty appropriate for this trip, if you ask me.

The picture of me with the apple was taken because Katie gave me the nickname "Apple Snob." She thinks I am snobbish with my apples because I absolutely detest the soft ones. I figure, if I wanted applesauce, I would just eat it. Fortunately, the apple I am pictured with here is a New Zealand Beauty apple... which equals incredible deliciousness. :)

I think I am missing some pictures... I'll have to look for them again on Katie's computer... but hopefully these give you just a taste of the amazingness we've been able to experience lately. Unfortunately, the pictures don't quite capture the magnitude of the beauty I've been able to drink in...

Blessings to you all!

Randomness...

Technology Update
I have good news! I now have a laptop to use for the rest of the semester! When Tim Matteson (Bethel filming guy) came to visit, he brought me an extra laptop and took my laptop home to get fixed. Definitely a blessing... especially since a lot of my assignments will be due on Tuesday.

As far as the digital camera goes... it is pretty much fried, I think. Katie has been sharing her pics with me (I will be posting some from our past week of traveling soon, I promise!). When I go to China, I might check out the prices of digital cameras... we'll see.

Church
Today we had the opportunity to visit the Redeemed Christian Church of God, composed mostly of Nigerians, I think. It was a good, cultural experience. Several of us from our group enjoyed the worship. It is definitely different from what we're used to, but it was kind of fun. The sermon was REALLY long and I couldn't really understand it because the pastor had a very thick accent, but he basically talked about Luke 14:25-35 and the cost of being a disciple.

After church, they served lunch to us. It was very kind, particularly since their church is having a 30 day fast right now. I felt kind of bad eating food in front of them since they were fasting, but that was their gift to us. It was kind.

Chinese Class
I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but we started some Chinese classes here in New Zealand a couple of weeks ago. Our teacher, Frank is from Nigeria (he invited us to church with him) and is incredibly intelligent. At the beginning of our Chinese lessons, I was very excited and ready to take on the challenge. I am still excited, but it is really hard work and can be discouraging. Mandarin Chinese has four tones... so you can say the same syllable (ma, for example) and depending on how you say it, you can be referring to your mom, but accidentally call her a horse (not a good thing...). So, it is very challenging, but good. We have learned very basics phonetics so far (no characters yet). I know how to carry on brief conversations of greeting, introduction, ordering food, and going places. I probably shouldn't call them conversations... more like phrases. And I definitely don't have them mastered yet, but if I have my paper in hand, I can do okay. Definitely an adventure...

Itinerary
So, we have two more study days at the Bible college... and then we have to say goodbye for good. I'm really going to miss the Bible College. Katie, Rachel and I went on a walk after supper this evening and were talking about how nice it has been to have space and be settled. After we leave the Bible College, we will be traveling for 2 1/2 weeks before we get settled down in China.

I'll probably post more details later, but for now, the plan is to leave on Wednesday morning for the southern part of the north island. We'll visit Taupo, Rotorua (opportunity to go hiking, luging, and zorbing), and Waihi Beach. Our last day in New Zealand we'll visit the Sky Tower and prepare for our flight to Sydney EARLY Wednesday morning (the 20th).

We'll be in Australia for 9 days... then off to Beijing!

We don't know what our living arrangements in Beijing will be like quite yet... either an apartment or guest house. If we live in an apartment, it will be all 13 of us girls in one apartment. Definitely another adventure... there are pros and cons to the apartment and guest house. Either one will require flexibility and adaptability... which is good, because I definitely have plenty of room to grow in those areas!

Cravings
We have begun to crave American food lately... mybiggest cravings: s'mores, pancakes (with chocolate chips!), and macaroni and cheese. I don't even know why I miss those so much because I never really had them on a regular basis. I guess I'm probably craving my mom's homemade pizza and spaghetti too... Some of us girls have joked around that it sounds like we're at "fat camp" because sometimes all we can talk about is the food we're craving. It's kind of pathetic... and humorous. The good news is, Katie Cline emailed her grandma to get her homemade mac 'n cheese recipe... and Brent made it for dinner tonight! It was better than Kraft mac 'n cheese by far!

Homework
Still have plenty of it, but I finished my first 20 chapters of World Civ today! I still have some maps that I should probably work on before China, but I have finished what is necessary to complete before our exams the first week in Beijing.

As for my ministry class, I still have 8 more journals, 4 internet articles, and reading through the Gospel of John. I think I should be able to get all of those things finished by Tuesday. It's been a great class, I've really enjoyed it. I think I might miss it when it's over...

I also would like to begin doing research for my Area Study research paper. I am going to be studying Mao Zedong's life as it pertains to the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Brent said he thinks it's an excellent topic and that I'll learn a lot about Chinese culture, which is a good thing. (I was considering dropping my Area Study class from 3 credits to 1 so that I wouldn't have to do the research paper... but I decided that even though I don't need the extra credits, it's probably a better decision to go through with it. Brent mostly talked me into it... and I think I'm glad he did.) So... you all can look forward to learning more about that, because I'll probably blog some about what I'm learning, but that won't be for a few more weeks. :)

Okay... I need to try to do a little more homework before I turn in for the night...

These are a few of my Favorite Things...

New Zealand starry nights, waterfalls, sunrises, sunsets, chocolate, coffee, ice cream, mountains, hiking, mafia, beautiful flowers, worship on the beach under the stars, Euchre, feeling clean, reading, journaling, heart to heart conversations… I had the privilege of experiencing all of these things and more over the last several days. My heart is feeling so refreshed and renewed... we had such a good trip!

Joy in the Journey...
Sunday evening, we arrived at a Holiday Park in Whangarei (after much delay). It ended up being a beautiful place to stay at. After we made dinner, we played two games of mafia (one of my favorites) and had a sweet time of prayer and worship together as a group.

Early Monday morning, while it was still dark, I got up and hiked up a small mountain (with Kari, Rachel, Sara, Josie, and Tim Matteson - he came from Bethel to film our group for some videos). As we walked up the trail and the sun creeped up, I was amazed by the beauty surrounding us. When we got to the top of the mountain, we were somewhat disappointed. The view wasn't all that great and the sun had already risen. However, I wasn't too bothered by it. the journey was worth it. I've been praying throughout this trip that the Lord would give me joy in the journey... and He's totally answering that prayer. There is such joy along the way (even when things can be challenging and overwhelming).

Waitangi Treaty House
On Monday, we visited the Waitangi Treaty House, which is probably comparable to our Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania... or Washington D.C. At the Treaty House, we learned about the founding of New Zealand as a country and the struggles the Mauri tribe (natives of NZ) went through. The treaty was signed on February 6, 1840. [I was wishing my little sister, Emma could be there to hear the story since her birthday is Feb. 6.] It was cool to be near Waitangi on Feb. 6.

After visiting the Treaty House, we had the afternoon free to hang out in Paihia. A bunch of people went to watch the superbowl. I didn't feel like watching football or shopping... so I found a lovely little cafe overlooking the ocean and had some sweet time alone - reading and journaling. It reminded me a lot of times we had in VA Beach last summer. It was lovely.

Overnight Cruise on "The Rock"
It didn't take me very long to figure out why they named the ship "The Rock." All of the swaying and rocking back and forth made me a little seasick, much to my surprise. We had a good time, though.

Skip, the female crew member on board, informed us that the sunset we saw was one of the best ones she’s seen in a long time. I can hardly begin to describe how beautiful it was - the vibrant blue contrasted against the shocks of pink and orange, illuminated by the whispering clouds. As the sun sank further, the colors deepened and filled the sky… reflecting off the water gorgeously.

I had the opportunity to go night kayaking and got to see phosphorescence for the first time. It was so sweet (probably the highlight of the entire cruise)! I had never been kayaking before, but really enjoyed it, especially at night. When I put my hand in the water, I saw tons of tiny bright, shimmering neon algae. The stars were incredible too. I could kind of see a haze around them – like you normally see in space movies.

I also went snorkeling for the first time on Tuesday morning. I almost didn’t go… it was definitely a stretching experience. I’m pretty sure the snorkeling gear wasn’t washed after the last person used it. I was really grossed out by the salt water and having to put my mouth entirely around the mouthpiece. So disgusting (I can hear my mom's reaction right now...)! We didn’t really get to see a whole lot of coral or fish… so I’m not sure if it was worth it besides actually being able to say I did it. But at least I was somewhat adventurous, right?

Our cruise toured the Bay of Islands and stopped at one island where we hiked to the top within about 20 minutes. (Most of the islands were not your stereotypical beach with palm trees... there were beaches, but the rest of the islands were more mountainous, which made me happy). When we arrived at the island, it was really rainy and we (along with our towels) got drenched. The rest of the cruise was kind of choppy, but was still good. I was happy because I found some lovely seashells on the beach.

That evening after dinner at the hostel, we had Tim Tams and mochas and sweet conversations about dreams and the future... it was good.

Sunrise, Sunrise...
I have to admit, it was all I could do to drag myself out of bed to watch the sunrise on Wednesday morning. It was so early... and dark. We got to the site an hour and a half before the sunrise because Brent and Tim were doing some filming and wanted to get the whole thing. As we watched the sunrise, Brent was kind of disappointed and said something like, "Well, it's not really all that spectacular." God totally has a sense of humor because right after that, it turned out absolutely gorgeous. I think I got a taste of what David was referring to when he wrote Psalm 19:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day the pour forth speech; night after night they disply knowledge... Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world..."
On our way back from the sunset, we did our best to convince Brent to take us out for breakfast, but unfortunately our attempts of manipulation and selling failed. Instead, we went back to bed for a few hours.

Shopping, Ice Cream, and the Beach
The rest of Wednesday was pretty low-key. We didn't have anything planned except for relaxation. Katie Cline and I walked through downtown Paihia and did some shopping. Things in New Zealand are so ridiculously expensive! Fortunately, we found some good deals and I took care of my sister's birthday present.

Katie and I decided to have an ice cream date and had a mini-adventure. The lady at the counter gave me an extra scoop because she ran out of cappuccino (which was the second scoop that I ordered). So, she gave me some delicious cookies and cream. Unfortunately, I did not get to enjoy it. As Katie and I were walking to find a place to sit, an older man that was apparently in a hurry and not looking where he was going plowed right through me, sending my cookies and cream tumbling to the ground, only to melt on the sidewalk. I wasn't quite sure what to do as he kept right on walking. I think I just stood there for a few moments in disbelief. It didn't make me very happy. But... at the same time, I guess I probably didn't need that extra scoop of ice cream. Katie and I were trying to come up with some kind of descriptive alliterated title for him... but have been unsuccessful thus far. The ice cream that I had remaining was delicious. We sat by the ocean and had a lovely time.

It was kind of chilly while we were in Paihia so we didn't spend a whole lot of time on the beach. After dinner though, we all bundled up in our blankets and sweatshirts and walked to the beach to have a time of worship and sharing under the stars. We sang one of my new favorite songs:
I will worship... you, only you, Lord.
It's just you and me here, now.
Only you and me here, now...
I don't remember the rest, but it's a good song. Our group spent some time sharing being authentic with one another and sharing what God's been doing in our hearts. It was good. I see God working, which is sweet.

Kawakawa Toilets, Whangarei Falls, and Piha Beach

So, on our way back to the Bible College on Thursday morning, we stopped in Kawakawa just to see the toilets. (In NZ, they refer to bathrooms as the "toilet.") They were ornately decorated with bottles and tiles. It was fun and random to stop just to look at them.

We stopped for lunch at Whangarei Falls. It was one of the best lunches I've had in a long time - NZ Beauty Apples, peanut butter and jelly (yes I actually had peanut butter AND jelly together), and an incredible view. (I think the view was what made it incredible). I've been learning through this trip that I'm definitely more of a woods/mountain-beauty-appreciating-type of girl than a beach-loving girl (even though I still enjoy the beaches for sure). The falls were gorgeous and I enjoyed hiking down to see them.

When we got back to the Bible College, we had just enough time to do some laundry and get ready to head to Piha Beach. I wasn’t looking forward to it at first, but it ended up being SO worth it! I walked along the beach, doing a little bit of exploring and mostly just praying. It was SO perfect. Then, I was able to spend a little bit of time talking with one of the girls, which was just a sweet conversation.

Summing up the Weekend...
Kudos and many thanks to those of you who have stuck with the update this long. My apologies for the lengthiness... there's just SO much to share! God is doing great things and is answering many prayers. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. I miss you all, but am really enjoying this journey. This past week was so refreshing to my spirit. It's amazing how God's creation can be SO refreshing to my heart. I will post pictures when I get them from Katie...

We have five study days left here at the Bible College... then a whirlwind of travel.

A Fun Weekend Ahead...

FYI: I've decided to wait on the blog about New Zealand culture. After this weekend, I think I'll be able to give you a better picture of NZ culture.

Tomorrow morning we're leaving for Whangeri (I think that's how you spell it...) and will be gone until Thursday afternoon/night. We're going to be having our overnight cruise, learn some about New Zealand history and Mauri culture, and visit the Bay of Islands. Rest assured, I will give you a full and complete update upon my return (maybe even with pictures...).

When we get back to the Bible College on Thursday, we'll have five days left here... then we'll be packing our bags and traveling for almost two weeks straight. I think I'm going to miss the Bible College. I like it here...

Today was a nice low-key day... and I LOVE skype! After a wonderful spaghetti dinner tonight, we went to watch the sunset in Mission Bay. It was really cloudy again, but still quite lovely. Our group had a fun time... the girls tried to make a pyramid (which didn't work so well)... and had fun just being silly.



































Okay. I think that's all for now...

~Holly


By the way, Nora Whelan gets the award for being most observant. It is true that I have my ears double-pierced now... the day before I left my mom, Emma and I went to the mall to get additional piercings... for fun.

Some more pics...

So, rumor has it that this is the worst winter Indiana has seen for a long time... And I just heard today that China is experiencing the worst winter they've seen in 50 years. Someone told me that all the public transportation was closed down. Craziness. It's rather ironic... Brent and the rest of the NZ people have been saying that we've had more sunny days in New Zealand than is normal here. I do wish I could share the sunshine with you all...

I found some pics from Katie's camera that I can share with you all...

With Katie and Rachel in one of the vans on the way to one of our adventures...

Euchre buddies on Mt. Eden

(Rachel, me, Katie, and Bethany)

I like this picture of me and Katie...

Enjoying some ice cream at Movenpick's in Mission Bay.

A picture from this past weekend...

This was one of the train cars we stayed in last weekend at Solscape in Raglan.

Okay... I'll update some more tomorrow on New Zealand culture and our plans for the coming week... and Chinese classes.

Until then...

Zaijian!

~Holly